The Silver Mines of the Tkansvaal. 73 



soil, and the long period of winter drought, would 

 seem to render such storage of water and such 

 irrigation works imperative. In a country desti- 

 tute of trees, bat which nevertheless might after 

 a feAv years' care and industry be covered with 

 forests of various and valuable timber, not an 

 effort at tree planting is made except in the 

 neighbourhood of the gold mines. In a country 

 where for the develo]3ment of its mineral resources 

 the rapid construction of railways is essential, and 

 where the physical conhguration of the ground 

 and other causes marvellously facilitate such con- 

 struction, the same stubborn ignorance, the same 

 mulish folly before alluded to, has successfully 

 delayed and still delays any such railway con- 

 struction. 



In the foregoing pages I have spoken of the 

 silver mines. These are situated some forty miles 

 to the east of Johannesburg, and are of very 

 recent discovery. The history of them is sonie- 

 Avhat remarkable. A company was formed to 

 Avork them with a capital, I believe, of about a 

 quarter of a million. The affair was probaljly a 

 fraud, the money was mostly wasted, little Avas 

 found, nothing was done, and the silver mines of 

 the Transvaal fell into disrepute and disfavour. 

 Some person or persons, however, discovered on 

 the propert}' specimens of ore of singular richness. 

 These being brought to gentlemen possessing ex- 

 perience and capital, were pronounced by them to 

 be good silver ore. A small syndicate was soon 

 formed, shares of the old company were quickly 



