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Ch. 1: The Ancient Adamas

Diamond Mines of South Africa by Gardner Williams Page of 449 Ch. 1: The Ancient Adamas Text size:minus plus Restore normal size   Mail page  Print this page
The Diamond Mines of South Africa
CHAPTER I
THE ANCIENT ADAMAS
the beginning of the last century, when the blinded Shah-Shuja sought refuge in the lair of the " Lion of the Punjaub," Runjeet Singh, his chief treasure was the crystal pebble which Nadir Shah had snatched from the head of the last of the Great Moguls. For the sake of the pebble, Runjeet starved the wife and children of his friend until he was driven to lay the Koh-i-nur at the feet of his host. " At what price do you value it?" said the Lion, showing his teeth in a grim smile.
"At good luck," replied the blind Shah, " for it has ever been the bosom companion of him who has triumphed over his enemies."
It may have been the tradi­tional talisman of Carna, Rajah of Anga, fighting in legendary wars, hundreds of years before the great Achilles stormed and sulked under the walls of Troy.1 From its earliest known appearance it had been so coveted that agas and sultans and
1 "Tales from Indian History," J. Talboys Wheeler, assistant secretary of the government of India in the Foreign Department, Calcutta, 1881 ; "The Great Diamonds of the World," Edwin W. Streeter.
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Diamond Mines of South Africa by Gardner Williams Page of 449 Ch. 1: The Ancient Adamas
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