The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-05-05
THE GATHERING DIAMOND.
Queer Tricks and DeceptIons OF
Dusky Miners,
saturday Review.l

Diamonds, as most people will be aware
are sorted out of the diamondiferous stuff, by
native 'hands." Some of these hands are
probably in the pay of the fraternity, or, to
be more accurate, are humble members Of 1t
A fine stone is turned up by one of them
when nobody is looking He seizes it, hides
it in his hair, in his mouth, or in some other
portion of his person. Or if goat lie handy
he twists it in his wool and tends the animal
affectionately till an opportunity occurs Of
redeeming the stone. Or perchance he con-
ceals it behind a rock, or forces it down the
throat of dog, or Homeric device he swal-
lows it himself. The gem being restored to
the light Of day from its hiding-place, what
ever it may have been-and many diamond
now sparkling on lady's neck has made ac-
quaintance with the stomach of a Kair-the
dusky thief in due course puts himself in
communication with another native of SUI
perior class This man is a tout in the pay
of low white man; a MEAN White" as he
is called in the Colonies. The tout buys the
stone for, let us say hundredth part of its
value, and the thief spends the money on the
vile drink which it is the peculiar pride OF
civilization to supply, to 1.-THE unsophisticated
savage and so far as he is concerned, there Is
an end of the transaction. Then the tout
carries the stone to the Mean White. and re-
ceives from him sum of money perhaps
double what he has given to the actual thief
The Mean White in his turn takes 1t to the
licensed buyer OF diamonds, who Is possibly
person of glaring and even aggressive re-
spectability-a church warden or member of
municipality, or at least merchant OF good
antecedence-and from him receives, per-
haps tenth part of the worth of the gem.
So far so good but still there are slips be-
tween the cup and the lip, and it is some
times found difficult to convey the stuff out
of the country to the final receiver in London.
To this end many articles are res0rted TO
We have heard of innocent-looking fowling-
pieces, which, on examination base been
found to be loaded with diamonds to within
an inch of the muzzle, while such repositories
as novels with holes cut in the leaves, the
quills Of ostrich feathers, and boots with
holl6W HEELS ARE not uncommon. often the
fair sex are found to be useful auxiliafies IN
these adventures, for there is a peculiar
sacredness about lady's underclothing that
appeals to the mind of the customs officer.
The man would be bold who merely ventured
on her back hair. However this may be, by
far the greatest number Of stones so procured
arrive safely in Europe. Most people will
takes the stone is responsible for this state
of things, but it is not the case. The native
as Is well known, and las DIR. Matthews. Is
careful to explain never dreamed OF stealing
diamonds until he was taught to thieye by
the white receiver of stolen goods, and after
his simple virtue had been debauched by
Cape smoke" More especially is this true
of natives of the Zulu race, among whom,
when they are as yet uncontaminated by
civilization, honesty is not only policy, but
a universal practice.
DIR. Matthews tells some interesting tales
of the |. d. b. Illicit Diamond Buyersl fra
ternity. In the dead of certain night in
the year 1872 he was reused from sleep and
confronted by trembling and middle-aged
citizen of the Fields, who informed him that
he had swallowed thirty carat diamond
and two sovereigns-just to show his friends
how the scoundrels did it, and was new anx-
ious to be rid of these foreign substances,
which had presumably begun to disagree
happy citizen departed with the diamond,
leaving the gold in payment OF course, this
man had disposed of the dia-
mond under imminent danger Of detection;
but why he took the two soyereigns.
not knowing we cannot say-unless 1t was to
get his hand in. Some people, by the way,
appear to be able to swallow very large
stones, for so lately as last year native dy-
ing under suspicious circumstances, his body
was opened, and sixty-carat stone found in
his stomach Here is another tale. A white
gentleman lived with pretty Fingo woman,
who also acted as his agent in the trade"
He fell i'll of fever, and for weeks lay in a
state of delirium, between life and death.
She nursed him tenderly through it all and,
what is more, kept up his connection with
the boys; 50 that when he came to himself
she was enabled to present him with hun
dreds of carats of fine stones. And now
mark the sequel! No sooner was he strong
enough than he departed to Europe, taking
every gem and farthing that she had collect
ed with him, and leaving the unfortunate
girl to starve in the streets. On a certain oc-
casion Dr. Matthews was called in to attend
a dying digger who had once worked claim
for him. These were the words that greeted
him when he told the man there was no hope:
II shan't, can't, won't die without telling
you how when 1 worked your and Mr..
Lynch's claim in No. 6, / robbed you Of near
ly all your diamonds"
In the face of stories such as these and of
a mass of other evidence, it is sometimes diff
ficult not to believe that civilization is fail
ure, and that the educated Christian man,
except under very exceptional circums tances
and when restrained by the strictest pres
sure of the law, is lower animal at heart
than the savage he despises and destroys with
drink and rifle bullets.