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

538 CROSSING THE INDUS.the largest between the Indus and the Hydaspes, whose ruinsto-day cover six square miles, on consideration that Alexanderwould help him against his enemy Porus, king of the regionbeyond that river.Alexander had always placed the limit of his intended conquestsand wanderings at the river Indus. His claim asHegemon of the Greeks was a right to the kingdom of Darius,and this only inrevenge for wrongs done by Persia toGreece. But now came in this new alliance with Taxileswhich gave him a pretext for crossing theboundary he hadset, and of venturing into the unknown land of India. Hisplace of crossing was probably at modern Attock near themouth of the Cophen or Caboul River, which he had beendescending from Bactriana.His bridge, according to Diodorus,was made of boats. This, and numerous craft of allsizes and kinds bvailt or found in the neighborhood, togetherwith what he had brought down the Indus, made the crossinga simple matter, as he was advancing into the land of friends.The king and his suite crossed on two thirty-oared galleys,with suitable ceremony. The movement was not only propitiatedby the usual numerous sacrifices, but also celebrated,when accomplished, by games and feasts.The pomp and circumstanceof these splendid pageants finds its proper placein the pages of many authors. It does not belong here.On the farther side he was joined by an army of nativetroops twenty thousand strong, and with fifteen elephants.This force had murdered its king, Aphrices, and now joinedAlexander, with a request that it might serve under hisbanner. At Taxila he was received with befitting splendor.Here friendly embassies came to him from many adjoiningtribes, among them Doxaris, a neighboring potentate,and one from Abisares of Cashmir, headed by his brother,who strenuously denied having afforded aid to the Assace-