EXTRACT FROM TAVERNIER’S VOYAGES.
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THERE are but two places in the Eaft in which coloured ftones are found, that isthe kingdom of Pegu, and the ifland of Ceylon. The firft is at a mountain about adozen days journey from Siren, on the north-eaft, and is called Capelan. This is themine which produces the greateft quantity of rubies and fpinels, otherwife called themother of rubies, yellow topazes, blue and white fapphires, jacinths, amethyfts, andother ftones of different colours. Amongft thefe of a hard nature they find others ofvarious colours, but very foft, which in the language of the country are called Bacan,but they are in little eftimation.
Siren is the name of the city in which the King of Pegu has his refidence, and Avais the port of his kingdom. From Ava to Siren you go up the river in large barks,which are very flat. It is about fixty days voyage, and cannot be performed on landby reafon that you have to travel through woods full of lions, tigers, and elephants.This is one of the pooreft countries in the world, producing nothing but rubies, andthole not in fo great a number as is generally believed, feeing that taking one year withanother the exportation does not amount to one hundred thoufand crowns. In thenumber of thefe ftones you rarely meet with a fine one weighing three or four carats,by reafon of the great difficulty in conveying them away till the King has feen them,who always retains all the fine ones he meets with. Whence it happens, that in all myvoyages, I had a very confiderable profit to derive from European rubies brought toAfia ; and the relation of Vincent le Blanc, who boafts of having feen rubies in theKing’s palace as big as eggs, is very doubtful.
The following is an account of the price of fome rubies, that might pafs for fine ones,
. which I have in my various travels feen for fale by merchants who came from themine, when I was at Mafiipatan and Golconda. . All rubies are fold by a weight calleda ratis, which is three grains and a half, or feven eights of a carat, and the payment is' made in old pagodas, of which I have fpoke in the preceding chapter.
Pagodas.
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A ruby weighing one ratis has been fold for
A ruby weighing 2 ratis and -3-
A ruby weighing 3 ratis and 4
A ruby weighing 4 ratis and
A ruby weighing 4 ratis
A ryiby weighing 6 ratis and
When a ruby weighs more than fix ratis and is perfect, it will fetch almoft anyprice.
In this country they call all coloured {tone rubies, only diftinguifhing them by thecolour itfelf. t hus in the language of Pegu, the fapphire is a blue ruby, the ame-thyft a violet ruby, the topaz a yellow ruby, and fo on with all others.
In trading they are fo greedy of gain, that they will not fhew you a parcel of rubies,of however little value, without you promile beforehand to make them a ftnall prefent,fuch as a turban or fafh, in cafe you do not buy, but if you behave liberal to them,
they will (hew you the whole of their merchandize, when you may generally buy toadvantage.
The other part of the Eaft, from which rubies and other coloured ftones are pro-duced, is a river in the ifland of Ceylon. It runs from the high mountains which are
about