fate; they were constantly sustained by the golden hope of discovering some rich mine, that would produce a reversion of their hard sentence.  Thus they wandered about for nearly six years, in quest of mines; but fortune was at last propitious.  An excessive draught had laid dry the bed of the river Abaite, and here, while working for gold, they discovered a diamond of nearly an ounce in weight.  Overwhelmed with joy at this providential discovery, they resolved to proceed, at all hazards, to Villa Rica, and trust to the mercy of the crown.  The governor, on beholding the magnitude and lustre of the gem, could scarcely credit the evidence of his senses.  He immediately appointed a commission of the officers of the Diamond District to report on its nature; and on their pronouncing it a real diamond, it was immediately dispatched to Lisbon.  It is needless to add that the sentence of the three “condemnados” was immediately reversed.

This celebrated diamond has been estimated by Rome de l’Isle at the enormous sum of three hundred millions sterling.  It is uncut, but the late King of Portugal, who had a passion for precious stones, had a hole bored through it, in order to wear it suspended about his neck on gala days.  No sovereign possessed so fine a collection of diamonds as this prince.—­Monthly Mag.

* * * * *

NOTES OF A READER.

AMERICAN LIFE.

Mrs. Trollope’s amusing book has furnished us with still another page or two of scenes and sketches: 

Crocodiles on the Mississippi.

“It is said that at some points of this dismal river, crocodiles are so abundant as to add the terror of their attacks to the other sufferings of a dwelling there.  We were told a story of a squatter, who having ‘located’ himself close to the river’s edge, proceeded to build his cabin.  This operation is soon performed, for social feeling and the love of whiskey bring all the scanty neighbourhood round a new comer, to aid him in cutting down trees, and in rolling up the logs, till the mansion is complete.  This was done; the wife and five young children were put in possession of their new home, and slept soundly after a long march.  Towards day-break the husband and father was awakened by a faint cry, and looking up, beheld relics of three of his children scattered over the floor, and an enormous crocodile, with several young-ones around her, occupied in devouring the remnants of their horrid meal.  He looked around for a weapon, but finding none, and aware that unarmed he could do nothing, he raised himself gently on his bed, and contrived to crawl from thence through a window, hoping that his wife, whom he left sleeping, might with the remaining children rest undiscovered till his return.  He flew to his nearest neighbour and besought his aid; in less than half an hour two men returned with him, all three well armed; but alas! they were too late! the wife and her two babes lay mangled on their bloody bed.  The gorged reptiles fell an easy prey to their assailants, who, upon examining the place, found the hut had been constructed close to the mouth of a large hole, almost a cavern, where the monster had hatched her hateful brood.”