2/0 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa. 



substantiated report and of rumour could turn out 

 to be altogether valueless and misleading. I 

 speedily found out, however, that this was the 

 case. Mr. A. Beit with his j^arty returned from 

 their examination of the much talked about 

 '• Eiffel " district much disappointed. These reefs 

 are somewhat typical ; a considerable outcrop, 

 much of which when broken up shows a wonder- 

 ful appearance of visible gold ; this, however, when 

 extracted by crushing and panning, is found to be 

 of the hnest and thinnest character. It seems to 

 have been deposited in small flakes by Avater filter- 

 ing through the cracks and crevices of the quartz ; 

 so much so that ore, which at first sight might 

 lead even the experienced to hope that it would 

 yield three or four, or even more, ounces to the ton, 

 actually results in the 23roduction of from half-a- 

 dozen to a dozen pennyweights. As Avitli " The 

 Eiffel " reefs so with very many others. Again, 

 where the gold is of a coarser and better quality 

 firmly amalgamated Avith the quartz itself, then 

 the reef is foiuid either to have no apprecialjle 

 depth, or else at any appreciable depth to yield 

 little appreciable gold. Hardly an exception to 

 these general characteristics has as yet been dis- 

 covered. A large amount of rumour had Ibmid 

 its way to Hartley Hill as to the richness of the 

 reefs on the Umswezi river. Mr. Mackay returned 

 from an expedition there extending over some 

 days, but reported that he had found nothing 

 of promise, and the specimens he brought back 

 v/ith him, Avhen crushed, gave but poor pros- 



