i^o Tr avels, in India. Part. H. 



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

 children, that are able to work. They that are skilful know by the fand whe- 

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

 Stones like to thofe 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 encompafs 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 of the River 3 encompatè'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, warn- 

 it, and fîft it 5 doing in other things as they do at the Mines whidL I have 

 already defcrib'd. I. . 



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

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

 have been feen in Europe, is becaufe 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 caus'd to be mut up, by reafon of the ^dlownefs 

 of the Diamonds, and the foulnefs of the Stones 5 there is in the Ifiand of i>or- 

 neo } the largeft Ifland in the World, another River call'd S^ccadan , in the 

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

 principal reafon that difiwaded me from 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. Thofe few 

 that are exported, being carry'd out by ftealth,. and privately fold at Batavia. 

 I fay the Queen, and not the King, becaufe 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 Wife being 

 always certain that the Children which fhe. bears are' hers, they rather choofe. 

 to be govern'd by a Woman, to whom they give the Title of Queen 5 her 

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

 him. 



CHAP. XIV. 



Of the diverjity of Weights usd at the 'Diamond Mines. Of the 

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

 they obferve to know the 'Price of T)iamonds. 



AT the Mine of Raolconda they weigh by Mangel ins, a Mangelin being 

 one Carat and three quarters, that is feven Grains. 

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

 At the Mine of Soumelpour in Bengala, they weigh by Rati's, andthe 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 ufè of Mangelins 5 

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

 Portugais in Goa make ufe of the fame Weights in Gea 5 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. 



... Af 



