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bability than such accounts as these in Mirkhond, it were better, for 

 the cause of genuine historic truth, that they should remain for 

 ever untranslated. Had such events really taken place, it would 

 have been impossible for the vanity of Alexander, and the Greeks 

 who accompanied him, to have concealed them ; or of historians, 

 like Curtius, to have blazoned them with all the pomp of declama- 

 tion and all the splendor of panegyric. 



The unbounded joy resulting from the gratification of their wishes, 

 that pervaded the whole army, gave to the retrogressive march 

 through the Panjab the air of a triumphal procession, as for a world 

 already subdued. Every eye sparkled with hope, and every heart 

 beat with transport, at the thought of revisiting their dear country, 

 kindred, and friends. Returning, therefore, with all the celerity with 

 which an army, so encumbered with spoil, could move, they soon 

 reached the Hydraotes ; and, passing it as rapidly as its obstructed 

 current Avould permit, arrived at the Acesines, the current of which, 

 though still impetuous, from the torrents rushing from the mountains 

 and the incessant rains, ceased to appear formidable*. Here, finding 

 the city, which he had ordered Hepheestion to erect on its banks, 

 completed, he invited the friendly inhabitants of the adjacent districts 



* In another valuable work of Arrian, he acquaints us, that Alexander having pitched his 

 camp on the banks of this river, he was afterwards compelled, by the inundations, which were 

 widely diffused over all the circumjacent level territory, to break it up, and remove to a great 

 distance higher in the country : all which proves the innumerable obstacles with which the 

 Macedonians had to contend during this their summer campaign in the Pnnjab. The 

 periodical rains are known to begin in May and end in October: now it was in May that he 

 first crossed the Hydaspes, and it was the 23d of October, according to Dr. Vincent's most 

 accurate investigation, when he again embarked on that river for the ocean. Thus Alexander 

 remained in the field during the whole period of their continuance. Timur and Nadir Shah 

 acted more wisely, by carrying on in that country a winter campaign. The former entered 

 Delhi in triumph on the 4th of January, 1300 ; the latter fought the battle of Carnaul, not 

 remote from that capital, on the 15th of February, 1739. 



