I also visited the celebrated De Beer’s Mine.  This vast mine, where some thousands of workmen, white and coloured, are employed, is carried on much in the same way as the Bultfontein, as far as the different processes are concerned, of treating the material in which the diamonds are found.  It is much richer, however, in “blue ground,” and consequently far more valuable results are obtained from it.  For instance, the average value of each truck load of stuff from the Bultfontein is said to be about 8s., while from the De Beer’s it is 28s. or 30s.  The latter mine is now worked underground, in the same way as copper and coal mines are worked in England.  Excellent arrangements are made for the protection and well-being of the native workmen, especially by the introduction of “compounds” during the last year or two.  These are vast enclosures, with high walls, where the natives compulsorily reside, after their daily work is done during the whole time they remain at work in the mine.  This system has been attended with the most satisfactory results.  I went over the De Beer’s “compound,” where I saw an immense number of natives, all appearing lively, cheerful, and happy.  A large number were playing at cards (they are great gamblers), and others amusing themselves in various ways.  No intoxicating liquor is permitted to be sold within the “compounds.”  The weekly receipts for ginger beer amount to a sum, which seems fabulous, averaging from L60 to L100 a week.  The natives can purchase from the “compound” store every possible thing they want, from a tinpot to a blanket, from a suit of old clothes to a pannikin of mealies.  Before the establishment of the “compounds,” when the natives had the free run of the town, and could obtain alcoholic liquor—­on Saturday nights especially, after they had done their work and received their weekly wages—­Kimberley was a perfect pandemonium.

An interesting visit was one to the central offices of the United Companies, where I saw the diamonds, as they are prepared ready for sale, lying on a counter in small assorted lots, on white paper.  This is a most remarkable sight.  The lots, varying from half-a-dozen to twenty, or thirty, or more diamonds, are spread out arranged according to their estimated value.  I took up one, which I was told would probably fetch L1,000, and of which there were several similar ones in the different parcels on the counter.  The manager showed me a paper of a sale to the buyers, a day or two before, of a parcel, which was calculated to realise L14,189, and which actually was sold afterwards for L14,150; showing the surprising accuracy of the previous estimate on the part of the experts.