1833.] Mines of Precious Stones in Ava. 75 
IV.—Short Description of the Mines of Precious Stones, in the District 
of Kyat-pyen, in the Kingdom of Ava. 
(Translated from the original of Pe\RE Giusrerrr p’AMATO.] 
The territory of Ayat-pyen* (written Chia-ppitn by d’Amato) is 
situated to the east, and a little to the south of the town of Mon-lhd, 
(which latter place is by observation in latitude 22° 16’ North,) dis- 
tant 30 or 40 Burman leagues, each league being 1000 taa, of seven 
cubits the taat; say 70 miles. It is surrounded by nine mountains. 
The soil is uneven and full of marshes, which form seventeen small lakes, 
each having a particular name. It is this soil which is so rich in mine- 
ral treasures. It should be noticed, however, that the ground which 
remains dry is that alone which is mined, or perforated with the wells 
whence the precious stones are extracted. The mineral district is divided 
into 50 or 60 parts, which, beside the general name of ‘‘ mine,” have 
each a distinct appellation. 
The miners, who work at the spot, dig square wells, to the depth of 
15 or 20 cubits, and to prevent the wells from falling in, they prop 
them with perpendicular piles, four or three on each side of the square, 
according to the dimensions of the shaft, supported by cross pieces be- 
tween the opposite piles. 
When the whole is secure, the miner descends, and with his hands 
extracts the loose soil, digging in a horizontal direction. The gravelly 
ore is brought to the surface in a ratan basket raised by a cord, as water 
froma well. From this mass all the precious stones and any other mine- 
rals possessing value are picked out, and washed in the brooks descend- 
ing from the neighbouring hills. 
Besides the regular duty which the miners pay to the Prince, in kind, 
they are obliged to give up to him gratuitously all jewels of more than 
a certain size or of extraordinary value. Of this sort was the tornallina 
(tourmaline ?) presented by the Burman monarch to Colonel Symes. 
It was originally purchased clandestinely by the Chinese on the spot; 
the Burmese court, being apprized of the circumstance, instituted a 
strict search for the jewel, and the sellers, to hush up the affair, were 
obliged to buy it back at double price, and present it to the king. 
* The Kyat-pyen mountains are doubtless the Capelan mountains mentioned as 
the locality of the ruby, in Phillip’s Mineralogy—‘‘ 60 miles from Pegue, a city in 
Ceylon.” Though it might well have puzzled a geographer to identify them withou! 
the clue of their mineral riches. 
+ Estimating the cubit at 1§ feet, the league will be 10,500 feet, or nearly two 
miles ;—about an Indian fos, 
L 2 
