promptly dealt with, was likely to entail serious consequences, since it
left an important point on the frontier exposed: and there now remained
nothing to prevent the people of Adini or their allies from spreading
over the country between the Khabur and the Tigris, and even pushing
forward their marauding bands as far as the very walls of Singar and
Assur.

[Illustration: 024b.jpg NO. 1. ENAMELED BRICK (NIMROD). NO. 2. FRAGMENT
OF MURAL PAINTING (NIMROD).]


[Illustration: 025.jpg STELE FROM ARBAN]

Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from Layard's sketch

Without losing a moment, Assur-nazir-pal marched down the course of the
Khabur, hastily collecting the tribute of the cities through which he
passed. The defenders of Sura were disconcerted by his sudden appearance
before their town, and their rulers came out and prostrated themselves
at the king's feet: "Dost thou desire it? it is life for us;--dost thou
desire it? it is death;--dost thou desire it? what thy heart chooseth,
that do to us!" But the appeal to his clemency was in vain; the alarm
had been so great and the danger so pressing, that Assur-nazir-pal was
pitiless. The town was handed over to the soldiery, all the treasure
it contained was confiscated, and the women and children of the best
families were made slaves; some of the ringleaders paid the penalty of
their revolt on the spot; the rest, with Akhiabaha, were carried away
and flayed alive, some at Nineveh, some elsewhere. An Assyrian garrison
was installed in the citadel, and an ordinary governor, Azilu by name,
replaced the dynasty of native princes. The report of this terrible