n
horseback, and in heavy, creaking ox-wagons. For miles and miles men
were quickly at work sinking holes into the ground; camp-fires were
flaming; teamsters were inspanning and outspanning their oxen, and
wagons were creaking. These, with raucous voices shouting in a babel of
languages, made a pandemonium exciting enough for the most adventurous.

As far as the eye could reach along the banks of the Vaal were seen
hives of busy, hopeful men who believed that untold riches were almost
within their grasp. The hardest of work was but a pastime, for if they
did not find diamonds to-day, would they not to-morrow? Did not their
neighbors find them? The next shovelful of earth might contain a
precious gem. They could hardly afford time to eat or sleep. Flashing
eyes and elastic steps marked the success of some, while others
repressed their feelings and kept their own counsel regarding the extent
of their finds.

So great did the crowd become that it was necessary to limit claims, and
at an informal meeting of the prospectors, a digging committee was
formed to make regulations controlling the working of the digging.
Thirty feet square was thought to be a reasonable claim for one person.
Some sought the river's banks to prospect, others the kopjes or hills.
Some pinned their faith to light-colored ground, others to dark. Fancy
rather than reason dictated the choice.

The manner of working a claim was simple. The earth was thrown into a
cradle having a bottom of perforated zinc or of wire mesh. The cradle
was then rapidly rocked to and fro as water was poured in upon the
earth. The finer part was washed through the mesh and the worthless
stones were thrown out by hand. The residue was then removed to a
suitable place and carefully examined.

Each person most vigilantly scrutinized his hoard, fearing that in an
unguarded moment a fortune might slip through his hands and be lost.
Even the stranger passing along was hardly given a glance, so eager was
each individual in searching for the precious pebble.

There is an entrancing interest in diamond mining far exceeding that of
gold, for at any moment one is likely to come across a princely fortune.
The miner is ever hopeful. Communing with himself, he says: "To-morrow I
may be made independent by a lucky find." And for a time it was merely
luck, for so irregularly distributed were the diamonds that no knowledge
was gained as to where they were most likely to be found.

While