The largest part of the South American diamonds are
colorless, while the remainder display a great variety of hues,—
blue, green, yellow, brown, pink, milky white, and, rarely, black.
The collection of the Prince Regent, at the time of Mavve's
visit, comprised a specimen exhibiting several colors, a rare
occurrence with this gem.
South Africa. — The discovery of the diamond-fields of this
region, in 1867, created a great sensation in both hemispheres,
and awakened a spirit of enterprise among those who were
eager to amass a sudden fortune. They occupy a small portion
of the western part of the Orange River Free States, established by the Dutch about the middle of the present century,
covering the territory between the Orange and the Vaal rivers,
extending, however, into some of the neighboring states.
Although a surprise to foreigners, the diamonds had been
known to the natives long before, and, as early as 1750, were
employed for drilling rocks.
The recent discovery was accidentally made by a trader, on
one of his journeys into the interior, who, while passing the
night with a Dutch farmer, had his attention attracted to a
pebble with which the children were playing, on account of its
resemblance to a diamond. He expressed his opinion to his
host, and upon examination by a competent judge, it proved to
be correct ; the pebble was indeed a genuine diamond, weighing twenty-two and one-half carats, and was subsequently sold
for several thousand dollars. Not long after this discovery
the "Star of South Africa" was found, which brought fifty-six
thousand dollars.
New and rich fields were frequently developed during the
years 1870 and 1871, which stimulated the government of Great
Britain to take possession of the whole territory by formal proclamation, an act which set aside the treaty making it a free state.
