The air, though excessively hot, is pure and healthy; the
meadows are filled with palm trees and cattle; and one of the adjacent
valleys has been celebrated among the four paradises or gardens of
Asia. Under the first caliphs, the jurisdiction of this Arab colony
extended over the southern provinces of Persia; the city has been
sanctified by the tombs of the companions and martyrs and the vessels
of Europe still frequent the port of Bussorah, as a convenient station
and passage of the Indian trade."--Gibbon's _Decline and Fall_, 41,
C.]
[Footnote 29: Bussorah was built by the caliph Omar. The city has four
kinds of inhabitants--Jews, Persians, Mohammedans, and Christians. It
is looked upon by the Arabs as one of the most delightful spots in
Asia. The commerce of Bussorah consisted in the interchange of rice,
sugar, spices from Ceylon, coarse white and blue cottons from
Coromandel, cardamom, pepper, sandalwood from Malabar, gold and silver
stuffs, brocades, turbans, shawls, indigo from Surat, pearls from
Bahara, coffee from Mocha, iron, lead, woolen cloths, etc.]
I had not patience to wait till my sisters were dressed to go along
with me, but went ashore alone in the boat. Making directly to the
gate of the town, I saw there a great number of men upon guard, some
sitting, and others standing with weapons in their hands; and they
had all such dreadful countenances that I was greatly alarmed; but
perceiving they remained stationary, and did not so much as move their
eyes, I took courage and went nearer, when I found they were all
turned into stone.
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