The diamond spar, employed for polishing these stones, is found in great abundance on the coast of Malabar. The Indians are accustomed to examine the water of diamonds always at night by the light of a lamp. In Europe diamonds are separated by sawing them; but the Indians split them, or cut them down to the proper size--a labour in which they are much more expert than the Europeans. Some years ago the Great Mogul had a diamond which weighed 279½ carats. It was valued at two millions five hundred thousand rix-dollars. This diamond, therefore exceeds in value any hitherto known; for the large diamond of the Grand Duke of Tuscany weighs only 139, the Sanci 106, and the so-called Pitt 136 carats three grains. The artists of Ceylon prepare rings and heads for canes, which contain a complete assortment of all the precious stones found in that island. These assemblages are called _Jargons de Ceilan_, and are so named because they consist of a collection of gems which reflect various colours, such as the red ruby, the sky-blue sapphire, the golden yellow topaz, called by the ancients chrysolite, the green emerald, which I found myself in Ceylon, though some assert that it is not a production of that island[218]; also the amethyst, beryl, opal, and garnet. All these stones may be procured at Colombo in the island of Ceylon, at Cochin and Calicut in Malabar, and at Madras on the coast of Coromandel. The people who deal in them are Armenians, Jews, Mahometans, and Banians; but in particular the Canarians, or so-called _Cettis_, who are particularly well acquainted with the art of ascertaining their quality and value. People who apply to this branch of trade can never employ too much caution, because those who carry it on exercise every kind of artifice and deception. The oriental diamonds are octagonal and sharp-pointed. This form, their colour, water and lustre, with the liveliness of their irradiation, are the essential characteristics by which they may be distinguished from the Brasilian diamonds. The different kinds of agates, cornelians, chalcedonies, swallow stones, opals, onyxes, and cats-eyes, which, according to the system of Wallerius, belong to the silex genus, are not much esteemed on the coast of Malabar, though some of them are brought thither from Arabia, Persia, and the northern part of India. The diamond, in the Malabar language, is called _Vairamanni_; the ruby, _Patmaràgam_; the emerald, _Pociaratnam_; the sapphire, _Nilaratnam_; rock crystal, _Palunca_, and in the Grantham dialect _Spadika_; and pearls, _Mutta_.