PEARLS AND DIAMONDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20522, 25 September 1928, Page 6

PEARLS AND DIAMONDS.

WEALTH UNDER THE SEA. AFRICAN COAST FINDS. AN ITALIAN’S TREASURE TROVE. Is there a submarine volcano off the south-west coast of Africa which throws up diamonds and earth from rich fields beneath the sea, and scatters them broadcast? This question has long been present in the minds of many scientists, and the opinion that there is such a volcano is definitely held by the famous mineralogist, Dr H. Marensky, the man who traced the source of diamonds found at the mouth of the Orange River, where they had been carried seaward by the constant running of the undercurrent. It was when Dr Marensky put his theory to the test that his surprising discovery was made. Since then investigations have shown that the sand dunes along the Namaqualand coast have been formed by sea refuse and shells. Large oysters have been cast up from the sea, and, with weed, sand and flotsam, have formed conglomerate masses. While demolishing one of these dunes substantial quantities of pearls and diamonds were found. Hundreds of dunes remain untouched for the reason that they have been seized by the Government. This has been done to prevent the market being flooded with gems. It is feared that once this great find becomes widely known there will be a rush of adventurers to the treasure hoard. Delving into the treasure history of the south-west coast of Africa, an investigator of the Sunday News is led to believe that Dr Marensky’s discovery is not an entirely new one. Records show that probably treasure in this locality was tapped many years ago. It is more than likely that an Italian named Thomas Corri, who was found dead on the Island of Tristan d’Acunha, brought his treasure of pearls and diamonds from the same spot. In 1860, when H.M.S. Galatea, with the Duke of Edinburgh on board, put in to the lonely island, soldiers found Corri dead. He had broken a blood vessel struggling in haste with a heavy load of precious stones. Glass, the son of the earliest inhabitant, related how Corri had landed on the island some years previously in an open boat during the night, and hidden his treasure. When he was found by the islanders at daybreak, he said that he was the only survivor of a ship that had foundered at sea with all hands, and that, being a strong swimmer, he had saved his life by boarding a boat that floated after the ship sank." A more recent find was made by Captain Jones on an island near this coast, where his ship loaded guano. Jones found stones of such value that a syndicate was formed in London, which chartered the Xena in 1906 to set out on a diamondhunting expedition. As soon as the object became known, a cruiser was sent from Capetown to intercept the ship and prohibit the crew from landing on the island or near the coast, and thus the wealth of a Midas lies dormant until such time as it may be required. Great national treasure is reported to exist in another part of the world, where a mountain holds safely a hoard of gold reputed to be greater in value than the National Debt.