Authors, which appear surprising in modern
times." Even so late as the time of Caesar, a spring tide in Britain, which
occasioned great damage to his fleet, created great surprize, and is
mentioned as a phenomenon with which he and his soldiers were unacquainted.
Soon after Alexander had repaired the damage that his fleet had sustained,
he surveyed two islands lying at the west mouth of the Indus; and
afterwards leaving the river entirely, entered the ocean, either for the
purpose of ascertaining himself whether it were actually navigable, or, as
Arrian conjectures, in order to gratify his vanity by having it recorded,
that he had navigated the Indian Ocean.
Having accomplished this object, he returned to Pattala, where he had
directed a naval arsenal to be formed, intending to station a fleet at this
place. The eastern branch of the Indus was yet unexplored. In order, that
an accurate knowledge of it might be gained, Alexander resolved to explore
it himself: accordingly, he sailed from Pattala till he arrived at a large
bay or lake, which probably, however, was only a number of the smaller
branches of the Indus, overflowing their banks. The passage from this place
to the ocean, he ascertained to be more open and convenient than that by
the western branch.
