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THE BRAGANZA.
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establishment
to decide whether it was a diamond, who set the matter beyond all
doubt. Being thus by the most strange and unforeseen accident put in
possession of the largest diamond ever found in America, he thought
proper to suspend the sentence of the men as a reward for their having
delivered it to him. The gem was sent to Rio de Janeiro, from whence a
frigate was dispatched with it to Lisbon, whither the holy father was
also sent to make the proper representations respecting it. The
sovereign confirmed the pardon of the delinquents and bestowed some
preferment on the worthy sacerdote."
Such was the finding of the Braganza about ninety years ago.
The
Prince referred to in Mawe's account, was John VI., who, in 1792, was
declared Regent owing to the mental derangement of the Queen Maria
Isabella, his mother. He was a great diamond-collector, not so much
from love of the glittering gems themselves as for the wealth they
represented. As Brazil was rich in diamonds, and as all the proceeds
from the mines were submitted to His Highness before being sent out of
the country, he had ample opportunity of forming an extremely good
collection. Accord-
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