They
then agreed to meet upon a certain day about the end of February or the
beginning of March, and settle the matter finally. In the discussion at
that time, the dealer dropped to 55,000 pagodas, and the governor
raised his offer to 45,000, when they parted. About an hour after,
Jaurchund and Vincatee Chittee, who generally accompanied him,
returned, and after a further encounter of wits they closed the trade
at 48,000 pagodas.
It
further appears by a letter of Pitt to Sir Stephen Evance of February
3, 1702, that he sent the diamond to Sir Evance, by the Loyall Cooke, to
act for him in the cutting and disposal of it, giving as his opinion
that it should be made into one stone. The great diamond caused quite a
stir in London, and was talked of as one of the wonders of the world,
but general conditions were such that a buyer could not be found.
Pitt's estimate of the value of it had increased considerably since he
acquired it, for writing to Sir Stephen Evance and his son Robert in
1704, at which time, from the tenor of his letter, it must have been in
process of cutting, he says he " would not have it sold (unless it be
for a trifle) less than fifteen hundred pound a caratt."
These
and the years following were troublous times for the Governor. Reports
which reflected upon his acquisition of the stone were circulated; he
was evidently suspicious of his agents in London, and so much of his
private means was invested in it, that he felt the future of himself
and family depended upon its disposal. From memoranda left by Philip,
second Earl Stanhope, a grandson of Pitt, it was cut by Harris at an
expense of £6,000, and the chips were valued at £10,000. The
