Through South Africa: His Visit to Rhodesia, the Transvaal, Cape Colony, Natal — John Shaqi
Through South Africa: His Visit to Rhodesia, the Transvaal, Cape Colony, NatalStanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)
History
Through South Africa: His Visit to Rhodesia, the Transvaal, Cape Colony, Natal
Stanley, Henry M. (Henry Morton)
South Africa -- Description and travel
Returning to the Hall under the influence of this very needful lesson, I
resumed my examination of the exhibits. Beyond the Unit and Unicorn
exhibit stood some planks of a teaky quality, beautifully polished, and
showing numbers of small dark knots, and wavy patterns, which gave a
walnuty appearance to the wood. The next exhibit was from the Gwanda
district by the Geelong Gold Mining Company, taken from a 90-foot level.
In this district the ancient workings are found deepest. The
prehistoric miners were accustomed to build charcoal fires on the
quartz, and when the rock was sufficiently heated threw water on it,
which soon disintegrated it and enabled the picks and gads to be used.
This reminded me how often I had done the same to huge rocks which
blocked the way for my wagons on the Congo. The broken quartz, being
brought to the surface, was handed to natives who crushed it to dust on
blocks of granite with diorite hammers, or ground it as the modern
natives do mealies. The dust was then panned in much the same way as is
done by prospectors of to-day. In one of the old shafts, over 60-foot
deep, was found the dome of a human skull and some pieces of human bone.
These relics lay side by side with the quartz exhibits. One could
moralise here if one had time.
Fine Specimens of Coal.
The exhibit of the Ellen Reef of the United Matabele Claims Development
Company showed distinct gold. Just near it were blocks of fine-looking
coal from the Matabele Gold Reefs and Estates Company. The coal field
is situated 120 miles north of Bulawayo. The coal has been already
tested, and is found to be admirable for all uses.
120 Ounces to the Ton.
The Nicholson Olympus Block, Gwanda district, showed specimens which
panned 120 ounces to the ton. The Mary Reef specimens assayed 5 ounces
3 pennyweight 10 grains to the ton. Next to these was a clock frame
made out of trachyte in the form of a Greek temple. This trachyte is
greyish white in colour and easily workable, but hardens by exposure.
As there is plenty of this material it is probable Bulawayo will make
free use of it in future. Mansions and villas of this stone would look
extremely chaste and beautiful.
The Tebekwe Mine.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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