The Diamond-Mines in these parts are generally adjacent to Rocky-hills, or Mountains, whereof begins a great Ledge or Range near Cape Comorin, extending in Breadth about 50 English Miles, some conjoyning, others scatter'd: and running thence in length quite through Bengula. In, among, and near these Hills, in several places, are known to be (as its believed most of them have) Mines; many of them are possessed by petty Princes, or Rajaes, of the Hundues; some driven thither for shelter by the Mores, who have taken the greatest part of their Country from them; others never overcome, as the Rajaes, on the Hills in and near Bengala, who admit of little or no Commerce with their Neighbours, or passage through their Country, which (being Barren, in few Places affording good Water, the ways craggy and very toilsome, especially to an Army) the Moors covet not, but let them enjoy it peaceably; yet to prevent danger, they forbid digging (as the King of Pegu does) or dig some few Mines only very privately, so that a great part of the Mines are unsearcht and concealed. But the Kingdoms of Golconda and Visiapore contain in them scope enough of ground, known to have Mines sufficient to furnish all the World plentifully with Diamonds; but their Kings permit digging only in some Places appointed, lest, as it is imagined, they should become too common; and withal for fear of tempting the threatening greatness of Aurenge Zebe; forbidding also those Places that afford the largest Stones, or else keeping workmen in them for their own private uses: So that but a very small quantity (in Comparison of what might be) and those only of ordinary Size, are found.
In the Kingdom of Golconda (as near as I can gather from the best acquainted) are 23 Mines now employed, or that have been so lately, viz. Quolure, Codawillicul, Malabar, Buttephalem, Ramiah, Gurem, Muttampellee, Currure, Ganjeeconeta, Luttawaar, Jonagerree, Pirai, Dugulle, Purwillee, Anuntapelle, Girrogeta, Maarmood, Wazzergerre, Munnemurg, Langumboot, Whootoor, Muddemurg, and Melwillee or the New Mine.
Quoloure was the first Mine made use of in this Kingdom. The Earth is something Yellowish, not unlike the Colour of our Gravel dried; but whiter in some Places where it abounds with smooth Pebbles, much like some of those that come out of our Gravel-pits in England. They use to find great quantities in the Vein, if it may properly be so called, the Diamonds not lying in continued Clusters as some imagine, but frequently so very scattering that sometimes in the space of ¼ of an Acre of Ground, digged between two or three fathoms Deep, there hath been nothing found; especially in the Mines that afford great Stones, lying near the superficies of the Earth, and about three Fathoms deep; deeper they could not dig for Water; it being in a Vale near a River. In other places the Earth is mixt with rugged Stones, where they seldom mine deeper, though in higher ground, before the Colour of the Earth alters, and the Vein ceases; which they give a guess at by the small Stones they find in the Earth, the principal Guide they have in the discovery of the Mines.
The Diamonds found in these Mines are generally well-shaped, many of them pointed, and of a good lively white Water; but it also produces some Yellow ones, some Brown, and of other colours. They are of ordinary sizes, from about six in a Mangelin[18] (of which they find but few) to five or six Mangelins, each; some of 10, 15, 20. they find but rarely. They have frequently a bright and transparent skin, inclining to a greenish Colour, though the heart of the Stone be purely white; but the Veins of these Mines are almost worn out.
The Mines of Codawillicul, Malabar, and Buttepallam consist of a reddish Earth, inclining to an Orange-colour (with which it stains the Cloaths of the Labourers that work in it) they dig about four Fathom deep. They afford Stones generally of an excellent Water and crystaline Skin; smaller sizes than those of Quoloure, Ramiah, Gurem, and Muttampelleo; have a Yellowish Earth, like Quolure; their Stones like those of the two former Mines, but mixt with many of a blue Water. These five Mines being under the same Government with Melwillee, where the Governour resides; He to draw the Adventurers and Merchants near him, that he may be better informed of the Actions and Advantages, and know the better how to Fleece them, the general practice of Governours in these parts, has very lately forbid their use; and commanded all to repair to his Residence, which they must obey, or fly into another Government.
The next Mine in our way is Currure, the most famous of them all and most Ancient It has been under Subjection of the King of Golconda; but about 25 Years, taken, with the Country of Rarnaticum, from the Hendue-Rajaes, about that time, by the Nabob, Meer Jumla. In it have been found Diamonds of a size weight, which is about 9 Ounces Troy or 81½ Pago's weight. It is only employed by the King for his own private use: The Diamonds that are found in it, are very well spread, large Stones (it yields few or none small,) they have generally a bright Skin, which inclines to a pale Greenish colour, but within are purely white. The Soil is Reddish as many of the others.
About sixty or seventy years ago, when it was under the Government of the Hundues, and several Persons permitted to adventure in digging, a Portugeez Gentleman went thither from Goa, and having spent in Mining a great sum of Mony to the amounts of 100000 Pago's, as 'tis reported, and converted every thing he brought with him, that would fetch any mony, even to what wearing Cloaths he could spare, while the Miners were at Work for the last Days expence, he had prepared a cup of Poison, resolving, if that Night he found nothing, to drink his last with the conclusion of his Mony; but in the Evening the Workmen brought him a very fair spread Stone of 20 Pago's weight, in commemoration whereof he caused a great Stone to be erected in the place, with an Inscription ingraven on it, in the Hundues or Tellinga Tongue, to the following effect, which remains to be seen to this day;
Your Wife and Children sell, sell what you have,
Spare not your Cloaths, nay, make your self a Slave;
But money get, then to CURRURE make hast;
There search the Mines, a Prize you'll find at last.
After which he immediately returned with his Stone to Goa.