28 DIAMOND. 
Tavernier, the French Traveller 4 , saw in the possession 
of the Great Mogul a diamond which weighed near 
280 carats. . In form and size it resembled half a hen's 
egg- This diamond had been obtained from the mine 
of Coulour, about the year 1550; and was valued at 
more than 700,000/. sterling. 
The sceptre of the Emperor of Russia is adorned 
with an oriental diamond about the size of a pigeon's 
egg, which weighs 195 carats. This diamond is said to 
have once been placed as the eye of an idol in Sering- 
ham, in the Carnatic. A grenadier, who had deserted 
from the French service in India, contrived to become 
one of the priests of the idol, in the hope of being able 
to steal this eye. He at length effected his purpose, and 
escaped with the diamond to Madras, where he sold it 
to the captain of a ship for a sum equal to 2,500. of 
British money. It was afterwards transferred to a Jew 
for 1S,OOQ/. Coming into the hands of a Greek mer- 
chant, he offered it for sale at Amsterdam, in 1766; and 
the Russian Prince OrlofF bought it for the Empress 
Catharine for about 90,0()0/. sterling, and an annuity of 
4< ? 000/. during the life of the person who sold it. 
The Pitt) or Regent diamond (Fig. 10), which lately 
was set in the handle of the sword of state of Buo- 
naparte, and is now possessed by the king of France, 
is a brilliant of the most beautiful kind, and weighs 
136f carats. It was brought from India by Thomas 
Pitt, Esq. Governor of Fort George. Mr. Pitt has 
himself stated, respecting it, that, in December, 1701, 
whilst resident in Madras, several valuable stones, in a 
rough state, were brought to him for sale by an eminent 
diamond merchant. One of these, the diamond here 
spoken of, was so large that the merchant asked for it 
the sum of 85,000/. After much bargaining, Mr. Pitt 
purchased it for 20,4 OO/. He afterwards sold it for 
135,000^. to the Regent Duke of Orleans; and by 
him it was placed among the crown jewels of France. 
The Pigot diamond weighs forty- seven and a half 
carats. This, which is an extremely fine stone, was 
