culated
about the new comers — that they were defective, that they were
ill-colored and finally that they were not diamonds at all. These
reports gained belief, and purchasers refused to buy the Brazilian
gems. The malicious libels of the European merchants were cleverly
defeated by the crafty Portuguese. Since Europe would have none but
Indian diamonds Brazil must needs furnish none other. The diamonds from
Sierra do Frio were secretly conveyed to the Indo-Portuguese settlement
of Goa ; then they were sent inland, made up in the recognized Indian
style as parcels of Oriental gems, and thus doctored they appeared in
Paris and London. There a credulous public eagerly bought them up at
the high prices due to undoubted Indian diamonds. Once the western
gems were fairly accepted, the Portuguese threw off the mask, no doubt
laughing heartily at the stupidity of the out-witted merchants, and
Brazilians are now treated as fair and honorable diamonds. All that is
to say except the tremen-
