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LIV.
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THE BANIAN.
Astute Dealers—"The Banian Removes his Turban "—Rapid Business.
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HIS
stone was bought from a Banian or Indian trader by Tavernier at the
Raulconda mine, and sold by him to a Dutch captain on his return to
Surat. He gives us an interesting account of the circumstances
attending its purchase. " One day towards the evening a badly dressed
BSnian with only a girdle round hisibody, and a shabby kerchief on his
head, came and politely accosted me, taking his seat by my side. In
this country no attention is paid to dress, and many with nothing but a
dirty cloth round their loins, occasionally contrive to hide away a
good parcel of diamonds. . . . After some time, he asked me, through my
interpreter, whether I wished to purchase a few rubies, and drew out
about twenty ruby rings from his girdle. After examining them carefully
I told him they were too small for my purpose. But remembering a
commission I had received from a lady in Ispahan to procure her a ruby
ring of about 100 crowns, I bought one of these for some 400 francs. I
knew very well it was only worth 300, but I gladly
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