1 Alexander’s naval
2 aud commercial
3 arrangements,
4 The king of Bhak-
5 kar tenders his sub-
6 mission to Alexander.
7 Military posts and
8 towns established
9 along the line of the
10 Indus.
11 Coilltion formed by
12 the Brahmins.
13 Their defeat and
14 puntshtient,
15 “Sa'mi-ston of the
16 aul..feof Pat dla.
17 70 HISTORY OF THE PANJAB,
18 their hostages, keeping the chariots with their horses and drivers. While
19 Alexander was under medical treatment, his army was employed in enlarg-
20 ing his fleet, by the construction of new ships, near the confluence of
21 the Hydraotes (Ravi) and Acesines (Chinabj. At Panjnad,in the southern
22 extremity of the Panjab, he built a city which he called Alexandria. It was
23 furnished with docks and was intended to facilitate commerce and _naviga-
24 tion, as well as to overawe the surrounding nations, but no vestige of it
25 now remains. On resuming his voyage, Alexander received the submission
26 of the Alastain, or Avasthanas, an independent Indian tribe, who had been
27 conquered by his general Perdiccas, and he also subjugated the Ossadians.
28 His fleet next sailed down to the capital of the Sogdi, the moder
29 Bhakkar, whose king, Musicanus,* tendered his submission, presenting
30 Alexander with a large train of elephants and presents of immense
31 value. Alexander entered his capital, the beauty and magnificence of
32 which he greatly admired. Musicanus was permitted to retain possession,
33 of his country, and a fortress was built, in his chief city, under the superin-
34 tendence of Oraterus, to be garrisoned by Macedonian troops. It was the
35 wish of Alexander to establish a chain of forts along the whole line of the
36 Indus, for commercial and political purposes, and this scheme was put into
37 execution by the construction of new military posts and towns along the
38 banks of the Indus, and at the junctions of its tributary streams along the
39 south-western line. Burnes identifies the ancient capital of Bhakkar with
40 Alore, four miles distant from the modern town of Bhakkar.
41 Alexander next proceeded on board his ship, accompanied by his entire
42 navy, to the adjoining country of Oxycanus, who had failed to send ambas-
43 sadors and presents to him when the Greek troops entered his territory.
44 Two of his principal towns were carried by assault and plundered, the king
45 himself being taken prisoner and put todeath. He next marched against
46 Sambus, the sovereign of Sindomana, identified with the modern province
47 of Sindh. The king, terrified at the approach of the Greeks, fled to the
48 neighbouring mountains, but the leading men of the town opened the gates
49 to Alexander, and, by pacifying that monarch with magnificent presents,
50 saved their city from plunder. About this time a coalitiun was formed by
51 the Brahmins to expel the foreign invaders, who had violated their sacred
52 soil by their encroachments; Musicanus, the king of the Sogdi, in spite of
53 the favour with which he had been received, joining the confederacy. Alex-
54 ander appointed Peithon to crush the insurgents, and the Greek general de-
55 a sin tribes with great slaughter. Musicanus was himself brought
56 3 before Alexander, by whose order he was publicly crucified, to-
57 gether with a large number of priests and Brahmins who had been conspi-
58 ra In inciting the insurrection. The voyage having been resumed after
59 Hen oo at eae the delta, where the Indus divides into two
60 territory was ruled by Ori sere rae ay oa sioner? ane oe
61 exander’s camp aa ee : the name of Mocris, who, arriving in Al-
62 Alecanden siete is ae voluntary offer of his treasures and kingdom.
63 submission, and sent hima © sceptire, which he had presented as a mark of
64 é Ds Snk:s 1m back to his territory with honour, General Cun-
65 i : eee :
66 n ngham identifies Patalla with Hyderabad in Sindh. This pl 1
67 fortified, and a harbour was constructed with docks ; ffi nal repaint he
68 a large fleet. Leaving his fleet with ocks sufficient to accommodate
69 7 g eet with Nearchus, Alexander marched with his
70 Mr. T : ; 2
71 the title ae ornen pea eta es that the termination canus, in names like these, is probably
72 ae native authors, that the Mame may be Musa Khan. But we are told, by the Greek
73 an could never have been a Hindeneas, e Sindomanni were governed by Brahmins. Musa
74 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh J i eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com