e is the hum and movement of a pretentious industrial
enterprise. Under the direction of William McMillan a research
department has been established which is expected to influence and
possibly change alluvial operations.

Our luncheon at Tshisundu was attended by Mrs. McMillan, another
heroine of that rugged land. Alongside sat her son, born in 1918 at one
of the mines in the field and who was as lusty and animated a youngster
as I have seen. His every movement was followed by the eagle eye of his
native nurse who was about twelve years old. These native attendants
regard it as a special privilege to act as custodians of a white child
and invariably a close intimacy is established between them. They really
become playmates.

It is difficult to imagine that these Congo diamond mines were mere
patches of jungle a few years ago. The task of exploitation has been an
immense one. Before the simplest mine can be operated the dense forest
must be cleared and the river beds drained. Every day the mine manager
is confronted with some problem which tests his ingenuity and resource.
Only the Anglo-Saxon could hold his own amid these trying circumstances.

No less difficult were the natives themselves. Before the advent of the
American engineers, industry was unknown in the Upper Kasai. The only
organized activity was the harvesting of rubber and that was rather a
haphazard performance. With the opening of the mines thousands of
untrained blacks had to be drawn into organized service. They had never
even seen the implements of labour employed by the whites. When they
were given wheel-barrows and told to fill and transport the earth, they
placed the barrows on their heads and carried them to the designated
place. They repeated the same act with shovels.

The Yankees have thoroughly impressed the value and the nobility of
labour. I asked one of the employes at a diamond mine what he thought of
the Americans. His reply was, "Americans and work were born on the same
day."

The labour of opening up the virgin land was only one phase. Every piece
of machinery and every tin of food had to be transported thousands of
miles and this condition still obtains. The motor road from Djoko Punda
to Kabambaie was hacked by American engineers through the jungle. It is
comparatively easy to get supplies to Djoko Punda although everything
must be shifted from railway to boat several times. Between Djoko Punda
and Tshikapa the material is hauled i