1852,] On the Sites of Nikaia and Boukephalon. 233 



fragments of sculptured stone from the same spot, and sent them to 

 Lahore in progress to the Asiatic Society's Museum. This seems to 

 have been the Boukephala of history. Nothing is known of its name 

 or fortunes by the natives of the country, excepting that it is not the 

 old Jelum. They call it, in common with a hundred other sites of 

 which the name is lost, Pindi, or the town. 



The old site on the eastern bank of the Hydaspes is far less elevated 

 than that just described. The artificial accumulation of soil is not 

 above twelve or thirteen feet. It is called old Jelum and that is 

 undoubtedly the name it bore previous to its destruction ; as the lands 

 belonging to the site, bear that name, as does the modern village 

 erected there. I found many shafts (now filled up) which Genl. 

 Ventura sank some years ago. The inhabitants say, he found a few 

 large, i. e. Greek, bricks, some smaller bricks, and a few pice. I also 

 sunk a shaft and found, first, earth and potter's clay, then a few small 

 bricks, which seem to have been introduced by the Muhammedans ; 

 and then one or two larger bricks. The coins brought me were few, 

 and generally either Hindu or of the later Bactro-Greek dynasties. 

 It stands close to the easternmost small channel of the Hydaspes, 

 on a low plain, or rather valley, and must, I think, have been liable 

 to occasional injury from floods. Its length is about 400 yards 

 and breadth about 100. It would appear to me to have been originally 

 a Greek town, and subsequently Hindu or Muhammedan, but not to 

 have existed so long as Boukephala and to have had no great import- 

 ance' as a Greek town. 



Supposing it to be the Nikaia sought, reasons for this are easily 

 found. The Greek empire every now and then extended itself beyond 

 the Hydaspes. But that river was generally its utmost Eastern limit : 

 by the great scarcity of Greek coins Eastward of the Hydaspes, and 

 their great abundance Westward. Moreover upon a road of no very 

 considerable commerce, it required the direct interference of a despotic 

 government to maintain the prosperity of two considerable towns, in 

 such close contact. The site of Boukephala being higher, drier, 

 healthier, and nearer the ferry than that of Nikaia, the latter would 

 gradually languish ; the more especially as Greek subjects would feel 

 more secure on the Western side of the Hydaspes. 



I think it probable that Boukephala existed at least to the iuvasion 



