The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-04-05

The modern discovery Of diamonds
came about in this wise. In 1867 a cer-
tain John O'Reilly, trader and hunter. ON
his way from the interior, reached the
junction Of the rivers and stopped for tho
night at the farmof Dutch farmer named
Van Niekerk, The children we're PLAYING
on the earth floor with some pretty pebbles
they had found long before ia tho
river. One Of these pebbles .kattracted
oheillys attention. He said, picking
it up, "rhat might be diamond Me.
kerk laughed and said he could have
it it was no diamond; if it was, there were
plenty around there. However, O'ReilIy
was not to be laughed out Of his idea, and
said that II Nickerk didn't object he would
take 1t down with him to Cape Town and
see what it was, aud If il proved to BE- Of
value he would give him half the proceeds.
On the way down, long journey, he
stopped at Colesburg, at the hotel, and
showed the pebble, scratching with il
a pane Of glass. His friends laughinolv
scratched glass with gun-flint and threw
the pebble out Of the window, telling
O'heilly not to make fool Of himself
TT
However, 0'Reilly persevered, got ID TO
Dr. Atherstone, near the coast who an
nounced that il was in truth diamond Of
22a carats. 1t was sold for $4,000. /
am glad to say that O'Reilly divided fair.
y with Niekerk. The latter remembered
that he had seen an immense stone In tho
hands OF kafir witch-doctor who used
II In his nominations. He found the fet-
lsh-man, gave him 500 sheep, horses. and
nearly all he possessed, and sold it the
same day to an experienced diamond buy
er for $4,000. This was the famous
"Star Of South Africa 1t weighed 93l
carats In the rough and was found TO be
gem quite the rival Of any Indian stone in
purity and brillianoe. After il had been
cut i was bought by tho Earl Of Dudley
and Y Is now known as the Dudley dia,
mond. The natives crawled over the
ground and found many more, and the
excitement grew and became intense. By
1869 parties in ox-wagons had worked
their way over tho weary plains to the
Wal River, From all parts Of the colony
aud from foreign lands, people swarmed,
and soon, like the creation Of a dream. a
tented city of twelve thousand and more
grew at Pniel and Klipdrift, the opposite
banks OF the stream, where diamonds were
found plentifully aud of excellent quality
by sorting over the bowlder-drift. Soon
hundreds OF cradles, like those used BY the
Australian gold-diggers, were rocking on
the edge of the stream, supplied with The
precious gravel by q large force of digeers,
sievers, and carriers. People were tbun,
derstruck at their success. Poor men
with a turn of the hand became rich.
Hotels, bakeries, breweries, drinking ga.
looms and shops were erected and reaped
rewards quito as large as did the aiggers.
: Il was marvellous scene at night when
the opposite camps were lit up with the
warm glow Of lights shining through the
tent cloth buildings and the brilliant camp.
tres of their twelve thousand inhabitants
glinted across the water, from bank to bank.
Far into the night were kept up the shouts
and laughter and singing and music. and
the crossing and recrossing Of the boats
The excited crowds shifted their quarters
up and down the river, making new dis
coveries during 1870 and 1871, over an
area Of from forty y fifty miles Of the
stream and forming many camps such as
Gong Gong, Union Kopie, Colesbere
kopie, Delports Hope, Blue Jacket, For.
lorn Hope, Waldeks' Plant, Larkins Flat
end Niekerk's Hope.