Book I 



Travels in I 



NDIA. 



5? 



fomething which was confiderable to Cba-Eft-Kan; for could I have had my liber- 

 ty upon my arrival at Surat to have gone to him, I would never have feen 

 the King at Gehanabad; about which I had a very great quarrel with the Go- 

 vernour of Smat. For when I came to vifit him, he told me prefently, that 

 the cafe was alter'd from what it had been fince my laft being there, for that 

 the King was refolv'd to have the firft view .of all Curiofities imported into 

 his Kingdom. I was above four Months contending in vain with the Gover- 

 nour ; but nothing would ferve ; I muft go to the King, and for fear I fhould 

 take another Road, he fent fifteen Horfemen along with me as far as Sha- 

 laour. 



When I went for Bengala, thefe Overfeers of the Jewels, out of meer fpite, 

 and, it may be, fet on by Giafer~Kan, to be reveng'd of me for denying to 

 let him have my Jewel, writ to Cha-Eft- Kan, that I intended to fhew him 

 certain Jewels, among the reft a very fair Pearl, which I had fold to Giafer- 

 Kan $ but that he had given it me again, becaufe he underftood that I would 

 have made him pay for it, ten thoufand Roupies more than it was worth. 

 They wrote alfo the particular proportion of all the other Stones which I 

 carry 'd. And upon this falfe and malicious advice it was, that Cha-Eft- Kan, 

 who receiv'd not this information till he had deliver'd me my Bill of Exchange, 

 would abate me for my whole parcel, twenty thoufànd Roupies, which he 

 redue'd at length to ten thoufand ; and well I had it too. 



Since I told you before, what a S'refeni I gave to Cha-Eft-Kam 5 I think 

 it not amifs to tell yon, what I gave the King, ro Nahab Giafir-lCan, to the 

 Eunuch of the Grand Brgum, 'xfytnngtx&s Sifter, the Great Treafurer, and the 

 Porters of the Treafury. For you muft take notice, that whoever he be, that 

 craves Audience of the King, they ask him in the firft place, where the Pre- 

 fent is which he intends for the King ; and examine whether it be fitting to 

 prefent to his Majefty. For no man muft come into his prefence empty handed, 

 though it be an honour dearly purchas'd. Coming then to Gehanabad, I went 

 to make my obeifànce to the King ; and this is the Prefent which 1 made 

 him. 



In the firft place, a Buckler of Brafs highly embofs'd, and very richly guilt, 

 the coft of the Guilding alone amounting to two hundred Ducats of Gold, or 

 eighteen hundred Livres ; the value of the whole piece coming to four thou- 

 fànd three hundred feventy eight Livres. In the middle thereof was the ftory 

 Of Curtius, who threw himfeif and his Horfè into the Barathrum,, when the 

 Earth gap'd, near Rome. Round the outermoft Circle of the Buckler, was re- 

 prefented the fiege of Rochel. It was wrought by one of the beft Workmen 

 in France, by the order of Cardinal Richlieu. All the great Lords that were 

 about AurengLeb at that time, were charm'd at the beauty of the Workman- 

 fhip, and told him, he could not do better, than to put it upon the great 

 Elephant, which carry 'd the Standard before his Majefty when he march'd into 

 the Field. 



I prefented him alfo with a Battle-Axe of Chryftal of the Rock, the fides 

 whereof were fet with Rubies and Emraulds, enchas'd in Gold in the body of 

 the Chryftal, which coft three thoufand one hundred and nineteen Livres. 



Moreover, I prefented him with a Saddle after the Turky fafhion, embroi- 

 der'd with little Rubies, Pearls, and Diamonds, which coft two thoufand eight 

 hundred and ninety-two Livres. 



I prefented him alfo with another Saddle and Foot-cloath, embroider'd with 

 Gold and Silver, to the value of one thoufand feven hundred and thirty Livres. 

 The whole Prefent amounting to twelve thoufand one hundred and nineteen 

 Livres. 



The Prefent which I made to Giafar-Kan, the Great Mogul's Unkle, was a 

 Table, with other nineteen pieces to make a Cabinet, all nataurl Stones, of divers 

 colours, reprefenting the fhapes of feveral Birds and Fiowers. The work was 

 made at Florence, and coft two thoufand one hundred and fifty Livres. 



A perfect Ruby Ring, which coft one thoufand and three hundred Livres. 



To the great Treafurer, I prefented a Watch in a Gold Cafe, fet with fmali 

 Emraulds, at feven hundred and twenty Livres. 



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To' 



