74 THE GREAT DIAMONDS OF THE WORLD.
description
of the Great Mogul does not correspond with its accompanying
illustration, which would seem to answer tolerably well to the form of
the Koh-i-Nür before it was re-cut in London. But there must surely be
some strange mistake here. The fact that the proper illustrations do
not accompany the text in subsequent editions of Tavernier's work may
no doubt have caused some mystification. But there can be no possible
mistake about the figure of the Great Mogul as given in the first
edition of 1776, which answers exactly to the words, "rose-cut, round,
and very high on one side." If this description be compared with the
models both of the Koh-i-Nür and of the Great Mogul itself in our
possession, all doubts will be at once removed as to the essentially
different character of the two crystals The above quoted passages from
Bernier and Tavernier really embody all the authentic information
extant regarding the Great Mogul. Such as it is, it amply sufficies to
show that this stone is not the Koh-i-Nür. The two differ absolutely
in their origin, history, size, and form. Thus, while the Great Mogul
is traced directly to the Coulour mine, the Koh-i-Nür has a legendary
history dating back to the remotest times. The former, when found,
weighed at least 787 carats, which was reduced by cutting to 280
carats, whereas the latter when it passed into the hands of Baber was
only about 187 carats.* One was round-shaped, rose-cut, of the
