THE PASSAGE OF THE DWINA 145

twenty yards apart. ‘The whole was to be damped, with
the exception of only a small quantity on the windward
side of the heaps, which was to be used for starting the
fire. In two hours the work was completed. The men
were then ordered to return to their camps, have their
suppers, and lie down at once. ‘Then they were to form
up half an hour before daybreak in readiness to take their
places in the boats, and were then to lie down in order
until the word was given to move forward.

‘This was done, and just as the daylight appeared the
heaps of straw were lighted, and dense volumes of smoke
rolled across the river, entirely obscuring the opposite
shore from view. ‘The Saxons, enveloped in the smoke,
were unable to understand its meaning. Those on the
watch had seen no sign of troops on the bank before the
smoke began to roll across the water, and the general was
uncertain whether a great fire had broken out in the forage
stores of the Swedes, or whether the fire had been purposely
raised either to cover the movements of the army and
enable them to march away and cross at some undefended
point, or whether to cover their passage. The Swedish
regiments, which were the first to cross, took their places
at once in the boats, the king himself accompanying them.
In a quarter of an hour the opposite bank was gained.
Marshal Steinau, an able general, had called the Saxons
under arms, and was marching towards the river, when
the wind freshening lifted the thick veil of smoke, and he
saw that the Swedes had already gained the bank of the
river, and at once hurled his cavalry against them.

The Swedish formation was not complete, and for a
moment they were driven back in disorder and forced
into the river. The water was shallow, and the king going
about among them, quickly restored order and discipline,
and charging in solid formation they drove the cavalry
back and advanced across the plain. Steinau recalled his