Travels in India (Tavernier) 98.4

98.4

Since then I crossed the sea with a Banian merchant whom the Great Mogul was sending to this Prince to offer him 40,000 écus for his pearl; but he refused to accept that sum. This account makes it apparent, with reference to jewels, that fine jewels ought not always to be taken to Europe, but rather from Europe to Asia, as I have done, because both precious stones and pearls are esteemed there very highly when they have unusual beauty; but China and Japan must be excepted, where they are not valued. The other locality in the East where there is a pearl-fishery is in the sea near a large town called Manar, in the island of Ceylon. The pearls found there are the most beautiful, both as regards water and roundness, of all the fisheries; but one is rarely found there which exceeds 3 or 4 carats in weight. There are, moreover, on the coast of Japan pearls of very beautiful water and good size, but they are very imperfect; nevertheless they are not fished for, because, as I have said, the Japanese do not esteem jewels. Although the pearls which are found at Bahrein and at El Katif tend somewhat to yellow, they are esteemed as highly as those of Manar, as I have remarked, and throughout the East it is said that they are mature or ripe, and that they never change colour. I come now to the fisheries of the West, which are all situated on the great Gulf of Mexico, along the coast of New Spain, and there are five of them which succeed one another from east to west.