1852.] On the Sites of Nikaia and Boukephalon. 253 



for which the Prsesians still retain much veneration, and their kings 

 cross the Ganges every year to offer sacrifices in the Grecian manner 

 upon them."* Robertson says : " The scene of this mutiny was on 

 the banks of the Hybasis, the modern Beyah, which was the utmost 

 limit of Alexander's progress in India. From this it is manifest that 

 he did not traverse the whole extent of the Punjaub. Its Southern 

 boundary is formed by a river anciently known by the name Hysudrus 

 and now by that of the Setlege, to which Alexander never approached 

 nearer than the Southern bank of the Hyphasis, where he erected 

 twelve stupendous altars, which he intended as a monument of his 

 exploits, and which, if we may believe the biographer of Apollonius 

 Tyaneus, were still remaining with legible inscriptions, when that 

 fantastic sophist visited India 3/0 years after Alexander's expedition. "f 

 Now as there is no building stone in the Sutlej below Roopa, it is 

 difficult to imagine this gigantic work progressing with such speed as 

 to be consecrated, with incense offerings by Alexander ere his return 

 from the river. The same difficulty occurs with the Beyass, which 

 below Indore. can scarcely be said to have building stone. We must 

 suppose therefore that the tufa, % of which the great tope at Manihr- 

 gala is constructed, served Alexander for materials, the debris being 

 burnt into lime. It does not seem probable that Alexander would 

 have built those altars in any obscure corner under the mountains, 

 off the road of commerce. If they were on the Beyass, we should 

 look for them from Mirthul to the Sutlej. If they were on the 

 Sutlej, either Phullore (which I think the most probable,) or Hurri 

 ke pultun or Feeroozpore must have been the site. Alexander 

 erected, we have seen, twelve gigantic altars equal in height and 

 exceeding in solidity the grandest towers. What was the ground 

 plan of this memorable monument ? Symmetry suggests a square 

 of four higher towers girt with eight towers of less altitude ; 

 which is precisely the figure of many of the castles of the Punjaub 



* See Plutarch — Alexander — Langhorne's translation. 



f See Disquisition concerning India. 



+ Not only the topes, but a more ancient Hindu temple at Kuttahss, ascribed 

 to the Pandoos, is built of tufa — great part of which in the latter temple has 

 been dissolved. It is however far more durable than the red and yellow sandstone 

 used in tbe Indo-GreeU buildings of this Doaba. 



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