_GOOD-BYE TO THE JUNGLE_
I was in excellent health. There seemed no danger at all and I
believed that I could stay there three or four months longer. It is a
great game, full of fascination. You get a few diamonds to-day. Next
day less, next day more, next day scarcely any, next day a big one,
and so on. Always it is "To-morrow we may get a ten carat stone," or
"To-morrow we may pull a fistful out of one 'baby,'" and so the
temptation is great to stay on and on. At the rate that we were
gathering in diamonds it seemed that we ought to pile up about $50,000
in six months. But after we had been actually mining more than four
months I was returning from a hunting trip. I had a great burden of
deer meat on my back. I walked through bogs where it was almost
impossible to pull my feet out of the mud. I was hungry and extremely
tired.
Now that is just when the white man succumbs to the bite of the
mosquito down there. One nailed me on the back of the hand but I
thought nothing of it.
But next morning I hated to get up. I had no strength. I became worse
during the day and for several days lay in a sort of semi-stupor, weak
and listless.
"Very bad," said Captain Peter; "get him back before he dies!"
Poor Lewis broke camp in record time. They bundled me into the boat
and I was conscious only a small part of the time.
Going downriver is far different from coming up. They made the trip to
Georgetown in a few days and when they got me to the hospital the
doctors looked me over and demanded a deposit of $85.
"Why?" demanded Lewis, quite indignant.
"To cover funeral expenses. He can't live," they said.
But I fooled them and recovered rapidly.
Lewis and I still own that mine. We came out with a good little pot of
money, clean profit. The war took all of the time of both of us--but
now that it's over we are planning to go back there some day.
With our experience we feel sure that we can make much money, both in
gold and diamond mining. We shall take back better equipment, power
pumps, and everything this experience taught us we should have.
My adventure was satisfactory in every way. I wish I could have stuck
it out six months longer. But I think the best plan would be for white
men to set up their mines and work them about five months, go back
home for seven months, work them another five months, and so on, thus
avoiding the great dangers.
I am looking forward to the day when I can get back there, meet my
Indian friends, go tapir and labba hunting with them and, above all,
enjoy the wonderful thrill that comes when you spread out the residue
of a jigging and pick out, here and there, a sparkling diamond!