The coast of
the Ichthyo-
phagi.
The fleet
enters the
Persian Gulf.
The next stage of 300 stadia brought the fleet to Dagasira,
a town frequented by herdsmen, and in another of 1,100 stadia
it reached the extreme limits of the Ichthyophagi. According
to the present voyage this coast extends 10,000 stadia; Strabo
gives it only 7,400 stadia, and the distance on the charts is but
449 miles. At present, as in the time of Nearchus, fish, both
fresh and reduced to meal when dry, forms a large part if not
the whole sustenance of the people, as well as of their cattle.1
On reaching Badis, a port of Moghostan, towards the
southern extremity of Kirman, which appears to be represented
by the town of Jask, near the well-known cape of that
name, Nearchus found stores of vines and corn, with plenty of
fruit trees, except olives. Passing Bambarak, or Kove Mubar-
rack, named by Nearchus the second mount of Semiramis,
and having made 800 stadia, the fleet anchored opposite the
Arabian promontory, called Maceta,2 now Coomza, and the
adjoining small island of B,as Musendom. Next day the fleet
entered the Gulf of Persia; and going along the northern shore
by Neoptana, now Karroon,3 a fishing village, it made 800
stadia to the mouth of the river Anamis,4 where uncertainty as
to his voyage, and the chief difficulties in accomplishing it,
were at an end.
More powerful incentives to a great undertaking can scarcely
be imagined than those which influenced Nearehus, After
being selected in preference to all others by the king, he received
instructions in person to carry out an enterprise which
the monarch had previously destined for himself, as the last
and greatest object to complete his vast undertakings, and
there was from time to time during the voyage the animating
incitement of endeavouring to keep pace with the parallel
movement of the king. But, on the other hand, the difficulties
were sufficient to outweigh all these considerations, and deter
almost any other commander. The vessels could only carry a
1 Lieut. Kempthorne, Indian Navy, vol. V., p. 270, o f Royal Geographical
Jo u rn a l; Arrian, Ind., cap. xxix.
3 Arrian, Ind., cap. xxxii.
3 Vol. V. of Royal Geographical Journal, p. 273.
4 Arrian, Ind., cap. xxxiii.