Bengal to the Malay.] ORIENTAL COMMERCE. 



817 



in spirits of wine; it is inflammable, of a bitter taste, and its smell strong 

 and penetrating. 



Asphaltum, or mineral pitch, is already described in page 71. 

 In the neighbourhood of Rangoon are many petroleum wells. 

 Emeralds are to be met with at Pegu. They are of a shining, trans, 

 parent, dark grass green colour, generally of a round or oval form, seldom 

 as large as a hazel-nut. It is rare to find the colour pure, and of good 

 strength ; hence such specimens are highly valued. In the ehoice of eme- 

 ralds great care should be taken to avoid all fouls, or spots within, to which 

 they are very subject, and which materially depreciate them. 



Garnets are met with at Pegu, and other parts of the East Indies; 

 they are of various sizes, from an inch in diameter to the size of a pin's 

 head, and in roundish or oblong pieces, apparently polished. They should 

 be chosen as large as possible, free from specks, Haws, and other impurities, 

 and the colour of the juice of a ripe mulberry. The drill holes should be 

 small, and not broken or flawed round. They are occasionally imported in 

 large rough pieces, undrilled. 



Rubies are produced in Pegu, and occasionally some very excellent 

 ones may be procured ; they are of four kinds, war. ruby, spinelle ruby, ba- 

 lass ruby, and rubycelle. 



The ruby is a transparent gem, of a beautiful reddish colour, not like 

 that of vermilion, but of blood, or cochineal. They are generally found 

 very small, about the size of a large pin's head, of a roundish or oval form, 

 but are met with of one and two carats, and sometimes much larger. They 

 should be chosen of a lively fine colour ; the deeper the red, the larger the 

 stone, and the clearer it is. without flaws or veins, the more it is esteemed. 

 The pale and veiny stones should be rejected. 



The spinelle ruby is nearly of the same colour as the true ruby, but has 

 not its beauty and splendour. 



The balass ruby is more of the colour of crimson, and when well po- 

 lished, is a handsome stone. 



The rubycelle is red, with a cast of yellow in it, and is the least valuable 

 of the kind. 



According to Dutens, a perfect ruby, if it weighs more than three carats 

 and a half, is of greater value than a diamond of the same weight, such 

 stones being remarkably scarce : a stone of one carat, and perfect, he esti- 

 mates to be worth ten guineas ; two carats forty guineas, and three carats 

 one hundred and fifty guineas. 



MARTA BAN.— This town is situated on the N. side of a river, in 

 hit 28' N., about 20 leagues to the E. of Rangoon river. A large island, 



