e purchaser, but only for ready money, and at the highest price of
the market." One circumstance is particularly noticed, which proves, that
at this period the Arabians were numerous and respected in China; for a
cadi, or judge, of their own religion, was appointed to preside over them,
under the emperor. The Chinese are described as sailing along the coast as
far as the Persian Gulf, where they loaded their vessels with merchandize
from Bassora. Other particulars are mentioned, respecting their trade, &c.,
which agree wonderfully with what we know of them at present: they regarded
gold and silver merely as merchandize: dressed in silk, summer and winter:
had no wine, but drank a liquor made from rice. Tea is mentioned under the
name of _sak_--an infusion of this they drank, and a large revenue was
derived from the duty on it. Their porcelaine also is described and
praised, as equally fine and transparent as glass. Every male child was
registered as soon as born; at 18 he began to pay the capitation tax; and
at 80 was entitled to a pension.

These Arabian travellers likewise supply us with some information
respecting the trade of the Red Sea. The west side of it was in their time
nearly deserted by merchant ships; those from the Persian Gulf sailed to
Judda on the Arabian coast of it: here were always found many small
coasting vessels, by means of which the goods from India, Persia, &c. were
conveyed to Cairo. If this particular is accurate, it would seem to prove
that at this period the canal between the Nile and the Red Sea, which had
been rendered navigable by Omrou, was regularly used for the purposes of
commerce.

In these accounts, the typhon, or whirlwind, so common in the Chinese seas,
is mentioned under that appellation: the flying fish and unicorn are
described; and we have notices of ambergrise, the musk, and the animal from
which it is produced: the last is mentioned as coming from Thibet.

The next Arabian author, in point of time, from whom we derive information
respecting geography and commerce, is Massoudi. He died at Cairo in 957: he
was the author of a work describing the most celebrated kingdoms in Europe,
Africa, and Asia; but the details respecting Africa, India, and the lesser
Asia, are the most accurate and laboured. The account we shall afterwards
give of the geographical knowledge of the Arabians, renders it unnecessary
to present any abstract, in this place, of the geographical part of his
wor