236 On the Sites of Nikaia and Boukephalon. [No. 3. 



highest ground of the western bank, stands the old village Boonna, 

 quasi /?co/xds, the altars, where women are ever on the watch to greet 

 Sirdars with liriviKia, or triumphal songs. Higher up, and little more 

 than eleven miles from the grand camp, upon the high bank of the 

 river basin, is the village Ahra, quasi apd, prayer : in this case addressed 

 probably to the river gods or to Apollo, to whom he sacrificed* after 

 the victory. Here let us pause. The river channel under Ahra is 

 recent and may not then have existed ; in which case, the island of 

 Chunnee, and perhaps the small island beyond it, formed part of the 

 Western bank ; the latter being the point of embarkation. Right in 

 front of this is a small angular island, and immediately beyond that is 

 a narrow island of great length, which may then have joined that of 

 like shape to the right and have been the larger island mistaken for 

 the Western bank. In this case, the landing would have been above 

 the village Dubb, and the battle probably near Gusseetpoor (quaere 

 from -yaiw, to exult ?) But however that be, we have the village 

 Seem (quasi <ri}/x.a, the sepulchre). Sirwal from avpoy, to sweep away. 

 Koopa (quasi /W^, the turn of the scales). Tutrot (incorrectly print- 

 ed Tutrola) from rtrpaw, to wound, (the place of wounding, or the de- 

 posit of the wounded after battle, or the spot where, according to 

 Curtius, Porus sank wounded). And finally we have the Hindi town 

 Sookchynepoor (built upon the site of a town whose name is lost) 

 the place of comfort and enjoyment where the army refreshed after 

 the battle, celebrating the obsequies of the slain with chariot races 

 and gymnasia. 



The whole of the tract from Mungla to Sookchynepoor is so lovely, 

 so bright, so attractive, that it may be considered the paradise of the 

 Greek possessions in the Punjaub ; and as connected with the greatest 

 of Alexander's and of their own exploits, would assuredly have been 

 classic ground in their ages. Accordingly a large number of the 

 villages have names derivable from Greek roots ; as for instance, Luh- 

 ree, from Aapds, sweet, delicious. Ihma, from alpa, blood ; Sumwal (op- 

 posite the battle field, the old capital of the taloquh) from crvfx/SdXXo) 



* Alexander tarn memorabili victoria laetus, qua sibi orientis fines apertos esse 

 censebat, soli victimis csesis, &c. Q. Cur. ix. 1. 



It is curious that Ara signifies in the language of the country, a stone platform, 

 or altar. 



