128 



Travels in India. 



Part. II 



Twifted-Cotton. 



CÔtton twifted and untwifted comes from the Provinces of Brampour and Gu- 

 z.erat. Untwifted Cotton is never tranfported into Europe, being too cum- 

 berfome, and of little value ; only they lend it to Ormus, Baljara, and fometimes 

 to the Philippine-lHands, and the Iflands of Smde. As for the twifted Cottons, 

 thé Englijh and Hollanders tranfport a good quantity, not of the fineft, but of that 

 fort which is priz'd from fifteen to fifty MamoudCs : It ferves for wieks for Can- 

 dles, for Packfaddles, and for the ground of Silk-ftuffs. 



Indigo. 



INdigo comes from feveral parts of the Great Mogul's Empire 5 and according 

 to the diverfity of the places it differs in quality, and confequently in price. 

 In the firft place, it comes from the Territories of Biana, Indoua, and Corfa, a 

 day or two's journey from Agra : which is efteem'd the beft of all. It is made 

 alio eight days journey from Surat, in a Village call'd Sarquefs, two leagues 

 diftance from Amadabat. Here the flat Indigo is made. There is alfo Indigo lit- 

 tle inferior in goodnefs and price, which comes from the King of Golconda's Ter- 

 ritories. The Mein of Sur at, which contains 42 Serre' 's , or 34 and a half of our 

 pounds, is valu'd from 1 j to 20 Roupies. They make as good as this at Barache. 

 That which is made up about Agra is made up in half Balls, and is the raoft fought 

 for in all India. It is fold by the Mein } which in thofe places contains 60 Serres^ 

 or y 1 and three quarters of our pounds. The ufual price is from 36 to 40 Rou- 

 pies. There grows alfo Indico fome 36 leagues from Brampour, about a great 

 Village call'd Raom,znà round about the neighbouring Towns in the road to Sarar : 

 Of which the Natives ufually make above a hunder'd-thoufànd Roupies. 



There comes Indigo alfo from Bengala, which the //W/W-Company tranfports 

 for Mjjlipatan. But they buy this Indigo, and that of Brampour and Amadabat t 

 cheaper by 24 in the hunder'd, than that of Agra. ■ 



Indigo is made of an Herb which they fow every year after the rains are over : 

 which when it is grown up, is very like our Hemp. They cut it three times a 

 year; firft when it is about two or three foot high ; and they cut it within half 

 a foot of the ground j the firft cutting far exceeds the two latter. The fécond 

 cutting is worfe than the firft by ten or twelve in the hunder'd, and the third 

 worfe than the fécond by twelve in the hunder'd. The difference is found 

 by breaking a piece of the Pafte, and obferving the colour. The colour of 

 that Indigo which is made of the firft cutting, is a Violet-blue, but more brisk 

 and lively than the two others : and that which is made of the fécond is more 

 lively than the third. 



When they have cut the Herb, they throw it into Pits which they make with 

 Lime, which becomes fo hard, that you would judg it to be one intire piece of 

 Marble. They are generally fourfcore or a hunder'd paces in circuit j and being 

 half full of water, they fill them quite up with the Herb. Then they bruife and 

 jumble it in the water till the leaf, for the ftalk is worth nothing, become like a 

 kind of thick mud. This being done, they let it fettle for fome days ; and when 

 the fetling is all at the bottom, and the water clear above, they let out all the 

 water. When the water is all drain'd out, they fill feveral baskets with this flime, 

 and in a plain Field you fhall fee feveral men at work, every one at his own baf- 

 ket, making up little pieces of Indigo flat at the bottom, at the top fharp like an 

 egg. Though at Arqadabat they make their pieces quite flat like a fmall cake. 

 Here you are to take particular notice, that the Merchants, becaufc they would 

 not pay cuftom for an unneceflary weight, before they tranfport their Indigo out 

 of Afia into Europe, are very careful to caufè it to be fifted, to feparate the duft 

 from it 5 which they fell afterwards to the Natives of the Countrey to dye their 

 Caiicuts. They that fift this Indigo muft be careful to keep a Linnen-cloath be- 

 fore their faces, and that their noftrils be well-ftopt, leaving only two little holes 

 for their eyes. Befides, they muft every half hour be fure to drink milk, which 

 is a great prefervative againft the piercing quality of the duft. Yet notwith- 



ftanding 



