(the
kaha and sudu palingu, Sinhalese) are almost valueless, the white sort
being only used for spectacle glasses, though it also passes muster,
when cut as brilliants, for real diamond among ornaments.
The
part of the district productive in gems is the western portion of it
drawing a line from Balangoda in Meda Korale to Madampe in Atacalan
Korale extendiug it northwards of the limits of the district at the
great mountain zone, and drawing it westwards from Madampe to the
limits of Pasdum Korale. In the western portion gems are found in all
directions. The chief localities for gem searching have hitherto been
Getehetta near Situaka, Niriella, Kare-witte, Patakadu, Watapotta,
Newitegala, Boialogodda, Delwala, and a few other places; and latterly
Karangoda and Weralupa, where, though gems were formerly occasionally
found, at present large and surer yields are to be had of a superior
quality. There is no doubt, that at present gemming is better
understood, and that it is conducted on an improved system and with
greater enterprise. Now the pits are excavated to greater depths in
places where formerly no gravel (the matrix in which gems are found,
called " Iltau"1 by the Sinhalese.) was supposed to
exist; whilst formerly the searchers were content to wash beds of
gravel of an unsatisfactory nature situate superficially, and easier
reached, but yielding an inferior description rjf produce. In fact it
may be presumed that these superficial strata, are now exhausted,
necessitating a search at greater depths, and including a sort of
involuntary improvement. The pit where the great stone was found at
Karangoda was at least ^5 feet deep, whilst the pits now so productive
at Weralupa are scarcely of less depth.
There
are two ways in which gems are searched for—one in beds of streams, and
the other by sinking pits on land, generally on the borders of streams,
in which previously search had been made and found to contain the
gravel. At Weralupa both plans are now pursued—in the stream which runs
through it, and on the meadow lands on its banks, the first discoverer
of the deep-seated bed of gravel having been an enterprising resident
of Ratnapura. A correct description of these modes of gemming in water'
and on land (as the phrases run) may not be wholly without interest. In
Mater gemmings the implements and appliances used are few and simple,
consisting of a few mamoties (called "Menik Udaloo") stout, of an
oblong square form, double the size of the ordinary ones, and concave
on the handle surface, having a long pole called a rita, of greater or
less length according to the deptli of the gravel, fixed to it for a
handle; a few crow-bars to break through any inpediment that may be
found in the way of getting at the "illan"; a long iron sounding-rod
called lllankoora, and a close wicker-basket called Menikiwttia" made
of the prepared split bamboo-reed (bata). This wicker-basket is an
admirable contrivance for the purpose it serves: it is basin-shaped but
more conical and about two feet in diameter, with a strong rim of
rattan. A dry season of the year being selected, generally between
December and March, when the water in the streams is low and sluggish,
the gem-men commence operations by putting away the sand in the spot
selected, sounding with the sounding rod from time to time to see
whether the gravel is at an accessible depth. In this part of the
business the ordinary coolies assist, but not after the gravel has been
exposed—when only the initiated gem-men work. In the way of getting at
the gravel, sometimes the impediments of the trunks of trees and
blocks of rocks are found, but almost invariably a sort of crust called
"catooa," has to be got through. The illan commonly lie just under this
catooa or crust which presents different appearances at different
places, though at times it is entirely absent. It is seldom of greater
thickness than a few inches, but its hardness varies from almost that
of granite to sun-baked bricks. Just under this crust, which varies in
colour also in different localities, is found the illan resting on a
bed of clay of greater or less thickness, and of different colours,
even at short distances of space called " Malaiva." I have seen
it green, blue, grey, reddish, and at Balangoda, deep yellow; but the
first mentioned' colours are reckoned the most promising. It is said
that under the stratum of clay, another bed of gravel has been found,
richer
