[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) › 151.2 # Travels in India (Tavernier) 151.2 Travels in India (Ball) 151.2 - **Language:** English ### [151.2.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.2.1) As for the trade which these commanders do on their own account, there is no one who knows better about it than the poor sailors, who being sometimes very badly treated by the commanders themselves, or the officers of the vessels, when they go on shore report to the chief of the factory that such an one has so many bales of goods on his private account. Most frequently the chief of the factory, who knows his part, sends to advise the person to whom the goods belong to have them removed, and to arrange to have them carried on shore by night. In order to give him time to discharge all, the informer is so well supplied with drink that he is drunk for one or two days, and when all has been removed the commander goes to the vessel to make an examination, well assured that he will find nothing. Then the poor sailor or soldier, for the falsehood which they force him to believe he has told, is severely punished, his wages are confiscated, and in most cases he is sent for three or four years to work on the galley which goes to load up with stones. There are, then, some of these commanders who have defrauded the Company, and have returned to Holland with great booty, having 400,000 or 500,000 livres' worth of diamonds, pearls, ambergris, and other goods which occupy but small space. For if all is not well concealed, and if the Company is able to discover it, it is lost for them, and their wages are confiscated. ### [151.2.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.2.2) But they have wonderful ways for escaping, even when they have bulky goods, as calicoes and other things which occupy much space, for all cannot go to the places where diamonds are to be purchased, and moreover they more frequently experience loss than gain by carrying them, while on coarse goods there is always much profit to be made. ### [151.2.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.2.3) As the captain and other officers of the vessel strive to do private trade as well as the commanders, knowing that it will be difficult to take their goods out of the vessels without being discovered, they sometimes discharge them on the coast of Norway, making believe that it is bad weather which has driven them thither. Moreover, when the Dutch are at war with the English, they send vessels of war to meet those coming from India, and into these vessels those who wish to defraud the Company tranship their bales of goods, before arriving in Holland. They also have recourse, for the same purpose, to the fleet of herring fishers when they meet them. In short, there is no kind of artifice of which they do not make use. But when the Company entertains a suspicion that any one has exceeded, it orders the commanders to undress and put on other clothes, and more than once diamonds have been found in those which were taken off. In conclusion, it has been remarked that the majority of those who have defrauded the Company and have returned to Holland with great wealth have not left their heirs any the richer; all this wealth being, as it were, evaporated in a few years. This proves that wealth ill-acquired does not profit. Returning to the affair which had been stirred up against me at Batavia. ### [151.2.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.2.4) On the sentence which the members of the Council had given, that the Avocat Fiscal should take the cause in hand on the Company’s behalf, three days afterwards he sent me many pages of paper containing written charges, so that I might reply to each. The first demanded that I should declare to what extent M. Constant and I had traded together since we had known one another. The others were only nonsense, and among others that which ordered me to reply to them at all, I, who was in no wise responsible to the Company, and had only come to Batavia to render it a service, and consequently need trouble myself very little about the Fiscal's order. There was a special query which stated that the General and his council wished to know what M. Constant had done at Bandar Abbás, where he had been sent as commander; that they were aware of the fact that we were together day and night, and that consequently I must be well acquainted with his affairs. They were right in this, but I was not bound to render an account to them. This lasted fully four or five weeks, during which an officer came to summon me several times to accompany him to the Town Hall to give a reply. That which I gave was always the same, that I knew nothing of M. Constant's affairs, and that when he did anything he did not call me in to give him advice. As they saw they could get nothing from me by sweetness, they commenced to threaten me, saying they would arrest me. ### [151.2.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.2.5) I replied boldly that I did not fear them, and that if they arrested me I had the honour to serve a Prince who was the late Monseigneur le Duc d'Orleans, who would get me in safety out of their hands, and would himself resent the affront they had done me. At the same time I departed from their presence without saying another word, and they also said nothing to me. Fifteen days passed without their speaking of this affair, and during this time I went to take exercise and even to dine with some of these gentlemen. One day the Avocat Fiscal, who had read much and liked to hear about foreign countries, asked me to supper; when we had left the table he took me apart and told me that he had to summon me on the following day, having received an order from the General, who wished to know, absolutely, what I had seen M. Constant do at Gombroon. “If it is to say what I have seen,” I replied, “I shall do so willingly, but I desire to be in the presence of the judges.” Morning having come, the officer did not fail to summon me. I followed him forthwith, and having entered the chamber, the President asked me at first if I would tell them something of what I had seen of M. Constant. I said, “I would satisfy him, and that I desired to give the account at full length,” with which the President and the Council told me they were quite content. As they had ordered silence for me, and I saw they awaited what I had to say to them with impatience, I spoke to them in the following manner: — ### [151.2.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.2.6) “The day on which M. Constant disembarked at Gombroon the Khán or Governor of the town and country made much of him, and kept him to supper, together with those who had accompanied him. The repast was magnificent, and the dishes were much better prepared than usual; I have been at many feasts of Kháns or Governors of Provinces in Persia, where they know of nothing but ragouts, not even understanding how to roast a fowl properly. But at this repast all was well arranged, and it had the appearance as if a Frank cook had a hand in it. All the baladines of Gombroon were present, to dance in their own manner according to custom, and the repast was accomplished with much gaiety. On the following day M. Constant had at dinner several Franks, and at the close of the repast the Khán sent one of his officers to present his compliments to Commander Constant, and to tell him that he would come to supper with him; this he received very well, in consequence of his appreciation of the honour which the Khán wished to do him. Compliments being finished, the Commander took a large glass and drank to the health of the Khán, and all those who were at table did likewise. As soon as the officer had left, the Commander asked some of those who were dining with him, in what manner a governor should be treated when he did the honour to a commander of coming to see him at home; ### [151.2.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.2.7) there was one who told him that the first care he should have would be that as soon as night had come he should light numbers of lamps, both out and inside the house. In that country these consist of little saucers full of oil attached to the walls of the house, and at a distance of about one foot from each other. But the Commander desiring to do more honour than that to the Khán and to the Company, instead of these lamps ordered white wax candles to be placed throughout, and both within and without the house there was light everywhere. The Khán declared himself to be highly pleased with this liberal expenditure, which was done to specially honour him; and all the merchants, both Christians and Muhammadans, were also surprised at it. It is true,” said I to these members of the Council, “that you know that this wax does not cost so much to the Company as it does to private persons, because all the Dutch vessels which come from Mocha carry much of it, as it is very cheap there. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.tavernier~en-ball.151.2) · Pramāṇa