ORANGE FREE STATE. 133 



a Rhodes, who is certainly a man of incomparable 

 business capacity in more ways than one, and who 

 is, I have no doubt, perfectly aware of the fact 

 that the existing diamond mines, if worked at 

 anything like high pressure, would swamp any 

 market reasonably to be reckoned on during the 

 next century. As a matter of fact, the output of 

 diamonds by the hundredweight is merely re- 

 stricted by the interests of a monopoly. 



The outlook for the roving sportsman in the 

 Orange Free State is no longer a very tempting 

 one, although here and there a fair day's shooting 

 may be had. Springbucks are still visible in 

 places, bustards of four varieties are not very 

 scarce, and steinbuck, duiker, and rhebuck are far 

 from extinct. With a good dog a fair bag of 

 francolin may often be made, and in suitable places 

 wildfowl are plentiful enough. I hear there are 

 a few gnus and blesbucks still, but strictly 

 preserved in a few localities. 



Agricultural pursuits are but faintly in favour 

 here, as the nature of the country and climate is 

 not as a rule suitable for these occupations on a 

 profitable scale. Here and there arable ground is 

 worked, and a fair crop (mostly oats) is to be seen 



