'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.' [‎186] (515/1024)

Travelf in India. Part IL
I
CHAP.
chap. XVI.
Of the Kingdom of Tipra .
M Oft people have been of opinion till now, that the Kingdom of Prjx, ii es
upon the Frontiers of China ; and I thought fo my felf,till the Merchants
of TVpr* undeceiv’d me. I met with three, one at i>^, and two others at
Tatna. They were men of very few words; whether it were their own
particular difpolition, or the General habit of the Country. They cait
rip their accounts with fmall Stones likes Agats, as big as a mans nail, upon
every one of which was a Cypher. They had every one their weights, like
a Stelleer ; though the Beam were not of Iron, but of a certain Wood as hard
as Brazile; nor was the Ring that holds the weight, and is put thorough the
Beam to mark the weight, of Iron, but a ftrong Silk Rope. And thus they
weigh’d from a Dram to ten of our Pounds. If all the Natives of the King
dom of Tip™, were like the two Merchants which I met at Patm, I dare af
firm them to be notable topers; for they never refus’d whatever ftrong Li-
quor I gave them, and never left till all was out ; and when I told them by
my Interpreter that all my V^ine was gone, they clapt their hands upon their
ftomachs and figh’d. Thefe Merchants travell’d all three through the King
dom oiArakgn, which lies to the South and Weft: of Tipra, having fome part
of Pmt upon the Winter weft. They told me alfo, that it was about fifteen
days journey to crofs through their Country; from whence there is no cer
tain conje&ure of the extent to be made, by reafon of the inequality of the
ftages. They ride upon Oxen and Horfes, which are low, but very hardy. As
for the King and the Nobility, they ride in their Pallekies, or upon their Ele
phants of War. They are no lefs fubjeft to Wens under their throats, than
thofe of Bout an ; infomuch that the women have thofe Wens hanging down
to their Nipples; which proceeds from the badnefs of the waters.
There is nothing in Tipra which is fit for ftrangers. There is a Mine of
Gold, but the Gold is very courfe. And there is a fort of very courfe
Silk, which is all the Revenue the King has. He exacts no Subfidies from his
Subjefts; but only that they, who are not of the prime Nobility, Ihonld
work fix days in a year in his Mine, or in his Silk-works. He fends his
Gold and his Silk into China, for which they bring him back Silver, which
he coins into pieces to the value of ten Sous. He alfo makes thin pieces of
Gold, like to the Jfpers ofTurky ; of which he has two forts, four ofthe onefort
making a Crown, and twelve of the other.