( 224 ) 



holding the gem between his fore-finger and thumb ; an overseer 

 receives it from him, and deposits it in a gamella or bow], suspended 

 from the centre of the structure, half full of water. In this vessel 

 all the diamonds found in the course of the day are placed, and at 

 the close of work are taken out and delivered to the principal 

 officer, who, after they have been weighed, registers the particulars 

 in a book kept for that purpose. 



When a negro is so fortunate as to find a diamond of the weight 

 of an octavo (171 carats), much ceremony takes place; he is 

 crowned with a wreath of flowers and carried in procession to the 

 administrator, who gives him his freedom, by paying his owner for 

 it. He also receives a present of new clothes, and is permitted to 

 work on his own account. When a stone of eight or ten carats is 

 found, the negro receives two new shirts, a complete new suit, with 

 a hat and a handsome knife. For smaller stones of trivial amount 

 proportionate premiums are given. During my stay at Tejuco a 

 stone of l6| carats was found: it was pleasing to see the anxious 

 desire manifested by the officers that it might prove heavy enough 

 to entitle the poor negro to his freedom, and when on being de- 

 livered and weighed, it proved only a carat short of the requisite 

 weight, all seemed to sympathize in his disappointment. 



Many precautions are taken to prevent the negroes from em- 

 bezzling diamonds. Although they work in a bent position, and 

 consequently never know whether the overseers are watching them 

 or not, yet it is easy for them to omit gathering any which they 

 see, and to place them in a corner of the trough for the purpose of 

 secreting them at leisure hours, to prevent which they are frequently 

 changed while the operation is going on. A word of command 

 being given by the overseers, they instantly move into each other's 

 troughs, so that no opportunity of collusion can take place. If a 

 negro be suspected of having swallowed a diamond, he is confined in 

 a strong room until the fact can be ascertained. Formerly the 

 punishment inflicted on a negro for smuggling diamonds was con- 



