The Pilot Informed Them That It Was Occasioned By
The Whales Blowing; This Information, However, Does Not Seem To Have
Quieted Their Fears:
They ceased rowing, the oars dropped from their hands,
and Nearchus found himself under the necessity of exerting all his presence
of mind and authority to recall them to their duty.
He gave directions to
steer towards the place where the sea was lifted up: in their advance the
crew shouted all together, dashed the water with their oars, and sounded
their trumpets. The whales were intimidated, sunk on the near approach of
the vessels, and, though they rose again astern, and renewed their blowing,
they now excited no alarm.
The Gulf of Persia, which Nearchus was now about to enter, comprehends the
coasts of Karmania, Persis, and Susiana. Nothing important occurred till
the vessels arrived off Cape Mussenden in Karmania, where they anchored: at
this place Nearchus and Onesicritus differed in opinion relative to the
further prosecution of the voyage; the latter wished to explore this cape,
and extend the voyage to the Gulf of Arabia. The reason he assigned was,
that they knew more of this gulf, than of the Gulf of Persia; and that, as
Alexander was master of Egypt, in the former gulf they would meet with more
assistance than in the latter. Nearchus, on the contrary, insisted that
Alexander's plan in directing, this voyage should be exactly pursued: this
plan was, to obtain a knowledge of the coast, with such harbours, bays, and
islands, as might occur in the course of the voyage; "to ascertain whether
there were any towns bordering on the ocean, and whether the country was
habitable or desert." The opinion of Nearchus prevailed, and the voyage was
pursued according to its original course and purpose.
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