Book II. Travels in India. 145 



CHAP. XVII. 



Of the T carls, and the T laces where they Fijh for them. 



IN the firft place, there is a Fifhery for Pearls in the Per (tan Gulf, round 

 about the Ifland of Bakren. It belongs to the King of Perjia t and there is 

 a ftrong Fort in it, Garrifon'd with three hundred men. The Water which 

 the people drink in that Ifland, and all along the Goaft of Perfia, is brackifh 

 and ill-tafted^ fo that only the Natives of the Country can drink it. Fre'fh wa- 

 ter cofts Strangers very dear ; for the people fetch it fometimes one League, 

 fometimes two Leagues from the Ifland, from the bottom of the Sea, being 

 let down by a Rope, with a Bottle or two ty'd about their waftes , which 

 they fill, and ftop it well j and then giving the Rope a twitch, are hall'd up 

 again by their Companions. 



Every one that fifties pays to the King of Per fia five Abaffi- 's, whether he 

 get any thing or no. The Merchant alfo pays the King fome fmall matter 

 for every thoufand Oyfters. 



The fécond Fifhery for Pearls is right againft Bakren upon the Coaft of Ara- 

 bia the happy, near the City of Catifa t - which together with all the Country 

 about it, is under the Jurifcliftion of an Arabian Prince. The Pearls that are 

 jfifli'd in thefe places are fold to the Indians , who are not fb nice as we j 

 for they give a good price for all, as well the uneven as the round ones. Over 

 all Afia they chufe the yeljow Water enclining to white ; for they fay thofe 

 Pearls that encline fomewjiat to a Gold colour, are more brik , and never 

 change colour j but that the white ones will change in thirty-years years time_, 

 throughthe very heat of the weather and the fweat of the perfon that wears them, 

 (candaloufly yellow. 



There is a wondrous Pearl in the pofleffion of an Arabian Prince, that took 

 'Mafcate from the Portugais. He then call'd himfelf ImcnhcB Prince of Maf- 

 catê -, being known before only by the name of Accph Ben-Ali Prince of No- 

 rennaé. It is but a fmall Province, but it is the belt of all in the Happy Ara- 

 bia. Therein grow all things necefTary for the life of man ; particularly, de- 

 licate fruits, but more efpecially moft excellent Grapes , which would make 

 moft incomparable Wine. This Prince has the moft wonderful Pearl in the 

 world, not fb much for its bignefs, for it weighs not above twelve Carats and 

 one fixteenth, nor for its perfect roundnefs, but becaufe it is fo clear and fb 

 tranfparent that you may almoft fee through it. The Great Mogul otFer'd him 

 by a Banian forty thoufand Crowns Tor his Pearl, but he would not accept 

 it. By which you fee, that it is more profitable to carry Jewels that are rare 

 out of Europe into Afia, than to bring them out of Afia into Europe j unlefs 

 it be to Japan or China, where Jewels are little efteem'd. 



There is another Fifhery for Pearls in the Sea that beats againft the Walls 

 of a great Town call'd Manar, in the Ifland of Cejlan. For their roundnefs and 

 their Water, they are the faireft that are found in any other Fifhery 3 but they 

 rarely weigh above three or four Carats. 



There are excellent Pearls, and of a very good water, and large, which are 

 found upon the Coaft of fapan ; but there are few fifh'd for, in regard Jewels 

 are of no efteem among the Natives. 



There are other Fiftieries in the Weft Indies -, in the firft place all aloTTg the 

 Ifland of Cubagna, three Leagues in compafs, lying ten Degrees and a has of 

 Northern Latitude, a hundred and fixty Leagues from Santo Domingo. The Pèarls 

 are fmall, feldom weighing above five Carats. 



The fécond Fifhery is in the Ifland of Manguerita, or the Ifland of Pearls, 

 a League from Cubagna, but much bigger. This Fifhery is not the moft pl^nf, 

 tiful, but it ist'te moft efteem'd of all thofe in the Weft Indies, by reafon tbe 

 Pearls are of moft excellent water, and very large. I fold one PeaMMhion'd 

 to Sba-Efi-Kan, the Great Mogul's Uncle, that weigh'd fifty-five Carats. 



* V The 



