Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-11-27

The Hartford Times OF evening before Iass has
an interesting letter from Kimberley, South
africa giving this brief description OF that land
This place IS about 100 miles inland from Cane
Town. ana about 500 from Port Elizabeth, TO
reach Kimberley, from Cape Town, one has 70
roo barren, rocky tract, with scarcely any
signs of life in it. 1t Is about 800 miles through
II. A more desolate region can scarcely De
found. 90 not think l saw ten acres for a
distance OF 200 miles that could possibly be
proved; and. judging from appearances, think
rat, TO travel through the Karroo would need
a knapsack on his back, well laden with pro-
visions to sustain life on his journey, unless ne
was OF near kin to DR.. Tanner. Kimberley, like
Its surroundings. Is a barren waste, very un.
pleasant lot a family home.
MOSb Oh the country here Is worthless for
farming purposes Water Is scarce; wood Is
very scarce 1t is brought here by OK wagons
from distance OF one hundred miles, and sold
on Inc market at auction for from $25 to $50 per
loao, according to size and quality. None of ft
would be merchantable In your city. Old dead
wood aug up BY the roots and brought to mar
and load OF live wood tunsplit). containing
one and half cords. sells for $40 to $50 per load
POtatees grow to about the size OF English
Walnuts; beets, carrots, onions, cucumbers and
lettuce are luXuries nearly unknown here Tue
dust and dirt is fearful I cannot describe it
ana 90 Justice TO the subject. 1t fills your eyes,
hose and ears. and mats your hair and whlsK-
eFs and as for clothes, the natives, WAC wear
none have the advantage as the water is hard
and miserable full OF dirt. and sells for sixty
Gents per barrel Tor washing purposes, and as
IoI oIlhKlng something stronger Is the CON-
mon beverage here.
But the diamonds. It is truly land of dia-
noLds: Already over $I25, 600, 900 worth have
been discovered. In the late war one of the
chiefs {Saccahunf) offered a quart measure
full or diamonds for cannon. Claims of
claim! ~
The mihes are now worked by large GONNA.
MES. The largest is a French company The
manager Informed me that their expenses were
$4,000 per month. They take out Of their
Gay, worth on the average Sl4 40 per load. There
are several other large companies In the same
nine. mile and half from here is another
mine, called Old De Beers mine. Three miles
Farther there is another one, called Du Tatts
ran; and one mile from that is another called
BlItIonteln. All these are extensively worked
Oy large companies.
Bull pantein mine was originally farm, on
Whlch was built brick house; and on the dis
covery OF diamonds the house was found TO
contain the precious gems In the plaster used
10 lay the brfck and in the plastered walls,
while the children played With what they called
the shioey stones There has recently been
a diamond mine discovered eight miles from
here called ELEPHANTS Fantein.
CHAINS 10 the number OF 900 have been sur
veyeu and sold ia that mine, and people here
are wild with speculation. An acquaintance OF
mine bought claims in Jager's Fanteia mine, 20
miles from here. which cost him S1l0 and in a
Sholt time he was offered S'j 600 for said claims.
80 IL seems mat men are ike DuODleS the world
over; some go up, and some explode financially.
the exploding portion being by far the most
numerous
The penalty for buying diamond OF negro
Is five years imprisonment at hard labor and q
fine of 81 4c0 for the first ofTense and ten wears
lor the second ofense; and yet the temptation
is SO great that out OF a population OF 16 900
there are over 800 now In prison for Illicit dia-
m0Dd buying and diamond stealing, Some of
these prisoners are worth from $4,000 to
500, 600. Surely the way or the transgressor Is
hard. "
Twenty miles from here are what are called
the River DiggingS, on the Faai river.
Men carry diamonds in their pockets, sport
them on their fingers in rings, and In breast
pins: and what shall say OF the ladies' In such
land Of diamonds and ostrich plumes?