The Anaconda standard., 1899-11-07

distributed that 100 tons OF the mate
rial can be counted on to yield about
loo carats of the precious stones. Inc
deposits, apparently, are inexhaustible.
An Accidental Discovery.
AS is usual in such cases, the discov-
cry Of diamonds in South Africa was
purely accidental. A stranger trek
king" through the country stopped
over night at the house of a hospitable
Dutch farmer, who showed him as GU
riosities some bright pebbles found by
his children, which the latter used as
playthings. The visitor suspected that
they were diamonds, and, being an nom
est man, suggested the idea to his host,
who, taking them to the nearest city,
sold them for a sufficient sum to make
him rich for life. Later on many val
liable stones were found in the graV-
els of the Vaal and Gong Gong rivers,
but it was not until 1870 that prospect
ors came upon the real source OF sup
ply from these accidental gems thaL
had been washed out by the streams.
Even then, only the yellowish surface
of the earth was worked, ana wnen
the miners got down to the blue clay,
which later proved to be the true ma.
trix of the stones, they imagined that
the deposits were exhausted. The KIM
berley mines now yield 2,500,0oO carats
annually, representing a value OF $2o,-
900, 600, of which two-fifths is clear
profit. During the last quarter century
they have added to the worlds wealth
10 tons of diamonds, worth S30O,O00,ooO
uncut and s600,000,000 after cutting.
These mines employ 1,5O0 europeans
and about $500 Kaffirs. Necessarily,
the utmost precautions have to be taken
against theft, and yet, Notwithstanding
all preventive measures, the company
reckons ON q loss of 10 to Is per cent
of it's production in this way. The busi-
ness of purchasing stolen gems occu-
pies many enterprising persons, ana
the methods devised by the illicit da-
mond buyers exhibit an ingenuity wor-
thy of a more honorable calling. Laws
framed to put down this offense are
exceedingly strict-so much SO, indeed,
that a presumption of guilt is always
considered as standing against an ac-
cused person unless he can prove MS
innocence-and sentences OF five to y
years are commonly imposed in cases
Of conviction. AS for the thief, il
caught, he is whipped with extreme
severity, or else set at breaking rocks
for term of years.
Kaffirs Practically Slaves.
Exceptionally good wages serve to at
tract the Kaffirs to the mines, and Tor
the sake of the high pay they are recon
eiled to certain conditions OF serVltude
with which white men could hardly
be induced to put up. These relate to
the precautions above referred to
against thieving. Every evening when
the laborers come from the dlgginss
they are obliged to strip themselves to
absolute nudity and hang their ciothes
usually the latter consists OF a breech-
clout merely-upon pegs on the Wall
Then they are subjected to an elapor-
their
eyes, etc, being examined. from the
examining room they go to the quar-
ters in the compound, where they pass
the night, blankets being provided Tor
their comfort, and the clothing they
have left behind is carefully looked
over. The latter they put on when
they go to work again in the morning.
Customarily they are engaged lor Pc
riod of three months, and they may re-
new the contract as often as they de-
sire, but during the term of employ
ment they are not permitted to leave
the inclosure. which is surrounded ny
wall miles in length and of consid-
erable height. Wl ..,-
How so many diamonds are stolen
under such conditions is mystery
even to the officials of the company.
an one occasion a black fellow was
found to have concealed big stone,
worth many thousands of dollars, IN
wound in the calf of his leg. covering
1t over with piece OF sticking plastei
lust the color of his skin 1t was dls,
covered by the merest accident, anu
since then the examiners have pursued
the method of tapping each lapofei
gently with q mallet over various pol'
tions of his anatomy, so that the pres,
ence of a precious gem may be revealed
by sound 1t should be explained that
an underground passage connects the
mine with the compound ana an over
head wire netting prevents the Work-
men from tossing stones over the wal
to a confederate.
Splendid Gems Found.
Some of the largest diamonds evel
| known have been dug out of the Kim
| berley deposits. One of these, IRON
| the De Beers mine, was exhibited a.
| the Paris exposition in 1889 and wa:
| purchased by an oriental prince l!
| weighed 225 carats after cutting ane
| was a pale yellow in color. The nlzaii
| of Hyderabad q, few years ago bough
the famous Victoria, otherwise knoWr
| as the imperial diamond, which We1gh'
ed 1870 carats after cutting. 1t Is re
| marlably beautiful stone, of blnlsf
white color and fiawless. Strange u
say, this gem. then the largest diamond
| of modern times, came to London Win
| out history. 1t was from one ol th'
Kimberley mines, however, and wa
owned bv a London syndicate. After
ward it was ascertained that it haf
been stolen by four men, three of whom
lost their shares in it at cards the Yer,
| FIRST night after it came into their pos
session.
In 1894 the Jagersfontein diamond
was discovered at one Of the kimoefles
mines. 1t weighed OIL carats, OF near
ly half pound avoirdupois, and va
nearly three inches long. one and one
| half inches thick. and two ana one
| half wide. A Kaffir picked 1t up Will
he was loading a cart with blue cla'
and, concealing it about his person
gave it to the manager directly. In re
turn he received $3.50 in cash, a hors
and a saddle. The stone is valued a
50, 100000. 1t is blue white in colo
| and faultless except for very small
| flaw in the center. 1t was presented
TlNx 81 L rnys =