Travels in India (Tavernier) 41.3.1

41.3.1

There is no need to repeat here what I have said at the beginning of this volume, and as we returned from Golconda to Surat by the same route as I took from Surat to Golconda, there being no other, — I have nothing to say except that, having left Golconda immediately after the reply which I made to the eunuch, the King, who did not hear of it for two days after our departure, sent four or five horsemen after us with orders to bring us back to court if they found us. We had already made five marches from Golconda, one of them being in the territories of the Great Mogul, when one of these horsemen came to us at sunset, his companions having remained on the frontier of the two kingdoms, rightly believing that as we had passed the boundary we would not be willing to return. This horseman showed us the order to make us return which he had received from the King, his master, who had told him that he would buy our pearls, and that he thought it very strange that we had left without saying anything. As we were no longer in the territory of Golconda the horseman could only urge us to return with him, giving us all possible assurances that we should be satisfied, and M. du Jardin had almost yielded; but I, knowing the atmosphere of the country better, told the horseman frankly that it was impossible, and after he had left I made my companion comprehend my reasons for being unwilling to return to Golconda. Having arrived at Surat, where a few days afterwards M.