CALIPHS OF SPAIN. 67 



From an Arabian writer on commerce, of the tenth 

 century, it appears that the balance of trade was de- 

 cidedly in favour of the Moors, whom Casiri, from 

 their maritime traffic and the distant voyages they 

 undertook by sea, compares to the ancient Phoeni- 

 cians and Carthaginians. Gold, silver, copper, raw 

 and wrought silks, sugar, cochineal, quicksilver, iron, 

 olives, oil, myrrh, corals fished on the coast of Anda- 

 lusia, pearls on that of Catalonia, rubies and ame- 

 thysts from mines in the neighbourhood of Malaga 

 and Carthagena, were among the most valuable and 

 lucrative articles of exportation. These facts, at- 

 tested by native authors, will throw light on the 

 hitherto unexplained magnificence of the Western 

 caliphs. Commerce was the true foundation of their 

 greatness ; the secret spring that filled the treasuries 

 of Spain, and fed the wealth and industry of her 

 inhabitants. At length the fleets of the Christians, 

 as well as of the kings of Arragon and Portugal, 

 gradually defeated the maritime forces of the Moors, 

 until they were totally annihilated after the conquest 

 of Algesiras, Seville, and Almeria. 



In all their actions by sea and land the Arabs re- 

 tained their characteristic mode of warfare ; they sus- 

 tained with patient firmness the fury of attack, and 

 seldom advanced to the charge until the enemy were 

 thrown off their guard or overcome with fatigue. But 

 if they were broken and repulsed they knew not how 

 to rally or renew the combat ; and their dismay was 

 always heightened by a superstitious presentiment 

 that they were abandoned of Heaven. The decline 

 and fall of the caliphs countenanced the fearful 

 opinion that God had declared himself on the side of 

 the foe ; nor were there wanting, both among Mo- 



