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where, finding the wind exceedingly boisterous, and a spacious and 

 commodious harbour upon it, he took the prudent resolution of re- 

 maining at that station till the entire ceasing of the adverse monsoon. 

 The troops were, therefore, disembarked, a camp was immediately 

 formed, and fortified with a wall of stone, by way of security against 

 the attacks and depredations of the savage inhabitants. Nearchus was 

 so pleased with this sheltered retreat from the tempestuous gales, that 

 he honoured the haven with the distinguished title of the Port of 

 Alexander; and the English editor of his Voyage has discovered its 

 exact scite in the Chilney Isle of modern charts of the coast. How- 

 ever secure from the storm and the barbarous natives, the fleet was 

 by no means so from the assaults of a more dreadful foe, FAMINE, 

 and with difficulty supported life with the various species of shell-fish 

 which they found scattered on the shore. To add to this calamity, 

 they could obtain no water on the whole coast but what was 

 brackish, and all this not only shews how little they were provided 

 with stores for such a tedious voyage, but demonstrates that they must 

 have been compelled to undertake it before they were fully prepared. 

 After staying at Bibacta twenty-four days, the monsoon having at 

 length become favourable, they continued their progress close along 

 the shore till they arrived at the mouth of the river Arabis, a name 

 still preserved in Araba and Cape Arrubah adjoining*. The Arabis 

 is stated, by Arrian, to be distant from the Indus a thousand stadia, 

 little more than sixty miles ; and on this navigation near forty days 

 had already been consumed. After a short stay at the Arabis, the 

 fleet again sailed, and, soon after, the monsoon being yet wavering, 

 owing to a violent and sudden change of the wind, two galleys and a 

 transport foundered ; but, the Greek vessels ever keeping close to the 

 shore, the crews saved themselves by swimming to land. They were 



i 



* Voyage of Nearchus, p. 182. 



