In the middle of the sixteenth century Acber of India gave a splendid banquet in honor of his birthday; and, if the reports concerning it are correct, it was one of the most magnificent entertainments ever given on the earth. Acres of land were covered with silken and flaxen tents, and the horses and elephants were bespangled with gold and gems. The tents of the Nabob were not only exquisitely made and adorned, but even the carpets which covered the earth were richly embroidered with gold, pearls, and precious stones. In describing the beauty and magnificence of the Hindoo nobles, the historian states that they were adorned with diamonds that “sparkled like the firmament.” Shah Jehan, the greatest of Mogul sovereigns since Timour, collected the wealth of India around him, and lavished it in a manner that reads more like a chapter in the “Arabian Nights” than a page of historic reality. At his death the treasury contained $150,000,000; and his palace, with its embellishments and ornaments, was the most beautiful the world has ever seen. The Peacock Throne was valued at $30,000,000, and his crown at $12,000,000. The diadem had twelve points, each tipped with a diamond of large size and the purest water. In the centre was embedded a huge pearl, and the rest of the crown was a glittering mass of rubies, diamonds, and other gems. The dress of the Emperor was in keeping with his extravagance: around his neck he wore three strings of immense pearls; his arms were covered with armlets of diamonds and bracelets of other gems; his sword and buckler were incrusted with diamonds and rubies; and his sceptre was entwined with a chain of pearls, rubies, and diamonds. Besides his crown, he had a rich turban plumed with long heron feathers; on one side was a huge ruby, on the other a diamond, while an immense emerald decorated the front. The famous Peacock Throne of Indian history is no myth; for Tavernier examined it with care, and has left a description of it so clear, that its reality and its value are matters of fact. It was so called from the figures of two peacocks with expanded tails standing behind it as large as life. These figures were constructed of gold and precious stones of all varieties, and so arranged as to represent the natural colors of the birds. The beautiful hues of the feathers were closely imitated by the arrangement of fine rubies, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, and other gems.