OCT. — DEC. 1856.] 



Notes on Indian Currencies. 



39 



At page 188, among the men who adorned the Court of Sultan 

 Hussain Mirza, is included Behbud Beg " who did good service in 

 " the Mirza's expeditions, and in reward of it, his name was in- 

 " scribed on the Tangha and Sikka" that is, on the royal seal or 

 stamp, and on the coin, 



1519 A. D. At page 282, among the occurrences of 1519, it is 



mentioned that " the tribute of the inhabitants was fixed at 60 mish- 

 " kals of gold," apparently the same as miscal which Abul Fazl 

 makes equal to 96 barley corns. And further on, a diamond valued 

 at | the expense of the world is said to have weighed 4 mishkals or 

 220 ratis* 



At page 290, of the events recorded of the year 1525, it is related 

 that " the brothers of Nur and Beg arrived bringing 



1525 \ D 



" to the amount of 20,000 shahrukkis, in ashreffis 

 64 and Tanks" which the Translator estimates tobe "about £l,000f 

 " sterling." He also remarks that " nothing can afford a stronger 

 " proof of the scarcity of specie in Kabul than this appropriation 

 " of so small a sum. The name of ashrefi is applied to the gold 

 " mohur which is worth about a guinea and a half. It is applied 

 " however to gold coins of various magnitude and value." 



Throughout the latter part of the memoirs, in the mention of 

 large sums, and in estimating the revenues of a district, Baber makes 

 frequent use of the words lacs and crores, unaccompanied by any 

 denomination of coin ; Mr. ErskineJ remarks upon this " that the 

 " Emperors of Hindostan from a love of pomp and show, have al- 

 " ways used large numbers in reckoning their revenues and in be- 

 " stowing presents. Their revenue accounts were kept in dams of 

 " which 40 go to a rupee. Hence their lacs and crores sink into 

 " very small compass when reduced to English money." 



* Mr. Dow in his history of Hindostan makes the miskal equal to 39 rutteya 

 (which I suppose is the same as ratis) and a ruttey equal to | of a carat, a carat 

 being the same as keerat f mentioned by Abul Fazl, makes the rutty equal to 7 

 barley corns. 



t This makes the value of a Shahrukki, a shilling instead of lOd, or lid. as he 

 said before. 



% Who with Mr. Leyden translated Baber's memoirs. 



