^«' Boston University College of Liberal Arts Library Graduate School THE GREAT DIAMONDS OF THE WORLD. THE GREAT DIAMONDS OF THE WORLD. THEIR HISTORY AND ROMANCE. COLLECTED FROM OFFICIAL, PRIVATE AND OTHER SOURCES, DURING MANY YEARS OF CORRESPONDENCE AND INQUIRY. BY EDWIN W. STREETHR, " Precious Stones Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society ; Author of and Gems ;" Gold Medallist of the Royal Order of Frederic ; Holder of a Special Gold Medal from H.M. the King of the Belgians. " THF. MS. OF THE KOH-I-NUr" GRACIOUSLV READ & APPROVED BY HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. " THE ACCOUNTS OF THE " PITT AND THE " EUGENIE" REVISED BY HER MAJESTY THE EMPRESS EUGENIE., EDITED AND ANNOTATED BY JOSEPH HATTON and A. H. KEANE. LONDON : PUBLISHED BY GEORGE BELL & SONS, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN. HowLETT & Son, Printers, io. Frith Street, Soho, London, W PREFACE. ->x«. HIS book is a romance of truth. The trite " proverb that fact is stranger than fiction,' was never better illustrated than it is in the following chapters. Some of the incidents in the imaginary career of Sinbad the Sailor may be accepted as modest facts compared with the histories of several of the great diamonds of the world. It is true that in the narratives of such stones as the " " " Koh-i-Nur," the Great Mogul," the Taj-e-Mah," the " Pitt," and other famous gems, fable has crept in, as if to try a bout, in romantic revelation, with fact. Oriental fancy has strewn the lurid history of the diamond with but much traditionary gloom ; human invention is outdone by the reality of human depravity and human woes. A symbol of power, the diamond has been a talisman of not less influence in the East than the very gods whose temples it has adorned. It has been a factor in tragedies innumerable, supplying the motives of war and rapine, setting father against son, blurring the fair image of virtue, making life a curse where it had been a blessing, and adding new terrors to death. There is no intrigue however deep, no crime however shameful, which you cannot parallel in X PREFACE. the history of famous gems, and no butchery of the brave, no sacrifices of the innocent, have marked the red footsteps of miUtary conquerors with deeper Hnes of infamy than are to be found in Eastern wars, that have been undertaken for the sake of precious stones and gems. At the same time it must not be forgotten that the pleasant contrasts of a slave winning his freedom, the monarch accept- ing stern reverses of fate with dignity, the patient explorer rewarded, and glimpses of a womanhood that is "far above " rubies now and then break in upon the gloom of cruel intrigue and sanguinary wars which belong to the records of so many famous gems. We can only regret that these " " rays of sunshine are not many. It is as if the diamond needed, even in history, a dark background to show up its strangely fascinating hues. It has been a labour of love in the present instance to investigate that dark background, to hunt out its secrets, and to bring them to the light of day. If the result of our researches is half as full of surprises for the reader as it has been for those engaged in the pro- duction of this present history of The Great Diajnonds of the Worlds then, indeed, have the undersigned and his distin- guished collaborators provided some new sensations for the students of the romance of history. In saying this we are not only referrmg to the two gentlemen whose literary alliance gives additional importance to our labours, but to the kindly aid which has been graciously vouchsafed to us by royal and ministerial pens. During several years past there is hardly a Court in Europe and the East with which we have not been in communication, through Imperial ambas- sadors, and even directly, for the purpose of procuring trustworthy records of the world's historic diamonds. We have to acknowledge the unvarying courtesy with which our intjuiries, some by letter, some by personal application, some through special commissioners sent on long journeys PREFACE. XI for the purpose, have been received and answered.* To Her Majesty the Queen for reading our manuscript notes on the " " Koh-i-Niir we owe our special and humble thanks. Her Imperial Majesty the Empress of the French has been most gracious in revising and correcting several material points in connection with certain gems that belong to the history of the illustrious house that is adorned by her virtues, and made doubly memorable by her sorrows. It was said of the cerulean throne of Koolburga that every prince of the house of Bhamenee made a point of adding to it some rich gems. In these modern days it is considered a greater honour to decorate the history of a blameless life with the jewels of self-sacrifice and duty well performed, than to sit on thrones built up of priceless treasures. It is not in the stories of jewels that the names of Victoria and Eugenie will go down to posterity, but in the record of a great Queen whose heart went out to the widowed and childless guest, and made her sorrows her own. Respect for the illustrious personages whom we have had occasion to mention, does not permit us to say more in to the have conferred us nor regard honour they upon ; would our loyal duty to her Majesty the Queen, as it seems to us, be fairly represented without this acknowledgment, however inadequately expressed, of her gracious condescen- sion. It has been' one of the great objects of the life of the undersigned to publish a history of the world's famous diamonds. He owes it to the object he has in view, and not to any personal merit, that he has met with so much courteous encouragement on all hands. * Mr. G. Skelton Streeter. travelling in India for the purposes of this work, has been able to furnish some valuable information. He is now t'ngraged in exploring the archives of native courts for authoritative drawings and details of the Peacock Throne which was destroyed at Delhi by Nadir Shah in 1702, Xll PREFACE. In conclusion he earnestly invites corrections of, and additions to, the following chapters. Being properly authenticated, they shall find a place in future editions of a work, which is now earnestly commended to the friendly consideration of critics, who understand the difficulties of such an and to the which is enterprise ; great Reading Public, always generous to those who have something to say that is not unworthy of its attention. EDWIN W. STREETER. iS, Nbw Bokd Street, London May, 1882. CONTENTS PAGES INTRODUCTION. The Diamond in History—How the Ancients described it —The "Adamas"and the Sapphire—The Rarity of Large Gems—The number of Existing known Diamonds over 30 carats—The Buyers of Precious Stones — Popularity of Diamonds in America— Romantic Stories—Famous Mines—The " Great " Mogul," "Koh-i-Nur," and Pitt "—Popular Errors Corrected— The Standard of Weight and its Origin 25— 36 I. THE BRAGANZA. The Largest Reported Diamond extant—The Romantic Story of its Discovery—Guarded as a Treasure of Portugal—Another Version of its Strange " History- Errors of the Scribes—" Rule of Thumb in the Old — Enormous " " Days — Value of the Braganza if genuine Diamond or Topaz ? —The Negro and his Treasure— Supposed A Terrible Disappointment ... 37— 48 IL THE MATAN. The Exploration of the Land of the Matan—Traditional " Wealth of Borneo—The Reputed Largest-known Diamond in the World "—Exportation of Diamonds by the Dutch—The Ladies of Batavia— Sir Stamford " " Raffle's Account of the Matan —Found by a Labourer, claimed by the Rajah—Regarded as a Talisman — Appearance of the Gem—Offers of Purchase in Gold and Warships 49 33 HI, THE NIZAM. History, Past and Present—Suggestive Contrasts—Whai a Jewel might have seen— Value of the " " Supposed Nizam Diamond—Its Shape and Appearance— The Stone is Broken during the Indian Mutiny — Strange Powers Supposed to Belong to the Gem— Possibilities in the " History of the Nizam," 56 60 xiv CONTENTS. PAGES IV. THE STEWART. "^ The two Largest Diamonds of South Africa—Finding the " " " Stewart —An Accidental Discovery— Joy is Dangerous"—The Anxiety of Possession—Taking the Treasure Home 6i — 62 V. THE GREAT MOGUL. A Stormy Birth and a Tragic End—Two Centuries of History—Intrigue and Murder—The Afflictions of Shah Jehan — An Honest Cutter — The "Great " " Mogul" and the Koh-i-Nur — Eastern Magni- ficence—A King showing his Jewels to a Visitor— " " Shape of the Great Mogul and its General Appear- ance — Its Identity Established—A Usurper's Subter- fuge— Shah Jehan's desire to destroy all his Gems— The Peacock Throne—Mysterious Disappearance of the Gem at the Fall of Delhi 63—78 VI. THE STAR OF THE SOUTH. a —A stone of — Sold Found by Negress singular Beauty— for ;^3,ooo, ultimately to realise ;^8o,ooo A lovely Tint—The Lion of two International Exhibitions, it is afterwards sent to India— Purchased by the Ruler of Baroda—The Prince's other Treasures—Diamond Dust Poisoning—Nemesis 79—84 VII. DU TOIT I. — v^ Beautiful, but a little "Off-Colour" South African Diamonds—Their Origin and Character—Enormous Increase of—Estimated Value of "Claims" in the Mining Districts— l^eculiar Delicacies of the Straw Tint—Stones that Rival those of Brazil and India— "Bort." 85— 87 VIII. THE GREAT TABLE. " " Tavernier's account of the Table Diamond—Its Size, Shape, and Value—Shah Jehan's Invasion of the Deccan—Fire and Sword—Raising Money to pay Tribute to the Victor—The Parsees and the English —Where is the Great Gem to-day ? 88— 92 CONTENTS.