1848.] The Battle Field of Alexander and Porus. 625 



vain does the gallant Raja bear clown with all his force to crush or to 

 sweep into the river by the weight and terror of his elephants and the 

 shock of his chariots the destroyers of his broken ranks. For now the 

 Macedonian Phalanx advances and a storm of arrows, of stones and of 

 winged javelins rains upon the timid elephant, or rolls his guider in the 

 dust. Frantic with terror and with pain, the huge monsters reel round 

 upon their master's ranks and spread confusion and dismay. Then rages 

 the tumult of the battle. The light reed arrows of the Indian archer 

 rebound shattered from the plated mail of the Greek. That steady, 

 self-possest, never wavering mass of broad shields and brazen helmets 

 and long protruded pikes, never hurrying ever advancing wins, step by 

 step, its gory way. Death is busy in their ranks but makes no chasm 

 there, for the ready files still close together, self-supported and support- 

 ing, whilst over their heads and from either flank the archers and 

 slingers pour their murderous hail. 



Meanwhile the battle rages upon the Indian left. Ceenus with his 

 cavalry has past round the right flank of the Indians and driven before 

 him in confusion the succour sent to the other wing. The cavalry that 

 waits to be attacked is lost, and what chance has the timid light-armed 

 horseman of the Indian with men whose souls are fire, their swords 

 sledge hammers, their tunics of tempered steel. The broken and dis- 

 ordered horse are driven pell mell upon the frantic elephants and upon 

 the wavering foot. The chariots whose power is velocity are destroyed 

 without a blow. The whole dense host of the Powarr abandons the 

 field in the panic of flight. 



Porus alone maintains the contest. His elephant still wades through 

 the sea of life and death, trampling, destroying, affrighting as he 

 moves. The Tarkhaili chief is sent to summon him. His answer 

 is a winged shaft. Meroo* is more successful. He represents the 

 hopelessness of prolonged resistance, he points to his scattered army, he 

 assures the Raja of honourable terms. Then, the two brave foes meet 

 face to face : the successful robber and the patriot whose heroism is vain. 

 And the robber, whose heart revolts from the iniquity his ambition has 

 devised, soothes the noble spirit whom, without provocation, he has 

 wronged. 



Such were the scenes which crowded upon my mind's eye, as for 

 * Meroo is still a common name in Huzara. 



4 n 2 . 



