Ball — A Geologists' s Contribution to the History of India. 97 



took the city of Deogarh, but tlie citadel still lield out. Sub- 

 sequently Allah, raised the siege, on receiving a ransom, the 

 amount of which may well appear incredible, 15,000 lbs. of pure 

 gold, 175 lbs. of pearls, 50 lbs. of diamonds, and 25,000 lbs, of 

 silver, being enumerated among the items. So much appears 

 certain, that Allahu'd-din levied an enormous sum upon Deogarh, 

 and that consequently it must at that time have been a very great 

 city and rich emporium."^ 



It has been suggested that this wealth must have been acquired 

 by working the ancient mines of Southern India. 



Mahomed ben Mansur (thirteenth century). — The remarkable 

 Persian work on Precious Stones by this author was translated 

 first into German by Joseph von Hammer.- The following facts 

 are from an English version^ : — 



Diamond. — Seven kinds are recognized, namely, (1) white 

 transparent ; (2) the pharonic ; (3) the olive-coloured, the white of 

 which inclines to yellowish ; (4) the red ; (5) the green ; (6) the 

 black ; (7) the fire-coloured. 



In spite of this elaborate classification, Mahomed's knowledge 

 of the habitat is very vague. He says : — " In the eastern parts of 

 India is a deep ravine, inhabited by serpents, where diamonds are 

 produced. Some people suppose that it- is found in the yakiit 

 mines." 



Here there is an obvious allusion to the diamond myth — to be 

 described hereafter. 



Corundum (Senbade), he says, quite correctly, is next in 

 hardness to the diamond, and is of a reddish or bluish colour. 

 The mines were situated in India, Zanzibar, Siwas, Kerman, 

 Nubia, and Ethiopia. The best kinds were from Siwas and Nubia . 



Tahut. — Under this title are included six classes : (1) red 

 {i.e. ruby) ; (2) yellow [i.e. Oriental topaz) ; (3) black [i.e. pleo- 

 naste) ; (4) white {i.e. white sapphire) ; (5) green [i.e. Oriental 

 emerald) ; (6) blue, or smoke-colour [i.e. sapphire). Of theso 

 classes sub-divisions into varieties are given. It is certainly n. 

 most remarkable fact that at so early a period the essential 

 identity of these precious stones — a fact only comparatively 



1 A Hand-book for Madras. Jolin Murray, 1859, p. 94. 



2 Mines de I'Orient, vol. vi. 



3 Asiatic Journal, vol. ix. 1820, p. 345. 



