Show 0 0 WL 0 X X y A ak x iw i w 1 k A 3 el A T kimberly Kliu berly cape colony Is probably the biggest hole hold in the world the old gentral central mine bilue wita wit a space measurement at the surface of 14 acres anda anata depth of some feet there are in addition to several smaller ones four other enormous excavations till all witnessing to the tireless energy of men in a hurry to bo be rich the diamonds are found in a grey rock called blue ground which fills a pipe or natural shaft of unknown depth widening towards the surface into funnel shape e below the few feet of red sand on the surface comes the yellow ground lime for fifty or sixty feet underneath that Is the blue ground which although the yellow ground ie ic not without diamonds la Is the true diamond bearing rock scientists believe that these pipes are tho the craters of extinct volcanoes and that at some time when the surrounding country was under water this dla dia ferous rock was forced up in the form of volcanic mud how and when and where the diamonds were formed remains a mystery but they are undoubtedly of earlier date than the rock which encloses them early diamond digging the first mining operations were restricted strict otric ed ted to digging and scooping out the earth but by degrees as the hole got wider and deeper troubles came in the shape of accumulation of water and falls of reef in gold mining the reef Is the gold bearing rocks but the reef of the diamond mines Is the surface shale and basalt our surrounding rounding the pipes this was the causo cause of great tribulation to the early miners as it caved in again and again and overwhelmed those working below after various ex ped lents had been tried without permanent success it became impossible to work the mine any longer in the old way and many thought the industry was absolutely ruined here was the opening for the capitalist it who soon superseded the digger the larger claim holders baided together and sank shafts outside the area already operated upon with galleries running towards the center until the blue was tapped in 1888 rhodes barnato and delt belt having bought out the smaller holders formed the ilie do de beers consolidated mines limited that great corporation which has ever since controlled the diamond mining industry the main shaft at the central connects with the pipe of blue ground by means of several galleries the distance from shaft to pipe being 1134 feet at the time of the writers descent the lowest gallery was 1200 feet from the surface armed with tho the necessary permit wo stripped and re clothed ourselves in a sort of dressing room the outfit includes flannel shirt and coat and trousers of duck or some tuch such material the articles being decidedly the worse for wear instead of braces or belt a looped leather thong does duty an ancient sou weter wester with ear flaps and tied under the thin chin a pair of socks that hayo have seen bervice and rubber wellington boots complete lom the costume accompanied by the manager we get into the cage at the top of the shaft and after a few seconds of swift motion step out at the 1000 foot lev el each supplied with a composite candle but no candle candlesticks wo we proceed to explore the vor workings kings on that level we pass stalwart natives at work with hero here and there a white overseer oveis eer some drill holes in the rock ready for blasting others gather up tip the he fragments into small steel trucks which aro are pushed along on rails to the Ish shoot bot which conveys the he blue down to the iab foot level these boys handle many u lump with a fortune hidden in it sometimes their quick eyes detect the stone and not being without the desire for pelt pelf they covet like achan and like achan take it if they can do so unnoticed they will mako make an incision in their flesh as secure hiding place for their find and even low ston stones C S to en C durage the ilioyd boys 10 to give up what whal they fand they are allowed a percentage on the value of the diamonds descend by ladders we descend abe remaining 1100 feet in stages of 20 feet by means of perpendicular cular ladders the utter blackness into which one stet beeps rs frendly to the nervous man who shudders whenever he looks at masons find carpenters at work nork on scaffoldings nevertheless the ladders 11 ders have to be negotiated with cars for the rungs aro are slimy and the he candle has to be carried while the approach of your friend above you Is heralded by lumps of mud dropping from tits his feet on to your sou wester water also occasionally sio filo nally falls from the root roof hut but we emerge safely at the 1200 feet level into comparative light greater damp ness a cooler atmosphere and deafening din the noise Is caused by the constant running of two sets of steel trucks the one carrying tho grou ground nd from the bottom of the Ish shoot cot to the foot of tho the shaft the other returning empty and the mechanical emptying of the full trucks into the skip for conveyance to the surface we essay a conversation with the checker stationed near the tip 11 which is only managed by dint of each in turn shouting mr who in his hours is well known on the diamond melds as an eloquent advocate of temperature principles ile he tells us among other things that ac clients are ot almost dally daily occur ance chiefly through falls of ground and that the sight eight of a native malmed maimed and bleeding being carried to tho the shaft la Is on oil to which ho hd Is well accustomed the native however takes it all as part of tits hie diya work and b bears ears mo his pains with spartan hardihood ile he seems ee 13 to have greater pow power er 0 of endurance than the white whit 1 man or else having a less delicate 1 and sensitive organization the pain la Is not BO acute willingly enough after an fi leour 1 our and a half underground we reenter re enter the cage and speedily measure the 1200 feet to the suri surface muriace ace resigning ich without a sigh our be disguise 1 we enjoy the provided hath bath and return to life in the sunshine A syndicate now buys tho the whole weekly flud find and the tuesday morn ing cape train conveys the precious to cape town for shipment the writer has seen on a monday afternoon worth of diamonds assorted in heaps on a counter in DO de beers of flees the annual output Is from ao worth and up to tho the present presen I 1 something like worth weighing about 20 tons haafeen taken from tho the kimberley mines manei |