DIAMOND 



23 



a fracture ; this had not been polished, and being inclined to the plane P at an angle 

 of 109 28', affords a satisfactory means for determining the direction of the cleavage- 

 planes of the stone. A shows a flaw running parallel to the cleavage-plane F. This 

 constituted the principal danger to be apprehended in cutting the stone, and was most 

 skilfully ground nearly out before any of the facets were cut. This flaw seemed to 

 proceed from a fracture marked B. c and E were little notches cut in the stone for the 

 purpose of holding the diamond in its original setting ; N, a small flaw, which almost 



602 



required a glass to see it, evidently parallel to the plane P ; D, a fracture from a blow 

 or fall, showing at its base a cleavage-plane. Tennant. 



This fine diamond did not possess the high degree of brilliancy which was expected 

 from its great reputation ; it was consequently submitted to Messrs. Garrard to be 

 re-cut. In the operation the weight was reduced more than one-third, but its brilliancy 

 was greatly improved. The present state of the Koh-i-noor is shown \nfigs. 603 and 

 604. In this state it weighs 102 carats. It is stated by Mr. E. B. Eastlake who has 

 inspected the jewels of the Shah of Persia, and described them in his ' Journal of a 

 Diplomat,' that according to Persian tradition the Darya-i-nur, the sister jewel to 

 the Kuh-i-nur was with it in the hilt of Afrasiab's sword, according to some, 3000 

 years B. c. Timur carried it away from Persia, it having been brought there by 

 Rustam, and Nadir brought it back. It alone is valued at two millions, and altogether 

 the jewels cannot be worth less than six millions. 



After this gem, the next in size are : 1. That of the Emperor of Kussia, bought by 

 the late empress Catherine, which weighs 193 carats. It is said to be of the size of a 

 pigeon's egg, and to have been bought for 90,0002., besides an annuity to the Greek 

 merchant of 4,0002. It is reported that the above diamond formed one of the eyes of 

 the famous statue of Sherigan, in the temple of Brama, and that a French grenadier, 

 who had deserted into the Malabar service, found the means of robbing the pagoda of 

 this precious gem, and escaped with it to Madras, where he disposed of it to a ship 

 captain for 2,0002., who resold it to a Jew for 12,0002. From him it was transferred 

 for a large sum to the Greek merchant, 2. That of the Emperor of Austria, which 

 weighs 139 carats, and has a slightly yellowish hue. It has, however, been valued at 

 100,0002. 3. That of the French State, called the Regent or Pitt diamond, remarkable 

 for its form and its perfect limpidity. Although it weighs only 136 carats, its fine 

 qualities have caused it to be valued at 160,0002., though it cost only 100,0002. 



A large diamond furnished by Brazil, now in possession of the Crown of Portugal, 

 weighs, according to the highest estimates, 120 carats. It was found in the streamlet 

 of Abaite, in a clay-slate district. The largest Brazilian diamond yet found was dis- 

 covered in 1853 at Bogagem, in the province of Minas Geraes. It presented the form 

 of a distorted rhombic dodecahedron, and weighed in the rough 254 carats. On 

 Cutting, it yielded a splendid brilliant of 125 carats. The gem was exhibited in the 

 International Exhibition of 1862, and is known as ' The Star of the South.' 



