me.

Fine Specimens of Coal.

The exhibit of the Ellen Reef of the United Matabele Claims Development
Company showed distinct gold. Just near it were blocks of fine-looking
coal from the Matabele Gold Reefs and Estates Company. The coal field
is situated 120 miles north of Bulawayo. The coal has been already
tested, and is found to be admirable for all uses.

120 Ounces to the Ton.

The Nicholson Olympus Block, Gwanda district, showed specimens which
panned 120 ounces to the ton. The Mary Reef specimens assayed 5 ounces
3 pennyweight 10 grains to the ton. Next to these was a clock frame
made out of trachyte in the form of a Greek temple. This trachyte is
greyish white in colour and easily workable, but hardens by exposure.
As there is plenty of this material it is probable Bulawayo will make
free use of it in future. Mansions and villas of this stone would look
extremely chaste and beautiful.

The Tebekwe Mine.

Then we came to the exhibits from the Tebekwe Mine, Selukwe district,
seventy miles from Bulawayo on the Salisbury Road. The large map above
was worth studying. It illustrated a reef about 1000 yards in length,
and eight oval-form excavations made by the ancients resembling the pits
Kimberley diamond diggers formerly made in the blue clay. The base
lines of these excavations were not much over 60 feet from the surface.
On the appearance of water in each shaft the ancients were unable to
make their fire on the exposed quartz reef, and consequently had to
abandon it, and they probably made another excavation along the reef
until the appearance of water compelled them to relinquish that also 900
yards of this reef have now been proved by means of twelve winzes, the
majority of which have been sunk to the first level 154 feet below the
surface. On this first level 887 feet of driving has been done up to
the present. The second level is 234 feet below the surface, and three
winzes have been sunk to it. The total footage to now made is 3,311
feet 10 inches. The average width of the reef is 41.5 inches, and the
narrowest width is 15 inches. Throughout the mine the average width is
31 inches. I am told that the richest average value of the reef is 84
pennyweight per ton of 2000 pounds, and the poorest 5 pennyweight to the
ton. Throughout the reef averages 1773 pennyweight of fine gold per
ton; 12 pennyweight is considered a payable quantity at Bulawayo. A
block of rock from the centre shaft show