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

Spice.

CArdamom, Ginger, Pepper, Nutmegs, Nutmeg-Flowers, Cloves and Cinna∣mon, are all the different sorts of Spices known to us. I put Cardamom and Ginger in the first place, because that Cardamom grows in the Territories of Visapour, and Ginger in the Dominions of the Great Mogul. And as for other Spices, they are brought from other Foreign parts to Surat, which is the grand Mart.

Cardamom is the most excellent of all other Spices, but it is very scarce; and in regard there is no great store in the place where it grows, it is only made use of in Asia, at the Tables of great Princes. Five hundred pound of Cardamoms, are priz'd from a hundred to a hundred and ten Reals.

Ginger is brought in great quantities from Amadabat, where there grows more than in any other part of Asia; and it is hardly to be imagin'd how much there is transported candited into Foreign parts.

Pepper is of two sorts. There is a sort which is very small, another sort much bigger; both which sorts are distinguish'd into small and great Pepper. The larger sort comes from the Coast of Malavare; and Tuticorin and Calicut are the Cities where it is brought up. Some of this Pepper comes from the Territories of the King of Visapour, being vended at Rejapour, a little City in that Kingdom. The Hollanders that purchase it of the Malavares, do not give Money for it, but several sorts of Commodities in Exchange; as Cotton, Opium, Vermillion, and Quicksilver; and this is the Pepper which is brought into Eu∣rope. As for the little Pepper that comes from Bantam, Afchen, and some other parts toward the East, there is none of it carried out of Asia, where it is spent in vast quantities, especially among the Mahumetans. For there are double the Grains of small Pepper in one pound, to what there are of the great Pepper; besides that the great Pepper is hotter in the mouth.

The little Pepper that comes to Surat, has been sold some years for thir∣teen or fourteen Mamoudi's the Mein; and so much I have seen the English give for it, to transport it to Ormus, Balsara, and the Red Sea. As for the great Pepper which the Hollanders fetch from the Coast of Malavare, five hun∣dred pound in truck brings them in not above thirty-eight Reals; but by the Commodities which they give in Barter, they gain Cent. per Cent.

The Nutmeg, the Nutmeg-Flow'r, the Clove, and Cinnamon, are the only Spices which the Hollanders have in their own hands. The three first come from the Molucca Islands; the fourth, which is Cinnamon, from the Island of Ceylan.

'Tis observable of the Nutmeg, that the Tree which bears it is never planted, which has been confirm'd to me by several persons that have liv'd several years in the Country. They related to me, that the Nutmeg being ripe, several Birds come from the Islands toward the South, and devour it whole, but are forc'd to throw it up again before it be digested. The Nutmeg then besmear'd with a viscous matter, falling to the ground takes root, and produces a Tree, which would never thrive were it planted. This puts me in mind of making one observation upon the Birds of Paradise. These Birds being very greedy after Nutmegs, come in flights to gorge themselves with the pleasing Spice; at the season, like Felfares in Vintage time; but the strength of the Nutmeg so intoxi∣cates them, that they fall dead drunk to the Earth, where the Emets in a short time eat off their Legs. Hence it comes, that the Birds of Paradise are said to have no Feet; which is not true however, for I have seen three or four that had Feet; and a French Merchant sent one from Aleppo as a Present to Lewis the Thirteenth that had Feet; of which the King made great account, as being a very lovely Fowl.

But notwithstanding all the Hollanders Projects, you may buy Cloves at Macassar without purchasing them of the Hollander; in regard the Islanders buy them of the Dutch Captains and Soldiers, which the Hollanders have in those place where the Cloves grow, giving them in exchange Rice, and other necessaries for the support of life, without which they would starve, being very sadly provided for.

When the Natives of Macassar are thus furnish'd of Cloves, they barter them in Exchange for such Commodies as are brought them; sometimes they give Tortoise-Shells in exchange, and Gold Dust; by which the Merchant gains six or seven in the hundred, being better than the Money of the Island, though it be Gold, by reason the King ofttimes enhances the value of it. The places where Cloves grow, are Amboyna, Ellias, Seram, and Bouro.

The Islands of Banda also, in number six, viz. Nero, Lontour, Poulcay, Rose∣guin, and Grenapuis, bear Nutmegs in great abundance. The Island of Grena∣puis is about six Leagues in compass, and ends in a sharp point, where there is a continual fire burning out of the Earth. The Island Damme, where there grows great store of Nutmegs, and very big, was discover'd in the year 1647, by Abel Tasman, a Dutch Commander.

The price of Cloves and Nutmegs, as I have known them sold to the Hol∣landers at Surat, was as follows.

The Mein of Surat contains forty Serres, which make thirty-four of our Pounds, at sixteen Ounces to the Pound.

A Mein of Cloves was sold for a hundred and three Mamoudi's and a half.

A Mein of Mace was sold for a hundred and fifty-seven Mamoudi's and a half.

Nutmegs for fifty-six Mamoudi's and a half.

Cinnamon comes at present from the Island of Ceylan. The Tree that bears it is very much like the Willow, and has three Barks. They never take off but the first and second, which is accounted the best. They never meddle with the third, for should the Knife enter that, the Tree would dye. So that it is an art to take off the Cinnamon, which they learn from their youth. The Cinna∣mon Spice is much dearer to the Hollanders than people think; for the King of Ceylan, otherwise call'd King of Candy, from the name of his principal City, being a sworn Enemy to the Hollanders, sends his Forces with an intention to surprize them, when they gather their Cinnamon; so that they are forc'd to bring seven or eight hundred men together to defend as many more that are at work. Which great expence of theirs very much enhances the price of the Cinnamon. There grows upon the Cinnamon Tree a certain fruit like an Olive, though not to be eaten. This the Portugals were wont to put into a Caldron of Water, together with the tops of the Branches, and boil'd it till the Water was all consum'd. When it was cold, the upper part became a Paste like white Wax; of which they made Tapers to set up in their Churches, for no sooner were the Tapers lighted, but all the Church was perfum'd. Formerly the Por∣tugals brought Cinnamon out of other Countries, belonging to the Raja's about

Cochin. But the Hollanders have destroyd all those places, so that the Cinna∣mon is now in their hands. When the Portugals had that Coast, the English bought their Cinnamon of them, and usually paid for it by the Mein fifty Mamoudi's.