Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-01-04
INSECT GEM HUNTERS.
How tho Navajo Indians Of Now Mexico
Obtain Precious Stones.

INSECT GEM HUNTERS.
How tho Navajo Indians OF Now Mexico
Obtain Precious Stones. -.
'There is an original garnet mine.
and the miner as well." said my COM
panion. as we were riding among the
mountains OF N wv M,x,co.
Following tho direction of his glance
tsaw tall. well-formed Navajo In
aian standing motionlcss by what ap-
peared to be a nall sand heap
Wishing toinvestigate we drew nearer.
and found that the statuesque native
was watching ono of the many ant
hills that dot the country through New
Mexico and Arizona rs we'll. As we
approached he hardly looked up. ap-
poaring Indifferent after the fashion of
his race, and his obj set was still an
enigma, at least to me.
The Navajo tribe had never PROD
uced a naturalist, and it was hardly
possible that he had been studying the
habits of the insects. Perhaps he was
trying to collect enough for dinner
Indians have been known to eat ants.
But this Indian was after all, q close
observer, and was reaping his reward.
for when I asked him what he was CO.
ing he held out small bag, the con-
tents of which turned out upon my
hand-garnets. small but good, in
great numbers. bits of quartz that
cleaned like diamonds, here bit of
turquoise, large quantities Of Divine
and a single gem, IN emerald. of but
little value but an emerald after ALL
An ant hill was q curious place from
which to take such strange assort-
ment but. rs my friend had suggest
ed, this was the original native mine,
and the real miners were the ants. In
piling up their dome-like homes they
brought out the minute gems one
by enc and placed them among
the bits of sand, wh,re they
cleaned and flashed as if invit-
ing collection. The Indians have dis
covered their value, and in this way
did their mining. allowing the ants to
do all the work and taking the gems
as fast rs they were brought up
The stones found in this way ran 90
in size from the head of a pin to q large
pen, and, besides the ones mentioned.
rubies have been taken from the heaps
These stolen gems are sold in lots and
used in various kinds of jcwelry.
Nearly every ant-hill is examined in
this way and the mounds gone over.
often the ants being watched and tho
gems taken from them as soon as
brought up.
Whether the little insects have a
liking for glistening objects it il
difficult to determine, but, from the
fact that so many gems are brought to
the surface, there would seem to be
reason to suppose they had. 1t would
be extrt mely difficult to name an
industry followed by man that did not
have prototype in the lower animal
kingdom. Our humble friends have
their trades, their seeming arts and
sciences. inst as we have. Hence we
may not be surprised if we find miners
whose work compares favorably with
that of human beings.
In a. ant family that I have been
watching some time, we'll up in the
Sierra Madre mountains. Southern
Calf rnia, the work is carried on in a
very methodical manner. the workers
apparently being protected by soldier
ants, with huge heads and powerful
jaws. For some time I watched these
mine rs at work, noticing the regulari-
ty with which each ant seemed to de-
post its load in the same spo', and
finally I allowed the sun to pass
through my hand-glass and form
bright spot at the entrance
of the mine. A worker soon
passed under it, and. feeling the
fierce heat, evidently rushed below
with the news. for a1mo It Immediately
out came a horde of big-jawed fighters,
who darted about, biting at the sun
spot and showing by their actions
that they had determined to attack
the foe, whatever it was; and when !
placed my magnifying glass upon the
ground they rushed at it in great fury.
fastening their jaws upon the silver
case, and refusing to be torn away
even parting with their heads, that re-
manned for long time clinging to the
glass
The entire operation reminded me
of the difficulties that beset the miners
in some parts of New Mexico to-day.
the miners having 10 be watched and
guarded by regular corps of soldiers,
whose only duty is to do the fighting.
Golden Days.