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

ALMOST A FAILURE. 549ing upon the skins," wliich by some is held to mean that thecavah-ymen, while swimming beside their horses, used theseskins, as boys learning to swim use bladders, so as not to burdentheir horses ; but which, to judge from the context andother passages, more probably means that the skins were usedto help float rafts, and on these latter the horses were conveyed.Perhaps the stream was too swollen and rapid andwide to make itsafe to swim the horses, especially as severeduty was to be expected from them unmediately on landing.So soon as the enemy's guards made up theirminds thatthis crossing was real and not a feint, they galloped off atfull speed to Porus to convey the news. The cavalry wasordered to land first ;and as they reached the bank, they wereranged in column of march by Alexander and his officers.Two or three taxes of the phalanx were left on the rightbank to observe the road from Cashmir, which comes inhereto the crossing of the river. Three of the taxes mentionedin Bactriana and Sogdiana fail of mention at the Hydaspes— Philotas', Balacrus', Philip's. It may have been thesewhich were detached on this duty.It soon appeared that Alexander, from ignorance of thelocality, had not landed on thelarge island separated from thesouth shore, but on anothermainland by water generallyso low as to be easily passed over, but now grown quitehigh and rapid from the great storm just past, which hadfairly dug out the bend in the river. Here was a seriousdilemma. There was no time to bring the boats around, butthe troops must be got over at once, lest the enemy shoiddgain opportunity tosome elephants, and oppose the crossing.bring up a heavy column and perhapsThe great advantagealready won was threatened to be lost ; but after somedelay and a good many accidents, the most fordable place wasfound, and the troops, w^ading to their breasts, were safelygot over.