After Enumerating The
Articles Imported From The Latter Country, Which Consisted Chiefly Of Corn,
Rice, Butter; Oil Of Sesanum; Cotton,
Raw and manufactured sashes; and
honey from the cane, called sugar; he adds, that "many vessels are employed
in this
Commerce, expressly for the importation of these articles, and
others, which have a more distant destination, sell part of their cargoes
on this coast, and take in the produce in return." This seems to be the
first historical evidence of a commercial intercourse between India and
Africa, independent of the voyages of the Arabians; and as the parts from
which the ships sailed to India, lay within the limits of the monsoon, it
most probably was accomplished by means of it, and directly from land to
land, without coasting round by the Gulf of Persia. The ports on the west
coast of India, to which the trade was carried on, were Ariake and
Barugaza, in Guzerat and Concan.
No mart is mentioned after Opone, till we arrive at Rhapta. This place was
so named by the Greeks, because the ships employed by the inhabitants were
raised from a bottom composed of a single piece of wood, and the sides were
sewed to it, instead of being nailed. In order to preserve the sewing, the
whole outside was covered over with some of the gums of the country. It is
a circumstance worthy of notice, that when the Portuguese first visited
this coast, they found ships of exactly the same materials and
construction. At Rhapta, the customs were farmed by the merchants of Moosa,
though it was subject to one of the princes of Yeman. Arabian commanders
and supercargoes were always employed in their ships, from their experience
in the navigation: the imports of Rhapta were, lances, principally
manufactured at Moosa; axes, knives, awls, and various kinds of glass: the
exports were, ivory, inferior to the Aduli ivory, but cheap, and in great
abundance; the horns of the rhinoceros, tortoise shell, superior to any of
this coast, but not equal to the Indian; and an article called Nauplius,
the nature of which is not known.
At the period when the Periplus was written, the coast was unknown beyond
Rhapta; at this place, therefore, the journal of this voyage terminates;
but this place, there is every reason to believe that the author visited in
person.
The commencement of the second voyage is from Berenice: from this port he
conducts us to Myos Hormos, and there across the Red Sea to Leuke Kome in
Arabia. This port we have already noticed as in the possession of the
Romans, and forming the point of communication with Petra. We have also
stated from our author, that at Leuke Kome the Romans kept a garrison, and
collected a duty of twenty-five per cent. on the goods imported and
exported. From it to the coast below Burnt Island, there was no trade
carried on, in consequence of the dangers of the navigation from rocks, the
want of harbours, the poverty and barbarism of the natives, who seem to
have been pirates, and the want of produce and manufactures.
In the farthest bay of the east or Arabian coast of the Red Sea, about
thirty miles from the straits, was Moosa, the regular mart of the country,
established, protected, and privileged as such by the government. It was
not a harbour, but a road with good anchorage on a sandy bottom. The
inhabitants were Arabians, and it was much resorted to by merchants, both
on account of the produce and manufactures of the adjacent country, and on
account of its trade to India. The imports into Moosa were principally
purple cloth of different qualities and prices; garments made in the
Arabian manner, with sleeves, plain and mixed; saffron; an aromatic rush
used in medicine; muslins, cloaks, quilts, but only a few plain, and made
according to the fashion of the country; sashes of various colours; some
corn and wine, and coin to pay for the balance of trade. In order to
ingratiate the sovereigns of the country, horses, mules, gold plate, silver
plate richly embossed, splendid robes, and brass goods were also imported,
expressly as presents to them. One of these sovereigns was styled the
friend of the Roman emperors. Embassies were frequently sent to him from
Rome, and it is probable that for him the presents were chiefly designed.
The exports from Moosa were myrrh of the best quality, gum, and very pure
and white alabaster, of which boxes were made; there was likewise exported
a variety of articles, the produce and manufacture of Aduli, which were
brought from that place to Moosa.
We are next directed to the ports beyond the Straits of Babelmandeb. The
wind in passing them is described as violent, coming on in sudden and
dangerous squalls, in consequence of its confinement between the two capes
which formed the entrance to the straits. The first place beyond them,
about 120 miles to the east, described in the Periplus, is a village called
Arabia Felix: this, there is every reason to believe, is Aden. It is
represented in the Periplus as having been a place of great importance
before the fleets sailed directly from India to Egypt, or from Egypt to the
east. Till this occurred, the fleets from the east met in this harbour the
fleets from Egypt. This description and account of it exactly corresponds
with what Agatharcides relates: he says it received its name of Eudaimon,
(_fortunate,_) on account of the ships from India and Egypt meeting
there, before the merchants of Egypt had the courage to venture further
towards the eastern marts. Its importance seems to have continued in some
degree till it was destroyed by the Romans, probably in the time of
Claudius: the object and reason of this act was to prevent the trade, which
in his time had begun to direct its course to India, from reverting to this
place.
About 200 miles to the east of Aden was the port of Kane.
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