for, when he makes Wars upon the Persian, if the Colchians and the People of that Tract join with him, they may give him notable Assistance. But the vulgar and more credible Opinion was, that he came to desire the Assistance of some Gallies against his Neighbour, the Iberian, who had slain his Father; which if he could obtain, then he would become Tributary to the Sultan. For, you must know, that there is an old and inveterate Hatred between the Colchians and the Iberians. Once there were some Overtures of Accommodation between them, and a Conference was had thereupon, between great Numbers of both Nations. At this Meeting, they began, first, to try who should be the greatest Drinkers; in which Contest, the Colchians, fell fast asleep. The treacherous Iberians made use of this Opportunity, and hurried away honest Dadianus as yet snoring, into a Chariot, and shut him up Prisoner in a high Tower, as if he had been lawful Prize taken in War. To revenge this Injury, and to recover their King, the Colchians levied an Army of 30,000 Men, who were commanded by the Wife of the captive King, a Woman of great Spirit, and not unskill'd in Horsemanship, or handling of Arms. The Commanders, in this Army, wore huge and unwieldy Coats of Mail, and were also armed with Swords and Spears pointed with Iron. They had also amongst them, a party of Musketeers, a strange sight in that Country. As for the common Soldiers, they had no Arms, but Arrows, or Stakes burnt at one end, or great wooden Clubs. Thus they rode on Horseback, without Saddle or other Furnture.
This rude and discomposed Multitude, drew near to the Place where their King was in Custody, but were soon terrified with the Discharge of a few Guns from the Castie, and ran back a full Mile; but then taking Heart, on they came again, but
