410 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO lOyj, 



one of the sides, about two inches from the bottom, by which it empties itself 

 into a little pit, made in the earth to receive small stones, if any should run 

 through. The vent being stopped, they fill the cistern with water, soaking 

 therein as much of the earth dug out of the mines, as it can conveniently 

 receive at a time; then they break the clods, pick out the great stones, and 

 stir it with shovels till the water is all muddy, the gravelly matter falling to 

 the bottom. Then they open the vent, letting out the foul water, and supply- 

 ing it with clean, till all the earthy substance be washed away, and none but 

 gravel remains at the bottom. Thus they continue washing till about 10 o'clock 

 in the fore noon, when they take the gravelly stuff they have washed, and 

 spread it on a place made plain and smooth, near the cistern, which being soon 

 dried by the heat of the sun at that time of the day, they very curiously look 

 it over, that the smallest bit of a stone can hardly escape them. 



Some of the expertest labourers are employed in searching ; he that sets them 

 at work usually sitting by, and overlooking ; but it is hardly possible, especially 

 where many are employed, to watch them so narrowly, but that they mav steal 

 part of what they find, as many times some of them do, and, selling it pri- 

 vately, convert to their own use. If they find a large stone, they carry it not 

 presently to their employer, but keep on looking, having an eye on him till 

 they observe he takes notice of it, when with a turn of their hand they give 

 him a glimpse of it, but deliver it not till they have done work, and then very 

 privately, it being the general endeavour to conceal what they find, lest it 

 should come to the knowledge of the governor of the place, and he require a 

 share, which in the kingdom of Golconda is usually practised, without respect 

 to any agreement made with them. 



The miners, those that employ them, and the merchants that buy the stones 

 of them, are generally ethnics; not a mussleman, that ever I heard of, followed 

 the employment. These labourers and their employers are Tellingas, com- 

 monly natives of or near the place. The merchants are the Banians of Guz- 

 zarat, who for some generations have forsaken their own country to take up 

 the trade, in which they have had such success, that it is now solely engrossed 

 by them ; who, corresponding with their countrymen in Surrat, Goa, Gol- 

 conda, Visiapore, Agra and Dillee, and other places in India, furnish them 

 all with diamonds. 



The governors of the mines are also idolaters : in the king of Golconda's 

 dominions a tellinga brammee rents most of them, whose agreement with the 

 adventurer is, that all the stones they find under a pagoda weight, * are to be 



* A Pagoda weight is 9 mangelleens. — Orig. 



