340 Gradus ad Aornon. [No. 4. 



Khubl Kyah or Sitana, where the paths of ascent commence. In 

 going to Umb he must have returned a march to either of these 

 places in order to attack Mt. Aonj. Alexander, as will be observed 

 in the extracts from Arrian, took with him a small body of cavalry 

 and mounted archers in the attack of Aornos. Now this cavalry 

 could not have ascended Mt. Aonj, and if they should have ascended, 

 would have been utterly useless there. "Whereas led horses conti- 

 nually ascend Mt, Mahabunn, at the summit of which is an open 

 plain where cavalry could act with advantage. It is manifest that 

 Alexander was about to ascend a mountain, having a table summit, 

 wherever that mountain might be sited. 



Alexander according to Arrian made two short marches from 

 Embolima (which was near Aornos) towards the rock. Having with 

 him his war-engines, his progress up the mountain would naturally 

 be slow. Two natives of the country then offered to show him a 

 point whence he could assail the rock and Ptolemy was sent with a 

 small force to seize this point. Ptolemy evading the enemy arrived 

 at the point and secured himself there by a ditch and a palisade. 

 He then lighted a beacon to inform Alexander of his success. 



All this account will answer well for the Mahabunn, which is a 

 mountain table, about five miles in length at summit, scarped on 

 the east by tremendous precipices, from which descends one large 

 spur down upon the Indus between Sitana and Umb. The mountain 

 spur being comparatively easy of ascent, would not probably be 

 contested by the natives who would concentrate their power to 

 oppose the Macedonians as they scaled the precipitous fall of the 

 main summit. The great extent of the mountain, covered as it is 

 with pine forest, would enable Ptolemy under the guidance of natives 

 to gain any distant point of the summit without observation. 



The third day the opposition commenced at a very steep ascent 

 of the mountain. Alexander here could make little way, after fight- 

 ing from daybreak to sunset. And the Indians perceiving this, fell 

 upon Ptolemy's force on the mountain endeavouring to tear up the 

 palisades. They were however repulsed towards evening. Alexander 

 during the night wrote Ptolemy to attack the enemy in rear, whilst 

 he next day should attack them in front. This succeeded and the 

 mountain summit after much fighting was won. 



