214 THE DIAMOND MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA
tearing
rents in the walls, or pitching over tent-poles and all in utter wreck.
Even when the stout posts, braced and guyed against a hurricane, bore
the strain unyielding, the sheltered miners had to swelter in a mist of
dust that was blown through the crevices into every fold of bedding and
clothing, and coated every inch of their skins with irritating powder.
Next
to this pest of dust was the plague of flies, little and large, black
and green, that swarmed over the camps in countless myriads in the
summer season, tainting every morsel of food, and settling on every
bare face or body with a dash so bold and persistent, and a grip so
malignant, that it hurt like a sting. No possible device could clear
the tents completely, or keep out these swarms ; but the miners armed
themselves with big whisks of wildebeest and ox tails, and got some
relief by constantly flicking and slashing, or when they were forced
to use both hands at work on the cradles or sorting tables, " fly
flappers " stood by to brush back attacks.
Hot
days in the dry diggings on the bare veld were more keenly felt than
the same days on the tree-fringed Vaal, and some midsummer days were
too scorching even for the endurance of the seasoned black diggers.
But, except at midday, few working hours were lost when the sun was
shining. The swooping thunder-storms were scarcely less terrific than
the storms in the river valley, striking the camps with drenching pelts
of rain and heavy hail, hurled from cloud banks blazing and bellowing
with monstrous forks of lightning and stunning thunder peals.
The
clear winter days were greatly invigorating. At break of day it was
often so cold that jugs of water were skimmed with ice and a hoar frost
covered the ground. But when the bright sun mounted the sky, the chill
air was so warmed in a few hours, and so pure on the breezy veld, that
the miners gained fresh spirit with every breath, and went through
their monotonous round of work with unflagging life and good humor. The
actual record of a week at the mines, in August, 1871, gives a clear
idea of the winter shifts of temperature.1
1 "The Diamond Diggings of South Africa," Payton, 1872.
