Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/509

 ARTICLES OF EXPORTATION. 493 Spanish dollars for a rough diamond of one carat, or from 2-2s. 6d. to 45s. The diamond is in great repute among all the natives of the Indian Islands, and, indeed, is the only precious stone in much esteem, or much worn by them. It is probable that the art of cutting them is a native art, and not a borrowed one. The rough and polished gem are known by two distinct names, piidi and i?itan, both native terms, and the last, or the name of the cut dia- mond, universally the same in every one of the languages, while the first is confined to that of the country w'hich produces them. No other precious stone, when used by them, is ever polished, and they have a specific term to describe the polishing or cut- ting of the diamond, which is an original word of the Polynesian languages. If ever the principal tribes, the Javanese, Malays, and people of Celebes, un- derstood the art of cutting the diamond, they have now lost it, but diamond- cutters are still found in Banjarmassin, near the seat of the mines, where, in- deed, it is most reasonable to expect to find them. The cut which is approved of by the Indian island- ers is a kind of table cut. The hriUiant cut is not esteemed, and the rose cut still less, so that it is probable that the table cut only is a native one. One of the largest diamonds in the world is now in Borneo, in the possession of the petty prince of Mattan, and was obtained in the mines of Lan- dak about a century ago. It is still in its rough