“We venture to suggest that this growing feeling for co-operation will prove a valuable element in the growth, and formation in the near future, of one Grand Confederation of all countries and peoples, owing allegiance to, or claiming corporate alliance with, Her Britannic Majesty’s Empire.

“We rejoice, as members of the Royal Colonial Institute, that your personal merits and public career have been recognised by Her Majesty in the honour conferred upon you, which we trust you will enjoy for many years.

“Coming amongst us as a Vice-President of our own Institute, your presence symbolises to us the aspiration, radiant in hope, and prophetic in promise, which animates all true and loyal subjects of Her Majesty, and which is alone worthy of our past history, and present responsibilities—­the aspirations of a strong and united people for a vigorous, and progressive ‘United Empire.’”

To anyone visiting, for the first time, this great centre of the diamond industry of South Africa the scene is most extraordinary.  The excitement and bustle, the wild whirl of vehicular traffic, the fearful dust, the ceaseless movement of men and women of all descriptions, and of every shade of complexion and colour, are positively bewildering.  The thoughts of everybody appear to be centred in diamonds, and the prevailing talk and speech are accordingly.  Being the recipient, myself, of the most kind attention and genial and generous hospitality, my stay was most agreeable, and pleasant.  Great facilities were afforded me for seeing everything connected with this wonderful industry, and satisfying myself, that there are no present signs of its being exhausted or “played out.”  Indubitable evidences were given me, that diamonds continue to be found in as large quantities as ever.  They appeared to me to be “as plentiful as blackberries.”

At the Bultfontein Mine I descended to the bottom of the open workings in one of the iron buckets, used for bringing up the “blue ground” to the surface.  This is rather a perilous adventure.  To go down by a wire rope, some five or six hundred feet perpendicular into the bowels of the earth with lightning rapidity, standing up in an open receptacle, the top of which does not approach your waist, oscillating like a pendulum, while you are holding on “like grim death” by your hands, is something more than a joke.  It certainly ought not to be attempted by anyone who does not possess a cool head and tolerable nerve.

Here I saw multitudes of natives employed,—­as afterwards in the De Beer’s, the Kimberley, and other diamond mines,—­with pickaxes, shovels, and other tools, breaking down the ground at the sides of the mine, perched at various spots, and many a giddy height.  Diamond mining at Kimberley is altogether a very wonderful specimen of the development of a new industry.  In this mine I had explained to me the various processes, by which diamonds are discovered in the rocky strata which is being constantly dug out of the enormous circular hole, constituting it.