A. D. 640. 841 



from Egypt to Medina was covered by a long train of camels loaded 

 with the corn, which ufed to feed Conftantinople *. 



645 — The antient canal between the Nile and the Red fea is faid to 

 have been cleared out, and again rendered navigable, by Amrou, the 

 Arabian conqueror and governor of Egypt, in order to furnifh a (horter 

 and cheaper conveyance for the corn and other bulky produce of that 

 country f . 



The Arabian, or Saracen, armies, enflamed by fanaticifm, ambition, 

 and avarice, proceeded with a rapid and irrefiflible torrent of vidories, 

 unexampled in the hiftory of mankind, till they became mafters of the 

 fineft provinces of the world, extending eaftward to the confines of 

 China, and weftward to the Atlantic ocean. Their vidtories enlarged 

 their commerce, as well as their empire ; and almoft the whole trade of 

 the world fell into their hands. 



660 — The lofs of Jerufalem having rendered its holy places more 

 pretious than ever in the eyes of the Chriflians, pilgrimages to it were: 

 now become very frequent : and in thefe commerce was united with 

 devotion, which was probably the reafon that they were tolerated, and 

 even encouraged, by the Saracens, who allowed a fair to be annually held 

 on the 15'" of September, as Adamnan, abbat of Hyona, on the au- 

 thority of St. Arculf, relates in his book on the holy places, honourably 

 inentioned by Bede. It is probable, that the trade, thus carried on at 

 Jerufalem, was in a great meafure for goods brought from the Eafl by 

 the conveyance of Bafl()ra, the River Euphrates, and the caravans. 

 IBeda Hijl. ecclef. L. v, cc. 16 et feqq. — De Guignes, Mem. de litteratiire, V. 

 xxxvii, /. 475.] 



668 — ^The Saracens, whofe fleets now rode triumphant in the Medi- 

 terranean, had already taken pofTeilion of Cyprus, Rhodes, and many 

 others of the Grecian iflands. The imperial city of Conftantinople was 

 now for the firft time befieged by the followers of Mohamed, who came 

 againft it with a great fleet and army. During feven years they annual- 

 ly renewed their attacks, which were finally baffled (a". 674). After lofing 

 thirty thouiand men, and moft of their fhips, the Saracens gave up all 

 hopes of taking the city; and the calif even fubmitted to the humiliating 

 terms of paying an annual tribute of 3,000 pieces of gold, 50 horfes, 

 and 50 flaves, to the Roman emperor during a truce of thirty years. 



The repulfe at Conftaiuinople threw a temporary cloud over the mi- 

 litary glory of the Saracens, and flied a faint ray of light upon the ex- 

 piring reputation of the Greeks, or Romans. But the whole praife was 



* Literally fow/W, if the foremofl; of the train Butier. [See Ochky's Hiflory of the Saracens, p. 



reached Medina before the lalt of them got out of 362. — Phillips's HiP.jry of inland navigation, p. y. 



Egypt, as Ockley fays. — Browne's Travels in Africa, p. 94, who copies 



f This celebrated canal was again flopped up from Cardonne's Hfl. de I' Afrique, i^c. compiled 



at the end next the Red fea in the year 775. In from Arabic manufcripts in the royal library of 



I 707 the end next the Nik was difcovercd by Mr. France, 



Vol. I. H h . 



