Before Describing Baragaza, However, The Author Of The Periplus Mentions
Two Places On The Indus, Which Were Frequented For The Purposes Of
Commerce:
The first near the mouth of the river, called Barbarike; and the
other higher up, called Minagara:
The latter was the capital of a kingdom
which extended as far as Barogaza. As the king of this country was
possessed of a place of such consequence to the merchants as Baragaza, and
as from his provinces, or through them, the most valuable cargoes were
obtained, it was of the utmost moment that his good will and protection
should be obtained and preserved. For this purpose there were imported, as
presents for him, the following articles, all expensive, and the very best
of their kind: plate of very great value; musical instruments; handsome
virgins for the haram; wine of the very best quality; plain cloth, but of
the finest sort; and perfumes. 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:
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