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HOME OF THE DIAMOND.
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table-land elevated from twelve hundred to thirteen hundred
feet above sea-level, have been famous since the reign of the Ptolemies. This region, visited at the beginning of the present century, was found to contain diamonds in gravel beds at a depth of from six to twenty-four feet.
The Sumbulpoor mines, in the region of the Mahanuddy
river, are of great antiquity, and supposed to be the oldest in India. At the time of Tavernier's visit, some of the mines in the Carnatic province had been closed by order of the emperor, on account of the imperfection of the gems. Indian diamonds were obtained from river-beds by a process similar to that practised in Brazil.
Diamonds have been found in numerous localities in India,
besides those just designated. Mines were formerly worked along the Coromandel coast, and among the hills of Bengal, but they have also been abandoned, from one cause or another — it could not have been from exhaustion ; and this country, at the present time, not only furnishes none for the market, but depends upon exportations for her own supply ; still, it is thought there is an abundant store of these precious stones in this wonderful land, which may yet be developed.
Borneo. — This extensive island is supposed to be very productive in diamonds, but authentic accounts of the mines are
very meagre, owing to the obstacles in the way of exploring, arising from the opposition of the natives, and the difficulty of penetrating the interior, where they occur. The character of the mines, as far as is known, is similar to those in India, the gems being found at different depths in gravel. The diamonds of Borneo, said to be the best in the world, are celebrated for their remarkable adamantine lustre.
Brazil.—It was not until 1727 that the real character of
the Brazilian diamond was known ; this was obtained not from |
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