CUNNING KAFFIRS.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 717, 29 March 1900, Page 3

CUNNING KAFFIRS.

Among the numerous attempts that have been discovered to get the 'stones' off the South African mines may bo mentioned tho giving of them to a dog, embedded in a piece of meat, just before the termination of an engagement after which the poor brute has been enticed away, killed, and the booty secured. They arc also sown in the collars of dogs, let into insignificant bits of twig, cane, sticks and hidden in other ways innumerable. A Kaffir with one of these illicit stones for sale will go up to a person in Kimberley, and elsewhere, and pester him to buy with as much persistency as a tramp or pedlar in this country ; sometimes telling the most heartrending stories of hardship and hunger. On no account should the now comer allow the stone to bo placed in his hand, for, if caught, there is no escape from si minimum sentence of five years imprisonment. Owing to the bonus of half the value of a stone found on an illicit buyer which the police receive — the}' will often follow a " boy" about for days, until they see it change hands before pouncing upon their vicLim. Some curious stories are told of attempts that have been made to get those ill-gotten valuables out of the country. It is far from an uncommon thing for the police to board a vessel just previous to its departure from the Cape, in order to search a suspicious passenger and his or her luggage. In those cases when found, tho stones are generally secreted about the person — more especially in the case of females owing no doubt to tbc great facilities afforded by their dress. They are tied iv the hair, sewn in the clothing and in bedding, in ladies' dress improvers, inlaid in the heels of boots,