in the
west.

Hitherto we have viewed the Arabians chiefly as fostering and encouraging
commerce; but they also deserve our notice, for their attention to
geographical science and discoveries. From the period of their first
conquests, the caliphs had given orders to their generals to draw up
geographical descriptions of the countries conquered; and we have already
noticed some of these descriptions. In 833, A.D., the Caliph Almamon
employed three brothers of the name of Ben Schaker, to measure a degree of
latitude, first in the desert of Sangdaar, betweeen Racca and Palmyra, and
afterwards near Cufa, for the purpose of ascertaining the circumference of
the globe.

We now arrive at the era of a most important document, illustrative of the
commerce of the eastern parts of India and of China, with which we are
furnished by the Arabians: we allude to the "ancient Accounts of India and
China, by two Mahomedan travellers, who went to those parts in the ninth
century, translated from the Arabic by Renaudot." The genuineness and
authenticity of these accounts were for a long time doubted; but De
Guignes, from the Chinese annals, has completely removed all doubt on the
subject.

The most remarkable circumstance connected with this journey is, that in
the ninth century the Mahomedans should have been able to reach China; but
our surprise on this point will cease, when we consider the extent of the
Mahomedan dominions towards the east of Asia, the utmost limits of which,
in this direction, approached very nearly the frontiers of China. If,
therefore, they travelled by land, no serious difficulty would lie in their
way; but Renaudot thinks it more probable, that they proceeded thither by
sea.

According to these travellers, the Arabian merchants, no longer confining
themselves to a traffic at Ceylon for the commodities of the east of Asia,
traded to every part of that quarter of the globe, even as far as the south
coast of China. The account they give of the traffic with this latter
country, is very minute: "When foreign vessels arrive at Canfu, which is
supposed to be Canton, the Chinese take possession of their cargoes, and
store them in warehouses, till the arrival of all the other ships which are
expected: it thus happens that the vessels which first arrive are detained
six months. They then take about a third part of all the merchandize, as
duty, and give the rest up to the merchants: of these the emperor is the
preferabl