Travels in India (Tavernier) 6.5.5

6.5.5

Finally, these Changers, in order to test silver, make use of thirteen small pieces, one half of copper and the other of silver, which are the “touches.”
These thirteen pieces, being all of different standards, are not used by them except when a small quantity of silver or some worked silver is in question ; for in the case of a large amount they carry it to the refiner. All this silver is bought by the weight called tola, which weighs 9 deniers and 8 grains, or 32 vals, and 81 vals make, as I have said, one once ; so that 100 tolas makes 38 onces 21 deniers and 8 grains.
The following are the different values of the 13 standards of silver.
The first and lowest standard they take at 15 paisa the tola, which make of our money . . 9 sols 2 deniers The 2d at 18 paisa, which are equal to 10 ,, 2 „ 3d ,, 20 ,, ,, ,, 12 ,, 6 ,, 4th ,, 23 ,, ,, ,, 14 >> 5 ,, The 5th at 26 paisá, which are equal to 15 sols 10 deniers. 6th ,, 29 ,, ,, 17 ,, 6 ,, 7th ,, 32 ,, ,, 19 ,, 2 ,, 8th ,, 35 ,, ,, 20 ,, 10 ,, 9th ,, 38 ,, ,, 22 ,, 6 ,, 10th ,, 40 ,, ,, 24 ,, 2 ,, 11th ,, 43 ,, ,, 25 ,, 10 ,, 12th ,, 46 ,, ,, 27 ,, 6 ,, 13th ,, 49 ,, ,, 29 ,, 2 ,,
I must not forget to remark here on the extreme parsimony both of these Shroffs, or Changers, and of all Indians in general; and it will suffice to give an example of it which is very special, and of which Europeans are not as yet aware. It is, that of all the gold which remains on the touchstone when an assay has been made, and of which we here make no account, far from allowing so small a thing to be lost, they collect it all by means of a ball, made half of black pitch, and half of wax, with which they rub the stone which carries the gold, and at the end of some years they burn the ball and find the gold which it has accumulated. This ball is about the size of our tennis-court balls, and the stone is like those which our goldsmiths commonly use.
This is all that I have been able to remark of special importance with regard to the customs and coins of India, and there only remains for me to speak of the exchange.
As all goods produced in the Empire of the Great Mogul, and a portion of those of the Kingdom of Golconda and the Kingdom of Bijapur, reach Surat to be exported by sea to different places of Asia and Europe, when one leaves Surat to go for the purchase of these goods in the towns from whence they are obtained, as at Lahor, Agra, Amadabat, Seronge, Brampour, Daca, Patna, Banarou, Golconda, Decan, Visapour, and Dultabad, one takes silver from Surat and disposes of it at the places where one goes, giving coin for coin at par. But when it happens that the merchant finds himself short of money in these same places, and that he has need of it to enable him to pay for the goods which he has bought, it is necessary for him to meet it at Surat, when the bill is due, which is at two months, and by paying a high rate of exchange.
At Lahore on Surat the exchange goes up to 6¼ per cent.
At Agra from 4½ to 5.