Robert Kerrs General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Volume 18 | Page 3

are necessarily
involved in much obscurity, and are, besides, few and faint. It is
impossible to assign to them any clear and definite chronology; and
they are, with a few exceptions, utterly uncircumstantial. Nevertheless,
in a work like this, they ought not to be passed over without some
notice; but the notice we shall bestow upon them will not be that either
of the chronologist or antiquarian, but of a more popular, appropriate,
and useful description.
The intercourse of one nation with another first took place in that part
of the world to which a knowledge of the original habitation of
mankind, and of the advantages for sea and land commerce which that
habitation enjoyed, would naturally lead us to assign it. On the shores
of the Mediterranean, or at no great distance from that sea, among the
Israelites, the Phoenicians, and the Egyptians, we must look for the
earliest traces of navigation and commerce; and, in the only authentic
history of the remotest period of the world, as well as amidst the scanty
and fabulous materials supplied by profane writers, these nations are
uniformly represented as the most ancient navigators and traders.
The slightest inspection of the map of this portion of the globe will
teach us that Palestine, Phoenicia, and Egypt were admirably situated
for commerce both by sea and land. It is, indeed, true that the
Phoenicians, by the conquests of Joshua, were expelled from the
greatest part of their territory, and obliged to confine themselves to a
narrow slip of ground between Mount Lebanon and the Mediterranean;
but even this confined territory presented opportunities and advantages
for commerce of no mean importance: they had a safe coast,--at least
one good harbour; and the vicinity of Lebanon, and other mountains,
enabled them to obtain, with little difficulty and expence, a large
supply of excellent materials for shipbuilding. There are, moreover,
circumstances which warrant the supposition, that, like Holland in
modern times, they were rather the carriers of other nations, than

extensively engaged in the commerce of their own productions or
manufactures. On the north and east lay Syria, an extensive country,
covered with a deep rich soil, producing an abundant variety of
valuable articles. With this country, and much beyond it, to the east, the
means and opportunities of communication and commerce were easy,
by the employment of the camel; while, on the other hand, the caravans
that carried on the commerce of Asia and Africa necessarily passed
through Phoenicia, or the adjacent parts of Palestine.
Egypt, in some respects, was still more advantageously situated for
commerce than Phoenicia: the trade of the west of Asia, and of the
shores of the Mediterranean lay open to it by means of that sea, and by
the Nile and the Red Sea a commercial intercourse with Arabia, Persia,
and India seemed almost to be forced upon their notice and adoption. It
is certain, however, that in the earliest periods of their history, the
Egyptians were decidedly averse to the sea, and to maritime affairs,
both warlike and commercial. It would be vain and unprofitable to
explain the fabulous cause assigned for this aversion: we may, however,
briefly and, incidentally remark that as Osiris particularly instructed his
subjects in cultivating the ground; and as Typhon coincides exactly in
orthography and meaning with a word still used in the East, to signify a
sudden and violent storm, it is probable that by Typhon murdering his
brother Osiris, the Egyptians meant the damage done to their cultivated
lands by storms of wind causing inundations.
As the situation of Palestine for commerce was equally favourable with
that of Phoenicia, it is unnecessary to dilate upon it. That the Jews did
not engage more extensively in trade either by sea or land must be
attributed to the peculiar nature of their government, laws, and religion.
Having thus briefly pointed out the advantages enjoyed by the
Phoenicians, Egyptians, and Jews for commercial intercourse, we shall
now proceed to notice the few particulars with which history supplies
us regarding the navigation and commerce of each, during the earliest
periods.
I. There is good reason to believe that most of the maritime adventures
and enterprises which have rendered the Phoenicians so famous in
antiquity, ought to be fixed between the death of Jacob, and the
establishment of monarchy among the Israelites; that is, between the
years 1700 and 1095 before Christ; but even before this, there are

authentic notices of Phoenician commerce and navigation. In the days
of Abraham they were considered as a very powerful people: and
express mention is made of their maritime trade in the last words of
Jacob to his children. Moses informs us that Tarshish (wherever it was
situated) was visited by the Phoenicians. When this people were
deprived of a great portion of