112 EASTERN H I N D O O S T A N. 



faid to produce diamonds. The diftridl was Sabarce of Ptolemy, 

 and what is very ftriking the river Mabanuddy was his Adamas. 

 The diamond is found generally in the narrow crevices of the 

 rocks, loofe, and never adherent to the ftony ftratuni. The 

 miners make ufe of long iron rods, with hooks at the ends, and 

 with thefe they pick out the contents of the fifTures, and wafli 

 them in tubs, in order to difcover the diamonds. In Coiilour 

 they dig on a large plain to the depth of ten or fourteen feet ; 

 near fixty thoufand people are employed, the men to dig, the 

 women and children to carry the earth to the places in which 

 it is to be depofited before the fearch is made. Ta-jerjiler, who 

 vifited the feveral mines, thus defcribes the procefs : 



" AftePi the miners have pitched upon the place where 

 *' they intend to work, they level another place clofe by of the 

 *' fume extent, or elfe a little bigger, which they enclofe with a 

 " wall about two feet high ; in the bottom of that little wall, at 

 " the diftance of every two foot, they make fmall holes to let in 

 " the water, which they ftop up afterwards till they come to 

 *' drain out the water again. This done, their labours are pre- 

 " ceded by ails of devotion, and a very fimple feaft. When 

 *' that is over the men fall to digging, the women and children 

 ** to carry the earth to the place prepared in that manner as I 

 *' have already defcribed : they dig ten, twelve, and Ibmetimes 

 ** fourteen foot deep, but when they come to any water they 

 " leave off. All the earth being carried into the plate before- 

 " mentioned, the men, women, and children, with pitchers, 

 *' throw the water which is in the drains upon the earth, let- 

 ^' ling it fuak for two or three days, according to the hardnefs 



"of 



