Book II Travels in India. 125) 



Handing all this caution, they that have fifted Indigo for nine or teft days, fhaJl 

 fpit nothing but blew for a good while together. Once I laid an Egg in the 

 morning among the fifters, and when I came to break it in the evening it was 

 all blew within. 



As they take the Pafte out of the Baskets with their Fingers dipt in Oil, and 

 make it into Lumps, or Cakes they lay them in the Sun to dry. Which is the 

 reafon that when the Merchants buy Indigo, they burn fome peices of it, to try 

 whether there be any duft among it. For the Natives who take the Pafte out 

 of the Baskets to make it into Lumps, lay it in the Sand, which mixes with the 

 Pafte, and fouls it. But when the Merchants burn it, the Indigo turns to Afhes, 

 and the Sand remains. The Governours do what they can to make the Natives 

 leave their Knavery -, but notwithftanding all their care, there will be fome de- 

 ceit. 



Salt-Peter. 



GReatftore of Salt-Peter comes from Agra and. Patna -, but the refin'd coirs 

 three times more than that which is nor. The Hollanders have fet up a 

 Ware-Houfe fourteen Leagues above Patna, and when their Salt-Peter is re- 

 find, they tranfport it by Water by Ogueli. A Mein of refin'd Salt-Peter is worth 

 [even Mamoudfs. 



Spice. 



CArdamom, Ginger, Pepper^ Nutmegs, Nutmeg- Flowers, Cloves and Cinna- 

 mon, are all the different forts of Spices known to us. I put Cardamom 

 and Ginger in the firft place, becaufe that Cardamom grows in the Territories 

 of Vifapour, and Ginger in the Dominions of the Great Mogul. And as for 

 other Spices, they are brought from other Foreign parts to Surat, which is the 

 grand Mart. 



Cardamom is the moft excellent of all other Spices, but it is very fcarce $ 

 and in regard there is no great ftore in the place where it grows, it is only 

 made ufe of in Afia, at the Tables of great Princes. Five hundred pound of 

 Cardamoms, are priz'd from a hundred to a hundred and ten Reals. 



Ginger is brought in great quantities from Amadabat, where there grows 

 more than in any other part of Afia ; and it is hardly to be imagin'd how much 

 there is tranfported candited into Foreign parts. 



Pepper is of two forts. There is a fort which is very fmall, another fort 

 much bigger ; both which forts are diftinguifh'd into fmall and great Pepper; 

 The larger fort comes from the Coaft of Malavare j and Tuticorin and Calient 

 are the Cities where it is brought up. Some of this Pepper comes from the 

 Territories of the King of Pfapour, being vended at Rcjapour, a little City in ** 

 that Kingdom. The Hollander* that purchafe it of the Malavares, do not give 

 Money for it, but feveral forts of Commodities in Exchange ; as Cotton, Opium, 

 Vermillion, and Quickfilver } and this is the Pepper which is brought into Eu- 

 rope. As for the little Pepper that comes from Bantam, Afchen, and fome other 

 parts toward the Eaft, there is none of it carried out of Afia, where it i's (pent 

 in vaft quantities, especially among the Mahumetans. For there are double the 

 Grains of fmall Pepper in one pound, to what there are of the great Pepper j 

 befides that the great Pepper is hotter in the mouth. 



The little Pepper that comes to Surat, has been fold fome years for thir- 

 teen or fourteen Mamoudi's the Mein j and fo much I have feen the EngUJh 

 give for it, to tranfport it to Ormus, Balfara, and the Red Sea. As for the 

 great Pepper which the Hollanders fetch from the Coaft of Malavare, five hun- 

 dred pound in truck brings them in not above thirty-eight Reals j but by the 

 Commodities which they give in Barter, they gain Cent, per Cent. 



The Nutmeg, the Nutmeg-Flow'r, the Clove, and Cinnamon, are the only 

 Spices which the Hollanders have in their own hands. The three firit come 

 from the Molucca Iflands ; the fourth, which is Cinnamon, from the Hland of 



$9** * s >Ti* 



