Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 July 1888 — IN THE AFRICAN DIAMOND MINES. [ARTICLE]

IN THE AFRICAN DIAMOND MINES.

Searching the Natives—Their Cunning in Hiding Diamonds. New Ybrk Bun. “One of the most curious sights to be seen at the diamond mines,” said a recently returned trader, “is the inspection of the Kaffirs as they come up out of the mines each day. These natives are hired for a period of six months, during which time they are not allowed to go outside of the inclosure at the top of the mine, called ‘the compound,’ containing only a circle df huts in which they sleep and a store at which they may purchase tobacco, snuff, beads and trinkets dear to the savage heart. They work constantly in the presence of w'hite inspectors, who watch them closely to prevent their secreting any diamonds about their person during the day, and at night when they come up out of the mine they are led out one by one through a narrow passage, fenced in on either side with barbed wire fences and each man removes the lit.tlu.hit.of clothing-he wearsbefore he enters the narrow door which admits him to the inspector’s room. His •clothing he canies-m-his hands to-the officer, who proceerls-to-exttHffnedfr carefully; then- looks into -the Kaffias ears and nostrils and mouth,under his tongue, between his toes, into the snuff ot-Uk baeco box he Sometimes carries, and feels all through his woolly hair. The Kaffirs frequently cut a deep gash in the fleshy part of the hip, into which they

insert a diamond and then bind it up in such a way as to entirely conceal the stone, and another common trick is to cut and irritate a place on their legs until it Incomes a deep wound, in which they may secrete a diamondwitlf'Bmall chance of detection,. Occasionally a Kaffir will swallow a diamond, and, if undiscovered, will hasten home and take; an emetic to recover the stone. If, however, the inspector suspects him he is compelled to take the emetic in his presence, wjiich frequently results in the discovery of the concealed stone. 1 At the end of six months the gang of natives are discharged and return to the tribe, and another set 1 of workmen take their place. As soon as they receive the small amount of money paid them for their labor, they proceed to invest it in some of the most singular purchases. A favorite possession is a small American trunk with a lock and key which they fill with various trinkets and ornaments, and if they can find and purchase an English officer’s scarlet coat they put it on over their bare skin and walk off with the trunk under their arm as proud as peacocks. “The natives know well the value of the precious stones they handle, and, in spite of all precautions, it is believed that very many are stolen every ytear. It is impossible to wash the soil so thorougly that some small stone will not remain. A woman living near a mine kept a quantity of fowls which, when killed, very often had, among the pebbles in their crops, the small rough diamonds which they had picked up, attracted by their glitter. An English lady had employed this woman as a nurse, and, learning of the little box of stones she had collected from her fowls, the lady sold them for her servant in London, receiving for them a little more than sioo. : 1