140 Jieeollections of Adventures 



In a few days, the rain having ceased, and the rivers 

 somewhat subsided, the diggers again helped us to 

 cross the Blyde. Gray Barber lent us his span of 

 oxen to assist us out of the steep, slippery mountain. 

 I had been so long in the cold river, helping the 

 wagon through, that I was laid up with lumbago. 

 Much "alluvial" gold was taken out of the Pilgrims 

 Rest Creek, and there were about fifteen thousand 

 diggers on the property, but as we could not get 

 satisfactory terms, arranged with the Government 

 and the diggers to sell the entire property to a Port 

 Elizabeth syndicate. Subsequently war broke out 

 with Sekukuni, the diggings were raided, and the 

 diggers (through Magistrate Cooper,) asked for 

 British protection. Then in 1877 the annexation 

 took place, and for years the Lydenburg gold mining 

 areas were neglected. The discovery by my brother 

 Fred and myself of the Witwatersrand gold fields, 

 diverted the attention of the mining and speculative 

 public. Lydenburg although a valuable gold-bear- 

 ing district, is only slowly regaining popularity. 



