i4 AN HISTORICAL DISQUISITION

SECT.

I.

the military operations to which Alexander wassoon obliged to turn his attention, the desire ofacquiring the lucrative commerce which the Tyrianshad carried on with India, was not relinquished.Events soon occurred that not only confirmed andadded strength to his desire, but opened to hima prospect of obtaining the sovereignty of thoseregions which supplied the rest of mankind withso many precious commodities.

After his final victory over the Persians, he wasled in pursuit of the last Darius, and of Bestus,the murderer of that unfortunate monarch, to tra-verse that part of Asia which stretches from theCaspian sea beyond the river Oxus. He advancedtowards the east as far as Maracanda 30 , then acity of some note, and destined, in a future peri-od, under the modern name of Samarcand, to bethe capital of an empire not inferior to his ownin extent or power. In a progress of several months,through provinces hitherto unknown to the Greeks,in a line of march often approaching near to India,and among people accustomed to much intercoursewith it, he learned many things concerning thestate of a country 11 that had been long the objectof his thoughts and wishes 13 , which increased hisdesire of invading it. Decisive and prompt in allhis resolutions, he set out from Bactria, and cros-sed that ridge of mountains which, under variousdenominations, forms the Stony Girdle (if I may

" Arrian, iii, c. }o. at Strab. xv. p. ivrr. A.

" Arrian, iv. c. i;.