their goods on the backs of camels in the very manner that their
defendants the Arabs continue to do from that period. They
took the fame route as the patriarch Jacob did, and delivered
their articles of luxury at the proud Memphis. As foon as they
became a naval people, much o f the commerce of Arabia, as
well as of India, was conveyed to Muza *, a port not remote
from the modern Mocha, and from thence dripped to Berenice
or to Myos hormos, and placed on the backs of camels, conveyed
to the Egyptian markets. But in refpeit to the IJhmaelites
who had met with Jofepb and his - brethren, it is highly
probable, that it was prior to the time o f their knowlege o f
navigation. They had therefore performed the whole journey
to and from India by land. On their return they increafed
their caravan by the addition o f the myrrh and balm, the produce
o f their own country, or o f Gilead; which they had left
not long before they met with the patriarchs at Dotham, a place
in the middle o f Palejline, not far to the weft o f the fea o f Tiberias.
They then proceeded on their journey to Egypt, with
the addition o f another article o f commerce, a ilave, in the
perfon o f Jafeph, whom they had juft purchafed from his envious
brethren.
T h i s communication with India was carried on for a great
length o f time. To ufe the authority of H o l y W r i t , our fafeft
guide on all occafions, we find that S o l o m o n gave it every encouragement.
He founded Hamath in the country of Galilee,
and Tadmor in the wildernefs, or Palmyra, and many other cities
o f floret, or emporia, for the commerce o f India, and Tyre, Sidon,
and all the furrounding nations.
# A r r ia n . Periplus, p. 152. t K ings I. Ch. g. V . 8 ,1 1 9 . C hron. II. Ch. 8. V . 4.
I SHA LL
I SH A L L now mention the route for which the ancients were
indebted to the Macedonian hero, who, after palling the paro-
pamifan Caucafus, founded a city on the fouth-eaft fide of the
Gbergijlan mountains, or Hindoo Kho, or the Indian Caucafus,
and called it Alexandria, in honor o f himfelf. Alexander Alexandria.
palled this way in his purfuit of Befpus, and returned by the
fame road on his invafion of India. It is probable, that Alexandria
was founded on the firft expedition, in order to fecure
his return into a country, the eonqueft o f which he had fo
much at heart. According to Mr. Rennel, it appears to have
been in Lat. 34°, oppofite to the modern Bamian, which ftands
on the north-weft fide of Caucafus. Here, according to Hyinius
Curtius, lib. vii. c. 3. he left feven thoufand old Macedonian
foldiers, and a number worn out in the fervice. Arrian, I. p. 230,
fays that he appointed Proexes, a noble Perfian, Governor, and
Niloxenus, Commiflary o f the army. Alexandria continued long
an emporium o f the goods of India, the termination of the
commercial views o f the Europeans, till it was fuperfeded by
the rife of Candahar, and Cabul. It feems to have had to it two
roads; the one diredt, and the fame with the courfe taken by
Alexander in his way from the Cafpian fea to his purfuit of
Bejpus and his Indian eonqueft, through Aria, the modern Herat, He r a t .
which was, till the latter ages, a place of great ftrength and great
commercial note. In courfe of ages, it fuffered all the calamities
to which the cities of the eaft are peculiarly incident;
but it often emerged. Abdulkurreem* faw it in 1740, on his
return, in a moft diftrefsful ftate the very ground floors o f the
houfes were ploughed up, and fown with grain; but he fpeaks
* A noble Caflimerian who attended KouU Khan on hi» return from India. See p. 24 o£
hi& .Memoirs,.