Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-03-22

OeNleN. SOutH Africa, from personal
knowledge OF the subject has described
how the first diamond was discovered
which led to the building up of the
city OF Kimberley and how Cecil
Rhodes laid the foundation of his CO.
lossal wealth and power
1T was in 1862" he said to a CORE
spOndent of the ST. Louis Globe-Dem-
ocrat, that 1 first met Herbert Rhodes,
the pioneer of the Rhodes family for
tune. at Du Toitspan, where we joined
in the rush to Old De Beers, and in
which latter place we worked together
upon very friendly terms In short
time Herbert Rhodes was followed by
Frank, now Colonel Rhodes. when the
two brothers entered into a partner
ship. working good paying claim upon
Road No. s.
Both brothers were very popular at
the diggings. Herbert was strong.
good all round man. and if he possess
ed n fault it was his big hearted gen
crosby, which at times carried him to
lengths of expenditure perhaps not
warranted by the extent of his find
and who surely deserved better fate
than that horrible one Of being burned
70 death, which subsequently overlook
him when gold prospecting on the
coast of Zanzibar.
~ had worked for over n year at
Old De Beers with fairly satisfactory
results when L went out. in company
with n friend, upon that memorable
hunting trip which led to the discOv-
cry of New Rush. or Kimberley. and
incidentally to the making of the fpr-
tune and fame OF Hon. Cecil Rhodes
ut was on a Sunday afternoon, re-
member, that we had pushed our way
across a plain Of high Tamboke grass.
when. in searching for some cartridges
l had brought down near n clump OF
minOra bushes, / found a prospect to
which at once called the attention of
my companion On making n careful
survey of the ground, seeing that it
was of similar formation to that of
Old De Beers, 1 sat down and sorted
out some of the dirt. when in less than
five minutes ! picked out as many
small diamonds.
with this evidence of an important
discovery before US we decided to give
up the shoot and, returning to camp
ut Old De Beers. Immediately urged
upon my partner the ACCESSIBILITY of
starting for the new ground. My part
ner. however, happened to be a man OF
a very conservative disposition and
was skeptical OF the value Of my dis
covery, asking If there were not
enough diamonds right where we stood
to satisfy our needs instead of madly
rushing all over the country and in the
hunt of n shadow perhaps lose the
substance.
still impressed with the belief that
had made a big find, 1 went over to
the tent of an old Natal friend. Pop
ham by name, with whom at the time
was Herbert Rhodes. 1 told them of
my discovery, and we three at once
decided TO organize stampede for the
new field. Popham and Rhodes got
away in less than two hours. and 1
fully intended to accompany them, but
deferred to the wishes of my partner
to remain with him at Old De Beers.
sending on four Kaffir Zulus, however,
to help stake out our claims.
.It was but a few hours after, through
the instrumentalIty of the friend whom
had taken with me on the hunting
trip. that the news was spread abroad
through the camp, and before q O'CLOCK
the next morning Old De Beers was
deserted, and twenty-fou hours later
there were from 1900 to 1000 men on
the ground on which now stands the
city OF Kimberley.
"In a few days the country all around
that clump of minoras where had shot
the partridges was staked OUT and ii
was almost on that spot, right in the
center of the crater of the extinct mud
volcano now forming the celebrated De
Beers mine, that POpham, Herbert
Rhodes and myself secured three of the
best paying claims.
cit was about five or six months aft
er this, when we had all moved to New
Rush, that Cecil Rhodes. the youngest
brother, unexpectedly turned up at the
diggings. His constitution appeared to
be very delicate, and it was generally
understood that he had come out more
with the idea OF building up his health
than making a fortune. He took up
his abode in a tent close to my own,
and for some months. on account of the
intimate relations existing between his
brothers and myself, / saw good deal
of him, in fact dining with the three
almost every night.
while, as / said before. Herbert
and Frank Rhodes were open hearted.
generous fellows, Cecil. on the other
hand. was OF an altogether different
character, being very reserved and
hard to draw out. He was at first
evidently not bubbling over with de
light at all he witnessed and heard In
his new surroundings. taking rather
unkindly to the situation. which did not
tend to make him popular in the camp,
and even his brothers seemed a little
shy Of his presence
.-OE the morning of his arrival in
camp Herbert Rhodes asked me to
take his brother Cecil down and show
him over the claims, where they were
working from eighteen to twenty Zu-
Ius- To this request l readily agreed