Nearly Five Months Had
Been Occupied In Performing The Voyage From The Mouth Of The Indus - A
Voyage Which A Modern Vessel Could Perform In The Course Of Three Weeks.
Immediately after the junction of the fleet and army, Alexander crossed the
Pasi-Tigris, and proceeded to Susa:
Here he distributed rewards and honours
among his followers for their long, arduous, faithful, and triumphant
services. Those officers who had served as guards of Alexander's person
received crowns of gold; and the same present was made to Nearchus as
admiral, and to Onesicritus as navigator of the fleet.
We have already mentioned that Alexander projected the circumnavigation of
Arabia to the Red Sea, in order to complete the communication between India
and Egypt, and through Egypt with Europe. Nearchus was selected for this
enterprize; its execution, however, was prevented by the death of
Alexander. That he was extremely anxious for its completion, is evident
from the personal trouble he took in the preparations for it, and in the
necessary preliminary measures. In order that he might himself take a view
of the Gulf of Persia, he embarked on board a division of his fleet, and
sailed down the same stream which Nearchus had sailed up. At the head of
the Delta, the vessels which had suffered most in Nearchus' voyages were
directed to proceed with the troops they had on board, through a canal
which runs into the Tigris, Alexander himself proceeding with the lightest
and best sailing vessels through the Delta to the sea.
Soon after his return to Opis, where the mutiny of his troops took place,
Alexander gave another proof of his attention to maritime affairs; for he
despatched Heraclides into Hyrcania, with orders to cut timber and prepare
a fleet for the purpose of exploring the Caspian Sea - an attempt which,
like that of the projected voyage of Nearchus up the Arabian Gulf, was
prevented by Alexander's death. In the mean time Nearchus had been
collecting the vessels that were destined for his expedition; they were
assembled at Babylon: to this city also were brought from Phoenicia
forty-seven vessels which had been taken to pieces, and so conveyed over
land to Thapsacus. Two of these were of five banks, three of four, twelve
of three, and thirty rowed with fifteen oars on a side. Others likewise
were ordered to be built on the spot of cypress, the only wood which
Babyloni afforded; while mariners were collected from Phoenicia, and a dock
was directed to be cut capable of containing one thousand vessels, with
buildings and arsenals in proportion to the establishment. To accomplish
this extensive design, Alexander had sent one of his officers to Phoenicia
with 500 talents (about 106,830_l_.) to buy slaves fit for the oar, and
hire mariners. These preparations were so extensive, that it seems highly
probable that Alexander meant to conquer Arabia, as well as explore the
navigation of the Arabian Gulf; and indeed his plan and policy always were
to unite conquest with discovery.
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