334 



Gradus ad Aornon . 



[No. 4. 



By 1st and 2nd 



Routes. 



By Arrian. 



Siege of Aornos. 



By 3rd Route. 



about sixty miles above 

 Atuk. 



Balimah is one of 

 the spurs of the Ma- 

 habuun directly above 

 Umb, and is said to 

 have once held a fort. 



On careful comparison of Arrian' s narrative with these routes, 

 the following difficulties are manifest. After crossing the river 

 Khoes, Alexander pauses not, having apparently there met with no 

 opposition, but pushes on by a forced march to a considerable city. 

 This in all probability was Birikot the old capital of Sohaut, founded 

 by that Eaja Yiraht in whose service the Pandoos, when disguised 

 as menials, engaged. The extensive operations following and espe- 

 cially the capture of 40,000 prisoners and 230,000 head of cattle 

 could scarcely have occurred any where but in the populous and 

 productive valley of eastern Sohaut, where every village is a town 

 in dimensions. Alexander having effected this, could not have 

 needed to cross the Punjgowra river (Gouraios) in order to enter 

 the country of the Gouraioi and Assakanoi (Gowr and Assazye), 

 nor to besiege Massagorh (Massaga) which according to my best 

 intelligence lies in the Seh Bhoochnia valley. He would have had 

 to cross over the Sohaut Sinde which has a good bottom and no 

 boulders. His course then would lie to Massaga^rstf, and after- 

 wards to the Gouraioi, dwelling still upon the Punjgowra river. And 

 it is certain that Alexander would not take Massagorh without 

 completing the conquest of the important valley of Sohaut : a valley 

 which can muster 80,000 fighting men. Had not the river Gouraios 

 and the Gouraioi been mentioned I might have supposed that he did 

 not visit Sohaut, but that the Massaga taken by him was a Moosa- 

 gurh which is said to exist as a ruin near Besuk belonging to the 

 Moosakhail. 



Again, after the capture of Massaga, two divisions of the army 

 are sent at once to besiege Bazira and Oora, which, if we are to 

 identify with Baja and Owra or Ooria on the Indus, was a long 

 march through a hostile country to be accomplished without inci- 



