The Commerce and Navigation of the Erythræan Sea: Being a Translation of the Periplus Maris Erythræi, by an Anonymous Writer, and of Arrian's Account of the Voyage of Nearkhos, from the Mouth of the Indus to the Head of the Persian Gulf
History
The Commerce and Navigation of the Erythræan Sea: Being a Translation of the Periplus Maris Erythræi, by an Anonymous Writer, and of Arrian's Account of the Voyage of Nearkhos, from the Mouth of the Indus to the Head of the Persian Gulf
Classical geography; Geography, Ancient; India -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; Indian Ocean Region -- Commerce -- History
all the projects of Alexander, believed there was nothing he might not
dare—nothing but would to him be feasible.
XXI. When the Etesian winds,[37] which continue all the hot season
blowing landward from the sea, making navigation on that coast
impracticable, had subsided, then the expedition started on the voyage
in the year when Kephisidôros was Archon at Athens, on the 20th day of
the month Boëdromion according to the Athenian Kalendar, but as the
Makedonians and Asiatics reckon * * in the 11th year of the reign of
Alexander.[38] Nearkhos, before putting to sea sacrifices to Zeus the
Preserver, and celebrates, as Alexander had done, gymnastic games. Then
clearing out of harbour they end the first day’s voyage by anchoring
in the Indus at a creek called Stoura, where they remain for two days.
The distance of this place from the station they had just left was 100
stadia. On the third day they resumed the voyage, but proceeded no
further than 30 stadia, coming to an anchor at another creek, where the
water was now salt, for the sea when filled with the tide ran up the
creek, and its waters even when the tide receded commingled with the
river. The name of this place was Kaumana. The next day’s course, which
was of 20 stadia only, brought them to Koreatis, where they once more
anchored in the river. When again under weigh their progress was soon
interrupted, for a bar was visible which there obstructed the mouth of
the Indus; and the waves were heard breaking with furious roar upon its
strand which was wild and rugged. Observing, however, that the bar at
a particular part was soft, they made a cutting through this, 5 stadia
long, _at low water_, and on the return of the flood-tide carried the
ships through by the passage thus formed into the open sea.[39] Then
following the winding of the coast they ran a course of 120 stadia, and
reach Krôkala,[40] a sandy island where they anchored and remained all
next day. The country adjoining was inhabited by an Indian race called
the Arabies, whom I have mentioned in my longer work, where it is
stated that they derive their name from the River Arabis, which flows
through their country to the sea, and parts them from the Oreitai.[41]
Weighing from Krôkala they had on their right hand a mountain which
the natives called Eiros, and on their left a flat island almost level
with the sea, and so near the mainland to which it runs parallel that
the intervening channel is extremely narrow. Having quite cleared
this passage they come to anchor in a well-sheltered harbour, which
Nearkhos, finding large and commodious, designated Alexander’s Haven.
This harbour is protected by an island lying about 2 stadia off from
its entrance. It is called Bibakta, and all the country round about
Sangada.[42] The existence of the harbour is due altogether to the
island which opposes a barrier to the violence of the sea. Here heavy
gales blew from seaward for many days without intermission, and
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