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

XLIV.THE MALLIANS. NOVEMBER, B, C. 326, TO FEBRUARY,B. C. 325.At the confluence of the Hydaspes with the Acesines were dangerous rapids.In these a number of ships were lost and damaged. From here Alexander undertooka campaign against the Mallians. This tribe was about to be joined bythe Oxydracians, but Alexander anticipated them. He divided his army intothree columns. One he himself headed, to march across a desert tract againstthe Mallians, for the reason that they did not expect him from that directionon his left, Ptolemy, three marches up river, was to intercept the Malliansif they fled thither ; on his right, Hephsestion, five marches down river, was toperform the like oifice ;Nearchus and Craterus remained with the baggageand fleet. Marching across the desert with much toil, Alexander surprised theMallians and captured Agallassa, their capital.Thence moving restlessly to andfro, he wasted the country and slew all with arms in their hands.He was toobusy to subdue ;he exterminated. In a number of places he found stanch opposition—andin the attack on the chief city of the Mallians (modern Multan)after a deed of personal valor worthy of Achilles, he was grievously woundedand nearly lost his life.While disabled there was great fear among the Macedonians; for who but Alexander could lead them back to their homes ? TheMallian campaign was however ended. The whole country handed in its fealty.Alexander now learned that the Mallians and Oxydracians,who were the most numerous and reputed most warlikeof all the Indian tribes, had put their families and treasuresin the strongest cities and made vast preparations for disputinghis passage over their land. Curtius gives their jointforces as ninety thousand foot, ten thousand horse and ninehundred chariots. Alexander made haste to attack this problembefore these preparations were completed. In five daysfrom his second start down river he reached a point belowthe confluence of the. Hydaspes and Acesines where the