568 Note on the Passes into Hindoostan [No. 126. 



Coenus, Spitamenes was deserted by his followers, who hearing that 

 Alexander himself also was approaching, cut off their chiefs head, and 

 sent it as an atonement for their own transgressions. 



Being thus rid of this active enemy, Alexander had leisure to reduce 

 the mountain forts of Soghdiana, lying between the sources of the 

 Jaxartes and the Desert west of Samarkund ; and the season being oc- 

 cupied in establishing posts and settling this country, he wintered again 

 north of the Oxus at Karshee, and there received reports from all the 

 Governors and Satraps he had left in the conquered territories. 



In the spring of 327, b. c., while the snow was yet heavy on the 

 ground, Alexander commenced his march through the mountains towards 

 Bulkh, reducing the places that refused to submit. He was in this march 

 much distressed for provisions, but every fort had its depot, and the 

 store of one of these, held by a chief named Chorienes, furnished a two 

 months' supply to the whole army at a time when it was in great want. 

 As the spring advanced, Alexander taking the route of Bulkh, 

 approached the Hindoo Koosh again, and crossed it to the city he had 

 built in the plain of Beghram. There he was met by Taxiles, an Indian 

 chief, whose capital (Taxila) was across the Indus. This chief 

 urged an advance in that direction, with the design of bringing to 

 subjection a rival chief of Peucilaotis, supposed to be in the country 

 near Peshawur. Alexander sent with this Indian chief Hephaestion, and 

 the bulk of his army, marching them by the route of the Cophenes 

 river. Under the Raja's guidance, Hephsestion passed without obstruc- 

 tion downwards, apparently by the Khyber, and having captured 

 Peucilaotis, set himself with the aid of Taxiles, to build a bridge at 

 Attuk. Alexander himself was determined to reduce the mountainous 

 tract of country lying between the Cophenes and the Hindoo Koosh, 

 and the number of rivers passed, and description of each given by 

 Arrian, correspond exactly with what we now know to be in existence 

 in that tract, though the names of several places and of races of people 

 differ as might be expected. 



Alexander from Beghram passed down the Punj-shushur river, and 

 crossed the Tagao with difficulty, then reducing two cities, the second 

 called Andaka, he came to the river Euaspla, (Alishung), where the 

 Aspii were in arms. The enemy fled to the mountains, and Alexander 

 followed to their stronghold, finding the capital which Arrian calls 



