The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-04-15
The TralSTaal Gold Fields,
The Hidden WeaIM Of Rising SO"fh
African Republic.
[London 7Ymes.]


in government, but Iapidly filling on al
sides with an English-speaking popula
ton. 1t has long been a State littI
known, or even heard Of by the grea
outer world, but now seems to step rap
idly to the front. 1t may be said to hav'
had its birth as farback as the year 1886
when the first eminent farmers crossed
the Vaal River from the Cape Colony
under Commandants Moritz and Po'gel
ter, who were almost Immediately al
tackled by the great Matabele Chief Mo
silikatse, at that time sweeping the coun
try then occupied by many and various
native tribes. This blood.thirsty war
rior, attacking them unawares at differ
ent points as they crossed the RIVER, muir
dered without discrimination men, wo
men and children. Nothing daunted and
Till pressing on, they gave him battle
and this mere handful of hardy pioneers
after a nine days struggle, broke to pieces
his vast bordes of savages. The Chlel
made another stand on the little Marco
River, but they there defeated hlm again
and drove him before them with his fol-
lowers, beyond the Limpopo River, be-
tween which and the Zambesl he mas
aver since dwelt. By a treaty between
these emigrant farmers and the British
Goyernment, known as the Sand River
Convention" in 1852, they obtained the
right ito govern themselves according u
their own laws, without any interference
on the part of the British Government"
The first President, Mr.. Pretorlus, re-
signed his office some three years ago,
and his place has been most ably filled
by Mr.. Burgers, under whose rule the
Government of the country has been
placed on a far more sure and satisfactory
foundation, and the resources OF the
country have been greatly developed
For some years past rumorss nave 0eeh
afloat that g, Id existed i'll the Northern
Transvaal, but it was not until the Dla'
monds Fields began somewhat to Wane
and men we're looking for some new
source of treasure further afeld that dis
coyeries were actually made. Then 1t
was that stream began to flow across
the Vaal River through the South African
Republic to the gold districts beyond, the
little town of Lydenberg, and lying deep
down amid the magnificent scenery IN
which the Drakensburg Mountains break
down on to the fiat, bushy country which
extends eastward to DelagOa Bay. First
at Mac Mac and then at Pilgrims Rest
Creek gold of various quantities was
found, from large Jumps OF ll3 ounces TO
smaller gold and even dust. A white
populatiOn of some 1000 persons were
soon mining in the neighbOrhood, and
many hundreds of natives were helping
them in their heavy work OF removing
the enormous stones and rocks from the
bed of the creek, beneath which the
largest gold has been found. About the
some time as the Lydenherg fields were
opened for alluvial working two rich
onartz reefs, one sCme 200 miles to the
northwest of Lydenberg, and the other
some 300 miles turtherin the same dlrec
tion. we're discovered, and companies
formed to work them by gOIp-crIshlng
machinery, the former under the super
intendence of Mr.. L. Button, known as
the Transvaal Gold Mining Company, at
Ersteling; the latter, superintendent by
Sir J. Swinburn Brown, as the London
and Limpopo Gold Mining Company, at
the Tati. Both are reported to be doing
well, and in proofof this more machinery
for crushing on larger scale day and
night is being brought out from England,
To the far north of fthese gold fields, ana
living towards the Iambesi River Mr.
Baines, F. r. G. s., the South Aili AN
traveller f. and Herr Carl Manch, the dis
coverer of the vast ruins of Iimbabye. or
Zimboa, supposed to be the ancient ophlr
have found three more very extensive
systems of reefs, which are only awaiting
their development by European enter
prise and capital. ,, 49,,
The road to all these gold fields, those
first described lying in the North Trans
yaal and the latter beyond its limits
runs either through Cape Town, from
which port weekly passenger carriages
well appointed, traverse the vast distance
of some twelve hundred miles IN about Il
fortnight, via the Diamond Fields, or
through Port Elizabeth, making the land
Journey rather shorter, or through Dur
ban in Natal. The natural port OF these
various fields is, of course, Delagoa Bay
nnon which stands the small Portuguese
set.lement of Lorenzo Marques. The
Union Companys steamers from South
ampton. via the Cape, are now touching
regularly at Lorenzo Marques,and another
line is about to run from London, VIA
Lisbon and the Suez Canal. This, OF
course, will be a vast boon to the Trans-
Vaal. but until railway is made from the
bay up into the republic, to effect which
a Company is about to be formed, the
land Journey is troublesome, and for
seven months in the year, owing to the
route lying through aieyer country, ought
not to be attempted without great care
During the dry winter months, from Inc
middle of May to the middle OF October,
the journey can be accomplished with
safety.
Amidst the mountains ofthe TransyaaI
an abundance of iron and coal exists
galena and leai are also found i'll certain
districts, and latterly cobalt mine, in
which nickel silver has appeared In some
quantity. A large native population
shares the country with the white men
with whom they live upon amicaDle
terms, and for whom they are generally
willing to work. They inhabit chiefly
the valleys of the mountainous districts,
avoiding the winter cold of the fiat and
more exposed regions. The tribes are
most numerous, the principal being the
Batlajun Baralong, Nsutu Amaswazi, and
many Bushmen, who are almost dwaris,
and whom Livingstone named the gvp-
sizes of South A rica. Hunted and run
down like ostriches, captured and en-