THE ROMANCE OP THE DIAMOND 3 



of iron left in Arizona is merely due to the extreme dry- 

 ness of the climate and the comparatively short time the 

 iron has been on our planet. We are witnesses to the 

 course of an event which may have happened in geologic 

 times anywhere on the earth's surface. 



Although in Arizona diamonds have fallen from the 

 skies, confounding our senses, this descent of precious 

 stones is what may be called a freak of nature rather than 

 a normal occurrence. To the average reader it is now 

 known that there is no great difference between the compo- 

 sition of our earth and that of extraterrestrial masses. 

 The mineral peridot is present in most meteorites. Yet 

 no one doubts that peridot is also a true constituent of 

 rocks formed on this earth. The spectroscope reveals that 

 the elementary composition of the stars and the earth are 

 pretty much the same. The spectroscope also shows that 

 meteorites have as much of earth as of heaven in their 

 composition. Indeed, not only are the selfsame elements 

 present in meteorites, but they are combined in the same 

 way to form the same minerals as in the crust of the earth. 



It is certain from observations I have made, corroborated 

 by experience gained in the laboratory, that iron at a high 

 temperature and under great pressure conditions existent 

 at great depths below the surface of the earth acts as the 

 long-sought solvent for carbon, and will allow it to crystal- 

 lize out in the form of diamond. But it is also certain, 

 from the evidence afforded by the Arizona and other 

 meteorites, that similar conditions have existed among 

 bodies in space, and that on more than one occasion a 

 meteorite freighted with jewels has fallen as a star from 

 the sky. 



Many circumstances point to the conclusion that the dia- 

 mond of the chemist and the diamond of the mine are 

 strangely akin as to origin. It is evident that the diamond 

 has not been formed in situ in the blue ground where it is 

 found. The genesis must have taken place at vast depths 

 under enormous pressure. The explosion of large diamonds 



