Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-05-08
CAPE DIAMONDS.

With four other masculine felIow-suf-
ferers-one of whom was a small, spec
tacled, Notwithstanding man - Ned
Girard and myself, were the suffering in
mates Of nondescript vehicle of the stage
wagon pattern, drawn by six small
''capen 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 journey
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 hundred
and two degrees, in such shade alone as
our titled conveyance afforded-for, in
truth, there was no other.
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 as 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 lukewarm water along
the route utterly failed to slack, and,
though continually drowsy, could neither
sleep by day nor by night, because Of the
intense heat, the sandfies, swelled and
burning feet, and intense nervousness
engendered by the foregoing, with the
other discomforts and suferings incidental
to stage journey of some hundreds of
milcs 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 |
will venture to state that six more surly,
unsocial fellow-passengers than our
dusty unshorn selves were perhaps never
--literally-thrown together.
If Ned 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" or
in our twenty-four-foo mining claim, as
the case might be. In nearly-if not
quite-a year Of unremitting toll, we had
barely succeeded in washing out enough
small 'istonesn (the invariable term for
diamonds in South Africa with which
to pay our running expenses; and then
one stroke of the pick had unearthed
rose-diamond of such size and purity that
for fully sixty minutes our good fortune
was the talk of Bloemfontein.
Well, that night, after our frugal sup
per, Ned, without speaking, extended
the precious gem toward me in his open
palm, as we sat at our rude table in ou1
canyas-covered cabin. I do not answer
for the scope of my partners vision, of
course. But in the uncut brilliant, as in
the magician's stones, I myself saw but
one object-sweet, wistfnl face. framed
in wreath of dark hair, within the
depths of whose soft eyes was look as
if of patient waiting for the return of
him who had gone to seek his fortune in
the far-away diamond fields.
"Home2" was Ned's interrogative
query, raising his own eyes, which had
bent upon the gem, with a sort of far
away look, to meet my own suddenly up
burned gaze.
"Home" I echoed, with joyous en-
phasis.
But hardly had the word escaped my
lips when a tall form was dashed through
the door, and upsetting the candle by a
sudden blow, seized the diamond from
Ned's still outstretched hand, and was
off in the darkness-the whole event
having taken place in far less time than
| have occupied in telling it.
OF course we gave the alarm as quickly
as we could regain our scattered ideas;
but though half the male population Of
Bloemfontein turned out, it was to no
purpose.
The robber and his booty had disap-
peared without the slightest clew.
SO it was that being in local parlance
"down on our luck, Ned and myself,
disguised and discouraged, had sold our
claim to a couple Of new comers for
about $500. and with those composing
our present stage-coach party, had taken
passage, as have said, for Wellington,
intending to return home, even though
with heavy hearts and light pockets.
Beside the small specialized man, who
had represented himself as a sort Of
colporteur for religious society at Cape
Town, our fellow passengers composed
two diamond brokers, together with
young and very boastful fellow, who
called himself MArthur. The latter
bad been very successful, and 1t was with