'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.' [‎185] (514/1024)

Travels in India,
i
Book HI*
ratters upon the Barrel, it appear’d to have been made above i 8 q years. It was
very thick, the mouth of the bore being like a Tulip, polifh’d within as’hright as
aLooking-glafs. Two thirds ofthe Barrel were garnilh’d with embofs’d Wires
with certain Flowers of Gold and Silver inlaid between ; and it earn’d a Bullet
that weigh’d an ounce. But I could not prevail with the Merchant to fell it me
nor to give me any of his powder.
There are always fifty Elephants kept about the King’s Houfe,and twenty-five
Camels, with each a Pice of Artillery mounted upon his back, that carries half
a pound Ball. Behind the Gun fits a Cannoneer that manages and levels the Guns
as he pleafes.
There is no King in the World more fear’d and more refpefted by his Subjetts
then the King of Banian Merchant of Indian extraction. } being in a manner ador’d by them. When he fits to do
]uftice,or give Audience,all that appear in his prefence hold their hands clofe to
gether above their forheads * and at a diflance from the Throne proflrate them-
felves upon the ground,not daring to lift up their heads. In this humble pofture
they make’ their Petitions to the King j and when they retire, they go backwards
till they are quite out ofhis fight. OfiT thingthey toldme for truth, that when
the King has done the deeds of nature, they dilligently preferve the ordure,dry
it and powder it, like fneezing-powder: and then putting it into Bqxes,they go
every Market-day, and prefeilt it to the chief Merchants, and rich Farmers,who
recompence them for their kindnefs .* that thofe people alfo carry it home^ as a
great rarity, and when they feaft their Friends, ftrew it upon their meat. Two
Bman Merchants Ihew’d me their Boxes , and the Powder that was in
them.
The Natives of Boutanttz ftrong and well proportion’d} but their nofes and
faces are fomewhat flat. Their women are faid to be bigger and more vigo
rous than the men j but that they are much more troubled with fwellings in
the throat then the men, few efcaping that difeafe. They know not what war
is, having iio enemy to fear but the Mogul, But from him they are fenc’d
with high, fteep, craggy,and fnowey Mountains. Northward there are nothing
but vaft Forrefts and Snow. Eaft and Weft nothing but bitter water. And as
for the Raja King 's near them,they are Princes of little forcev
There is certainly fome Silver Mine in the Kingdom of Boman, for the King
coins much Silver, in pieces that are of the value of a Roupy. The pieces
are alredy deferib’d. However the Bontan Merchants could not tell me where
the Mine lay. And as for their Gold, that little they have is brought them
from the Eaft, by the Merchants of thofe Countries.
In the year 1^59, the Duke of Embafladours pafs’d through this
Country to the King ©f China. They were three of the greateft Noblemen in
'Mnfcovy^ and were at firft very well receiv’d ; but when they were brought
to kifs the Kings hands, the cuftom being to proftrate themfelves three times to
the ground, they refus’d to do it, faying that they would complement the King
after their manner,and as they approach’d their own Emperor, who was as great
and as potent as the Emperor of China, Thereupon, and for that they con
tinu’d in their refolution, they were difmifs’d with their prefents, not being ad
mitted to fee the King. But had thofe Ambafladors conform’d to the cuftom of
without doubt we might have had a beaten rode through Mnfcovy and
the North part of Great Tanary^ and much more Commerce and knowledge
of the Country than now we have^
This mentioning the Mufcovites, puts me in miad of a ftory that feveral
Mufcovy Merchants averr’d to be true, upon the rode between Tauris and If-
yahan, where I overtook them, of a woman of four fcore and two years of
age, who at thofe years was brought to bed in one of the Cities of Mufcovy
°f a Male Child, which was carry’d to the Duke, and by him brought up at
the Court.