As soon as he had put these preparations
in a proper train, he again embarked, and sailed down the Euphrates as far
as Pallacopas. The immediate object of this voyage is not exactly known. As
the Euphrates flows over the adjacent country at certain seasons, the
Persian monarchs had cut a canal at Pallacopas, which diverted its
superfluous waters into a lake, where they were employed to flood the land.
This and similar canals had been long neglected; but as Alexander seems to
have fixed on Babylon as the future capital of his empire, it was necessary
to restore the canals to their original utility, in order that the ground
on both sides of the Euphrates might be drained or flooded at the proper
season. This may have been the only object of Alexander's voyage, or it may
have been connected with the projected voyage of Nearchus. It is certain,
however, that by his directions the principal canal was much improved;
indeed it was in reality cut in a more convenient and suitable place; for
the soil where it had been originally cut was soft and spongy, so that much
labour and time were required to restore the waters to their course, and
secure its mouth in a safe and firm manner. A little lower down, the soil
was much more suitable, being strong and rocky; here then Alexander ordered
the opening of the canal to be made: he afterwards entered it with his
fleet, and surveyed the whole extent of the lake with which it
communicated.
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