Page:History of India Vol 2.djvu/124

94 his sovereign in its deserts will be sufficient to complete the story of Alexander's Indian campaign.

Nearchos was detained for several days in the river, and, after much difficulty in making a passage for the ships round a bar, which obstructed the mouth of the western branch, ultimately got out to sea. Contrary winds detained him for twenty-four days in a secure harbour, to which he gave the name of Alexander's Haven. The coast-line has been changed so much by both accretion and denudation, that attempts at detailed identifications of places near the mouth of the river are a waste of time, but it is safe to affirm that the haven where Nearchos found shelter was not very far from the modern Karachi (Kurrachee). The admiral then crept cautiously along the inhospitable coast, his crews often suffering severely from lack of provisions and fresh water. After travelling a hundred miles or so (850 stadia), the fleet reached the mouth of the river Arabis (the Purali), which formed the boundary between the Arabioi, the last a people of Indian descent settled in this region, and the Oreitai, who occupied an extensive territory to the west of the river.

Having traversed an estimated distance of eight hundred stadia more, the fleet reached a place called Kokala, where the wearied crews were allowed to disembark and enjoy much-needed rest. While the sailors were reposing here in a fortified camp, Nearchos came into touch with Leonnatos, whom Alexander had detached with a field force to subdue the Oreitai. News arrived that a great battle had been fought, in which Leonnatos