40 7 
Corundum Stone from Asia . 
u being seen in a direct line. A fine view of the river is seen 
44 near Erode ; which fort, as well as Sankerdroog, are plainly 
44 visible with the naked eye, as is also the Coimbitoor country, 
44 south and west of the river, to an immense extent. 
44 I procured, at Permetty, a cadjan from the Bramin manager 
44 to the head man of the Pollam ; which, on my arrival at the 
44 pits, I sent to him ; and soon after three of the miners came 
44 from the Pollam, with their implements, and families follow- 
44 ing with provisions. As they came up, they inquired of my 
44 servant how they were to address me, having never seen an 
44 European before. 
44 I followed them into a pit, in the line of the excavation, above 
“ 14 feet from the ground-level. The instrument they used 
44 is a very heavy iron crow, ending in a broad point, with a 
44 straight wooden handle, clampt with iron. The soil they cut 
“ through is of different colours, but composed chiefly of a 
44 gritty granite ; and, at the depth of seven feet, are layers of 
44 a substance not unlike dried pitch, which crumbles into small 
44 flakes when taken out. With considerable labour, the miners, 
44 with the points of their crows, cut out several pieces of 
44 the strata, of some pounds weight each ; and, when a consi- 
44 derable quantity was broken off, it was carried up and crush- 
“ ed to pieces, with great force, by the iron crow. Among 
44 these broken lumps, the Corundum stone is found ; but in 
44 many of the pieces there was none. The mode of getting it, 
44 made it difficult to get any with the stratum adhering to it ; 
44 this, however, after several trials I obtained very perfect, and 
44 shall forward to Madras, with specimens of the strata at dif- 
44 ferent depths. The stone is beyond all comparison heavier 
44 than the substance which encrusts it. 
