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bourhood, into which great bodies of the Malli had fled, with 

 positive orders to blockade it only, and not to storm the works till his 

 arrival. He hoped by these vigorous measures to prevent the junc- 

 tion of any very formidable numbers in the field, and he took an 

 effectual method to prevent any future opposition of those blockaded, 

 by exterminating them without mercy, as their strong holds suc- 

 cessively fell before the resistless energy of his own attacks. The 

 ramparts of the first of these cities were carried without any very 

 severe loss of time or men ; but the enemy retiring into the castle, 

 which was very lofty and difficult of access, for some time resisted 

 their utmost efforts. Alexander, however, exerting his utmost activity 

 and vigour to take it befo.re the country around should be roused 

 or the Oxydracse come to their aid, it was, after an obstinate re- 

 sistance, taken by storm, and its valiant defenders, about two thou- 

 sand in number, put to the sword. With respect to the other city, 

 commanded to be invested, Perdiccas, on his arrival there, found its 

 walls dismantled, and the city itself entirely deserted by its inhabi- 

 tants. The light cavalry were ordered to pursue the fugitives, and 

 very many were slain in their precipitate retreat ; but many also were 

 preserved from destruction, by seeking shelter in the marshes and 

 swamps, caused by the recent inundations, whither the horse dared 

 not follow them. These cities are both without a name in any clas- 

 sical author, but their position Mr. Rennel determines to have been 

 to the south, or south-east, of the part of the river from which he 

 landed*. 



After a few hours of necessary repose from such continued toil, 

 Alexander, pursuing his plan of secrecy and dispatch in subjugating 

 the Malli, when night approached, set off at the first watch, and, 

 matching incessantly all that night, about the break of day reached 



* Memoir, p. 07. 



