This Brings Them To The River Of ALEXANDRIA, And By It They
Descend To The Latter City.
It is by this way through Aden that the
Saracens of Alexandria receive all their stores of pepper and other
spicery; and there is no other route equally good and convenient by which
these goods could reach that place.[NOTE 1]
And you must know that the Soldan of Aden receives a large amount in
duties from the ships that traffic between India and his country,
importing different kinds of goods; and from the exports also he gets a
revenue, for there are despatched from the port of Aden to India a very
large number of Arab chargers, and palfreys, and stout nags adapted for
all work, which are a source of great profit to those who export them.
[NOTE 2] For horses fetch very high prices in India, there being none bred
there, as I have told you before; insomuch that a charger will sell there
for 100 marks of silver and more. On these also the Soldan of Aden
receives heavy payments in port charges, so that 'tis said he is one of
the richest princes in the world.[NOTE 3]
And it is a fact that when the Soldan of Babylon went against the city of
Acre and took it, this Soldan of Aden sent to his assistance 30,000
horsemen and full 40,000 camels, to the great help of the Saracens and the
grievous injury of the Christians.
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