Pressure came on every side. I must have had a forewarning of disaster to have hesitated so long, but finally I gave way to forces that seemed like fate. I cabled Ralston that I would be at his service for a brief period, but that the proceedings must be short and sweet. Also I made a hurried arrangement of my affairs in London, thinking to take up the thread again in three months at most. Rubery was rejoiced at my decision, and prepared to go along. We turned our backs on London, stayed not on the order of our going when we reached New York, and as fast as steamships and railroads would carry us, arrived in San Francisco some time during the month of May, 1872, prepared to uncover the greatest diamond field in the world or return whence we came with equal expedition.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Discoverers Decline to Reveal Location of Diamond Field, But Report of Agent Satisfies Promoters.
Final Proof of Good Faith Is Offered in Form of Bag Filled With Collection of Eye-Dazzling Gems.
When I arrived in San Francisco I lost no time in getting in touch with the principals of the diamond deal. Three prominent men only were concerned in it at that time, W. C. Ralston, George D. Roberts and William M. Lent. From them I learned that the alleged discovery of the diamond fields had been known to them for many months. Two prospectors, Philip Arnold and John Slack, were the original locators. I had known Arnold previously in California. He had been employed by Roberts to look into mining properties in the western country. The later story that he had once been employed by myself in a like capacity was absolutely false. Slack I had known as a plain man about town, of general fair repute.
As an earnest of the great value of the fields, the gentleman had, as near as I can recollect, a large quantity of rough, uncut, brilliant-looking stones which they said local experts had pronounced diamonds of an estimated value of $125,000. Among them were several magnificent reddish-colored stones, said to be rubies. Moreover, they claimed that the discoveries had been verified to an extent sufficient to satisfy themselves.
The story, previous to my arrival, I only know by hearsay and I cannot vouch for every detail of things beyond my personal experience that happened forty years ago. But as nearly as I can recall the narrative, as it was related, the main facts were these:
One day, in the year 1871, when I was in Europe, two weather-beaten men, looking like typical miners, presented themselves at the Bank of California and arranged to deposit property of great value for safe keeping. The property proved to be nothing more than some handsome-looking stones which they said in explanation were diamonds, of which they had discovered a great store, in the desert section of the West. They were given a receipt for their valuables and quietly took their leave. But, of course, in those days of mad excitement and crazy speculation, such an incident was bound to leak. George D. Roberts located, in his old prospector Arnold, one of the fortunates, and introduced him to Ralston and Lent. Arnold was always the spokesman, the negotiator, in these early transactions. Slack merely was present and acquiesced. At first the men were exceedingly coy and cautious, had all the manner of a couple of simple-minded fellows who had stumbled on something great and, bewildered with their good fortune, were simply afraid to trust anyone with the momentous secret. They declined to give the slightest indication of the locality of the fields, or left the impression that they were distant a thousand miles, or thereabouts, from the actual spot. Relying on vague hints, several parties actually set out for Arizona to locate the new Golconda. At the outset the men refused to part with their rights, except to the extent of a small interest, and only then for a large sum of money which they asserted was necessary to secure claims to a very large territory.
Later, however, they became more amenable to reason. They were willing to part with a half interest to gentlemen in whom they had such implicit confidence. When it was pointed out to them that negotiations were impossible, unless the location of the mines was indicated and some kind of an inspection allowed, they offered a rather strange arrangement, which, however, seemed fair enough on its face. By its terms they agreed to conduct two men, to be selected by Ralston and Roberts, to the diamond fields, and allow them to satisfy themselves of the general nature of the find, but with this proviso: that these representatives, after reaching the wild, uninhabitable country, must submit to being blindfolded, both going and coming back. These conditions were agreed to and such an expedition was actually made. I am not certain, but my impression is that David D. Colton was one of the two investigators, being selected by Mr. Ralston as a peculiarly level-headed man of large practical experience. However that may be, the mines were certainly visited and displayed, more diamonds were unearthed, and the party returned with the most rose-colored reports of the genuineness of the properties and their fabulous richness. It was this report that set Ralston and his associates wild.