than
the one on the top, but of this I have no personal knowledge. The
gravel being exposed, though under water, it is slowly and steadily
scooped out with the mamotie above described, its concave form
facilitating this, and being brought to the feet of the man engaged, is
then deposited in the " Menik Wattia" (wicker basket) held under water
with his feet. A sufficient quantity of illan being collected, he lays
by the mamotie and washes it himself, or hands it over to another to
wash, and goes on with the mamotie work. The washing of the illan is
the next operation to be described, and is performed in this wise. The
basket being held under water by the rim, the illan in it is rotated
with a quick motion, by which the clay, now dissolved, and the lighter
particles of stone are thrown out at the rim. From time to time the
larger stones are taken up examined and rejected if they are not gems.
The whole is now reduced down to what is called the "Nabooa" which
is the he3vy, thin sand, mostly composed of particles of precious
stones, jet and the gems, the object of search, settled down by reason
of their greater weight at the conical part of the basket. The basket
is then brought ashore and the nabooa examined, when the
precious stones are easily recognized and removed. The foregoing is a
brief account of gemming in water. Gemming on land is done in the
following manner:—The place being selected, also in the dry season, the
operation of pitting is begun, the pit being invariably of the square
shape. The earth being removed to the level of the water, it becomes
soft. From this stage commences the sounding of the pit from time to
time to ascertain whether the illan is at a practicable depth, the
"illankoora" in the hands of the experienced seldom misleading. The
illan being found, the gem-men are obliged to re-double their exertions
as now they have to contend against the influx of water which they are
obliged constantly to bale out, and this the more as they get nearer
the above described "crust," over which generally lies a bed of very
permeable sand of greater or less thickness. The sand being got rid of,
the illan is got at either after breaking through the catooa or not, if
it do not exist. The illan is detached from the bed of clay with the
crow-bar and heaped up to be washed, but the larger stones that are
found have almost all been discovered whilst breaking the illan from
its situation. After collecting the gravel, its washings take place
either in the pit itself if there be sufficient water in it or in an
adjoining stream or pond, and this by the above described basket. It
ought to be mentioned that the whole of the pit is not gemmed at once:
the earth of only one-half is wholly removed at first, that of the
other half being partly left constructed into a flight of steps to
expedite the removal of earth and the baling of water. The first being
exhausted of the gravel, the earth of the remaining half is thrown into
the empty space, and the illan got out, thus saving a good deal of
labour. I also omitted to mention that in gemming in the water, the
sand of the spot on which the men with the mamoties stood, which spot
is called '■'Hetty Kattia" is invariably washed, in order to
detect any pieces of gem which might have fallen into the water in the
act of transferring the iilan from the mamoties to the washing basket.
The
gravel in which gems are found represents the following appearance. It
is a layer of stones of varying thickness and compactness, mixed up
with an adhesive clay over a stratum of which it generally lies. The
stones of this gravel are of different sizes, and among it are found
interspersed large blocks of granite and quartz. The stones composing
the gravel have evidently undergone detrition in water, some being
smooth and round like pebbles, and others having their angular parts
worn out. Gem-producing gravel has been found in hill-sides far away
from streams, yet it presents the same appearance of having undergone
attrition. This is the general appearance of the gravel, but there is
another sort called et-ady-illan (elephant-feet illan) the gravel being
found in circular detached patches of more or less extent like the
print of elephants' feet (whence its name) with hardly any trace of it
in the intervals. The gem-men call this the best sort of "illan" though
deceptive. One may be lucky in getting a "pocket" of gems in, a. part of his pit, whilst his neighbour in the adjoining
