THE SOURCE OF THE NTLE. 03 



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

 power of her rival ; while Venice remained miflrefs of the 

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

 Indian fpice trade, the origin and fupport of all her great- 

 nefs. 



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

 Jerufalem, to whom that iiland belonged, greatly harraffed 

 the maritime trade carried on by the Moors in their own 

 veffels 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, 

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

 other traders from the different parts of Barbary while 

 paffing 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 fmallifland in the Perfian Gulf, had, by its con- 

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

 ter the discouragements it had received in the Mediterra- 

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

 ing the Straits of Babelmandeb, ha.d renewed the old refort 

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

 ferved by caravans, that never lince have forfaken. that trade,, 

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

 directions, 



John 



