WESTERN H I N D O O S T A N. 27 



order to refit his fleet; which, being acccomplifhed, he failed 

 down into the ocean. The dangers which might occur in an 

 unknown fea, and the preffing inllances made by his friends, 

 induced him to return. He landed his forces, and took the 

 rout towards Gedrq/ia,, and at length arrived at the city of Baby- 

 lon, with the remains of his faithful army, reduced by the toil- 

 fome march, by famine, peftilence, and every calamity w^hicli 

 his phrenetic ambition had involved it in. 



He had committed the care of his fleet to Nearchus, a man of 

 firft rate abilities, who engaged to conduct it through the ocean 

 to the Per/! an Gulph and the Euphrates. He performed his 

 engagement, after many difficulties. When he had arrived at 

 HarfTiozia, the modern Ormus, he heard that his mafter was 

 not remote. He landed, with a few of his companions, and in 

 five days reached the army, but fo fqualid and miferable in their 

 afpecl, that Alexander, fliocked at their appearance, took Near- 

 chus afide, and ailved, Whether he had not loft his fleet? On 

 being aflTured of its fafety, he gave way to the moil: unbound- 

 ed joy, and crowned both him and Leonnatus with golden 

 crowns; Nearcbus. for: having preferved the fleet, Leonnatus 

 for a vidlory obtained over the Oritid\ and the whple army 

 faluted the former v^ith flowers and garlands fcattered over their 

 celebrated admiral -. 



I MUST not quit the hiftorical part of the Indus, without Semiramis. 

 mention of the expedition undertaken by the heroine Semiramis, 

 many ages before that of Alexander. Certainly hiftorians muft 



* Anian, i. 577, 589. Expcd. Alex. 



E 2 greatly 



