Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 1).djvu/12

the Isthmus—Ptolemy's great ship—Analysis of her dimensions—The
Thalamegus, her size and splendour—Great size of other
Egyptian monuments—Probability of such vessels having been constructed—Hiero's
great ship—Not unlike a modern inland American
steamer—Details of her construction, accommodation, outfit, and
decorations—Greek ships—Habits of piracy—Corinth—Athens—The
size of her ships as described by Herodotus—Discrepancy
between the different accounts Pages 44-78


CHAPTER IV.

Route viâ the Cape to India, discovered by the Phœnicians, B.C. 610-594—Voyage
of the first Eudoxus—Story of the second Eudoxus (of
Cyzicus)—Opinion of Dr. Vincent on the circumnavigation of Africa—Remarks
upon his opinion—Routes to India and to the East by land—Origin
of the caravans—Resting-places—Their management—The
more important routes—Eastern—Southern—Northern—The character,
size, and discipline of the caravans—The route from Sardes
to Susa, described by Herodotus—Between Tyre and Gerrha—Length
of journey—Importance of Petra—Intercourse between Syria and
Babylon—Value of the trade of Babylon—Caravan routes from that
city to Candahar, Cashmir, Ecbatana, and Peucela on the Indus—Earliest
land and sea combined routes—Commercial efforts of Alexander
in the East, and the impetus he gave to the development of
the trade with India by the erection of Alexandria, B.C. 331—Time of
the departure of the fleets—Residence of the merchants and course
of trade from Alexandria to the East—Value of the trade with India—The
ports through which it was conducted—Course of the voyage
to India—Outwards—Homewards—The vessels engaged in the trade
with India—The nature of their cargoes—Immense demand at Rome
for the luxuries of the East, and the enormous prices paid for them—Imports
and exports to and from Pattala—Barygaza or Baroach—Musiris—Cape
Comorin—Ceylon—Time of departure of the fleets for
Africa and the coasts of Arabia—Rhapta, or Quiloa—Sofala—Articles
of commerce—Moosa—Yemen, or Arabia Felix—Its great wealth,
and the importance attached to its trade—Kane—Sachal—Moskha—Maskat—Omana 79-121


CHAPTER V.

Ancient India—Expedition of Sesostris—Doubts of Dr. Robertson with
regard to it—Hindustan, its early commerce, and the probability,
from its great value, of its having attracted Sesostris—The conquests
of Darius, and of Alexander—Trade with China—Its maritime intercourse—A
comparison of the Chinese boats with those of the ancient
Britons—The conquests of Alexander in India, B.C. 327-5—The gain