The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

THE GEIQUAS. 149tions occur in the western parts of the province. Ilere several crests exceed4,600 feet, and the camping-ground of Daniel's Kuil lies at an altitude of 5,370 feeteven along the banks of the Orange the countrj- falls nowhere below 3,000 feet.The chains of hills or ridges rising above the plateau are disposed for the mostpart in the direction from north-east to south-west, parallel with the course of theVaal. Thej- are usually of gently rounded form, the jirevailing gre3'ish tintsgiving them a somewhat monotonous aspect. In the dcjiressions of the plateaubetween the two main streams are scattered numerous salt-pans, nearlj- all of circularform, which, during the rainy season, are large and deep enough for thelight craft used in wild-duck shooting, but which at other times are either quitedry or even replaced by a saline efflorescence. Another feature of the landscapeare the clusters of mimosas scattered over the grazing-grounds.The Griquas (Gri-kwa), from whom the province takes its name, are generallyspoken of b)' the Dutch Boers under the designation of "Bastaards." The greatmajority are, in fact, half-caste descendants of the white settlers and Hottentots ofvarious tribes, who came from the regions south of the Orange about the beginningof the present centurj'. In this extremelj- mixed population are met everyvariety of type, from the stunted Bushman and j'ellow Hottentot to the tall Kafirand fair European. But they are on the whole an active, vigorous race, daringand persevering, superior to the ordinary aborigines in strength and stature, andin all things distinguished " either by their virtues or their vices." * Amongstthese African half-castes, as amongst the " Bois-Brules " of North America, arefound the most cnterpi-ising traders, the most intelligent pioneers, the most daringhunters, but also the most dangerous and desperate criminals in the colony. In1839 they valiantly defended their territory against the Mantati (Basutos), whowere threatening to cross the Orange and overrun the ^holc country. The Mantatiwere driven towards the north, where the}- in their turn became famousconquerors under the name of Makololo.Even the pure white population of Gri(|ualand West, consisting for the mostjwrt of miners of everj- nation—Englishmen from Cornwall and Lancashire,Germans from the Ilartz, Piedmontese, Americans from California, Australians—are distinguished above all the other European inhabitants of South Africa fortheir energy, independence, and enterprising spirit.More than once they have beeniu conflict with the Government, compelling it to withdraw un2)t)pular measures.The Dia:m(im)Fiki.ds.For a long time the squatters along the banks of the Orange were in the habitof 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 thefirst " Cape diamond," which had been taken from a young Bushman. Two yearslater a Griqua found another magnificent stone of 83 carats, which received thename of the "Star of South Africa," and which was sold for £11,200. t Tliere• Gustav Fritsch, Dni Juhrc in Siid-Afrika.t This bcautifiJ gem, now known as the "Dudlcj-," was afterwards pmvhascil l>y the Earl of Dudley,and reduced, by the process of cutting-, to a little over forty-six caratc.