'Collections of travels through Turky into Persia, and the East Indies. Giving an account of the present state of those countries, as also a full relation of the five years wars, between Aureng-Zebe and his brothers in their father's life time, about the succession. And a voyage made by the Great Mogul (Aureng-Zebe) with his Army from Dehli to Lahor, from Lahor to Bember, and from thence to the Kingdom of Kachemire, by the Mogols, call'd, the Paradise of the Indies. Together with a relation of the Kingdom of Japan and Tunkin, and of their particular manners and trade. To which is added a new description of the Grand Seignior's Seraglio, and also of all the Kingdoms that encompass the Euxine and Caspian Seas, being the travels of Monsieur TavernierBernier, and other great men.' [‎134] (453/1024)

134 Travels in India. Part i],
CHAP. XL
Cf Diamonds^ and the Mines and Riven where they are found * and
fir ft of the Author s journey to the Mine tf/Raolconda.
T H £ Diamond is the moft precious of all Stones, and it was in that fort of
Commodity wherein I moft dealt. And therefore to acquire a perfect ex-
perience, I went to all the Mines \ and to one of the Rivers where they are
found. To which purpofe I travell’d to four Mines} of which I will give youa
cjefcription ; and of one of the Rivers where I have alfo been.
The firftof thefe Mines, where I was,is in the Territories of the King of£7-
fopourfm the Province of Carnatic a 3 and the place is call’d Raokondafwz days
journey from Golconda^vd eight or nine from Fifaponr. This Mine was difcover’d
not above two-hunder’d years ago, as I was Inform’d by thofe of the Coun
trey.-
Round about the place where the Diamonds are found,the ground is fandy,full
of Rocks, much refembling the parts near Foumain-Bteau. There are in \he
Rocks feveral veins, feme half a fmger, fome a whole finger-wide * And the
Miners make ufe of Irons with hooks at the end, with which they pick out the
earth or Sand, which they put into tubs,and among that earth,they find the Dia
monds. But becaufe thefe veins do not run always flreight,but fometimes down
fdmetimes upward,the Miners are conflrain’d to break the Rook,following always
the trace of the veins .* When they have open’d all the veins 7 , and taken out all
the fand, then they wafh it two or three times over to look for the Diamonds.
In this Mine it is that they find the deaneft Stones, and of the whitefi water.
But the mifehief is, that to fetch the fand out of the Rock, they are forc’d to
ftrike fuch terrible blows with a great Iron-leaver, that they flaw the Dia
mond, and make it look like Cryltal. Which is the reafon there are found fo
many foft Stones in this Diamond-Mine,though they make a' great fhew. If the
Stone be clean, they only give it a turn or two upon the wheel,not caring to ihape
it, for fear of lofing the weight. If there be any flaws, or any point*, or any
black or red fpecks in it, they cut all the Stone into Foflets j or if there be only
a little flaw, they work it under the ridg of one of the Foflets, to hide the de-
fed. Now becaufe a Merchant defiros rather to have a black fpeck than a red
one} ’tis but burning the Stone, and the fpeck becomes black. This trick at
length I underftood fo well, that when I law any Stones in them that came from
the Mine made into Foflets, efpecially very fmall ones, I was certain there was
either fome fpeck or fome flaw in the Stone.
There are feveral Diamond-Cutters at this Mine,but none of them have above
one Mill, which is of Steel. They never cut but one Stone at a time upon each
Mill, calling water continually upon the Mill,to And out the grain of the Stone j
which being found they pour on Oil,('not fparing for powder ol Diamonds though
it be very dearj to make the Stone Aide the falter } and they lay on more
weight than we do. I have feen them lay upon one Stone an hunder’d and fifty
pound of Lead. I mull confefs it was a great Stone,which weigh’d an hunder’d
and three Carats, after it was cut} and the Mill was like ours, only the great
Wheel was turn’d by four Negros. The Indians are not of the fame opinion that
we are} for they do not believe that the weight gives any lulter to the Stones.
If theirs be not fubjed to take their lufter, ’tis becaufe there is always a Boy that
Hands with a thin woodden-llice in his hand,and waters the Wheel continually
with Oil and Powder of Diamonds. Befides, their Wheel does not go fo fall as
ours,becaufe the Woodden-wheel that turns the Steel-wheel, is not above three
foot in Diameter.
T hey cannot give that lively polilhment to Stones,as we give to ours in Europe^
and I believe the reafon to be, becaufe their Wheel does not run fo flat as ours.
For in regard it is of Steel, to rub' it upon the Emeril, as mult be done every
four and twenty hours, the Tree mult be taken off, which can never be put on
again