THE DIAMOND FIELDS. 137 



very considerable, and involved the consideration 

 of the claims of the Orange Free State as well 

 as those of a multitude of settlers occupying 

 property within the diamondiferous area. Clearly 

 the position taken up by the Imperial Government 

 was one of usurpation, and the only way to convert 

 it into that of legal occupation was by the purchase 

 of existing rights, or, failing that, by invalidating 

 them in some less honest way. Government was 

 apparently very averse to pay in coin for these 

 properties, and thus the position was becoming 

 rapidly untenable. At this crisis, however, an 

 adventurer, by name David Arnott, came to the 

 rescue ; for a consideration he offered to invalidate 

 the claims above mentioned, by a peculiar process, 

 provided he was allowed a free hand and no 

 questions were asked. 



Upon these terms a bargain was struck, and the 

 fellow commenced his nefarious job. This Arnott 

 was a mulatto, reputed to be an illegitimate son 

 of a former Chief Justice in the Cape, named 

 Menzies, by a sable dam. Anyhow the Judge 

 behaved well in the matter, gave Arnott a good 

 education, and started him in life as a law agent 

 in the village of Colesberg, where his maternal 



