A VISIT TO THE IXDIAX ARCHIPELAGO. 



source of gain, and to divert tlieir commerce into 

 legitimate and peaceful clianuels. This alone is no light 

 matter. 



Piracy even in its mildest character, a most iaiqintons 

 Bowce of gain ■ hut its abominations are aggravated, and 

 Lave always hcon ao, by the fact that the most profitable 

 portion of Uie pirate's traffic is a trade in .vkm. It 

 is needless to obsen-e upon the cruelties and liorrors 

 thus superadded to mere spoHation. It is well known 

 what a bad eminence was attained by ancient Crete 

 and Cihcia in this revolting commerce. Tliey veri- 

 fied the remark before made, that it is op])ortmiity 

 and temptation which call into exercise this, as tlicy do 

 all otlier evil passions. By the conquests of Alexander 

 a great opening was cstabhshed for commercial intercourse 

 between Greece and the countries westward on the one 

 part, and Phoenicia and Egypt on the other ; the positions 

 of Crete and Cilicia, so favourable for intercepting 

 merchant-vessels, converted griwlually into pirates the 

 entire coast-population of those countries ; independently 

 of merchandise, tlic crews alone of captured ships were 

 very valuable for sale in the slave markets. But tlie 

 Cilicians," Iiaving once tasted blood, were not long 

 content with a precarious supply from passing vessels : 

 like their modem brethren, they would also bind on any 

 unprotected coast, and thence carry off men, women, and 

 children, of whom the greater number found their way to 

 Home. For the supply of that luxurious city, ten 



