Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/510

 494 COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION OF state, and weighs 367 carats, which, according to the rule of comparing rough and polished dia- monds, is but one-half of that amount, if cut, or 183i carats, which make it eleven and a half carats smaller than the Emperor of Russia's diamond, and 46i carats larger than the Pitt diamond. Its real value is L. 209,378, which is L. 34,825^ less than that of the Russian diamond, and L. 119,773, 10s. more than that of the Pitt diamond. It has been stated to have lately fallen into the hands of the ambitious chief of Pontianak. Sulphur has not, that I am aware of, been dis- covered in any abundance in beds or veins in any part of the Indian Islands, though it is certain enough that it does exist in such situations; but in a country strewed with volcanoes, over a range of thousands of geographical miles, there is, of ne- cessity, an immense store of volcanic sulphur fit for the purposes of commerce. There is no vol- canic mountain in Java, for example, that does not afford sulphur, but the best and most abundant supply is obtained from the great mountain of BcniyiVii'angi at the eastern extremity of the island. Here and| in similar situations sulphur is obtain- ed without difficulty, and in such a state of purity as to require no preparation for the market; but the tost of production is naturally enhanced by the nature of the places in which it is found, — moun- tains of great elevation generally covered with deep forests, and usually at a great distance from