212 Dr. Atherstone — On Diamonds at the Cape. 



describing the celebrated diamond mines of Banquapilly, page 541, 

 " the plains at the base of the table-land of Banquapilly consist of a 

 rich black alluvium, containing fragments of basalt, jasper, and 

 various minerals found in the hills, the rocks are a fine, compact, 

 dark blue or marly black limestone, which contains much argillaceous 

 and silicious matter." — " On ascending the hill, the limestone be- 

 comes more schistose, and is of a paler colour," etc. " Above 

 Banquapilly it contains the diamond-breccia described by Voysey," 

 etc., etc. Now, if Mr. Gregory will carefully riead Dr. John Shaw's 

 account of the site of the diamonds and the conglomerate bed in 

 which they are found, published in the Graham's Town Journal of 

 Jan. 20, 1869, he will find it exactly resembles the diamond-breccia 

 and conglomerate found in India. 



From the great distance of the finding places apart, and their 

 propinquity to the several river beds,which all proceed from the Quath- 

 lamba or " Draken's berg" sandstone ranges, I have little doubt that, 

 on careful exploration, the real source of the diamond deposits will 

 be found far to the eastward. Sufficient has been already discovered 

 to justify a thorough and extensive geological research into this 

 most interesting country; and I think, for the interest of science 

 and the benefit of this colony, a scientific examination of the country 

 will be undertaken. So far from the geological character of the 

 country making it impossible, I maintain that it renders it probable 

 that very extensive and rich diamond deposits will be discovered on 

 proper investigation. This, I trust, the Home Government will 

 authorize, as our colonial exchequer is too poor to admit of it. Mr. 

 Gregory in his paper (see Gbol. Mag., No. 54, p. 559) honestly states 

 his pre-conceived ideas of the falsity of the diamond discovery : " I 

 had an idea of this" [i.e. that the whole story was false) "when I 

 first reached George Town, then at Port Elizabeth, Graham's Town, 

 Cradock, Colesberg, and finally on arriving at Hopetown, where no 

 further proof of diamonds could be obtained." And I fear we may 

 add to this list of places — where he held these views, London also ! 



Mr. Gregory called upon me, hearing that I had the Pniel dia- 

 mond (No. 7 of Mr. Chalmers' list, which appeared in the Journal 

 of the Society of Arts, Feb. 13th, 1869) ; but, unfortunately, he did not 

 call until after the post had left, although he arrived in Graham's 

 Town before, and I had already sent it off to the Colonial 

 Secretary. However, I showed him a photograph and plaster cast 

 which I had taken of it, from which he at once pronounced an opinion 

 as to its quality, declaring it to be a " boart" diamond of very little 

 value ! ! In his paper referred to, he says " This stone (No. 7) was 

 stated to have been picked up by a Griqua on the banks of the Vaal 

 Eiver, near Tniel. I afterwards found this was not true, and it was 

 said to be really found near Campbell, 100 miles from Pneil, and by 

 a Griqua who has since found two or three others. So the locality 

 at Pniel is a myth." Now here Mr. Gregory is evidently confusing 

 two different diamonds : see Nos. 7 and 8 in Mr. Chalmers' list. 

 The missionary, Mr. Kadeloff, was my authority for saying it was 

 found near Pniel, and Mr. Chalmers I see corroborates this state- 



