From the Number 2 Kirkcubbin Reef, Bulawayo district, it appeared that
an assay of 62 ounces 16 pennyweight to the ton was obtained, while from
the Number 1 same reef there was an assay of 24 ounces 14 pennyweight to
the ton. It should be observed that these assays, no matter by whom
they are made, are misleading to the uninitiated, and though the panning
is better, neither are to be relied on as sure guides to what the reef
will prove throughout. When, say, 10,000 tons are crushed we shall
better know by the result the true status of Rhodesia among gold-bearing
countries. Nevertheless, every assay or panning has a value as
indicating the presence of gold.
The next exhibit was from the Sinnanombi gold belt, south of the
Matoppos. The Saint Helen's Development Syndicate exhibit consisted of
several pans full of grey powdered quartz ready for panning, each of
which has been assayed by the Standard Bank with the following results:
Thirkleby, Antelope, Rosebery, Constitution and Thela Reefs, in the
Sinnanombi district, respectively 2 ounce 4 pennyweight, 136
pennyweight, 27 pennyweight 18 grains, 58 pennyweight, and 46
pennyweight. The Syndicate have also properties in the Insiza district,
the Nellie Rey Reef, Eileen Reef in Mavin district, Ben Nevis and Guinea
Fowl Reefs in Selukwe district.
"In Every Stone the Gold Sparkled."
The West Glen May Mine exhibit contained sections, one of which was
remarkable as showing a 60-foot wide reef. Its rock specimens were rich
with visible gold. There was also a rich exhibit from the Christmas
Reef, sixteen miles from Bulawayo--in every stone the gold sparkled.
From Purdon's Reef, in the Makukuku district, alluvial gold was on show.
There was also an old iron gad from the ancient workings. Alluvial
gold is found in the Myema River, twenty miles from Bulawayo.
Among other things at the Chamber of Mines Exhibition was a thick log of
fine grained teak, several planks, furniture from native woods, samples
of lime, trachyte blocks, Bulawayo brick, coal blocks from Tuli coal
districts 200 miles south-east of Bulawayo and the Zambesi district 120
north of Bulawayo, and a champagne case full of plumbago lately
discovered at a spot fifty miles from the Zambesi.
For the patient courtesy shown to me while making my notes, and the
instructing and interesting conduct of me round the room, I am under the
warmest obligations to Mr Walter Broad, the Hon. Curator, who, as you
will be interested to know, is a Canadian, and whose first impulse to
seek Africa as a field for his labours was obtained through reading my
"Dark Continent."
A Visit to the Criterion Mine.
After this exhaustive inspection of the ores on exhibition, it remained
for us to see one of these Rhodesian mines in operation to dispel the
last remnant of doubt which eloquent sceptics had inspired me with. We
chose the Criterion Mine, which is by no means the nearest to the town.
It belongs to the Rhodesia Ltd. Company, and is situate eight miles
south from Bulawayo, and as Mr Hirschler, the Engineer of the mine, was
willing to take upon himself the trouble of being our guide, we flung
ourselves gladly upon his generosity. In one hour and a half we made
the distance in a spring cart drawn by four spirited little mules. We
halted at the Engineer's station on a commanding grassy ridge, which
neighbours that once occupied by Mosilikatse's old kraal of Gubulawayo
during the forties, fifties, and sixties of this century. A few spaces
from the spot where we outspanned we came to a series of "old workings"
which ran along the crest of the ridge for about 2000 feet. Where one
of these old workings was untouched by the Engineer, it reminded me of
just such a big hole as might have been made to unearth a boulder, or to
root out a large tree. One of these hollows was chosen by the Engineer
to sink his first shaft. After penetrating through fifty feet of
debris, he came upon the reef which the ancients had abandoned because
of flooding, and time, aided by rain, had filled up. He continued for
about 10 feet more, sampling every 3 feet as he went, to discover the
grade of the ore. Since then he has sunk eight other shafts. The mine
consists of 170 claims, but the development is concentrated on about
twenty-five claims, ten of which are in the centre of the property, and
fifteen towards the eastern boundary. In the centre two shafts are
being sunk to the 150 foot level, and are at present connected by a
drive 300 feet long. On this level the reef is throughout payable,
while a chute 100 feet long is of high grade ore. Trenches on the line
of the reef indicate its occurrence towards the eastern portion of the
mine, where five shafts varying from 100 feet to 150 feet deep have been
sunk. At the depth of 150 feet the various shafts will be connected by
a gallery, which will give 2000 feet of reef material. At the present
time work is being done for the purpose of developing sufficient ore to
keep a twenty-stamp mill going. The necessary machinery has been
ordered, and the engineers expect to begin producing some time about the
middle of 1898. On examining the material at the mouths of the shafts,
those among us who knew of what they were speaking declared that much of
it was of high grade. High pyritic quartz abounded, and this was rich
in fine gold. Sulphide galena was found in some of the quartz. At the
mouth of one shaft visible gold was very frequent, and about forty of
the visitors obtained specimens wherein miniature nuggets were plainly
visible. Where the reef was being worked at the deepest shaft it showed
a breadth of 24 inches; in some places it is only 18 inches wide; at
others it is 48 inches broad.
"We saw enough to prove that Rhodesia is an Auriferous Country."
My readers need scarcely be told that the exhibits of ores are only such
as a few companies of Rhodesia were induced to send after urgent appeals
from the public-spirited citizens of Bulawayo. I saw none from
Salisbury, Mazoe, or any part of Mashonaland, and only a few mines in
Matabeleland were represented. There was no time for a proper
exhibition. Many more were _en route_, but the distances are great and
the ox-wagon is slow. At any rate we have seen sufficient to prove that
Rhodesia is an auriferous country though as yet no one knows what rank
it will take among gold-producing lands. My own conviction--a
conviction that is, I suppose, made up from what I have seen and heard
from qualified men--is that Rhodesia will not be much inferior to the
Transvaal. True, it has no Witwatersrand--forty miles of reefs; but the
superficial area is twice the size of the Transvaal State, and the
prospectors have only succeeded in discovering a few plums.
Then, though the railway has been brought to Bulawayo, it is still far
from the Belingwe and Selukwe districts, and within a radius of 100
miles from the town there are many gold fields richer than those in the
immediate neighbourhood of the railway terminus. It is necessary to
state this in the clearest manner, for many will be carried away by the
idea that now the railway is at Bulawayo the output of gold should
follow immediately.
But even the most forward among the mining companies can only say: "We
have ordered all the needful machinery and shall set to work as soon as
it arrives." The machinery in a few cases is on the rail between Port
Elizabeth and Bulawayo; but the necessities of life must precede mining
machinery, and several weeks more may elapse before any portion of the
material may reach Bulawayo. Then we shall have to consider the
terrible calamity endured by Rhodesia, as well as South Africa in
general. The rinderpest is not over yet, and cattle, mules, and donkeys
are scarce, and the haulage of heavy machinery over the veld with feeble
and sickening cattle for forty, seventy, and a hundred miles will be a
tedious business.
Then will come the erection of buildings, the fitting of engines, etc.,
etc., with inexpert natives, and I think I need but suggest that all
these preliminaries will occupy much time. The more confident engineers
declare that they will be ready to produce about the middle of next
year. They may be as good as their word, knowing their business better
than we casual visitors; but it seems to me but common prudence to
withhold expectation of results until eighteen months from the present.
Rhodesia's Requirements.
There is no doubt in my mind that gold will be produced in payable
quantities from these Rhodesian mines; but the extent of profit depends
upon circumstances. It is also as certain that Rhodesia cannot hope to
compete with the Transvaal under present conditions. Bulawayo is 1360
miles from the sea, and at least 40 miles from the richest mines.
Johannesburg is 390 miles from the sea, and is in the centre of its
forty mile long gold field. That simple fact means a great deal, and
shows an enormous disadvantage to Rhodesia. The latter country will
have to pay four times more for freight than the Transvaal gold fields.
Against this must be set the small duties that will have to be paid.
After paying five per cent to Cape Colony, goods will be admitted free
to Rhodesia. Then the heavy taxes paid to the Boers will still further
diminish the disadvantages of Rhodesia; yet when we consider the time
wasted in the long railway journey, and the haulage by ox-wagon to the
mines, we shall find a much heavier bill of costs against the gold
output of Rhodesia, than on that of the Transvaal. A good substantial
railway from Beira or Sofala to Bulawayo, _via_ Victoria, would
completely reverse things. Bulawayo would then be about the same rail
distance from the sea as Johannesburg is; the poorer ores could then be
worked profitably, and the aggregate of gold product would in a few
years rival that of the Rand. If I were a Chartered Director, my first
object should be to get the shortest and most direct route to the sea
from Bulawayo, and a substantial railway along it, and having obtained
that, and a liberal mining law, I should feel that the prosperity of
Rhodesia was assured.