At this stage of the proceedings Arnold became restive. He said he was placing his property at the mercy of others without proper security, that what he had received was a trifle compared to the value he was about to disclose and that he must have a further guarantee in cold cash. He named a hundred thousand dollars as the amount that must be paid down, but agreed to let it remain in escrow, pending Mr. Janin’s report. Some quick writing went on between Mr. Lent and Mr. Ralston, as the result of which the latter transmitted the amount by telegraphic order; Mr. Lent holding the diamonds appraised by Tiffany at $150,000 as a further and final security. This was not exactly according to program, but the transaction was fairly business-like and did not present itself as a hold-up.
All our arrangements and differences in New York were settled in a very brief space of time and we set out in high spirits on the way to the mysterious diamond land. The party consisted of Henry Janin, General George S. Dodge, Alfred Rubery, myself and Arnold and Slack.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Discoverers of Field of Diamonds Finally Lead the Party of Investors to the Scene of Wonderful Find.
Pick Turns Up Many Fine Gems, and Expert Grows Enthusiastic as He Figures Out the Profits.
Our friends in San Francisco had, of course, been advised by wire of our transactions and movements, including the date of our departure. We had not journeyed far before we received on the train a telegram that George D. Roberts and a considerable party were on the way to join us to visit the diamond fields and would meet us, if I recollect aright, at Omaha. Here again, Arnold absolutely rebelled. He had kept all his engagements, he said. The diamonds had been appraised by an expert of our own selection. He was now on his way with the mining engineer chosen by us and with the appointed representatives of the San Francisco interests to exhibit the diamond fields and permit any kind of examination we wished to make; but he was not willing to expose his hand to the whole world until other business arrangements were complete.
It seemed to me that Arnold’s argument was unanswerable. Before we left San Francisco, every detail had been arranged. This was a plain departure from the plan. I took sides with Arnold. In fact, there was nothing else to do, for he insisted that everything was off unless we conceded to his wishes. Besides, I had every faith in Janin’s ability to pass on the genuineness of the diamond fields. Accordingly a telegram was sent that turned Roberts and his party back.
We left the Union Pacific Railroad at a small station near Rawlings Springs. Here we hired the necessary outfit and struck out in the wilderness, Arnold and Slack leading the way. Our course was erratic. At times our leaders seemed to be perplexed, to have lost their way. At times they climbed high peaks, apparently in search of landmarks. The country was wild and inhospitable. We suffered during four days’ travel many inconveniences. The party became cross and quarrelsome. At last, on the fourth day, early in the morning, Arnold set out alone, to get his bearings, as he said. He returned about noon, said everything was all right, and we set out again with high hopes. By four o’clock we pitched camp on the famous diamond fields.
The spot was at a high elevation, about 7,000 feet above sea level, I think. Physically, it embraced a small mesa or rather gently sloping basin, littered here and there with rocks comprising about thirty or forty acres, through which a small stream of water ran. It was located in one of the most unfrequented parts of the United States, although, as it afterwards proved, Arnold and Slack in their zig-zag course, had actually brought us nearly parallel with the railroad and not more than twenty or twenty-five miles from it. In fact, once, while we were at the mines, on a very still day, I thought I heard something in the far distance that sounded like the ghost of a whistle. When I mentioned this to Arnold, he merely smiled. The railroad was at least a hundred miles away, he said.
But at all events we were mighty glad to reach our destination and now everything was sidetracked to begin the diamond hunt. We barely unsaddled our animals and secured them; then commenced to hunt diamonds. Arnold and Slack were serene and confident. They pointed out several spots where they had previously dug and found the precious stones, already mined and delivered in San Francisco. We all went to work with our primitive mining implements—picks, shovels and pans. Everyone wanted to find the first diamond. After a few minutes Rubery gave a yell. He held up something glittering in his hand. It was a diamond, fast enough. Any fool could see that much. Then we began to have all kinds of luck. For more than an hour, diamonds were being found in profusion, together with occasional rubies, emeralds and sapphires. Why a few pearls weren’t thrown in for good luck I have never yet been able to tell. Probably it was an oversight.