Diamond Mines: The Discovery Page 164



	THE DISCOVERY	125

	second Great Trek to the Vaal from the Cape, a myriad of adventurers that spread down the stream like a locust swarm, amazing the natives, worrying the missionaries, and agitating the pioneer republics on the north and the east.¹ The first organized party of prospectors at Hebron on the Vaal was formed at Maritzburg in Natal, at the instance of Major Francis, an officer in the English army service, then stationed at that town. Captain Rolleston was the recognized leader, and after a long plodding march over the Drakens-berg and across the veld, the little company reached the valley of the Vaal in November, 1869. Up to the time of its arrival there had been no systematic washing of the gravel edging the river. Two experienced gold diggers from Australia, Glenie and King, and a trader, Parker, had been attracted to the field like the Natalians by the reported discoveries, and were prospecting on the line of the river when Captain Rolleston's party reached Hebron.² Their prospecting was merely looking over the surface gravel for a possible gem, but the wandering Koranas were more sharp-sighted and lucky in picking up the elusive little crystals that occasionally dotted the great stretches of alluvial soil. It was determined by Captain Rolleston to explore the ground as thoroughly as practicable from the river's edge for a number of yards up the bank, and the washing began on a tract near the Mission Station. The Australian prospectors joined the party, and their experience in placer mining was of service in conducting the search for diamonds. The workers shovelled the gravel into cradles, like those used commonly in Australian and American placer washing, picked out the coarser stones by hand, washed away the sand and lighter pebbles, and saved the heavier mineral deposit, hoping to find some grains of gold as well as diamonds above the screens of their cradles. But the returns for their hard labor for many days were greatly disappointing. They washed out many crystals and brilliant pebbles, ¹ "South Africa," Theal, 1888—1893. "Among the Diamonds," 1870-1871. ² " Among the Diamonds," 1870-1871.