The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-06-17


+ had been news correspondent
IN Caracas, Venezuela, for two
months when | determined to see
the Gran Sabana, scene of gold
and diamond rush as colorful as
California in 40 and as tough as
| the Klondike.
Germany and Japan need dia-
monds desperately. They are a vi
tai war necessity for a hundred inn
portant war purposes, including
drawing wire, cutting, drilling and
for parts in precision instruments
that must not wear down.
Until two years ago the Axis
got diamonds from Brazil and
Venezuela through LATI, the
Italian air line. When LATI was
suspended, U-boats took up the
job. You can hide million dol
lars worth OF diamonds In your
wooden leg.
engaged passage for the Gran
Sabana (the great plain) on the
plane for Santa Elena, its only set.
tlement
you are lucky you can fly there"
the agent told me. you will reach
it before dusk. II you went by land
1t would take six weeks"
The Gran Sabana is separated
from the rest of Venezuela by one
OF the most desperate jungles in the
world and by vast series OF sheer
cliffs, rushing streams and water
falls. Until five years ago it was
known principally through Conan
Doyle's Lost World" Recently. be-
cause Of the wild treasure hunt. the
Venezuelan government extended
daily air-freight service to the newly
created village of Santa Elena, near
the ranch Of DR.. Lucas Pena, the
territory's sole white settler.
Fly Over Jungle.
We few over the jungle and the
huge sheer cliffs, circled the settle
Hent, and landed. | had expected
no style or comfort, and | wasn't
disappointed Santa Elena is 10
palm-thatched huts made OF mud.
IN which SOD persons exist.
| had letter OF introduction to q
diamond dealer, but he was away,
and SO went to stay with DR.. Pena.
1t fits the Wacky history OF this re-
gion that the first man to discover
this immense alluvial wealth will
have no part Of it. Even today. DR..
Pena ignores the gold under his
dining-room floor and rich diamond
deposit on his ranch.
Early next morning, accompanied
by three tough hombres, | started
along the tWisty, tree-covered mud
dy route to the mines. When I
reached the diggings. | found that
the diamond mines are a collection
OF holes out of which men drag pay
dirt to sluices in the streams. The
living accommodations are rudely
matched, wall-less shelters, with
hammocks hung SO close the men
are warmed by the heat OF one an
others bodies.
Only Place in World OF Its Kind.
The Gran Sabana fields are the
only place in the world where dia-
nonds are found in pure Jungle. Be-
tore miner begins digging he must
Tell the huge trees and hack away
the brush with his machete. The
miners work in pairs, threes or
lours, digging down to rs feet
Until they reach the diamond-bear-
ng gravel, and then sluicing it with
primitive troughs and pans.
Ii miner puts In full days
work he can usually average
three or four small stones
week. A 0ne-carat stone might
be worth $50, depending on its
quality. A two-carat stone is
worth about S1OO. An eight
carat stone Is worth about ST, 900.
| stayed at the mines three days,
paying prices that make a New York
hight club look like bargain base
nent. Cigarettes were So pack
lge, eggs So dozen, chickens Sll
ach, apples 81 each. The difficulty :
i transportation causes the high .
'rices- Everything thing comes from IT T t.
naremo to Santa Elena by air at
0 cents a pound. After passing
through several money making
ands 1t must be carried burro-back
r human-back, to the mines.
When | first heard about these
prices, wondered how the min
crs ate. They don't. They starve
until they strike 1t rich, then
head for Ciudad Bolivar or =
Caracas, blow the works and
borrow passage back. !
Except DR.. Pena, every one Of {
he men and women who endure /
he hardships of the Gran Sabana c
crazed with the lust of riches. +
Thirty years ago, at Is, DR.. Pena t
anne to Ciudad Bolivar, seeking
ltex. In the jungle he drifted away !
ON civilization; adventure and life 2
n LIES sake became more impor-
ant to him than money. He worked J.
10 NAV corpn hpuy IN tba Ora, c. =