“Well,” said Jones, “I don’t wish to take any mean advantage of your stakes; you staked that ring for a hundred dollars, and the jewellers said it is worth four or five hundred dollars. For a hundred dollars, the amount of your stake, you can have it back again.” Smith bit at the offer, paid the hundred dollars, and received the ring. Jones departed, and did not return. Imagine the disgust of Smith when he subsequently found out the real state of affairs. XXVI. THE DIAMOND FIELDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. MODE OF REACHING THEM—THEIR EXTENT AND RICHNESS—THE YIELD OF THE MINES—CHARACTER OF THE AFRICAN DIAMONDS—MODE OF WORKING—THE NEGROES AND THEIR PECULIARITIES—DU TOIT’S PAN—KIMBERLEY—COLESBERG KOPJE—LIFE IN THE FIELDS—DUST STORMS AND HEAVY RAINS—A WHIRLWIND AND ITS EFFECTS—CAUGHT IN A STORM—INDIVIDUAL INSTANCES OF GOOD LUCK—A DIAMOND ON A BURST. [Illustration: THE DIAMOND FIELDS OF SOUTH AFRICA.] The owners of diamonds, and those who buy and sell the gems, were thrown into great consternation, a few years ago, by the announcement of the discovery of immense diamond deposits in South Africa. As usual, when rich deposits of precious stones or precious metals are known to have been found, there was a great rush for the newly-opened region. Many persons imagined they had only to land at some point on the coast of South Africa, and the first touch of the pick or spade would bring them fortune in the shape of Koh-i-noors by the thousands. Many of them found their mistake long ago. On the other hand, many others have been handsomely rewarded for their enterprise and exertion. The diamond fields of South Africa have created some large fortunes, and a great many small ones. “Lucky finds” have been numerous, and the diamonds seem to be pretty well distributed in the valleys where they exist. The regular route to the diamond fields is by way of Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope. Cape Town is an interesting city of about thirty thousand inhabitants, picturesquely situated on Table Bay. The diamond fields are about seven hundred miles distant. There are no railways in that region, and the most rapid conveyance is by the mail-coach, which makes the journey in about six or seven days. A slower and cheaper conveyance is by ox or horse teams, generally the former. The route is not a picturesque one. Those who imagine beautiful valleys, wide-spreading plains, open prairies thickly covered with luxuriant grass, with a horizon of rugged mountains, will be disappointed with the reality. The plains are generally treeless and stony, many of the hills are barren, and the very settlements along the route are quite too dirty and dilapidated to be attractive. Several rivers are to be crossed, some of them very muddy, and some of them abounding with quicksand.