"One of these [emerald] jewels that fell into the hands of Pizarro, in
this neighbourhood, was as large as a pigeon’s egg. Unluckily, his
rude followers did not know the value of their prize; and they broke
many of them in pieces by pounding them with hammers.
They were led to this extraordinary proceeding, it is said, by one of
the Dominican missionaries, Fray Reginaldo de Pedraza, who assured
them that this was the way to prove the true emerald, which could not
be broken.
It was observed that the good father did not subject his own jewels to
this wise experiment; but, as the stones, in consequence of it, fell
in value, being regarded merely as colored glass, he carried back a
consider able store of them to Panama."