NEARCHUS, the admiral of Alexander the Great, was the son of Androtinus, a native of Crete, and flourished 330 before Christ. He was the personal friend of Alexander before the death of his father, and was obliged to fly from Macedonia when Philip began to be suspicious of the intentions of his son. Nearchus attended Alexander [7:16:68]in his eastern expedition, and was left to watch over Lycia and the adjoining countries. (Arrian, iii. 6, 8; Irid. 18, 4, 10.) After the conquest of Darius, he was called from his province by Alexander, and appointed to command the fleet which was hastily constructed on the river Hydaspes,^[1. Now the Behüt or Bedusta, also called by the natives the Jylum, which still affords an abundant supply of timber. ] from the timber which grew upon its banks. Onesicritus was appointed second in command. Both admirals afterwards left a detailed account of their voyage from the mouth of the Indus, where they parted with Alexander, proceeding along the coast towards the Persian Gulf, and as far as the river Euphrates. The journal of Nearchus has luckily been preserved for us by Arrian in his Indian history (cap. 20), and it corresponds in general so closely with the descriptions of modern navigators, that there can be no doubt of its authenticity. Strabo (ii. 70) indeed expresses doubts respecting the correctness of his statements; and perhaps there may have been some exaggeration of the dangers he encountered, and the wonders he saw, but he has certainly given a very accurate account of the coast along which he sailed.

This was the first time that a Greek fleet had entered the Indian Ocean; and when Alexander made known his intentions, the sailors murmured at the unknown dangers to which they were going to be exposed. The appointment, however, of his beloved friend Nearchus to command the exploring expedition quieted their apprehensions, as they were satisfied that the dangers could not be so great as they imagined, when Alexander was willing to allow Nearchus to be exposed to them. Alexander left the fleet at a spot called Xylenopolis, in the month of August 326 before Christ, and proceeded with his army across the sandy deserts of Mekran to Persia. About the month of October, when the south-west monsoon had ceased to blow, Nearchus sailed down the western branch of the Indus, now called Buggaur, into the Indian Ocean, which he reached after a passage of 150 stadia. He directed his course to the north-west, and, after sailing 150 stadia, reached a small sandy island called Crocala, now Chulna, or Chilni, which is situated off Cape Mouze, about five miles from the mainland. It is now described as a small desolate rock, about two miles in circumference, rising abruptly from the sea in a conical shape, to the height of about two hundred feet. Proceeding from Crocala, and having a mountain, which he calls Eiros, on his right, and a low sandy island on his left, he entered a large and safe harbour, which he designated Port Alexander. This is now called Sonmeany, and is said to be a creek runnin^g up some distance inland. Here he found that the south-west monsoon was still blowing with much fury, and he therefore remained quietly for twenty-three days. During his voyage for the next three hundred miles, he landed at many spots along the coast; and at the mouth of the Tomerus, or Tuburus, now called Busul, he had an engagement with the inhabitants, who assembled to the number of six hundred. He describes their bodies as in the most filthy state; their nails being so long and hard that they made use of them instead of iron, with which they were unacquainted. The people along this coast he calls Oreitae, or Orae, and states, that they had the same dress and arms as the Indians, but that their language and manners differed. A passage of 300 stadia then brought him to Malana, said to be still called Malin, which was the last spot belonging to the Oreitae.

The whole of the remainder of the coast, to the vicinity of the entrance to the Persian Gulf, was inhabited by the Ichthyophagi or fish-eaters, a name which the Greeks gave to them on account of their mode of life. The country, to a considerable distance inland, was little else than a sandy desert, and the inhabitants supported themselves chiefly on the fish which they caught. From Malana Nearchus sailed 600 stadia to Bagisara, which he represents as a harbour fit for the reception of a fleet. It is now known under the name of Arabah or Hormarah Bay. The high rugged promontory which he passed immediately after leaving this place is now Cape Arabah., At the small island of Car-nine, now Ashtola, he was hospitably received by the inhabitants, who supplied him with some sheep; but they found that even these animals tasted of fish, as well as the sea-birds which they caught. This island is represented as about four or five miles in circumference, and situated twelve miles from the coast of Mekran; but not a vestige of any habitation now remains. Proceeding 350 stadia, he reached an excellent harbour, which he calls Mosarna, where there were fishermen, and plenty of water, from the want of which they had suffered since they left the river Indus. This harbour was formed by a promontory projecting 150 stadia into the sea, now called Ras No, and the bay is that of Gwadel. Nearchus states, that he considered his dangers as now ended, and that the coast began to assume a much less desolate appearance. In 1150 stadia, he reached a small village, Barna, where there were palm trees, gardens with myrtles and flowers, and the inhabitants seemed to have some degree of cultivation. He began, however, to suffer from want of provisions; and having reached a small city, the only one he mentions in his voyage along this coast, he determined to compel the inhabitants to supply him with whatever they had. It is curious that the name of the city should not be mentioned; but having obtained possession of it by stratagem, he found that they had little else than flour made of the bones of fish ground to powder. He at length reached the end of the coast of the Ichthyophagi, which he describes as being 10,000 stadia in length. He now found himself on the co¾st of the fertile province of Carmania, and at Badis, now Jask, he obtained abundance of water and corn. On reaching Harmozia, at the mouth of the river Anamis, now called Minab, he discovered that Alexander was at no great distance with his army; and having landed, he proceeded to the camp, where he was received with great joy by the king and the whole army. He was directed to conduct the fleet up the Persian Gulf, to the mouth of the Euphrates, and reached the city Diridotis in safety. .(See Notes on the Eastern -Shores of the Persian Gulf in 1828, by Kemp-thorne, in the Geographical Journal, vol. v. p. 263; also the Voyage of Nearchus, illustrated by Dr Vincent, London, 1797; and Recherches sur la Géographie des Anciens, par Gosselin, vol. iii.)