104 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



oulars bearing on our present sulbject.^ Of Cambaia he says (p. 381) : 

 " In this region is also a mountaine where the onyx stone, com- 

 monly called corneola, is founde, and not far from thence also 

 another mountaine where the calcedony and diamant are founde." 

 If by diamant the diamond is meant in this passage, the fact is 

 noteworthy, as the Ponassa of Ptolomey is probably identical 

 with the modern Ponassa in this region. At the same time a 

 doubt must be expressed as to true diamonds having been ever 

 found there. Further on our author says (p. 383) : " Sixe 

 miles from the city of Becan (? Bisnagar) is a mountaine where 

 diamonds are digged. It is compassed with a wall and kept 

 with a garrison." 



TJertomannus mentions that two European dealers in precious 

 stones, named respectively John Maria and Peter Antonie, resided 

 at Calicut with the king's licence. They had acquired a fair 

 diamond of 32 carats, worth 35,000 crowns, a pearl of 24 carats, 

 and 2000 rubies, some of 1 carat, and some of 1^ carats. On their 

 attempting to depart secretly with their treasures to Cannanore, 

 they were murdered by order of the king. 



Under the heading, " Of the Diamondes of the Old Myne," 

 our author says (p. 424) : — " These diamondes are found in the 

 first India, in a kingdom of the Morres, named Decan, from 

 whence they are brought to other regions. There are also found 

 other diamonds which are not so good, but somewhat whyte, arid 

 are called diamondes of the new myne, which is in the kingdom 

 of Narsinga (Lower Kistna). They of the old mine are not 

 poUyshed in India, but in other places. There are made lykewise 

 in India false diamondes of rubies, topazes, and white sapphires, 

 which appear to be fine, and are also found in the island of Zeilan 

 (Ceylon). These stones differ in none other save that they have 

 lost their natural colour." In another place he gives information 

 as to the local prices of other precious stones, as rubies, spinel, 

 sapphires, topaz, &c. 



Next follow a group of authors, the accounts of whose travels 

 are to be found in Baptista Ramusio's above-mentioned work. 

 The first of them is Andrea Corsali, Fiorentino, whose letter. 



1 The History of Travel, &c., done into Eagiish from the original Latin. By 

 K. Eden und li. Willes. Land. :• 1577. 



