Besides these presents, there were likewise
imported a great quantity of plain garments, and some mixed or inferior
cloth; topazes, coral, storax, frankincense, glass vessels, plate, specie,
and wine. The exports were costus, a kind of spice; bdellium, a gum; a
yellow dye, spikenard, emeralds, sapphires, cottons, silk thread, indigo,
or perhaps the indicum of Pliny, which was probably Indian ink: skins are
likewise enumerated, with the epithet _serica_ prefixed to them, but
of what kind they were cannot be determined: wine is specified as an
article of import into this and other places; three kinds of it are
particularized: wine from Laodicea in Syria, which is still celebrated for
its wine; Italian wine, and Arabian wine. Some suppose that the last was
palm or toddy wine, which seems to have been a great article of trade.
We come now to Baragaza: the author first mentions the produce of the
district; it consisted of corn, rice, oil of Sesamum, ghee or butter, and
cotton: he then, in a most minute and accurate manner, describes the
approach to the harbour; the extraordinarily high tides, the rapidity with
which they roll in and again recede, especially at the new moon, the
difficult pilotage of the river, are all noticed. On account of these
dangers and difficulties, he adds, that pilots were appointed by the
government, with large boats, well manned, who put to sea to wait the
approach of ships.
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