THE FUTURE OF CAPE COLONY. 417 



unsought and undeveloped. Manganese, iron, lead, 

 and other ores are abundant in many localities, and 

 it is not improbable that the Orange River region — 

 hitherto unknown and almost unexplored — will 

 yield vast treasures of mineral wealth. In that 

 magnificent, mysterious river are to be found 

 diamonds, amethysts, cairngorms, garnets, quartz 

 crystal, rose quartz, jaspers of many varieties, agates, 

 chalcedony, and a host of other stones. Marble of 

 fine quality and colour, crocidolite, asbestos, granite, 

 freestone, sandstone, prehnite — a very beautiful 

 green ornamental stone — and porcelain clays of the 

 finest qualities are also freely distributed throughout 

 the Colony, but have hitherto been almost entirely 

 neglected. Salt pans have long been a source of 

 wealth in various parts. 



In truth it may be said that even to its own 

 inhabitants the Cape — save in its pastoral sense — 

 is to this hour a terra incognita, and that riches, in 

 almost extravagant profusion, lie scattered about the 

 land, waiting only for the coming of the capitalist 

 and the prospector. 



And with the development of these and other 

 products, most assuredly to take place in the not 

 very far distant future, an education, silent but 

 wondrously effective, will be going forward amongst 

 the native populations. Glance at the mines of 

 Kimberley and Namaqualand. Think of the 

 thousands of natives annually passing through an 

 apprenticeship in the ways of regular labour at these 

 semi-savage emporiums. To these centres flock 

 representatives of the dark races from the uttermost 

 parts of South and South Central Africa. From 

 the far Zambesi, and even from beyond its broad 



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