Travels in India (Tavernier) 106.4

106.4

The King of Bhutan, of whom I shall speak in the following Book, in the description which I shall give of his Kingdom, fearing that the fraud done in musk might stop the trade, especially as musk is also obtained in Tonquin or Cochin-China, but is much dearer because it is not so abundant there — this King, I say, fearing lest this falsification of goods would divert the trade from his territories, some time ago ordered that the bladders should not be stitched, but should be brought open to Bhutan, which is the place of his residence, to be examined and sealed with his seal. Those which I bought were of this kind ; but notwithstanding all the King’s precautions, the peasants open them secretly, and place small pieces of lead in them, as I have said ; this the merchants tolerate, because the lead does not spoil the musk, and causes no injury, save in the weight. On one of my journeys to Patna I bought 7673 bladders, which weighed 2557½ ounces, and 452 ounces without the bladders. Bezoar comes from a Province of the Kingdom of Golconda, towards the north-east. It is found in the fodder in the paunches of goats which brouse on a tree, the name of which I have forgotten. This plant bears little buds, about which, and also on the tips of the branches, which the goats eat, the bezoar concretes in the bellies of these animals. It assumes a form according to the shape of the buds and the ends of the branches, and this is why one finds it in so many different shapes.