Be this also as it
may, our ever-enterprising and active-minded Admiral determined to
bring this reputation to the proof; and, one day at dinner at the
governor's table, actually announced his intention of having a hunt
for the sapphires, rubies, tourmalines, chrysoberyls, and corundums,
for which the island has been long celebrated. His Excellency smiled,
and the company at large scarcely knew whether to treat the proposal
as a joke or as a serious affair. Sir Samuel, however, was not a man
to be quizzed out of his purposes; he begged to have a party of
workmen sent to him next morning, and that each of the men might be
furnished with a basket, a request which naturally produced a titter;
for it was made in such a tone as led us to fancy the worthy Admiral
expected to collect the rubies and garnets in as great profusion as
his far-famed predecessor, Sinbad the sailor, found them in the Valley
of Diamonds.

His precise plan he kept to himself till he reached the river, in
which the finest stones are said to be found, the alluvial strip of
ground bordering which was formed chiefly of fine gravel mixed with
sand, leaves, and mud. Here he desired the men to fill their baskets,
and to carry the whole mass, just as they picked it up, to one of the
ship's boats, which he had directed to meet him at the landing-place.

Not a word more was said on the subject at Government-house, nor on
board the ship, till a couple of days after we had left Columbo, when
the Admiral ordered the bag of gravel into his cabin, along with a
great tub of water and half-a-dozen wash-deck buckets. The whole stuff
collected on shore was now thoroughly cleaned, and when only the
gravel remained, it was divided into a number of small portions, and
laid on plates and dishes on the table of the fore-cabin. As soon as
all was arranged, the Admiral, who superintended the operation, called
out, "Send all the young gentlemen in the ship, and let every one take
a plateful of gravel before him, to catch what jewels he can."

Before the party had time to assemble, the delighted Admiral had
himself discovered in his own dish three or four small garnets, one
ruby, and several small crystals of corundum. By-and-bye, to the
astonishment of every one, a collection was made, which not only
furnished the promised ring to the governor's lady, but half-a-dozen
others of equal beauty. These precious stones were certainly not of
the largest dimensions; but, for all that