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EXTRACT FROM TAVERNIER’s VOYAGES.

CHAP. L— Of Diamonds, and the Mines and Rivers where they are found; and inthe firfi place of the Author’s Journey to the Mine of Raolconda.

'Hphe diamond is the molt precious of all (tones, and it is the trade to which I am-A the moit attached. In endeavouring to acquire a perfect knowledge of them Ivifited all the mines, and one of the two rivers where they are found; and as the ideaof danger has never impeded me in my travels, the dreadful picture given me of thefemines, as being placed in the moft barbarous countries, only attainable by the moltdangerous roads, was neither capable of frightening or deterring me from my defigrt.I have confequently vifited the four mines mentioned in the following- defcription, andone of the two rivers from whence diamonds are procured, and have neither met withthofe difficulties nor that barbarity, which lome perfons, but ill acquainted with the na-ture of thefe countries, had taught me to expeft. I can alfo fay that I have fet an ex-ample for others, and am the firft European who have (hewn the way to thefe minesto the Franks, as thefe are the only parts of the earth where diamonds are found.

The firft of the mines I vifited, is fituated in the territories of the King of Vifapourm the province of Carnatica, the place is called Raolconda, it is five days’ journey fromGolconda, and eight or nine from Vifapour. As the kings of Golconda and VifapourWere formerly fubjects of the Mogul, and governors of thefe provinces, which theypoffefs in confequence of their revolt, it may be faid, and is faid by many perfons, thatdiamonds are found in the kingdom of the Great Mogul. It is but two hundred years(ince or thereabouts, that the mine of Raolconda has been difeovered, according to theinformation I received from the people of that country.

All around the place where the diamonds are found, the earth is fandy and full offocks and coppice woods, nearly fimiiar to the environs of Fontainbleau. In thefeJ'ocks are feveral veins, fometimes half an inch in breadth, and fometimes an entireinch, and the miners have little iron rods bent at the end, which they thruft in thefeVe ins to draw out the fand or earth, which they put into veflels, and it is amongft thisea ith that the diamonds are found. But becaufe thefe veins are not always regular,fometimes rifing and fometimes falling, they are obliged to break the rocks in orderto follow their track. After they have opened them all, and collected the earth orfond they contain, they wa(h it two or three times, and feek for the diamonds. It isfo°m this mine that the diamonds of the fineft water are procured; but the word is,foat in order to facilitate the feparating the fand from the rock, they give fuch forcibleurokes with a great iron lever, that (hocking the diamonds it caufes them to be flawed;*uis is the caufe of fo many damaged (tones being found in this mine; for when thetuners fee a (tone where the crack is a little large, they cleave it, a practice in whichthey are more (killed than we. If the (tone is clear they only turn it on the wheel,taking no pains to (hape it for fear of diminifliing its weight. But if it has fome littlelaw, or any fmall fpecks of red or black fand, they cover the (tone with facets, in or-er to conceal its defects; and if it has fome very fmall flaw, they cover that alfo by

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