[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) › 151.1 # Travels in India (Tavernier) 151.1 Travels in India (Ball) 151.1 - **Language:** English ### [151.1.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.1.1) Concerning an affair which was raised unseasonably for the Author in the Council at Batavia There are two Councils in Batavia, the Council of the fort, at which the General presides, where the affairs of the Company are discussed ; and the Council that sits in the Town Hall, and deals with the police and the minor disputes which arise among the citizens. M. Faure, one of the members of this Town Council, was among the number of those who came to visit me on my arrival, and during the space of nine or ten days he, together with one of his friends, was with me four times. Both spoke frequently of M. Constant, who had been commander at Gombroon, and was for many years the second person of the factory at Surat, where he had amassed much wealth. He had often trusted me with a part of it, and we had always been good friends. One day, as I was about leaving Surat in order to go to the diamond mine, he asked me to purchase (diamonds) on his account to the extent of 16,000 rupees worth, giving me a letter of credit for that sum at Golconda, where it was paid to me, and I invested it as he desired. I expected on my return to find him at Surat; but during my journey he had received orders to start for Batavia at once, and as soon as he got there he married the widow of General Vandime and went with her to Holland. ### [151.1.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.1.2) I was much surprised on my return to Surat to find that he had left without giving orders to any of his friends, whether Dutch or English, to receive what I had for him, and send it to him by one of the vessels which go to England. Having remained at Surat about two months, and wishing to travel, in order not to risk what M. Constant had entrusted to me I placed the whole in the hands of Sir Francis Breton, who was the second person in the factory of the English Company at Surat, who, at M. Constant’s request, afterwards forwarded it to him in Holland. I had previously asked the Dutch Commander, named Arnebar, to be good enough to take charge of this parcel, he being a friend of M. Constant; but he excused himself altogether, telling me that if the General or Council at Batavia came to know that he had such a thing in his hands they would treat him as a receiver who had not declared, in other words, he would be deposed from his office and all his property confiscated. One day, then, while I was at Batavia, M. Faure, whom I have just mentioned, came to see me with three others, bringing a large bottle of Rheims wine and another of English beer. For my part I had contributed a collation, and as we began to drink they asked me if I had not heard the news of M. Constant which had come by land while I was at Surat; to which I replied that I had not received any, neither by sea nor land, since he had left Batavia. ### [151.1.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.1.3) They expressed surprise at this reply, and told me that they were much astonished, that having been such great friends, and having done such considerable trade together which lasted still, he had not made me acquainted with his news. I saw from the first that they were come with no other design than to seek to discover whether I had with me the parcel of diamonds which I had bought at the mine for M. Constant, or whether I had left it with some Dutchman to send to him. I thought it advisable to remove this doubt from their minds, and that unless I did so they would be unable to drink the wine they had brought, with comfort. Without keeping them longer in suspense, therefore, I told them that I was astonished that they had not spoken to me of this matter on the first occasion when they had done me the honour to visit me, and I perceived clearly that they wished to know if the last time I had been at the diamond mine M. Constant had not given me a commission to buy for him; that they need not have brought wine for that purpose to make me drink, because I was altogether different from the majority of men, who speak much and say more than they know when they have drunk, but, as for me, it is then I talk least; nevertheless, since I desired to satisfy them, so that they might not have any regret for their good wine, I would tell them the truth frankly. It is true, then, I told them, that M. ### [151.1.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.1.4) Constant not only gave me a commission to buy him a parcel of diamonds, but he has also given me money to pay for them, and I purchased them for 16,000 rupees. I had no sooner finished speaking than M. Faure, turning to the three others, “Gentlemen,” said he, “you will bear me witness that M. Tavernier has 16,000 rupees worth of diamonds for M. Constant, which he left me an order to receive when he parted for Holland.” I replied to him without disturbing myself, that if he wished for them he would have to run after them, but that I did not believe he would overtake them; that it was more than six months since I had dispatched them by land, and that I was much surprised at his having taken this commission, and wondered how M. Constant and he could have known that I would go to Batavia. I saw that it annoyed him to find that he had not got what he expected, and as they did not wish to drink any more they all four departed. On the following day, early in the morning, an officer of the Company handed me a summons, which cited me to appear at 11 o’clock before the council of the town, where the Avocat Fiscal was present to take the case in hands on behalf of the Company. I did not fail to be present at the Town Hall at the hour indicated, when, immediately, these gentlemen made me enter, and with great compliments asked me if it was true that M. Constant had asked me to make an investment in diamonds to the amount of 16,000 rupees, and also where they were. ### [151.1.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.1.5) I said that as regards the purchase of the diamonds I had indeed made it, but that I knew not where they were, because more than six months had elapsed since I had forwarded them to him from Surat by land. Upon that these gentlemen of the law delivered sentence, by which it was affirmed that it was not for M. Faure to mix in the matter, but it was for the Avocat Fiscal to follow it up; that at that time M. Constant was in the Company’s service, and that, without having defrauded, he could not out of his wages have amassed so large a sum. At this mention of his having defrauded the Company I was unable to prevent myself from laughing; this astonished them, and the President of the Council asked me why I laughed. I told him that it was at seeing that he was astonished at the fact that M. Constant had defrauded the Company of 16,000 rupees, and that if he had only carried off so much, it would have been a small matter, adding that there was scarcely a servant of the Company who had held the offices which M. Constant had held, and had enjoyed the opportunity of trading, as he had, without fear of the Fiscal, who had not at least made 100,000 écus. There were two or three in the Council, then present, who were uneasy at hearing me talk in this way, as these remarks particularly affected them. ### [151.1.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.1.6) For to say the truth, the commanders and those subordinate to them in authority in the factories know well how to appropriate large sums for their own benefit, to the great detriment of the Company; and as they cannot do so without having an understanding with the broker, he does the same on his own account, those below him also taking what they can. I made an estimate once of all the money of which the Company is defrauded on the trade in each factory, and I ascertained that as they annually defraud it in all the factories taken together to the extent of 1,500,000 or 1,600,000 livres they have abundant opportunity for consoling themselves. For to speak but of Persia alone, I have known commanders who, both by the sale of spices and on the purchase of silks, have placed apart for themselves in one year more than 100,000 piastres. They practice marvellous artifices which it is difficult for the Company, especially the directors and shareholders of the Company, who are in Holland, to discover. For, as regards the commanders in India, the fact must become very patent before the General of Batavia and his council have recourse to law, and most frequently the commanders close the mouth of the Avocat Fiscal, to whom they make a present which amounts to more than the third part which would come to him if all were confiscated, another third belongs to the Company, and the other to the Hospital. ### [151.1.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.1.7) Thus all passes in silence, for there is not one of these commanders who has not his patron at Batavia, to whom he sends valuable presents yearly, joined to which there is not one of these gentlemen of the council who has not done the same himself. Moreover, if any one who is cognisant of an injury done by a commander to the Company reports it to the General, he is certain never to be appointed to any factory, and sooner or later an opportunity is found for removing him from the office which he holds, and he is sent as a soldier to some island to end his life miserably. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.1) · Pramāṇa