The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-07-20
PATS DIAMOND.
From ChdmberS'S Journal. !

The pleasure to be derived from for
eign travel depends mainly upon con-
trast; and, to enjoy contrast thoroughly
reader, eschew, if you can, the railway
or coach eschew the large town and its
hotels, each one with its extortionate
landlord and parrot-like hanger-on, who,
calling himself q guide, remorselessly
posters you going out and coming in
eschew ease and luxurious living gener-
ally; awake, and be in the saddle when
the sun rises; follow the rough track
through the wood and over the noun
tain; be wet to the skin in fording the
river, and dried again on the sultry plain.
Let your food be simple, your chamber
light tn e stars and then, when small
town or village is gaineu, be able to ap-
preciate respite from toll and fatigue
us much as did on reaching the flour
ishing settlement flor did it not boast an
inn, a store, and three hundred inhabi-
tants at least y of San Isidro, in the
wilds of Brazil.
About four days ride from San Isidro
there was diamond river, and dia-
monds-so said the natives-were to be
found by any one who chose to establish
himself on its banks, and to explore the
deep holes, worked by the rush Of the
current over rocks, with an iron scoop
and long handle.
The programme appeared to me so
simple, the necessary stock-in-trade SO
inexpensive, and the prospect of fishing
up diamonds with on iron scoop and a
long handle so delightful, that 1 yielded
20 the sirens song, and determined to
become an angler for precious stones.
Mules had, so packed the provis-
ions I thought necessary on their backs,
bought scoops of all sizes, (there were
some exceedingly tall trees near the river,
l was informed, from which to cut the
handles) hired a couple of enterprising
natives as guides and helpers, and set
out one fine morning from San Isidro,
amid the wonder and delight of its pop
ulation, some of whom were so carried
away by excitement, that they actually
turned out of their hammocks to look at
me, and forgot to puff at their beloved
cigarettes for at least ten minutes.
1t did not surprise me to find that, of
those who impressed upon me most con-
fidently the diamond theory, no single
one had ever reduced it to practice.
When l asked the reason, got but one
answer, God forbid, senor." AS this
was the invariable reply to any PROPOSE
tion involving trouble on their part, l
put it down to the inherent laziness of
the Brazilian provincial character.
Well, the expedition did not come on
successfully. established myself on
the river bank, where the scenery was
certainly glorious, and the shooting as
good as one could desire, but, suffering
MS was from a temporary though Sc
we're attack of diamond fever, neither
sport nor scenery could tempt me away
IT my reward had depended upon hard
WORK, gllttering stones the size of crick-
et-ball would deservedly have been my
portion. tshed up mud and weed in
sufhcient quantities to have gained me
an undylng reputation on the Suez Ca
nal but the sweat of my brow, although
l am convinced there was enough of it
TO increase perceptibly the height and
temperature OF the stream, produced not
the wished for result.
A small party of friendly Indians
We're eamped in the neighborhood, and
their chief, who, remarkably enough, had
picked up few words of English, would
sit solemnly upon a rock in the shade,
and watch me for hours, whether with
compassion, amusement, contempt, or all
three, could not for the life of me de-
eide. He was short, squat individual,
and his copper-colored, grinning face
had Hibernian expression of joviality
about it which rather invited confidence,
so we occasionally tried to get up con-
versation oni the strength of his few
words OF English, eked out with ballet
of action.