Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/211

 ASIATIC NATIONS. 195 traditional accounts which the Hindus themselves give us of the dispersion of the worshippers of Buddha, on their persecution by the Brahmins, in the first and second centuries of the Christian era. It would be curious to trace all the consequences of this emigration, or dispersion. It spread the wor- ship of Buddha over the Indian islands, contributed to civilize their inhabitants, taught them the use of two of their own commodities heretofore un- known to them, and spread the use of these novel luxuries over the whole world, to all succeeding generations. The consequences of this religious quarrel of the Hindus might, indeed, be pursued much farther, for, without doubt, we must, in a great measure, ascribe to it the desire, in the Eu- ropean races, of possessing the commerce in spices, the discovery of the maritime route to India, that of the New World itself, and much of that civili- zation which pre-eminently distinguishes the mo- dern European from every other race of men in any age or climate. From the early period of the connection of the Hindus with the Archipelago, down to the middle of the sixth century, the only direct notice we ha^ve of this commerce is that given by Cosmas, whose work is dated in 547, but who never was in India, • and whose information respecting oriental geo-
 * Vincent's Periplus of the Erythrean Sea.