Alexander : a history of the origin and growth of the art of war from ...

CROSSING THE OX US. 461with Bessus, whom they could reach by passes leading fromthe headwaters of the Cophen affluents to the headwaters ofthe Oxus.With the mountains and the desert to afford temporaryrefuge, it was hard to see how Alexander could subjugateSogdiana. It was the soit of task in which Napoleonfailed in Spain.From Bactra, whose vicinity is fertile, the route to theOxus was over a barren tract, which made the marches moredifficult. There was not a brook for fifty miles, and theweather was, for the season, extremely hot and dry.The difficultyof the march may not have been recognized beforehand,for a large percentage of the men fell in their tracks ; butwhen the Oxus was reached, water was carried back to thesufferers, and many were thus rescued. It is said that Alexandernever took off his armor, nor rested from personal endeavorsuntil the last live man was thus brought in ; butDiodorus puts the loss higher than that of any of his battles.The Oxus was the largest river Alexander had yet encountered.It was deep, about three quarters of a mile wide, fulland rapid, and with a sandy bottom that would not readilyhold piles. There was little timber growing in the vicinity ;it would take too long to collect materials for a bridge or fornew boats, and Bessus had destroyed aU the old boats on theriver for a long distance up and down. But Alexander mustcross by some means ; and he again utilized his tent-skins, ashe had done at the Danube. These he filled with straw andother light floating material, and stitched up so as to be watertight.Using them as floats for rafts, or a flying bridge, or asfloats for the men themselves, he leisurely put his army overin five days. There was no o])i)osition. This use of floats formen is both ancient and common.To-day, fishermen in theseparts are said to cross rivers with earthern vessels as floats,and to fish on the way.