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16. While we keep away from such places, we should get the enemy

to approach them; while we face them, we should let the enemy

have them on his rear.

17. If in the neighbourhood of your camp there should be any

hilly country, ponds surrounded by aquatic grass, hollow basins

filled with reeds, or woods with thick undergrowth, they must be

carefully routed out and searched; for these are places where men

in ambush or insidious spies are likely to be lurking.

[Chang Yu has the note: "We must also be on our guard against

traitors who may lie in close covert, secretly spying out our

weaknesses and overhearing our instructions."]

18. When the enemy is close at hand and remains quiet, he is

relying on the natural strength of his position.

[Here begin Sun Tzŭ's remarks on the reading of signs, much of

which is so good that it could almost be included in a modern

manual like Gen. Baden-Powell's "Aids to Scouting."]