SKETCH OF EOHNEO. 23 



rally lies an incrustatloii like rattan woodj be- 

 nrath \vbich the gold-dust is found in a red 

 earth. There is also an ore namod Mas-aurong 

 found in the samc mines^ with iron stone pebbles 

 and sometimes chrjstal. 



The diamond mines of Banjar are situated 

 an:iong the mounlains of the Biajus. They 

 are found in a soil of carron black gravel at the 

 surface, and the pits are sometimes carried to 

 the depth of ten fathoms. The mines are 

 wrought with verj little skill, generally under 

 the superintendance of a native Biaju who is 

 termed the Malera. Gold-dust is often found 

 in the same mine with the diamond. The Sul- 

 tan claims all diamonds above the weight of 

 five carats, but this claim is generally evaded. 



The English seem to have been the first Eu- 

 ropcan nation that frcquented Banjar Massing 

 for purposes of trade, unless we suppose^ as is 

 extremely probable, that they were prcceded 

 by the Portuguese. According to Valentyn, 

 the English began to trade to Banjcir ia 1609, 

 while he states, that the Dutch onlv bes-an to 

 frequent Banjar or Martapura occasionally 

 about löl^i. About the year 1700, the Eng- 

 lish fixed themselves in Banjar^ with about 40 

 English and iOO Bugis-men, at which time th<t 



