Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 4.djvu/200

 ground not only in South Africa but in the whole world. It has been suggested by the geologist Moulle, that the pans have the same origin as the four diamantiferous craters; but they have not yet been examined to a sufficient depth to determine the point whether they also contain eruptive matter yielding crystals.

Saul's Kuil, one of these saline meres, is described by Chapman as of perfectly regular form and filled with a conglomerate in which sparkle countless agates.

During the early period of the mining explorations the productive district was laid out like a chessboard in uniform claims, separated from each other by clearing paths. Some five hundred pits swarming with ten thousand busy diggers gave to the mine somewhat the aspect of an ants' nest. But the workers on both sides attacked the intervening spaces to get at their precious contents; the,