( 912 ) 
Melmlke or the Jfilen» M/W^/ocalledjbeeaufe it was but lately 
found out (or at lead permitted to be made uTe of) in the jear 
1 670 ; it had then a year employed the Miners,bur it was forbid-? 
denandlay unoccupied till J673, whencomplaint being made 
at ^uoleur^hzt rhe Vein was worn out, the King again licenfed 
its fett!ement, The Earth they mine in^is very red, and many of 
the Stones found there have of ic (ticking to them, as if it had 
clung there while they were of a foft glutinous fubftance and had 
not attained their hardnefs, maintaining its colour on its skin 
(feemingioberoughned withit) that ic cannot be fctcht out by 
grinding on a rough Stone vvith Sand, which chey make ufe of to 
clean them. The Stones are generally well-(baped,their fize from 
^ or 6 ina»/*«^^^//e'^» tothofeof 14 or r 5 each,andfome bigger; 
but greateft quantities of the middle forts : Moft of them havea 
thick dull skin, incline to a yellowifh water , not altogether fo 
ftrongSc lively asof theotherMines^very few of them ofa cry Tal- 
lin water &skin.They are reported to be apt to flaw infplittingi 
which occaiions thefepeople to efteem them f.mething fjfcer than 
the produflofmany of theotherMinestfeveral that flatter by their 
feemiRg whitencfs when rough , difcover their deceitfulnefs ha- 
ving paft the Mill, and too often a yellowifh tin6ure,to the dif- 
appointment and lofs of them thathavecut them; but what they 
want in goodnefs, is in part fupplied by theplenty they find, 
which, together wiih their properties, make them the cheaper. 
This being what I have gathered , both by experience of feveral 
of the places I have feen,and the beft Informations I could meet 
wi(h,of the Mines in this Kingdom I ffiall now proceed to thofc 
in Vifiapcre. 
. Vtjiapore is known to contain Mines enclnfing Stones as large 
and good as thofe of Go/conda ; but the King,for reafons already 
givcn,makes ufebut of themeaneft: whereby^as G^/^e^;!;^^ is fa^ 
mous for rhe largenefs of thofe it affords, Viliapore is noted for 
thefmalleft 5 whofeMines, though they feldom or neverrender 
an Adventurer a fortune or ePrate at once, as fometimes thofe of 
Gclco^da doj^y a great Stone or feveral found together;yet they 
aremore populous and better employed, the fmall Stones lying 
ihicker in the earth, fo that the generality are gainers, and few 
but they ger-rheir expence :^ whereas thofeof Golconda. digaway 
a confiderable Eftateand find nothing, others cot their charges, 
apd where one is a gainer,divers lofe* 
Theiie 
