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The Moon of Mountains: Afghan

The Afghan had meantime, made his way to Bagdad, where he fell in with a Jew, to whom he disposed of his treasure for 65,000 piastres, or about pound 500 sterling, and two full blooded Arab horses. But unfortunately for himself, instead of returning to his home in the Suleiman Mountains, he remained loitering in the famous capital of the eastern Califs, squandering his easily acquired wealth in riot and dissipation of all sorts. In the midst of his revels he one day ran against Shaffrass, who had unwittingly followed him to Bagdad, where he had a large trading connection. "Now," thought the wily Armenian, "I shall take good care not to lose sight of my man again, until the bargain is struck." He was not however, a little disappointed to learn that the wares had already been sold to a third party. Nevertheless, there was still hope of doing a stroke of business with the Jew, whose house the Afghan had pointed out, and on whom Shaffrass lost no time in calling. But, although he offered double the amount of the purchase money for the diamond alone, on which he had set his heart, the Jew declined to part with it. Shaffrass now held a consultation with his two brothers, who had joined him in Bagdad. The trio forthwith resolved to murder the Jew, and thus get possession of the coveted treasures. Having carried out this cold-blooded assassination, they also deemed it prudent to get rid of the Afghan, whose evidence would scarcely fail to incriminate them, when the matter came to be investigated. Taking advantage of his dissipated habits, they easily induced him to join them the next day in an entertainment, followed by a drinking bout, during which they found an opportunity of poisoning him in his cups. The two bodies were placed together in a sack, and, according to the approved Eastern method, thrown by night into the Tigris.

Everything had so far gone on smoothly enough. But when they came to the distribution of the plunder, each of the three murderers insisted on having the diamond. As it was impossible to divide the stone into three equal parts, and as neither brother would waive his claim Shaffrass settled the matter by treating his two brothers in the same way that they had treated the unfortunate Afghan. So the following night another sack, also containing two dead bodies, was quietly dropped into the river, and the Armenian found himself sole master of treasures, which on examination were found far to exceed in value his most sanguine expectations. Feeling that it would be dangerous to linger in a place where awkward inquiries might be set on foot at any moment, he packed up, and withdrew to Constantinople, whence he ultimately made his way through Hungary and Silesia to Holland. Here he set up as a dealer in precious stones, and drew the attention of the various European sovereigns to some of his choicer specimens. The Empress Catherine II., who seems to have been particularly taken by his description of the great diamond, sent him a pressing invitation to go to St. Petersburg, where she placed him in communication with the crown jeweller, M. Lasaroff. After some negotiations, he was offered an annuity of 10,000 roubles, together with a patent of nobility for certain of his gems. But Shaffrass, who desired something more tangible, demanded a cash payment of 600,000 roubles, which was considered rather exorbitant. However, Count Panin, at that time Catherine's favourite minister, was fully equal to the occasion, and in the long run proved himself more than a match for the astute Oriental. Shaffrass was beguiled with fair words and empty promises. His demand was neither agreed to nor rejected, and he himself was gradually led into a style of living, which was far beyond his means, and obliged him to run heavily into debt. When his purse was exhausted and his credit broken, Panin suddenly put an end to the negotiations, and the Armenian was officially informed that he could not carry out his avowed intention of leaving Russia or even the capital until all his creditors were satisfied. Such was the law of the land, and no exception could be made in his favour. He now found himself at the mercy of the minister. Nevertheless, he determined not to sacrifice the diamond, which had already cost him so much blood. He accordingly raised money enough to meet his liabilities by the sale of some smaller gems amongst the Armenians of St. Petersburg, paid his debts, and suddenly withdrew from the capital. He was now completely lost sight of; but ten years later the Russian Court received intimation that he was residing in Astrakhan. Here negotiations were renewed for the purchase of the diamond, which he was at last induced to part with, apparently on the original terms. Murray, speaking of the "Orloff," says that "a Greek merchant, named Gregory Suffrass offered it for sale in Amsterdam in 1766, from whom Prince Orloff bought it for Catherine of Russia for pound 90,000, an annuity of pound 4,000, and a patent of nobility, as he himself informed Mr. Magellan." He then quotes the authority of Dutens for this statement, which, he adds, "Seems to be a genuine account." But Dutens makes no mention of Suffrass or Shaffrass, and merely says that the Jew, who bought the "Orloff" from a ship captain, "a few years afterwards disposed of it more advantageously to a Greek merchant."

To the introduction of the name of Shaffrass into this passage may be traced all the confusion, that has since arisen in regard to the history of the "Orloff" and "Moon of the Mountains." By removing this name the accounts of each become perfectly clear and intelligible. The "Orloff" comes directly from the Seringham temple, Mysore, to Europe by the sea route; the "Moon of Mountains" is brought overland, apparently from Delhi, through Persia, Bassorah, Bagdad, and Constantinople. They both meet for a moment in Amsterdam, the great diamond mart of the West, where the "Orloff" is purchased by Prince Orloff for Catherine from a Greek merchant, and whence Shaffrass takes the "Moon of Mountains," first to St. Petersburg, and then to Astrakhan. Here he ultimately disposes of it, also to the Russian Crown, as above stated. It may be added that after his flight from Badgad, the crimes of Shaffrass came to light. Being thus prevented from returning to his native land, he settled in Astrakhan, where he married, and had seven daughters. But Nemesis overtook him at last; for he was poisoned by one of his own sons-in-law, under circumstances not unlike those by which he had himself sacrificed his two brothers.