king rhodar 's infantry units began to arrive from the encampment at the aldur river to make the tortuous climb up the narrow ravines to the top of the escarpment ; lines of wagons from the main supply dumps freighted food and equipment to the base of the cliff where the great hoists waited to lift the supplies up the mile-high basalt face ; and the mimbrate and algar raiding parties moved out , usually before dawn , in their now far-flung search for as yet unravaged towns and crops .