54 TAVERNIER CROSSES THE KISTNA book ii
end
of the finger up to the first signifies 10. This is the whole mystery
employed by the Indians in their sales, and it often happens that, in a
place where there are many people, a single parcel will change hands
five or six times without those present knowing for how much it has
been sold on each occasion. As for the weight of the stones, one need
not be deceived if he does not buy in secret. For when one buys them in
public there is a man specially employed by the King to weigh diamonds,
who receives no fees from private persons. When he names the weight,
both buyer and seller accept his statement, since he has no interest in
favouring either party.
Having
completed my business at the mine, the Governor gave me six horsemen,
that I might traverse, with greater security, the tract under his
authority, which extends up to a river 1 separating
the Kingdom of Bijapur from that of Golkonda. The transit of this river
is very difficult, because it is wide, deep, and rapid, and there is
neither bridge nor boat. In crossing it the same contrivances are used
as those of which I have elsewhere spoken for the passage of certain
Indian rivers, for men, for their goods, carriages, cattle, and horses.
A round vessel of 10 or 12 feet in diameter made of branches of osier,
like our hampers, and covered outside with ox hides, serves in place of
a boat,2 and I have described in the same place how the
passengers arrange themselves. Good boats or a bridge over this river
might be provided, but the Kings of Golkonda and Bijapur do not allow
this, because the river serves to separate the two Kingdoms. Every
evening the boatmen on both banks are obliged to report to the two
sub-governors, who reside on either side, at about a quarter of a
league from the river, an exact statement of the people, beasts of
burden, and merchandise which have crossed during the day.
When I arrived at Golkonda, three days had elapsed since
1 The Kistna with its tributary the Bhlma, which separated the ancient Kingdoms.
2
Coracles (see i. 235 and 239). Tavernier is probably not correct in
saying that they were made of osiers or willow j more probably they
were made of bamboo.
