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Adamas, Diamond

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DIAMOND MINES.
33
this place (Goa). They even carry them as far as Bisnagar, tempted by the great profit. For these stones, naturally po­lished, and called ' Naifes ' by the Indians, are infinitely preferred to any others. There is another rock on the sea of Tanjan, in the Malacca country, which yields Diamonds, also called ' Dia­monds of the Old Rock,' of small size but fine quality. One fault they have, they are very heavy, which makes them more liked by the sellers than by the buyers."
The same careful investigator of Indian productions notes Fliny's assertion as to Diamonds being found in Arabia as alto­gether unfounded. But there is little doubt that the Sabaeans of South Arabia were a Hindoo race, there settled for purposes of trade, like the Banian merchants, who nearly engrossed all the trade in precious stones in Tavernier's age. These obtained gems of all kinds from India itself, and, pursuing their business, passed over incredible distances ; and were to be found domi­ciled in places where they were least to be looked for.
" It seems to mo," says Garcias, " quite a miracle that these gems, which might bo expected to be produced in the deepest bowels of the earth, and in a space of many years, should on the con­trary be generated almost on the surface of the ground, and come to perfection in an interval of two or three years. For in the mines, this year for instance, at the depth of a cubit, you will dig and find Diamonds : let two years pass, and mining in the same place you will again find Diamonds. But it is agreed that the largest" are only found under the bottom of the rock." De Laet in 1047, after quoting the above with a few explanatory remarks, adds : " But in former years, as I have been informed by some English merchants, the richest mines were at Golconda, on the gulf of the Ganges, about 108 miles from Masilipatam. These used to be farmed out for 300,000 pagodas per annum (150,000l.), with the reservation of all above ten carats for the
Adamas, Diamond Page of 453 Adamas, Diamond
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