Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-10-13
The Wonderful Diamond Fields OF South
Africa.

The newly discovered diamond fields in
South Africa, il report be true, must near
ly realize the marvels related in the cara
bian Nights" of Sinbads enchanted val
ley. They are much more alluring than
those of the story, as they are more access
slble than the latter-which, the reader
will remember, in addition to being in
tested with numbers Of the most venom
Gus serpents, were shut in by precipitouS
mountains. Bat here we have real, bona
r'de enchanted valley so rich in gems that
for scores of years to come II is estimated,
the precious store can scarcely be eX.
hausted, and with no serpeptS worth men
tiouing. At least we find mono mentioned
in the published accounts and infer that il
they exist, they have shown their proverhiGl
wisdom by declining oynter'ere with the
necessities of commerce. What is more
wonderful still, among the hundreds of
people gathered to this curious harvest
there is less fighting than d.versiies a phi
mary election or a trip to Coney Island,
For once, the dlri Sacra flames seems to
have failed in its wontel inspiration Of
battle and blood. There they dig peac fully
side by side, these patient hushandmeu,
for such fruits rs the earth has surely new
er yielded up since the piowShare first
Vexed her patient bosom. II one luckier
than his rcighbors finds a stone that might
serve for q kings ransom, and makes him
at one stroke rich beyond his widest hopes,
the rest are animated by the sight, ut to
malice and murder, but to moro vigoro.
exertions 1t is like picture of the gold
en- age.
1t produces a strange sensation to read
of these priceless jewels lying as thick as
pebbles on the see-shore. Diamonds have
beer found OF thirty carats weight, and OF
thousands of ponds value II requires
more than Horatian philosophy to look
without emotion upon such stories as
these. Aud it would not be surprising If,
when this discovery is generally known,
South Africa should become the objective
point of such another tide of invasion as
swept over the Pacific Slope when Califor.
MIA was frstfound to realize the tabled I'll
Dorado. pniel river is no further from
New York now than San Francisco was in
the memorable days of rs. II is but "
month or so of ocean yoyagiug, and then al
Golconda lies at our feet And ali the ne
cessares of life are there infinitely
more accessible aud cheap than they IRE
in California in the early times Meat for
instance is plentiful and good at four and
FIVE cents pound, and other things in
proportion. If much Of our restless float
ing population does not drift speedily to
Phiel river, it will be because its magniti-
cent promise is too obscure, or so prodi-
gious as to seem incredible.
Americans OF some sort, however, sooner
or later, will be sure to fud their way
thither aud with them, we fear, will cease
the tranquility OF the little settlement.
With them will appear those most efficient
of mining tools the bowie.knife and the
revolver But with these weapons they
will bring their ingenuity and energy, and
these advantages may somewhat compen-
safe for any little eccenricitiss of behavior.
N Y Times.