The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-16


10 Invoivea II Mystery-Ths Fessofui
Mashenas ans che nissssng che Aavsat
OF The whites Has Beea Go Thea.
HARTLEY HILLS. MashonAland. June lin
my last letter mention was made OF the value
OF Mashonaland rs an agricultural and gold
producing country. High claim was made for
the riohes and fertility OF large portion Of
Newfoundland. for the evidences were 90 strong
that there was no danger Of exaggeration.
Dissertations since that time have confirmed
prospects, wns careful to avoid undue praise
and spoke with some reserve. as was anxious
to say nothing that would DO N Misleading. For
tho past quarter OF q century 1t has been
known that there was gold In Mashonn-
land. and OF the various localities
whore natives obtained the metal. two
were prominently mentioned. These wero
tho Maze River district In northeast
Newfoundland and tho Umvuli River dis
trct which is vol to the southwest. 1t was
but natural that whom men began searching
for gold last September they should be At
tracted to those two places. Many wont to the
Mazoe. whore few found gold. larger num-
ber nocked to the Umvull. where many gold
bearing reefs were discovered The report ri
humorous finds here. for Hartley Hills is the
centre around which most discoveries have
been made. drew still larger numbers. and
up to this date 80 many rs 1.400 claims
have been pegeed out and registered IN the
Umpuli district. A claim. according to the
gold laws Of the British South African Com
pany. is $50 feet in tho direction Of tho reef and
400 feet widu. II must be borne In mind that
many OF the clnimholders are Inca per.enced
men. and that very few claims hive been
proved owing to the scarcity OF tools In the
otry far En- la hod ar
present However. most OF tho reefs which
have boon developed give satisfactory results.
30 it Is not too much to suppose there are
many other reefs yet to b opened up Just as
good. Perhaps the greater number Of reefs
already described arc In tho nsiRhborhood OF
what is known as Hartley Hills, 50 named after
o famous elephant hunter who was probably
the tlrst white man to ind gold here. Many
other finds have been made twenty or thirty
miles west and northwest Of Hartley Hills.
1t is too early in tho occupation OF Mashona-
land to know what the gold fields will be worth
as compared with those OF other countries.
Several experienced prospectors have told me
that tho Umpuli 6elds arc far the best Of any in
South Africa. but Just as many say that they
do not approach the Trausvaal fields for rich
ness 1t IL true there have boon no wonderful
discoveries. No reefs which will yield four
six. or eight ounces to the ton have yet been
found. but q far less quantity will pay we'll
here. where watcr and iuel will cost nothing.
1t should also be mentioned that nearly all the
reefs now found are those which have "old
work inRs" upou them. and 50 were known to
the people who worked these fslds centuries
ago: thus few reefs have been found except
those with plain evidences upon the surface.
l sh all tell more OF tho old workings" later.
From all this It seems very likely that whom
T. 4
be found whero none is now suspected. There
are fully 800 men In Msshonsland looking for
gold at present. and II rumor has 1t correctly
hundreds are on route to seek their fortunes
In this country.
A few words on the gold laws Of Mashona-
land may be Of interest. All the mineral
wealth Of Mashonaland belongs to the British
South African Company. but . one-half
interest In all gold found Is given to
Tho finder. Any prospsolor Is allowed
to hold ton claims at tme. and
when he has sunk q thirty-foot shaft no
muy peg OF another ten. II the claims are a.
certained to be payable the company will make
the holder an offer 10 float his claims and give
ever. the holder receives q better offer for
foatation he may ACCEPT It and must then give
the company one-half the vendors interests.
No licenses are to be paid until the claims are
worked and then tho amounts are small Allu-
vial claims are $50 feet square and the holder
has all the gold he gets. but DAYS Q license Of
81 Dor month,
The history Of Msshcnaland 10 wrapped In the
deepest mystery. That the country has had Q
history worthy Of being known to the world Of
to-day may b. seen from the abundant svi-
worked for gold By an unknown people who
hav 1Aff n n ira nv which fhay hA tdan-
titled. The ancient workings. as they are to-
day. consist both ofshaits and cuttings Of varl-
Qua kinds. The shafts arc sometimes forty or
more feet deep. with tunnels OF unknown
lengths. The walls Of some Of these have fallen
in and others have large trees growing In them
which show that they wore made = very long
time ago. On the surface Of the ground about
tho openings Of many shafts lay tons OF broken
quartz which carries . good amount OF gold !:
again at the openings Of others no loose quartz
is to be seen. yet the work done below the sur
face shows that immense quantities have been
excavated and conveyed to some distant spot
presumably for crushing.
Another mystery In the history Of Mashons-
land Is indicated by the ruins OF buildings.
There arc Q number Of those In various parts
OF tho country, but the most perfect and inter.
ssting arc those called the Zmbabi or Zimbase
ruins. to be seen about south latitude 90 Is
and east longitude 81 80. A very considers.
Bile area Is covered BY the ruins. but those Of
two buildings are In . better state OF preserva-
tion than tho others. One OF these % on high
and bold granite hill. and is built OF granite
hewn into blocks somewhat larger than
bricks. put together without mortar. Tho
walls as they now stand are thirty feet high
over ten feet thick at the base. and several less
at The TOP. This building. a. we'll as the other.
was circular in form. and seems. from its posi-
tion and construction. to bs a fort. There are
slabs Of granite proiruding from the walls in
places containing rough zigzag Ornamental
The other and larger building stands several
hundred feet below on rising ground. Tho
walls OF this building are also Of granite OF tho
Same height Ard thickness az those just de-
scribsd. For about third Of Its circumference
there is ono row Of plain ornamental figures at
tho top. This building was $50 yard In diam
etsr and had Dut ono or two entrances. Walls
running In different directions srand inside.
but the thick bush which has grown up within
makes 1t impossible 40 yet to learn anything
debate OF the sizes and shapes OF tho euclos-
nn~u hv thu lamar n,,ii. M.