Book 11/ ' Travels in India. 153 



CHAP. XXII. 



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Of Musk and Bezoar ; and fome other Medicinal Stones. 



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TH E beft fort, and the greatcft quantity of Musk, comes from the Kingdom 

 of Boktan, from whence they bring it to Patna, the chief City of Bengala i 

 to truck it away for other Commodities. All the Musk that is fold in Perfia comes 

 from thence. And the Musk-Merchants had rather deal with you for Coral and 

 Yellow-Amber, than for Gold or Silver j in regard the other is more in efteem 

 among the Natives where they live. I was fo curious as to bring the Skin of one 

 to Paris, of which I caus'd the figure to be cut. 



After they have kill'd the creature, they cut off the bladder that grows under 

 the belly as big as an egg, neerer to the genital parts than to the navil. Then they 

 take out the Musk that fs in the bladder, which at that time looks like clotted- 

 blood. When the Natives would adulterate their Musk, they ftuff the bladder 

 with the liver and blood of the Animal flie'd together, after they have taken out 

 as much of the right Musk as they think convenient. This mixture in two or 

 three years time produces certain Animals in the bladder that eat the good Musk • 

 fo that when you come to open it, there is a great waft. Others, lb foon as they 

 have cut off the bladder, and taken out as much of the Musk, as that the deceit 

 may not be too palpable, fill up the Veffel with little ftones to make it weight. 

 The Merchants are 1efs difpleas'd at this deceit than the former, by reafon that 

 they do not find the Musk to be eaten. But the deceit is harder to be difcover'd, 

 when they make little Purfes of the skin of the belly of the Beaft, which they 

 fbw up with fixings of the fame skin, which are like the true bladders } and then 

 fill thofe Purfes with what they have taken out of the right bladders, and the 

 other fraudulent fViixrure which they defign to put among m True it is, that 

 fhould they tye up the bladder fo foon as they cut it off, without giving it air or 

 time to lofe its force, the ftrength. of the perfume would cautfe the blood to gufh 

 out of the nofe, fo that it muft be'qualifTd to render it acceptable, or rather lefs 

 hurtful to the brain. The fcent of the Beaft which I carri'd to Paris, was fo 

 ftrong, that I could not keep it in my Chamber j for it majie all peoples heads ake 

 that came neer it. At length my Servants laid it in a Garret, and cut off the 

 bladder, and yet the fcent remain'd very ftrong. This creature is not to be found 

 in 6) degrees, but in 60 there are vaft numbers, the Countrey being all over co- 

 ver'd with Forrefts. True it is, that in the months of February and March, after 

 thefc creatures have endur'd a (harp hunger, by reafon of the great Snows that 

 fall where they breed, ten or twelve foot deep, they will come to 44 or 4? de- 

 grees to fill them themfelves with Corn and new Rice. And then it is that the 

 Natives lay gins and fnares for them to catch them as they go back : mooting 

 fome with Bows, and knocking others o'the heads. Some have affur'd me that 

 they are fo lean and faint with hunger at that time, that you may almoft take 

 them running. There mult be furely a prodigious number of thefe creatures, none 

 of them having above one bladder no bigger than a Hen's-egg, which will not 

 yield above half an ounce of Musk : and fbmetimes three or four will not afford 

 an ounce ; and yet what a world of Musk is bought up ? 



The King of Boutan fearing that the cheats and adulterations of Musk would 

 fpoil the Musk-Trade, order'd that none of the Bladders mould be fow'd up, but 

 that they mould be all brought to Boutan, and there, after due infpe&ion, be feaPd 

 up with his Seal. Yet notwithftanding all the warinefs and care of the King, they 

 will fbmetimes cunningly open them, and put in little pieces of Lead to augment 

 the weight. In one Voyage to Patna I bought 7673 bladders; that weighed 25 j7 

 ounces and an half; and 4^2 ounces out of the bladder. 



Bezoar comes from a Province of the Kingdom of Golconda toward the North- 

 eaft. It is found among the ordure in the paunch of a wild-Goat, that browzes 

 upon a certain Tree, the name whereof I have forgot. This fhrub bears little 

 buds, round about which, and the tops of the boughs, the Bezoar engenders in 



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