On East Indian Isinglass. 



183 



extracted. These are taken out by the fishermen, who sell them to a 

 certain class of Muslem merchants called Khojah, who are the principal 

 dealers in this article. The fishermen sell them in a fresh state, the 

 Khojahs dry and otherwise prepare them for exportation. That pre- 

 pared in Bombay is the least esteemed, and the lowest priced. The 

 reasons for this inferiority seem to be, that the substance is not per- 

 fectly dried, and is liable to be attacked with maggots. Another reason 

 is, that the bladders are not so thick as those which are more esteemed. 

 Damaun and the coast in that quarter furnishes the article of superior 

 quality at Bombay, but the best of all, and the largest quantity, comes 

 from Scinde and from the Mekran coasts. The B'hot of Scinde is of larger 

 size, is well dried and hard, but generally of a darker colour than that 

 prepared in Bombay, and this latter difference appears to be owing to 

 the fact, that in Bombay the bladders are dried in the shade, whereas 

 in Scinde they are exposed from the first to the sun. The best Scinde 

 B'hot sells for 20 to 25 rupees per maund, and fetches in China from 80 

 to 90 dollars per picul of 4| maunds. 



The second species from which this substance is prepared, is called 

 both by the people here and in Scinde, Gol. This is figured in the draw- 

 ing numbered 1. It attains the length of 3| feet and upwards. It is 

 inferior to the Dara, both as an article of food and on account of the 

 quality of the B'hot it furnishes. However, a large quantity of the ar- 

 ticle extracted from this fish is brought to market. It is prepared ex- 

 actly in the same way as the Dara, and sells here for 15 to 18 rupees 

 per maund. Although the Gol frequents the coasts of Scinde, the peo- 

 ple of that country say, that it never enters the river, but is always 

 caught in salt water. No use whatever is made of the B'hot in Scinde ; 

 it is simply prepared and exported to Bombay, and eventually to China, 

 nor am I aware at present that any of this substance is consumed in 

 Bombay. 



The Khojah were asked by my people, why they did not export 

 their B'hot to England ? But the reply was, that upon enquiry they 

 found, that the demand for this article in England was very limited. 



There is a third species from which Bliot is extracted, called here 

 Kota. This fish is rare on our coast, but appears to be more abundant 

 to the westward, especially about Muscat, where it is well known. The 

 B'hot from this is universally admitted as inferior to the others, and 

 consequently little of it is brought to the market. 



The sample which accompanies this is the B'hot of the Dara, (the 

 Seer of the Scindeans,) prepared in Scinde. It will shew the nature of 

 the substance, which if prepared with care, by the process used by the 



