Anniversary Address. 83 



Of African diamonds we have only heard much of late. 

 Ejiowing that they are generally found with gold, and that Africa 

 contains numerous auriferous regions, it might have been 

 anticipated that diamonds would have had a greater celebrity 

 in that vast country, forming a quarter of the globe, than they 

 have had in modern times. 



But though Heeren has shown that there was a considerable 

 trade among the ancient Carthaginians in diamonds brought from 

 the interior of Africa, the only record I can find in modern times 

 of the existence of diamonds in that part of Africa, is of three 

 shown at the Exhibition of the produce of Algiers. They were 

 found in the Goumel Eiver, in the province of Constantine, and 

 were given up in payment to M. Peluzo, the Sardinian consul at 

 Algiers, by an Arab who wished to know their value, saying that 

 they were found in the sand of the Groumel Eiver, with gold. 

 One of these is deposited in the School of Mines at Paris ; the 

 second was purchased by M. Brongniart for the Museum of 

 Natural History ; and the third by M. de Dr6e. The Arab had 

 several others. M. Eozet says, however, that he had acquaintance 

 with the jewellers of Algiers, and had never heard of diamonds 

 ;p)und in the province. The facts stated are on the authority of 

 M. Dufrenoy and the Secretary of the Geological Society of 

 Erance. (lY. 164, VI. xv.) 



In Southern Africa diamonds were reported to have been 

 (discovered in 1867. After the announcement of the new find, 

 Mr. Gregory, a well-known London mineralogist, who went to 

 Africa on behalf of the great diamond merchant, Mr. Emanuel 

 sent to the editor of the Oeological Magazine (December, 1868) 

 an article denying the statement and declaring it a "hoax," 

 "imposture," or a "bubble scheme." To this Dr. "W. G. 

 Atherstone, E.G.S., a resident of Graham's Town, Cape of Good 

 Hope, replied (May, 1869) refuting the charge, and declaring 

 that twenty-one diamonds were known to have been found either 

 on private or Government land, and thirteen of these were 

 bought by persons of credibility, one of them the Governor of 

 the colony, and another by a lapidary. Dr. Atherstone contra- 

 dicts Mr. Gregory's account of the geology of the district, the 

 latter asserting that all the rocks are igneous or their derivatives 



