300	THE DIAMOND MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA
	ing he came to my house and said : " You told me, some time ago, that you could put a lot of people down in the mines, and I think the time has now come when we must do it. Will you get your mines ready so that the people can be sent down this evening ? " I supervised the work at De Beers mine, and my son was its director at Kimberley. Tunnels one thousand and twelve hun­dred feet below the surface were cleaned out — sanitary arrange-
	ments were provided, and, early in the afternoon, both mines were ready for occupation. Rhodes had sent a notice about town which is given as an illustration on this page, and speaks for itself. Attention was called to it by the ringing of a bell. Crowds flocked to both shafts during the afternoon and evening ; and before midnight nearly three thousand women and children were safely housed, deep down in the subterranean passages of the mines. There was discomfort, of course, in this rude lodg­ing, but all were happy in the thought that they were beyond the sound of screeching shells, and out of danger.