112 Scientific Proceedings, Royal Dublin Society. 



locality which he mentions, namely, Grandicota, has also been 

 identified. 



If Tavernier's statements regarding the discovery and cutting 

 of the Great Mogul diamond are to be relied upon, then that stone 

 must have been distinct from the koh-i-nur. When writing of 

 their probable identity, I overlooked the independent evidence 

 which exists as to the koh-i-nur having been in the possession of 

 the Mogul emperors long previous to the time when, according to 

 Tavernier, they acquired the Grreat Mogul. 



Oold. — In reference to this metal Tavernier says : — " Towards 

 the Thibet, which is the ancient Caucasus, in the territories of a 

 Eaja beyond the Kingdom of Oashemir, there are three mountains 

 close by one another, one of which produces excellent gold. . . ." 



"There is gold also comes from the kingdom of'Tipra (Tip- 

 perah on the borders of Assam) ; but it is' coarse, almost as bad as 

 that of China." 



If gold washing or mining was carried on in any part of Penin-. 

 sular India at the time of his visits, it is certainly remarkable that 

 he should have been unaware of it, especially as he had heard of 

 its being worked for in Thibet and Tipperah. Still I cannot but 

 suppose that there were washings in some remote regions of which 

 he knew nothing. 



Silver and Tin. — " As for silver mines (he writes), there are none 

 in all Asia, but only in Japan ; but some years since at Delegora, 

 Sangora, Bordelon, and Bata (localities in the Malayan countries), 

 have been discovered plentiful mines of tin, to the great damage 

 of the English, there being now enough- in Asia of their own 

 besides {sic in English translation). 



The statement about silver is inconsistent with another made 

 subsequently, that in Assam there were mines of both gold and 

 silver. 



Rubies, Sapphires, 8fc. — What Tavernier says on the subject of 

 these stones shows that he was unaware of the existence of any 

 source for them in Peninsular India. He says that they occur in 

 only two places in all the east, and then forthwith mentions three. 

 " The first is a mountain, twelve days' journey, or thereabouts, 

 from Siren (^. e. Siriam), toward the north-east, the name whereof 

 is Capelan. In this mine are found great quantities of rubies 

 and espinels, or mothers of rubies, yeUow topazes, blue and white 



