458, TRAVELS TO DISCOVER, 



it enjoyed a mofl flourifhing trade, to the profpcrity o£ 

 which peace is neceffary. He died in peace and old age, 

 after having merited the glorious name of Soter, or Saviour 

 of the kingdom, which he himfelf had founded, the greateil 

 part of which differed from him in language, colour, habit, 

 and religion. 



It is with aftoniihment we fee how thoroughly he had 

 eflablifhed the trade of India, Ethiopia., and Arabia, and what 

 progrefs he had already made towards uniting it with that of 

 Europe, by a paffage in Athenaeus*, who mentions a feftivafc 

 and entertainment given by his fon, Ptolemy Philadelphus, 

 to the people of Alexandria at his acceffion, while his father, 

 was alive, but had jufl giv^n up his crown.. 



i 

 There was in this proceflion a great number of Indian 

 women, befides of other countries ; and by Indians we may 

 underftand, not only the Afiatic Indians, but the Abyffini- 

 ans, and the inhabitants of the higher part of Africa, as all 

 thefe countries were comprehended under the common ap- 

 pellation of India. Thefe were in the habit of Haves, and 

 each led, or was followed by, a camel loaded with incenfe 

 of Sheher, and cinnamon, befides other aromatics. After 

 thefe came a number of Ethiopian blacks carrying the teeth 

 of 600 elephants. Another troop had a prodigious quanti- 

 ty oi ebony ; and again others loaded with that iinefl gold, 

 which is not dug from the mine, but wafhed from the 

 mountains by the tropical rains in fmall pieces, or pellets, 



i which 



*Athen a .lib,5. 



