1 Return of Alexand-
2 er to the Bids and tho
3 Rav.
4 f.
5 The retrograde
6 movement of his
7 army.
8 He makes a war on
9 the Malli.
10 ’
11 And Inys s'ege to
12 their citadel.
13 The storming
14 the capital, ee
15 Av osar
16 Teta
17 7
18 =-Ts recklees
19 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary
20 68 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB.
21 Alexander recrossed the Hyphasis and the Hydraotes (Bids and Ravi)
22 and came to the eastern bank of the Hydaspes (Jhelum), where a large
23 flotilla had been prepared to transport his army down the Indus. Two
24 thousand boats of various sizes had been built of timber found in the moun-
25 tain forests and consisting of firs, pines, cedars and various other trees,
26 As Alexander embarked on board his vessel, he offered sacrifices to the
27 maritime deities, and, standing on the prow, poured from a golden cup a
28 Jibation into the river invoking the deities of the stream. The army
29 was divided into four divisions; the first, under Craterus, marched
30 along the right bank; the second, comprising the major part of the
31 forces under Hephaestion, on the left. Nearchus commanded the river
32 fleet, as admiral, and Philip followed the rest of the forces. The rest-
33 less spirit of Alexander and that insatiable desire for new conquests
34 and knowledge which marked the whole of his career, impelled him re-
35 peatedly to disembark and to compel all who failed to make voluntary
36 submission to submit to his rule. The most formidable of the tribes
37 which refused to acknowledge his sovereign power were the Malli, or
38 people of Multén, the Mallisthdn of the Hindus, inhabited by Brahmins,
39 and the Oxydracae, or people of Uch, in the vicinity of Méltén. Having
40 crossed the intervening desert, Alexander marched along the left bank of
41 the Acesines and reached a small stream which separated him from the
42 Malli. Several of their cities were taken, and the inhabitants put to the
43 sword, On the southern bank of the Hydraotes, a considerable distance
44 above its confluence with the Acesines, stood atown of the Malli, described
45 as being “strongly fortified by nature and art.” It was almost wholly
46 inhabited by Brahmins. On passing the river, the Macedonians slew a
47 vast number of the inhabitants and took many prisoners. The citadel,
48 which was besieged, was bravely defended by the Brahmins, who repulsed
49 the first attack made by the Greeks, Alexander led the storming party
50 himself, and was the first to mount the scaling ladder. Animated by their
51 leader’s zeal and example, the Grecian soldiers climbed the wall one after
52 another, The Brahmins, seeing their case hopeless, collected their wives
53 and children, and, after their ancient custom, setting fire to their own
54 ane Lise in the flames, while many thousands fled to the desert,
55 ee ale emselves in the deep recesses of the forest, rather than
56 ae the rule of the stranger. The Malli were a free Indian nation
57 by Sol Ne ete the time of the conquest of India
58 ing to acticin vol then tks a ous was naturally more averse to yleld-
59 exander now marched to the capital of the Malli, where the people
60 ae ae oe on had taken refuge, and where, by one decisive
61 tribe. Th gain a complete victory over that numerous and valiant
62 saa i guy was formed into two divisions, the one led by Perdiccas
63 ri : te er by Alexander himself. An impetuous assault was made on
64 alls of the city, headed by Alexander himself, and f th
65 burst open. The Indi d ae It, and one of the gates was
66 ; : lans, despairing of defending the town, retired to the
67 ea ica ney resolved to hold to the last. The citadel was now
68 eae eens : and the king gave orders that the walls should be at
69 ese orders not having been put int i k]
70 as Alexander wished, he snatched a scali Lp Lea aneraaaniige Gating deers
71 applied it to the wall. ched a scaling ladder from one of the soldiers,
72 the wall, and, covering himself with a shicld. rapidl nded
73 © 288 closely followed by three of his most dist vehed off rs.
74 sy eS Bained the summit, Alexander entered j aig enicaaicrsmucien ri
75 with numbers of his adversa i sr entered into a personal conflict
76 ties, Being recognised by the brilliancy of
77 NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com