donians reached the spot, and encircled their beloved general
rfiTexandeT at the vei7 instant when life seemed to be extinct. Some had
effected an entrance by scaling the ramparts with the assistance
of iron pins driven into the face of the walls, others effected
the same object by hoisting one another to the top, a larger
body, by forcing a gate, reached the inside; and the assailants
having glutted their revenge by putting every creature to
death, they bore off the king upon his shield, not knowing
whether he was still alive or dead.1
After the difficult operation of cutting out the head of the
arrow, there was a gradual improvement; and in the course of
seven days Alexander was able to occupy a tent on two boats
lashed together for this purpose; in this state he was conveyed
down the river to the camp and rendezvous of the army, at the
confluence of the Hydraotes and Akesines. Finding that the
His conYa- report of his death had produced lamentation and despondency 1 PSPPn pp • h p - _ JL J
reviews the throughout the army, he first showed himself on a couch, and
army. subsequently, by a still greater effort, he appeared on horseback,
when he was received with enthusiastic cheers by the
soldiers, who raised their hands to heaven, with tears of gratitude
gushing from their eyes.2
During his tedious convalescence, the Oxydracee and some
unsubdued portions of the Malli sent their submission, with an
excuse from the former for being tardy, and the latter for their
protracted resistance.3
Passing through the territory of the Oxydracee as far as the
Indus, he ordered a town with docks to be constructed at the 1
confluence of the Akesines with that river, and then dropped
down to the royal palace of the Sogdh From thenee he proceeded
to the rich dominions of king Musicanus, who submitted,
Alexander but afterwards gave some trouble, as did Sabbas or Sambus,4 reaches th e a g • . ^
Delta of the the prince of the territory, now represented bySinde; and,
finally, Alexander halted at the upper extremity of the Delta,
where he prepared to carry out his project for commercially
connecting Europe with the eastern parts of Asia.
1 Arrian, lib. V I ., cap. x., xi.
8 Ibid., cap. xiii.
8 Ibid., cap. xii., xiii.
4 Ibid., cap. xvi., xvii.
CHAPTER XI.
MARCH OF ALEXANDER FROM THE INDUS TO SUSA AND BABYLON ;
AND VOYAGE OF NEARCHUS TO THE FORMER CITY.
Preparations for the return of the Army and Fleet.—Projected Trade with
India as the basis o f the intended Commerce.—Alexander abandons his
purposed Conquests in Eastern India.—Descent of the Indus and despatch
of Forces under Craterus and Hephsestion. •—- Alexander crosses the
Desert.—The Difficulties of the March.—-He reaches Kirman.—Slow
descent o f Nearchus.—H a lt at Karachee.—Advance to the R iver Arabius,
and along the coast of the Oritas.—Voyage to Cape ’Arabah, the Town
of Mosarna, and the extremity of the Coast of the Ichthyophagi.—The
Fleet reaches Cape Jask and Harmozia.—Nearchus meets Alexander.—
Voyage continued to Diridotus or Teredon.—Ascent of the Pasitigris to
Agines and Susa.—Ancient and modern Distances of the Voyage.—Games
and Sacrifices at Susa.—Asi<atics and Europeans to be united by Marriages
and other means.—Discontent of the Army.—The general employment of
Asiatic Mercenaries.-—Former project of Commerce.-—Geography of the
Karun and Kerkhah.—Alexander ascends the Tigris to Opis.—Bunds and
Dikes.-^Mutiny at Opis.—Alexander goes to Susa.—Advance across the
Zagros into Media.—Visit to the Nissean Plains.—March against the
Cossoei and to Babylon ¿S- Alexander’s preparations.—Reinforcements of
vessels and troops.—His gigantic projects, and Death.—Digression on the
Course, Risings, Flooding, &c. of the Indus.
A l t h o u g h the attention of the historians of Alexander has
been given almost exclusively to his stirring campaigns, yet
some circumstances, incidentally mentioned by them, go far to
show that the daring achievement now about to be noticed had
been projected by him previously to making the march of
9,265 miles, which we have just followed from ancient Tyre to
the river Hyphasis.1 The first step in establishing the great
1 Tyre to Thapsacus . . . . . . 376 miles.
Thapsacus to Susa . . . . . 806 -
Susa to Beghram . . ’ . « . . 3,535 ,,
Beghram to the Jaxartes . , ,, V - • - 865 „
Return to Beghram, including various marches
during the campaigns against the Sogdians,
Hill fort of Oxyarta, Aspii, &c. &c. . . 2,997 „
Beghram to the Hyphasis . • . • • 686 „
9,265
Z 2