252 THE LAND OF REFUGE. 



co very. He observed that the winds or monsoons of 

 the Indian Ocean regularly blew during six months 

 from east to west, and six months from west to east. 

 He was bold enough to do what the Phoenicians them- 

 selves had never done. He left the land, and sailed 

 right across the ocean to the Indian shore with one 

 monsoon, returning with the next to the mouth of the 

 Red Sea. By means of this ocean route the India 

 voyage could be made in half the time, the goods were 

 thereby cheapened, the demand was thereby increased, 

 the India Ocean was covered with Greek vessels, a 

 commercial revolution was created, the coasting and 

 caravan trade of the Arabs came to an end, the 

 Romans destroyed Aden, and Yemen withered up and 

 remained independent only because it was obscure. 



Arabia had always been a land of refuge ; for in 

 its terrible deserts security might always be found. 

 To Arabia had fled the Priests of the Sun after the 

 victories of Alexander and the restoration of Baby- 

 lonian idolatry. To Arabia had fled thousands of 

 Jews after the second destruction of Jerusalem. To 

 Arabia had fled thousands of Christians who had been 

 persecuted by pagan, and still more by Christian 

 emperors. The land was divided among independent 

 princes : many of them were Christians and many of 

 them were Jews. There is nothing more conducive, 

 to an enlightened scepticism, and its attendant spirit, 

 toleration, than the spectacle of various religious 

 creeds, each maintained by intelligent and pious men. 

 A king of Arabia Felix, in the fourth century, re- 

 ceived an embassy from the Byzantine emperor, with 

 a request that Christians might be allowed to settle 

 in his kingdom, and also that he would make Chris- 

 tianity the religion of the State. He assented to the 



