Travels in India (Tavernier) 92.1

92.1

Shah Jahan sent to demand tribute from this Raja, both for the present and the past; and the Raja, as his property was not sufficient to discharge the whole, quitted the country and fortified himself together with his subjects in the mountains. Upon the news of the refusal which the Raja first made, Shah Jahan, who did not know that he purposed to hide, but believed that he intended to defend himself, sent an army into his country, where he was persuaded that he would find an abundance of diamonds. It happened otherwise, however, for those who were sent into the country of the Raja found neither diamonds, inhabitants, nor food, the Raja having ordered all the grain which his subjects could not carry with them to be burnt, and this was so effectually done that the greater portion of Shah Jahan’s army perished of famine. The final result of the matter was, that the Raja returned to his country on agreeing to pay a light annual tribute to the Great Mogul. The following is the route to be followed from Agra to this mine:— From Agra to Halabas (Allahabad) . 130 coss, „ Halabas to Banarous (Benares) . 33 ,, ,, Banarous to Saseron (Sasseram) . 4 ,, From Agra to Sasseram you travel eastwards, but between Sasseram and the mine you turn to the south and come first to a large town — 21 coss. This town belongs to the Raja of whom I have just spoken, to whom the country belongs which is traversed by the river in which the diamonds are found.