Book Title: Indian Antiquary Vol 58
Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications
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JUNE, 1929)
ALEXANDER'S CAMPAIGN ON THE N.-W. FRONTIER
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of an Indian spring. From what I saw on my way past the Ona peak and the adjacent heights I believe that the expedient recorded by Aristobulos would probably nowadays also recommend itself if troops were obliged for a time to occupy that high ground and its southern slopes. The spring of the present year had been quite exceptionally belated. Yet at the time of my visit at the very end of April we found snow only in small sheltered hollows on the northern slopes of Mount Ona and none at all on the south. The fine spring above "Little Ona " and another at Adramâr, about the same distance on the opposite side of the peak, would scarcely suffice for a large force encamped on this part of the range. Hence a thoughtful commander, faced by unoertainty as to the length of his stay on those heights, would only act wisely if he took steps to conserve whatever remained of the winter's snowfall. We thus see that this fragmentary reference also perfectly accords with that combined evidence of texts, topography, and name which has led us to locate Aornos on that rock-girt site by Mount Oņa.
The notices left to us of Alexander's movements after the capture of Aornos are too brief and too divergent in their details to permit us to trace his route with certainty on the map. Arrian tells us that Alexander moved from the rock into the territory of the Assake. noi, having been informed that the brother of Assakênos, with elephants and a host of neighbouring barbarians, had taken refuge in the mountains of that region.84 When he reached there the town of Dyrta he found it, together with the surrounding district, abandoned by its inhabitants. Thereupon he detached certain commanders to examine the localities and to secure information from any barbarians captured, particularly about the elephants. We have seen above that Ansakênos was the ruler whose capital Massaga was taken on the Macedonians' first entry into Lower Swât. Hence the mountain region in which his brother had taken refuge, and which was reckoned as part of the territory of the Assakênoi, might well have been Bunêr; for this, as the records of the Chinese pilgrims clearly show, was in ancient times included in Swat territory, just as it is now again.6 But as the position of Dyrta has not been identified and no other indications are furnished, the above remains uncertain.
Bunêr can be reached from the side of Pir-sar and Chakêsar by several routes leading through Pûran and the Mukhozai and Chagharzai country. And to Bunêr seems to point what we are next told about Alexander having marched on the Indus: "and the army going on before made a road for him, as those parts would otherwise have been impassable." This description would well apply, as first suggested by General Abbott, to the most direct route leading from the central parts of Bunêr to the Indus along the Barandu river; for the lower valley of the latter, as yet unsurveyed and in part inaccessible owing to the colony of "Hindustani fanatics" at present settled there, is reported to be a narrow gorge in places impraoticable for traffic.
From captives Alexander learned that the Indians of that territory had fled to Abisares, i.e., to the ruler of Hazara, having left the elephants behind by the river. Alexander's successful capture of these elephants is then related. Finally we are told that, serviceable timber having been found by the river, this was cut by the troops and the ships built with it taken down the Indus to where a bridge had long before been constructed by the other portion of the army. At the present time the lowest point on the right bank of the Indus where something like forest can be found is a few miles above Amb, where the half-inch map sheet
in B. No. 43 marks the "Palali Rakh." But conditions may have been different in ancient times."
64 See . Anabesis,' IV, XXX, 5. 88 Cf. Serindia,' 1, p. 9.
88 There is also a possibility, first indicated by General Abbott, to be taken into account, viz., that the original record referred to logs of timber such as are nowadays cut in high side valleys up the Indus, particularly in Tangir and Kendia, and allowed to drift down the river for sale in the Yusufzai plain. At Dar. band, on the left bank some miles abovo Amb, an oddy helps to arrest suoh drift timber, which then is dealt with by traders.
