140 



"Travels in India. Part. \\ 



and Come others adjoining, above eight thoufand perfons, men women and 

 children that are able to work. They that are skiltul know by the (and whe- 

 ther there be any Diamonds or no, when they find among the land little 

 Stones like to thole which we call Thunder- Stones. They begin to make fearch 

 in the River from the Town of Soumelpour to the very Mountains from whence 

 the River falls, for fifty Leagues together 



Where they believe there are Diamonds, they encompals the place with 

 Stakes Faggots, and Earth, as when they go about to make the Arch of a 

 Bridg 'to drain all the water out of that place. Then they dig out all the 

 Sand for two foot deep, which is all carried and fpread upon a great place 

 for that purpofe prepar'd upon the fide ot the River ; encompals'd with a 

 little Wall about a foot and half high. When they have fill'd this place with 

 as much Sand as they think convenient, they throw water upon it, wafh 

 it, and fift it $ doing in other things as they do at the Mines which \ have 

 already defcrib'd. 



From this River come all thofe fair Points which are call d natural Points, 

 but a great Stone is feldom found here. The reafon why none of thefe Stones 

 have been feen in Ettrope, is becaule of the Wars, that have hinder'd the people 

 from working. 



Befides the Diamond Mine which I have fpoken of in the Province of 

 Carnatica, which Mirgimola eaus'd to be (hut up, by reafon of- the ycllownefs 

 of the Diamonds, and the foulnefs of the Stones ; there is in the Ifland of Bor- 

 neo, the largeft Ifland in the World, another River calPd Succadan , in the 

 Sand whereof they rind Diamonds as hard as any in the other Mines. The 

 principal reafon that diflwaded me frqm going to the Ifland of Borneo was, 

 becaufe I underftood that the Queen of the Ifland would not permit any 

 Strangers to carry away any of thofe Diamonds out of the Ifland. Thole few 

 that arc exported, being carry'd out by itealth, and privately fold at Baravia. 

 I fay the Queen, and not the King, becaule in that Ifland the Women have 

 the Soveraign Command, and not the Men. For the people are fo curious to 

 have a lawful Heir upon the Throne, that the Husband not being certain 

 that the Children which he has by his Wife are his own ; but the W ife being 

 always certain that the Children which fhe bears are hers, the-- rathei choofe 

 to be govern'd by a Woman, to whom they give the Title of Queen ; her 

 Husband being only her Subject, and having no power but what fhe permits 

 him. 



, CHAP. XIV. 



Of the diverjity of Wrights usd at the "Diamond Mines. Of the 

 ^Pieces of Gold and Silver there Currant ; and the Rule which 

 they observe to know the Trice of 'Diamonds. 



A 1 



T the Mine of Raolconda they weigh by Mangelins, a Mangelin being 

 L one Carat and three quarters, that is feven Grains. 



At the Mine of Gani or Coulour they ufe the fame Weights. 



At the Mine of Soumelpour in Bengala, they weigh by Rati's, and the Rati 

 is feven eighths of a Carat, or three Grains and a half. They ufe the fame 

 Weights over all the Empire of the Mogul. 



In the Kingdoms of Golconda and Vijapour, they make ufe of Mangelins 5 

 but a Mangelin in thofe parts is not above one Carat and three eighths. The 

 Vortugah in Goa make ufe of the fame Weights in Gea 3 but a Mangelin there 

 is not above five Grains. 



As for the Money in ufe : Firft, in Bengala, in the Territories of the Raja 



before mention'd , in regard they lye enclos'd within the Dominions of the 



Great Mogul, they make their payments in Roupies. 



At 



