to
Golkonda, which is the place where there is the most considerable sale,
without being able to ascertain in what part of the body of the goat it
is found. On my fifth journey some persons who were in the services of
the English and Dutch Companies, and who dared not trade on their own
account, were indebted to me because I purchased about 60,000 rupees'
worth of bezoar for them. The merchants who sold it, wishing to show
their gratitude, and make me some present, I refused, and told them I
had never taken anything from anyone for a service which I was able to
render. But I let them know that I would be able to serve them again in
the approaching monsoon, and that they would oblige me, on their part,
if they would get three or four of these goats which produce the bezoar
for me, promising to pay them for them whatsoever they were worth. The
merchants appeared much surprised at this demand, and replied that the
prohibition was so strict that if any one dared to remove the goats out
of the Province he would be executed without fail. I saw plainly that
this request troubled them, for on the one side they feared punishment
and on the other they were afraid lest I might prevent them from making
another sale ; this would have been a great loss to these poor people,
who, whether they do or do not sell, are obliged to pay the King, for
the farm, 6,000 old pagodas, which amount to 45,000 Iivres of our money.1
Fifteen days or so afterwards, when I had thought nothing further about
them, three of them knocked at my door before daylight. As soon as they
entered my chamber, where I was still in bed, they asked me if all my
servants were foreigners. As I had none from the town, and they were
all either Persians or from Surat, I told them they were all
foreigners, upon which they withdrew without replying. Half an hour
afterwards they returned with six of these goats, which I examined at
my leisure. It should be said that they are beautiful animals,
connexion with Jade (N. EUas & E. D. Ross, Hist, of the Moghuls of Central Asia, 1898, p. 32, note 4).
1
There may be some mistake here, as 6,000 old pagodas are only equal to
45,000 Iivres when the pagoda is taken at 5 rupees, whereas Tavernier
in general gives the old pagoda the value of only 4J rupees, 45,000
Iivres = £3,3757
