254
HISTORY OF SETTLEMENTS AND TRADE
boo k fkins may be clouded, white and fine. They alfo
, v- bring various kinds of merchandife which they have
drawn from Indoftan, and efpecially a quantity of
rough diamonds. They likewife bring about four
hundred quintals of excellent rhubarb. Each quin.
tal cofts 500 livres [20I. 16s. 8d.], and the college of
trade fells it for nearly double that fum.
We cannot form fo advantageous an idea of the
connedions of Ruffia with the Indies by the Cafpian
Sea. This was, however, in the remoteft ages, the
track by which Europe and Afia communicated with
each other. The regions bordering upon that im-
menfe lake, which are at prefent very much depo-
pulated, extremely poor, and in a favage ftate, af-
ford to intelligent minds undoubted proofs of former
fplendoun Coins of the ancient Raliphs are daily
difcovered there. Thefe monuments, with others
equally authentic, would feem to favour the account
of fome Indians having been Shipwrecked on the
coafts of the Elbe in the reign of Auguftus, which
has always been confidered as fabulous, notwithftand-
ing the concurrent teftimony of cotemporary writers
who related the fad. It has never been underftood
how any inhabitants of India could fail on the Ger-
manic feas ; but, was it more wonderful to fee an In-
dian trading in the northern countries, than to fee a
Roman make his way into India through Arabia?
The Indians went' into Perfia, where they embarked
on the Hircanian Sea, failed up the Wolga, penetrat-
ed into Permia by the Kama, and from thence might
embark on tbe Northern Sea or on the Baltic.
Enterprifing men have appeared, and will for ever
appear, in all ages. Man has within himfelf a natu-
ral energy that torments him ; and which is direaed
by tafte, caprice, or fattidioufnefs, to the moft Angu-
lar attempts. He is curious, and defirous of feeing
and of being informed. The thirft of knowledge is
lefs univerfal, but it is more irrefiStible than that of
.gold. Man travels to a great distance in order to ac-
quire fomething to fpeak of, and to make himfelf be