Book I 



Travels m India. 



fhould not know whether it were fifh or no that fhe eat., (he refolv'd to try his 

 receir, and went the next night to lie with her Husband, according to the in- 

 Itruiftion which fhe had received from the fervant. Some time after, the woman 

 perceiving that fhe was big, her Husband happen'd to die, and the kindred of the 

 deceafcd would have his Eftate. The Widow oppofed them, and told them that 

 it behov'd them to ftay, till they faw whether the child fhe went withal, would 

 live or no. Her kindred were furpriz'd to hear fuch news that they fo little ex- 

 pected, and tax'd her for one that either ly'd or jefted with them 5 knowing that 

 the woman had liv'd fifteen or fixteen years with her Husband, yet never had 

 been with child. Seeing therefore that her kindred ftill tormented her, fhe went 

 and threw her felf at the Governour s feet, to whom fhe related all that had pair -, 

 who thereupon order'd that the kindred fhould ftay till the woman was deliver'd. 

 Some days after fhe had lain-in, the kindred of the deceas'd Merchant, who 

 were perfons of Credit, and gap'd after fo fair an inheritance, affirm'd that the 

 child was not legitimate, and that fhe had it not by her Husband. The Gover- 

 nour, to underftand the truth of the matter, calls for the Phyfitians ; who con- 

 cluded, that the Infant fhould be carri'd to the Bath, faying, that if the Receit 

 which the Mother had made ufe of, were real, the fweat of the child would 

 fmell of fifh ; which was done accordingly, and the Experiment prov'd true. 

 Thereupon the Governour order'd that the child fhould have the Eftate, the Mer- 

 chant being fo proud to be his Father : But the Kindred, troubl'd that fuch a 

 fat Morfel had elcap'd their mouths, appeal'd to the King. Upon their relation of 

 the ftory, the King wrote to the Governour to fend him the Mother and the In- 

 fant, to the end the Experiment might be made in his prefence : which having 

 the fame fuccefs as before, the kindred furceas'd their claim, and the Eftate re- 

 main'd to the Mother and the Infant. 



I remember alfo another pleafant Story which was related to me at Amxdabat i 

 where I have been ten or twelve times. A Merchant with whom I often dealt, 

 and who was very well belov'd by Cha-Efl-Kan, Governour of the Province, and 

 the King's Unckle, had the reputation never to have told a lye. Cha-E[t-Kan 3 

 after the three years of his Government were expir'd, according to the cuftom of 

 the Great Mogul, and that Aureng-^b, the King's Son was come into his place, 

 retir'd to Agra, where the Court then was. One day, difcourfing with the King, 

 he told him. that he had feen many rare things in tiht Governments, with which 

 his Majefty had honour'd him, but that one thing above all the reit had aftonifh'd 

 him, to have met with a Rich, Merchant that had never told a lye, and yet he 

 was above threefcore and ten years of age. The King furpriz'd at a thing fo ex- 

 traordinary, fignified to Cha-Efi-Kan 3 h\s defire to fee theperfon, and commanded 

 him to fend for him to Agra, which he did. The Old-man was very much 

 troubl'd, as well in regard of the length of the way, it being a journey of z j or 

 or 30 days, as for that he was to make a Prefent to the King. In fhort, he pro- 

 vided one, efteem'd at forty-thoufand Roupies, to carry Betle in, enchas'd with 

 Diamonds, Rubies, and Emraulds. When he had made his obeyfance to the King, 

 and given him his Prefent, the King ask'd him only what was his name, to whom 

 he replied, that he was call'd the man that had never told a lye. Then the King 

 ask'd him who was his Father ? Sift, faid he, I cannot tell ; his Majefty fatisfi'd 

 ; with that anfwer, ftopt there, and unwilling to trouble him any farther, comman- 

 ded an Elephant to be given him, which is a very great Honour, and ten- thoufand 

 Roupies to bear his charges home. 



The Banians have a great Veneration for Apes, and there are fome which they 

 breed up in their Pagods to worfhip. There are three or four Houfès in Amad- 

 abat which they make ufè of for Hofpitals for Cowes, Oxen, Apes, and . other 

 fick or maim'd Beafts ; and they carry all they can find thither to preferve them, 

 This is alfo very remarkable, that every Tuefday and Friday, all the Apes in the 

 places adjoyning to Amadabat, of their own accord come to the City,, and get 

 upon the tops of their Houfes, where they lye, during the exceffive heats. And 

 therefore upqn thofe days the people never fail to fet ready in their Ter- 

 rains, Rice, Millet, Sugar-Canes in their feafbns, and other fuch-like things, For 

 if the Apes did not find their provifion when they came, they would break the 

 Tiles where-with the reft of the Houfe is cover'd, and do a great deal of mif- 



aiiefi' 



