1852.] On the Sites of Nikaia and Boukephalon. 217 



For had Alexander crossed the Indus below Atuk, i. e. at Nitab, Abi- 

 sares had never troubled his head about him. Yet there are people 

 who, because they find, on the wrong side of the river Indus, the 

 valley Tauk (which they hope to convert into Taxila), would make 

 Alexander drag his army and war-engines during the hot winds over 

 the difficult passes of the Kohaut Mountains, only that he might get 

 the worst roads and the worst ferries and leave behind the most 

 powerful of those whom he came to conquer. The Gamaxus,* men- 

 tioned by Curtius, is probably the chief of Ghayb,f a rugged district on 

 the eastern border of the Indus about eighty miles South of Huzara. 



Again on hearing of the victory over Porus, Abisares sent to submit 

 himself and kingdom to Alexander. Had this victory taken place at 

 Pind Dadun Khan, it had scarcely threatened the safety of Abisares. 

 It seems therefore almost certain, that Alexander after his passage of 

 the Indus skirted the mountains Huzara and Juppaul.J But previous 

 to deciding between the Jelum and Julalpoor routes, we have some 

 other arguments to examine. 



After crossing the Indus, Alexander halted at Taxila to refresh his 

 army.§ Of Taxila we only know that it was the largest city || between 

 the Indus and Hydaspes, and the capital of Taxiles, one of the two 

 most powerful chiefs of that tract. But since Abisares sent his brother 

 there with tribute, we infer that it was not far from Huzara ; that 

 in all probability it was a position menacing Huzara. And we also 

 infer, that it did not border the Indus, because Alexander sent Koinos 

 (Ccenus) back from Taxila || to the ferry of the Indus, with orders 



* Gamaxusque rex exiguae partis Indorum, qui Barzenti se conjunxerat, vinctus 

 adductus est. Qu. Cur. lib. viii. par 13. 



f The present chief of Ghayb was my comrade in the late war. 



% Strabo says, his course was over the roots of the mountains ; agreeing well 

 with the Jelum, but not with the Julalpoor route. The quotation will be found 

 farther on. 



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 &c. Arrian, lib. v. cap. 8. 



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