The Miners, those that employ them, and the Merchants that buy the Stones of them, are generally _Ethnicks_; not a _Musselman_, that ever I heard of, followed the Employment. These Labourers and their Employers are _Tellinga_'s, commonly Natives of or near the Place. The Merchants are the _Banians_ of _Guzzarat_, who for some Generations have forsaken their own Country to take up the Trade, in which they have had such Success, that 'tis now solely engross'd by them; who corresponding with their Country-men in _Surrat_, _Goa_, _Golconda_, _Visiapore_, _Agra_ and _Dillee_, and other Places in _India_, furnish them all with Diamonds. The Governors of the Mines are also Idolaters: In the King of _Golconda_'s Dominions a _Tellinga Brammee_ Rents most of them, whose agreement with the Adventurer is, that, all the Stones they find under a[19]_Pagoda_ Weight, are to be their own; all of that Weight and above it to be his, for the King's Use: But although this Agreement be signed and sealed unto, he minds not at all the Performance thereof, but endeavours to engross all the Profit to himself, by Tyrannical squeezing both Merchants and Miners, whom he not only Taxes very high, but maintaining Spies among them of their own People, on the least Inkling that they have been any ways Fortunate, he immediately makes a Demand on them, and raises their Tax; else, on a false Pretence they have found a great Stone, drubs them till they Surrender what they have, to redeem their Bodies from Torment. Besides, the Excise is so high on all sorts of Provisions, _Beetle_, and _Tobacco_, which to them is as absolutely necessary as Meat, or at least in their Esteem, that it is thereby raised to double that Price they bear without the Government; and it is furnish'd only by some Licens'd Persons; if any other should endeavour to bring in the least quantity by stealth, he is Fin'd (even for one Leaf of _Tobacco_) if it be a Person of any Repute, or worth any thing, else very severely drubb'd for it; by which Course there is hardly a Man worth five Hundred Pound to be found among them, most of them dealing by Monies taken up at Interest of Usurers, who reside there purposely to furnish them, who, with the Governor eat up their Gains: So that one would wonder any of them should stay, and not betake themselves to Places where they might have better Usage; as there are several in other Governments, and some few that have the Sense to remove; but many their Debts, others hopes of a great hit, detains. Both Merchant and Miner go generally naked, only a poor Clout about their middle, and their Shash on their Heads; they dare not wear a Coat, lest the Governor should say they have thriven much, are Rich, and so enlarge his Demands on them. The Wisest, when they find a great Stone, conceal it till they have an opportunity, and then with Wife and Children run all away into the _Visiapore_ Country, where they are secure.