His March Through
The Deserts Of Gadrosia Has Been Ascribed Solely To Vanity; But This
Imputation Will Be Removed, And
Must give way to a more worthy impression
of his motives on this occasion, when it is stated, that it
Was part of the
great design which he had formed of opening a communication between his
European dominions and India by sea; and that as the accomplishment of this
design mainly depended on the success of the expedition committed to
Nearchus, it was a paramount object with him to assist the fleet, which he
thrice attempted, even in the midst of his own distress in the deserts.
On their arrival at the river Kalama, which is supposed to be the Churmut,
60 days after their departure from the Indus, they at length obtained from
the natives some sheep; but the flesh of it, as well as the fowls which
they obtained, had a very fishy taste - the sheep, fowls, and inhabitants,
all feeding on fish, there being no herbage or trees of any kind, except a
few palm-trees. On the next day, having doubled a cape, they anchored in a
harbour called Mosarna, where they found a pilot, who undertook to conduct
the fleet to the Gulf of Persia. It would appear from Arrian, that the
intercourse between this place and the Gulf was frequent, the voyage less
dangerous, and the harbours on the coast better known. Owing to these
favourable circumstances, the skill of the pilot, and the breeze which blew
from the land during the night, their course was more rapid; and they
sailed by night as well as day. The coast, however, still continued barren,
and the inhabitants unable to supply them with any thing but fish till they
arrived at Barna on the 64th day: here the inhabitants were more civilized;
they had gardens producing fruit-trees, flowers, myrtle, &c., with which
the Greek sailors formed garlands to adorn their hair.
On the 69th day, December 9., they arrived at a small town, the name of
which is not given; nor is it possible to fix its scite. What occurred here
we shall give in the words of Dr. Vincent: -
"When the fleet reached this place, it was totally without bread or grain
of any kind; and Nearchus, from the appearance of stubble in the
neighbourhood, conceived hopes of a supply, if he could find means of
obtaining it; but he perceived that he could not take the place by assault,
and a siege the situation he was in rendered impracticable. He concerted
matters, therefore, with Archias, and ordered him to make a feint of
preparing the fleet to sail; while he himself, with a single vessel,
pretending to be left behind, approached the town in a friendly manner, and
was received hospitably by the inhabitants. They came out to receive him
upon his landing, and presented him with baked fish, (the first instance of
cookery he had yet seen on the coast,) accompanied with cakes and dates.
These he accepted with proper acknowledgments, and informed them he wished
for permission to see the town:
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