OCR Text |
Show The Diamond Discoveries In South Africa. The diamond discoveries in South Africa are attracting attention to that hitherto neglected region, and the rush to "the diggings" has created a repetition re-petition of the exciting scenes witnessed wit-nessed in the early days of gold seeking seek-ing in California and Australia. The gem senttroni the Cape of Good Hope some time ago, which some asserted to be a diamond of the first water, and others only a quariz crystal, has lately been cut, and proves to be a matchless diamond of most resplendent quality, of 18(j grains in weight, and to which the name of "The Star of South Africa" has been assigned. If letter writers from the scene of the discovery are to be believed, Sinbad the Sailor's alley of Diamonds is no myth. An old California miner writes to the Aha California, under date of August 1st, saying : The road is excellent excel-lent all the way from Colesburg to the diamond field. Arrived at the diamond fields a Cahfornian scene of early days presented itself. The river was lined with rockers, tents, and miners of all kinds, colors, sex and size, for a mile on both sides. At least f-(j miners were at work, whole families mtn, women and children having left their homes either in the Transvala Republic, Repub-lic, Orange Free State, or Cape Colony. The men were picking, shoveling and washing the dirt, while the women and children were sitting around tables and sorting tl.e pebbles, which had been washed, for diamonds. We took a claim on the third capie or hill down the river: the first capie is where the Natab and King W'illi-amstown W'illi-amstown pai lies took out 1 72 diamonds from a triangular space of about fifty paces in circumference, and from 6 inches to 24 inches in depth. Other parties have taken at least l"u diamonds fiom near this t;i.ir.-:le. on the same capie. The seeon 1 capie bad proved rich since, and ahout KVi diamonds had been taken out from it. The third capie had iu.-t lx en opened, and 20 diamonds had been ti.ken from it up to tbe time of our a. rival. At the first capie the diamonds were from to 10. .'.o. and 4'"' carats: a; the second, from ', to 17, 2'.'. and o '. c ,rats: and from the third, from to -. 1". a::J IS carats. I saw oo diam r, is U li-ncing to the King li'.iamstown party from i to 7. 7. o. and2"; e.ir.ts. the lot value. 1 at ".!. '1 he a:ab party have a k'-c irat diamond w. -r:h i '.-V i. They obtained ".2 in all. rut larger than the other parties, an 1 ( value of the l.H i- about 8.-J'-t We !0'u..l about Haj tinners on this sr i.-. |