Various Methods of Mnding the Gems, 391 



occasionally washed down, and as the geologist of the 

 Novara Expedition was descending the river in a boat, 

 from Ratnapoora to Caltnra, he perceived at several places, 

 more particularly at the various rapids, men standing in the 

 water, provided with flat pan-shaped baskets, in which they 

 sifted the sand and pebbles. 



The gems found on the island are rubies, sapphires 

 topazes, amethysts, garnets, cinnamon-stone, and tourmaUne. 

 On the other hand, all the diamonds, emeralds, carnelians, 

 agates, opals, and turquoises, which the natives offer for sale, 

 are imported from India. One precious stone, on which the 

 Cingalese set an exceedingly high value, because they 

 erroneously believe that it is peculiar to the island of Ceylon, 

 whereas it is also found on the southern shores of Hindostan, 

 is the "Cat's-eye," a greenish transparent quartz, which, 

 when polished in its natural shape, or " en cabochon,^^ exhi- 

 bits in its interior a varying reflected light, undoubtedly 

 arising from the presence of fibres of asbestos, and which, 

 in fact, bears some resemblance to the eye of a cat. 

 The natives, as a rule, estimate the value and sym- 

 metry of this stone by the brilliancy and tenuity of the 

 beam which it emits, and the clear olive-coloured ground 

 upon which it shines in relief. 



A vast number of men give themselves up to the exciting 

 but most uncertain occupation of searching for precious 

 Stones, and barter what they have found, chiefly to Maho- 

 metan merchants, for clothes and salt. As, however, the 



