'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.' [‎145] (464/1024)

' CHAP. XVII. - r'ii^ : f
. .
Of Pearlcs y and the Places where they Fi(b for them,
T N the firft place, iherc is a Fifhery for Pearls iti the PerfanGulL round
1 about the Ifland ofBakfen. It belongs to the King of Per L, and there is
a llrong r-ort m it, Garrifon’d with three hundred men. The Water which
the people dn%in that Ifland, and all along the Coaft of Perfia, i, brackiih
and ill-taftcd, fo that only the Natives of the Country can drink it. Frefh wa-
ter colts.* Strangers very dear ; for the people fetch it fometimes onpLeague
fometimes two Leagues from the Ifland, from the bottom of the Sea, being
let down by a Rope, with a Bottle or two ty’d about their waftes, which
they nil, and flop it well; and then giving the Rope a twitch, are hail’d un
again by their Companions. . ' : ' . 1
Every one that filhes pays to the King of Perfia five Abafts, whether he
get any thing or no. The Merchant alfo pays the King feme fmall matter
for every thoufand Oyllers
i • Ti il e e cond F,fllei y for Perals is right againft Bakren upon the Coafl of Art-
ha the happy, near the City of Canfc which together with all the Country
about it, is under the Jurifdidion of an Arabian Prince. The Pearls that are
hind m thefe places are fold to the Indians, who are not fo nice as we;
tor they give a good price for all, as well the uneven as the round ones. Over
all Apa they chufe the yellow Water enclining to white j for they fay thofe
Pearls that encline fomewhat to a Gold colour, are more brisk and never
change colour ; but that the white ones will change in thirty-years time,
through the very heat of the weather and the fweat of the perfon that wears them
turning the fcandaloufly yellow.
There is a wondrous Pearl in the pofleffion of an Arabian Prince, that took
Ma/cate from the Portugals. He then call’d himfelf Imenhett Prince oiMaf
cm • bemg^ known before only by the name of Aceyh Ben-Ali Prince of No-
is but a fmall Province, but it is the belt of all in the Happy Ara
bia. Therein grow all things neceflary for the life of man; particularly, de-
icate inits, but more efpecially molt excellent Grapes, which would make
molt incomparable wine. This Prince has the moft wonderful Pearl in the ^
world, not fo much for its bignefs, for it weighs not above twelve Carats and
.one nxteenth, not for its perfect roundnefs, but becaufe it is fb clear and fo
traniparent that you may airabft fee through it. The Great MofhL offer’d him
py a Banian Merchant of Indian extraction. forty thoufand Crowns for his Pearl, but he would not accept
n. By which you fee, that it is more profitable to carry Jewels that are rare
put of Ear ope into Afia, than to bring them out of Afia into Enrope ; unlefs
it toe to Japan or C hina, where Jewels are little efteem’d.
Ihere is another Fifhery for Pearlesin the Sea that beats againft the Walls
t a great I own call’d Manar, in the Ifland of Ceylan. For their roundnefs and
tneir W ater, they are the faireft that are found in any other Fifhery: but thev
tarely weigh above three or four Carats, ^
f nnn ^ re are exc eflent Pearls, and of a very good water, and large, which are
arp Af lJOn n the Coaft oF J a P ari 5 there are few fifh’d for, in regard Jewels
are of no efteem among the Natives.
ifi on j 61 ? 25 e / otbsr fineries, in the Weft Indies ^ in the firft place all along the
three Leagues in compafs, lying ten Degrees and a half of
ar^ r^ e }iVT? ldue ’ a hundr edand fixty Leagues from Santo Domingo. The Pearls
are fmall/eldom weighing above five Carats. ;
a LfJ 6 e r 0nd ^ el T ls the Ifland of Manguerita y or the Ifland of Pearles,
tifiil w J 0m f Hi) agna, bvt much bigger. This Fifhery is not the moft plen-
Pearies ^rp- 1 5 . ^ eern ^ °f all thofe in the Weft Indies, by reafon the
t*Sh?Fi v f e ^ Ceiknt , water ’ and ver y lar § e * 1 ^ld one Pear-faihion’d
the Great Moguls Uncle, that weigh’d fifty-five Carats. '
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