Travels in India (Tavernier) 75.1

75.1

Cardamom, ginger, pepper, nutmegs, mace, cloves, and cinnamon are the several kinds of spices which are known to us. I place cardamom and ginger as the two first, because cardamom grows in the Kingdom of Bijapur and ginger in that of the Great Mogul, and the other kinds of spices are imported from abroad to Surat, where they constitute an important article of commerce. Cardamom is the best kind of spice, but is very scarce, and as but a small quantity is grown in the place I have indicated, it is only used in Asia at the tables of the nobles. 500 livres of cardamom are sold at from 100 to 110 reals. Ginger comes in large quantities from Ahmadabad, where it grows in greater abundance than in any other part of Asia, and it is difficult to realise the quantity which is exported in a candied condition to foreign countries.