Indian Antiquary Vol 26

SR No.: 032518
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 360
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[DECEMBER, 1897.
seed is much the same. But selection involves a convention, whether applied to a natural product or to its manufactured equivalent.
In support of the above conclusions there is the evidence of Marsden from Sumatra 21 : “Various seeds are used as gold weights, but more especially these two: the one called rakat or saga-timbangan (Glycing abrus, L., or Abrus maculatus of the Batavian Transactions), being the well known scarlet pea with a black spot. The other called saga-puku and kondoribatang (Adenanthera pavonia, L.), a scarlet, or rather coral, bean, much larger than the former and without the black spot. It is the candarin weight of the Chinese, of which 100 make a táil, and equal, according to the tables published by Stevens, to 5 7984 grs. T. vy, but the average weight of those in my possession is 10-50 Troy grains." 23
I quote now the remarks of Rumphius, Herbarium Amboinensis, Vol. V. p. 58 ff. folio ed., 1741, in the original Latin and in the Dutch where necessary, for the sake of the valuable light they throw on the history and meaning of the terms, as we can now understand them, used in connection with the rati.
Under " Abrus frutesc, 24 Zaga," 35 he remarks as follows: "Nomen. Latine Abrus frutex, & simpliciter Abrus sive Abrus Alpini...Malaice Zaga ejusque ossicula Bidji26 Zaga. Aliis Condori seu Condorin parvum, veri enim Condori sunt semina Corallariæ parvifolie. Belgice Coraal-kruyd. Ternatice Ide Ide Malacco, h. e. oculi Sturnorum a forma ossiculorum. Amboinice Aylaru Pidjar, h. e. granula obturationi inserventia ad distinctiouem Aylaru Pohon, quod est supra memorata Corallaria. In Hitoa Aylalum, Banda Caju Lale. Sina Tsjontsjo sev Tsjontsjii, sen uti Germani scribunt ac legunt Zongzi, h. e. pupilla oculi, licet Sinensium granala paulo sint minora."
In the Dutch text, which is given in parallel columns, the essential words are: - "By andere Condori of Condorin, het Kleene, want de regte Condorin zyn zaden van de Corallaria parvifolia. In't Daitsch Coraal-kruyd. Ternataans Ide Ide Malacco, dat is Spreeuwen ogen, van de gedaante des Korls. Amboinsch Aylara Pidjar, dat is Soldeer Koris." 29
In describing the many uses to which the plant is put, Rumphius says (p. 59) what is rather important for us: - " Defecta verorum Condoriorum, que semina sunt Corallariæ parvifolice, atque in paucis crescant regionibus, hæc Zagłe ossicula in usum vocari possunt, que hinc quoque Condoria parva vocantur, non autem adeo equale habent pondus quam Condoria genuina, quorum decem unicum Maas constituunt, ac decem Maas unum Tay120 sen decem cirtiter Drachmas Hollandicas continent, contra viginti quatuor, sique majora sunt, viginti & unam Zage ossicala unum Maas ponderant, quod pondus circiter est nummi aurei Hollandici ducaat dicti." 30
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21 History of Sumatra, 1811, p. 171, in Ridgeway, op. cit. p. 187. 22 Scil. pavonina.
23 This is a mistaken reference, because Stevens, Guide, pp. 105 ff., especially refers to Canton weight of money, in which candareens are merely collections of 10 cash. The whole of Stevens' elaborate tables are based on an assumption that 100 "tales Canton weight" equal 120 oz. 16 dwts. Troy. His calculations are purely matters of account, and are not meant, nor could they be used, for actual weights.
* In his Inox Universalis, Vol. VI., Rumphius gives the synonym Glycine abru, L.
25 1. e., the Malay word sayi, which properly uncompounded means rice : but is also used commercially for the seed of the Abrus precatorius.
26 Bidji is for Malay biji, i. 6., common Indian lij, seed. 27 Starling's eyes. The Persian form is Chashm-l-khurls, Cock's eye: Biochmann, Ain Akbarl, p. 16 n.
Solder seeds. 29 This form of calculation is Chinese : 10 candareens aro 1 mace; 10 mece are 1 tael. Cf. A. Hamilton, East Indies, 1739, Vol. II. Appz. p. 16: -' 10 Condereens to a Macie and 10 Macies to a Tayol."
30 Later on the same page, Rumphius tells us that about 1675 these seeds were in great request as female dress ornamonts in Europe, and also as necklaces and bracelets, alone or mixed with pearls; just as children in India wear them nowadays for their beauty and hardness, Cf. also Rumphius, Vol. III. p. 174: cf. Blochmann, Ain Akbari, p. 18 n.