102 M. Voysey on the Diamond Mines ofSoutliern India. 



ness, and immediately above it lies a stratum of pudding-stone, 

 composed of quartz and hornstone pebbles, cemented by cal- 

 careous clay and grains of sand. It is very likely that this 

 stratum would be found productive in diamonds, and I have 

 no doubt, that those found at present in the bed of the Kistna, 

 have been washed down from these their native beds during the 

 rainy season. In the alluvial soil of the plains, at the base of 

 this range of mountains, and particularly on or near the banks 

 of the river Kistna and Pennar, are situated the mines which 

 have produced the largest diamonds in the world. 



Among them are the famous mines of Golcondah, so called 

 from their being situated in the dominions of the sovereigns of 

 Golcondah, although they are far distant from the hill fort of 

 that name, from which the province and' Cootebshahi dynasty 

 took their title. They were once very numerous, (at least twenty 

 in number,) and Gani Parteala, situated about three miles from 

 the left bank of the Kistna, was the most famous. They are 

 now, with the exception of two or three, quite deserted ; and 

 the names of several of those mentioned by Tavernier are 

 forgotten. In none have fresh excavations been dug for many 

 years; although much ground remains unopened, and many 

 spots might be pointed out for new and productive mines. 



Even at Gani Parteala the search is confined to the rub- 

 bish of the old mines. At Atcur, Chintapalli, Barthenypard, 

 and at Oustapalli, all situated within two or three miles of 

 each other, there are no labourers. 



The plain in which these villages are situated, is bounded 

 on all sides by granitic rocks, which also form its basis. The 

 average depth of the alluvial soil is about twenty feet.* Its 

 upper portion is composed of that peculiar black earth which 

 is called by Europeans " black-cotton soil, ,, -(- and is identical 

 with that found on the banks of the Kistna, in other parts of 

 its course ; on the banks of the Godavery ; and the Manjera ; 



• The greatest extent of the alluvium from the river's bank is about six 

 miles, and the change to the red and gray soil, from the decomposition of 

 the granitic rocks, is very distinct. 



t This soil is easily fusible before the blowpipe- In 1820, I exposed it 

 in a covered crucible to little more than a red heat, and it was converted 

 into a light porous lava. Before the blowpipe it forms a vitreous globule. 



