126 THE DIAMOND MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA
but
never a diamond nor an atom of gold dust. Then they pushed down the
river more than twenty miles to another camp at Klip-drift, opposite
the Mission Station at Pniel. Here too they washed the ground for days
without finding even the tiniest gem, and were almost on the point of
abandoning their disheartening drudgery, when finally, on the seventh
of January, 1870, the first reward of systematic work in the field came
in the appearance of a small diamond in one of the cradles.1
This
little fillip of encouragement determined their continuance of the
work, and a party from British KarFraria joined them in washing the
gravel in places that seemed most promising along the line of the
river. It was agreed that the first discovery of rich diamond-bearing
ground should be shared alike by both parties, but there was nothing to
share for some weeks. Then some native Koranas were induced to point
out to the Natalians a gravel-coated hummock or kopje near the
Klip-drift camp, where they had picked up some small diamonds. When the
prospectors began the washing of the gravel on this kopje, it was soon
apparent that a diamond bed of extraordinary richness had been reached
at last. Good faith was kept with the company from Kingwilliamstown,
and the combined parties worked to the top of their strength in
shovelling and washing the rich bed. The lucky men kept their mouths
closed, as a rule, and did not intend to make known their good fortune
; but such a discovery could not long be concealed from visiting
traders and roaming prospectors, and before three months had passed
some prying eye saw half a tumblerful of the white sparkling crystals
in their camp, and the news spread fast that the miners had washed out
from two hundred to three hundred stones, ranging in size from the
smallest gems to diamonds of thirty carats or more.2
Then a motley throng of fortune-hunters began to pour into
the valley of the Vaal. The first comers were those living
nearest to the new diamond field, — farmers and tradesmen from
the cattle ranges and little towns of the Orange Free State.
1 " Among the Diamonds," 1870-1871. - Ibid.
