84 BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA AND THE TRAXSVAAL 



The Tranisvatil is a lofty plateau lying within the outer rim of the 

 vast South African table-land, l)etween 4,000 and 6,000 feet above 

 the sea-level. In consequence of this great elevation, although it is 

 intercepted by the tropic of Capricorn at a ])oint between GO and 70 

 miles to the south of its northern frontier, it enjoys a healthful and 

 invigorating climate, except in some of the low-l3'ing country on the 

 Limpopo and other fluvial tracts near the eastern frontier. The 

 winter half of tlie year, from March to September, is dry and cool, 

 especially during the nights, but the daj's are often as warm as in 

 summer. During these months cold, sharp winds blow from the 

 south, and the mountain ranges are often covered for several days 

 with snow, and liail storms are frequent. 



In addition to its treasures of gold, the countr}' is rich in other min- 

 erals, particularly iron. The Yzerberg, near Marabastad, is almost 

 a solid mass of iron ore of tiie richest quality ; coal of excellent quality 

 i.s abundant, and supplies tlie mining industry with good and cheap 

 fuel; copper, lead, quicksilver, etc., have also been found. The for- 

 mations containing diamonds iiave also been found to extend into 

 botli the Orange Free State and the Transvaal. 



Kimberley, the headquarters of tiie diamond industry, is in British 

 territorx', only four miles from the boundary of the Orange Free State 

 and 047 miles from Ca{)e Town. There are no natural features that 

 can assist in its defense, but the great mounds of earth and debris from 

 the mines have been utilized 1)V the garrison for that purpose. 



The dry diggings in the mines of the Kimberley district afl'ord the 

 only locality in which the <liainond has thus far been found in its 

 original home, and all our knowledge of the genesis of the diamond 

 has been derived from the study of the conditions there existing. The 

 mines are located in '" ))ans " or depressions in which the blue ground 

 is found that is now recognized as the matrix of the diamond. These 

 pans formed the vents of ancient volcanoes which have been worn 

 down b}' the forces of the atmosphere, and are the pipes or tubes 

 through which the lava reached the surface; they are parti}' sur- 

 rounded by black shale containing a large percentage of carbon, from 

 which material the diamonds have been formed by crj'stallization. 



As a proof of the wonderful progress which has been made in a 

 place which only a few years back was a bare prairie, I will mention 

 that a school of mines has lately been erected and opened at Kim- 

 berley. The courses of instruction are intended to prepare students 

 for a diploma of mining engineer or for the degree of Bachelor of 

 Science and Master of Science in mininir eniiineerino;. 



