67 
quent upon the general insecurity of the country and the 
frequent recurrence of raids and widespread warfare, may 
be considered the main reason for the decay of the chank- 
bangle indus:ry in the Deccan and Cambay provinces. 
A striking confirmation of this conclusion is afforded 
by Garcia da Orta, a Portuguese writer of the six- 
teenth century, whose colloquies on Indian drugs and 
simples have recently been translated by Sir Clements 
R. Markham (London, 1913). In the thirty-fifth col- 
loquy this old physician remarks :—“ There is another 
(shell) they call chanquo, of which they make boxes, 
tables, and counters, for though it is rough outside, 
inside it is very smooth and beautiful. This chank is 
an article of trade to Bengal, and used to be worth more 
than itis now. The large ones, which we call Buzios, 
go to Bengal and are worked up very beautifully, 
remaining very smooth and white. For this only a 
small quantity is used, the rest being wanted for brace- 
lets and other ornaments. It was the custom in Bengal 
that no person of distinction who was a virgin could be 
corrupted unless she had bracelets of the chank shell on 
her arms.* After the arrival of the Patans this custom 
was neglected and the chank became cheaper in conse- 
quence. Yousee here a chess table at your service 
where you may see the chank when you like.” 
(2) THE PRESENT CONDITION AND METHODS OF 
THE INDUSTRY, 
(a) Preliminary. 
(6) Present centres of the industry. 
(c) Volume and importance of the trade. 
(a) The trade varieties of shells employed. 
(e) Details of bangle manufacture. 
(f) The economic position of the trade. 
(g) The castes and tribes who use chank baneles— 
(t) In Northern India. 
(2) In the Madras Presidency. 
* Another translation renders this sentence rather differently, to wit :—‘* There 
was formerly a custom in Bengal that no virgin in honour and esteem could be 
corrupted unless it were by placing chank bracelets on her arms.” Da Ortag 
statement refers really to the fact that an essential ceremony in a Bengali Marriage 
consists in placing a chank bangle on each of the bride’s wrists; the marriage 
would not be formally valid if this were to be omitted. 
5-A 
