Travels in India. 



Part. II. 



but if he buy it too dear, 'tis upon his own account. In the evening the children 

 compute what they have laid out, then they look upon their Stones, and feparate 

 them according to their water, their weight, and clearnefs. Then they bring them, 

 to the great Merchants, who have generally great parcels to match : and the pro- 

 fit is divided among the children equally ; only the ch ; ef among them has a fourth 

 in the hunder'd more than the reft. As young as they are, they fo well underftand 

 the price of Stones, that if one of them have bought any pur chafe, and is willing 

 to lofe one half in the hunder'd, the other mail give him his Money. They mall 

 hardly bring you a parcel of Stones, above a dozen, wherein there is not ibme 

 flaw or other dcfecT:. > 



When I came to the Mine, I went to wait upon the Governour, who told me 

 I was Avelcome ; and becaufe he made no queftion but that I had brought Gold 

 with me, (Tor they talk of nothing under Gold at the MinesJ he bid me only lay 

 it in my Chamber, and he would undertake it mould be fafe. Thereupon he pre- 

 fented me with four fervants to watch my Gold day and night, and to follow my 

 orders, bidding me withal fear nothing, but eat, drink, and fleep, and take care of 

 my health ; but withal he told me I muft be careful of not cheating the King. 

 Thereupon I fell to buying, and found profit enough, above twenty in the hunder'd 

 cheaper than at Golconda. 



I have one thing to obferve which is more than ordinarily curious, concerning 

 the manner how the Indians, as well Mahumetans as Idolaters, drive their bar- 

 gains. Every thing is done with great filence, and without any talking on either 

 fide. The buyer and the feller fit one before another like two Taylors, and the 

 One of the two opening his Girdle, the feller takes the right-hand of the purcha- 

 fer, and covers his own hand and that with his Girdle : under which, in thé pre- 

 fence of many Merchants that meet together in the fame Hall, the bargain is fe- 

 cretly driven without the knowledg of anv perfon. For then the purchafer nor 

 feller fpeak neither with their mouths nor eyes, but only with the hand, as thus. 

 When the feller takes the purchafer by the whole hand, that lignifies a thoufànd, 

 and as often, as he fqueezes it, he means fo many thoufànd Pagods or Roupies, ac- 

 cording to the Money in queftion. If he takes but half to the knuckle of the 

 middle-ringer, that's as much as to fay fifty : The (mall end of the finger to thé 

 firft knuckle fignifies ten. When he grafps five fingers, it lignifies five-hunder'd j 

 if but one finger, one-hunder'd. This is the myftery which the Indians ufe in 

 driving their bargains. And many times it happens, that in the fame place, where 

 there are feveral people, one and the fame parcel (hall be fold feven or eight times 

 over, and no perfon know that it was fold in that manner every time. 



As for the weight of the Stones, no perfon can be deceiv'd in them, unlefs he 

 purchafè them in hugger-mugger. For if they are publickly bought, there is a 

 perfon on purpofe paid by the King, without any benefit from particular perfons, 

 whofe place it is to weigli the Diamonds ; and when he has fpoken the weight, 

 the buyer and feller are fatisfi'd in his words, as not being a perfon any way ob- 

 lig'd to favour any perfon. 



Having difpatch'd all my bufinefs at the Mine, the Governour appointed me fii 

 Horfe-men to convoy me through the Territories under his Government, which 

 extends to a River that feparates the Kingdom of Vifapour from that of Golconda. 

 Tis a very difficult thing to crofs that River, it being deep, broad and rapid 5 be- 

 fides that, there are no Boats. But they ferry over Men, Carriages, Oxen and 

 Coaches upon a round Veflel, ten or twelve foot in Diameter, made of Ofier- 

 twigs, like our Flaskets., and cover'd without with Ox-hides j as I have already 

 related. They might eafily ufe Boats, or make a Bridg j but the King of Gol- 

 conda will not fuffer either, becaufe the River parts the two Kingdoms. Every 

 evening the Ferry-men on both fides are bound to carry to two Governours on 

 each fide the River, an exacl: account of the Perfons^ Carriages and Merchandizes 

 which they.ferri'd over that day. 



Coming to- Golconda, I found that the perfon whom! had left in truft with my 

 Chamber, was dead : but that which I obferv'd molt remarkable, was, that I found 

 the door fealed with two Seals, one being the Cad? s or chief Juftice's., the other 

 the S ba- Bander's, or Provoft of the Merchants. An Officer of Juftice, together 

 with tbje Servants I had left behind,, watch'd the Chamber night and day. This 



Officer 



