The record-union., 1896-04-16

it up at a venture, and which has since
grown rich.
A test of the soil showed that the dia-
mond fields lay in circles about 5000
feet in diameter The crust consisted of
hard rock in which diamonds were i'm
bedded in small quantities. Beneath the
rock lay a bed of yellow earth forty
feet deep, and in this large diamonds
were found, many with weight of ten
and several weighing twenty carats.
The stones were as pure as a mountain
rivulet, and so large that any flaws
could be cleaved out in way to pre-
serve a size exceeding any of those
found in the Brazilian mines, which
were then supplying the world.
A layer Of greenish earth, six feet deep
in some places and twenty feet in 9TH
ers, was found beneath the yellow. This
was equally productive. Then came the
blue soil, now the only kind that is
worked in these mines. In fact, this
blue earth seems inexhaustible The
yield has been almost uniform during
the last ten years, and although the dia-
mond diggers have gone more than 800
feet below the surface of the ground
they have struck no other color since
leaving the green.
THE NEGRO DIGGERS.
The thousand of savages who are
skilled in the work of recognizing dia-
monds when they see them, are all un-
der contract which they we'll under
stand. It means that they must sacrifice
months, and in some instances years of
their lives in the industry. A depth of
SOO feet has been reached in one of the
shafts at Kimberley. Men work with
drills at the bottom. The mines are
closed by high fences, and the employees
are not allowed to leave until their con-
tracts have expired.
Although these natives are intrusted
with thousands of dollars worth of dia-
monds every day. such a strict watch
is kept on them that it is almost an i'm
possibility for them to steal; though in
times past pilferings were carried on in
many ways. Men were sometimes dis
covered in the act of leaving the shops
with diamonds stuffed in their hair To
prevent this they are now obliged to
have their heads cropped closely. Their
contracts demand that they shall not
leave the inclosure until the end of stat
ed periods, and shall be thoroughly
searched before they leave the stands at
which they work
The searching is carried on by what Is
known as the Searching Bureau. 1t is
the duty Of the officers Of this bureau to
strip every man to the pelt each even
ing. All have their ears washed out
they are prodded in the nostrils and be-
tween the toes. and each one must sub
nit to the unpleasant effects of purga-
tive-because, in many instances, it was
reported that diamonds We're concealed
and stolen by the device of swallowing
them The shoes, the clothing and the
hats Of the aborigines are scrutinized
with a microscope and any diamond
dust which may have settled in them is
shaken out
Once it was found that an employe
had hidden a precious stone in an in
cision in his leg over which he had plas-
tered something resembling his dark
skin. Since that occurrence a sounding
hammer has been brought into use, with
which the bodies of the workers are
gently tapped every day. If a man
hides a diamond in any way he is almost
certain to be found out. In the first
place there is the foreman in the mine
and at the rivers edge He sees every
thing that passes. In the mines he
watches the loading into the iron wag-
ons of the blue soil which contains the
diamonds. He then accompanies it to
the surface, leaving others in charge be-
low, and there turns it over to other ne
groes, who are likewise under the strict
est surveillance.
SORTING THE ROUGH STONES.
This blue soil is at first very hard; but
when exposed to the air for fortnight
it becomes comparatively soft. 1t is
then taken to the sorting-ho where
1t is placed in watts containing water and
revolving wheel to loosen it up. The
sediment is all that is of value to the
miner. In it the rough diamonds are
mixed with common stones, Cape rubies
which are not of much value-agate,
jasper, calcite. These must be selected
according to their value, and the natives
are employed to do the work Whether
through intuition or otherwise, they
soon learn the business, and no experts
can more quickly tell you the worth of a
stone.
While the sorting is going on there is
present one or more of the foremen or
guards, well armed and ceaselessly
watching, prepared to fire in case of
an outbreak But the Africans are
very well satisfied They earn from
twelve to fifteen dollars per week, and
arc able to live we'll on it, They are
also able to gamble. During what is
known as the rest, they play a game
which is much like what is here known
as CRAPS" The chief difference seems
to be that they use cobblestones instead
Of dice.
The hard rock which has to be cut
through in the mines is bored with
"borz,' a species Of stone of the ma
ture of the diamond, but Of imperfect
crystallization. This is harder than any
substance except the diamond It is
placed on the ends of hand drills with
hard cement. 1t cuts through the most
stubborn rocks. In many instances.
after numerous drill holes have been
made, the layers of stone come out
to use dynamite.
The African mine-owners are patrons
of the London Rough Diamond Syndi-
cate alone, and the syndicate controls
the market of the world.
Inc yellOW stone, SO common and
SO much despised by judges of the high
grades, is seldom sent over to America
because it is seldom asked for.
The London syndicate has now con-
tract price with African mines at the
rate of 30 shillings per carat in the
| rough. The price to American buyers,
who purchase mainly through agents,
is regulated by the syndicate, and varies
from $12 to $500 per carat