method
employed in other countries with similar deposits, and though crude,
had the advantage of being inexpensive, and the plant could follow the
finds without loss of time or at great cost.
A
new deposit has been discovered about 115 miles from the mouth of the
Cuyana river, near the Dukwarri cataract. The stones, like all other
Guiana diamonds, are small.
Diamonds
have been found also in the central part of Dutch Guiana in the
Mindreneti district, between the Surinam and Saramaca rivers, but
nothing of importance has been reported. All these are alluvial
deposits, apparently very shallow and similar to those distributed
among the streams of Bahia. The latter district is not noted for large
stones, but those of the Guiana fields are yet smaller and less
abundant.
Diamonds
are found in Shantung, China. About 10 li (4 miles) east of the market
town of Li Chia Chuang, is a low, sandy ridge, extending south and
parallel with Ching P'u, the main road south, after it crosses the I
Sui river about 18 miles southeast of Chefoo. The diamonds are found
along this ridge for a distance of fully 8 miles. The natives will only
look for them after rains, because they believe the rains bring them,
quite oblivious of the fact that the washing of the sands by the
falling rain discovers them. They cannot be persuaded to dig and wash
the sand.
The
stones are nearly all quite small. Occasionally, one as large as a pea
or a hazel nut is picked up. The usual method of the farmers is to walk
back and forth over the water-washed sands with sabots of rye-straw,
which pick up the sharp-pointed crystals. The sabots
14
