The Occurrence and Distribution of Diamonds in India. 579 
experience that chiefly those tumuli contain diamonds over which insects 
hover, called by the Hindus Jhingah. They pile up stones on all sides 
of the tumuli, and then cut into them with hatchets and chisels and 
collect the diamonds from among the sand and stones. Sometimes 
diamonds are found of the value of a lac of rupees each. The district 
and the diamond river are in the possession of the Zamindar Durjan 
Sal. The governors of Bihar frequently sent detachments into Kohrah ; 
but as the roads are fortitied and the jungles impenetrable, the governors 
were generally satistied with a tribute of two or three diamonds. When 
T appointed Ibrahim Khan Governor of Bihar, vice Zafar Khan, I told 
him at the time of departure to invade the district and drive away the 
unknown petty Rajah. No sooner had Ibrahim entered on his office 
than he prepared himself to invade Kokrah. The Rajah, according to 
eustom, sent a few diamonds and elephants ; but [brahim was dissatisfied, 
and invaded the district before the Raja could collect his men. When 
he received news of the invasion he was already besieged in the pass 
where he used to reside. Some of [brahim’s men who had been sent 
out to look for him found him with several persons, among them his 
mother, another wife of his father, and one of his brothers, concealed in 
a cave. They were deprived of the diamonds in their possession. 
Twenty-three elephants besides were taken. . . . The district is 
now subject to me. All diamonds found in the river are forwarded to 
court. Only a few days ago a diamond arrived which hada value of 
50,000 rupees, and I hope many more will be added to my store of 
jewels.’ The diamond river alluded to is the Sunk.” 
To the present day a spot in the Sunk river is pointed out by the 
inhabitants as the place where the diamonds were washed for. In 
the year 1878 Captain Lowis, Guardian of the Chutia Nagpur 
Estate, pointed out to me this locality on the map. 
Mr. Blochmann also gives a quotation from a history of the 
Maharajahs of Chutia Nagpur, in which is described a method of 
testing diamonds for flaws by affixing them to the horns of 
fighting rams, and states that— 
“ Jahangiri says the diamonds which Ibrahim Khan had brought from 
Kokrah had been given to the grinders. ‘They were now submitted to 
me, and among them is one which looks like a sapphire. I have never 
seen a diamond of such a colour. It weighs several radtis, and my 
lapidaries fix its value at 3,000 rupees, though they would give 20,000 
for it if it were quite white and stood the full test.’ ” 
Colonel Dalton (Ethnology of Bengal, p. 163N), states that the 
Raja of Chutia Nagpur’s fainily still possesses a diamond valued at 
40,000 rupees, from these now fabulous mines. As illustrating the 
methods by which English officials in the olden time shook the 
pagoda tree, the following will be read with interest In the 
