EASTERN HINDOOSTAN. <; 



" libitu caufet apud conchas quot velit margaritas, inde cadat 

 <' pretinm et valor earum quo ipli harum poffefTores partem divi- 

 " tiarum amittant ob meam curiolitatem, mihi fufficit videffe ; 

 " fpedatoribus, qiiomodo fa6ta iint, mea cura, nee vero quo- 

 " mode fiant." 



T'avernier gives figures of the largefl pearls he ever fawi Pearls of vast 

 among others is the fine pear-fliaped pearl taken in the Perjian ^^^' 

 Gulph, and bought by the king of Ferfia for 1,400,000 livres, or 

 jC' 58j333' 6j. ^d. fierling; alfo the great pearl which hung 

 about the neck of the rich artificial peacock, which adorned the 

 throne of Aiirengzebe and his fucceiTors, till Koidi Khan made it 

 j)art of his vaft plunder. 



The hiftory of Taveniier merits mention, for the fidelity History of 

 of his travels into countries little known. He was by birth a -^^^^^'^^ 

 Sivifs, and the fon of a very able geographer : he himfelf was 

 tiie greatell traveller of his age. Befides his European travels 

 in the early part of his life, he fpent forty years in fix journies 

 into Turky, Per/la^ and India, and entered deeply into commerce,, 

 chiefly in that of jewels. He vifited the principal diamond 

 mines, and fupplied the great men in India and Verfia with: 

 thofe valuable articles, and every fort of pretious ftones, and: 

 with pearls. The prices he gave or offered were immenfe. 

 He returned with vafl wealth. In his advanced age, not content: 

 with his prodigious acquifitions, his avarice induced him to 

 truft a cargo of effects bought in Fj^aiice, valued at ;^. 220,000,, 

 to a nephew, to be difpofed of in the Leiiant.. This, by the 

 mifcondudl of his relation, was loft. To repair the misfortune,, 

 he determined on a feventh voyage, and died on the road, at 



Mofcomi,^ 



