BURIED DIAMOND

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 461, 20 February 1933, Page 2

BURIED DIAMOND

STORY OF TREASURE AND TRAGEDY ' RECALLED.* . The story. of the Chance Brothers' fruitless search for hidden treasure, in an old bushrangers' cave near Running Water, is feminiscent of another story of outlawry — a story of a valuaible diamond, which, tradition says, lies buried beneath ' an old deodar tree in Federal Government House grounds, Yarralumla, near Canb'erra. An old letter, unsigndd and "written near Yarralumla in 1881," 'tells of the mystery surrounding the jewel. It is thought that the letter was written to the owners of the Yarralumla prior to itai being taken over by the Government, but they did not investigate. The letter stated that in 1826 a valuiable diamond was stolen from Jam'es Cobbity on an outbaclc Queensland station. The theft was traced to one of the convicts who had made his escape to New South Wales. Although the convict was subsequently captured, no trace of the diamond could be found. Frequent floggings were administered,' but he remained Silent. The convict left a statement to a groom, with a map showing the hid-ing-place of the diamond. The groom secured the diamond, was later sent to Berfima gaol for a minor offence, and escaped. Fearing detection, he made no httempt to distiose of the diamond, but retained it until he died. Shot by Bushriangersi When he died his' s'on took possession of the jewel, and, with a blackfellow, set off towards Sydney. It ha^ since been asCertained that, after leaving Cooma for Qu'eanbeyan, they met a bushranging gang. The son escaped, but the blaekfellow, who was carrying the jewel, Was captured. He was reached and repeatedly flogged, but to no effect, gf or he had swallowed the diamond. ' ' ■ In anger the bushrangers shot him, and later he was buried by some aboi rigines on land belonging to C'olbnel Gibbes and later to Mr. Campbell. "I belxeve the diamond to be among his bones," says the anonymous writer of the letter\ "My hand is enfeebled with age, or I should describe the troubles thrbugh which T have passe'd. My life has been wasted, iny money expended. I die almost destitute and 1 in 'sight of my goal. "I believe the grave to be under the large deodar tree.' Being buried by blacks, it would be a round hole. I enclose my dwindling fortune. Believe and receive a fortune. Scoff, and leave the jewel iri its hidihgplace." Is the diamond still there? It is felt that rather than destroy the ^ran(^>h^jreeLam|U3^^JjJ|^u^|Mg