Smuggled Across Europe

The famous Orlbff diamond was origtnally the cye of an idol la Triohinapoli, says the London Mail. It was stolsn, according to the accepted account, by a Frenchman, who escaped with it lo Persia, whore he sold it for the squlvalent in our money of L1,600 to a lowish merchant. Thls Jewish mer?hant sold it to an Armenian named Shafras, who had traveled in Ruesia, nd conceived the idea of taking the diamond to that country and selling it to the Empress Catherine for a great Eiim. Safras paid L10,000 for it. HavIng secured the stone the next question was how to get it to Ruseia, or rather how to conceal it when he waa searehed by robbers, 3 ho was sure to be on the road. Tho journey was a long and porilous ono and thieves abounded everywhere. He began alcast to feel he had a white elephant on his hands, wfoen a thought occurred to him. He procured a sharp lance, mr"!e a cut in the Cïshy part of his loít leg and th rust :h diamond into ihe wound. He sewed up the cut with a needie and a silver wire. It healed, leaving the diamond imbedded fast in his leg, quite out of sight. Then he started for Russia. On the way he was Beized by robbers again and again and was thoroughly searched. Beins an Armenian, and suepected of going to Russia to trade, tho thieves marveled naturally greatly at finding nothing of value upon his person. He arrived at Russia at last and, after extracting the diamond, visited the empress. He was willing to sell it for about L30,000, but the emprese had not so large au amount available in cash for the purchase and Shafras preferred to go on to Amsterdam, the seat of the diamond-cutting industry, wihere he had the stone polished. Here Count Orloff, an extremely wealthy Russian, saw tlie diamond and was filled with a determination to secure it for the Russian crown. He dld eecure it, but Shafras extraoted from the Russian government L80,000, an annuity of L4,000 and a title of nobilIty. He died a millionaire.