Travels in India (Tavernier) 89.3

89.3

As regards the water of the stones, it is to be remarked that instead of, as in Europe, where we employ daylight for the examination of stones in the rough (brutes), and, so, carefully judge of their water and any flaws which they may contain, the Indians use the night ; and in a hole which they excavate in a wall, one foot square, they place a lamp with a large wick, by the light of which they judge of the water and the cleanness of the stone, holding it between their fingers. The water which they term “celestial” is the worst of all, and it is impossible to ascertain whether it is present while the stone is in the rough. But little though it may be apparent on the mill, the never-failing test for correctly ascertaining the water is afforded by conveying the stone under a leafy tree, and in the green shadow one can easily detect if it is blue. The first time I was at this mine there were close upon 60,000 persons who worked there, including men, women, and children, who are employed in diverse ways, the men in digging, the women and children in carrying earth, for they search for the stones at this mine in an altogether different manner from that practised at Ramulkota. After the miners have selected the place where they desire to work, they smooth down another spot close by, and of equal or rather greater extent, around which they erect an enclosing wall of two feet in height.