[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Les six voyages de Jean-Baptiste Tavernier](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier) › [Travels in India (Ball)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball) › 136 # Travels in India (Tavernier) 136: CHAPTER XV Concerning the Kingdom of Bhután, from whence comes musk, good rhubarb, and some furs Travels in India (Ball) 136 - **Language:** English ## Contents - [136.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1) — 7 parts - [136.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.2) — 10 parts ### CHAPTER XV Concerning the Kingdom of Bhután, from whence comes musk, good rhubarb, and some furs ### [136.1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1.1) The Kingdom of Bhután is of very wide extent, but we have not been able to acquire an exact knowledge of it as yet. This is what I have ascertained during several journeys which I have made in India, from people of the country who come from it to trade ; but I was better informed regarding it on the last occasion than I had been previously, as I was at Patna, the largest town in Bengal and the most famous for trade — at the time that the merchants of Bhután arrive to sell their musk. During the two months I spent there I bought to the extent of 26,000 rupees worth of musk, an once (Fr.) in the capsule costing me 4 livres and 4 sols of our money, and out of the capsule at the rate of 8 francs, and were it not for the custom duties which have to be paid in India, as well as in Europe, there would be a great profit to be made on it. The best kind of rhubarb also comes from the Kingdom of Bhután; the same country produces also the seed which yields worm powder, and other kinds of drugs, and from thence also beautiful furs are brought. But as for rhubarb, you risk much in its carriage, by whatever road you take it ; for if you go by the north towards Kabul the damp spoils it, and if you take the southern direction, as the way is long, the rains which may supervene are still more to be feared, so that there is no kind of merchandise which is more subject to be spoilt, and requires more care than it does. ### [136.1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1.2) As for musk, during the hot season the merchant does not make any profit by it, because it becomes dry and loses weight. Upon this article 25 per cent duty has generally to be paid at Gorakhpur, the frontier town of the territories of the Great Mogul in the direction of the Kingdom of Bhutan, although they extend 5 or 6 leagues farther. When Indian merchants arrive in that town they call on the customs officer, and tell him that they are going to the Kingdom of Bhutan, one to buy musk, another rhubarb, and they make declarations of the sums which they intend to expend, these the customs officer enters in his register with the names of the merchants. Then the merchants, instead of 25 per cent, which they ought to pay, agree for 7 or 8 per cent, and take a certificate from the customs officer or the Kazi, so that on their return they may not be asked for any more. If it should happen that they are unable to obtain a fair composition from the customs officer, they take a different road, which is both very long and very difficult, on account of the mountains being nearly always covered with snow, and because in the level country there are vast deserts to be traversed. They have to go up to the 60th degree of latitude, and then they turn towards the west to Kabul, which is at the 40th, and it is in that town that the caravan divides, one portion going to Balkh, and the other to Great Tartary. ### [136.1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1.3) It is where those who come from Bhutan barter their goods for horses, mules, and camels, for there is little money in these countries. Then these Tartars carry their goods into Persia, to Ardabil, and Tabriz; this it is which makes Europeans believe that rhubarb and the seeds (semencine) come from Tartary. It is quite true that rhubarb comes from thence, but it is not nearly so good as that which comes from the Kingdom of Bhutan, as it is much more tainted, rhubarb being subject to decay at the heart. The Tartars carry away from Persia silken stuffs of small value which are made at Tabriz and Ardabil, and some English and Dutch cloths which the Armenians bring from Constantinople and Smyrna, whither they are brought from Europe. Those of the merchants who come from Bhutan and Kabul go to Kandahar and on to Ispahan, and they generally take back coral beads, yellow amber, and lapis wrought into beads when they can obtain them. The other merchants, returning from the regions about Multan, Lahore, and Agra, take calicoes, indigo, and an abundance of carnelian and crystal beads. Finally, those who return by Gorakhpur, and have an understanding with the customs officer, take from Patna and Dacca coral, yellow amber, tortoise-shell bracelets, and others of sea shells, with numerous round and square pieces of the size of our 15 sol coins, which are also of the same tortoise-shell and sea shells. ### [136.1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1.4) When I was at Patna four Armenians, who had previously made a journey to the Kingdom of Bhutan, came from Dantzic, where they had had made numerous images of yellow amber, which represented all kinds of animals and monsters, these they were taking to the King of Bhutan to place in his pagodas, he being, like his people, exceedingly idolatrous. Wherever the Armenians see that money is to be made they have no scruple about supplying materials for the purposes of idolatry, and they told me that if they had been able to get an idol made which the King had ordered from them they would have been enriched. It was a head in the form of a monster, which had six horns, four ears, and four arms, with six fingers on each hand, the whole to be of yellow amber, but the Armenians could not find sufficiently large pieces for the purpose. I was inclined to believe that money lacked them, for it did not appear that they had much of it ; it is, however, an infamous trade to furnish the instruments of idolatry to these poor people. Coming now to the road which must be followed from Patna to the Kingdom of Bhutan, upon which the caravan spends three months. It leaves Patna generally at the end of December and arrives on the eighth day at Gorakhpur, which, as I have said, is the last town in this direction in the territories of the Great Mogul, where the merchants obtain their supplies for a portion of the journey. ### [136.1.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1.5) From Gorakhpur to the foot of the high mountains there are still eight or nine days’ marching, during which the caravan suffers much, because the whole country is full of forests, where there are numerous wild elephants, and the merchants instead of sleeping at night must remain on the watch, making large fires and firing their muskets to frighten these animals. As the elephant moves without noise, he takes the people by surprise, and is close to the caravan before they are aware of it. It is not that he comes to do injury to man, for he contents himself with carrying off whatever food he can seize, as a sack of rice or flour, or a pot of butter, of which there is always a large supply. One can go from Patna to the foot of these mountains in Indian carriages or pallankeens, but oxen, camels, or the horses of the country are generally used. These horses are by nature so small that when a man is upon them his feet nearly touch the ground, but they are otherwise strong, and all go at an amble, doing up to 20 leagues at a stretch, and eating and drinking but little. There are some of them which cost as much as 200 and when you enter the mountains you can only use that means of carriage, it being necessary to leave behind all the others, which become useless on account of the numerous passes, which are very narrow. ### [136.1.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1.6) The horses even, though strong and small, often have difficulty in getting through, and it is for this reason, as I shall presently say, that one has recourse to other expedients for traversing these lofty mountains. At 5 or 6 leagues beyond Gorakhpur you enter the territories of the Raja of Nepal, which extend to the frontiers of the Kingdom of Bhutan. This Prince is a vassal of the Great Mogul, and sends him an elephant every year as tribute. He resides in the town of Nepal, of which he bears the name, and there is very little trade or money in his country, as it consists of forests and mountains. The caravan having arrived at the foot of the high mountains, known to-day by the name of Nagar- KOT, which one cannot cross in less than nine or ten days, as they are very high and narrow, with great precipices, — numerous people descend from diverse places, the majority being women and girls, who come to strike a bargain with the people of the caravan, to carry the men, goods, and provisions to the other side of the mountains. This is the method by which they carry them. The women have a strap on the shoulders to which a large cushion hanging on the back is attached ; upon it the man seats himself. It takes three women, who change in turns, to carry a man ; and as for the baggage and provisions, they are loaded on goats which carry up to 150 livres weight each. ### [136.1.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.1.7) Those who desire to take horses into these mountains are often obliged, in the narrow and difficult passes, to haul them up with ropes ; and it is, as I have said, on account of this difficulty that but little use is made of horses in this country. They are fed only in the morning and evening. In the morning a pound of flour, half a pound of black sugar and half a pound of butter, are mixed together with water to give to the horse. In the evening it must be contented with a few horn peas, crushed and steeped in water for half an hour ; in this consists all their food during the space of twenty-four hours. The women who carry the men only receive 2 rupees each, for the ten days of traverse, and as much is paid for every quintal that the goats or sheep carry, and for every led horse. ### [136.2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.2.1) After passing these mountains there are to be had, for carriage to Bhutan, oxen, camels, and horses, and even pallankeens for those who wish to travel more at their ease. The country is good, and produces corn, rice, vegetables, and wine in abundance. All the people, both men and women, are clad during the summer in coarse cotton or hempen cloth, and during the winter in a thick cloth which is like felt. The headdress for both sexes is a cap made very like those English caps which they call bouquin-kans, and it has pigs’ teeth around it for ornament, with round and square pieces of tortoiseshell of the size of one of our 15 sol coins; the richest persons add to them beads of coral or yellow amber, of which the women also make necklaces. The men, like the women, wear bracelets on the left arms only, and from the wrist to the elbow. Those worn by the women are very narrow, but those worn by the men are two fingers wide. They wear a silken cord on the neck, to which a bead of coral or yellow amber is suspended, or a pig’s tooth, which hangs down to the waist ; and on their left side they have bands from whence more of these same beads of coral, amber, or pigs’ teeth hang in strings. Although they are great idolaters they eat all kinds of meat, except that of the cow, which they worship as the mother and nurse of all men, and they are very fond of spirits. They also observe some of the Chinese ceremonies ; ### [136.2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.2.2) for, after having fed their friends, when the repast is finished they burn yellow amber, although they do not worship fire like the Chinese. I have elsewhere given the reason why the Chinese burn amber at the conclusion of their feasts this causes this article to have a good sale in China. In Patna, even, pieces of yellow amber which are not worked, of the size of a good nut, clear and of good colour, are bought by these Bhutan merchants at 35 and 40 rupees the seer, and the seer, both for amber, as also for ambergris, musk, coral, rhubarb, and other drugs, is equal to 9 onces (Fr.) of our weight. Saltpetre, corn, rice, sugar, and other articles of food, are also sold by seers in Bengal ; but this seer is 72 of our livres at 16 onces to the livre, and 40 seers make a maund, which would amount to 2880 livres weight of Paris. When I left that country the maund of rice was selling for 2 rupees. ### [136.2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.2.3) To return to the yellow amber, for a piece of a seer or 9 onces (Fr.) weight, according to its colour and beauty, from 250 to 300 rupees is paid, and the other pieces cost the same in proportion to their size and beauty. Coral in the rough or worked into beads is saleable with sufficient profit, but the rough is much preferred, for this reason, that it can be cut according to their own fashion ; and most frequently women and girls are employed at this work. They also make beads of crystal and agate, and the men make the bracelets of tortoiseshell and sea shells, as also those small pieces of the same shell, both round and square, of which I have spoken above. All the people of the north, men, women, girls, and boys, suspend them from their hair and ears. There are in Patna and Dacca more than 2000 persons who occupy themselves with these trades, all that is produced by them being exported to the Kingdoms of Bhutan, Assam, Siam, and other countries to the north and east of the territories of the Great Mogul. ### [136.2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.2.4) As for the semencine or worm powder, it cannot be harvested like other grains. It is a herb which grows in the fields, and must be allowed to die, and the evil is that when it approaches maturity the wind causes a great part to fall among the herbage, where it is lost, and this it is which makes it so dear. As it cannot be touched by the hand, because it would thereby be sooner spoilt, and even when making a sample, it is collected in a porringer; when it is wished to gather what remains in the ear, the following is the method adopted: The people who collect it have two baskets with handles, and when walking in the fields they wave one of these baskets from right to left, and the other from left to right, as though they cut the herb, which nevertheless they only touch the upper part of—that is to say, the ear, and all the grain thus falls into the baskets. Semencine also grows in the Province of Kerman, but it is not so good as that of Bhutan, and there is not more of it than is required in the country itself. This grain not only serves for driving worms from the bodies of children, but the Persians and all the people who live towards the north, and even the English and Dutch, use it as aniseed to put in comfits. As for rhubarb, it is known to be a root which is cut in pieces, ten or twelve of them being strung together and then dried. ### [136.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.2.5) If the people of Bhutan had as much skill as the Muscovites in slaying the martin one might obtain from this country an abundance of rich furs, since there are numbers of these animals. As soon as the animal shows its head outside its hole the Muscovites, who are on the watch, shoot it without fail, generally in the nose or the eyes, for if it is shot in the body the skin will be worth nothing on account of the blood which flows from the wound, and causes the hair moistened by it to fall out. ### [136.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.2.6) The King of Bhutan always employs 7000 or 8000 men as his guard. These people are armed with the bow and arrow, and the majority also carry the axe and shield, the former having a point on one side like a war mace. It is a long time since the Bhutanese first acquired the use of the musket, iron cannon, and gunpowder, which is of long grain, and is very strong. I have been assured that there is to be seen on their guns figures and letters which are more than 500 years old. They cannot be taken out of the kingdom without the express permission of the Governor, and no one dare carry away a musket unless his nearest relatives go bail that it will be faithfully returned. Except for this difficulty I would have brought one away with me. By the characters which were on the gun, as those who were able to read assured me, it had been made 180 years. It was very thick, the mouth shaped like a tulip, and the interior polished like a mirror. On two-thirds of the gun there were bands in relief, and some gilt and silvered flowers between two of them, and the ball which it carried was an once (Fr.) in weight. The merchant of Bhutan being so particular about the return of the musket, no matter what offer I made I could never persuade him to sell it to me, and he even refused to give me a sample of his powder. But I have brought to France two guns of nearly the same kind, one of which was made in the island of Ceylon, and the other in Bengal. ### [136.2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.2.7) There are always fifty elephants about the house of the King of Bhutan for his guard, and twenty or twenty-five camels, which carry on the saddle a small piece of artillery, with a ball of about half a pound in weight. There is a man seated on the crupper of the camel, as I have elsewhere described, and he manipulates this piece as he pleases, high or low, to the right or to the left, it being fixed on a fork which is attached to the saddle. There is no king in the world who is more feared and more respected by his subjects than the King of Bhutan, and he is even worshipped by them. When on the seat of justice, or when he gives an audience, all those who present themselves before him have their joined hands elevated to their foreheads, and holding themselves aloof from the throne, prostrate themselves to the ground without daring to raise the head. It is in this humble posture that they make their supplications to the King, and when they withdraw they walk backwards till they are out of his presence. The Brahmins make these poor people believe that the King is a god upon earth, and principally those who come from the north. . . . ### [136.2.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.2.8) These people of BhutAn are robust men and of fine stature, but have somewhat flat faces and noses. I am informed that the women are taller and more vigorous than the men, but that they are more subject than them to goitre, from which few of them escape. They know nothing of war, and have no one to fear but the Great Mogul. But on his side, which lies to the south of them, it is, as I have said, a country of high mountains and narrow passes; on the north there is nothing but forests and almost perpetual snow, and both on the east and west there are vast deserts where one finds nothing but bitter waters; and whatever there is of inhabited country belongs to Rajas who have not much power. There is apparently some mine of silver in the Kingdom of BhutAn, for the King coins pieces which are of the value of rupees. These pieces are not round but octagonal, and there are characters on them which are neither Indian nor Chinese. Nevertheless, the merchants of Bhután, who told me at Patna of all these things, could not tell me where the mine was, and as for gold the little they have of it is brought to them by the merchants who come from the east. This is all that I have been able to learn concerning the Kingdom of Bhután, beyond which the ambassadors passed whom the Duke of Moscovie sent to China in the year 1659. They took their route through the length of Great Tartary to the north of Bhután, and arrived at the court of the King of China with considerable presents. ### [136.2.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.2.9) They were some of the most distinguished nobles of Moscovie, and were at first very well received. But when it became necessary for them to salute the King — the custom being to prostrate oneself three times on the ground — they would not consent to do so, saying that they would salute according to their own method, and in the manner that they saluted their own Emperor, who was as great and as powerful as he of China. As they remained firm in this resolution they had no audience, and returned with their presents without having seen the King. It would have answered better if the Grand Duke had chosen for this embassy some persons of lower rank than these three nobles, who would have shown themselves less scrupulous about formalities, which are often the cause of one’s being unable to accomplish great designs. If these Moscovite ambassadors had consented to conform to the customs of China (which they might have done without compromising the honour of their master), we should have, without doubt, at this time, a road opened by land from Moscovie to China, through the north of Great Tartary, and a greater knowledge of the Kingdom of Bhutan, which is in its vicinity, and of some others of which we scarce know the names ; this would have been a great advantage for all Europe. ### [136.2.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136.2.10) As I have just spoken of the Moscovites, I remember that in my journeys, and particularly on the road from Tabriz to Ispahan, where you generally meet Moscovite merchants, several of them have assured me that in the year 1654, in one of the towns of Moscovie, a woman aged eighty-two gave birth to a male child, which was taken to the Grand Duke, who wished to see it, and had it brought up at his own court. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.136) · Pramāṇa