The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1883-02-08
SOUTH AFRICAN DIAMONDS.
Precious Gems Found i'm the Plaster of a
Dutch Farmers House.


Dutch Farmers House.
Captain Arson A. Maher furnishes the
LIGHT with the subjoined interesting story Of
the diamond mines of South Africa:
The dry diggings or diamond mines of
South Africa we're discovered in peculiar
manner: A party of diggers, with their
wives and children, left the river diggings in
tent on picknicking, taking their wagon with
them. AT Beers farm called Du Toitspan,
the ladies alighted and sought shelter from
the burning rays of the sun, in the
house, the men of the party lounging Under
the verandah. This house was built of sun
dried brick, and plastered over with red clay.
One Of the men, enjoying himself picking out
the clay from the interstices of the bricks,
suddenly uttered a cry of establishment. His
companions crowdiDg around him, inquired
the cause. He informed them that he had
found two diamonds in the clay, of which
quite little heap had accumulated at his feet.
The diamonds were on being examined by the
comrades declared genuine. Then scene of
wild excitement followed. The men and
women began chopping away at the Beers
house, attacking it from all sides. The Boer
stood by, looking aghast at this Incompetent
sible proceeding of the diggers, entreating
them to desist, and he would show them
where any amount of those stones were to be
found. On hearing this the men ceased their
work of destruction and followed the Boer to
a large hole at the back of the house, which
he had excavated to use the ground for bricks.
The men, on approaching, at once fell to
work, first with their hands and then with
some spades furnished by the Boer. Having
collected fair amount of ground, they pro-
cured -four seive dry sorted the ground,
finding, to their Joy, a small diamond about
the size of pea, octahedran- shaped.
In sending boy to the river diggings for
their digging gear, the affair leaked out; rush
was made for Du Toitspan, and "a hours after
over 5000 souls were working on the newly
discovered mine.
Tents were pitched and the camp presented
the appearance of some large irregular army
entrenching themselves.
This mine, the first discovered diamond
mine of South Africa, is now named the Du
Toitspan mine. 1t is the largest mine Of
Africa, but not the richest.
Shortly after the discovery of this mine, the
great Kimberly mine (the richest mine in the
world was discovered in a somewhat similar
manner. A party from Du Toitspan were
living under tree, (quite curiosity
in that part of the country about a
mile and a half from the mine. One
morning the Hottentot cook in raking the
ashes from the open fire place, disturbed the
ground underneath and displayed a good
sized diamond, which had probably laid there
for some ages.
The news soon spread and the place was
at once rushed to. The discovery was made in
the morning, and at night time the whole veldt
was covered with tents and wagons for miles
around the place.
People came from every part of the world,
and the diamond fields of South Africa, soon
falling into the hands of the English, proved a
source of great income to Cape Colony.