Travels in India (Tavernier) 103.4

103.4

No. 7. These grand monarchs of Asia are not the only ones in the world who are in possession of beautiful stones. I have not seen as large rubies in any of the thrones of the Great Mogul as are those represented in the plate Nos. 7, 8, and 9, which belong to our great King, the most powerful and magnificent, in all respects, among the Monarchs of the earth! Here again are figures of the largest pearls of which we have knowledge, in the order of their numbers. No. 1 is the figure of a pearl which the King of Persia bought in the year 1633 from an Arab who had just received it from the fisheries at El Katif. It cost him 32,000 tomans, or 1,400,000 livres of our money, at the rate of 46 livres and 6 deniers per toman. It is the largest and most perfect pearl ever discovered, and it has not the least defect. No. 2 is the figure of the largest pearl which I saw at the Court of the Great Mogul. It is suspended from the neck of a peacock made of precious stones, and rests on the breast, and this peacock surmounts the throne. No. 3 is the figure of a pearl which I sold, on my last journey, to Shaista Khan, uncle of the Great Mogul and Governor of Bengal. It weighs 55 carats, but the water is somewhat dead ; it is the largest pearl which has ever been taken from Europe to Asia.