The object seems to have been to stock Assyria with a variety and an abundance of animals of chase.
The foes of the Assyrians would sometimes, when hard pressed, desert the dry land, and betake themselves to the marshes, or cross the sea to islands where they trusted that they might be secure from attack.

Not unfrequently they obtained their object by such a retreat, for the Assyrians were not a maritime people.

Sometimes, however, they were pursued.

The Assyrians would penetrate into the marshes by means of reed boats, probably not very different from the _terradas_ at present in use among the Arabs of the Mesopotamian marsh districts.

Such boats are represented upon the bas-reliefs as capable of holding from three to five armed men.