expedition, moved towards
the Indus, taking many strong places on his march. Having crossed that
river, the king of the country offered no resistance, but became the
ally of Alexander, who expected to have found Porus, whose kingdom was
on the other side of the Hydaspes, equally ready to submit. But it
required the utmost skill of Alexander to cross the river, which he
effected, and conquered Porus, after a most severe struggle, with the
loss of his renowned charger, Bucephalus, and he was so pleased at the
magnanimity of Porus that he not only gave him back his kingdom, but
added several small states to it, making him a sincere ally. Alexander
then continued his march towards the east, conquering all who opposed
him, until he reached the banks of the Hyphasis (Sutlej), which he was
about to cross, when his progress was arrested by murmurs and tumults in
his camp. His soldiers declared their determination not to extend his
conquests, and entreated him to return. He then marched back to the
Acesines, gave the whole country as far as the Hyphasis to Porus, and
thus made him ruler of the Punjab. Alexander encamped near the Acesines
until the month of October, when the fleet which he built, consisting of
800 galleys and boats, being ready, he embarked his army and proceeded
towards the Indus; but before he reached that river he came to two
countries possessed by warriors who united their armies to oppose his
progress. After beating them in many engagements, Alexander attacked the
city of the Oxydracae, into which the greater part of those armies had
retired. Here his rash valour had nearly terminated his career: he was
severely wounded in the side by an arrow, from the effects of which he
was with difficulty restored to health. He then descended the river, a
portion of his army marching on its banks, conquering every nation that
opposed him. About the month of July he reached Patala (Tatta), where he
built a citadel and formed a port for his shipping. He then proceeded,
with part of his fleet, by the western branch of the river, to discover
the ocean. This he accomplished at great hazard, when he sacrificed to
the gods (particularly to Neptune), and besought them not to suffer any
mortal after him to exceed the bounds of his expedition. He then
returned to join the rest of his fleet and army at Patala, and to make
arrangements for his march to Babylon. He appointed Nearchus admiral of
his fleet, and having given him orders t