Page:Madras journal of literature and science vol 1 new series 1856-57.djvu/35

Rh In a supplement to a voyage to the East Indies, written by Monsieur Dillon in 1698, an account is given of the wealth of the Great Mogul, and that he wore upon his arm a diamond of inetimable value being as big as a pullet's egg. This diamond was stolen out of the diamond mines belonging to the king of Bisnagar, betwixt Tonquin and Pegu, where every day are 20,000 men at work. The king reserves all the best diamonds for his own use, which are not to be sold. The best of those we have in Europe being only looked upon inconsiderable, are sold to the European merchants."

Heyne also in his "Tracts on India" has described his visit in 1795 to the diamond mines in Ellore, and various parts of the Ceded Districts—and we all know Pope's account of Governor Pitt and the Golconda diamond he bought from the Brahmin—

It is a widely known fact, however, that Indian gold and silver and minerals generally have not hitherto received much attention from scientific men, notwithstanding that their value has been appreciated from time immemorial by the Hindoos, and the metals have been in very common use amongst them for ornament and exchange for ages back, as is evident by their own and Grecian writings and consequently indisputable.

Take for example the Chetri Ganitam written originally in Sanscrit "the language of the gods," and quoted by Heyne, one part of which, the Suvarnah Ganitam teaches the art of assaying gold and silver by the touch, and of taking their specific gravities. Herodotus also (who wrote about 5 centuries B. C.) tells a pretty story about the way in which the Indians procured their gold in his time—

"There are other Indians living near the city of Caspatyras and the country of Pactyica (the city and territory of Cabul) situated to the North of the rest of the Indian nation, and resembling the Bactrians their neighbours in their manner of life. These are the most warlike of all the Indians, and the people who go to procure the Gold. For in the neighbourhood of this nation is a