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

THE COPHEN VALLEY. 513of the garrison, as well as Proexes, the satrap of the region,were both removed. The king left a number of invalidedMacedonians as colonists, settled some ofthe native tribes inthe place, and appointed Tyriaspes viceroy of Parapamisus,and Nicanor military governor of the city. He then marchedto Nicea, where he offered sacrifice to Athena as was hiswont at the beginning of every new campaign, and began hisadvance towards the Indus, down the Cophen and throughthe gate of rock at the easterly boundary of the Parapamisuslevel.On the south side of the Cophen (modern Cabul) River liethe outpost ranges of the Sufeid-Kuh, which make one side ofa narrow valley two hundred and fifty miles long, as the crowflies, from Nicea to the Indus, and dwindling to a defile fortymiles long from Dhaka to Peshawur. To the north bank,mountains come down in huge scallops from Kafiristan.TheChoe* or Choaspes, the Euaspla and the Guraeus with numeroustributaries here descend in narrow valleys from theCaucasus or western Himalayas. The whole course of theCophen is through a huge but well defined gorge, with immensemasses of mountains on either hand.Alexander sent heralds ahead to the chiefs of the Indiantribes living along the Cophen, ordering them to report tohim with hostages in proof of their submission.Taxila, whom Curtius callsThe king ofOmphis, and a number of nativeprinces came to headquarters in royal state, accompanied byelephants, which they placed at the king's disposal, and bearingsplendid and unusual presents in token of their readinessto serve him.Alexander informed these princes that he expectedto exhaust the summer and autumn months in reducingthe country between him and the Indus, to winter on thatriver, and the next year to cross over and chastise the nationsbeyond, enemies of his new associates. As it turned out, the