38 



PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



[Part I. 



Amethysts are found in the gneiss, and some discoloured 

 though beautiful specimens in syenite ; they are too com- 

 mon to be highly esteemed. The " Matura Diamonds," 

 which are largely used by the native jewellers, consist 

 of zircon, found in the syenite not only uncoloured, 

 but also of pink and yellow tints, the former passing for 

 rubies. 



But one of the prettiest though commonest gems in 

 the island is the "Moon-stone," a variety of pearly 

 adularia presenting chatoyant rays when simply pohshed. 

 They are so abundant that the finest specimens may 

 be bought for a few shillings. These, with aqua marina, 

 a bad description of opal rock crystal in extremely large 

 pieces, tourmaline^ and a number of others of no great 

 value, compose the list of native gems procurable in 

 Ceylon.^ Diamonds, emeralds, agates, carnehans, opal 

 and turquoise, when they are exhibited by the natives, 

 have all been imported from India. 



During the dynasty of the Kandyan sovereigns, the 

 right of digging for gems was a royalty reserved jealously 

 for the King ; and the inhabitants of particular villages 

 were employed in their search under the superintendence 

 of hereditary officers, with the rank of " Mudianse." By 

 the British Government the monopoly was early abohshed 

 as a source of revenue, and no hcense is now required by 

 the jewel-hunters. 



Great numbers of persons of the worst-regulated 

 habits are constantly engaged in this exciting and pre- 

 carious trade ; and serious demoralisation is engendered 

 amongst the villagers by the idle and dissolute adven- 

 turers who resort to SafTragam. Systematic industry 

 suffers, and the cultivation of the land is frequently 



^ Caswiui and some of the Arabian 

 geographers assert that the diamond 

 IS fonnd at Adam's Peak ; but this is 

 improbable, as there is no formation 

 there resembling the cascalhao of 

 Brazil or the diamond conolomerate 



of Golconda. K diamonds were of- 

 fered for sale in Ceylon, in the time 

 of the Ai-ab navigators, they must 

 have been brought thither from 

 India. (Journ. As, Soc, Ben//, xiii. 

 633.) 



