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

636 DOWN THE INDUS.Alexander was not slow in setting out to put an end tothis scheme ;but on reaching Dyrta after a long and arduousmarch, he found it deserted by the barbarians, who had beenastonished and had their superstitious notions aroused bythe extraordinary capture of Aornus. Alexander sent outparties in various directions under Nearchus.and Antiochus,the two chiefs of the hypaspists, the former with the Agrianiansand light troops, the latter with his own brigade andtwo others, to reconnoitre the country, and especially to searchfor the elephants ; for the barbarians had conveyed away allthese animals, of which Alexander desired to accumulate anumber, either from motives of curiosity, or to be able totest for himself their value in war. He was enabled to geton theirtrack by some natives whom he captured, and whoshowed him the way to the place where, near the Indus, thesecreatures had been sent to pasture in a spot deemed securefrom discovery. The barbarians' army had fled into thepathless wilderness across the Indus, to seek the protection ofAbisares, king of Cashmir ; but some of the lesser chiefs hadassassinated their leader, and brought hisThis practically disorganized the force ;head to Alexander.and seeing no use infollowing the body into the thickets where roads had to becut, Alexander determined to begin his move down the Indus.Of theelephants he captured all but two, which, in the pursuit,fell over precipices and were killed.A part of the army had some time beforebeen sent aheadto cut roads to reach the Indus. From the place to whichAlexander had penetrated towards the Indus was a stretch ofwilderness. On arriving at this river, Alexander discovereda supply of timber suitable for shipbuilding. He stayedhere time sufficient to enable him to build a number of boats.This was a work at which many of his men were experts, andcould be done rapidly ; and on these, with the aid of native