These merchants from the north are apparelled in woollen cloth and
hats, with close white hose or breeches and boots, who come from Muscovy
or Tartary. These report that they have excellent horses in their
country, but very small; some individuals possessing four, five, or six
hundred horses and cattle. These people live mostly on milk and flesh.
They cut off the tails of their cows, and sell them very dear, as they
are in high request in those parts. The rump is only a span long, but
the hair is a yard in length. These tails are used for show, to hang
upon the heads of elephants, and are much sought after in Pegu and
China.
[Footnote 417: Perhaps this ought to have been, by the country of Tipera
_to_ Porto Grande. Porto Grande, formerly called Chittigong, is now
called Islamabad, and is in the district of Chittigong, the most
easterly belonging to Bengal. - E.]
[Footnote 418: Aracan is certainly here meant by _Recon_; of _Rame_
nothing can be made, unless Brama, or Birmah be meant. - E.]
[Footnote 419: _Bottanter_ almost certainly means Bootan. Of _Bottia_ we
know nothing, but it is probably meant to indicate the capital.
_Dermain_ may possibly be some corruption of _Deb raja_, the title of
the sovereign. It is obvious from this passage, that _Couche_ must have
been to the south of Bootan, and was perhaps Coch-beyhar, a town and
district in the north-east of Bengal, near the Bootan frontier. - E.]
[Footnote 420: The saffon of Persia of the text may perhaps mean
_turmeric_. The cambals may possibly mean camblets. - E.]
[Footnote 421: These seem to be the mountains of Imaus, called Cumao by
the natives. - _Hakluyt_.
The Himmaleh mountains, dividing Bootan from Thibet, said to be visible
from the plains of Bengal at the distance of 150 miles. - E.]
From Chittigong in Bengal, I went to _Bacola_[422], the king of which
country is a Gentile of an excellent disposition, who is particularly
fond of shooting with a gun. His country is large and fertile, having
great abundance of rice, and manufactures much silk, and cloths of
cotton. The houses of this city are good and well built, with large
streets. The people go naked, except a cloth round their waists, and the
women wear many silver hoops about their necks and arms, and rings of
silver, copper, and ivory about their legs. From thence I went to
_Serrepore_ upon the Ganges, the king or rajah of which is called
Chondery. They are all hereabouts in rebellion against the great Mogul,
for there are so many rivers and islands that they escape from one to
another, so that his horsemen cannot prevail against them.
