In one handful there was a splendid gold stater, and in another a piece of Antoninus Pius.

The treasure had been collected for many years in many places, contributions of chiefs from ancient hoards as well as the cash received from I.D.B.

I untied one or two of the little bags of stones and poured the contents into my hands.

Most of the diamonds were small, such as a labourer might secrete on his person.

The larger ones--and some were very large--were as a rule discoloured, looking more like big cairngorms.
But one or two bags had big stones which even my inexperienced eye told me were of the purest water.