With respect to the perfumed oils in common use among the Hindostanee ladies, their preparation is very easy; being, for the most part, merely sweet oils of any kind; such as that extracted from linseed, or from the cocoa-nut, or from any plant coming under the denomination of _metah_, (_i.e._ sweet,) perfumed by means of a small quantity of the essential oil of any fragrant flower, particularly the rose, the jasmine, the bale, &c. All these oils are extremely common, rarely selling for more than two or three rupees per seer; which corresponds with about seven shillings for an English quart.
That highly fragrant oil extracted from the rose, called _attar_, or by us _ottah_, is by no means so common as might be expected, at least not in perfection: as to reputed _attar_, that may be had of every _gundy_, and at even a few annas per _tolah_ (or half ounce weight). Genuine _attar_ can only be had of particular persons, and then at a very high price; commonly about four guineas, (_i.e._ two gold mohurs) per ounce. The natives, for many years, pretended to make a great secret of the process whereby this valuable oil was extracted; whence they not only retained the whole profit to themselves, but were enabled to practise various deceptions of great advantage to themselves but extremely injurious to the extract.
Although many gentlemen had occasionally endeavored to ascertain the proportions used by the venders of _attar_, it was not until about the year 1781, or 1782, that any attempt was made, on an extensive scale, to competite with that class of distillers. The late Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony Polier, who resided for many years at his beautiful villa, some miles from Lucknow, was, I believe, the first whose researches included the distillation of _attar_, in which pursuit he was remarkably successful; considering how much intrigue, corruption, and ignorance he had to contend with, I have heard that gentleman declare, that, in almost every train of experiments he undertook, some latent opposition was sure to prevail; often baffling every effort, and sometimes compelling him to abandon his design.
This resulted from the jealousy entertained by the natives of distinction at the court of the Nabob Vizier of Oude, AZOPH UL DOWLAH, with whom his extreme urbanity, suavity of manners, ingenuity, and incorruptible integrity, rendered him a great favorite. The courtiers apprehended, that, through the united intelligence of Colonel Polier, and of Colonel Claude Martine, whose genius in every mechanical art was on a par with that of the former in the polite arts, as well as in most branches of useful science, the several expensive establishments supported by the Nabob would ultimately be set aside, as useless, and as devouring a revenue, which might be turned towards purposes in which they should have no concern; or, at least, no profit. Therefore, notwithstanding his highness’s positive orders, most of the indispensables were either withheld, or, when furnished at all, proved of the worst quality: any man less mild than Polier, would have insisted on a due attention to his requisitions; but he forbore from remonstrance, except when so closely pressed as to render representation inevitable. Whenever, in spite of all direct hostility, and of underhand resistance, the Colonel fulfilled his wishes, displaying the complete success of his ingenuity and learning; then, all was cried down as _j’haddoo_, as witch-craft; and the whole body of Mahomedan ecclesiastics joined to crush the growth of science.