The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-26

that were able to do carpentering or smith
work We're paid $S5 per week.
The demand came now for water TO wash
the diamondiferous soil therefore Caruh-
chael and I sold out and turned our atten-
ton to blasting and sinking wells at ths
rate Of $40 per foot It was now an excit-
ing mining camp. The colonial govern
ment sent up a mining Inspector opened a
poStoff1ce, erected a police barracks and
appointed magistrate. Work on extend
ing the railroad was begun and freighters
We're running passenger wagons drawn by
mules and charging $3.50 a hundred pounds
FOR freight. Claims were increasing in
value. and some Beers that owned claims
sould out and realized as high as $500 for
a claim.
My partner had decided to take a trip TO
Cape Town, and in his absence l took a job
to sink a well for two miners. l will re-
member that job until my dying day. 1
employed two natives to assist me, and
with small quantities of powder worked
down thirty-five feet. After lighting my
charge l was always hauled up by these
natives by means of a windlass.
After getting down this depth 1 struck
a vein of hard rock and decided to use
dynamite l drilled a hole, charged il. lit
my fuse and was hauled UP as usual by
my niggers. 1 knew they had a mortal
terror of dynamite but did not give it any
serious thought, After they had cleaned
up the effects of the charge. l took one of
them down with me and drilled two angles
for double shot l charged the hoes,
marked the center of the fuse so that both
charges would go off at the one time, and
sent my niger up to get ready TO haul
me up as soon as l lit my fuse. l noticed
his hurried call of "doonsah," or pull
up" but thought nothing of 1t at the time
| drew my knife, cut the fuse placed the
knife in my mouth until / opened the fuse
to loosen the powder, lit it and then called
to be pulled up. No movement of the
rope was made. I looked up, when 10 my
horror 1 discovered that they had aban-
doned the wndlass.
1t was five-minute fuse. I felt giddv
for second, but realizing the awful death
awaiting me, nerVed myself to instant ac-
ton. Having my knife ready l drew the
fuse and cut both ends short at the
primers, and then dropped down all of a
heap when l recovered myself. l was OBJ
liged to get out hand over hand. 1 never
found those niggers.
A serious state of affairs came to the
knowledge of the miners, which was Illicit
diamond trade. An overseer was detailed
to watch five natives. and during their
days labor they would sometimes find
diamond in picking. This they would hand
to the overseer, and if he was dishonest
it was sold TO an I. D. B.-ilEcit diamond
buyer The natives were also approached
at night by some one that spoke their Ian
guage and were taught that these stones
were of value and could be converted into
money. The result was that the natives
became expert thieves, and the illicit
trade was as extensive as the legitimate
trade.
Extreme measures were used 10 stop this
traffic. A man named Fox was appointed
chief trap detective. In his employ were
about ten subordinates Their method was
to take a few inteliient natives into their
confidence, spot a suspect and send two
natives to his shanty one with a diamond
and the other as a witness of the transac-
ton. Then the trappers would surround
the place. Immediately the sale was made
and the niger had the money he would
give some signal. The trappers would rusn
in. search the buyer and the native, and.
upon finding the diamond on one and the
money on the other. would take the former
to Jail and upon this evidence he would
would be convicted and sentenced to serve
three years in assisting to build a break
water at Cape Town, guarded by native
policemen.
This system was carried on to such an
extent that sometimes a newcomer was
trapped iunocently one the street. which
was easily accomplished, he not being con-
versant with this law, and received the
same punishment.
This was unjust, but they 'resorted to any
method to suppress this illegal traffic.
l knew of an instance of one being drop
ped into a mans pocket, and, with every
effort to save him. the poor fellow was con-
victed. Even two of the trappsrs who
were suspected were tripped UP by a wo-
man. and went the same course, and what
is now the finest breakwater on the African
coast was built by these unfortunate con-
Yicts.