'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎4] (311/1024)

An account of the Money of Asia. FaitlX^
thz Indies. His Silver Money pafles no-where but in his own Countty^n^T
ing fuffer’d in the Mogdh. His Silver Money goes tor aquarter.of a Kom
at 7 Sous 6 Deneers ^ but the Silver is bafe. His Copper Money goes f ?
6 Deneers, and is currant in the Dominions as far as Agfa. ^ 0r y
fmaller Money he makes ufe of thofe Shells whereof we have already fpo!
ken.
Pieces of Gold called Pagods, which are currant in the Territories of the
King of Golconda, the King of Vifapour, the Great Raja King of Carnatica^
the Raja King of Vdouche, and at the Diamond Mines.
f A LL the Pieces of Gold reprefenfed in the Plate of Co/cW^-Money hafs
JTjl through all thefe Countries at the fame value, and are about the weight of
our half Piftol j but the Gold is of a bafer MettaL fo that an Ounce is not worth
above 42 or 43 Livres ^ not going for more than four Roupies.
Fig. 1. Is one of the ancient Pagods, at the time when the were Ma
ilers of the Kingdom of Golconda ^ and they are only Rampt upon one fide as
you fee. They are as heavy as the new ones} and though they be no better
Gold, yet fome years lince they went at 20, and 25 Cent, more than the new
ones} the reafon is, for that the Bankers being all Idolaters, they are fo fuper-
Ilitious as to believe, that if they melt down that Money, fome Calamity will P
fall their Country} and they hold this for fuch a certain truth, That for fear th-
King of Golconda Ihould melt it, they paid him for certain Years 20000 Pagods^
But you mult obferve, that thefe old Pagods are no-where currant but in the
Kingdom ot Golconda. For my part, I think it is more for their profit than out
of any Superltition, that they make ufe of them in that manner. For in all the
Kingdom of Golconda, in matter of trade, they never mention any but the old
Pagods, though they make their payments in new Pagods, or Roupies: and in
this cafe they who receive thofe new Pagods, or thofe Roupies, play th:ir game
10 well, that they gain a fourth part, or a half, and fometimes one ver Cent, al-
ledging for the reafon, that thofe new Pagods are either the King of Fifamur\
or the Raja King 01 Carnatica\ or the Raja King of Feloucheh, or the Fnrtifh, or the
Hollanders. And they make as much of the Roupies; for there is no confidera-
ble payment made, which is not received by the Cherajf or Banker makin 0- it
good to the Seller, who fometimes has no need of his Money in a Monti? or
two, and fo he receives the intereft of it* though it be but for two days. If
the payment be made in old Pagods, and that the fum amount to two or three
hundred, or three or four thouland, the Banker takes them all, and viewing
them one jdter another, he divides them into five or fix parts} and then poking
i email, he fayes of fome, that they are more us’d than others, and that having
palled through many hands, there is a wafle of the mettaf about one per Cent. 0 -
thers, layes he, want not above half one fer Cent, others but a fourth part. Thefe
agods have been bor d fome half thorough, others a quarter thorough} and it is
a wonderful thing what this boring amounts to. For in regard thefe Pagods are
very thick, and cannot be dipt, thofe that are Mailers of the trade, take a Piercer,
and pierce the Pagod thorough the fide, halfway or more, taking out of one piece
as niucn Gold as comes to two or three Sous. And provided they be not taken
m t e facE, they chufe rather to follow this Trade than any other} there be
ing no^ andycraft Tradesmen among the Indians, that gain more than three
us a ay. After they have drawn out the piercer, they knock upon the holes
h J f Harni fl e G ar }d are fo cunning in doling up the holes again, that
C Ver ^ indeed, that can difcover the cheat. For this reafon,
nr Ro never receive any payment till they have Ihew’n the Pieces to the Cheraf
Thnv^ f Cr 7 a ^r he looks only on two or. three Pieces, he takes a Sous,
nave alio another cunning Trick, and the more the Banker is in credit,
thj