|
DIAMOND.
|
81
|
||
|
|
|||
|
are found ; the most famous of them being situated near Landak, one of the principal cities.
The
largest are sent to Batavia, whence they go directly to Holland. The
smallest are sold at Ponti-anak. At Murtapsera, the ancient residence
of the Sultan, the inhabitants themselves search for diamonds in the
surrounding mines.
About
the year 1840 diamond deposits were discovered in the district of
Doladoulo, in Sumatra. In the Malays, the island of Celebes has some,
but there are very few at Java.
The
Chinese have so few diamonds that one can scarcely believe they possess
any mines. The signs of rank, and the precious decorations of which the
Celestial emperor, the imperial princes and mandarins make such parade,
are in pearls, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, jade and coral, but
diamonds are never seen.
In
Siberia diamonds have been found in strata of ferruginous clay on Mount
Ural ; and this discovery has destroyed the formerly received opinion
concerning the formation of this gem.
Pliny
had noticed the Eiver Gourmel, near Constan-tina, as being
adamantiferous, and Hericart de Thury, in 1840, confirmed the truth of
this opinion by presenting to the Institute of France some diamonds
procured there by himself.
About
the year 1729 Bernardo di Fonseca Lobo discovered very rich diamond
lands, sixteen leagues long, and twelve leagues wide, at Erasile, in
the province of Minas-Geraes, a district of Serra-da-Frio.
G
|
|||
|
|
|||