'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎353] (384/582)

TRADE BETWEEN PERSIA AND INDIA. 353
porcelain, are also brought from Bombay, as well as cassia, cloves,
nutmegs, and other productions of the Eastern Isles. These are
all taken up into Persia by caravans of mules, which pass regu
larly between this place and Shiraz. The rice and sugar of Ben
gal often find their way to Bahrein, and other islands of the Persian
Gulf, as well as the coffee of Mokha, which is shipped at Muscat,
in order to fill up the vacant room left by goods being discharged
there. The rice of Persia is preferable to that of India, and coffee
is not a very general beverage in this country, though it is all over
Arabia, which sufficiently accounts for the diversion of these two
articles into other channels.
The returns for these imports are made in Persian horses,
supplied by contract for the East India Company's cavalry; in
old copper, collected in the interior, in domestic utensils, &c.
and sent to Bengal; in assafoetida, an article much used in the
cookery of India; in dried fruits, particularly almonds, small
raisins, quinces, and apricots; in carpets for Mohammedan prayers,
for mosques, and for private apartments, the manufacture of the
country ; in otto of roses and rose-water, in small quantities; and
in Shiraz wine. All these articles do not amount, however, to
one-third the value of the imports; so that the residue is made
up in money. This consists of Spanish and German dollars, a
few Venetian sequins, and other gold coins, but mostly of Persian
rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. . The freight of all articles from India to Bushire is nearly
the same as from India to Bussorah, and the bulky articles of
return are also taken back at the same rate. In treasure, how
ever, there is this difference, that while from Bussorah it pays
three per cent, to Bombay, and four per cent, to Bengal, the last
risk being nearly double that of the first; from Bushire they are
both paid alike, at only three per cent, equally for Bombay and
Calcutta; and the only explanation that one can get for this
inconsistency of making no advance of freight, when the distance,
the time, and the risk, are all doubled, is, that it is an old custom,
and cannot be broken through.
2 z