DIGGING FOR DIAMONDS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 243, 26 September 1872, Page 8

DIGGING FOR DIAMONDS.

So very little is yet known in New Zealand about the diamond diggings of the Cape, that some of our readers may be interested in a few hints on the subject which we have extracted from a contemporary, written by a Mr. Payton, who visited the diggings as a special correspondent. A large proportion of the" diggers of the diamond fields are Cape Colonists and Natalians ; thence come the Dutch Boers, who have the great advantage of being spared travelling expenses ; then Englishmen, Australians, Americans and a few New Zealanders. A good many G-ermans are to be found at the diggings, but they are, for the most part purchasers ; also, Frenchmen, Italians, and Spaniards. The Australian, New Zealand, and American diggers generally do well, having had previous experience of mining. An immense industry and a totally new society has sprung up, presenting interesting and some repulsive features all of which Mr. Payton details with business-Mke impartiality. A large proportion of the hitherto explored diamond fields of South Africa are flat dreary, treeless wastes, where the hot sun glares upon limestone and uniform light colored soil, and a hot wind keeps everything enveloped in. clouds of dust. But in the summer that wind is indispensable to life and labor; when it does not blow men cannot work, and breathing becomes very difficult. The winter is always pleasant, though there are seasons of intense cold, and is the time for hard and profitable work.

Lately the news from the diamond fields has been rather discouraging ; it seems evident that the fields are of inferior quality, thought the quantity keeps up. For some reason unexplained the " off-color " diamonds of South Africa are not fashionable, and so the diggers, are forced to sell them at low prices. If fashion would only pronounce for these beautiful baubles, large fortunes would readily be made, for it is beyond all doubt that a very much larger proportion of large stones are found in South Africa than Brazil. Stones over 10 carats are extremely numerous, and generally several stories within a few carats of 100 are among the weekly finds. Dv Toit's Pan, this Sinbad's Valley, is a real geographical fact, has become, in less than, a twelve-month, a " town " cor- ,

tainin'g numerous hotels and billiardrooms, a well-conducted club, supplied with all the latest home and colonial papers, a good library, and an American bowling-alley. The society is particularly good at Dv Toit's Pan, and the rich diggers, who are diggers only in name, have a pleasant time of it. The rich man has everything that wealth can procure to replace, as far as possible, the comforts of civilisation. As to work he need do very little of that. He has a claim at each of the rich diggings, with trustworthy persons to work for him. Elegantly dressed, mounted on a thorougbred horse, he .canters merrily from one camp to another, hears the reports of diamonds found for him, sits down to table now and then to amuse himself at sortiqg, rides back at evening to his tent, or to. an hotel to enjoy an excellent repast, and amuses and enjoys himself amongst his friends. There are' many such lives 1 as these, and the richest men are the most ' fortunate, because they employ the. greatest amount of labor, and thus get throngh the most ground. But now look at the poor man ! with the earliest dawn he rises from the hard ground, or the one or two wretched buckskins on which he has been lying, in a poor little shaky tent. He cooks his rough food with dung fuel which he has gathered himself, eats hastily, and hurries to his claim. Sometimes shiveriug beneath the cutting winds and pelting rains, at others scorched or melting beneath the burning sun, still he works on manfully, for he cannot afford to employ any Kaffirs, grndging even the brief time he gives to food and sleep. Too often his toil and endurance leads to nothing but failure. Mr Payton knew one old man who had worked in a claim almost day and night for months, till he at last gave up in despair, sold the claim for ten shillings, and the purchaser found a large diamond the next day only an inch below the depth the old man had reached. A tragedy in a few words ! The Kaffirs are not a pleasant people, but the Boors are worse. They are so very brutal and stupid, and full of low cunning ; and cherish a deep animosity against the English, but they are generally too cowardly to fight them, and merely cheat them in ' every possible way. They are singularly' lucky in their finds. " Whenever," says Mr Payton. " the report spread through the camp that another 50, 80, or 90carat stone had been found, the natural enquiry would be, ' Who found it ?' " And the invariable reply, " Another Dutchman !"

Under the heading " My Diary at the Diggings," there are several amusing stories, and a great deal of interesting information, about the country and the mines pleasantly conveyed, and not at all technical. It is evident a genuine diary, and the haphazaad joltings down which picture for us scenes of such constant stirring activity and conditions of iife of such entire novelty are singularly effective. The oddity of the names even exceed that of the Californian nomenclature. " Pan "is naturalised like "claim." The queer mixture of order and .lawlessness is striking, and the police functions are abnormal. For instance we find the following entry :— " There was a fight on Friday afternoon by the dam, be tween an Englishman, of indifferent character, and a Dutchman. Both were a great deal knocked about. ' The police kept the ring.' The slang of the diggings is amusing. Everything is " diamondiferous." Mr. Payton tells how the principal auctioneer at the Saturday sales is heard eloquently to phrase not only •' a most diamondiferous pick," " a diamoniferous seive," " a diamondiferous sortingtable," but even to apply the same rich-sounding sonorous epithet to a bedstead, a waggon, an ox, or even a coat or pair of trousers. As a sample of the writer's advica to intending emigrants, the following is very clear and conclusive.

Don't come OUt without some capital at least £200. If you know a trade, you may combine business and digging with a partner. Blacksmiths and carpenters are well paid. If you don't know any trade, you can start a canteen or set up as auctioneer, or you can just work hard at digging, and nothing else. If you mean coming up by passenger cart, you must bring out hardly any luggage, but buy here at an increased price. Or you might let you luggage come after you by vvaggon, in which case it would reach you a month or six weeks later. In summer time (English winter) bring plenty of protection against wet. In winter (English summer) be prepared for severe colds."

The writer also gives detailed accounts of the condition of the various digging camps, of the routes thither, and of all expenses connected with the enterprise ; he puts faithfully before the friends of men out there the actual advantages and disadvantages, hardships and com|orts of a digger's life.