The passage from this place
to the ocean, he ascertained to be more open and convenient than that by
the western branch. He does not seem, however, to have advanced into the
ocean by it; but having landed, and proceeded along the coast, in the
direction of Guzerat and Malabar, three days' march, making observations on
the country, and directing wells to be sunk, he re-embarked, and returned
to the head of the bay. Here he again manifested his design of establishing
a permanent station, by ordering a fort to be built, a naval yard and docks
to be formed, and leaving a garrison and provisions for four months.
Before the final departure of Alexander with his convoy from Pattala, he
directed Nearchus to assume the entire command of the fleet, and to sail as
soon as the season would permit. Twelve months, within a few days, elapsed
between the departure of the fleet from Nicaea, and the sailing of Nearchus
from the Indus; the former having taken place, as we have already observed,
on the 23d of October, in the year 327 before Christ, and the latter on the
2d of October, in the year 326 B.C. Only about nine months, however, had
elapsed in the actual navigation of the Indus and its tributary streams;
and even this period, which to us appears very long, was considerably
extended by the operations of the army of Alexander, as well as by the slow
sailing of such a large fleet as he conducted.
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