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XXVH
INTRODUCTION. Gulf, were the cluicl carriers of thic indian tracc, and renowned in all ancient times for their fabulous opulence and luxury. 1o. lin. XXX111.25, we read that the sone tof Israel sat clown in Dothan to cat bread, "and they lilled up tlıcir eyes and looked, and behold a company of Ishumaclitcs came from Gilcad with their camels, bcaring spiccry anal balm and myrrh, going to carry it clown to Egyp," and that as the “Midianitos, merchantmen" passed by," his brethren sold Joseph to the Ishunaclites," who were probably traveling by thic immemmorial caravan route, through Canaan and Edom and Midian, from Chalcreat into ligypt, thic routc by which Israel afterwards sent his sons into Egypt with balm and lioncy, spices and myrrh, nuts and almonds, for a present to "the man," their brother, who was now governor over the land. Many bcautiful and sublime scripture images are taken from this trade, as in Isaiah 1.XII. 1, "Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant? * * They hold all swords, being expert in war, every man liath his sword upon his thigh, because of fear in the night;" passages giving also a vivid picture of a Meccu caravan of the present day, and of the dangers besetting it, withi its rich merchandise of China, loredia and Persia.
As we learn from the account of the wars, both of Moses ados. Girlcon witli the Midianites, they were it very wealthy Aral people, living partly by predatory incursions into the neighboring territories, and partly by carrying on a caravan traile, across the intervening deserts, with the powerful states of Egypt and Chaldiva.
There was an immcmorial commerce between ludia and the nations of the Micrliterranean and there were Scieril routes followerlit dillerent times. The renile by Kirman Gerrha and Petra was probably the oldest of
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