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revels*. After this imprudent, and, in fact, scarcely credible, re- 

 laxation in a hostile country, Alexander, induced either by curiosity 

 or vanity to navigate the Indus, returned to that river, and, finding 

 near its banks a thick wood, ordered sufficient timber to be cut 

 down for the construction of rafts, to carry down himself and the 

 troops with him to that more convenient point of transportation 

 where Hephaestion and Perdiccas had prepared the bridge of boats, 

 and whither the main body of the army had marched some time 

 before from Peucelaotis. On their safe arrival there, the em- 

 May, barkation took place; and, so excellently had every previous mea- 



Beforc Christ, 



sure been arranged, the transportation of the whole army was effect- 

 ed, equally without loss and without opposition. 



In the Indian Antiquities, whatever concerns the geography of 

 this part of India, as well as most things that have relation to the 

 religion and the singular manners and customs of this ancient and 

 secluded race, have been extensively discussed. The narration, 

 therefore, of the farther progress of Alexander into the interior of 

 India, will flow on uninterruptedly, except in those cases where 

 information, more recently obtained, may render occasional addition 

 necessary. 



The great river, properly called the Indus, is formed, according to 

 the most accurate geographer of India, of ten principal streams 

 descending from the Persian and Tartarian mountains, of which 

 Alexander had previously crossed the Cophenes, the Choaspes, and 

 the other branches on the west of the Sinde. Five more, rushing 

 down on the eastern side of the Sinde, and giving to that country 

 the name of Punjab, were yet to be crossed ere he could complete 

 the original intention of reaching the distant Ganges. They were 

 to be crossed too at a season when the periodical rains, already 



* Arrian, lib. v. cap. 2. Curtius, lib. viii. cap. 10. 



