256 MARTIN RATTLER.

giving up in despair, because he knows that at every
handful of earth he turns up he may perhaps find
a diamond worth hundreds or, it may be, thousands
of pounds.

Cidade Diamantina—the City of Diamonds—is the
capital of the province. It is a large city, with many
fine churches and buildings; and the whole popula-
tion, consisting of more than six thousand souls, are
engaged, directly or indirectly, in mining. Every
one who owns a few slaves employs them in washing
the earth for gold and diamonds.

The mine of which Barney had so unexpectedly
become overseer was a small one, in a remote part of
the district, situated among the mountains, and far
distant from the City of Diamonds. There were
only a few huts, rudely built and roofed with palm-
leaves, besides a larger building, or cottage, in which
the Baron Fagoni resided.

“Tis a strange life they lead here,” said Barney,
as he led Martin down a gorge of the mountains
towards a small spot of level ground on which the
slaves were at work—‘“a strange life, and by no
means a pleasant wan, for the feedin’ is none o’ the
best and the work very sevare.”

“Why, Barney, if I may judge from last night’s

supper, the feeding seems to be excellent.”