fontein,
divided by a public roadway. The spread of prospecting soon passed
naturally across the road to Bultfontein and to other neighboring
farms. Bultfontein was owned by a poor Boer, Cornells Hendrik du Plooy,
and before the discovery at Dutoitspan a thousand pounds would have
been thought a grossly extravagant price to pay for the whole farm and
its live stock. But the luck of van Wyk put a new face on the scrubby
farm lands near the Vaal, and an eager Free State speculator, Thomas
Lynch, did not wait over Sunday to buy Bultfontein, but amazed the
owner by driving out to his farm on the Lord's Day, November 14, 1869,
and offering £2000 for his land. Du Plooy
accepted the offer on the spot, for such a sum in cash was vastly
bigger in his eyes than any possible return from farming or picking up
" blink klippe." It is said that diamonds had been found on the farm
previous to this sale, but Du Plooy was not aware of any actual
discovery on his land, and preferred cash in hand to any gambling
chances. The story is told that Bultfontein mine was discovered by the
finding of a diamond in the mortar used by du Plooy to plaster his
house and the subsequent search for diamonds in the pit from which the
sand had been taken. It is true that diamonds were found as reported,
but it was some time after the mine had been rushed.1
On
the same day that du Plooy sold his farm to Lynch, he was beset by
Leopold Lilienfeld and others, who advised him that the sale was
illegal, being made on a Sunday, and eventually Lilienfeld gave du
Plooy an indemnity against all damages if he would refuse to conclude
the sale to Lynch. On November 16, 1869, the sale of the farm was
concluded between du Plooy and Leopold Lilienfeld, Louis Hond and Henry
Barlow Webb for the sum of f2000. Hond sold his one-third interest to
Webb, who, with Lilienfeld, Edgar Eager Hurley, and others, formed the
" Hopetown Company."
Lynch brought action against du Plooy for £10,000 damages, and obtained a judgment for £500 and costs on August 19, 1872. In spite of his indemnity du Plooy was then obliged to sue
1 "Among the Diamonds," John Noble, 1870-1871.
