SPINEL RUBY AND BALAS RUBY. 117
buncle
of the ancients included our oriental ruby, it is equally certain that
this name was applied to all red stones—oriental ruby, spinel ruby,
garnets, &c. —in the same indiscriminate manner as the East Indians
apply the name ruby to all coloured precious stones.
When
Pegu, that fatherland of rubies, was annexed in 1852 to the English
possessions, it was believed that Europe would receive at least a part
of the rubies that had been for so many centuries locked up in that
country. That hope has been completely disappointed. It is not even
certain that the mines there continue to be worked. It would seem also
that the regions where rubies exist are extremely dangerous to approach
on account of lions, tigers, and serpents. To be sure, it is
very probable that merchants in rubies designedly exaggerate these
dangers to delay competition; but it is certain that this part of Asia
is very little known, and the known condition of the island of Borneo
seems to justify the opinion.
SPINEL RUBY AND BALAS RUBY.
In
connection with the oriental ruby two other productions of quite a
different nature must be described, namely, the spinel ruby and the
balas ruby.
The first is generally a very vivid poppy red;
