Morning journal and courier., 1885-07-27
NO. 176

The famous jewel of Bangkok must be over shadowed in comparison
 To realize the pearls, imagine a table cover of beautiful pattern and exquisite embroi- dery, and then fancy that there has been a hail of pearls ten minutes, and that tI,av have all chung to this cover. That would he one piece of tapestry, and there are scores of them hanging in this room; and the pearls are as large as peas. That was bead-work in the reign of some Ottoman ruler.
 There are gems in bulk rare old China vases filled to the brim with huge emeralds: Japanese tureens overfowing with magnifi- cent pearls; decorated plates heaped up with coral beads like ripe cherries; golden salvers blazing with the light of hundreds of inn mense diamonds; and scattered about with a lavish hand lie the pale and beautiful tur- quolses like blooming flowers, an unpretend- ing bed for all this wondrous beauty
 There is the cradle in which ten Sultans have rocked, and whose every motion sends forth rays as brilliant the glory of their career; their little school-bags hang here and still simmer in their crust of gems Dia- monds, diamonds-everywhere is the glitter of diamonds. Surely they must have been guardians of the treasury who first dreamed of the "Arabian Nights" Presents from foreign magnates rival each other in value and splendor. Here is another ieweled throne and over it hang ruby and an eme- rald of fabulous size. An Indian raiah's gift, marvel of beauty, is in height four inches only, but in design most exquisite.
 A ra jah is seated on throne and over the throne is canopy; in front is slave The body of the rajah is a single pearl; the waist and trunk of the slave is another pearl of curious shape; the legs and arms are solid masses of diamonds; the canopy is of dia- monds. The effect is beyond description You feel such surroundings; you cease to talk-what, indeed, can you say? Turn as you will, the diamonds flash at you, the ru- bies fire at you, the pearls soothe you and the whole intoxicates you. You see the aid de-camp smiling, but proud of his Sultan's treasures, the accumulated treasure of over thirty rulers of the great Ottoman empire. With an odd mixture of half-formed thoughts you pass into another room A golden column confronts you, model of the TraJan monument; over six feet in height and eight inches in diameter it is imposing, but does not surprise you. You are pre- pared to see walls and floors of solid gold you almost expect it. Over your head hang golden bird-cages with clocks at their base. As is proper and becoming, the hours are indicated by diamond figures.
 You mount to gallery and look at the original costumes of score of dead rulers. The robes are magnifcently embroidered, the turbans are immense, diamonds are tangled in the plumes and the sword hilts are single gems The older the date the richer the dress, but all with turbans and robes until the thirteenth sovereign adopts the fez and the red trousers in use to-day.
 There is yet another room of equal splen- dor. Your bewilderment increases as you move on, and when at last you are bowed out by those grave watchnen you wonder if they are not all Sultans, and if you have not been dreaming