Travels in India (Tavernier) 17.1.2

17.1.2

MultAn is a town where quantities of calicoes are made, and they used to carry them all to Tatta before the sands had obstructed the mouth of the river; but since the passage has been closed for large vessels they carry them to Agra, and from Agra to Surat, as well as a portion of the goods which are made at Lahore. As this carriage is very expensive, but few merchants go to make investments either at Multan or Lahore, and indeed many of the artisans have deserted; this also causes the revenues of the King to be much diminished in these provinces. Multan is the place from whence migrate all the Banians who come to trade in Persia, where they follow the same occupation as the Jews, as I have elsewhere said, and they surpass them in their usury. They have a special law which permits them on certain days to eat fowls, and to take only one wife between two or three brothers, of whom the eldest is regarded as the father of the children. Numerous Baladins and Baladines, who hail from this town, spread themselves in divers parts of Persia. I come to the route from Kandahar to Agra by Kabul and Lahore. From Candahar to Charisafar (Shahr-i-Safa) 10 coss. „ Charisafar to Zelaté (Kalat-i-Ghilzai) 12 „ „ Zelaté to Betazy (Ab-i-tazi) . . 8 „ „ Betazy to Mezour (Mansur) . . 6 „ „ Mezour to Carabat (Karabagh) . . 17 „ „ Carabat to Chakenicouzé (Shiganu ?) . 17 „