Travels in India (Tavernier) 6.1.4

6.1.4

but one day an English Captain, going to Tatta, one of the largest towns of India, a little above Sindi, which is at the mouth of the river Indus, when about to pass, was arrested by the customs’ guards, from whom he could not defend himself, and who searched him in spite of anything he could say. They found gold on him, he having already conveyed some in sundry journeys between his vessel and the town ; he was let off on payment of the ordinary duty. The Englishman, vexed by this affront, resolved to have his revenge for it, and he took it in a jocose manner. He caused a sucking-pig to be roasted, and to be placed with the grease in a china plate, covered with a napkin, and gave it to a slave to carry it with him to the town, anticipating exactly that which would happen. As he passed in front of the custom-house, where the Governor of the town, the Shah-bandar, and the Master of the mint were seated in a divan, they did not fail to stop him, and, the slave still advancing with his covered plate, they said to the master that he must needs go to the custom-house, and that they should see what he carried. The more the Englishman protested that the slave carried nothing which should pay duty, the less was he believed ; and after a long discussion he himself took the plate from the hands of the slave, and proceeded to carry it to the custom-house.