MODERN TREASURE ISLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 3611, 29 May 1923, Page 59

MODERN TREASURE ISLAND.

DIAMONDS EMBEDDED IN GUANO DEPOSITS. It has been said, and in all probability is true, that almost every English speaking lad has read, or at least heard oi, Robert Douis Stevenson s “ treasure Island.’" It has even had the honour ot being screened and dramatised. In this prosaic age it is not given to everyone to be able to visit a veritable Treasure Island, and fewer still can say that they have actually been engaged in digging for hidden treasure—diamonds, —hence this account. Tile island is one of a group that- lies off the west coast of Africa, and a more forbidding or unlikely spot it would be difficult to imagine. Ones imagination makes a southern semi-tropical isle to be covered with waving palm trees, crystal-clear springs bubbling and brawling between tree-fern-lined banks; gaily-coloured birds wheeling and maitceuvring in the glaring sunlight; and over all the peace and quiet of an earthly’ Paradise. What are the facts? A waterless, arid, wind-swept, barren rock; no vegetation except a few stunted bushes, which must be the finest drought-resisting plant known to science ; three species of birds the penguins (Spenicus dermutus), Malagas geese or gannets (Sula Capensis L:cht;, and sea duikers, —and on some of these rocks the Cape seal is found in hundreds. A revenue of about £IOO,OOO per year is de lived from tnese islands tor the benefit of the taxpayers of the Lit ion ot South Africa in general and the farmers of the Union in particular. This particular item of revenue is produced from the droppings of these birds, arid is known as “guano. These islands are covered with millions of the above-named species, who have their breeding-places there, and are strictly protected by the Government. The actual manufacturers of guano ar e the young chicks of these birds, whose parents must levy a very heavy' toll on the fish life in the adjoining seas to feed such a multitude. It has been computed on reliable authority that, at a low estimate, lib weight of fish per bird per day is consumed, and if one takes into account. the number of birds the yearly consumption becomes incredible. The collecting, shipping, etc., of gua.no gives a livelihood to a large number of the coloured population of Capetown, and a few white men, who are in charge of the various islands. The life there is, as a rule, very monotonous, months elapsing ere they sight fresh faces and hear other voices than their own com pany of labourers. A steamer with water (all water comes from Capetown) and provisions calls at intervals, and is a welcome visitor, as she usually brings up papers, letters, ani other 'literature. On her return voyage she usually loads up to her Plimsoll mark with guano, which makes a good cargo, as it is packed in bags of 2001 b each, and can be stowed tightly in her holds. Diamonds Among the Mire.Revenons a nos moutons. The astounding fact stands out in connection with these islands and bird deposit, diamonds were also found, s Picture to yourself diamonds being found in a sewage farm. Truth is stranger than fiction, though De Rougemont himself in his wildest moments did not dream of such a scene. About the time of the discovery of diamonds on the railway line near Luderitzbucht by Herr Stanch and his Cape boy (Stanch was an official on the railway, and one of his gang of coloured labourers who had worked m Kimberley Mine picked up a diamond abou-t the beginning of 19031, rumours of this had filtered through to Cape Town but were discredited. The innate conservatism of human nature was unable to believe that diamonds could be found away from the neighbourhood of the area round Kimberley. Just as happened in 1867, a wellknown diamond expert doubted that diamonds could be found in South Africa. Since then 12 tons of diamonds have been produced. But “the proof of the pudding,” etc. The rumour was confirmed when largo parcels of these stones began to arrive in Cape Town. They were unlike our usual mine stones, and more nearly approximate the diamonds of Brazil. Though of small si/e, 5.6 stones weighing one carat, which equals 3.1683 grains troy, and the average size is about that of a match head, they are of excellent quality'. Staid Burghers Interested.— The staid burghers of Kapstad (Cape Town) began to prick up their ears as sailor men in the coasting trade began to yarn about seeing diamonds “by' the soda-water-bottle-full” being common -n Angra Baoena (the old name of Luderitzbucht), but tin's territory was in the hands of the German Government and known at that time as Deutseh Slid \Yost Afrika. It was reasoned that if the German territory had diamonds to be picked up — which is literally a fact—what about the British territory— the islands lying off the coast. The Colonial Government of that day was bombarded with applications for the rights to prospect—the importunate widow was beaten to a frazzle—and at last in sheer desperation the Government appointed a Commission to examine and report on the probability of finding a diamond mine. Their report when laid on the table of the House of Assembly was against the probability of a- diamond mine being discovered. This did not satisfy the citizens, who were tenacious beggars, especiallv when they had a foundation of hard facts to go on. So the merry game of badgering the Government went on (all Governments are fair game is an unwritten law.)

The First Diamonds Found. — At last the Cabinet decided to settle once and for all the clamour, and appointed another Commission. This consisted of two members, one the Acting Under-Secretary of Agriculture, who was also acting for "the Mines Department, and the writer, who was an alluvial diamond digger. The Commission was instructed to proceed to these islands, and report on the possibilities of finding diamonds (note the difference.) After about ten day’s work the first diamond was found, though the writer feels certain that his companion had his “doots” about this stone being a diamond owing to the rejection of hundreds of ouartz crystals, pretty in themselves, but not diamonds. However, the Research Department of the Division of Chemistry had supplied the gallant colonel with a specific gravity test, Methylene lodatum. This was produced and this particular stone behaved different from all others tested, as .t sank to the bottom and remained there. AH other crystals which had been considered suspiciously like diamonds had serenely bobbed up to the surface on being dropped into this liquid, owing to their lighter specific gravity'. He was convinced, and after due celebration of the event, other points were tried and more stones found. The bottle of the abovenamed liquid did not appear after the second stone was found, as my com panioii could without hesitation pick out the genuine rough diamond from the numerous crystal of various minerals found in the sieve. A Prospecting Outfit. — The occurrence of diamonds had been proved. The next move was up to the Ministers of tile Cabinet, and we returned to Ckvpe Town to hear their decision. The news leaked out after our arrival that we had found that much coveted gem for the “vanity oi women and the depravity of men. ' The Minister agreed to further test the island, as many conflicting interests were involved, and Hie writer returned with all the paraphernalia of a prospecting outfit, diamond washing machines, sieves, picks, shovels, and a case of dynamite. This latter was never used except to celebrate the King s Birthday and to make a better path to a- favourite fishing place. A gang of Ovambos were collected through the courtesy' of the German Government of that date, and a splendid type of labourer they proved. Their rations were regulated as per a scale laid down by' their Government, and we gave them some extras. They were paid at a rate equal to 15s per month, all found, including boots, a suit of clothes (cast off ex-Boer war khaki), tobacco, matches, and a Urge mug cif Epsom salts each week-end, which assisted nature and kept them in excellent health, considering the difference of climate from the steamy' tropical valleys of their own country of Ovamboland, to the fog-bound, barren, wind-swept island of Possession. The question may now occur, why this difference of a few degrees of latitude, but the answer it to- be found in the cold Benguella current, which is a product of the Antarctic, striking the coast of South-West Africa near this point, and its waters are decidedly chilly. “Gems in a Graveyard.”—A prospecting trench o-f some 300 yarns long and nine feet wide was cut in a bank of sand and gravel (very much like the beds of shingle to bo found on any sea beach.) This bed of “ground” or gravel was very largely mixed with sealhair, bones, teeth, skulls, and decomposed flesh or a clayey matter of this nature, and in this veritable graveyard of thousands of seals, mixed with guano, nearly £IOOO worth of diamonds (at present dav valuation) were found. Working here had the charm of novelty, as the writer had been fairly carbonadoed in the Kalahari Desert and the diamond fields of the Vaal River, but here on Possession, lashed with stinging _ spray, strong south-west winds amounting to half a gale 23 days in the month, and low temperatures made working conditions unpleasant. The final results of our working this deposit was that the Government decided to close it down, as it was not a payable proposition, and any revenue to be derived from throwing it open as an alluvial diamond digging would not compensate for the loss of revenue caused by the disturbance of the birds with the resulting loss of guano. One is apt at times when digging for diamonds to moralise on their later history, from the hard bitten citizen who has dug for it amidst heat and thirst, hard fare, and a hard fight against nature, far from the dining saloons*of a tram-de-luxe ; and to follow the stone, from digger to diamond buyer, from cutters, polishers, etc., to Hatton Garden or New Bond street, from courtesan to princess, would provide a moral that he who runs may read that diamond digging is a mug’s game, and it is 1003 to 1 chance against the digger making even a competency out of it, hut it has the merit of being a Man’s game. — Ratiio, in the Weekly Scotsman.