Crown
jewels. In another place Tavernier gives the original rough weight at
967 ratis or 793 5/8 carats, and wfien cut, as he saw 319 1/2 ratis or 279 3/16 carats, and the form of it fhat of an egg cut
in half. The finished stone had a crack or notch in the lower edge, and
a little flaw within. The French jeweler saw it at the palace of the
king in Delhi on the second of November, 1665. Summoned by 5 or 6
officers to appear at the palace, he was conducted into the royal
presence. The chief keeper of jewels, Akel Khan, then at the king's
command, ordered four eunuchs to bring the jewels for his inspection.
The " Great Mogul," he found to be of good water, and he estimated the
value to be in the neighborhood of twelve million francs. Western
knowledge of the stone ceases at this point. Many theories have been
advanced, but none of them are founded upon evidence sufficient to give
reasonable certainty of its present existence. Some think that it is in
the possession of one of the Hindu princes; others surmise that it is
among the crown jewels of Persia; many think it is identical with the
Orloff, or the Koh-i-noor.
Another
large stone mentioned by Tavernier which has been lost to general
knowledge, is recorded as " The Great Diamond Table." Tavernier saw it
in Golconda in 1642, and said it was the largest he saw in private
hands while in India. It was offered for sale to him for 500,000 rupees
or 750,000 livres. He took a casting of it, and sent that to two
friends at Surat, who commissioned him to offer 400,000 rupees for it
if the stone was clean and of fine water. The offer was refused, and
nothing further is known of it. The weight as
