Travels in India (Tavernier) 87.2.6

87.2.6

As the time of prayer of the Muhammadans approached, three of the servants appointed by the Governor left, and the fourth remaining to wait upon me, I found an excuse for getting rid of him by sending him to buy bread, where he remained a sufficiently long time. For all the people of this country being idolaters, content themselves with rice, not eating bread, and when a person wishes for it it is necessary to have it brought from a distance, from the fortress of the King of Bijapur, where the Muhammadans reside. The Banian, seeing that he was alone with me and the interpreter, after having, with a good deal of mystery, removed his headdress, untwisted his locks, which, according to the usual custom, were bound round his head. Then I observed a small rag appearing amongst these locks, in which there was concealed a diamond, weighing 48 of our carats, of beautiful water and of cabuchon shape, three-quarters of the stone clear, save for a small flaw which was on one side and appeared to penetrate some distance into the stone. The remaining quarter was full of flaws and red spots.