The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-01-19
Tie LARGEST diamond.

have been published, the first by Carl
Book. who has explored most of the
Dutch territory, the second by Joseph
Hatton, who, in possession of the private
letters and explorers reports of the
British North Borneo, has given us some
interesting revelations about Sabah, and
the mysterious regions of Kina Balu.
These current volumes, written upon
authoritative data, maintain to some ex-
tent the traditional character of Borneo
as g u treasure-house of gems" though
it Is plain that the mineral wealth of the
country has been Overrated. Eypecta-
tons of mineral discoveries are justified,
and, whether they are realized or not,
all who are interested in the history of
the worlds famous gems will watch
with curiosity the new developments
promised in the land which is known to
have produced many splendid stones,
but which is more particularly associated
with the history of the Matan diamond.
Since the reduction of the Great Mogul
by Borgio, the Matan Commonly, but
incorrectly, written Mattam) takes rank
as the largest genuine diamond of
which there is any record" 1t was
found apparently in the year 1887 in the
Landak mines near the west coast of
Borneo. The town of Landak, the GEN.
ter of this rich mining district, which is
said to abound in gold, diamonds and
iron. lies to the northeast of Pontianak.
a little north of the equator. and in 109
degrees and fifty-three minutes east
longitude. The district is comprised
within the territory of the Rajah of
Matan, which stretches along the west
coast between Pontianak 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 dis
coyery.
Very little being known regarding
these Borneo diamontiferous 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 settlements 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 mountains. The diggings are usually
carried to 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 1888 the Dutch annually ex-
ported from this district diamonds to the
value of from $780, 900 to S300,000.
With the decline of the Dutch Gov
eminent, however, the demand has de-
creased, and the mines are now much
the numerous diamond-cut-
terS not being able to obtain livelihood.
Formerly. when more Chinese were en-
ployed in the mines of Landak, diamonds
from ten to thirteen carats were COM
mon in the public markets. The Pan
geran (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 century,
chiefly by the Chinese. But in 1912 the
"CeleStials" were set upon and either
or. driven out of the country
By the Dyaks, as the aborigines are
called. The cause of this outbreak was
tie intolerable tyranny of the Chinese,
who appear to have treated the Dyak
laborerS employed by them with the
most atrocious cruelty and oppression:
1t was one of these Dyaks who found
tie large diamond under considera-
ton. as fully related by Sir Stam-
ford Ratiies." Among the larger dia-
monds which these mines have produced
it may not be uninteresting to mention
that the great diamond now in the pos
session of the Sultan of Matan. which has
been seen and examined by Europeans,
weighs 367 carats; it is of the shape of
m 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 Aur-
lng -zeb, called the Mogul, in its rough
state weighed 795 carats, and was then
valued at f600,0 900, but when cut was
reduced to 279 carats. This celebrated
diamond, known by the name of the
''Matan" diamond, was discovered by a
Dyak, and claimed as droit of royalty
by the Sultan of the country. Gurn-Laya,
but was handed over to the Pangeran of
Landak, whose brother, having got pos
session of it. gave it as bride to the
Sultan of Sukadana, in order that he
might be placed on the throne of Landak
The lawful Prince, however, having fled
10 Bantam. by the aid of the Prince of
that country and the Dutch, succeeded
in regaining possession of his district.
and nearly destroyed Sukadana. 1t has
as an heirloom in the family
for four descents. and is almost the only
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 highest esteem on
of the astonishing healing virtues
with which the popular imagination has
endowed it. That such superstitious
IDEAS should still be prevalent among the
,emi-civilized races of the east need not
surprise us when we remember that the
great luminary of the church, st. Jerome.
author of the Latin Vulgate, attributed
Ill kinds of wonderful virtues to the
sapphire, solemnly declaring that it Sc
cured to its owner the favor of Princes,
iisarmed his enemies, baffied the wiz
ird's arts, liberated captives and even
the wrath of the Deity Him.
self. The Malays of Landak are firmly
persuaded that the water in which the
Matan has been dipped is specific for
Ill disorders; and, no doubt, this very
belief has occasionally produced good re-
suits. especially in cases of nervous COM
plants. Similar effects are constantly
among the devout pilgrims to
The various shrines and holy wells.
Hugh Low tells us that the Matan sis
a vet uncut and weighs SIG carats 90