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

548 ALEXANDER CROSSES.Between the main camp and island, where was another dryseasonford, Alexander posted in one body the brigades ofMeleager, Attains and Gorgias, supported by the Greek mercenaries,cavalry and infantry, with instructions to cross insuccessive columns when the expected battle should have beenengaged. He himself took the agema of Companion cavalryand the regiments ofHephsestion, Perdiccas and Demetrius,the horse from Bactria, Sogdiana and Scythia, and the Darinhorse-archers, the shield-bearing guards, the taxes of Clitusand Coenus, and the archers and Agrianians, and marched bya route well back from the river, so as not tobe seen by theenemy — and happily, there was no dust tobetray him — tothe selected place. His route is thought to have been alongthe streams, now dry, known as the Kandar-NuUah and Kasi.Hither the hay wherewith to fill the tent skins had beenbrought ; these were speedily stuffed, and everything madeready for the crossing which at the chosen place was perhapsmore difficult, but had the great advantage ofbeing hidden.The night was tempestuous, and the thunder and rain,usual during the southwest monsoon,•drowned the noise ofthe workmen unavoidable in such preparations, while thewoods and ra\'ines concealed the Macedonian camp-fires.Most of the boats, including the thirty-oared galleys, hadagain been cut apart and conveyed hither, and lay concealedin the woods after being put together. Beams and plank hadbeen carefully prepared. Everything was made ready for useat a moment's warning. At the approach of daylight thestorm abated, and the army crossed to the island unobservedby Porus' sentinels ; nor were they detected until they hadpassed the island, when the scouts of Porus observed themovement, and gave the alarm. The infantry crossed in theboats, Alexander leading in a thirty-oared galley accompaniedby Perdiccas, Lysimachus and Seleucus, " the cavalry mount-