The six voyages of John Baptista Tavernier, Baron of Aubonne through Turky, into Persia and the East-Indies, for the space of forty years : giving an account of the present state of those countries, viz. of the religion, government, customs, and commerce of every country, and the figures, weight, and value of the money currant all over Asia : to which is added A new description of the Seraglio / made English by J.P. ; added likewise, A voyage into the Indies, &c. by an English traveller, never before printed ; publish'd by Dr. Daniel Cox

See here the differences of the thirteen Goodnesses of Silver.

THE first, which is the lowest in goodness, they take at fifteen Pecha's to the Tolla, which makes of our Money nine Sous, two Deneers.

The second, at eighteen Pecha's, which make ten Sous, two Deneers.

The third, at ten Pecha's, which make twelve Sous, six Deneers.

The fourth, at thirteen Pecha's, which make fourteen Sous, six Deneers.

The fift, at sixteen Pecha's, which make fifteen Sous, ten Deneers.

The sixt, at nineteen Pecha's, which make seventeen Sous, six Deneers.

The seventh, at thirty-three Pecha's, which make nineteen Sous, two De∣neers.

The eighth, at thirty-five Pecha's, which make twenty Sous, ten Deneers.

The ninth, at thirty-eight Pecha's, which make twenty-two Sous, six De∣neers.

The tenth, at forty Pecha's, which make twenty-four Sous, two Deneers.

The eleventh, at forty-three Pecha's, which make twenty-five Sous, ten De∣neers.

The twelfth, at forty-six Pecha's, which make twenty-seven Sous, six Deneers.

The thirteenth, at forty-nine Pecha's, which make nineteen Sous, two De∣neers.

Here it will not be amiss to give you an hint, how far the cunning extends, not only of the Cheraffs or Changers, but of all the Indians in general; and it shall suffice to give you one example, which is very particular, and of which our Europeans make no account: Which is this; that of all the Gold, which re∣mains upon the stone upon which they make the Essay, and of which we make no reckoning, they are so far from losing the least atome of that small matter, that they fetch it all off, by means of a Ball made half of Black-pitch, and half of Soft-wax, with which they rub the stone that carries the Gold; at the end of some years the Ball will shine, and then they get our all the Gold that sticks to it. This Ball is about the bigness of one of our Tennis-Balls; and the Stone is such a one as our Goldsmiths generally use.

Thus much of the Custom-houses and Money currant among the Indians. It remains to speak of their manner of Exchange.

As all the Goods which are made in the Empire of the Great Mogull, and some part of the Kingdoms of Golconda and Visapour are brought to Suratt to be transported into several parts of Asia and Europe; the Merchants, when they go from Surat to buy Commodities in the several Cities where they are made, as at Lahor, Agra, Amadabat, Seronge, Brampour, Daca, Patna, Banarou, Golconda, Decan, Visapour, and Dult ab at, take up Money at Surat, and are discharg'd at the places where they go by giving kind for kind. But when it happens that the Merchant is short of Money in those places, and that there is a necessity for him to take up Money to compleat his Markets, he must then return it at Suratt with∣in two Months, paying monthly for the Change.

From Lahor to Suratt the Exchange goes at six and a quarter per Cent.

From Amadabat, from one, to one and an half.

From Seronga, at three.

From Brampour, from two and an half, to three.

From Daca, at ten.

From Banarou, at six.

From the three last places they make their Bills of Exchange only to Agra;

and at Agra they make others for Suratt, the whole at the same price as I have set down.

From Golconda, from four to five.

And for Goa the same.

From Decan at three.

From Visapour at three.

From Dultabat, from one to one and an half.

Some years the Exchange rises from one to two per Cent. by reason of certain Raja's or petty Vassal Princes that disturb Trade, every one pretending that the Merchandizes ought to pass through his Countrey, and pay Toll. There are two particularly between Agra and Amadabatt, the one called the Raja of Antivar, and the other the Raja of Bergam, who very much molest the Merchants for this very cause. But you may avoid passing through the Territories of these Prin∣ces, taking another road from Agra to Suratt, thorough Seronge and Brampour. But they are fertil Lands, divided with several Rivers, without Bridges or Boats, and it is impossible to go that way, till two months after the rains are fallen. Which is the reason that those Merchants who must be at Suratt when the season permits them to take the Sea, are forc'd to pass through the Territories of these two Raja's, because they can pass that way at all times, even in the time that the rains fall, which only knit and harden the Sand.

Nor are you to wonder that the Exchange runs so high; for they that trust out their Money, run the hazard, by obligation, of losing their Money, if the Mer∣chants should be robb'd.

When you come to Suratt to Embarque, there is Money enough. For it is the greatest Trade of the Grandees of the Indies to venture their Money by Sea from thence for Ormus, Balsara, and Mocca; nay even as far as Bantam, Achen, and the Philippine Islands. For Mocca and Balsara, the change runs from 22 to 24 per Cent. And to Ormus, from 16 to 20. And to the other places which I have named, the change runs proportionable to the distance.

I have but one word to say of their Weights and Measures; I have given you in the Margin the fift part of an Ell of Agra, and the fourth part of an Ell of Amadabat and Suratt. As for their Weights, the Men is generally 69 Pound, and the Pound 16 Ounces. But the Men which they weigh their Indico withal, is but 53 Pound. At Suratt they talk of a Serre, which is one and three fourths of a Pound, and the Pound is 16 Ounces.