The historic times. [volume] (Lawrence, Kansas) 1891-1891, 1891-07-11
SlAMESE SAPPHlHEs.
AN interesting Description OF the Jewel
Mines Of Siam.

The region in which gems, including
rub1es and sapphires. have during the
last ten years been found is situated on
the western side of the Cambodian pc.
nlnsula, about two hundred and forty
miles southeast of Bangkok, and Gov
ers, approximately, an area of one hun
dred square miles. The centre of that
district is Chantabun, seaport with a
good harbor, connected with Bangkok
by line of three small steamers run
ming at regular intervals 1t Is stated
In recent report to the English For
elgn Office that within three hours
walk from Bangkok to the northwest il
ban Kacha, where rubies of a very ia.
ferior kind are still sought by the inhab-
ltants, both Siamese and Chinese. Tong.
soos, or natives of Pegu. and Burmese
DO not work there. Again, twelve hours
distance from Chantabun are the mines
OF Muang Krung with a mining pOpu-
Iatlon OF about one hundred in all, most
ly Tongsoos, with few Siamese and
Chinese. Two days journey from
Chantabun in southerly direction is
the district of Krat, with mines from
which rubies and few sapphires are
extracted The Tongsoo workers there
number about three thousand. On the
eastern side of the hill range and three
days journey due east from Chantab bun,
midway between that town and Bat
tam BONG are the Phailin Mines the most
extensive and most frequented of all.
Here there are between four thousand
and five thousand gem seekers. Rubies
and sapphires are both found, the latter
being more abundant
The rubies at these diggings, although
more rarely met with, are said to be OF
higher value than those discovered in
other places in Siam, A stream which
rises in the hill ranges passes through
the neighbOrhood of the mines on its
way to the Thale Sap and the Cam
bodia river All three of these local
lties-Krung, Krat and Phailin-have
been, or soon will be, conceded on
mining leases. The method of obtain
ing the precious stones is identical at
all the diggings in the region of Bang
kOk, and is as follows:
The intending digger, Oh entering the
district, pays three ticals (5s. 3D. to the
headman, a Burmese British subject
appointed by the British Legation, and
responsible to the governors of Battam-
bong and Chantabun. according as the
fees received are derived from the
Phailin or Krat mines. Beyond this
tax no fee is exacted The Siamese
government claims no right to pre-empt
gems found, or to purchase at market
value all stones above certain carat
weight, as was the case in Burmah.
The Topgsoo diggers first object IL
to discover layer of soft, yellowish
sand, in which both rubics and sapphires
are deposited. This stratum lies at
depths varying from few inches to
twenty feet on a bed of subsOil, on
which no precious stones are found. A
pit is dug until this corundum is ex d.
hausted, and the soil removed is then
taken to a neighbOring stream, one of
which runs in the proximity of the mines
both at Phailin and Krat, where it is
mixed with water and passed through
an ordinary hand sieve. In his search
for this peculiar alluvial deposit, which is
generally free from any admixture of
clayey earth, the digger has often to
penetrate into the jungle that grows
thickly around, combining the work of
with the occupation of gem dig
ging.
The Tongsoos do not form themselves
into companies for mutual assistance or
division of profits. They work princi-
pally in twos or threes, and If they dis
cover gem of any value they under
take a sea voyage either to RangOOn or
to Calcutta for the purpose of obtaining
a good price for it, or consign their &C
QUESTIONS to an agent, while they con-
tinue their search. process of migra-
ton is continually going on among the
TOngsoos of the different mines, the
passing from one to the other,
according to the reputation of par
ticular mine at certain periods.
No artificial or mechanical processes
for washing the soil have as yet been
introduced, nor have gems been dis
covered i'll assures of soft material inn
bedded in crevices of hard rock or in
crystal form. Rubies and sapphires are
found at all the diggings, often deposited
side by side in the same layer or stratum
IF sand. The pigeons blood ruby is
-arely found. The color of the Siam
'uby is often light red. 1t is a little
that the term ''Siam ruby"
las grown to be trade term for dark,
Inferior stones, irrespective of the
ocality from which they come; for some
Sism rubies are fine. The sapphire is
usually of a dark. dull blue, without
my of the silky gloss which is the
distinctive mark of the Burmah and
Ceylon stone. Stones resembling gar
nets rather than rubies are found in the
Tried beds of watercourses at Raheng,
TWO hundred miles north OF Bangkok;
.hese are the so-called Siam rubies Of
commerce, and there is every reason to
believe that rubies equal. If not superior,
o those discovered in the southeast exist
throughout the Raheng district Those
hitherto obtained are the result OF
merely surface scratchings by Tongsoc
eekers. Jewellers Weekly.
A Mother Birds Trial.
While the east sidewalk of Broadway,
ust below Fulton street. was filled with
'eople the other forenoon pretty little
Incident caused blockade of pedes-
rians. A mother sparrow flying over
he street with one Of her young in hel
Il