CACHOLONG, THE OPAL OF FRIENDSHIP: FLOAT STONE, THE LOVERS’ OPAL: GIRASOL, THE FIRE OPAL: HYALITE, THE EYE OPAL: HYDROPHANE, THE MAGIC OPAL: MENILITE, THE LIVER OPAL: OPAL JASPER: ROSE OPAL: SEMI-OPAL, THE FOREST OPAL: TABASHEER: MARCO POLO’S ACCOUNT OF THE EXPEDITION OF THE GREAT KAAN: THE OPAL OF INVULNERABILITY AND REMOVER OF DREAD: THE MARVEL OF TRANSFORMATION. “_Grey years ago a man lived in the east, Who did possess a ring of worth immense, From a beloved hand. Opal the stone, Which flashed a hundred bright and beauteous hues, And had the secret power to make beloved Of God and man the blessed and fortunate Who wore it in this faith and confidence._” “NATHAN THE WISE,” LESSING. CACHOLONG. An opaque white or bluish-white variety of opal which obtains its name from the river Cach in Bokhara, according to some authorities and from the Tartars according to others. The Easterns set a high value on the stone which glistens with the opalescent gleam of Mother of Pearl. It is associated with chalcedony and being of a porous nature sticks to the tongue when touched by it. The Cacholong is a stone of pure friendship, sincerity and truth. FLOAT STONE. A porous opal of a fibrous type which floats on water. It occurs in concretionary masses and is esteemed as a stone over which the most sacred promises may be made. Lovers join hands over a Float Stone floating on a vessel of water and pledge their troth with the utmost solemnity, misfortune being bound to dog the footsteps of the faithless one. GIRASOL. The Girasol is the Mexican Fire Opal which reflects hyacinth and yellow colours. Good specimens are attractive and fairly popular. This is the opal indicated in Scott’s “Anne of Geierstein.” HYALITE. The name is derived from the Greek word for glass, and the stone—a transparent glass-like opal—has been called Muller’s Glass by Dr. A. G. Werner who is said to have discovered it. It is very like clear gum arabic and is probably one of the esteemed eye stones of the old writers. HYDROPHANE. This variety of opal is very porous and beautifully translucent and opalescent after being left for a little time in water. It is otherwise of an opaque white or yellow and not very attractive. In the United States it has been termed Magic Stone. MENILITE. This variety is found in slate not far from the French capital. It is termed also Liver Opal and is said to have talismanic action on that organ. It is a concretionary opal, brown or liver-coloured. OPAL JASPER. Opal Jasper is a jasper-like resinous, dark red, ferruginous variety of opal, identified as the opal of beautiful wisdom. ROSE OPAL. A beautiful rose-coloured opal found at Quincy in France. This is the opal of the baby Cupid and is termed the Opal of Childhood.