The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-03-28
CAPE DIAMONDS.


of whom was o small, spec
lacled, Notwithstanding manned
Girard and myself, were the suffering
inmates Of a nondescript vehicle Of the
stage wagon pattern, drawn by six small
cape" horses, en- route from the Bloem-
fontein diamond fields of South Africa
for Wellington, thence by rail to Cape
Town.
Two-thirds of the truly terrible jour
ney had already been accomplished, yet
there were still two hundred and fifty
miles Of travel over sun beat plain and
arid desert before us, with the mercury
at a hundred and two degrees, IN such
shade alone Us our tilted conveyance af-
forded for, in truth, there was no 9TH
er. W x
Our eyes were blurred and blinded
by the ceaseless glare of the sun, whose
rays beat down on the sandy desert
from an unclouded sky, which was Us
brass above us. Our bodies were sore
and bruised by the unceasing jar and
jolt of our rudely hung vehicle. We
were parched with thirst, which the
lukewarn water along the route utter
ly failed to slack, and, though continu-
ally drowsy, could neither:sleep by day
nor by night, because of the intense
hear, the sand-fiies, swelled and burn
ing feet, and intense nervousness en-
gendered by the foregoing, with the
other discomforts and sufferings Incl
dental to stage journey of some hun
dreds Of miles through South Africa.
The most of us knew each other by
sight, through having met from day to
day, for some months, in and about the
mining field which We had left. But
I will venture to state that six more
surly, unsocial fellow-passengers than
our dusty, unshorn selves were perhaps
Observation-Disclosures together.
fined and myself were perhaps lit
tie more pronounced in general dis
agreeableness than the others, we con-
sidered, indeed, that we had ample prov
ocation therefor. For thirteen months
we had been toiling and perspiring, tax
ing our several turns in the dump" OF
in our twenty four foot mining claim
as the case might be. Innearly-if moi
quite-a year of unremitting toll, We
had barely succeeded in washing out
enough small stones (the invariable
term for diamonds in South Africa,
with which to pay our running expen'
ses; and then one stroke of the picl
had unearthed rose diamond of sucf
size and purity that for full sixty min
utes our good fortune was the talk o
Bloemfontein. ass
Well, that night, after our fr6ga
supper, Ned without speaking, extend
ed the precious gem toward me in hi.
open palm, as we sat at our rude tabl,
in our canvas-covefed crbin. I do no
answer for the scope of my partner
vision, of course. But in the uncu
brilliant, as in the magicians stones,
myself saw but one object-sweet
| wistful face, framed in wreath of darl
hair, within the depths of whose sof
eyes was look as if of patient waiting
for the return of him who had gone tt
seek his fortune in the far-away
diamond fields.
"Home?" was Nefs interrogativt
query, raising his own eyes, which hat
bent upon the gem, with sort of far
away look, to meet my own suddenl,
up-turned gaze.
"Home!" echoed, with joyous EN-
phasis.
But hardly had the word escaped my
| lips when a tall form was dashst
through the door, and upsetting the
candle by a sudden blow, seized tht
diamond from Ned's still outstretchec
hand, and was off in the darkness-tht
whole event having taken place in fal
less time than have occupied in tell
ing it,
OF course we gave the alarm as quick
ly MS we could regain our scattered
ideas: but though half the male popu
Lation of Bloemfontein turned out, i
was it no purpose.
The robber and his booty had disap
peared without the slightest clew.
So it was that being in local parlanc,
"down on our luck" Ned and myself
disgusted and discouraged, had sold on
about :e30O, and with those conposin.
our present stage-coach party. hat
taken passage, as | have said. for Wei
lington, intending to return home, evel
though with heavy hearts and igh
pockets.
Beside the small specialized man, VIII
had represented himself as u sort @
colporteur for areligious society at Cap
Town, our fellow passengers compose
two diamond brokers, together with
young and very boastful fellow, VIII
called himself M'Arthur. The latte
had been very successful, and it wa
with feelings of envy we heard him II
late the result Of two weeks work in
deserted claim, where, as he informe
| US with many profane assertions, he ha
struck pocket" from which he ha
taken stones, whose value he declare
was "a, 600.
These he carried in belt about Iii
waist, together with considerable su,
of money from the sale Of his claim -
he said-while girded to either hip WI
. heavy revolver, as safeguard again,
possible attack from road agents.
/ After wretched supper at small
barren looking station in the Hooe
boom Bottom, the journey was resume
with fresh relay of horses, and sligl
diminution of our i'll temper-the he,
being degree or two less intense, +
reason of the declining sun.
The conversation naturally turne
upon the subject of road agents, son
recent depredations of these genti
having been graphically narrated /
the proprietor of the station We ha
just left.
.They wouldn't play any OF the
ganes on Inc, y replied MArthnr, toucl