BARKLY WEST, a town of the Cape province, South Africa, 21m. north of Kimberley, and chief town of a district of the same name in Griqualand West. It is built on the right bank of the Vaal river, here spanned by a bridge. Pop. (1931) 465 whites. Originally called Klipdrift, the town was first founded by the diggers after the discovery in 1867 of diamonds along the valley of the Vaal, and it had for some time a large floating popu lation. On the discovery of the "dry diggings" at Kimberley the majority of the diggers went there. Barkly West remains, however, the centre of the river diggings, which are scattered along the river banks for about 7o miles. The diamonds are noted for their purity and lustre. The Barkly West electoral division is divided into the fiscal districts of Barkly West, Hay t,nd Herbert. (See GRIQUALAND.)