20 



Travels in India. Part II. 



* when any great Lord dies, the King is Heir to all his Eftate 5 his Wife having no 

 more than his Jewels. " . . 



But to return to our Roupies of Gold j you muft take notice, that they are 

 not fo currant among the Merchants. For in regard one of them is not worth 

 above fourteen Roupies, which make one and twenty Livres of our Money, at 

 thirtv Sous theRoupie, and that there are few of thefe Roupies of Gold to be 

 had but in the Houfes of Great Men ; when it falls out that they make any pay- 

 ment they will put them at a Roupie of Silver, or at leaft at a fourth part of a 

 Roupie more than it is worth, which will never turn to the Merchants profit. 

 Cha-Eft-Kan the King's Unckle, to whom I had fold a parcel of Goods at 96000 

 Roupie^ when he came to pay me, ask'd me what Money I would be content to 

 take, whether Gold or Silver. Before I could return him an anfwer he added, 

 that if I would leave it to him, I mould take Gold Roupies : Nor did he give me 

 this advice, but becaufe he believ'd it would turn to his advantage: I told him 

 I Would be rul'd by him ; thereupon he caus'd his Servants to tell me out (0 ma- 

 ny Roupies in Gold, as made up the juft Sum which was due : But he would force 

 me to take the Roupie in Gold for fourteen Roupies and an half mbilver, though 

 among the Merchants they went but for fourteen. I was not ignorant of it j but 

 I thought it beft to receive my Money according to the Prince's humour, in hopes 

 he might make me amends another time, either for the whole, or part of what 

 I might lofe. I let him alone two days, after which I went to him again, and told 

 him I had tried to put off his Roupies at the price I had received them ; fo that 

 in the payment of 96000 Roupies, I had loft 3428 and one 16th. the Roupie of 

 Gold which he fore'd me to take at fourteen Roupies and an half of Silver, being 

 worth but fourteen. Thereupon he fell into a pafTion, and told me he would fee 

 as many Lafhes beftow'd upon the Changer, or Holland-Broker, whofc fault fo* 

 ever it were ; that he would teach them to underftand Money j that they were 

 old Roupies, and were worth more by a fixteenth part of a Silver Roupie, than 

 the Roupies which were coin'd at that time. In regard I knew the humour of 

 the ^fiatic Princes, with whom there is no contefting, I let him fay what he 

 pleas'd i but when he came to himfelf, and began to put on a f mihng look, I a> 

 fir'd him that he would be pleas'd to let me return the Summ which I had re- 

 ceived,the next day; or elfe that he would be pleas'd to pay me what was wanting, 

 and that I would take a Roupie at i4and one 16th. iince he aflur'd me they were 

 worth Co much. The Prince for a while gave me a fcurvy look, not fo much as 

 fpeaiing one word. At length he ask'd me, whether I had ftill the Pearl, which 

 he had rtfus'd to buy. I told him I had, and immediately pull'd it out of my 

 Bofbme, and eave it him. The Pearl was large, and of a good water, but lll- 

 /hap'd } which was the reafon he refus'd it before. When I had given it to him, 

 well, faid he, let us talk no more of what is paft ; how much will you have, ma 

 word, for this Pearl ? I ask'd him feven thoufand Roupies, and indeed rather than 

 I would havecarri'd it into France, I would have taken three. If I give thee, 

 faid he, feven thoufand Roupies for this Pearl, I (hall make thee amends for the 

 lofs thou complain'ft of in the firft bargain. Come to Morrow, and I will give 

 thee five thoufand Roupies, and that's very fair : Thou fhalt have alfo a Calaat 

 and an Horfe. I made my obeyfance to him, and defir'd him to give me an Horfe 

 that mould be young, and fit for fervice, becaufe I had a great 'journey to take. 

 The next day he fenf me a Robe, a Cloak, two Girdles, and a Cap ; which is all 

 the Apparel that the Princes are wont to give to thofe to whom they intend any 

 Honour. The Cloak and Robe was of Satin purfled with Gold 5 the two Girdles 

 frrip'd with Gold and Silver ; the Cap was of Calicut, dy'd into . a Flame-colour, 

 with ftripes of Gold : The Horfe had no Saddle, but was covered with a green 

 Velvet foot-cloath, edg'd about with a fmall Silver-fringe. The Bridle was very 

 ftrait, with Silver-ftuds in fome places. I believe the Horfe had never been 

 back'd ; for fo foon as I brought him to the Holland-Houfe, where I then lodgd, 

 a young man got upon his back ; but he was no fooner on, but the Horfe flung 

 and prane'd at that rate, that having kick'd down an Hutt that flood in the Court, 

 he had like to have kill'd the Hollander. Finding that ftich a Rcfty-Horfe was 

 not for my turn, I fent him back to Cha-eft-Kan, and relating the Story to him, 

 I told him I did not believe that he defir'd I mould return into my Countrey to 



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