WESTERN HINDOOSTAN. 



21 



the Ar}/iotelia72 cubit is little more than an BngliJJj foot and a half, 

 we may give full credit to his having feen a ferpent of the length 

 he gives, or one of twenty-four feet. The antients are often 

 abufed for their credulity: but let me remark, that incredulity- 

 is more frequently the offspring of ignorance than the former ! 

 At this time inftances may be adduced of fpecies from twenty 

 to thirty-fix feet in length, in Hindoojlan, Ceylon, Java, and fe- 

 veral other iilands. Bontius, p. 76. a moft refpe6lable writer, 

 bears witnefs to the exiftence of fome of thirty-fix feet being 

 found in Java. 



Among the trees the Ficus Indica, the Faringa Latifolia of Ficus Isdica. 

 Rumphius, could not fail engaging his attention, which formed 

 a grove of itfelf, by the rooting of its pendulous branches. 



The mountains bordering on the HydaJ'pes were part of the 

 Cachemerian chain, clothed with forefts of trees of vaft height 

 and fize. He committed to the care of certain officers the fall- 

 ing the timber, and floating it down the river to the place he 

 had appointed for the rendezvous of the veffels, which he had 

 ufed in his expeditions up the other rivers. At this place, which 

 was between the forks of the Indus and Acefmes, he founded 

 2.uo\hQY Alexandria, and there formed his docks and fhip yard. Another Alex- 

 He built feveral new fliips, rebudt and repaired others, and with 

 a fleet which confided of eighty Triremes, or lliips with three 

 banks of oars, and with lefler veflels, probably collected from the 

 feveral rivers of the country, in all amounting to two thoufand 

 of different kinds, he fell down the Hydafpes. On his arrival at the 

 jun6lion of that river with the Acejines (which preferves its 

 name till it is loll; in the greater river) his navy underwent the 

 utmoft danger by the violent collifion of the two waters. Several 



of 



