'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.' [‎182] (511/1024)

Travels in India.
Part II.
every day for a month together before he either eat or drank he was oblig'd
to this pofture for fifty times together, and confequently to kifs the ground a
hundred and fifty times. He told me that the Bramm had enjoin’d him that
Penance becaufe he had fuffer’d a Cow to dye in his Houfe, and had not lead
her to the water to be wafh d before fhe dy cl.
When an Idolater has 5 loft any piece of Gold or Silver, or fumm of Money
either by negligence, or as being ftoln from him, he is oblig’d to carry as much
as he loft to the great Bratnin ; for if he does not, and that the other Ihould
come to know of it, he is ignominioufty caft out of his Tribe, to make him
more careful another time. /
On the other fide the Ganges Northward, toward the Mountains of 2 V^ 0 .
cor, there are two or three Raja’s^ who neither believe God nor the Devil.-
Their Bramins have a book containing their Belief, full of ridiculous abfurdi-
ties, whereof the Author whofe ndme is Baudot gives no reafon. Thefe Rajas
are the Great Moguls Vaflals, and pay him Tribute.
To conclude, the M^lavares carefully preferye the nails of their left hands
and let their hair grow like women’s. Thefe nails,which are half a finger long,
Verve them inftead of Combs } and it is with their left hand that they do all
their drudgery, never touching their faces, nor what they eat, but with their
right hands.
C H A P. XV.
Of the Kingdom of Boutan whence comes the Musk^ the good Rhu*
larly and fome Furs.
... • - 1 ' ■ ■ -/-* -S • j; - •' : r;
, ^ " 1 . ■. k ‘ 1 , . '' , ' ' t
: ' ' -
HT H E Kingdom of Boutan is of a large extent * but I could never yet come
JL toaperfed knowledg thereof. I have fet down all that I could learn
at Patna, whither the Merchants of Boutan come to fell their Musk. The
moft excellent Rhubarb comes alfo from the Kingdom of Boutan. From hence
is brought alfo that Seed which is good againft the worms, therefore call’d
Wormfeed} and good ft ore of Furs. As for the Rhubarb, the Merchants run
a great hazard which way foever they bring it; for if they take the Northern
Road, toward Caboul y the wet fpoilsit; if the Southern Road, in regard the
journey is long, if the Rains happen to fall, there is as much danger that way,
fo that there is no Commodity requires more care than that. \
As for the Musk, during the heats the Merchant lofes by i,t, becaufe it
dries and lofes its weight. Now in regard this Commodity pays twenty-five
in the hundred Cuftom at Gorrochepour, the laft Town belonging to the Great
Mogul, next to the Kingdom of Boutan, when the Indian Merchants come to
that City, they go to the officer at the Cuftom-Houfe, and tell him that they are
going to Boutan, to buy Musk or Rhubarb, and how much they intend to lay
out \ all which the Officer regifters, with the name of the Merchant. Then
the Merchants inftead of twentyffive, agree with him for feven or eight in the
hundred, and take a Certificate from the Officer or Cadi, that he may not de
mand any more at their return. If the Officer refufes a handfom compofition,
then they go another way, over Defarts and Mountains cover’d with Snow,
tedious and troublefome, till they come to Caboul, where the Caravans part,
' fome for great Tartary, others for Belch. Here it is that the Merchants coming
from Boutan barter their Commodities for Horfes, Mules,and Camels j for there
is little Money in that Country. Then thofe Tartars tranfport their Commo
dities into Perfia, as far as Ardevile and Tauris ; which is the reafon that fome
Europeans have thought that Rhubarb and Wormfeed came out ofT^O'-
True it is, that fome Rhubarb comes from thence;, but not fo good ssta
of Boutan, being fooner corrupted \ for Rhubarb will eat out its own heart. e
Tartars carry back out of Perfia Silks of Small v^lue, which are made in