DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9696#0031
INTRODUCTION
xxvii
and thus to " cawse the price of the residue to rise."
Mundy's arguments against this plan were that the prices
obtainable in Patna for quicksilver and vermilion were not
known, that in any case the price of quicksilver could not
rise in Agra as the factors were in the hands of the Agra
dealers who controlled it in all Hindustan, and that con-
sequently as it fell in Agra directly the supply was increased,
the same conditions were likely to prevail elsewhere.
Against the second part of his instructions, which
directed him to make an investment in cloth in Patna
and its neighbourhood, Mundy urged that the time allowed
for completing the business was only 75 days, and that
if Patna were the place intended for its transaction,
then 40 to 45 days of that time would have to be spent
on the journey. Therefore it was quite impossible to
carry out the order, and so he sensibly concluded that
Patna was not the place intended by the Surat Council,
but some other town such as Daryabad or Khairabad
within a few days'journey of Agra (p. 141). The result
of the expedition proved the soundness of Mundy's reason-
ings ; but meanwhile, having uttered his protest, he made
no appeal against the decision of his superiors, and with
his usual habit of accommodating himself to circumstances,
he cheerfully set to work to make the necessary prepara-
tions for his long journey.
On the 6th of August his caravan set out from Agra to
Patna. It consisted of eight carts, laden with quicksilver,
vermilion and woollen cloth. Mundy was in sole charge,
but he had a valuable assistant in Sundar Das, who ac-
companied him as interpreter. The journey occupied seven
weeks, and in spite of his opposition to the project, Mundy
seems to have thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity for
extending his knowledge of India and for making notes
°f" what he saw.
On leaving Agra, he was struck by the avenue of trees
planted by Jahangir's orders on the main road from Agra
to Lahore "for the ease of Travellers and for shade in hott
weather." He noted too that the majority of the trees he
xxvii
and thus to " cawse the price of the residue to rise."
Mundy's arguments against this plan were that the prices
obtainable in Patna for quicksilver and vermilion were not
known, that in any case the price of quicksilver could not
rise in Agra as the factors were in the hands of the Agra
dealers who controlled it in all Hindustan, and that con-
sequently as it fell in Agra directly the supply was increased,
the same conditions were likely to prevail elsewhere.
Against the second part of his instructions, which
directed him to make an investment in cloth in Patna
and its neighbourhood, Mundy urged that the time allowed
for completing the business was only 75 days, and that
if Patna were the place intended for its transaction,
then 40 to 45 days of that time would have to be spent
on the journey. Therefore it was quite impossible to
carry out the order, and so he sensibly concluded that
Patna was not the place intended by the Surat Council,
but some other town such as Daryabad or Khairabad
within a few days'journey of Agra (p. 141). The result
of the expedition proved the soundness of Mundy's reason-
ings ; but meanwhile, having uttered his protest, he made
no appeal against the decision of his superiors, and with
his usual habit of accommodating himself to circumstances,
he cheerfully set to work to make the necessary prepara-
tions for his long journey.
On the 6th of August his caravan set out from Agra to
Patna. It consisted of eight carts, laden with quicksilver,
vermilion and woollen cloth. Mundy was in sole charge,
but he had a valuable assistant in Sundar Das, who ac-
companied him as interpreter. The journey occupied seven
weeks, and in spite of his opposition to the project, Mundy
seems to have thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity for
extending his knowledge of India and for making notes
°f" what he saw.
On leaving Agra, he was struck by the avenue of trees
planted by Jahangir's orders on the main road from Agra
to Lahore "for the ease of Travellers and for shade in hott
weather." He noted too that the majority of the trees he