1863. ] Aornos. 413 
not in itself very formidable, for Alexander and his companions 
scrambled up it without waiting for ladders. 
This is the account of Arrian, generally the most faithful of historians. 
It has all the appearance of having been copied from the journal 
of an eye-witness : perhaps Ptolemy, perhaps Beton, Alexander’s quar. 
ter-master, whose journal was published. According to him the dif- 
fieulty of the enterprize was the exceeding courage of the defenders 
opposing Alexander on a very steep acclivity, which he was 6 days 
in surmounting. But walls or ditches are no where mentioned. The 
fidelity of the people in concealing from him the path by which such a 
wilderness of mountain might be safely entered, was amongst the fore- 
most difficulties. A foreigner who had long resided there was his 
guide, bribed by a large sum* of money. This is Arrian’s account, 
and should any one have to attack the Mahabunn, Arrian would serve 
him as a guide step by step. 
We next come to Strabo’s very meagre notice of Aornos. “ Alexan- 
der had taken, in the first assault, a certain rock called Aornos, whose 
roots the Indus, not far from its springs, washes.” 
Next follows Curtius, whose account is so diametrically opposite 
to that of Arrian, that it is necessary to choose the one and reject the 
other. I am not singular in siding with Arrian, whose detailed narra. 
tive is as sober as Curtius’ is wild and inflated. Curtius describes the 
rock Aornos as having the figure of a goal, terminating above in a 
sharp pinnacle, its roots bemg entered by the river Indus, scarped 
on both sides by lofty rocks. On the other hand were interposed gulfs 
and quagmires, which Alexander filled, by felling and casting in a 
forest ; a work of 7 days. ‘The assailants who were repulsed, fell into 
the Indus, as the garrison rolled down upon them rocky fragments. 
The repulse was signal, but as Alexander showed no symptom of aban- 
doning the siege, the Indians after a while evacuated the rock. This 
rock was near Ora and one march from Ek-bolima, beyond which was 
a defile : after which he reached the Indus in 16 marches, and found all 
prepared for crossing. - 
No mention is made of walls to this Fort. In fact, supposing it to 
have had the figure of a Roman goal as above described, walls 
had been utterly superfluous, and its name of Aornos had been well 
deserved. 
* 80 Talents, 
