The Institutes of Akbar 65: On the Preparation of some Perfumes.
The Áín i Akbari (Blochmann, Jarrett) 65
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Contents
On the Preparation of some Perfumes.
65.1.1
1. ’Ambar. Some say that ’Ambar grows at the bottom of the sea, and that it is the food brought up again after eating, by various animals living in the sea. Others say that fishes eat it and die from it, and that it is taken from their intestines. According to some, it is the dung of the sea-cow, called sárá; or the foam of the sea. Others again say, it trickles from the mountains of islands. Many look upon it as marine gum; others whose opinion I adopt, take it to be wax. It is said that on some mountains a great deal of honey is to be found, so much in fact that it runs into the sea; the wax rises to the surface, when the heat of the sun reduces it to a solid state. As the bees collect the honey from sweet smelling flowers, ’Ambar is, naturally, scented. Bees are also occasionally found in it. Abū Sīnā thinks that there is a fountain at the bottom of the sea, from which ’Ambar rills, when it is carried by waves to the shore. ’Ambar, when fresh, is moist; the heat of the sun causes it to dry up. It is of various colours: the white one is the best, and the black is the worst; the middling-sort is pistachio-coloured and yellow. The best kind goes by the name of ashhab. It feels greasy, and consists of layers. If you break it, it looks yellowish white. The whiter, lighter, and more flexible it is, the better. Next in quality is the pistachio-coloured ’Ambar; and inferior to it the yellow kind, called Khashkhāshī. The black kind is bad; it is inflammable.
65.1.2
Greedy bāzār-dealers will mix it with wax, Mandal, and Lādan, &c.; but not every one has recourse to such practices. Mandal is a kind of ’Ambar taken from the intestines of dead fishes; it does not smell much. 2. Lādan is also often called ’Ambar. It is taken from a tree which grows in the confines of Qubrus (Cyprus) and Qīsis (Chios) or Qistis. It is a moisture that settles on the leaves of the tree. When goats in grazing pass near it, the hairs of their legs and the horn of their hoofs stick to it, and the whole then dries up. Such Lādan as is mixed with goat’s-hair, is counted superior. It looks greenish, and has a good smell. But Lādan which is mixed with horn is looked upon as inferior. Sometimes people tie ropes round about the trees, and collect the Lādan which sticks to them. Afterwards they boil it in water, clean it, and make it into cakes.
65.1.3
3. The Camphor tree is a large tree growing in the ghauts of Hindustan and in China. A hundred horsemen and upwards may rest in the shade of a single tree. Camphor is collected from the trunk and the branches. Some say that during summer a large number of serpents wind themselves round about the tree, for the sake of its coolness; people then mark such trees by shooting an arrow into the trunks, and collect the camphor during the winter. Others say that camphor trees are much frequented by leopards, which like camphor so much as never to go away from the trees. The camphor within the tree looks like small bits of salt; that on the outside like resin. It often flows from the tree on the ground, and gets after some time solid. If there are earthquakes during a year, or any other cosmical disturbances, camphor is found in large quantities. Of the various kinds of camphor, the best is called Ribāhī, or Qaiçūrī. Although different in name, they are the same; for it is said that the first camphor was found by a king of the name of Abdi near Qaisur, which is a place near the island of Ceylon. According to some books, it is white like snow: and this is true, for I have broken it myself from the tree. Ibn Baitar, however, said that it was originally red and shining, and only got white by artificial crystallization. Whatever the case may be, there is certainly a kind of camphor which is white in its natural state.
65.1.4
And of all other kinds it is the best, the whitest, which has the thinnest layers, the cleanest, and the largest. Inferior to it is the kind called Qurgit, which is Blackish and dirty. Still inferior is the light brown kind called Kaukab. The worst camphor is mixed with pieces of wood; it goes under the name of Balis. By artificial crystallization each kind will become clean and white. In some books camphor in its natural state is called Jiddnah or Bhimsini. If kept with a few barley grains, or peppercorns, or surkh ddnahs, it will evaporate the less. The camphor which is made of Zurumbad by mixing it with other ingredients, is called Chini or Mayyit-camphor. White Zurumbad is finely pounded, and mixed with sour cream of cow or buffaloe's milk; on the fourth day they put fresh cream to it, and beat it with the hand till foam appears, which they take away. With this they mix some camphor, put it into a box, and keep it for some time in the husks of grains. Or, they reduce some white stone to fine powder, mix it at the rate of ten dirhams of it with two dirhams of wax, and half a dirham of oil of Violet, or oil of Surkh Gul. The wax is first melted, and then mixed with the powder, so as to form a paste. They then put it between two stones, and make it thin and flat. When it gets cold, it looks like camphor, bits of which are mixed with it. Unprincipled men profit in this manner by the loss of others. 4. Zabad (civet) is also called Shakh.
65.1.5
It is a moist substance secreted during the rutting season by an animal which resembles a cat, having however, a larger face and mouth. The zabad which is brought from the harbour-town of Sumatra, from the territory of Achin, goes by the name of Sumatra zabad, and is by far the best. The moist substance itself is yellowish white. The animal has below its tail a bag, of the size of a small hazel nut, in which there are from five to six holes. The bag may be emptied every week or fortnight, and yields from half a tolah to eight mashahs. Some civet cats become so tame as to hold quiet when the bag is being emptied; but in the case of most animals, they have to catch hold of the tail, and draw it through the cage, when they take out the zabad with a shell, or by pressing gently against the bag. The price of a civet cat varies from 300 to 500 Rs. The zabad of the male is better than that of the female, because in the latter the vulva is just above the bag. When removed, the zabad is washed, and becomes afterwards one of the finest perfumes. The smell will remain a long time in the clothes, and even on the skin. There are several ways of washing it. If the quantity be small, they put it into a cup, or if greater, into a tin vessel, and wash it thirty times in cold water, and three times in warm water. The latter renders it thin and removes impurities.
65.1.6
Then they wash it again in cold water till it gets solid, when they wash it three times in lime juice, which removes all unpleasant smell. After this, they wash it again three times in cold water, pass it through a piece of cloth, put it into a China cup, and wash it three times in rose water. They then smear the zabád on the inside of the cup, keep it at night inverted in extract of Chambélí, or Raibél, or Surkh gul, or Gul i Karnah, and expose it at day-time to the rays of the sun, covered with a piece of white cloth till all moisture goes away. It may then be used, mixed with a little rose water. 5. Gaurah looks greyish white, but does not smell so well as the preceding. It is a moisture secreted during the rutting season by an animal like the civet cat, but somewhat larger. It is also brought from the confines of Achín. The price of this animal varies from 100 to 200 Rs. 6. Míd resembles the preceding, but is inferior to it. They mix it with other substances; hence they sell it in larger quantities. The animal which yields Míd, is found in various countries, and only sells from five to six dáms. Some say that Míd is the dried bag of the civet cat, pounded and boiled in water; the greasy substance which rises to the surface is the Míd. 7. ‘Úd, or wood of Aloes, called in Hind. Agar, is the root of a tree. They lop it off and bury it in the earth, when whatever is bad rots, and the remainder is pure aloes. Some say that they do so with the whole tree.
65.1.7
The statement occasionally found in some old books that the habitat of the tree is Central India, is an absurdity of fanciful writers. There are several kinds: the best is called Mandalí, and the second in quantity, Jabalí or Hindí. The smell of the wood, especially that of the first kind, is a preventive against fleas; but some think both kinds equal in this respect. Of other good kinds I may mention the Samandurí; the Qumárí, which is inferior to it; the Qáqulí, next in rank; the Barrí; the Qit‘í; and the Chinese, also called Qismúrí, which is wet and sweet. Still inferior are the Jalálí, the Máya-táqí, the Lawáqí, the Rítalí. But of all kinds the Mandalí is the best. Samandurí is grey, fatty, thick, hard, juicy, without the slightest sign of whitishness, and burns long. The best of all is the black and heavy; in water it settles at the bottom, is not fibrous, and may be easily pounded. The wood which floats is looked upon as bad. Former kings transplanted the tree to Gujrát, and now-a-days it grows in Chánpánír. It is generally brought from Achin and Dahnasari. Nothing is known of the habitat mentioned in old books. Aloewood is often used in compound perfumes; when eaten, it is exhilarating. It is generally employed in incense; the better qualities, in form of a powder, are often used for rubbing into the skin and clothes.
65.2.1
8. Chúwah is distilled wood of aloes; it is in general use. The preparation is as follows: They take fine clay, mix it with cotton or rice bran, and beat it well. When properly intermixed, they take a small bottle large enough to put a finger into it, smear it all over with the clay, and let it dry. After this, they put very small pieces of wood of aloes into it, so as nearly to fill the bottle. The wood must have been kept wet for a week before. Another vessel, with a hole in the middle, is now placed on a three-legged stand. Into this vessel, they pass the neck of the little bottle inverted, placing a cup full of water at the bottom of the vessel, in such a manner that the mouth of the bottle reaches the surface of the water. On the top of the vessel they then put wild cow’s dung, and light a gentle fire. Should flames break out, they extinguish them with water. The wood of aloes will then secrete a moisture which trickles on the surface of the water, where it remains. This is collected, and washed several times with water and rose water, to take off all smell of smoke. The oftener it is washed, and the older it gets, the better will be the scent. It looks black, although experienced people make it white. One sér of wood of aloes will yield from two to fifteen tólahs of Chúwah. Some avaricious dealers mix sandalwood or almonds with it, trying thereby to cheat people.
65.2.2
9. Sandalwood is called in Hind. Chandan. The tree grows in China. During the present reign, it has been successfully planted in India. There are three kinds, the white, the yellow, the red. Some take the red to be more refreshing than the white; others prefer the white. The latter is certainly more cooling than the red, and the red more so than the yellow. The best is that which is yellow and oily; it goes by the name of Maqáçarí. Sandalwood is pounded and rubbed over the skin; but it is also used in other ways. 10. Siláras (storax) is called in Arabic Mí’ah. It is the gum of a tree that grows in Turkey. The kind which is clear, is called Mí’ah-i sáïlah (liquid); the other kinds, Mí’ah-i yábisah (dry). The best kind is that which spontaneously flows out of the trunk; it is yellowish. 11. Kalanbak (calembic) is the wood of a tree brought from Zírbád (?); it is heavy and full of veins. Some believe it to be raw wood of aloes. When pounded, it looks grey. They use it for compound perfumes; and they also make rosaries of it. 12. The Malagîr is a tree resembling the former, only that the wood is lighter and not veined. When pounded, it looks reddish white. 13. Lubán (frankincense) is the odorous gum of a tree which is found in Java. Some take it to be the same as Mahí yábisah. When exposed to fire, it evaporates like camphor. The Lubán which the Persians call Kundur i daryáí (mastix), is a resin brought from Yaman; but it is not odorous.
65.2.3
14. Azfár uttíb, or scented finger nails, are called in Hind. Nakh, and in Persian Nákhun i búyá. It is the house of an animal, consisting, like a shell, of two parts. They have a good smell, as the animal feeds on sumbuls, and are found in the large rivers of Hindustan, Başrah, and Baḥrain, the latter being considered the best. They are also found in the Red Sea, and many prefer them to the other kinds. They warm them in butter; others expose them afterwards to the fire, pound them, and mix them with other perfumes. 15. Sugandh gúgálá (bdellium) is a plant very common in Hindustan; it is used in perfumes. As I have said something on perfumes, I shall make a few remarks on several beautiful flowers. 1. The Séwtí resembles the Gul i Surkh, but is smaller. It has in the middle golden stamens, and from four to six petals. Habitat, Gujrát and the Dek’han. 2. Of the Chambélí there are two kinds. The Rái Chambélí has from five to six petals, outside red. The Chambélí proper is smaller, and has on the top a red stripe. Its stem is one and a half or two yards high, and hangs over the ground. It has many long and broad branches. It flowers from the first year. 3. The Rái bél resembles the jasmin. There are various kinds; some are simple, double, &c. A quintuple is very common, so that each petal might be separated as a distinct flower. Its stem grows a yard high. The leaves of the tree resemble those of the orange tree; but they are somewhat smaller and softer.
65.2.4
4. The Mungrá resembles the Rái bél. It is larger, but inferior in smell. It has more than a hundred petals; the plant grows to a large tree. 5. The Champah flower has a conical shape, of the size of a finger, and consists of ten petals and more, lying in folds one above the other. It has several stamens. The tree looks graceful, and resembles in leaf and trunk the nut tree. It flowers after seven years. 6. The Kéthí has the form of spindle, of the size of a quarter of a yard, with twelve or more petals. Its smell is delicate and fragrant. It bears flowers in six or seven years. 7. The Kéwrah resembles the preceding, but is more than twice as big. The petals have thorns. As they grow on different places, they are not all equal. In the midst of the flower, there is a small branch with honey-coloured threads, not without smell. The flower smells even after it is withered. Hence people put it into clothes, when the smell remains for a long time. The stem of the tree is above four yards high; the leaves are like those of the maize, only longer, and triangular, with three thorns in each corner. It flowers from the fourth year. Every year they put new earth round about the roots. The plant is chiefly found in the Dek’han, Gujrát, Málwah, and Bahár.
65.2.5
8. The Chaltah resembles a large tulip. It consists of eighteen petals, six green ones above; six others, some red, some green, some greyish yellow; and six white. In the midst of the flower, as in the flower called Haméshah Bahár, there are nearly two hundred little yellow leaves, with a red globule in the centre. The flower will remain quite fresh for five or six days after having been plucked. It smells like the violet. When withered, the flower is cooked and eaten. The tree resembles the pomegranate tree; and its leaves look like those of the orange tree. It blooms in seven years. 9. The Tasbíb-i-gulál has a fine smell. The petals have the form of a dagger. The stem of the plant is two yards high. It flowers after four years. They make rosaries of the flowers, which keep fresh for a week. 10. The Bhélsarí is smaller than the jasmin; its petals are indented. When dry the flower smells better. The tree resembles the walnut tree, and flowers in the tenth year. 11. The Singárhár is shaped like a clove, and has an orange-coloured stalk. The stamens look like poppy seeds. The tree resembles the pomegranate tree, and the leaves are like the leaves of a peach tree. It flowers in five years. 12. The Kúzah looks like a Gul i surkh; but the plant and the leaves are larger. It has five or a hundred petals, and golden coloured stamens in the middle. They make ’Abírmáyah and an extract from it.
65.2.6
13. The Pádal has five or six long petals. It gives water an agreeable flavour and smell. It is on this account that people preserve the flowers, mixed with clay, for such times when the flower is out of season. The leaves and the stem are like those of a nut tree. It flowers in the twelfth year. 14. The Júhí has small leaves. This creeper winds itself round about trees, and flowers in three years. 15. The Niwárí looks like a simple Rái bél, but has larger petals. The flowers are often so numerous, as to conceal the leaves and branches of the plant. It flowers in the first year. 16. The Kapur bel has five petals, and resembles the saffron flower. This flower was brought during the present reign from Europe. 17. The Za’faran (saffron). In the beginning of the month of Urdibihisht, the saffron seeds are put into the ground which has been carefully prepared and rendered soft. After this, the field is irrigated with rain water. The seed itself is a bulb resembling garlic. The flower appears in the middle of the month of Aban; the plant is about a quarter of a yard long; but, according to the difference of the soil in which it stands, there are sometimes two-thirds of it above, and sometimes below the ground. The flower stands on the top of the stalk, and consists of six petals and six stamens. Three of the six petals have a fresh lilac colour, and stand round about the remaining three petals.
65.2.7
The stamens are similarly placed, three of a yellow colour standing round about the other three, which are red. The latter yield the saffron. Yellow stamens are often cunningly intermixed. In former times saffron was collected by compulsory labour: they pressed men daily, and made them separate the saffron from the petals and the stamens, and gave them salt instead of wages, a man who cleaned two pals receiving two pals of salt. At the time of Ghazi Khan, the son of (Kaji) Chak, another custom became general: they gave the workmen eleven tarks of saffron flowers, of which one tark was given them as wages; and for the remaining ten they had to furnish two Akbarshahi sers of clean, dry saffron, i. e., for two Akbarshahi mans of saffron flowers they had to give two sers of cleaned saffron. This custom, however, was abolished by his Majesty, on his third visit to Kashmir, to the great relief of the people.
65.3.1
When the bulb has been put into the ground, it will produce flowers for six years, provided the soil be annually softened. For the first two years, the flowers will grow sparingly; but in the third year the plant reaches its state of perfection. After six years the bulbs must be taken out; else they get rotten. They plant them again on some other place; and leave the old ground uncultivated for five years. Saffron comes chiefly from the place Panpur, which belongs to the district of Maruraj (?). The fields there extend over nearly twelve kos. Another place of cultivation is in the Parganah of Paraspr, near Indrakót, not far from Kamráj, where the fields extend about a kós. 18. The Áftábí (sun-flower) is round, broad, and large, has a large number of petals, and turns continually to the sun. Its stem reaches a height of three yards. 19. The Kanwal. There are two kinds. One opens when the sublime Sun shines, turning wherever he goes, and closing at night. It resembles the shaqáyiq-lily; but its red is paler. Its petals which are never less than six in number enclose yellow stamens, in the midst of which there is an excrescence of the form of a cone with the base upwards, which is the fruit, and contains the seeds. The other kind has four white petals, opens at night, and turns itself according to the moon, but does not close.
65.3.2
20. The Ja’farí is a pretty round flower, and grows larger than the sadbarg. One kind has five, another a hundred petals. The latter remains fresh for two months and upwards. The plant is of the size of a man, and the leaves resemble those of the willow, but are indented. It flowers in two months. 21. The Gúdhal resembles the jôghásí-tulip, and has a great number of petals. Its stem reaches a height of two yards and upwards; the leaves look like Mulberry leaves. It flowers in two years. 22. The Ratanmanjaní has four petals, and is smaller than the jasmin. The tree and the leaves resemble the Ráibél. It flowers in two years. 23. The Késú has five petals resembling a tiger’s claw. In their midst is a yellow stamen of the shape of a tongue. The plant is very large, and is found on every meadow; when it flowers, it is as if a beautiful fire surrounded the scenery. 24. The Kanér remains a long time in bloom. It looks well, but it is poisonous. Whoever puts it on his head, is sure to fall in battle. It has mostly five petals. The branches are full of the flowers; the plant itself grows to a height of two yards. It flowers in the first year. 25. The Kadam resembles a tumághah (a royal cap). The leaves are like those of the nut tree, which the whole tree resembles. 26. The Nág késar, like the Gul i surkh, has five petals and is full of fine stamens. It resembles the nut tree in the leaves and the stem, and flowers in seven years.
65.3.3
27. The Surpan resembles the Sesame flower, and has yellow stamens in the middle. The stem resembles the Zúnná plant, and the leaves those of the willow. 28. The Siríkhándí is like the Chámpélí, but smaller. It flowers in two years. 29. The Hinna has four petals, and resembles the flower called Néfarmén. Different plants have often flowers of a different colour. 30. The Dupahriyd is round and small, and looks like the flower called Haméshah bahér. It opens at noon. The stem is about two yards high. 31. The Bhin champd resembles the Nilifar flowers, and has five petals. The stem is about a span long. It grows on such places as are periodically under water. Occasionally a plant is found above the water. 32. The Sudarsan resembles the Rdzbél, and has yellow threads inside. The stem looks like that of the Sdsan flower. 33. Sénbal has five petals, each ten fingers long, and three fingers broad. 34. The Ratanmdlé is round and small. Its juice is cooked out, and when mixed with vitriol and duagfar, furnishes a fast red dye for stuffs. Butter, sesame oil, are also boiled together with the root of the plant, when the mixture becomes a purple dye. 35. The Sinadrd resembles the jasmin, but is a little larger, and has from five to six petals. The stem is like that of the Chambéli. It flowers in two years. 36. The Málití is like the Chambéli, but smaller. In the middle there are little stamens looking like poppyseed. It flowers in two years more or less.
65.3.4
37. The Karíl has three small petals. It flowers luxuriantly, and looks very well. The flower is also boiled and eaten; they make also pickles of it. 38. The Jait plant grows to a large tree; its leaves look like Tamarind leaves. 39. The Chanpalah is like a nosegay. The leaves of the plant are like nut leaves. It flowers in two years. The bark of the plant, when boiled in water, makes the water red. It grows chiefly in the hills; its wood burns bright like a candle. 40. The Lahí has a stem one and a half yards high. The branches, before the flowers appear, are made into a dish which is eaten with bread. When camels feed on this plant, they get fat and unruly. 41. The Karaundah resembles the Júhí flower. 42. The Dhanantar resembles the Nílúfar, and looks very well. It is a creeper. 43. The Siras flower consists of silk-like threads, and resembles a tumághah. It sends its fragrance to a great distance. It is the king of the trees, although the Hindus rather worship the Pípal and Bar trees. The tree grows very large; its wood is used in building. Within the stem the wood is black, and resists the stroke of the axe. 44. The Hangldi has five petals, each four fingers long, and looks very beautiful. Each branch produces only one flower.
65.3.5
45. The San flower (hemp) looks like a nosegay. The leaves of the plant resemble those of the Chand. Of the bark of the plant strong ropes are made. One kind of this plant bears a flower like the cotton tree, and is called Patsan. It makes a very soft rope. It is really too difficult for me, ignorant as I am, to give a description of the flowers of this country: I have mentioned a few for those who wish to know something about them. There are also found many flowers of Irán and Túrán, as the Gul i Surkh, the Nargis, the violet, the Yásaman i kabúd, the Súsan, the Raihán, the Ra'ná, the Zébá, the Shaqáiq, the Táj i khurús, the Qalghah, the Náfarmán, the Khatmí, &c. Garden and flower beds are everywhere to be found. Formerly people used to plant their gardens without any order, but since the time of the arrival in India of the emperor Bábar, a more methodical arrangement of the gardens has obtained; and travellers now-a-days admire the beauty of the palaces and their murmuring fountains.
65.3.6
It would be impossible to give an account of those trees of the country, whose flowers, fruits, buds, leaves, roots, &c., are used as food, or medicine. If, according to the books of the Hindus, a man were to collect only one leaf from each tree, he would get eighteen bárs, or loads, (5 surkhs = 1 máshah; 16 máshahs = 1 karsha; 4 karshas = 1 pala; 100 palas = 1 tulá; 20 tulás = 1 bár); i. e., according to the weights now in use, 96 mans. The same books also state that the duration of the life of a tree is not less than two gharis (twice 24 minutes), and not more than ten thousand years. The height of the trees is said not to exceed a little above a thousand jojans. When a tree dies, its life is said to pass into one of the following ten things: fire, water, air, earth, plants, animals, animals of two senses, such as have three, or four, or five senses.