Storia do Mogor 88.2.6

88.2.6

After the royal audience of leave-taking, the envoys sent their baggage out of the city, while they stayed behind with fifty horsemen in order to take leave of the greater nobles. The first to whom they went was Ja'far Khan, chief secretary (i.e., wazir), and he produced, as is the custom, a box full of betel, of which they ate as they came away. The box was of gold, and its salver covered with precious stones, the whole worth more than one hundred thousand rupees. Feigning the innocent, the envoy made believe that the whole was made over to him as a gift. He took the box and the salver and placed them inside his clothes, which are long, wide, and flowing, then hurriedly made his adieu with a few complimentary words. Off went the eunuch at once to inform the secretary of the low conduct of these rustics. The wazir, aware of the avaricious character of the people, gave orders that, without the least delay, all the umaras (nobles) should be warned of what the Balkh envoys had done. The nobles, warned at the cost of others, when the envoys appeared, sent them betel-leaf in silver boxes of small value. Thus did Muhammad Amin Khan, and after him Multafat Khan ; whence, recognising that no one else could be cheated like Ja'far Khan, they took the betel, made no more visits, and, quitting the city, started for their country, being thus filled with grease, inside and out.