Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/157

DOMESTIC AND INTERNAL, &C. 141 ance of this subject will make it unnecessary to apologize for the length of the details into which it is my intention to enter. The ralue and extent of the commerce which distant nations are capable of carrying on with each other, is in the direct proportion of their wealth and civilization. The tribes whose history T am writing have, however, from early times, on account of their favourable situation, their easy ap- proach, the richness of some of their productions, and the singularity of others conducted with the great civilized nations of the globe, a commerce far greater than this usual standard would, at first view, lead us to expect. History affords ample proof of this fact. Ignorant of geography and na- vigation, the half civilized nations of Asia, notwith- standing, made their way to the Indian islands, the commodities of which were spread over Asia, and through ahundred hordesof barbarians, finally reach- ed the civilized nations of Europe long before the lat- ter knew even the name or situation of the coun- tries which produced them. In later times, the productions of the Indian islands constituted the most important articles of that oriental commerce which lighted the embers of civilization in Italy in the middle ages, and, finally, it was the search for them that led to the discoveries of Gama and