THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 93 



Genoa followed, but fimk, after great efforts, under the 

 power of her rival ; while Venice remained miftrefs of the 

 fea, of a large dominion upon the continent, and of the 

 Indian fpice trade, the origin and fupport of all her greats 

 nefs. 



Rhodes, and the flaips of the Military Order of St John of 

 Jerufalem, to whom that iHand belonged, greatly harraffed 

 the maritime trade carried on by the Moors in their own 

 velTels from Alexandria, who were every day more difcou- 

 raged by the unexpected progrefs of thefe once petty Chriftian 

 ftates. Trade again began to be carried on by caravans in 

 the defert. Large companies of merchants from Arabia, 

 paired in fafety to the weftern ocean, and were joined by 

 other traders from the different parts of Barbary while 

 paffmg to the fouthward of them, and that with fuch fe- 

 curity and expedition, that the Moors began to fet little va- 

 lue on their manner of trading by fea, content now again 

 with the labours and conveniencies of their ancient, faithful 

 friend, and fervant, the camel. 



Ormus, a fmall ifland in the Perfian Gulf, had, by its con- 

 venient fituation, become the market for the fpice trade, af- 

 ter the difcouragements it had received in the Mediterra- 

 nean. All Afia was fupplied from thence, and veffels, enter- 

 ing the Straits of Babelmandeb, had renewed the old re fort 

 to the temple of Mecca. From hence all Africa, too, was 

 ferved by caravans, that never fmce have forfaken that trade, 

 but continue to this day, and crofs the continent, in various 

 diredions. 



• John 



