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76 African Diamonds.
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Diamonds
of that district were known to, and worked by, a prehistoric people. My
own view is that South Africa may have supplied the Diamonds used by
Moses in the High Priest's breast-plate, as well as the precious stones
which the Queen of Sheba presented to King Solomon. Moreover, the
resemblance of the Diamonds of the Monastery Mine to Indian stones
raises the suggestion that this may have been the original source of
many so-called Indian Diamonds,—a suggestion which receives support
from the fact that the present yield of the mines of India is extremely
small.
It
appears certain that the presence of Diamonds in South Africa was known
to European colonists in the middle of the last century ; and the words
" Here be Diamonds" are to be seen inscribed across our modern
territory of Griqualand West, in a Mission Map of 1750. The old Dutch
residents of Cape Town appear to have been quite astir about the matter
on several occasions, but years passed on and the ancient rumours died
away.
Rather
more than thirty years ago, it happened that a child of Mr. Jacobs, a
Dutch farmer settled at the Cape, amused himself by collecting pebbles
from the neighbourhood of the farm, near Hopetown At first sight there
might seem nothing remarkable in this circumstance, for pretty pebbles
were to be had in plenty near the neighbouring river. One of these
stones, however, was sufficiently bright to attract the keen eye of the
mother, though she regarded it simply as a curious pebble, and gave it
little more than a passing glance. Some time afterwards a neighbouring
boer, Mr. Schalk van Niekirk. visited the farm, and, knowing him to be
curious in such matters, Mrs. Jacobs called his attention to the bright
transparent stone. So little heed, however, had been given
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