352                          HISTORY OF SETTLEMENTS AND TRADE
K the trees that produce gum, and have been cut to
puih out freih Shoots ; if no attention be paid to mul-
tiply the breed of goats which afford fuch fine wool •
and if the filks, which are hardly fufficient to fupply
the few manufadures remaining in Perfia, continue
to be fcarce ; in a word, if this empire does not rife
again from its afhes, the mines will be exhauited, and
this Source of commerce muft be given up.
The fécond channel is a more fure one, by the way
of Bagdad, Aleppo, and other intermediate towns,
whofe merchants come to buy their goods at Baffora.
Coffee, linen, fpices, and other merchandife that pafs
this way, are taken in exchange for gold, French
woollen cloths, galls, and orpiment, which is an in-
gredient in colours, and much ufed by the eaftern
people to extirpate their hair.
Another much lefs considerable channel is that of
Arabia DeSerta. The Arabs, bordering upon Baffora,
repair annually to Aleppo in the Spring, to Sell camels.
It is uSual to give them credit for muffins, which they
buy very cheap, to the amount of Six hundred thou-
fand livres [25,000b]. They return in the autumn,
bringing woollen cloths, coral, hardware, and fome
glafs and mirrors from Venice. The Arabian cara-
vans are never moleited in their journey ; nor are fo-
reigners in any danger, if they take care to carry
along with them a perfon belonging to each of the
tribes they may happen to meet with. This road
through the defert would be univerfally preferred to
that of Bagdad, on account of fafety, expedition, and
the advantages of fale, if the Pacha of the province,
who has eftabliihed tolls in different parts of his terri-
tory, did not ufe every poffible precaution to hinder
this communication. It is only by eluding the vigi-
lance of his deputies, that one can prevail upon the
Arabs to carry with them fome goods, which will not
take up much room.
Befide thefe exportations, there is rather a confider-
able consumption, efpecially of coffee, at Baffora, and
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