The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1889-11-14
HOME OF THE DIAMOND.
FAMOUS FIELDS AND MINES N SOUTH
AMERICA AND AFRICA.

- WV 49, ~ -
AMERICA AND AFRICA.
No.. az, p-..,,.... s,- nj. nj
wv VI
7'""s"''eu ANNA" 'a'u@D'" "em"
""''h ""r" Bought Tor small Sums
Diamond, urn Grst found In India
and AT ono time tbc mines C;,lcond,
were very nrodnctive ~ ,,onos q, e,ro,,
size and hrilli,n,v All, co,,r,Ji.I ,ha
diamond uarlc,s ~, ,o-r, o,d ,.,lr
lost IL. hold when carly in IN, ,i,,h.
teentb ccnturr ann. r.,i-o. ~ prs,u
wer. found rlny;nO nj card. Tbov vyero
using ston-s Tor counters and ,he.e.,,.,e4
were ronyb Lut worry valuable diamond.
This was in the urovincc ~ Afipaa C;ora.s
in which mines verc worked =. c,rlv, os
1920. and where diamonds are still
found
When tho ucws 81 tho fire, dIs,ovorv
snread ther. wa. a.. rusb ~ for,,,-,,. b,,,,;.
era to Rrnzu ,ud gems yvcre turted in
very singular style Every bird thar
came within range was shot and tho
contents 81 II. craw insnectcd with
greedy eaperness and often with great
success. Small diamonds were also oc-
casionallv found in tho stnmachs n,
slaughtered anjm,l. and hi, led IN a
careful oyerh,nlinu 81 cvorx carc,sa
On ono OCCASION , gem ~ seven cara.s
was found in the tangled locks ~ a ne,ro
slave. Scores Of slaves had their wool
,havnd of At once hit no diamond.
were found bv tho BARRIERS
While the IGNORANT were hunting IN
this irregular manner and trusting IN
chance tho more experienced were die.
cling miner. Tho best diamonds we're
found noar the .urfoce and only ten ar
twelve feet of soil was removed Tho
soil was OF the usual disn~,d indicating
nature. II was niled in smoll beana hv
the side OF a natural or artificial stream.
and washed I'm long troughs br slaves
The overseer, occupied seats on elevated
ground or on stands erected for the pur-
pose, and were able To watch the Washers
yery olosclv
Tho slave, washcd with f,raat cara for
he finding Of n diamond 81 eioh,oan ar
more c.rats was rewarded with froelon
and many hundred slavcs were luckv
enough to secure their manor, in this
manner. In 1874 the Bahia mines were
discovered. and more recently diamonds
1ave been found i'm many other nrovinces
If Brazil. In some wears the vaiuo of the
,clus cxportcd has exceeded 81 600 oOo.
of recent Years however the o,,tn,,t has
not been so heavy. At first BRAZILIAN
diamonds were not popular in Eurone
and there was an i,lea that they wore of
in brilliancv and generally inferior to the
Asiatic article But This was evidently
mere prejudice. for some of the South
American gems have n world wide rom.
tation. The Star of the South " an ;r.
REGULAR dodccahedron weichel 1ol corats
when cat. and nm octahedron found in
the same mine. weighed nearly os much
The great diamond folds of today ara
in South Africa. where tho nroductjon
has been so great IA to cause annrehen.
sions AS to the maintenance Of nrices
In 1867 John O'Reillv. while TRAVELLING in
the TransvooI ate dinner at the bonsa of
a settler named Nelkirk. On the table
there was n collection of ORANGE river
stoncs. and O'Reillv selected ono which
he believed to be a diamond. and asked
if lie mirht take it. He was referred IN
its owner. n bushman named Jacobs. who
parted with it without n moments con-
siderution. Mr.. O'Reilly sent the stone
tn DIR. Athnrstone of Graham Town and
received s.. 800 for it. The gem WEIGHED
2l4 carats. and wason view Mt the Paris
exhibition. OReillv and Acting Civil
Commissioner Boves used the 50 500 as
working capital, and commenced pros
pectiur tour after diamonds.
Others Joined them. Int for over two
years their efforts wero unsuccessful
and they were unable to find any dia.
mondiferous earth. But in 1869 Mr..
Nelkirl, traded about 50 900 worth of
cattle for the famous "Star of South
Africa" diamond which had been found
by n Uotirntot. The trade proved an
excellent one. for the wonderful dia.
mond was sDee,lilv sold by its new
owner for SJO. 900. or about 40 Der cent.
of its value. The Star" weighed SO,
carats in the rough and AGA carats when
c,;t II formed tho most str;l,ir,r r,o,-
Of .f 10,
III VI INC "u'''e1' Vi Du.''i famous
, COY " Je"eis, pur'he ''ic year
io'o the rush TO the lrahsvaal COM
menced. Fully 10000 miners deserted
California and Australia for South
Africa, and huge mining camps were
established in likely and unlikely snots
Eou. of ,bo po,vco,,oro wore ox,or,s il,
lio,rnrd, or ,Iia,nnnI sool.ino All far
W '''''AC' "''1 'o'
Tilt iesu'S were lar from encuuraglhE'
Inc orange hlNer valley was exam
med 10y prospecting parties and finally
abandoned. Then there was rush up
the Veal river to where the town OF
3arkly now stands. Here WAS the center
If the rich di,mopd district and Tor.
,r,as ,.arn It'll, ,aa1a w.. sn,,a -,
'aie' "eio 'PCr'''H '''""o u, 'o''' VI
'he pioneers me uSu,ii ura"oachs Oh
mining campS-iever' famine and hos
tile natves-beset the miners and many
Elizabeth. over 500 miles distant. Ii
cost $500 for team hire and provisions.