20 DIAMOND 



Diamonds are also said to come from the interior of tlio island of Borneo, on the 

 banks of the river Succadan, and from the peninsula of Malacca. Jt is said the prin- 

 cipal spots where diamonds are found are recognised by certain small flints, generally 

 of a black colour, which lie upon the surface, and also by the yellow colour of tho 

 stony soil. The ground is dug in the presence of an overseer : all stones above 6 carats 

 are claimed for the sovereign. Diamonds are found occasionally in the rivers, seldom, 

 however, of any size. 



The diamond -mines of Brazil -were discovered in 1728, in the district of Serro-do- 

 Frio. The ground in which they are embedded has the most perfect resemblance to that 

 of the East Indies where the diamonds occur. It is a solid or friable conglomerate, 

 consisting chiefly of a ferruginous sand, which encloses fragments of various magnit u<lo 

 of yellow and bluish quartz, of schist, jasper, and grains of gold, disseminated with 

 specular iron ore : all mineral matters different from those that constitute the neighbour- 

 ing mountains. This conglomerate, or species of pudding-stone, almost always superficial, 

 occurs sometimes at a considerable height on the mountainous table-land. The most 

 celebrated diamond-mine is that of Mandanga, on the Jigitonhonha, in the district of 

 Serro-do-Frio to the north of Rio Janeiro. The river Jigitonhonha, three times broader 

 than the Seine at Paris, and from 3 to 9 feet deep, is made nearly dry, by drawing tho 

 water off with sluices at a certain season ; and the cascalho, or diamond-gravel, is 

 removed from the channel by various mechanical means, to be washed elsewhere at 

 leisure. This cascalho, the same as the matrix of the gold-mines, is collected in the 

 dry season, to be searched into during the rainy ; for which purpose it is formed into 

 little mounds of 15 or 16 tons weight each. The washing is carried on beneath an 

 oblong shed, by means of a stream of water admitted in determinate quantities 

 into boxes containing the cascalho. A negro-washer is attached to each box ; in- 

 spectors are -placed at regular distances on elevated stools, and whenever a negro has 

 found a diamond, he rises up and exhibits it. If it weighs 174- carats, he receives 

 his liberty. Many precautions are taken to prevent the negroes from secreting tho 

 diamonds. Each squad of workmen consists of 200 negroes, with a surgeon and an 

 almoner or priest. 



The flat lands on either side of the river are equally rich in diamonds over their, 

 whole surface, so that it becomes very easy to estimate what a piece of ground not yet 

 washed may produce. 



It is said that the diamonds surrounded by a greenish crust are of the first water, 

 or are the most limpid when cut. The diamonds received in the different mines of the 

 district are deposited once a month in the treasury of Tejuco ; and the amount thus 

 delivered, was estimated at about 18 or 19 thousand carats per annum. It appears 

 that few of the Brazilian diamond-fields are now worked (1874). 



On the banks of the torrent called Rio Pardo there is another mine of diamonds. 

 The ground presents a great many friable rocks of pudding-stone, distributed in 

 irregular strata. It is chiefly in the bed of this stream that masses of cascalho occur, 

 peculiarly rich in diamonds. They are much esteemed, particularly those of a 

 greenish-blue colour. The ores that accompany the diamonds at Rio Pardo differ 

 somewhat from those of the washing-grounds of Mandanga, for they contain no pisi- 

 form iron ore ; but a great many pebbles of slaty jasper. This table-laud seems to 

 be very high, probably not less than 5,500 feet above the level of the sea. 



Tocaya, a principal village of Minas-Novas, is 34 leagues to the north-east of Tejuco, 

 in an acute angle of the confluence of the Jigitonhonha and the Rio Grande. In the 

 bed of the streamlets which fall westward into the Jigitonhonha, those rolled white 

 topazes are found which are known under tho name of minas novas with blue topazes, 

 nnd aquamarine-beryls. In the same country are found the beautiful cymophanes or 

 chrysoberyls so much prized in Brazil. And it is from the cantons of Indaia and 

 Aba'ite that the largest diamonds of Brazil come; yet they have not so pure a waU-r 

 as those of the district of Serro-do-Frio, but incline a little to the lemon-yellow. 



It appears to be well established that the Brazilian diamonds occur in a quartzose 

 rock, sometimes flexible, called itacolumitc; and it is notable that a similar rock 1ms 

 been found associated with the diamond in other localities. 



Within the last few years, unparalleled discoveries of diamonds have been nvulc in 

 South Africa. The earliest discovery dates only from 1867- Schalk van Niokcrk, a 

 Dutch farmer in the Colesberg district, having observed tho children of a MigUxnuring 

 boer playing with some pebbles picked up on the farm, was attracted by one of 

 stones different from the rest, nnd secured it. H.ivi iisniitifil to Dr. 



Atherstone, of Graham's Town, tho stone was determined to be a diamond, and was 

 then sent to the Paris Exhibition of 1867. At tho close of tho Exhibition it w 

 for 500/. to Sir Philip Wodehouse, tho governor of tho colony. The occurrence of 

 diamonds once known, search was extended in various directions, and other diamonds 

 were soon detected. Although at first received with some suspicion, the truth gra- 



