394 Conjectures on the march of Alexander. [July, 



this stream, and at a considerable distance from it, and moreover in 

 a mountainous country, where the Indus has never been able to 

 change its course. Besides, Peucelaotis was contiguous to Bazira, a 

 town that they suppose must have been Bajtir. 



From Peucelaotis Alexander returned on his steps, directing his 

 march towards the north-west, in order to investigate Aornus. After 

 the capture of this rock, he made a second expedition into the country 

 of the Assaceni, between Bazira and Peucelaotis. 



Ashnagar, which several geographers mistake forMassaga, the capital 

 of the Assaceni, appears to me to be the town of Nysa. Its vicinity 

 to Cophenes, and above all what Plutarch states that Alexander 

 said to the Macedonians, who hesitated and seemed to fear encoun- 

 tering so deep a river, all corroborate my conjecture. I must, besides, 

 observe, that three kos below this town, and on the borders of the Cd- 

 bul, is the village of Nysetta, where there are some vestiges to be found. 

 All the suburbs of Ashnagar are scattered over with vast ruins, of none 

 of which we know the origin, and where we find some very ancient 

 medals. The actual fortress of Ashnagar overlooks this territory. 



In starting from thence to the Indus we meet no other river, with 

 the exception of a small stream which flows from the Babuzies, and 

 which passes between the Hotti and the Kapourdigarhi to throw itself 

 from thence into the river Cdbul, below the Nouchareh. 



At six kos to the N. E. of Ashnagar is the mountain of Behhi, 

 isolated upon a vast plain, and upon which may be remarked the 

 ruins of a very vast town, which seems to be of most ancient date, 

 and which, according to the reports of its present inhabitants, was the 

 residence of the ancient kings of that country. Specimens of bas reliefs 

 may there be found ; also the remains of an aqueduct, by which thence 

 the waters of Ashnagar were carried to the town. At eight kos to 

 the north of Behhi we see the summit of a mountain, situated between 

 the canton of the Babuzies and the massive ruins of a fortress, which 

 was only accessible by a path cut through the rock. 



This spot is called Pelley. At 18 kos N. E. of Ashnagar we see on 

 the southern range of the mountain called Kohganga the vast ruins of 

 a town, that the present inhabitants say was peopled by idolaters, and 

 which is quite close to the existing town Bazar. At 15 kos to the east of 

 Ashnagar is the actual town of Kapourdigarhi, which from its locality 

 might well be the ancient Caspatyrus, the capital of the Gandarii, 

 which is placed by our geographers to the east of Assaceni, on the 

 western bank of the river Indus. 



I have remarked, that close to this town is an inscription in charac- 

 ters quite similar to those we observe on the ancient Indian medals 



