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occur in yellow amber. The one we have mentioned is very hard and
spoils the lapidary instruments. Just see for yourself how careless 'Utarid bin Muhammad has been in
his description of the diamond in his book. On one occasion he says that the diamond is not affected by anything. Then, forgetting what he has said, he writes that there was a diamond stone in which was engraved a woman standing upon four horses. There was a mirror in her right hand and hammer in her left, with seven rays radiating from her head. How we wish the narrator could describe how these engravings were
made! Probably he thought these were made with lead, since he had already said lead could affect it. There are many absurd tales current among the people about the diamond and its mines. Diamond is called the hajar al-'uqab for the reason
that those in quest of diamonds put a mirror in the nest of the falcon before its fledglings so that it may see them without reaching them. The falcon then brings a diamond which it places upon the mirror till several diamond pieces accumulate which are then picked up, and the mirror is removed so that the falcon is led to believe that it is because of its stratagem that this has happened. After a certain period has lapsed, they again put a mirror and the falcon again brings diamonds. It is rather surprising that chemists designate sal ammoniac by the
metaphorical name of 'uqab. We have already mentioned that these bear resemblance to each other in form. Al-Kindi has also narrated this legend, substituting, however, the
sparrow for the falcon. It is said that if the fledglings of the sparrow are daubed with saffron, they bring out the jaundice stone. Possibly AlKindi also doubted the veracity of the story. In the event, all this is idle, absurd and useless talk. Another legend is as follows: All the diamonds found in the world
were collected by Dhu al-Qarnayn. There were snakes in the valley whose appearance killed anyone who gazed at them. Dhu al-Qarnayn devised a mirror held by bearers who hid themselves behind it. The snakes saw their own reflection in the mirror and died. How strange that the snakes used to see each other constantly before but did not die! If their reflections in the mirror could kill them, why could not their
bodies snuff out their existence before? And if this effect was specific to man, how is it that the snakes die on seeing their reflections? Moreover, if Dhu al-Qarnayn could use such a stratagem, why could not his successors repeat it? Galen has mentioned a snake which he calls the queen of Serpents.
He says anyone who sees it or hears its sound, dies on the spot. How I wish I could know the name of the supplier of the information. How could anyone relate this phenomenon if he died on the spot! |
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