28 WESTERN II I N D O O S T A N. 



greatly have exaggerated the preparations; they make her 

 army con fill of three millions of foot, and two hundred thou- 

 fand horfe, and a hundred thoufand chariots, and multitudes of 

 fhips, ready framed, and carried in pieces by land, to be put 

 together in order to crofs the Indus. 1 fufpe£l that thefe veffels 

 were no more than fo m.any coracles, or 'Oitilia navigiay made of 

 bamboos, like thofe ufed by Ayder Alii in our days, on the waters 

 of Malabar. In order to fupply her wants of real elephants, 

 fhe caufed a multitude of fiititious ones to be made, out of 

 the fkins of three hundred thoufand black oxen, which were 

 placed on camels backs, guided by a man within this ftrange 

 Staerobates. machine. Stabrobates^ l^i"S of India, received advice of her 

 preparations, and, by a prudent embaffy, endeavoured to divert 

 her from her intentions. The Queen rejecfted his remonftrances, 

 crolTed the river, and defeated the fleet of the Indian monarch; 

 that perhaps was not difficult, notwithftanding it confided of 

 four thoufand boats; but as they were formed only of the 

 bamboo cane, they never could refill the fiiock of timber Ihips. 

 The vi6lory proved fatal to her ; flie fucceeded in croffing the 

 river, but was deceived by the pretended flight of Stabrobates ; 

 file purfued, and overtook liim ; the battle was fought : The 

 Indian monarch difcovered the fidtitious elephants, and Semira- 

 mis was totally defeated. She re-palfed the river with precipi- 

 tation ; fhe loft great part of her troops, and returned covered 

 with fliame into her own country. So many fabulous circum- 

 ftances attend this expedition, that we may well doubt the 

 veracity of the hiftorian, and poffibly of the very exiftence of the 

 heroine. What credit, as the learned Bryant juftly obferves, 

 4 can 



