Ball — A Geplogisfs Contribution to the History of India. 113 



sapphires, jacinths, amethysts, and other stones of different 

 colours " 



" The natives of the coimtry call all coloured stones rubies, 

 and distinguish them only by the colour : sapphires they call blue 

 rubies ; amethists, violet rubies ; topazes, yellow rubies ; and so of 

 other stones." 



The ruby mines are described in the Economic Greology of 

 India, p. 427. They are situated about seventy miles north-east 

 of Mandalay, the capital of Ava. 



" The other place where rubies are found is a river in the 

 Island of Ceylon. . . . The people make it their business to search 

 among the sands for rubies, sapphires, and topazes. All the stones 

 that are found in this river are generally fairer and clearer than 

 those of Pegu." 



" Some rubies, but more Ballei's rubies, and an abundance of 

 bastard rubies, sapphires, and topazes, are found in the mountains 

 that run along from Pegu to the kingdom of Camboya." 



Whether by Camboya Tavernier meant Cambodia, beyond 

 Siam, is uncertain; but he can scarcely have meant Cambay. 

 He says that it is an error to suppose that emeralds are found in 

 the East. Those exported from the Philippines to Europe were 

 first brought thither by Spaniards from Peru. 



In the above-quoted paragraph on gold in the region beyond 

 Cashemir, the other two mountains he mentions produced " granats " 

 (i.e. garnets), and "azure" [i.e. lapis-lazuli), respectively. This 

 reference is, doubtless, to well-knoWn mines of the spinel or Balas 

 ruby, and lapis-lazuli, which are situated in Badakshan.^ 



In 1673, a work was published on Asia by John Ogilby, 

 which, as giving an epitome of the knowledge possessed in Eng- 

 land of the mineral resources of India at that time, is not without 

 interest. But some of the statements are not founded on fact. 

 Thus, he says (p. 105) : "The Granges is supposed to abound with 

 gold and pearls, and from its bottom are fetched all manner of 

 precious stones, on some of which are represented the shapes of 

 beasts, plants, and other things." And again : " The Kingdoms of 

 Grolconda and Decan afford the inhabitants excellent diamonds. 

 India also produces topazes, berils, rubies (which the Arabians call 



^ Economic Geology of India, pp. 429, 529. 



