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the state. Whether the Indian trade was carried on at the same time, by the Tyrians and Egyptians, as well as by the Judeans, cannot now be ascertained; but I think it probable that it might; and that, both by the route of the Persian Gulf, and the Red Sea; as we have seen it in our days. But whatever might be the mercantile state of Tyre in the days of Solomon, we find it about a century after, establishing a colony at Carthage; and about three centuries after that, its greatness was proverbial: I mean, about the date of Ezekiel's prophecy concerning it.

When Tyre fell into the hands of Alexander (before Christ 332, and about 260 after the time of Ezekiel), that city was in full possession of the Indian commerce. The route of their trade from India, was up the Red Sea to Eziongaber; and thence across the deserts of Rhinocorura, a town on the Mediterranean, and on the common frontiers of Palestine and Egypt: both of which countries were then in the hands of the Persians. From Rhinocorura, the goods were carried by sea to Tyre, and circulated from thence. The destruction of Tyre by Alexander, and the consequent foundation of Alexandria, turned the trade into a new channel; or rather, perhaps, returned it into its ancient one, Egypt. The Ptolemies, into whose hands Egypt fell, on the division of Alexander's empire, bestowed a fostering care on the new emporium, which also became the capital of the kingdom. Ptolemy Philadelphus constructed a canal from Arsinoe (near the present Suez) to the Pelusiac branch of the Nile: and afterwards, pofsibly because of the tedious and dangerous navigation of the upper part of the Red Sea, founded the city of Berenice on the western side of that sea, and nearly under the tropic (that is, 450 miles below Suez), from whence the merchandise was transported across the desert of Thebais, to Coptus on the Nile; and thence, down the stream of that river, and its canals, to Alexandria; which thus became the centre of trade between the eastern and western world; and, of course, one of the most opulent cities in either. It would appear, that f

under the Ptolemies, the Egyptians extended their navigation to the extreme point of the Indian continent, and even sailed up the Ganges to Palibothra.

Alexandria held its rank as an emporium, even after Egypt became a Roman province: and preserved it in a considerable degree, during the various revolutions that happened in the east ;* until the re-discovery of the passage round the south point of Africa, about 300 years ago, turned the bulk of the Indian trade into an entire new channel; and from which it is not likely ever to be diverted.

Berenice continued to be the port of outfit for the Roman EastIndia trade in the time of Pliny (A. D. 79), who details, in his sixth book, the account of the navigation to India; with many curious particulars relating to it: and among other matters, we may gather, that it was a complaint even in his time, that the trade to India drained Europe of its riches. Pliny says, that it cost fifty millions of sesterces every year; and yet the trade is not described as being extended to every part of India. Arbuthnot reckons a sestertius one-fourth part of a denarius of 621⁄2 grains of silver: at this rate, the above number of sesterces will produce above 440,000l. according to the medium value of silver in the present age. The prime cost of the cargoes brought into England, from India and China, in one year, has been above three millions sterling, freight included.

From Berenice it was reckoned 30 days navigation, down the Red Sea, to Ocelis (Gella), just within the strait of Bab-el-mandel. Another port was Muza (Mocha), but Ocelis was reckoned the best, and most commodious for departure. From thence to Muziris, the first port of merchandise in India, was 40 days sail: so that, as they left Berenice about midsummer, they might arrive in India in the latter end of August, when the violence of the SW monsoon was abated, and the coasting navigation safe and easy.

The Venetian trade to the east, was by the channel of the Red Sea, and Alexandria.

Pliny does not forget to mention that they departed with the west wind: and these 40 days sailing, would be about 15 days run, for an European ship, in the modern style of navigating: being about 1750 marine (the same as geographical) miles, on a straight course.

We are told that these voyages were first made by coasting the Arabian shore, to the promontory Syagrus (Cape Rasalgate), and thence along the coast of Persia to the mouth of the Indus, &c. In the next age, a shorter and safer course was discovered: for from Cape Rasalgate, the ships made a direct course to Zizerus, a port in India; situated, as would appear by circumstances, on the northern part of the Malabar coast. After this, a direct course was made from the outlet of the Red Sea to Muziris, as above related. It is probable, after all, that they coasted a great part of the Arabian coast, in order to reduce the length of that part of their course that lay out of the sight of land: unless the habit of depending on the compass, has, in my idea, increased the difficulty of shaping a course without one.

Muziris is said by Pliny to have been an incommodious place of merchandise, because the shallowness of the port, or river's mouth, made it necessary to discharge or take in the cargo in small boats, at a distance from the emporium: and besides, there was danger from the pirates at Nitria. Another port, more commodious and better stored with merchandise, was named Barace (or Becare), in the country of the Niconidians; and as the pepper of Cottonara was brought to this place in small boats, it may be concluded that Barace was within, or near to, the country of CANARA; which produces the best pepper in those parts, at the present day. After much study and investigation, I cannot apply to any particular spot, these ports of Muziris and Barace: for the Malabar coast abounds with ports of the above description: and it must be considered, too, that a shallow port for one of the Roman traders, which in all probability were smaller than ours, would be reckoned, in the present times, no port at all. The circumstances of the

pirate coast, and pepper country, however, confine us within certain limits: for, in the course to Muziris, the traders passed near the pirates' stations; and as these, by the lights which I have received from Pliny and Ptolemy, were nearly the same as the present (that is, between Bombay and Goa), I conceive the trading ports meant by Pliny, were situated between Goa and Tellicherry. The Periplus of the India sea, and the geography of Ptolemy, throw some faint light on the subject.

Ptolemy's ideas are these: Tyndis (going southward) succeeds Nitria; then Muziris; Becare (which is one of the readings of Barace); Melcynda, or Nelcynda; Cottiara; and then Comaria, or Cape Comorin; whose proper name is Komrin, or Komry. And the Periplus enumerates in the same order, Tyndis, Muziris, and Barace: allowing 500 stadia between each, respectively. No three places appear more convenient to this relative disposition, and to the circumstances of the pirate coast and pepper country, than Goa, Meerzaw (vulgarly, Merjee), and Barcelore, or Bafsinore. The first, namely, Goa, is just clear of the pirate coast: having Newtya, possibly the Nitrias of Pliny and Ptolemy (near which the pirates cruised on the Roman vessels in their way to Muziris) on the north of it. The second place, Meerzaw, or Merjee, has even some affinity in sound with Muziris; and is situated on a river, and at some distance from the And Barcelore, or Bafsinore, which may pofsibly be Barace, is one of the principal pepper factories at present: and therefore answers so far to Barace. Nelcynda, I take to be Nelisuram: and do not, with M. D'Anville, suppose Barace to be the port of Nelcynda, but a distinct place. It is said by Pliny, to be situated within the kingdom of Pandion; which is pretty well understood to be Madura: or to be comprised, at least, within the southern part of the peninsula: and therefore, the farther south we go for Nelcynda, the lefs we are likely to err. But even all this is conjecture, as far as relates to particular positions: nor is it of much

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consequence; for we are clear that the ports of merchandise must be situated in or near to the country of Canara, the Cottonara, or pepper country of Pliny: that is, between Goa and Tellicherry; as before observed.

The ships returned from the coast of India about the month of December, with the north-east monsoon: and when entered into the Red Sea, they had a south, or south-west wind: so says Pliny. The voyage was made much within the compass of a year: and the profits are stated to be immense: but the particulars of the cargoes are not recorded.

There are no notices in Pliny (as far as I know) concerning any voyages of the Romans to the gulf of Bengal, or to the peninsula of Malay (the golden Chersonese), although it is clear from Strabo, who wrote before Pliny, that the Ganges had then been sailed up, as high as Palibothra. Ptolemy's geography, said to be com posed about 60 years after Pliny, contains evident proofs that both of the Indian peninsulas had been explored: such is the mention of the pearl fishery between Ceylon and the continent; the diamonds found on the banks of the Sumbulpour river; and the point from whence ships that traded to the Malay coast, took their departure (supposed to be Point Gordeware): besides many names that can hardly be misunderstood in the application of them; as Arcati, the capital of the Sora (or Sora-mandalum, from whence corruptly Choromandel); Mesolia, the district which contains Masulipatam; the river Cauvery, under the name of Chaboris, &c. The peninsula beyond the Ganges is also described in Ptolemy, as far as Cochin China, or perhaps to the borders of China, or Sina. [See M. D'Anville's Antiquité Geographique de l'Inde.] We may here observe also, by the way, that the islands scattered over the gulf of Bengal, in Ptolemy, and probably meant for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, are most of them said to be inhabited by Anthropophagi: and this idea has also been adopted by the modern navigators. Other islands, which may be meant either

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