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

544 ALEXANDER'S FEINTS.gained much respect for the fighting qualities ofthe Indiansfrom what he had seen of them at Massaga, and had beengiven to understand that Porus was a man of no commonorder. He was reduced to stratagem, and, happily for us,his masterly manoeuvres on this occasion have furnished theworld with a manual of all which is most valuable in thepassage of rivers in the face of the enemy.It was now May. The Hydaspes was full of sand banksand rapids, and was turbidand swollen with the melting ofthe Himalayan snows and the rainfall of the season. Diligentlyguarded by Porus, it presented the most difficult naturaland artificial obstacle Alexander had as yet encountered.It had come to a trial of wits between the two kings. Alexanderfirsttook measures to convince Porus that he intendedto wait until the river fell. This he did by devastating thecountry of Porus' ally, Spitakes, by accumulating the vaststores ofcorn so gathered in his camp on the western bank,and by settling his troops in comfortable quarters, all ofwhich operations were conducted where they could be overseenor were sure to reach Porus' ears. At the same time,perceiving that Porus remained active in scouting the river soas to prevent himself from being taken unawares, Alexandersought to tire him out by constant activity on his own part.He desired to confuse Porus as well as exhaust his troops.He kept part of his army afoot in numberless detachmentsmoving to and fro along theraftsbank, began the preparation ofby stuffing skins with hay and accumulating beams andboards on the river bank, and senthis boats, which had beenjoined and launched again, up and down the river so as to distractthe attention of the enemy. Parties were sent over tothe islands in the river where they had many skirmishes withthe Indian patrols — and thus learned to know their newenemy. He made feint after feint, often by night and with