_ 131 _ had led to frequent persecutions and much migration, mainly in the direction of central India. In the short term these developments made no difference to the ports of these areas. Aden continued to receive spices and produce from the eastern Ocean. The town lay at the entry to the Red Sea on the site of a volcano which had been in the sea and then more recently joined to the land by an isthmus which at high tide was still covered by water. It controlled the trading routes from the Red Sea, east Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. To landwards it was sheltered by steep mountains and high fortifications, within the town itself mosques and water reservoirs lay in the midst of high buildings. Ever since ancient times the population had been renewed by a stream of immigrants, and moreover the advance of Islam brought Aden pilgrims en route for Mecca as well as merchants. All the spices destined for Europe passed through the Aden customs before they reached Jiddah which was the port for the holy places where the Imams profited from the exchange of the products of both West and East. The goods from the Orient were carried by small vessels among the reefs as far as Suez or else by caravan route towards Syria. The fame of the 'spice route' should not be
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTg0NzAy