Bengala

Sources from old books

1638. The merchants mappe of commerce wherein by Lewes Roberts.

Of SATAGAN the Metropolis of Bengala, and the trade of that coast and the River Ganges.

AT the ending of the coast of Coromandel, beginneth this coast of Bengala, through the middle whereof the famous River Ganges runs, making a large bay or Gulfe, which carrieth the name of the Gulfe of Bengala: This Country is under the command of the great Mogul; whose coynes are here currant; the holy and reverend opinion that the Gentiles through all India have of this River, and the concourse of Pilgrims thereto, for devotion sake, addes much to the traffique of Satagam, the chiefe Citie of this Countrey, which is pleasantly seated on another faire and large River, whose imbosure is not farre distant from the imbosure of Ganges, and upon which boats sayle by the violence of the current a hundred miles in fifteene houres without the helpe of sayles or oares, and when the tyde turneth it, is found to be so violent that the saylers are forced to make fast their boats to certaine trees fixed on the shoare side, for they are not able to make way against the streame and current thereof. At the entrance of this River is a place called Butter, which the Inhabitants of the Countrey and Merchants there doe yearly build in forme of a village, of straw, branches of trees, reeds, and the like, and is of great largenesse, to which they bring all manner of merchandize, to meet the shippes which at certaine set times with the Monsoons come hither for trade, who are not able to goe higher for want of wa•…er; and when the shippes are gone with the change of the Moun•…oon, and that yeares trading past, they then burne their said towne •…nd houses, and carry up their goods and merchandise to the Citie •…f Satagan; whither also all small barkes and boats doe goe to •…ade and unlade.

It is observable that thirtie or fortie sayle of great shippes of •…undry Countries and Nations doe here yearely at this time finde •…ading; the principall commodities of this place and the coast, being Rice here growing in great abundance, cloth of cotton of infinite sorts, made here in great quantitie, Lacca good store, great plentie of sugars, Mirabolans both dried and preserved, long pepper, Oyle of Zerseline, and many other commodities; the Citie in it selfe is a faire Citie, and abounding with rich Merchants that trade to Pegu, Musulipatan, Sumatra, and sometimes to Cambaia, and the red Sea; their time of traffique by reason of the heat is for the most part here by night, and when they have once burned their towne of Butter, as hath been noted, they then hire galliotts and boats, and there with transport their commodities up the River from one Towne to another, scituated upon the same, where every day is found in one or other a publique faire and market, so that their whole life is still in motion and agitation, providing in one place and putting off in another, here buying and there selling.

The Portugalls are found to have some trade hither, but those that reside here are not subject to much government, but make their will their law; onely two Forts they hold upon this coast, the one they call porto grande, the other porto pequenom, whereto there is driven an orderly trade, and thereby that Nation is kept within some order and discipline.

As for the coines currant here, the weights and measures here in use, I must omit them by reason of my ignorance therein, and therefore shall referre them to the better skilled.

Before I leave this coast, I must not forget a strange custome, not onely here much used, but also alongst the coast of Mallabar, and in many other parts of India, which is thus, if a Debtor breake the day of payment with his Creditor, and oftentimes disappoynt him, then he goeth to the principall of the Bramenes, and receiveth of him a rod, with which he approacheth to the debtor, and making a circle about him, chargeth him in the name of the King and the said Bramen, not to depart till he hath satisfied the debt, which if he doe not, he must then starve in the place; for if he depart, the King will cause him to be executed; and this is in use in many parts of India, but especially where the Bramans are reverenced; it is daily seene practised amongst Merchants the natives of these places.