to cross the
Hindu Koosh and begin the great expedition into India. The night before
the start Alexander discovered that his troops were now so heavily
laden with spoils that they were quite unfit for the long march. So
in the early morning, when they were all ready to start, he suddenly
set fire to his own baggage, and, giving orders that all his men were
to do the same, the army started for the passes of the lofty mountain
range. And--

"... as a troop of pedlars from Kabul
Cross underneath the Indian Caucasus,
That vast sky neighbouring mountain of milk snow;
Crossing so high, that, as they mount, they pass
Long flocks of travelling birds dead on the snow,
Choked by the air, and scarce can they themselves
Slake their parch'd throats with sugar'd mulberries--
In single file they move, and stop their breath,
For fear they should dislodge the o'erhanging snows."

The banks of the river of Kabul were reached at last. Sending part
of the army by the now famous Kyber Pass toward the Indus, Alexander
himself undertook to subdue the mountain tribes and get control of
the Chitral passes. The shepherds of this region opposed him
vigorously, but swiftly and pitilessly the King of Asia sacked their
peaceful homes, and city after city fell to him as he advanced towards
the boundaries of Kashmir.

At last the valley of the Indus was reached. A bridge of boats was
hastily thrown over, and Alexander and his army passed to the other
side.

Porus, the ruler of the country between the Indus and the river Hydaspes
(Jehlam), sent presents of welcome to the invader, including three
thousand animals for sacrifice, ten thousand sheep, thirty elephants,
two hundred talents of silver, and seven hundred horsemen. The new
king was also greeted with presents of ivory and precious stones. Even
from far Kashmir came greetings to Alexander, whose fame was spreading
rapidly. He now entered the Punjab, the "Land of the Five Rivers."
But on the other side of the river Hydaspes a different reception
awaited him.

There the king (Porus) had assembled a sturdy, well-disciplined troop
to dispute the passage of the river, which still separated the new
King of Asia from his territory. But under cover of a mighty
thunderstorm Alexander contrived to cross, though the river was
rushing down yellow and fierce after the rains. Secretly the Greeks
put together their thirty-oared galleys hidden in a wood, and utterly
s