SKETCH OF BORNEO, 23 



of his nf»:a;libours, especialiy Pontiana. Tbe 



preseilt Rajah, however, though no crucl tyraüt, 



is generally despised as a besotted opiinn eater, 



who has neither taste nor abilities for state af- 



fairs. The Piratrs of Laiiuns, however, who oc* 



casionally haunt Panarnbangan, Karimata, and 



even Sacadina, are not harboured in Mattan, 



and the Rajih is ut present on good terms with 



the Sultan of Pontiana. The most rcmarkable 



circumstance connected with Mattan is that the 



Rajah pvossesscs the fmest and largest diamond 



in the world^ which has hithcrto been discover- 



ed. This diamonJ, which is said to be of the 



finest water, weighs 367 carats. The celebrat- 



ed pitt diamond weighs only 127 carats. The 



Mattan diamond is shaped like an egg, with aa 



indcnted hollow near the smaller end. Ifc was 



disco vered at Landak abont 90 jears ago, and 



though the possession of it has occasioned nu- 



mcrous wars, it has been about 80 jears in tlie 



possession of the Mattan family. jMany jears 



ago, the Governor of Batavia sent a Mr. Slu- 



vart to ascertain the weight, quality, and vaine 



of this diamond; and toeiideavonr to purchase it, 



and in this mission, he was accompanied bv the 



present Sultan of Pontiana. After examining it 



Mr. Stuvart offered IjO.OÜO Dollars for the 



