Storia do Mogor 277.2

277.2

In the Karnatik there was much treasure buried by those of old time; hence Mir Jumlah recovered some coined money, of which the name was not known; and Shiva Ji also discovered some hoards of money, which he spent on increasing his army. So also the common people, when they set to work to build, recover ancient money that has been buried, but are unable to make use of it for fear of discovery. The lord of the country takes possession of it, and gives a good flogging in addition, to try and find out if there is any more. I knew a poor oilman who lived in a village called Trimanavas (Tirumani). Digging up the soil to bury a vessel of oil, he recovered seven jars full of various coins, all of gold, some weighing two to two and a half drams, but the larger number were small coins, of which four-and-twenty weighed the same as one piece of eight (a dollar). The lettering could not be read; the larger pieces had on one side nothing but an image, and no one knew whose it was. The worthy oilman was sufficiently astute to remove these coins in oil-jars, which he carried for sale into another territory, and kept the money in the hands of his relations, never returning to his own country. With this money he did more or less good, building some great pagodas, or making idols, tanks, ponds, and rest-houses for travellers on the roadside, and other good works.