406 rHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO K)//. 



mines;* but the king contents himself with his mines of rubies, sapphires, to- 

 passes, emeralds, gold, silver, brass, tin, and lead, and several other com- 

 modities his country affords, in great plenty, rather than to suffer new inquiries 

 to be made, lest the discovery of such an additional treasure should invite 

 some of his neighbours, more potent, to invade him. 



The diamond-mines in Coromandel are generally near rocky hills or moun- 

 tains ; a great range of which hills begins near Cape Comorin, extending in 

 breadth about 50 English miles, and running in length quite through Bengala. 

 The kingdoms of Golconda and Visiapore, have mines sufficient to furnish all 

 the world plentifully with diamonds; but their kings permit digging only in 

 some places, lest they should become too common, and lest it should tempt 

 invaders of the country. 



In the kingdom of Golconda are 23 mines now employed, or that have been 

 so lately. Colure was the first mine used in this kingdom, Golconda. The 

 earth is somewhat yellowish, not unlike the colour of gravel dried; but whiter 

 in some places, where it abounds in smooth pebbles, much like some of those 

 of the gravel-pits in England. They used to find great numbers in the vein, 

 if it may properly be so called, the diamonds not lying in continued clusters, 

 but frequently so very scattering, that sometimes in the space of -i- of an acre 

 of ground, digged between 2 or 3 fathoms deep, there has nothing been 

 found ; especially in the mines that afford large stones, lying near the surface 

 of the earth, and about 3 fathoms deep ; deeper they could not dig for 

 water ; it being in a vale near a river. 



The diamonds found in these mines are well shaped, many of them pointed, 

 and of a good lively white water ; but it also produces some yellow ones, some 

 brown, and of other colours. They are of ordinary sizes, from about six in a 

 mangelin,-}- to five or six mangelins, each; some of 10, 15, 20, they find but 

 rarely. They have frequently a bright and transparent coat, inclining to a 

 greenish colour, though the heart of the stone be purely white; but the veins 

 of these mines are almost worn out. 



The mines of Codawillikul, Malabar, and Buttepallam, consist of a reddish 

 earth, inclining to an orange-colour, with which it stains the clothes of the 

 labourers that work in it. They dig about 4 fathoms deep. They afford stones 

 generally of an excellent water, and crystalline skin; being of smaller sizes 

 than those of Colure, Ramiah, Gurem, and Muttampellee, and have a yellowish 



* Since this account was written, diamonds have been found on the continent of America al«!o, 

 and particularly in the Brasils. 



•J- A mangelin is four grains in weight ; says Linschoten. — Orig. 



