Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1890-02-28
A0NE OF THE DIAMOND.
fAMoLs FIELDS ANo MINES w SOUTH
AMEFioA AND AFRICA

How tIss l'rrulnm atonrs ere FIRST Dis
puv~rsd-s~arohins tho stomachs os
slaughtered Aalmals- vaiunblr Gems
which wsrr lsnurh, for small sums
Diamonds were first found IN India.
and Al one time the mines near Olconda
were very productive Of stones OF great
size and brilliancy Asia controlled the
diamond markets for years and only
lcst tn hold when. early IN the eigh.
tenth century. some natives nf Brazil
were found playing al cards They were
using stones for counters. and these stones
were rough. but very valuable. diamonds
This WINS In the province Of MinaS Ceraes.
IN which mines were worked as early as
1870, and where diamonds are still
found.
When the news Of the first discovery
spsoad there was a rush Of fortune hunt
ers 10 Brazil, and gems were hunted in
very singular style. Every bird that
came within range was shot. and the
contents Of its craw inspected with
greedy eagefness and ofteu with great
success. Small diamonds were also oc-
casionally found in the stomachs of
slaughtered animals. and this led TO a
careful %Overhauling Of every carcass
IN one occasion u gem Of seven carats
Nvas found IN the tangled iocsso Of u negro
slave Scores Of slaves had sheir wool
shaved Oft az onFA hut no diamonds
we're found by the h%aTters.
While the Ignorant were hunting IN
tbs irregular manner and trusting To
Chance the rINre experienced were dig
ying mines. The best diamonds were
found rear the surace, and only ten or
twelve feet Of soil was removed. The
soil was Of the usual diamond indicating
nature. Il was piled in small heaps by
ths side of a natural or artificial stream.
and washed in long lroughs by slaves.
The overseers occupied seats on elevated
ground or on stands erected for the pur
pose, and were able to watch the was hers
very closely.
The slaves washed with great care. for
the finding of a diamond of eighteen OF
o carats was rewarded with freedom.
and many hundred slaves were lucky
enough to secure their papers in this
manner. In 1854 the Bahia mines were
discovered, and more recently diamonds
have been found in many other provinces
Of Brazil. In some years the value Of the
gems exported has exceeded $4,000. 900.
III recent years. however. the output has
not been 50 henvy. st first Brazilian
diamonds We're not popular in Europe.
and there was an idea that they were off
ia brilliancy and generally inferior 10 the
Asiatic article. But this was evidently
mere prejudice. for some of the South
American gems l.ave n world wide repu.
iation. The Star of the South" an ir
regular d~odecahedron. weighed 12i carats
when cut. and al %octahedron, found in
the same mine. weighed nearly as much.
The great dinmnnd fields Of today are
ip South Africa. where the production
has been so great as to cause apprehen-
sions az 70 the maintenance Of prices.
In 1867 John OReilly. while travelling in
the Transvaal. ate dinner at the house of
settler named Nelkirk. On the table
there was a collection Of Orange river
stones, and O'Reilly selected one which
he believed tn be a diamond, and asked
II he might take It. He ives referred To
it's owner. n bushman named Jacobs. who
parted with it without a moments con
sideration. Mr, O'ReiIly sent the stone
% DIR. Atherstone. Of Graham Town, and
received $500 for it. The gem weighed
ga carats. and wason view at the Paris
exhibition. OReilly and ActiaS Civil
Commissioner Boyes used the $500 as
working capital, and commenced a pros
pecting tour after diamonds.
Others joined them. but for over two
years their efforts were unsuccessful
and they were unable to find any dia-
mondiferous earth. But in 1860 Mr.,
Nelkirk traded about $1,000 worth OF
cattle for the famous Star of South
Africa" diamond, which had been found
by a HOttentOt. The trade proved ~
excellent one. for the wonderful dia.
mond was speedily sold by its new
owner for $50, 900. or about 40 per cent
Of its value. The Star" weighed 49,
carats In the rough and 4G! carats wher
cut. It formed the most striking feat
ure Of the Countess of Dudley's famous
collection of jewels. During the yea
1870 the rush TO the T%ransvaal com
uenced. Fully 10000 miners deserted
California and Australia for Soutl
Africa, and huge mining camps wer,
established in likely and unlikely spots
Few of the were experts il
diamonds or diamond seeking. and for &
time results were far from encouraging
The Orange River Valley was exam
ined by prospecting parties and FINAL,
abandoned. Then there was a rush ul
she Veal river To where the town o.
Barkiy now stands. Here was the center
of the rich diamond district. and for
tunes were speedily made by some o.
the pioneers. The usual drawbacks O
mining c~amps-fever, famine and hos
tile natives-beset the miners and nanl
persisted. The nearest town was ut Por
Elizabeth, over 800 miles distant. /
cost $3.50 for team hire and provisions
and largo numbers who were witlou
funds started on foot. only to perish b,
the way. The ~conveyances were heav,
wagons, very stOutly built and withou
springs. Not less than eight span o
bullOcks had 10 be hitched toeach wagon
which had to be dragged yer rocks
across rivers and through forests, jerk
ing the riders of their seats aud destroy
ing the baggage. Explosives could no
be hauled. owing TO the concussion.
The road now - eatier to travel, and