154 THE GREAT DIAMONDS OF THE WORLD.
into
the larger affluents. In 1818 this province came into the British
possession, but the British workmen stationed at Sumbhulpore fell
victims to the insalubrity of the country. The part of the river
Mahanuddy in which diamonds were found reaches from Chundepore where
the Maund joins the main stream to Sohnpore where the Mahanuddy makes a
sudden bend to the north producing an extensive mud bank on the
northern shore, making altogether a course of 120 miles. Throughout
this extent the diamond searchers ply their unwholesome trade from the
time when the rains cease to their periodical return. These labourers
are of two tribes called Jhara and Tora. The former are said to be
Gonds, an aboriginal race, and the latter a mixed people. When the rain
has ceased the Jhara and Tora searchers repair to the upper Mahanuddy,
with their wives and children, and explore the beds, especially the
alluvial deposits. The principal tool which they employ is a sharp
pickaxe. All the detritus is well washed. The hard stony matter is
looked at carefully by the women. It is put thinly on planks and
exposed to the glare of the sun, which shows up the character of the
calcareous " detrit." Every particle of red ochrey clay coloured by
oxide of iron, is passed through the fingers and thumb, and examined
minutely, as this is richest in diamonds. But concealment of the
stones was and perhaps is very easy and common. In 1818, the year of
the dispersement of the Pindaries and not less thieving masters, the
Mahrattas, the native searchers found by some experiments that the
white man's agent valued fairly
