Born 1602.—Died 1685, or 1686.
Native of Antwerp—Commences his adventures at a very early
age—Visits England and Germany—Becomes page to a viceroy
of Hungary—Visits Italy—Narrowly escapes death at the
siege of Mantua—Ratisbon—Imperial coronation—Tragical
event—Turkey—Persia—Hindostan—Anecdote of a Mogul prince—Visits
the diamond mines—Vast temple—Dancing girls—Mines of Raolconda
in the Carnatic—Mode of digging out the diamonds—Mode
of trafficking in jewels—Boy merchants—Anecdote of a
Banyan—Receives alarming news from Golconda—Returns—Finds
his property secure—Mines of Colour—Sixty thousand persons
employed in these mines—Mines of—Sumbhulpoor—Magical
jugglers—Miraculous tree—Extraordinary accident at
Ahmedabad—Arrival at Delhi—Palace and jewels of the Great
Mogul—Crosses the Ganges—Visits the city of Benares—Islands of
the Indian Ocean—Returns to France—Marries—Sets up an expensive
establishment—Honoured with letters of nobility—Purchases a
barony—Dissipates his fortune, and sets out once more for the
East, at the age of eighty-three—Is lost upon the Volga 180