As a rule the better class of natives—the Zulus, Matabeles, Basutos, and Bechuanas—when well treated, are very honest and loyal to their masters. An amusing instance of the devotion of a Zulu came to my knowledge at Klipdam. He had been superintending a gang of natives on a small claim at the river washings. It yielded but few stones, and the owner—my informant—sold the claim, handing over the plant and small staff, our friend the Zulu remaining to look after the business till the new owner took possession. In the course of a few months the purchaser became dissatisfied with his bargain, not a single diamond having turned up since the transfer. One night the Zulu came to his old master in a mysterious manner, and laying a handful of diamonds on the table, said, “There, Baas, are your diamonds; I was not going to let the new man have any of them!”
[CHAPTER II]
KIMBERLEY AND ITS DIAMOND MINES
The famous diamond mines in the neighbourhood are Kimberley, De Beers, Dutoitspan, Bultfontein, and Wesselton ([Fig. 2]). They are situated in latitude 28° 43´ South and longitude 24° 46´ East. Kimberley is practically in the centre of the present diamond-producing area. Besides these mines others of some importance of the Orange River Colony are known as Jaggersfontein and Koffyfontein, Lace, and Monastery, besides two new mines, the Roberts-Victor and the Voorspoed.
The areas of the mines are:
| Kimberley | 33 acres |
| De Beers | 22 acres |
| Dutoitspan | 45 acres |
| Bultfontein | 36 acres |
In 1907 the total number of carats raised from these mines was more than two million and a half, the sales of which realised £6,452,597.
The most important mine outside the Kimberley group is the new Premier Mine, about 20 miles West-North-West of Pretoria, where the famous Cullinan diamond was found.