National Republican., 1882-12-12
A poNDERoUs DIAMOND.
Two Armed Vessels and S15O,O0O offered
For 10 and Refused by Its Owner.

f''''NNtA'aA
of the private letters and explorers reports of
the British North Borneo, has given us some
interesting revelation about Sebah and the
mysterious regions of Kina Balu. These cur
rent volumes, written upon authoritative
data, maintain to some extent the traditional
character of Borneo as a treasure house of
gems" though it is plain that the mineral
wealth of the country has been overrated.
Expectations of mineral discoveries are justi-
fed and whether they are realized or not, all
who are interested in the history of the
worlds famous gems will watch with Curl
osity the new developments promised in the
land which is known TO have produced many
splendid stones, but which is more particu-
larly associated with the history of the Matan
diamond.
Since the reduction of the Great Mogul by
Borgio the Matan commonly, but incorrectly,
written Mattan) takes rank as "the largest
genuine diamond of which there is any rec
ord"
1t was found, apparently, in the year 1851
in the Landak mines, near the west coast of
Borneo The town of Landak, the center OF
this rich mining district, which is said to
abound in gold, diamonds and iron, lies to the
northeast of PontianalS, a little north of the
equator, and in 100 degrees and 53 minutes east
longitude. The district is comprised within
the territory of the Raiah of the Matan, which
stretches along the west coast, between Pom
tianak and Sarawak, and which has long been
subject to the Dutch. The diamond takes its
name from the rajah of the territory, in whose
family it has remained ever since its discovery.
Very little being known regarding these
Bornco diamantiferous regions, the subjoined
particulars may be found interesting. Those
of Landak are among the oldest and most
productive in the world, and have been
worked though not very Systematically,
ever since the establishment of Malay settle
ments on the coast Here diamonds are found,
not only in the river beds when dry, but also
in their original sites at the foot of the noun
tains. The diggers are usually carried to a
depth of from ten to thirty feet. and constant
experience has shown that the deeper they
are dug the gems are both more plentiful and
of larger size and finer quality. At Landak
there are ten parts, or Mines each employing
from twenty to thirty laborers So far back
as 1913 the Dutch annually exported from this
district diamonds to the value of from $780, 900
to 100000.
With the decline of the Dutch government,
however, the demand has decreased and the
mines are now much neglected, the numerous
diamond-cutters not being able to obtain a
livelihood. Formerly, when more Chinese
were employed in the mines of Landak, da-
nlonds from ten to thirteen carats were COM
mon in the public markets. The Pangeran
(Rajah) of Landak now wears one of eighteen
and another of fourteen and one-half carats.
The mines in this part of the island have
been worked for over half u century, chiefly
by the Chinese. But in 1912 the celestials
were set upon and either massacred or driven
out of the country by the DyalSs as the abo-
rigines are called. The cause of this outbreak
was the intolerable tyranny of the Chinese,
who appear to have treated the Dyak labOrcrs
employed by them with the most atrocious
cruelty and oppression. 1t was one of these
Dyaks who found the large diamond under
consideration, as fully related by Sir Stafford
Battles. "Among the larger diamonds which
these mines have produced it pay not be un-
interesting to mention that the great
diamond now in the possession of
the sultan, which has been often
seen and examined by Europeans,
weighs 367 carats; it is of the shape of an
egg, indented on one side. 1t is, however,
uncut and on this account it may be difficult
| to say whether it will become the largest cut
diamond ever known, for the famous diamond
of Aurung-zeb, called the Mogul, in its rough
state weighed 795 carats, and was then valued
at G600, 600, but when cut was reduced to 279
carats. This celebrated diamond, known by
the name of the "Matan" diamond, was dis
covered by Dyak, and claimed as a droit of
royalty by the sultan of the country, Gurn-
Laya, but was handed over to the Pangeran of
Landak, whose brother, having got posses
| sion of it, gave it as bribe to the sultan of
Sukadana, in order that he might be placed
on the throne of Landak. The lawful
prince, however, having fed to Bantam, by
the and of the prince of that country and the
| Dutch succeeded in regaining possession OF
his district, and nearly destroyed Sukadana.
1t has remained as an heirloom in the family
for four descents and is almost the only ap-
pendage of royalty now remaining,
Although it has brought little but trouble
to its owners this gem is looked upon by them
as sort of tutelar deity, and held in the very
| ;ubac ON inf Of tla CHI i,,o
virtues with which the popular imagination
has endowed it. That such superstition,
| ideas should still be prevalent among the
| semi-ciy ilized races of the east need not sur.
prise us, when we remember that the great
luminary of the church, ST. Jerome, author OF
the Latin Vulgate, attributed all kinds OF
wonderful virtues to the sapphire, solemnly
declaring that it secured to its owner the
favor of princes, disarmed his enemies bafilcd
the wizards arts, liberated captives, and even
appeased the wrath of the Deity himself The
Malays of Landak are firmly persuaded that
the water in which the Matan had been dipped
is n specific for all disorders; and, no doubt
this yc'y belief has occasionally produced
good results, especially in cases of nervous
complaints. Similar effects are constantly
witnessed among the dcvout pilgrims to the
various shrines aud holy wells.
Hugh Low tells us that the Matan "is as
yet uncut and weighs 376 carats, so that if
cut and polished it would be reduced to 1881
carats Its value is estimated by Mr. Craw-
furd to be 9259,37S, being less by f34, ,S22 than
that of the Russian diamond, and Gl19,730
more than that of the Pitt diamond. j have
been informed by person who supposed him
self to be good judge of diamonds that the
sultan possesses the real stone, which he
had SEEM but that a crystal is shown to
strangers as the sultan, who has been al
ready robbed of his territory, fears that this
last emblem of royalty will also be taken from
| him by his powerful and avariCiOus neighbOrs
at Pontianak." Nave also mentions that a
friend of his, captain of an Indiaman, was
permitted to see it, but was requested not to
touch it. This gem was brought in on a gold
salver, and was about the size of a common
walnut il had a blush, metallic luster." ii
is remarkable that the author of II paper on
" Precious StonCs,' in the Edinburgh Reuiel
for July, 1866, describes the Hope as also ''o OF
decided, but rather steel-likc blue"
So highly priced is the "Matan diamond y
that its owner has always refused to part with
il, declining the most tempting offers of the
Dutch government, which has shown a great
desire to get possession of talsman associated
in the eastern mind with empire, and with
the fortunes of the dynasty guarding it, Early
in the century the governor of Batavia sent
Mr.. Stewart to the Tajah to negotiate its pur
chase. He offered $l50,O00, two large wal
brigs, with their full complement of guns and
ammunition, besides considerable quantity
of other warlike material, but the tempting
bait was rejected.
Mrs. BANDS Reception.
The social and literary reception given by
Mrs. NJ. Cora Bland last night was u mos
decided success The literary and musica
programme comprised an essay by Mrs. Lin