Portal logo
DIAMOND MINING                    209
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