blue
sapphires and other coloured stones ; its body is of gold, ornamented
with stones ; and on its breast sparkles a great ruby, from which hangs
a pear-shaped Pearl of a yellowish colour, about 200 grains. But the
most costly part of this wonderful throne is the pillars which support
the roof. Round these are twined rows of Pearls of splendid quality,
one of which weighs from six to ten carats. Four feet from the throne
stand, on either side, two sun umbrellas of red velvet, embroidered in
Pearls and with a Pearl fringe ; the umbrellas stand seven or eight
feet high, and their sticks glitter with diamonds, rubies and Pearls."
Pearls were used in the East as tributes of war paid by the conquered to the conquerors. We are told that king Partab Chund, (a.D. 500)
after he had conquered and ravaged the countries of Cabul and the
Punjaub, brought, amongst other things, as tribute to Chosroes II. of
Persia, 1000 lbs of aloe-wood and a box full of the most costly Pearls.
Malik Allah, captured in 1290, at Deogiri, (now called Dowlatabad)
15,000 lbs of gold; 175 lbs of Pearls, and 50 lbs of other beautiful
jewels.
In the Hindu drama called the " Mrichchakati," written by the royal author, Sudraka, who lived about, the first century (b.c. or A.D.), there is an account of a fierce elephant, which had broken loose and
