Travels in India (Tavernier) 6.4.1

6.4.1

The other small money consists of shells called cowries, which have the edges inverted, and they are not found in any other part of the world save only in the Maldive Islands. It is the principal source of revenue of the King of these Islands, for they export them to all the States of the Great Mogul, to the kingdoms of Bijapur and Golconda, and even to the islands of America, to serve as money. Close to the sea they give up to 80 for the paisá, and that diminishes as you leave the sea, on account of carriage; so that at Agra you receive but 50 or 55 for the paisá. Finally, according to the manner of counting by the Indians— 100,000 rupees make a lekke, 100,000 lekkes ,, kraur, 100,000 kraurs ,, padan, 100,000 padans „ nil. In India a village must be very small if it has not a money-changer, whom they call Shroff, who acts as banker to make remittances of money and issue letters of exchange. As, in general, these Changers have an understanding with the Governors of Provinces, they enhance the rupee at their will for paisá and the paisá for these shells. All the Jews who occupy themselves with money and exchange in the empire of the Grand Seigneur pass for being very sharp; but in India they would scarcely be apprentices to these Changers. [Here follows, in the original, a table giving the letters used as numbers, which need not be reproduced.]