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Ch. 8: The Great Table Diamond

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THE GREAT TABLE.
91
diamond merchant. How came this stone in private hands ? The answer is not far to seek. The tribute, on the first signing of the treaty, was up to the full amount. Mir Jemla had probably suggested this, as a severe lesson, with a view to bring his royal master to his knees ; but the fallen king had gall enough to seize the person of the revolted minister's son, and the war between Katb and Mir Jemla was a war à outrance. The annually recurring tribute forced the court and king to raise money on jewels not dis­closed to the Mogul conqueror, and as Tavernier was known certainly to the Parsee merchants of India, and had in a measure gained the confidence of the most English of all Asiatics, it is not surprising that, European as he was, he should be shewn, and even allowed to take a model of this stone. We venture to doubt whether Tavernier could have secured it for an added .£5,000 to the offer he made, with a view to purchase, considering the wealth and stable character of the opulent merchants in Western India. It was said that a Turvee or Bheel chief carried it to the city of Golconda, and commenced his negociations by an interview.with a " Havildar," a commander of horse, a native of his own tribe. This is probably true. The Bheels-dwelt, and still dwell, in the fastnesses of the Western Ghauts, and along the affluents of the Upper Godavery, where most probably the stone was found. As already stated, it is probable that this stone has been broken up, in order to baffle all efforts to trace its identity, though some Orientals differ from this explanation of its disappearance. It is estimated that there are more than 120,000 families of Parsees
Ch. 8: The Great Table Diamond Page of 312 Ch. 8: The Great Table Diamond
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