HIS
stone takes its name from the mine where it was discovered. There is
nothing sufficiently salient in its history to suggest a more
appropriate title. Tavernier mentions the stone in his account of the
Raulconda mine, where he saw it in the process of being cut. " In this
mine," he says, " there are a number of cutters, each of whom has only
one wheel, which is of steel, and about the size of an ordinary dinner
plate. They place one stone only on each wheel, which they moisten
incessantly with water until they have found the grain of the stone.
Then they take oil, and do not spare the diamond dust, which is very
cheap, to make the stone run the quicker, and they also charge it much
more than we do. I have seen 150 lbs. of lead placed on one stone,
though it was certainly a very large one, which remained at 103 carats
after having been cut, and the mill was like ours, the large wheel of
which was turned by four blacks." The site of Raulconda mine Trill be
found identified in our introductory chapter.
