Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1943-05-28
Gold,
Diamonds
By Stanley Ross

OsNseSy ASOco
(WNU Feature-Through special arrangement
with The American Magazine.)
had been news correspondent
in Caracas, Venezuela, for two
months when I determined to see
the Gran Sabana, scene of a gold
and diamond rush as colorful as
California in '49 and as tough as
the Klondike.
Germany and Japan need dia-
monds desperately. They are vi
tai war necessity for 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
Element.
"You are lucky you can fly there"
the agent told me. "You will reach
it before dusk. If you went by land
it would take six weeks"
The Gran Sabana is separated
from the rest of Venezuela by one
of the most desperate jungles in the
1rr0r1I and h1y ct cnrtac 81 cIoap
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 flew over the jungle and the
huge sheer cliffs, circled the settle
ment, and landed. I had expected
no style or comfort, and I wasn't
disappointed. Santa Elena is 10
palm-thatched huts made of mud,
in which 500 persons exist.
had letter of introduction to a
diamond dealer, but he was away,
and so I went to stay with DR.. Pena.
It 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, 1 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 Sahana fields are the
only place in the world where dia-
monds are found in pure jungle. Be-
fore miner begins digging he must
fell the huge trees and hack away
the brush with his machete. The
miners work in pairs. threes or
tours, digging down to 25 feet
until they reach the diamond-bear-
ing gravel, and then sluicing it with
primitive troughs and pans.
If miner puts in full days
work he can usually average
three or four small stones
week. A One-carat stone might
be worth $50, depending on its
quality. A two-carat stone is
worth about S100. An eight
carat stone is worth about 81 900.
l stayed at the mines three days,
paying prices that make New York
night club look like bargain base
ment. Cigarettes were 50 pack
age, eggs So dozen, chickens Sl1
each, apples 81 each. The difficulty
of transportation causes the high
prices. Everything comes from Tu-
maremo to Santa Elena by air at
30 cents a pound. After passing
through several money making
IL IlluSl DS Sdll leu Dul lO-DdSh
or human-back, to the mines.
When l first heard about these
prices, wondered how the min
ers ate. They don't. They starve
until they strike it rich, then
head for Ciudad Bolivar or
Caracas, blow the works and
borrow passage back.
Except DR.. Pena, every one of
the men and women who endure
the hardships of the Gran Sabana
is crazed with the lust of riches.
Thirty years ago, at ID, DR.. Pena
came to Ciudad Bolivar, seeking
latex. In the jungle he drifted away
from civilization; adventure and life
for life's sake became more impor-
tant to him than money. He worked
his way somehow to the Gran Sa-
bana. A tribe of friendly Indians
welcomed him and helped him build
his home on the hill. There was a