The Diamond Diggings of South Africa. A personal and practical account ... With a brief notice of the new Gold Fields

Introduction

. The wonderful discoveries of the year 1871, far surpassing in richness everything that had gone before, and proving the South African Diggings to be no risky speculation, no exaggerated humbug, but a source of great profit — nay, often of actual wealth, to industrious and persevering diggers — have naturally caused (not only in the Cape Colony, but in Europe, Australia, and America) an all-pervading interest in these Fields, and a constantly increasing demand for reliable information. To meet this demand, the author has compiled from personal experience a book which will give a detailed and reliable account of the condition of the various digging camps, up to the very latest dates, of routes thither, and of all expenses connected with the enterprise ; will enable any who are hesitating at once to decide whether to migrate thither or not ; will put faithfully before the friends of men out there the actual advantages and disadvantages, hardships and comforts, cares and pleasures, of a digger's life ; and will tell the general public " all about the diggings," and he ventures to hope, amuse them with " Sketches of Life and Character on the Fields."

Before parting from this little book, the writing of which has whiled away so many of the tedious hours of convalescence, the author would now earnestly reiterate — to any for whom the life herein described may have enticing charms — that advice which he gave in the commencement of his diary from the Fields. Let no one give up a fixed income at home, however moderate (so that it be sufficient to live upon) for the vicissitudes and

INTRODUCTION.

. hardships of a digger's life. But let any young, active, strong, " smart," and above all steady, man with a few hundreds to spare, start for " West Griqualand " as soon as he likes, following the instructions given in the ensuing pages, and I do not think he will be disappointed. Note to Map. This is only a sketch-map, drawn with approximate accuracy, to aid in the comparison of the different routes from the sea coast to the Fields, and the principal stopping places. The only rivers that are here represented with accuracy are those in the immediate vicinity of the Fields, viz., the Vaal, Orange, Modder, Riet. and Hart. There are numerous rivers in the lower part of the colony which are not shown in this map. The red lines indicate the postal routes, which are generally also followed by the passenger-waggons. CONTENTS.

Part I

General Account of the Fields. Chap. I. Early History of the Fields ... ... page 1 II. The Eiverside Diggings and How to Work there... 7 III. The Dry Diggings 13 IV. Colesberg Kopje ... ... ... ... ■■ 22 V. Climate, Weather, and Health 29 VI. Sport in the Neighbourhood of the Fields ... 3K VII. Outfit and Working Expenses ... .. ... 42 VIII. Professions, Trades, and other Ways of Making- Money on the Fields 47 IX. Annexation of the Fields... ... ... ... 51 X. Diamonds and Prospecting ... ... ... 57

Part II

Routes to the Fields. Chap. I. Comparison of the different Eoutes ... ... 61 II. Diary on board SS. " Eoman," Southampton to Cape Town ... ... ... ••• ••■ 66 III. Port Elizabeth to Du Toit's Pan by Bullock Waggon ... ... ... ••• ■■• 77 IV. Pniel to Cape Town by Inland Transport Company's Horse Waggon ... ... ... ... 85 V. Diary on board SS. " Eoman," Cape Town to Southampton ... ... ... ... ••• VI CONTENTS.

Part III

Sketches of Life and Chaeactee on the Fields. Chap. I. Diamond Diggers ... ... ... ... page 103 II. Diamond Buyers and Diamond Brokers ... ... 116 III. Hotel-keepers, Storekeepers, and Auctioneers ... 127 IV. Our Coloured Labourers ... ... ... ... 137 V. Tent Life. 147 VI. Food, Water, and Wood 152 VII. Our Police 156 VIII. Amusements on the Fields ... ... ... 161 IX. A Battle Prevented 165 X. A Digger's Holiday, and Sport on the Modder ... 169 XL Fishing in the Vaal 178 XII. A Dinner under Difficulties at Mrs. Brown's . 182 XIII. Churches and Hospitals ... ... ... ... 186

Chapter I. Early History Of The Fields

The first diamond discovered in South Africa is said to have been found in the Hope Town Division, Cape Colony (near the Orange River), in the year 1867, by one of the children of a Boer, or Dutch farmer, named Jacobs. For some time it was merely considered as a pretty pebble, and used as a plaything, no one having any idea of its value. Another Boer, named Schalk van Niekerk, calling on Jacobs and seeing the diamond, was struck by its lustre and weight. He offered to purchase it from Mrs. Jacobs, but it is said that the worthy vrouw laughed at the idea of selling a stone, and let him have it for nothing. The stone next passed into the hands of a Mr. O'Reilly, and was taken by him to Hope Town, where the idea of its being a diamond met with such ridicule that he was very near throwing it away.

He took it, however, on to Colesberg, and from thence it was for warded for the inspection of a scientific gentleman, Dr. Ather stone, of Graham's Town, who at once pronounced it a veritable diamond. Its weight was 21 carats odd, and I believe it was sold to Sir P. E. Wodehouse, the then Governor, for 5001. Another diamond was soon afterwards found on a farm called " Paarde Kloof," on the Orange River, also in the Hope Town Division. It was a beautiful stone, weighing over 8 carats. B After these discoveries, many people, both natives and Euro peans, of course began to search superficially in the Hope Town Division and neighbouring districts, notably along the banks of the now world-famous Vaal River, and a few of the searchers were rewarded with fine gems. The first famous diamond, called the "Star of South Africa," appears to have been found, or at any rate to have first come into the possession of a white man, early in 1869.

The first known owner of this gem, which weighed 83|- carats, and will, it is believed, cut into a brilliant of the finest class, was a Kafir witch-doctor, or sorcerer. This savage conjuror was with some difficulty induced to sell it to the same Schalk van Niekerk, who was the quasi-discoverer of the first South African diamond. The " Star of South Africa," in the rough, was of an irregular shape, and about the size of a small walnut. After being exhibited at Port Elizabeth and at Cape Town, and visited by crowds of people, it was finally forwarded to England, where, I believe, it passed into the possession of Messrs. Hunt and Roskell, and was valued at 25.000Z. I will now proceed to quote from an account of the Diamond Fields published in the " Cape of Good Hope Directory and Guide Book," as I am necessarily at a loss for many particulars of proceedings prior to my arrival on the Fields in 1871, and the said account appears to me to be reliable, being corroborated in most material points by what I have heard from older diggers.

News of these discoveries having reached England, Mr. Harry Emanuel, a London dealor in diamonds, despatched a Mr. Gregory to South Africa to make inquiries as to their reality. This gentleman made an examination of the geological features of some parts of the country, and on his return to England reported, at first in private and in speeches, but subsequently in a paper published in the Geological Magazine that " the whole diamond dis covery in South Africa is an imposture— a bubble scheme." When the news of this reached the colony, several gentlemen exposed Mr. Gregory's erroneous statements, and nono more successfully than W. B. Chalmers, Esq., at that time Civil Commissioner and Resident Magistrate of Hope Town, who, in a letter to the Journal, gave such particulars of a large number of diamonds that had passed through his own hands as to place the matter beyond all doubt.

In the earlier part of 1870 the number of diamonds found was so con siderable that it attracted the attention of the inhabitants of the various colonies and republics in South Africa. Gradually a " rush " set in from all quarters, and the banks of the Vaal in a few months became covered with thousands of busy diggers. The extent of the diamondiferous region it is at present impossible to early history of the fields. 3 say, but, so far back as 1870, it was stated by Dr. Shaw, of Colesberg, the most competent observer that had yet visited the Fields, to be at least one thousand square miles in area. The same gentleman, writing in the Cape Monthly Magazine of December, 1870, says that it seems to him that every day the extent of the Diamond Fields enlarges, and that every week a new diamond farm is found in the Free State.

The opinion of Dr. Shaw is confirmed by less scientific but in other respects equally trustworthy observers. The general geological features of the Diamond Fields are 6aid by Dr. Shaw to be throughout the whole tract the same. Trap, metamorphic, and conglomerate rocks run through the whole valley of the Vaal. The surface soil consists of water-worn pebbles, and extends from both banks of the river considerably inland ; in the narrowest part, he says, two or three miles. The impression made upon his mind is that the whole Vaal region has been subjected to a series of successive disturbances, and that the river has played about in different channels, till now on the top of "kopjes," and in the hollows, we have deposited the diamondiferous alluvial gravel. This gravel consists of nodules of granite, sandstone, basalt, greenstone, agates, garnets, garnet spinel, and peridot, and here and there, of course at rare intervals, the princely gem itself.

The alluvial soil lies, in some places above the calcareous tufa, in other places above the basalt, and in many parts above a clayey shale of various colours. Everywhere, as far as has been investigated, however, the diamonds are in it alone. (Subsequent discoveries have shown diamonds to be found in a wide range of various strata. — Sarcelle.) What is the real diamond matrix ? has been asked over and over again in the diamondiferous tracts of Brazil and India. They have been found imbedded in a micaceous sandstone in Brazil, and in a conglomerate sandstone in India, but neither of these is believed to be the ultimate matrix. It may be that a region which has undergone no changes since the secondary geological epoch, except those of gradual and uniform denudation, like South Africa, may, by ultimate investigation, solve the problem.

At all ovents, Dr. Shaw does not believe that the diamonds have been carried down by the Vaal. The Vaal region, he feels persuaded, has been the theatre of diamond formation. The component rocks i-epresented in the water-worn pebbles are from the strata and formations of the Vaal — and why not the diamonds? Dr. Shaw states that the geology of the Vaal re"gion is altogether different from the secondary and trappen formations of the colony. When the traveller passes through the Free State by Fauresmith, he has the tabular mountains and "spitz-kops" (sharp-pointed hills and peaks), so common and all-prevailing in South Africa, till he arrives within a few hours' distance of the Vaal. A manifest change sets in, and for miles on miles there is a luxuriant and undulating plain almost undisturbed by any hills.

He feels that there is a break in the structure of the country. When he comes to the Vaal, an entirely different landscape appears before him. The perpetual greenstone porphyries of the colony have vanished, and genuine basalt makes its appearance. This basalt he finds protruding through conglomerate and amygdaloid trap. Glittering pebbles of every form and colour glisten at his feet, and he feels indeed that he is in a new region. The Doctor carefully questioned tbe diggers on the subject of the gravelly mass in which the diamonds are found, and, as a matter of course, got very variable information. Some prefer the summits of the " kopjes " rather than the sides, and this opinion is supported by some shovr of reason — B as extensive washing by rain and surface water must carry away the accu mulation of gravel from the slopes.

But surely the " kloofs " (gullies) filled with sand must have under the surface the greater part of the alluvium of the sides. There is no attempt made to penetrate through this sand to the gravel underneath as yet by the diggers, and, indeed, their mining is altogether surface work and mere scraping, to what it ought to be. (Nous avons changetout cela. — Sarcelle.) In regard to the constituent stones of good diamondiferous gravel, satisfactory information cannot be got. Some diggers prefer a light coloured and sparkling gravel, others again are greatly in favour of dark pebbly soil. Diggers generally eschew gravel with quartz fragments (not water-worn) in it. Rotten ironstone pebbles (basalt) are considered a favourable sign. Dr. Shaw is inclined to think that the best indications are garnets (what diggers style " rubies ") and peridot, a blue (qy. green ?) transparent crystal.

The top of the " kopjes," considerably above the present water level, are mentioned above as having alluvial soil, consisting of thoroughly worn and rounded pebbles. A casual observer will quickly perceive that there have been upheavals, and probably successive, every where. The basalt of the summit has wedge-shaped crevices, wide at the top and narrowing downwards. Forming at one time the bottom of the river, the " kopjes " have been raised and the alluvial gravel has fallen into the interstices to some extent, the greater part remaining as a cover to the " kopjes," or rather appearing now as a sort of matrix, in which the angular blocks of basalt are imbedded. Those who wish for a more detailed description of the geology of the diamondiferous region, we refer to the series of papers published by Dr. Shaw in the first volume of the Cape Month/y Magazine (new series), a portion of which was re-published in Nature, a London periodical of great eminence.

The discovery of diamonds has naturally drawn considerable attention to the ownership of the diamond-fields. Heretofore this region was in the occupation of various native chiefs, the European population thinking it hardly worth owDing. I have but little to say, in the present chapter, to supplement the above account. The subsequent discoveries of the dry diggings, far inland, twenty-five miles away from the Vaal River, and the finding of diamonds at great and varying depths, and in very varied strata, are rather calculated to upset some of the theories formed above. Equally astonishing and subversive of theory have been the strange finds, for which I can vouch, of ostrich eggs, entire or more often fragmentary, a humau skele ton, portions of an ant-hill, and heads and parts of shanks of nails, at considerable depths in claims on the dry diggings.

With the establishment of Mr. Campbell as British commissioner for Klip Drift and all the diggings on the Transvaal or further side of the Vaal River, speedily ceased the "Diggers' Mutual Protection Society," and the presidency of Mr. Parker. Offences against "Diggers' Laws and Regulations" were formerly treated with EARLY HISTORY OF THE FIELDS. 5 summary justice, a la Lynch ; parties guilty of theft or other crimes which roused the indignation of the diggers being quickly tried and sentenced. The general sentence was " to be expelled the camp and dragged through the river," an unpleasant operation when we consider the uneven bottom, swift currents, and sharp and rugged stones of the Vaal. Another amiable punish ment was " making a spread-eagle," wherein the culprit was tied down on the ground to short stakes, arms and legs extended, and left for some time to the heat of the sun and the tender mercies of flies and other insect tormentors.

But. long before I reached the Fields, police-courts were established, and diggers had ceased to think of taking the law into their own hands. The " cat " was in full swing : of this terror of garotters in England, and thieves, both white and black, on the diggings, I have more to say anon. Mr. Parker, the ex-president of the " Diggers' Mutual Pro tection Society," is now nourishing as an hotel-keeper at Du Toit's Pan and the Colesberg Kopje. With regard to the rival claims of Waterboer and the Free State, and the final adjustment of them by the annexation of the greater portion of the diamondiferous territory to the British Government, and the changes consequent thereupon, the reader is referred to a subsequent chapter entitled "Annexation of the Diamond Fields." Hard days were those early days for the poor diggers — stores few and far between, only the coarsest of food obtainable, noue of the minor luxuries of life, few even of the necessaries, and very inefficient shelter often provided against the inclemency of the weather, the chill blasts of winter, and the terrible heats and nerve-destroying thunderstorms of the summer.

But everything is changed now. The diggers form a large, flourishing, civilised, and orderly community. At the stores literally every thing can be bought ; and are there not hotels and lodging houses, churches, theatres, concerts, balls, aye, and even schools too ? And the flag of old England waves proudly over the busy camps, and the imperturbable British "bobby " is there, too, by this time, reassuring and home-like in aspect, an object of awe to the crowds of strangely-clad or un-clad Kaffirs and Hottentots by whom he is surrounded. At the early period spoken of above, high prices were paid for diamonds by the great Moritz Unger, and the few other diamond merchants whom the fame of the great discoveries had attracted to the banks of the Vaal. No one appeared to have an inkling then of the great depreciation of " off-coloured " or yellow stones in the European markets, which was to cause some of the early buyers so much loss, and many an apparently lucky finder so much disappointment.

Can no market be found for these splendid gems, many of which, though yellow, are of wondrous purity and lustre ? It is a question which often occupies the minds of diggers and of buyers too, and which has received no satisfactory solution as yet. So much for the early discoveries ; and now let us carefully review all the principal diggings, both on the riverside and in land, as they were during nearly the whole of 1871. THE RIVERSIDE DIGGINGS, AND HOW TO WORK THERE. 7

Chapter II. The Riverside Diggings, And How To Work There

The banks of the Vaal River, which for a long time after the first discoveries gave its name to the South African Diamond Fields, have been found to be, in many places, extremely rich in diamonds, and most of the early diggers at Pniel, Klip Drift, and neighbouring places, were well rewarded for their toil. But the " dry diggings," lying about twenty-five miles away from the Vaal River, have been found, during the year 1871, to be so much more uniformly remunerative than those on the banks of the river, that the latter have become by this time comparatively deserted. though some of the diggers who have remained at the different waterside camps do still occasionally turn out something good, and the diamonds found by the riverside are, as a rule, of slightly better quality than those from the " dry diggings."

During a few days' stay I made at Pniel, in November, 1871, a diamond of 34-£ carats was found there by a digger who had been long unsuccessful, and several smaller stones by other parties. But the " finds " are so small on the average, as compared with the wonderful riches daily yielded by the dry diggings, and the in stances of long-continued ill-luck are so sadly numerous, that I would not advise our " new chums " to pitch their tents on the banks of the Vaal. True; the temptations to do so are great. The pleasant sight and sound of running water, the facilities for bathing, boating, and fishing, the abundance of splendid trees, affording shade and firewood, and the comparative absence of dust, make a camp on the river seem a perfect elysium, when contrasted with the dry, barren, treeless waste which surrounds the dry diggings.

But I think there is little doubt that the latter will continue to prove much the richest, and will, therefore, attract by far the largest proportion of the digging population of the future. I will, however, endeavour to give some little account of the different riverside camps, premising that I have not worked there myself, and can only speak from the experience of others. Pniel and K lip Drift form the centre of the river diggings, and, some think, the future commercial centre of the Diamond Fields. Pniel is a very straggling little town, or rather village, situated on the brow and slope of a hill overlooking the Vaal River, which is here some two hundred yards broad. The buildings, wliich are very scattered, are mostly of wood or galvanised iron, with one or two more solid erections of brick.

There are stores where literally everything can be bought, a church, and a most comfortable hotel, thoroughly well kept by Mr. James Jardine, the agent of the Inland Transport Company's passenger carts. The number of travellers passing through Pniel is very large, so this hotel is always full, and new arrivals will not only often find that they cannot get a bed, but may be very glad to get a " shake-down " on the floor. Between the town and the river, on the slope of the hill or "kopje," are the "claims." They are big holes, of various sizes and depths, full of large ironstone boulders, the necessary removal of which makes the work here very heavy, slow, and expensive. Among these boulders is the gravel in which the diamonds are found. This gravel is generally washed, to free it from sand and dirt, at the riverside, otherwise water must be brought up from the river to wash it.

Generally, the "cradle" is erected close to the edge of the water. In either case, the cost of a cart, with a couple of mules or oxen, must be added to the ordinary expenses of a digger's outfit. When a cartload of gravel or " stuff " has been dug out of the claim, it is carted down to the river, and emptied into a large trough made in the ground, with smooth bottom and sides, or merely on to a smooth floor. A proper quantity of it is put into the "cradle," which is a strong wooden framework, holding two or three sieves of perforated iron or zinc, or wire meshing, one over the other, the top one having large holes, and the bottom one very small ones — the whole framework resting on two strong rockers. While the stuff is being rocked in this cradle, one of the diggers pours bucketfuls of water into it.

The gravel being thus thoroughly cleansed by this double process of sifting and washing, the large stones in the top sieve are hastily glanced over, to see if perchance any big diamond be amongst them, and the other sieve or sieves are taken out, and the contents emptied on to the "sorting-table,'' which is an ordinary table of deal, with or without legs, or a smooth sheet of iron or other inexpensive metal. At this table, the digger either sits or lies, according as it has legs or rests on the ground, and quickly sorts over the stuff with THE RIVERSIDE DIGGINGS, AND HOW TO WORK THERE. 9 the aid of an iron or wooden scraper. Nine or ten inches of ordinary hoop-iron answers very well for this purpose. Diamonds, especially those of good quality, show out brilliantly, and can very seldom be missed on a sorting-table ; the larger gems, indeed, are often found in the sieve, or even in the act of digging.

Besides diamonds, one or two valuable rubies and sapphires have been found on the river-diggings ; garnets are very numerous but almost valueless, and the gravel contains immense quantities of beautiful agates, also cornelians, jasper, chalcedony, and other pretty pebbles, which I am sure might be cut and set in large brooches, bracelets, &c, like the Scotch pebbles which at home form such an important item in cheap jeweller}7. Rock crystals of pretty shapes, clear and shiny, glitter occasionally among the bright and niany coloured pebbles, and woefully deceive the " new chum." Strong, full-grown Kafirs should be employed for the river work, as young boys, though they may be hired much more cheaply, often prove unequal to the heavy work among the boulders. There are, I think, only between forty and fifty claims now being worked at Pniel, and about the same number at Klip Drift, a great contrast to the thousands at the dry diggings.

Klip Drift is just opposite to Pniel, on the slope of a hill or kopje. It is reached from Pniel by ferry-boats, which are very numerous, and make a pretty good thing of it, charging Gd. each way. A little above the ferry is the " pont," an immense flat-bottomed decked boat, for the conveyance of waggons and carts, with horses, mules, or oxen, when the river is so high that the ordinary passage by the " drift," or ford, a few hundred yards farther up the river, is not practicable. Klip Drift stands in a very favourable situation as the great depot for produce of all kinds from the interior of the Transvaal, a fine fertile country, growing almost everything, and abounding in large game. It is the Transvaal which supplies nearly the whole of the Diamond Fields with meal, maize, tobacco, rheims, or pre pared strips of strong hide used as ropes or harness, and many other necessaries.

The merchants at Klip Drift, besides selling all these things, on a very extensive scale, to storekeepers and diggers at the different camps, can also often "make a good thing of it " by purchasing ivory, ostrich feathers, and valuable skins, all of which frequently arrive in large quantities from the interior. Here is a slight description of Klip Drift, from the pen of the correspondent of the Natal Mercury : — Klip-Drift is certainly, in many respects, a most English-looking little town. The situation is pleasant, and the river-scenery extremely pretty. The Vaal here takes a great many turns, and can be seen from all parts of the town. It is here and there hidden by the bends, and then comes into view again some miles off. The original " rich kopje," and the Colesberg Kopje " (which must not be confounded with that wonderful Golconda, the Colesberg Kop or De Beer's New Rush) are rugged-looking hills, and not at all the places where one would naturally think diamonds would be found.

The main street (called Campbell-street) is quite smooth, and regularly built upon. There are some very substantial buildings. Mr. James Strong has come out strong indeed in his fine stone-built stores. There is nothing this side of Grahamstown to be compared with them. The stone is found in the neighbourhood, and has been well cut and laid. Mr. Unger, the diamond merchant, has an extremely neat office, with prettily-built stone pillars for gates. Sir. Sanger's Masonic Hotel is certainly one of the best constructed and conducted establishments it has been my good fortune to visit. Close to this, on the old market-place, stand Joel Myers' iron store and brick built stores. Gordon and Co. ai-e in Parker's Music Hall, and Myhill and Co. monopolise both sides of the street. Reid and Co. have a large granary here, for supplying the various diggings with Transvaal produce.

The Standard Bank and the Government offices are now under wood, but will shortly be comfortably ensconced in stone and brick. Mr. Strong has let one-half of his store to the former, and Mr. Schultz has hired the other part. Mrs. Schuardt has a very comfortable-looking hotel on the site of the original tent she had the enterprise to put up whilst diamond-digging was in its infancy. An excellent business she does too, and well she deserves it. The shell of the English Church is not badly situated on the hill above Sanger's, but it is very small, and, I am sorry to say, of brick. It is a great pity that a church should be built of indifferent brick when really good building stone is to be obtained in great quantities in the neighbourhood. The Masonic lodge is close to the church, and is a very creditable building con sidering the number of members of the craft resident here.

The Parsonage is also hard by. The less said about this building the better. Mr. F. Thompson is building a house in the style of a bungalow, which will be a very comfortable house if the roof can be kept from blowing off. Alto gether, Klip Drift is a very pleasant place, and doubtless it will be a town of great resort for dried-up diggers from Du Toit's Pan. A very large business has been done here of late, but whether merchants will continue to send their goods twenty-five miles beyond the present diggings, and bring them back again, is highly problematical, I think. Still it is the centre of the various river diggings, and the depot for all Transvaal produce, and will no doubt monopolise the whole of the interior trade, for which it is well situated. The inhabitants live in the hope that diggers will be com pelled to come back to the river in the summer, for they say no mortal thing can hold out at the Pan and its vicinity during the warm weather.