Mineralogy of the Island of Ceylon. 193 



"As far as my sources of information (which perhaps are 

 not as good as your own,) enable me to slate, I can say, that 

 compared with most parts of the world, the precious stones 

 in Ceylon are numerous ; but not of a particularly fine 

 quality. The ruby, the topaz and the diamond, are said to 

 be much inferior to those of Brazil and Golconda ; and the 

 tourmalines here are destitute of electric qualities. With- 

 out pretending to any thing like an enumeration of all the 

 minerals, I shall mention some of the more important, and 

 their classification according to the Wernerian system. I. 

 Diamond Genus. 1. Diamond. This is inferiour to the 

 diamond of Golconda, or the Coromandel Coast, w^hich is 

 better, even than that of Brazil ; but, like the former, I 

 believe crystalizes in Octahedrons, and exhibits all the va- 

 rieties of that primitive form. II. Zircon Genus. 1. Cin- 

 namon stone. I have seen several specimens of this, but 

 am able to say nothing of its comparative qualities. It is 

 rather common, I believe, in the interior. 2. Hyacinth. 

 This is of a reddish color — may be rendered white by fire, 

 and is then called Jargon. It is heavier even than the dia- 

 mond, and like that, exhibits but one refraction, which in- 

 deed is common, I believe, to most of the Oriental stones. 

 III. Flint Genus. (a) Garnet Family. 1. Garnet. They 

 are of different shades of red; and are magnetic. (6) Ruby 

 Family. 1. Sapphires, blue and green, and heavier than 

 those of Brazil. 2. Ceylanite of which I know only the 

 name. 3. Topaz. This assumes the Octahedral form.(c) 

 Shor I Family. 1. Emerald. The Emerald of this Island 

 is, I believe, fine. 2. Shorl. 3. Tourmaline. The con- 

 stituents are alumine, 50. silex, 34. lime, 1 1 . iron, 5. It is 

 said not to be electric, but I cannot answer to the truth of 

 it, especially as I know it is usually reckoned as electric, 

 when heated to 200° of Fahrenheit.(f/) Quartz Family. 

 1 . Quartz — Amethyst. 2. Rock Crystal, (black and white.) 

 3. Carnelian. 4. Opal. (1 species) 5. Cats-eye. This 

 has a point, near the middle, from which greenish traces 

 seem to proceed, in a circle. It is rather plentiful. Of 

 the metals, lead, tin and iron ore are found in the interior; 

 the latter only is wrought, and on a small scale. The na- 

 tives have long been accustomed to work small quantities 

 of the ore in small fires made by the operation of hand bel- 



VoL. VI.— No. I. 25 



