1881.] V. Ball — Additional note on tlie ancient diamond mines. 223 



= 1*75 grains and in Akbar'sjtime = 1935 grains, the mean of these or 

 1*8437 was so near the required figure that the matter appeared settled ; 

 but in Capt. Hamilton's ' East Indies' dated 1727 there is a very full table 

 of weights in which the rati is stated to be equal to 3^ grains English, so 

 that one may fairly despair of solving this question. 



In reference to the myth regarding the method of obtaining diamonds 

 described by Marco Polo, Nicolo Conti and many others, not omitting Sindbad 

 the Sailor, I have, since my paper was printed, met with numerous accounts 

 of sacrificial rights connected with the opening of mines. The late 

 Mr. M. Fryar when visiting a tin-washing at Maleewoon in Tenasserim 

 was requested to take off his boots as he was told that on a former occasion 

 a European visitor having walked up to the stream without having done so, 

 the guardian spirit took offence, and the supply of tin ceased till the washers 

 had gone to the expense of sacrificing two buffaloes. 



Of especial interest as accounting for the wooden structure which 

 Nicolo Conti supposed was for the purpose of flinging the pieces of meat 

 from one mountain to another is a description by Dr. John Anderson of a 

 sacrifice witnessed by himself during his expedition to Yunan. Two 

 buffaloes were offered up by the Khakyens to the Nats or evil spirits. 

 The animals having been slaughtered over two bamboo altars were cut up 

 and the meat distributed, certain portions with cooked rice being placed on 

 a lofty bamboo scaffolding for the use of the Nats. The Nats under such 

 circumstances would infallibly be represented by birds, and among the birds, 

 in most of the hilly regions of India there would probably be included 

 some of the common white scavenger vultures (Neophron). Curiously enough 

 one of the early accounts mentions white eagles, among the birds which 

 carried away the meat with diamonds sticking to it. A naturalist, however, 

 would object to the idea of this bird carrying anything in talons or bill, it 

 would devour the offering on the spot. The rest of the story is doubtless 

 due to the fertile imagination of a traveller who supposed the preliminary 

 sacrifice to be part of the actual process of finding diamonds. 



In conclusion it may be stated that the forthcoming volume on the 

 Economic Geology of India contains a full resume of information on these 

 subjects and that there is also one though less complete in a small volume 

 recently published on the Diamonds, Gold and Coal of India. 



