possession of it was attended with great pomp and ceremony
magnified by the imposing spectacle of a procession of
grandees, accompanied by soldiers and elephants, despatched
by the government to meet and escort the gem to court, like
some distinguished prince or ambassador.
The Burman mines yield the sapphire, but the ruby is by
far the most abundant ; they are cut by native lapidaries, at
Amarapura, not far from the capital, from which they are
exported to Rangoon and Calcutta, the great gem-markets of
the East. Mr. Streeter says, at the present time (1877),
Pegu is the most prolific source of the ruby ; there are also
mines in active operation in the Chinese provinces bordering
upon the Burman Empire, and, probably, in other places of
China, but there is no doubt that Ceylon ranks next to Burmah
for its rubies, and excels that country in the abundance of its
sapphires. The Ceylon rubies are considered inferior in hue
to the continental varieties, but surpass them in brilliancy, in
consequence of being less opalescent ; their violet tinge
renders them less beautiful by daylight, but more desirable for
evening ornaments, when they develop a fine prismatic red
under the influence of artificial light.
The Cingalese, like other orientals, keep all the best specimens ; and the lapidaries, after the fashion of their craft in
other countries, manufacture these gems for the credulous
purchaser.
The lychnis, the ruby of the ancients, was found in Asia
Minor, but their best specimens came from India, where, at
present, the production is very limited, and even in Tavernier's
day the supply did not equal the demand. The famous rubymines at Badakshan, Tartary, were known to the Mogul
emperors of India, from which these voluptuous rulers obtained at least a part of their abundant store. But the ruby
