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42
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DIAMONDS.
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in a.D. 1591,
when he served under Man Singh in the Imperial army which invaded
Orissa. " Tuzuk-i-Ja-hangiri (p. 155) :—On the 3rd Isfandiarmuz of the
10th year of my reign (a.d. 1616)
it was reported to me (Jahangiri) that Ibrahim Khan (Governor of Bihar)
had overrun Kokrah and taken possession of its diamond-washings. This
district belongs to Subali Bihar, and the river which flows
through it yields the diamonds. When the river contains _ little water,
tumuli and hollows are formed. The diamond diggers know from experience
that chiefly those tumuli contain diamonds over which insects hover
called by the Hindus Jhingah.* They pile up stones on all sides
of the tumuli, and then cut into them with hatchets and chisels and
collect the diamonds from among the sand and stones. Sometimes diamonds
are found of the value of a lac of rupees each. The district and the
diamond river are in the possession of Zamindar Durjan Sal. The
Governors of Bihar frequently sent detachments into Kohrah ; but as
the roads are fortified and the jungles impenetrable, the governors
were generally satisfied with a tribute of two or three diamonds. When
I appointed Ibrahim Khan Governor of Bihar, vice Zafar Khan, I
told him at the time of departure to invade the district and drive away
the unknown petty Rajah. No sooner had Ibrahim entered on his office
than he prepared himself to invade Kokrah. The Rajah, according to
custom, sent a few diamonds and elephants; but Ibrahim was
dissatisfied, and invaded the district before the Raja could collect
his men. When he received news of the invasion he was already besieged
in the pass where he used to reside. Some of Ibrahim's men who had been
sent out to look for him found him with several persons, among them his
mother, another wife of his father, and one of his brothers, concealed
in a cave. They were deprived of the diamonds in their possession.
Twenty-three elephants besides were taken.....The
district is now subject to me. All diamonds found in the
* Can these be Tavernier's " thunderstones ?" (vide p. 27).
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