Caverns in Tungkin. 263 



nion of so celebrated and experienced a natural historian ex- 

 cited double attention to this object in all gold washers visited 

 by him. The washed sand was examined with microscopes, 

 in the hope that these precious crystals might be discovered 

 therein. However, during the presence of Baron Humboldt, 

 not a trace of them was found on the whole eastern side of the 

 mountain. 



When Baron Humboldt proceeded on his journey, Count 

 Polier separated from him, and repaired to the possessions of 

 his lady, situated at the western side of the Ural, where he 

 visited, on the 23d of June, a gold-wash situated at twenty- 

 five wersts from the Biszer manufactory. Here, in conse- 

 quence of an order before given, several specimens of gold 

 and platina sand, and of several quartz crystals found there- 

 in, were laid before him, among which he discovered the first 

 Ural diamond. The crystal, a day before the arrival of the 

 Count, had attracted the attention of a peasant boy, of thir- 

 teen years, of the name of Pawel Popow, at the wash of the 

 gold-sand ; and, as a reward is offered for the discovery of un- 

 common or remarkable minerals, he had delivered it to the in- 

 spector, who, however, did not see in it any thing extraordi- 

 nary, and cast it therefore among the other crystal specimens. 

 Three days after another boy found one, and finally a third 

 one, the whole weight of which was superior to that of the 

 two former taken together. Afterwards, according to the no- 

 tices of Count Polier, in the same gold-wash there have 

 been found several diamonds, which, according to the judg- 

 ment of connoisseurs, are in no respect behind the Brazilian 

 ones. 



It cannot be doubted that by this success all the rest of the 

 gold-washers will be excited to make a search for diamonds 

 their particular business, and that thereby a new source of 

 riches will be opened to Russia, in which many unknown trea- 

 sures lie yet concealed. — From, the London Packet. 



2. Account of Caverns in the Empire of Tungkin. 



In several parts of Tungkin, but particularly in the pro- 

 vince of Xu-than, there are within the mountains many ca- 

 verns, some of which are known only to the neighbouring vil- 



