198 Recollections oj Adventure* 



and extracted a couple of thousand pounds worth of 

 gold which he took to England. He was a sly dog, 

 and sat complacently smoking his pipe alongside the 

 revolving barrel, pretending that he was getting 

 only a little gold, while he really got more than we 

 amateurs did off the plates in the mill. I only learned 

 after he had gone how much he had made. The 

 owners of the adjoining portion of Wilge Spruit 

 formed a private syndicate, and, to encourage them 

 I ordered and imported and had erected for them a 

 five-stamp mill and turbine. 



On February 22nd, 1886, I sent the first small 

 consignment of gold to the Standard Bank of 

 Pretoria consisting of 61 ozs. 11 dwts. 



On June 17th, 1885, I had written a paper to 

 the " Natal Mercury " giving a geological sketch of 

 the Pretoria district, mentioning the intention of 

 Fred to compile a geological map of the Transvaal, 

 showing gold bearing areas, etc. I also wrote a 

 long letter to Mr. Gardiner Williams manager of 

 the old Pilgrim's Rest gold field advising him as to 

 working there, after Fred and I had paid him a 

 visit. I also asked him to come and see our work on 

 Wilge Spruit before he went to America, and to 

 alter his opinion about there being " no payable 

 gold field in South Africa." 



All this time, while Fred was working the mill, 

 crushing quartz for testing values, for other com- 

 panies ; I was busy purchasing or leasing mining- 

 rights, and had a severe time, as some of the sellers 

 when offered higher prices by speculators tried 

 to repudiate their engagements, although I had paid 

 them more than they ever expected ; and we had by 

 our energy and expenditure, made their properties 

 (unproductive bare veld) of value, while they had 



