ul than Porus, whose dominions lay beyond the Hyphasis. All his
attempts to induce his soldiers to proceed proving ineffectual, he
returned to the Hydaspes, when he ordered part of his army to descend
the river on its opposite banks; whilst he himself at the head of 8000
men, embarked on board a fleet of about 2000 vessels, which he had
ordered to be prepared with the view of sailing down the Indus to its
mouth.

The army began to move in November 327. The navigation lasted several
months, but was accomplished without any serious opposition, except
from the tribe of the Malli, who are conjectured to have occupied the
site of the present MOOLTAN. At the storming of their town the life of
Alexander was exposed to imminent danger. He was the first to scale
the walls of the citadel, and was followed by four officers; but before
a fifth man could mount, the ladder broke, and Alexander was left
exposed on the wall to the missiles of the enemy. Leaping down into
the citadel among the enemy, he placed his back to the wall, where he
succeeded in keeping the enemy at bay, and slew two of their chiefs who
had ventured within reach of his sword. But an arrow which pierced his
corslet brought him to the ground, fainting with loss of blood. Two of
his followers, who had jumped down after him, now stood over and
defended him; till at length, more soldiers having scaled the walls and
opened one of the gates, sufficient numbers poured in not only to
rescue their monarch, but to capture the citadel; when every living
being within the place was put to the sword. Upon arriving at the
mouth of the Indus, Nearchus with the fleet was directed to explore the
Indian Ocean, the Persian Gulf, and the mouths of the Tigris and
Euphrates, with the view of establishing a maritime communication
between India and Persia. Alexander himself proceeded with his army,
in the autumn of 326, through the burning deserts of Gedrosia towards
Persepolis; marching himself on foot, and sharing the privations and
fatigues of the meanest soldier. In these regions the very atmosphere
seems to be composed of a fine dust which, on the slightest wind,
penetrates into the mouth and nose, whilst the soil affords no firm
footing to the traveller. The march through this inhospitable region
lasted 60 days, during which numbers of the soldiers perished from
fatigue or disease. At length they emerged into the fertile province of
Carmania. Whilst in this country Alexan