454 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



this treafure was, however, impracticable, as he had no 

 provifion, nor was there any in the way of his march. His 

 army, therefore, wafted daily by death and difperfion ; and 

 he had the mortification to be obliged to retreat into Egypt, 

 after part of his troops had been reduced to the neceffity of 

 eating each other *. 



Darius, king of Peril a, attempted to open this trade in 

 a much more worthy and liberal manner, as he fent mips 

 down the river Indus into the ocean, whence they entered 

 the Red Sea. It is probable, in this voyage, he acquired all 

 the knowledge neceflary for eftablifhing this trade in Per- 

 fia; for he mull have palled through the Perlian Gulf, and 

 along the whole eaftern coaft of Arabia ; he mull have 

 feen the marts of perfumes and fpicqs that were at the 

 mouth of the Red Sea, and the manner of bartering for 

 gold and filver, as he was neceiTarily in thofe trading 

 places which were upon the very fame coafl from which 

 the bullion was brought. I do not know, then, why M. de 

 Montefquieu f has treated this expedition of Darius fo con- 

 temptuoufly, as it appears to have been executed without 

 great trouble or cxpence, and terminated without lofs or 

 hardfhip ; the ftrongeft proof that it was at firft wifely plan- 

 ed. The prince himfelf was famous for his love of learn- 

 ing, which we find by his anxiety to be admitted among the 

 Magi, and the fenfe he had of that honour) in caufmg it to 

 be engraved upon his tomb. 



The 



* Lucan lib. x. wear. 2S0. f Vide MonteGj. liy. ax. chap 8- 



