216 PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 



which are better authenticated, and more im- 

 mediately connected with the origin of modern 

 Northern Discovery. It would, however, be 

 the extreme of indifference if I withheld the 

 expression of my admiration at the courage 

 of the many individuals amongst those barbar- 

 ous tribes, who, without compass or quadrant, 

 traversed thousands of miles of these stormy 

 seas at a time when the more southern nations 

 of Europe scarcely dared lose sight of their 

 own coasts. 



But that which enterprise and intrepidity alone 

 failed to accomplish, the desire of aggrandise- 

 ment was soon destined to effect. From very 

 early periods the commodities of the east had 

 excited the attention of the western European 

 nations, and about the period when Marco Polo's 

 discoveries became known, the desire of trading 

 with the countries which he described as abound- 

 ing in riches, became so great, that a regular 

 overland conveyance was established between 

 the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the shores 

 of the Mediterranean. The Venetians, Genoese, 

 and Florentines, were at this time the great 

 carriers by sea, and for the most part monopo- 

 lised the trade of the east, or exacted a tribute 

 from the vessels of other nations trading to 

 those ports which had become the depots for 



