1852.] On the Sites of Ni/caia and Boukephalon. 227 



year alters it. Koharr is ail old site, but I could there procure neither 

 Greek coins nor any intelligence of sculpture or of Greek bricks 

 being turned up. There is one large inhabited island opposite Koharr, 

 but it seems to me of recent formation, and to have been, not a hundred 

 years ago, one with the shore. Supposing it to have been divided from 

 Koharr by a small creek, it would answer very well for the second or 

 larger island encountered by Alexander. The " insulee crebrse," 

 however, if they existed here, are no longer found. It seems to me, 

 that Alexander having the choice of flanks to move upon, could not 

 have hesitated for a moment to prefer making his passage to the left : 

 for there, between him and the opposite shore, intervened extensive 

 and well wooded islands ; and the deep narrow channels between them 

 afforded a mask to his fleet, so that its increase or diminution could 

 not be perceived by the enemy. Moreover, by reference to the map 

 in the No. of this Journal for December, 1848, it will be seen, that 

 in order to oppose Alexander by that passage, Porus had to march 

 nineteen miles. Whereas by this passage he would have marched but 

 ten miles. The figure of the river and its islands to the north of 

 Jelurn agrees exactly with Arrian's and Curtius's description. Here 

 are the inhabited and uninhabited,* the wooded and the naked islands 

 in which the youth of either force met to skirmish. There is the 

 promontory (Bhoona), round which the current circles in a remarkable 

 manner, and from which to this day cattle take their plunge to reach 

 the small jungle-clad island in mid-stream : the set of the current 

 from thence being directly on that island. There is the larger island 

 five and half miles in length and uninhabited, with its invisible eastern 

 channel, fordable even during the monsoon, having a firm pavement 

 of stones. Here is the firm plain beyond the river, hard and solid 



* 'Aicpa 1\v auexovcra rrjs 6x61]? tov 'TSdairov, 'Lva eirefcafXTrrei/ 6 nora/j-bs \6yov 

 a£ta>s* avT-f) re Saae'ia iravroiwv SeuSpwv efSet, Kal Kar ahr^v vrjcros iv T(j> iroTa/xcp 

 vAu>5r)S ts Kal affTifirjS vir' iprjfxias. Arrian, lib. v. cap. 11. 



Erant in medio amne insula? crebrae, in quas Indi et Macedones nantes, levatis 



super capita armis, transibant Erat insula in flumiue amplior caeteris, silvestris 



eadem, et tegendis insidiis apta. Q. Cur. lib. viii. cap. 13. We have only to 

 read on to feel assured of Curtius's ignorance of military strategic, for he evidently 

 supposes that Alexander drew the attention of Porus to the island by which he 

 meant to effect his passage, and that the passage was effected in front of both camps. 



2 G 



