Part III. Travels into ^/^^ I N D I E S. 55 
C H A P. XXXIL 
Of the Vr evince of Multàri. 
MUltatiy which comprehends Bucor^ has to the South the Province of Multan. 
Sinde, and to the North the Province of Caboul -, as it hath Ferfia to 
the Weft, and the Province of Labors to the Eaft. It is watered with ma- 
ny Rivers that make it Fertile. The Capital Town which is alfo called 
Multan, was heretofore a place of very great Trade,becaufe it is not far from 
the River W«ï -, but feeing at prefent, Veflels cannot go up fo far, becaufe 
the Chanel of that River is fpoilt in fome places.and the Mouth of it full of 
flielves,the Traffick is much leffened,by reafon that the charge of Land-car- ^^^^ Multan 
riage is too great : However the Province yields plenty of Cotton, of which P"^"^"^^*- 
vaft numbers of Cloaths are made. It yields alfo Sugar, Opium, Brimftonci 
Galls, and ftore of Camels, which are tranfported into ^^rfia, by Gaz,na, 
and CanJahar, or into the Indies themfelves by Labors -, but whereas the 
Commodities went heretofore down the Indus at fmall Charges, to Tatta, 
where the Merchants of feveral Countries came and bought them up, they 
muft now be carried by Land as far as Surrat, if they expe6t a conliderable 
price for them. 
The Town of Multan is by fome Geographers attributed to Sinde, though The Town of 
It make a Province by it felf It lies in twenty nine Degrees forty Minutes Multan. 
North Latitude, and hath many good Towns in its dépendance, as Coz^dar cozdar or 
or Cordar, Candavil, Sandur, and others. It furnifhes Indofian with the fineft ^^^^T^i/ San- 
Bows that are tobefeen in it, and the nimbleft Dancers. TheComman- Towns, 
ders and Officers of thefe Towns are Mahometans -, and by confequence, it 
may be faid, that moft part of the Inhabitants are of the fame Religion : 
But it contains a great many Banians alfo, for Mult an is their chief Rendez- Baniam. 
vous for Trading into Pcry?^?, where they do what the Jews do in other places -, 
but they are far more cunning,for nothing efcapes them,and they let flip no 
occahon of getting the penny, how fmall foever it be. 
The Tribe of thefe Banians, is the fourth in dignity amongft the Caftes, 
Tribes, or Se£ts of the Gentiles -, of whom we fliall treat in the fequel of this 
Relation. They are all Mercliants and Broakers, and are fo expert in bu- 
finefs, that hardly any body can be without them. They give them Com- The Banians 
millions of all kinds -, though it be known that they make their profit of every ufefd. 
thing, yet Men chufe rather to make ufe of them, than to do their bufinefs 
themfelves -, and I found often by experience, that I had what they bought for 
me, much cheaper, than what I bought my felf, or made my fervants buy. 
They are ofapleafing humour,for they rcied no ferviccjwhether honoura- 
ble or bafe, and are always ready to fatisfie thole who employ them ^ and 
therefore, every one hath his Banian in the Indies, and fome perfons of Qua- 
lity intruft them with all they have, though they be not ignorant of their 
Hypocrifie and Avarice.The richeft Merchantsof the J»^/ej are of them, and 
fuch I have met with in all places where I have been in that Country. They 
arc commonly very Jealous of their Wives, who at Multan are fairer than 
the Men, but ftill of a very brown complexion, and love to Paint. 
At Multan there is another fort of Gentiles , whom they call Catry. That 
Town is properly their Country , and from thence they fpread all over 
the Indies -, but we (hall treat of them when we come to fpeak of the other 
Seds : both the two have in Multan a Pagod of great coniideration, becaufe The Pagodof 
of the affluence of People,' that came there to perform their Devotion af- Muitau. 
ter their way -, and from all places of Multan, Labors, and other Countries, 
they come thither in Pilgrimage. I know not the name of the Idol that is 
worfhipped 
