Ch. 1: Diamonds of India

Page of 143

Text size:



	38	DIAMONDS.

	these people show traces of Negro blood, and hence it has been concluded that they are the " descendants of slaves imported by one of the conquerors of India." They are, however, I should say, an aboriginal tribe, showing neither in their complexions, character of their features, nor hair, the slightest trace of Negro origin. When Sambalpur was taken over by the British, in 1850, the Government offered to lease out the right to seek for diamonds, and in 1856 a notification appeared in the Gazette describing the prospect in somewhat glowing terms. For a short time the lease was held by a European, at the very low rate of two hundred rupees per annum ; but, as it was given up voluntarily, it may be concluded that the lessee did not make it pay. The facts that the Government resumed possession of the rent-free villages, while the Raja's operations had been carried on without any-original outlay, materially altered the case, and rendered the employment of a considerable amount of capital then, as it would be now, an absolute necessity. Within the past few years statements have gone the round of the Indian papers to the effect that diamonds are now occasionally found by the gold-washers of Sambalpur. All my inquiries failed to elicit a single authentic case, and the gold-washers I spoke to and saw at work assured me that the statements were incorrect. Moreover, they did not appear to expect to find any, as I did not observe that they even examined the gravel when washing.

Page of 143