Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-04-27
oPAls or HONDURAS.
They Are Plentiful end cest Ven
Little.


little.
Writing about the gold deposits
and mines OF Honduras John X.
Spears says in the New York Sun:
Quite us interesting, though by no
means as profitable, IRE the opal
mines In the department Of Gracias.
When l was in Tegucigalpi went
into the one jewelry store the town
contained and asked to see some Of
the native opals. The jeweler un.
rolled a length Of soft cloth and dis
played a hundred or more Of various
grades. Among the lot was one Of
pear shape that was OF very good
colors and just about right for scarf
pin. So l casually asked the price.
That will cost you dollar" he
said, ION account OF it's colors. There
IRE larger ones here for less money,
II you like"
I took the jewel at dollar, the
Honduras dollar being then worth
GS cents gold. In New York
the jewel was plainly mounted by
Tiffany and then sent to my address
In the Adirondacks. Now, as IL hap.
| pened, the railroad station burned
down on the day OF tho pins arrival,
and all the express goods were do
stroyed; so In order TO file just
claim with the express company for
the loss application was made to TIT.
fany's for an estimate Of the value OF
the opal. They replied that they
could not furnish its equal for less
than $40.
I do not mean to say by this that
*2O opnls can be purchased every day
In Tegucigalpa for 6S cents each, but
| / do believe that II one knows 0
good opal when he sees It and knows
how to win the good will OF the ma.
tives there he would have no diff.
Guilty in picking up several thousand
dollars worth Of jewels ut very low
price-say at from one-tenth to one
twentieth Of their salable value. In
times OF peace the native miners
bring the jewels to the city. It Is no
uncommon thing to see barefooted
Indian with a pocket full Of gems,
the majority Of which arc very com.
mon things; but IL one will ask the
man to have cup OF coffee and bite
to eat, or, better yet, invite him to .
square meal, saying nothing Of gems
until IL Is over, he will then SEQ opals
whose flames will fairly seem hot
enough to burn the hand.
When was In Acajulta, Salvador,
l met a Yankee carpenter who had
once gone riding through the opal
district to see the country. One
night lie stopped with an old Indian
who was trying to mend some simple
article OF furniture IN the house, bue
was not succeeding very we'll. 50 the
Yankee took hold and made o good
! Job Of 1t. The next morning the old
Indian brought out some opals to
show, and, as the Yankee thought, to
offer them for sale. The Yankee saw
ono as big as tho end Of his thumb
that was OF better color than the rest
and asked the price.
ut IL not for SALE" said tho In.
dim. Then tho old fellow picked up
q shot bag In which the Yankee car
ried his silver money, and. emptying
the money on the floor. disappeared.
When he came back five minutes
later the bag was half full OF exquis-
itely beautiful opals, which he gave
to the Yankee with the big one al.
ready mentioned.
"Well, that was great luck" said
], vixen the carpenter related the
adventure. ''How much did you gel
for them"
"Get for them? Luck. was IL,
That was the worst luck ] ever did
have. ! hadn't carried the devilish
things three days till lost all my
money and spent o dry hunting be-
fore found where ] dropped II. The
next day my mule slipped over q
precipice, and but that caught ar
Overhanging limb OF tree I'd gone Il
smash with him. Footing on to thu
nearest place where ! could buy
another mulo got caught In I
freshet In one OF those mountain
streams. How ! ever got out IL NOR,
than I know, but didn't take an!
opals after that. I'd had enough.
He threw away the whole lot ant
would not so much as look ut VI
opal.
As the mines are described Their
is bed OF clay like earth, very hard
but yet soft enough to be chippe'
away with o stout knife. The ma
tives work out chunk Of this eartl
and then gradually cut 1t to pieces
The opals, ready polished, are foun'
lying In this stuff.