44 A CHAPTER ON DIAMONDS. 



tire number of diamonds of a large size in Europe, scarcely amount- 

 ed, before the arrival of the " Mountain of Light," to more than 

 half a dozen. 



The largest uncut diamond is that belonging to the house of 

 Braganza, which is said to weigh 1680 carats, or about 11 oz.— 

 When the Prince-Regent of Portugal, afterwards Don John YI., 

 arrived at the Brazils in 1808, a negro, from Minas Gerais, con- 

 trived to send him a letter, desiring to present in person a large 

 diamond he had found. The prince ordered the captain-general 

 to allow the negro to proceed to Court with an escort of soldiers. 

 In a few months the negro arrived, and presented the diamond, 

 remarking, at the same time, that it was the largest ever found in 

 the Brazils. The regent granted him his freedom, and a pension 

 for life for himself and ftxmily. It may be remarl^ed here, that 

 the discovery of every diamond of an octave. ^ and which weighs 

 17^ carats, entitles the negro to his freedom. 



The Rajah of Mattan, in Borneo, is said to possess a diamond 

 shaped hke an egg, with an indented hollow near the smaller end, 

 said to be of the first water, and to weigh 367 carats. Many 

 years ago, the governor of Bavaria tried to effect its purchase, and 

 sent Mr. Stewart to the r^ijah, offering 150,000 dollars, two large 

 war brigs, with their guns and ammunition, and a considerable 

 quantity of powder and shot. The rajah, however, it appears, re- 

 fused to despoil his family of so rich an inheritance, to which the 

 Malays superstitiously attach the miraculous power of curing all 

 kinds of diseases by means of the water in which the diamond is 

 dipped ; and with it they further believe the fortunes of the fam- 

 ily to be connected. 



Russia has several laro'e diamonds, one of which adorns the 

 imperial sceptre. It is said in the Encyclopaedia Britannica," to 

 weigh 779 carats (which exceeds the "Mountain of Light," and 

 is valued at 4,854,728 pounds sterling !) but better authorities, as 

 Murray, make it weigh only 179, and Blondeau 193, carats. The 

 history of this diamond is involved in much confusion and obscu- 

 rity. It is said by some to have formed, for a long time, the soli- 

 tary eye of an Indian idol, and to have been ultimately dislodged 

 from the socket by an Irish soldier, by whom it was sold for a tri- 

 fle ; and, after passing through tlie hands of several masters, it 

 was sent to England to be cut, and finally sold to the Empress 

 Catharine of Russia, in 1775, at Amsterdam, for the sum of 90,- 

 000/., an annuity of 4000/., and a patent of nobihty. 



