The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-01-07
THE EMERALDs OF soMNATH.
An Oriental Talo of tho Wonderful Gems
or India.

<>a OAASA-~%-A ~e>A0 VA tho NonUOriUk Senn
or India.
A traveller in India who recently Wis
tied the palace of the Nawab of Muir
shidabad, thus describes the famous
jewels of that descendant of the vice
roys of Bengal:
The prince led us through the halls of
his palace to the chamber where the
last treasures of his dynasty were
guarded by duslly sepoy with dark
scowling face. We were asked to be
seated beside the Nawab in an ante
room, while the iron doors that shut
the treasury were rolled back. and the
more notable jewels were laid before
us on the table.
We were shown first some beautiful
armlets of table diamonds, rather flat
and lustrclcss from the eastern fashion
of cutting; then cases OF topazes, anne
thysts and chrysoprase; then curious
aigrcttc of diamonds of all colors-pink,
yellow, red, dark brown and purple
To these succeeded old sword hits and
sheaths of gold and jewels, precious
caslScts, rings and bracelets in delicate
golden tiligrce, and the finest chased
work of the East
Finest of all, and most remarkable
score in number, as large as shillings.
mounted in gold in the form of buttons
and three stones, each as large rs
lady's visiting card, and full of green
mysteries in their cleaning depths.
As these three gems were laid on the
table the Nawab made Sign to the
secretary, who in howery Oriental
phrases, like some Sadi or Jelalladin,
n Inf RI a. IA i
how they came to his masters house.
when the fierce Mahmud of Ghazni."
he said, Swept down with his wild
hordcs like the locusts of Arabia on the
rich plains and fertile valleys of India,
he beat back and subdued the idolatrous
IIindus Oh all the rivers of the Punjab,
and swept down with resstlcss force to
the thrice sacred shrine of Somnath
Two motives drove the wild warrior of
Ghazni to knock at that sacred temple:
First, to destroy the idols of the unbe-
levers; then to CLEAN the vast treasure
swept together from thousand Golcon-
das to the most sacred shrine in the
cast The temple doors were broken
open. The holy halls were filed with
wild mountain warriors. They swarmed
hither and ththcr through the temple
among the calmly despairing Brah-
mans, and found nothing, not gem,
not piece of gold, but only a great
stone pillar daubed with paint, the
Mahadeo, or Great God, of the idol
worshiping lIindus- Mahmud of Ghazni
was wroth, and swore in his anger to
destroy the shrine and to break down
the idol and to offer his fragments to
Allah the one mcrciful and compass
sionatc God.
"Thcn the Brahmans broke out in
cries and wailings, and prayed Mahmud
to spare their god. From secret
crypt in the temple they brought forth
gold and offered him the weight of
three men in golden mohurs if he would
spare the stone pillar and not destroy
their shrine.
But Mahmud was ineXorable Rails
ing his sword and striking once, he
wondered ut the hollow ring of the pill
lar and struck second time with his
steel against the stone. Then the pillar
of stone fell open, and from the open
ing poured out gold and diamonds, and
rubics and sapphires, and topazcs and
emeralds, these three great emeralds
amongst them, 4 countless treasure of
gems
Then Mahmud gathered the treasure
and. the gold and the precious stones,
and took them with him to Ghazni.
where they lay for centuries in his
treasury. Then after centuries the
hordes OF the Mussulman again swept
over India and brought with them the
jewels and the emeralds of Somnath.
For years the jewels lay in the gold
heaped treasures of Delhi till the
spider had spun her web over them. and
the lizard had made his nest in the hol-
low cups of gold.
Then the power of the moguls weak
cned and the dynasty of Delhi was hard
pressed by foes, so that the Padishah
called to him to Delhi his faithful vice
roys from kashmir and the Puniab,
from the Dcccan and far Bengal.
Then the viceroys came together,
strong men and careless of their Zuze-
rain, and they divided his Jewels be-
tween them, he OF the Puniab taking
the diamonds, Kashmir the sapphires.
and the Nawab of Bengal the emeralds
of Somnath. And so even after the dis
aster of Plassey. by the special favor of
Allah. the cmeralds remained in Muir
shidabad, and passed from Nawab to
Nuwab till they came TO his highncss
my master. "-Jcwelers' Weekly
Tho Health Corset.
a certain woman who strongly advo-
Gates reform in dress declares that
''corsets have filed more graves than
tely