In the countries to the north of India, particularly Thibet, corals
were in great demand, and brought a higher
Price than any other article:
this was the case in the time of Pliny, who informs us, that the men in
India were as fond of coral for an ornament, as the women of Rome were of
the Indian pearls. In Pliny's time, corals were brought from the
Mediterranean coast of France to Alexandria, and were thence exported by
the Arabians to India. Marco Polo does not inform us by what means, or from
what country they were imported into the north of India. The greater Java,
which he represents as the greatest island in the world, carried on an
extensive trade, particularly by means of the Chinese merchants, who
imported gold and spices from it. In the lesser Java, the tree producing
sago grows: he describes the process of making it. In this island there are
also nuts as large as a man's head, containing a liquor superior to
wine, - evidently the cocoa nut. He likewise mentions the rhinoceros. The
knowledge of camphire, the produce of Japan, Sumatra, and Borneo, was first
brought to Europe by him. The fishery of pearls between Ceylon and the main
land of India is described; and particular mention is made of the large
ruby possessed by the king of that island. Madagascar is particularly
mentioned, as supplying large exports of elephants' teeth.
Marco Polo's description of the vessels of India is very full and minute:
as he sailed from China to the Indian islands in one of these vessels, we
may suppose it is perfectly accurate.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 500 of 1007
Words from 136716 to 136996
of 273188
