The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-02-10

Recently two important works on B0rne0
have been published, the first by Carl
Book, who has explored most of the
Dutch territory, the second by Joseph
Hatton, who. in possession of the private
letters and explorers reports OF the
British North Borneo, has given us some
interesting revelations about Sabah. and
the mysterious regions of Kina Balu.
These current volumes, written upon
authoritative data, maintain to some ex-
| tent the traditional character of Borneo
as " q treasure-house of gems" though
| it is plain that the mineral wealth of the
country has been overrated. Expecta-
tons OF mineral discoveries are justified,
and, whether they are realized or not,
all who are interested in the history Of
the worlds famous gems will watch
with curiosity the new developments
| promised in the land which is known to
have produced many splendid stones,
but which is more particularly associated
with the history Of the Matan diamond.
Since the reduction of the Great Mogul
by Borgio, the Matan Commonly, but
| incorrectly, written Mattam) takes rank
as " the largest genuine diamond of
which there is any record" It was
found apparently in the year 1887 in the
Landak mines near the west coast of
Borneo. The town of Landak, the GEN.
| ter Of this rich mining district. which is
said to abound in gold, diamonds and
| iron, lies to the northeast of Pontianak,
little north of the equator, and in 100
degrees and fifty-three minutes east
longitude. The district is comprised
within the territory of the Rajah OF
Matan, which stretches along the west
coast between Pontianak and Sarawak,
and which has long been subject to the
Dutch. The diamond takes its name
from the Rajah OF the territory. in whose
family it has remained ever since its dis
covery.
Very little being known regarding
these Borneo diamontiferous regions.
the subjoined particulars may be found
interesting. Those of Landak are among
the oldest and most productive in the
world and have been worked, though
not very systematically, ever since the
establishment of Malay settlements on
the coast. Here diamonds are found
not only in the river beds when dry, but
also in their original sites at the foot OF
the mountains. The diggings are usually
carried to depth of from ten 70 thirty
feet, and constant experience has shown
that the deeper they are dug the gems
are both more plentiful and OF larger
size and finer quality. At Landak there
are ten parts or mines, each employing
from twenty to thirty liborers. So far
back rs 1888 the Dutch annually ex-
ported from this district diamonds to the
value of from 5000, 900 to $500. 900.
With the decline of the Dutch Gov
ernment, however, the demand has de-
creased, and the mines are now much
neglected, the numerous diamond-cut-
ters not being able to obtain a livelihood.
Formerly. when more Chinese were en-
ployed in the mines of Landak, diamonds
from ten to thirteen carats were COM
mon in the public markets. The Pam
geran (Rajsh) of Landak now wears one
Of eighteen and another of fourteen and
one-half carats.
The mines in this part of the island
have been worked for over a century,
chiefly by the Chinese. But in 1912 the
Celestial were set upon and either
massacred or driven out of the country
by the Dyaks, as the aborigines are
called. The cause of this outbreak was
the intolerable tyranny Of the Chinese.
who appear to have treated the Dyak
laborers employed by them with the
most atrocious cruelty and oppression.
1t was one of these Dvaks who found
the large diamond under considera-
ton. as fully related by Sir Siam
ford Raffies." Among the larger dia-
monde which fhoso m; DC hasya x,,.<>d,,aa.1