i%6 Travels in India. Part II. 



chap. xvi. 



Of the Kingdom of Tipra. 



MOft people have been of opinion till now, that the Kingdom of Pegu lies 

 upon the Frontiers of China j and I thought (6 my felf, till the Merchants 

 of Tipra undeceiv'd me. I met with three, one at Daca, and two others at 

 Fatna. They were men of very few words j whether it were their own 

 particular difpofition , or the general habit of the Country. Ihey caft 

 up their accounts with (mail Stones likes Agats, as big as a mans nail, upon 

 every one of which was a Cypher. They had every one their weights, like 

 a Stelleer; though the Beam were not of Iron, but of a certain Wood as hard 

 as Brazile; nor was the Ring that holds the weight, and is put thorough the 

 Beam to mark the weight, of Iron, but a ftrong Silk Rope. And thus they 

 weigh'd from a Dram to ten of our Pounds. If all the Natives of the King- 

 dom of Tipra were like the two Merchants which I met at Patna, I dare af- 

 firm them to be notable topers ; for they never refus'd whatever ftrong Li- 

 quor I gave them, and never left till all was out ; and when I told them by 

 my Interpreter that all my Wine was gone, they clapt their hands upon their 

 ftomachs and fighM. Thefe Merchants travell'd all three through the King- 

 dom of Araktn, which lies to the South and Weft of Tipra, having fome part 

 of Pegn upon the Winter Weft. They told me alfb, that it was about fifteen 

 days ;ourney to crofs through their Country ; from whence there is no cer- 

 tain conjecture of the extent to be made, by reaibn of the inequality of the 

 ftages. They ride upon Oxen and Horfes, which are low, but very hardy. As 

 for the King and the Nobility, they ride in their Pallekies, or upon their Ele- 

 phants of War. They are no lefs fubjed to Wens under their throats, than 

 thofe of Bontan j infomuch that the women have thole Wens hanging down 

 to their Nipples ; which proceeds from the badnefs of the waters. 



There is nothing in Tipra, which is fit for Grangers. There is a Mine of 

 Gold , but the Gold is very courfe. And there is a fort of very courle 

 Silk, which is all the Revenue the King has. He exacts no Subfidies front h>s 

 Subjects j but only that they, who are not of the prime Nobility, fhoufd 

 work fix days in a year in his Mine, or in his Silk works. He (ends his 

 Gold and his Silk into China, for which they bring him back Silver, which 

 he coins into pieces to the value of ten Sous. He alio makes thin pieces of 

 Gold, like the Afpers of Twky ; of which he has two forts, four of the one (brr 

 making a Crown, and twelve of the other. 



CHAP. 



