The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1883-01-19
TIE BIGGEST OF ALL.


sion of the king of Portugal, is by far
the largest diamond, not only now in
existence, but of which there is any
record. But its very size, weighing no
less than 1850 carats in the rough, has
caused it to be suspected, and no OPP
portunity has hitherto been afforded
of examining it with sufficient care to
warrant anything like a conclusive
Judgment as to it's true character.
One of the earliest and best accounts
we have Of this stone is that given by
Nave in his "Travels in Brazil"
"a few leagues" he writes, "to the
north of the Rio Plata is the rivulet
named Abaite, celebrated for having
produced the largest diamond. Three
men named Antonio de Sousa, Jose
Feliz Comes, and Thomas de Sousa,
having been found guilty of high
crimes, were banished into the interior,
and ordered not to approach any of the
capital towns, or to remain in civilized
society, on pain of perpetual imprison-
ment.
Driven by this hard sentence into
the most unfrequented part Of the
country, they endeavored to explore
new mines or new productions, in the
hope that sooner or later they might
nave the good fortune to make some
important discovery, which would OBJ
tain reversal of their sentence, and
enable them to regain their station in
society.
"They wondered about in this neigh
borhood, making frequent searches in
its various mines, for more than six
years. At length they, by hazard,
made some trials IN the river Abaite,
ut time when its waters were 50 low, in
consequence of long season of drought,
that part of its bed was left expos ed.
Here, while searching and washing for
gold, they had the good fortune to find
a diamond nearly pound 4 weight.
Elated by this providential discovery,
which at first they could scarcely be
icve to be real, yet hesitating between
4 dread of the rigorous laws relating to
diamonds and the hope of regaining
their liberty, they consulted a clergy
man, who advised them to trust to the
mercy of the State, and accompanied
them to Villa Rica, where he procured
them access to the governor. They
threw themselves at his feet, and de
livered to him the invaluable gain IN
which their hopes rested, relating al
.he circumstances connected with it.
THE governor, astonished at its
magnitude, could not trust the evidence
of his senses, but called the of GERS OF
the establishment to decide whether i
was a diamond, who set the matter be
yond all doubt. Being thus by tn,
most strange and unforeseen acciden
put in possession of the largest dia
mond ever found in America, h
thought proper to suspend the sentenc
of the men as a reward for having de
livered it to him. The gem was sen
to Rio de Janeiro, from whence a fri
gate was dispatched with it to Lisbon
whittier the clergyman was also sen
to make the proper representations re
speeding it. The sovereign confirme
the pardon of the delinquents, an
bestowed some preferment on tn
priest"
This famous stone, which has bee
valued at no less than 81, 100000 900,
said to be about the size of n goose
egg, and weight is usually estimated q
1850 carats, which, at the rate of II
carats to the ounce, would make rattle
, over eleven ounces.
Murray tells us that Don Juan V
mad hole drilled through it, and
was suspended to his neck on gal
days. Murray was not aware whetht
it was still among the crown jewe
given up by Miguel, or had been pr
viously pledged to carry on the WI
, against the French. For this latt,
report, current in Murray's time, the
5 seems to be no foundation and accor
| ing to all recent authorities, the stoI
, would appear never to have been r
l moved from the Portuguese treasur
: where it is jealousy guarded again
) all inquisitive sight-seers. For obviol
i financial motive, the government
4 naturally anxious that, whatever be
: true character, it should continue to
S regarded as genuine diamond. {
G this point the strongest doubts ha
= always been entertained.
r Murray tells us, on the authority