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
45. India has everywhere a great abundance of rivers, and her seas ebb
and flow with tides of extraordinary strength, which increase with
the moon, both when new and when full, and for three days after each,
but fall off in the intermediate space. About +Barugaza+ they are
more violent than elsewhere; so that all of a sudden you see the depths
laid bare, and portions of the land turned into sea, and the sea, where
ships were sailing but just before, turned without warning into dry
land. The rivers, again, on the access of flood tide rushing into their
channels with the whole body of the sea, are driven upwards against
their natural course for a great number of miles with a force that is
irresistible.
46. This is the reason why ships frequenting this emporium are exposed,
both in coming and going, to great risk, if handled by those who are
unacquainted with the navigation of the gulf or visit it for the
first time, since the impetuosity of the tide when it becomes full,
having nothing to stem or slacken it, is such that anchors cannot
hold against it. Large vessels, moreover, if caught in it are driven
athwart from their course by the rapidity of the current till they are
stranded on shoals and wrecked, while the smaller craft are capsized,
and many that have taken refuge in the side channels, being left dry
by the receding tide, turn over on one side, and, if not set erect
on props, are filled upon the return of the tide with the very first
head of the flood, and sunk. But at new moons, especially when they
occur in conjunction with a night tide, the flood sets in with such
extraordinary violence that on its beginning to advance, even though
the sea be calm, its roar is heard by those living near the river’s
mouth, sounding like the tumult of battle heard far off, and soon after
the sea with its hissing waves bursts over the bare shoals.
47. Inland from +Barugaza+ the country is inhabited by numerous
races—the +Aratrioi+, and the +Arakhosioi+, and the
+Gandaraioi+, and the people of +Proklaïs+, in which is
+Boukephalos Alexandreia+. Beyond these are the +Baktrianoi+,
a most warlike race, governed by their own independent sovereign.
It was from these parts Alexander issued to invade India when he
marched as far as the Ganges, without, however, attacking Limurikê and
the southern parts of the country. Hence up to the present day old
_drachmai_ bearing the Greek inscriptions of +Apollodotos+ and
+Menander+ are current in Barugaza.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account