58 THE GREAT DIAMONDS OF THE WORLD.
"
the King of Golconda," a title which has long been obsolete, though
still flourishing in French literature, we should here read, " the
Nizam of Hyderabad." This prince, who is the most powerful
semi-indepen-dant ruler in the Deccan, is a lineal descendant of the
former Mogul Viceroy of Golconda, and in his territory are situated
the famous diamond-fields popularly known as the Golconda mines. Of
these mines, the Kollur, on the river Kistna, was the most productive,
and was especially noted for the unusually large crystals yielded by
it. Here was undoubtedly found the Great Mogul, and here also, in all
probability, was discovered that stone now known as the Nizam, from the
official title of its princely owner.
Little
importance can be attached to the statement that this remarkable
crystal is valued at .£200,000; for it is still in the rough state. The
necessary process of reduction is well-known to be always attended with
more or less risk, so that the most skilled expert would scarcely
hazard his reputation by venturing an opinion on the intrinsic
character of a rough diamond before it has been manipulated by the
cutter and polisher. In the hands of the cutter many unsuspected
blemishes are often revealed, which require the diamond to be greatly
reduced in size, or even cleaved into several pieces. But the Nizam has
a good reputation, and it is probable that it might be advantageously
cut without sacrificing more than one half of its present weight, viz.,
340 carats. In that case it would still rank with the very largest gems
on record.
King describes it as, " somewhat almond-shaped,
