42 THE GREAT DIAMONDS OF THE WORLD.
Mawe
to have been the bed of the river Abaite, when it had run partly dry ;
whereas Jones,* says that it was extracted from the mine of Caétha
Mirim in 1741. Lastly Jones himself splits this very stone into two,
one of which he calls the " Braganza," the other the " Abaite," and
finds a history for each. Of the former he says that it was extracted
from the mine of Caétha Mirim in 1741, and that it was worn by Don Joao
VI., who had a passion for precious stones, of which he owned about
,£3,000,000 worth. Of the latter he writes that it "was found in 1791,
and the circumstances of its discovery was related by Mawe and others.
Three men, convicted of capital offences, Antonio de Sousa, José Feliz
Gomez, and Thomas de Sousa, were exiled to the far west of Minas, and
forbidden, under pain of death, to enter a city, wandered about for
some six years, braving cannibals and wild beasts, in search of
treasure. Whilst washing for gold in the Abaite river, which was then
exceptionally dry, they discovered this diamond weighing nearly an
ounce (576 grains = 144 carats). They trusted to a priest who, despite
the severe laws against diamond washers, led them to Villa Rica, and
submitted the stone to the governor of Minas, whose doubts were
dissipated by a special commission. The priest obtained several
privileges, and the malefactors their pardon, no other reward being
mentioned."
It will be noticed at once that this story relates not, as here stated, to a diamond weighing 144 carats, but to the stone Jones has already spoken of under the
