On leaving, the men generally draw all their savings, and it is not uncommon for a grateful Kafir to press £2 or £3 on Captain Dallas in recognition of his trouble. They are astonished when their offerings are declined; still more so when it is explained that if they would put their savings in a bank they would have a few extra pounds given to them for the privilege of taking care of it. A shrewd young Pondo, who had been coming year after year, applied for some of his savings, and gave as a reason that he wanted to buy a wife. “But you said the same thing last year,” replied Captain Dallas; “I hope nothing has happened.” “No,” said the man; “one wife, she quarrel with me; two wives, they quarrel with each other; me peace!” UNDERGROUND WORKINGS In the face of constant developments I can only describe the system in use at the time of my own visits in 1896 and 1905. Shafts are sunk in the solid rock at a sufficient distance from the pipe to be safe against reef movements in the open mine. In 1903 the rock shafts in the De Beers and Kimberley Mines reached depths of 2076 and 2599 feet respectively. Tunnels are driven from these shafts at different levels, about 120 feet apart, to cross the mine from west to east. These tunnels are connected by two other tunnels running north and south, one near the west side of the mine and one midway between it and the east margin of the mine. From the east and west tunnels offsets are driven to the surrounding rock. When near the rock the offsets widen into galleries, these in turn being stoped on the sides until they meet, and upwards until they break through the blue ground. The fallen reef with which the upper part of the mine is filled sinks and partially fills the open space. The workmen then stand on the fallen reef and drill the blue ground overhead, and as the roof is blasted back the debris follows. When stoping between two tunnels the blue is stoped up to the debris about midway between the two tunnels. The upper levels are worked back in advance of the lower levels, and the works assume the shape of irregular terraces. The main levels are from 90 to 120 feet apart, with intermediate levels every 30 feet. Hoisting is done from only one level at a time through the same shaft. By this ingenious method every portion of blue ground is excavated and raised to the surface, the rubbish on the top gradually sinking and taking its place.