This wonderful piece of writing captures a true, unadulterated adventure spirit, and is a favorite of the Sanderson siblings. This autobiographical tale about Uncle Bob’s time in Orinoco diamond mining gives insight into the land, the people, and the mining process. The subject is thrilling, the nuances of the people and lifestyle are remarkable, and the vivid details and imagery will make you feel like you are right there with him. His own synopsis says it best: “In that part of Venezuela that lies between the Rio Orinoco and the frontier of Brazil is one of the world’s largest areas of wilderness where large areas of “free mining” are open to any man who seeks to go there with a diamond screen and a gold pan to pursue his fortune. The hunting and fishing are stupendous, the winter climate excellent (a blanket between midnight and dawn). Life can be lived with a hammock, shotgun, and miner’s pan. Here’s the story of the writer and his partner who swung a deluxe trip on $1800 each, riding the crest of a diamond boom camp and ferreting through the remote jungle unknown prospecting for gold. As for the diamonds and gold - they found ‘em both. Turn the page and watch them work, like tiny ticks deep in the fur of their green hell”.