There is another kind of rubies which we call spinel rubies, and the Indians call them carapuch, which are produced in the same country of Peygu, where the fine rubies grow, and they find them in the mountains near the surface of the ground. These are not so fine nor of so bright a colour as the rubies, but they have rather the colour of scarlet: and those which are perfect in colour and pure, are worth half less than the rubies.

ACCOUNT OF OTHER RUBIES OF CEYLON.

In the second India there is an island called Ceylan, where many rubies are found, which the Indians call manica, most of these do not reach the perfection of the others in colour, because they are red, and pale, and ruddy.[357] They are very hard and very cold, and, those which are found in all their perfection of colour are very highly valued amongst them. And the king of that island has them found, and keeps the perfect ones for himself, which he sells with his own hand: and when the lapidaries clean them if they find one very white they put it by his orders into the fire for a certain number of hours, and if it endures the fire and comes out sound it remains of a brighter colour. Such a stone is of great value, and those of this kind which the King of Narsynga can get into his hands, he orders them to be bored with a very fine hole on the underneath side so that the hole reaches to the centre, and they do not pass it, because the stone can no longer leave the kingdom, and that it may be known that it has been tried in the fire. And so also these are worth more than those of Peygu. Their prices are the following if they are perfect in colour and purity:—

One which weighs a carat, which is half a fanam, is worth in Calicut thirty fanoes
xxx fs. 30
One of two carats lxxv fs. 75[358]
One of three carats cl fs. 150
One of three carats and a half cc fs. 200
One of four carats ccc fs. 300
One of four carats and a half cccl fs. 350
One of five carats cccc fs. 400
One of five carats and a half ccccl fs. 450
One of six carats dxxx fs. 530
One of six carats and a half dlx fs. 560
One of seven carats dcxxx fs. 630
One of seven carats and a half dcclx fs. 760
One of eight carats very good and tried in the fire is worth
dccc fs.800
Such a one of eight carats and a half dcccc fs. 900
Such a one of nine carats IUC fs. 1,100
Such a one of ten caratsIUCCC fs. 1,300
One of eleven carats of this kindIUDC fs. 1,600
One of twelve carats nU fs. 2,000
One of fourteen carats mU fs. 3,000
One of sixteen caratsViu fs. 6,000

ACCOUNT OF THE BALASSES, WHERE THEY GROW AND WHAT THEY ARE WORTH IN CALICUT.

These balasses are of the class of rubies but not so strong as them, their colour is rosy and some are almost white, they are found in Balaxayo[359] which is a kingdom of the mainland near Peygu and Bengal. The Moors bring them out of that country to all parts; that is to say, the good and picked ones, cut or uncut, they clean and work them in Calicut, and they are sold for the prices of spinel rubies. Those which are not good, and are bored, are bought by the Moors of Mekkah and Aden for the whole of Arabia, where they are accustomed to take them.

ACCOUNT OF THE DIAMONDS OF THE OLD MINE.

These diamonds are gathered in the first India in a kingdom of Moors called Decan, and they carry them thence to all parts. There are other diamonds which are not so good; some are white and are said to be of the new mine which is in the kingdom of Narsynga; these are worth less by a third in Calicut and the country of Malabar, than those of the old mine; and they are worked in the kingdom of Narsynga itself. And those of the old mine are not worked in India. They likewise make false diamonds in India with white rubies, topazes and sapphires, which look like fine gems and these are found in Ceylon, and they only differ from diamonds in the colour which they have by nature. And some of these stones are found half of which have the colour of the ruby and the other of the colour of the sapphire, and others of the colour of the topaze, and some of them have got all these colours mixed. They bore these stones with two or three very fine threads through them, and they remain as cats' eyes. And with the stones which turn out white they make a great quantity of small diamonds which cannot be distinguished from the other genuine ones, except by the touch[360] and by those who have much acquaintance with them.

Eight fine diamonds which weigh a manjar[361] are worth xxv orxxx fs.30
Six weighing one manjar xl fs. 40
Four weighing one manjar lx fs. 60
Two weighing one manjar lxxx fs. 80
One weighing one manjar c fs. 100
One weighing a manjar and a quarter clxv fs. 165
One of one and a half clxxx fs. 180
One of one and three quarters ccxx fs. 220
One of one and three quarters and a half cclx fs. 260
One of two manjars cccxx fs. 320
One of two and a quarter ccclx fs. 360
One of two and a half ccclxxx fs. 380
One of two and three quarters if in full perfectionccccxx fs.420
One of this said perfection of three manjars ccccl fs. 450
One of three manjars and a half cccclxxx fs. 480
One of four manjars dl fs. 550
One of five manjars dccl fs. 750
One of six manjars dcccc fs. 900
One of seven manjarsIUCC fs. 1,200
One of eight manjarsIUCCCC fs. 1,400