DIAMOND. 
389 
is about the end of December. As soon in January 
as the water is grown clear, eight or ten thousand 
persons, of all ages and both sexes, come out of 
Soumelpour and the neighbouring villages. The 
most experienced among them search and examine 
the sand of the river, going up it from Soumelpour 
to the very mountain whence it springs. Those 
who are used to this business know by the sand 
whether any diamonds are likely to be found or 
not, and judge it a favourable sign when they find 
a number of those stones which we call thunder 
stones, at the bottom of the river. When they 
have reason to believe that the produce will pay 
them for their labour, they proceed to take up the 
sand, first making a dam round the place with 
stones, earth, and fascines, and then lading out the 
water. After this is done, they dig about two feet 
deep, and the sand thus procured is carried into a 
place walled round on the bank of the river, where 
it is washed and sifted in the same manner as at 
Coulour. 
Magellan tells us that the greatest diamond 
ever known in the world is one belonging to the 
king of Portugal, which was found in Brasil, and is 
still uncut. This gentleman was informed from 
good authority that it was once of a larger size, but 
that a piece was cleaved or broken by the ignorant 
countryman who chanced to find the gem, and tried 
its hardness by a stroke of a large hammer upon an 
anvil. This prodigious diamond weighs l 680 ca-» 
