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98 THE DIAMOND
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possession
of it and attempted to smuggle it away by putting it in a horse ball
and making a horse swallow it. The horse died, but the diamond was
taken from the stomach and afterwards sold to the Duke of Brunswick. It
was a brilliant rose pink stone with some black spots in it which were
taken out by a cutter of Paris, who thereby reduced the weight of the
diamond from 46 to 31-1/2 carats. An American who was in Paris in 1889,
believes it to be the same stone which he had in his possession there
for some time, and which he says was re-cut there from 70 to 3113/32
carats. In common with many other Indian stones, it was connected with
the Mogul Baber, founder of the Mogul dynasty in India, the favorite
story being that the Emperor wore it in his turban.
In
an immense belt, owned by the rajahs of Panem-bohan and Pongerons,
studded with diamonds from the neighborhood of Landak, Borneo, is one
stone which weighs 67 carats.
The
Crown jewels of Portugal are credited with a diamond of 215 carats and
another somewhat smaller, which are said to have been found by three
men who were banished to the province of Minas Geraes, and purchased
their freedom with them. The large one is probably the " Regent of
Portugal," mentioned heretofore.
A 10 carat red diamond in the Russian Crown jewels cost the Emperor Paul 100,000 rubles.
Since
the opening of the African mines, the many large stones found, larger
than those of the old times made famous by romance and associations,
and many too, as beautiful, have passed quietly through the channels
of commerce to private collections without attracting
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