Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/197

 THE ORIQUAS. 149 tions occur in the western parts of the province. ITere severul crests exceed 4,G00 feet, and the camping-ground of Duniol's Kuil liosut an altitude of o,370 feot ; even along the bunks of the Orange the country fulls nowhere below JJ.OOO feet. The chains of hills or ridges rising above the plateau are dispose<i for the most part in the direct ion from north-east to south-west, parallel with the course of the Vual. They are usually of gently rounded form, the ])revailing greyish tint« giving them u somewhat monotonous aspect. In the depressions of the plateau between the two main streams are scattered nunierous aa/f-pana, nearly all of cir- cular forn), which, during the rainy season, are large and deep enough for the light craft U8e<l in wild-duck shooting, but which ut other times are either quite dry or even replaced by a sidine efflorescence. Another feature of the landscape are the clusters of mimosas scattered over the grazing-grounds. The Griquas (Gri-kwa), from whom the province takes its name, are genendly spoken of by the Dutch Boers under the designation of " Bastaurds." The great majority are, in fact, half-caste descendants of the wl)ite settlers and Hottentots of various tribes, who came from the regions south of the Orange about the begin- ning of the present century. In this extremely mixed population are met every variety of type, from the stuntc<l Bushman and yellow Hottentot to the tall Kafir and fair European. liut they are on the whole an active, vigorous race, daring and persevering, superior to the ordinary aborigines in strength and stature, and in all things distinguished " either by their virtues or their vices." * Amongst these African half-castes, as amongst the " Bois-Brules" of North America, are found the most enterprising traders, the most intelligent pioneers, tiie most daring hunters, but also the most dangerous and desperate criminals in the colony. In 1839 they valiantly defended their territory against the Mantati (Basutos), who were threatening to cross the Orange and overrun the whole country. The Man- tati were driven towards the north, where they in their turn became famous conquerors under the name of Mukololo. Even the pure white population of Griqualund West, consisting for the most part of miners of every nation — Englishmen from Cornwall and Lancashire, Germans from the Hartz, Piedmontese, Americans from California, Australians — are distinguished above all the other European inhabitants of South Africa for their energy, independence, and enterprising spirit. More than once they have been in conflict with the Government, compelling it to withdraw unpopular measures. The Diamond Fields. For a long time the squatters along the banks of the Orange were in the habit of picking up certain lustrous stones, the true value of which was, however, unknown till 18G7. In that year two dealers shared between them the price of the first " Cape diamond," which had been taken from a young Bushman. Two years later a Griqua found another magnificent stone of 83 carats, which received the name of the "Star of South Africa," and which was sold for £ll,200.t There • GuRtav FritHch, Drti Jakre in Sud-Afnka. t Thii) beautiful (fern, now known as the "Dudlc}'," was afterwardit purchased bj the Earl of Dudley, and reduced, by the prooeas of cutting, to a little over forty-six carats.