Not far from Currure are the Mines of Lattawaar and Ganjeconta, which are in the same Soil as Currure, and afford Stones not unlike: But Lattawaar hath many representing the great end of a Razor-blade, thin on one side and thick on the other, very white and of an excellent Water; but the best of the Mine is worn out, and Ganjeconta employed only to the Kings private use.
Jonagerre, Pirai Dugulle, Purwillee and Anuntapellee, consist also of Red earth, are now employed, and afford many large Stones; part of them of a greenish Water, but the most absolute Mines are of Wazzergerre and Munnemurg, (the other rather representing Pits than Mines;) for there they sink through high Rocks till they go so far below their basis, that they can go no further for Water, in some places 40 or 50 Fathom deep. The superficies of the Rocks consist of hard, firm, white Stone, into which they cut a Pit like a Well, of about 4 or 5, in some places 6 Foot deep, before they come to a crust of a Mineral Stone, like the Mineral of Iron; when they fill the Hole with Wood and keep as hot a Fire as they can there for two or three Days, till they think it sufficiently heated; then they pour-in Water till they have quencht it, which also slacks and mollifies both Stone and Mineral; both being cold, they dig again, take out all the crumbled stuff and dig up what they can besides, before they heat it anew; the Crust seldom is thicker than three or four Foot, which ceasing, they come to a Vein of Earth, that usually runs under the Rock two or three Furlongs; sometimes much further: This they dig all out and search, and if their first attempt prove successful, they go to Work again (digging after the same manner) as deep as they can, till they come to Water; for the drawing whereof, wanting the help of Engins, known in Europe, they can go no deeper, although the Vein lie lower; all lumps of the Mineral they break in pieces, and frequently find Diamonds enclosed in them. To Work on these Mines is very expensive, but the advantage is commonly answerable; yet in respect of the certain disburse, that must be before any thing be found, they are not so much frequented as others, where they may try their Fortunes with a smaller Stock. The Earth they dig out is Red: Many large Stones are found here; the smallest about 6 in a Mangelleen. They are mixt Waters, but the greatest part good, only of ill-favoured shapes, many cragged pieces of Stones, some as if they had been parts of very great ones, others with pieces broken off them; yet I never heard of any that ever found two seeming fellows, although they do those that look as if they had been newly Broken.
In Langumboot they dig as they do at Wazzergerree and Munnemurg; the Rock is not altogether so solid, but the Earth and Stones it produces much alike.
Wootoor should have been placed next to Currure, it lying near it, and affording Stones of a like magnitude, shapes and waters; 'tis employed only to the Kings use: And singular, in that its Diamonds are found in black Earth.
Muddemurg far exceeds all the rest for Diamonds of a delicate Shape, Water, and bright transparent Skin, Proud, as it were, in discovering their inward Beauties, with which no other Mine can compare; yet it has also store of Veiny ones, but those likewise of so curious Shape and Water, that its difficult to discover them from the good, especially the small ones. It produces Stones of divers Magnitudes, from ten and twelve in a Mangelleen, to six or seven Mangelleens each, and besides, some great ones. The Earth is Red, but its seated in the Woods, and the Water so bad, that to all (except the People Bred there) it presently occasions Fevers and destroys abundance, insomuch that most of the Adventurers have forsaken it; notwithstanding which it hath been more profitable than any of the rest, the Vein frequently lying near the superficies of the Earth, seldom running deep, and is better furnisht than any other yet discover'd. The River Kishna, of excellent waters, is but 9 Miles distant; but the Miners or Merchants are either poor that they cannot, or else over-awed by the Governour, pretend to be and dare not be at the charges of fetching their Water from thence. Divers are of the opinion, that, besides the Water, the Town lying in a bottom, environ'd with Hills and Morass adjoyning, the Air may be infected, and contribute to its unhealthfulness.
Melwillee or the New Mine, so called, because it was but lately found out (or at least permitted to be made use of) in the Year 1670. it had then a Year employed the Miners, but it was forbidden, and lay unoccupied till 1673, when complaint being made at Quoleur, that the Vein was worn out, the King again licensed its settlement. The Earth they Mine in, is very red, and many of the Stones found there, have of it sticking to them, as if it had clung there while they were of a soft glutinous Substance, and had not attained their hardness, maintaining its Colour on its Skin (seeming to be roughened with it) that it cannot be fetch'd out by grinding on a rough Stone with Sand, which they make use of to clean them. The Stones are generally well-shaped, their size from 5 or 6 in a mangelleen to those of 14 or 15 each, and some bigger; but greatest quantities of the middle sorts: Most of them have a thick dull Skin, incline to a yellowish Water, not altogether so strong and lively as of the other Mines; very few of them of a crystaline Water and Skin. They are reported to be apt to flaw in splitting, which occasions these People to esteem them something softer than the Product of many of the other Mines: Several that flatter by their seeming whiteness when rough, discover their deceitfulness having past the Mill, and too often a yellowish Tincture, to the disappointment and loss of them that have cut them; but what they want in goodness, is in part supplied by the plenty they find, which, together with their properties, make them the cheaper. This being what I have gathered, both by Experience of several of the places I have seen, and the best Informations I could meet with, of the Mines in this Kingdom; I shall now proceed to those in Visiapore.
Visiapore is known to contain Mines enclosing Stones as large and good as those of Golconda; but the King, for Reasons already given, makes use but of the meanest: Whereby, as Golconda is famous for the largeness of those it affords, Visiapore is noted for the smallest; whose Mines, though they seldom or never render an Adventurer a Fortune or Estate at once, as sometimes those of Golconda do, by a great Stone or several found together; yet they are more Populous and better employed, the small Stones lying thicker in the Earth, so that the generality are gainers, and few but they get their Expence; whereas those of Golconda dig away a considerable Estate and find nothing, others not their Charges, and where one is a gainer, divers lose.
There are 15 Mines employed in the Kingdom of Visiapore, viz. Ramulconeta, Banugunnapellee, Pendekull, Moodawarum, Cumerwillee, Paulkull, Workull, Lungeepoleur, Pootloor, Punchelingull, Shingarrampent, Tondarpaar, Gundepellee, Donee and Gazerpellee.