DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15172#0043
10
THE INDUS.
CHAP. I.
tity of name in the Indian dialect, for it was name-
less : but it presented a safe place of anchorage;
and, as I looked upon it, I could not but think it
might be that Cillutas where the hero of Macedon,
" drawing up his fleet under a promontory, sacrificed
" to the gods, as he had received orders from
" Ammon." Here it was, too, that Nearchus caused
" a canal to be dug, of about five stadia in length,
" where the earth was easiest to remove : as soon
" as the tide began to rise they got their whole
" fleet safe through that passage into the ocean.'
The Greek admiral only availed himself of the
experience of the people ; for it is yet customary
among the natives of Sinde to dig shallow canals,
and leave the tides or river to deepen them ; and a
distance of five stadia, or half a mile, would call for
no great labour. It is not to be supposed that sand-
banks will continue unaltered for centuries ; but I
may observe, that there was a large bank contiguous
to the island, between it and which a passage like
that of Nearchus might have been dug with the
greatest advantage. " Having sailed from the mouth
" of the Indus, Nearchus came to a sandy island,
" called Crocola, and proceeded on his voyage,
" having the mountain Irus on his right hand."
The topography is here more accurate : two sandy
islands, called Andry, lie off Curachee, at a distance
of eighteen miles from the Indus ; and it is worthy
of remark, that that portion of the Delta through
which the Pittee runs is yet denominated " Crocola"
by the natives.
THE INDUS.
CHAP. I.
tity of name in the Indian dialect, for it was name-
less : but it presented a safe place of anchorage;
and, as I looked upon it, I could not but think it
might be that Cillutas where the hero of Macedon,
" drawing up his fleet under a promontory, sacrificed
" to the gods, as he had received orders from
" Ammon." Here it was, too, that Nearchus caused
" a canal to be dug, of about five stadia in length,
" where the earth was easiest to remove : as soon
" as the tide began to rise they got their whole
" fleet safe through that passage into the ocean.'
The Greek admiral only availed himself of the
experience of the people ; for it is yet customary
among the natives of Sinde to dig shallow canals,
and leave the tides or river to deepen them ; and a
distance of five stadia, or half a mile, would call for
no great labour. It is not to be supposed that sand-
banks will continue unaltered for centuries ; but I
may observe, that there was a large bank contiguous
to the island, between it and which a passage like
that of Nearchus might have been dug with the
greatest advantage. " Having sailed from the mouth
" of the Indus, Nearchus came to a sandy island,
" called Crocola, and proceeded on his voyage,
" having the mountain Irus on his right hand."
The topography is here more accurate : two sandy
islands, called Andry, lie off Curachee, at a distance
of eighteen miles from the Indus ; and it is worthy
of remark, that that portion of the Delta through
which the Pittee runs is yet denominated " Crocola"
by the natives.