126 



Travels in India. 



Parti! 



CHAP. X. 



Of the Commodities which are brought as well out of the Dominions 

 of the Great Mogul, as out of the Kingdoms of Golconda and Vifa- 

 pour, and other neighbouring Territories, 



IT will be neceflary for the Reader to take notice what I have already faid con- 

 cerning the Weights and Meafures in ufè among the Indians , where I fpoke con- 

 • cerning the Mines, and the Serre. Now for the Cobit. 



The Cobit is a meafure for all Commodities that are meafiir'd by the Ell, of 

 which there are feveral forts, as in Europe there are feveral forts of Ells. The 

 Cobit is divided into 24 Tafo'ts : and in regard the greateft part of the Commo- 

 dities of India are utter'd at Swat, I have given you a defcription in the margin 

 of the fourth part of a Surat-Cobit, divided into fix Tafots. 



Of their Silk. 



KAfembafar, a Village in the Kingdom of Bengala, fends abroad every year 

 two and twenty-thoufand Bales of Silk 5 every Bale weighing a hunder'd 

 pound. The two and twenty Bales make two millions and two-hunder'd-thoufand: 

 pound, at fixteen ounces to the pound. The Hollanders ufually carry away fix or 

 feven-thoufand Bales,and would carry away more,did not the Merchants of Tartar/, 

 and- the Mogul's Empire oppofe them : for they buy up as much as the Hollander 5 

 the reft the Natives keep to make their Stuffs. This Silk is all brought into the 

 Kingdom of Guz.erat, the greateft part whereof comes to Amadabat 3 vnd to Sur at t 

 where it is wrought up. 



In the firft place they make Carpets of Silk and Gold, others of Silk and 

 Silver, others all of Silk : For the Worfted- Carpets are made at Veuapour, fome 

 twelve leagues from Agra. 



In the fécond place they make Satins with ftreaks of Gold and Silver $ others 

 plain : : with Taffata's after the fame fafhion. 



In the third place they make Paroles, which are a fort of Silk-ftufF very thin 

 but painted with all forts of Flowers, the manufacture whereof is at Amadabat. 

 They coft from eight Roupies to forty the piece. This is a Commodity wherein 

 the Dutch will not fùffer any one of the Hollanders to trade in particular : for 

 they tranfport it to the Philippine-Iflands, to the Iflands of Borneo, fava, Sumatra, 

 and other neighbouring Iflands. 



The raw-Silk of Kafembafar is yellowifh, as are all the raw-Silks that come from 

 Perfik -ànà Sicily, but the Natives of Kafembafar have a way to whiten it, with 

 a Lye made of the afh.es of a Tree which they call Adam's Fig-tree ; which 

 makes it as white as the Paleftine-SWk. The Hollanders fend away all their Mer- 

 chandize which they fetch out of Bengala, by water, through a great Canal that 

 runs from Kafembafar into Ganges, for fifteen leagues together 3 from whence 

 it is as far by water down the Ganges to Opiguely, where they lade their Ships. 



Of the Calicut s : and firft of the painted Calicut s, call'd Chites. 



C Hires or Painted Calicuts, which they call Calmendar, -that is to fay, done with 

 a Pencil, are made in the Kingdom of Golconda, and particularly about 

 Maflipatan. But there is made fo little, that though a man mould employ all 

 the Workmen that underftand the art of weaving Calicuts, he would hardly 

 find enough to make three Bales. 



The Chites which are made in the Empire of the Great Mogul are all Printed y 

 and nothing fo beautiful,, neither for the figures nor the finenefs of the Linnen. 

 Thofe which are made at Lahor, are the coarfeft, and confequently the cheapeft of 

 all. They are fold by Corges, every Corge confifting of twenty pieces, which coft 

 from r6 to 30 Roupies. 



The 



