124 DIAMOND MINKS 



The only rock of this formation in which the diamond is found is the 

 Sandstone Breccia. I have as yet only visited the rock mines of Bangan- 

 palli, a village situated about twelve miles west of the town of Nandiala. 

 The low range of hills in which these mines are situated appear distinct 

 from the main range, but a junction of the north and south extremities may 

 be traced with great facility. 



The Breccia is here found under a compact sandstone rock, differing in 

 no respect from that which is found in other parts of the main range. It is 

 composed of a beautiful mixture of red and yellow jasper, quartz, chalcedo- 

 ny and hornstone of various colours, cemented together by a quartz paste. 

 It passes into a puddingstone composed of rounded pebbles of quartz horn* 

 stone, &c. cemented by an argillo- calcareous earth, of a loose friable tex- 

 ture, in which the diamonds are most frequently found. 



Some writers have miscalled this rock amygdaloid or wacken, and have 

 described these mines as being situated on conical summits of that rock. 

 The truth is that the conical summits are artificial, and owe their origin to 

 the sifting of the pounded Breccia and Puddingstone, for the purpose of 

 separating the larger stones, preparatory to their being wetted and examin- 

 ed. The hill itself is quite flat and not a single conical elevation can be 

 seen throughout its entire extent. In my journey from Nandiala on horse- 

 back, a view of the range for an extent of twenty miles N. and S. was 

 constantly before me, and in no instance did I observe a deviation from the 

 continued flatness. 



I regret that for many years previous to my visit to these mines, no fresh 

 excavations had been made, so that I had no opportunity of ascertaining 

 the mode in which the miners get at the Breccia. I saw many holes un- 

 der large blocks of Sandstone, of about five feet average depth, most of 

 them blocked up by rubbish. I was told that at that depth the diamond 

 bed was found, 



