[380] Arrian gives in his Indika (c. 33-35) full details of the journey of Nearchos from the coast to Alexander’s camp, which lay a five days’ march inland, and of the affecting interview between the king and his admiral, whom he had given up for lost. Arrian’s narrative may be implicitly trusted, as it was based on the Journal of Nearchos, whose veracity is unimpeachable. The admiral did not appear in the theatre until his interview with Alexander had been concluded. Diodôros is clearly in error in placing Salmous on the coast.
[381] This incident occurred at Mazaga, the capital of Assakênos.
[382] The Brahmans of Sindh are here referred to.
[383] “When the Greek writers tell us that the district between the Hydaspes and the Hyphasis alone contained 5000 cities (!), none of which was less than that of Cos (Strabo, xv. p. 686), and that the dominions of Pôros, which were confined between the Hydaspes and the Acesines—a tract not more than 40 miles in width—contained 300 cities (id. p. 698), it is evident that the Greeks were misled by the exaggerated reports so common with all Orientals, and which were greedily swallowed by the historians of Alexander with a view of magnifying the exploits of the great conqueror.”—Bunbury, Hist. of Anc. Geog. I. p. 453.
[384] See Note to Arrian, [p. 112], and to Curtius, [p. 212].
[385] This seems an almost inexcusable mistake on Plutarch’s part—his conducting Alexander as far as the Ganges! The author of the Periplûs made the same egregious blunder. It is possible, however, to put a different construction on the expressions used by Plutarch, and to suppose that he wrote so carelessly that he did not mean what his words seem to imply.
[386] See [Notes Cc] and [Dd] for these people.
[387] More correctly Sandrakyptos, or Chandragupta. See [Biog. Appendix], s.v. Sandrokottos.
[388] See [Note N], Altars at the Hyphasis.
[389] See [Biog. Appendix], s.v. Sandrokottos.