King Solomons Mines PRL4

8/14/2019 King Solomons Mines PRL4

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Introduction

Sir Henry held the lamp over the open box. It was almost full of uncut diamonds.We stood and gazed at them.

'Hee! heel heel' laughed old agool behind us. ' here are the bright stonesthat you love. a"e them in your fingers. #at them$ hee! hee! %rin" them$ ha! ha I'

Africa, the early 1880s . Allan Quatermain, Sir Henry Curtis and Captain JohnGood have travelled a long ay over difficult country to the strange, hidden land ofthe !u"uanas# $hey have escaped death in many different ays# %o , deep inside amountain, they are loo"ing at !ing Solomon&s treasure# $here are enough diamondsthere to ma"e them the richest men in the orld#

'ut Gagool laughs# Gagool, the itch, is older than any(ody&s living memoryand she laughs (ecause she has a plan# $he men have the diamonds, (ut they ill notleave the treasure room# )r ill they *

Allan Quatermain has lived in Africa for years, as a hunter, not a riter# 'uthe tells us this story (ecause he thin"s that others should "no a(out this terri(leadventure#

Quatermain has many +ualities that 'ritish people of the late nineteenthcentury admired, (ut the real hero of the (oo" is Sir Henry Curtis# He has come toSouth Africa, ith his friend Captain John Good, to find his lost (rother# Sir Henryis a true gentleman, and a (etter fighting man than Quatermain# Haggard, the real

riter of this (oo", admired these +ualities strangely, he did not really admireriters# -hen Sir Henry as"s Quatermain to help him, Quatermain does the .o( for

money# He cannot afford to (e a true gentleman#-hile the real men of that time ere outside, "illing and dying, ea"er men

spent their time in the company of omen# /ider Haggard did marry, (ut he asal ays rather shy ith omen# $his may e plain hy there are only t o femalecharacters in the (oo" and one of them is Gagool, a horri(le old itch# $he other,an African oman called 2oulata, falls in love ith Captain Good# Good is less of ahero than Curtis or even Quatermain, and he also falls in love ith her# A mi ed3race relationship ould, though, (e shoc"ing to the outside orld#

Haggard&s vie of African characters and society can (e difficult for modern

readers# He as a man of his time and so Africans ere not e+ual to 4uropeans, (utone e perience did change his ideas a little# 5n January 1867 Haggard as in retoriahen ne s arrived that the 9ulus had destroyed a 'ritish army of 1:00 men at

5sandhl ana# $his as a great shoc", and although the 'ritish on the ar, theyadmired the fighting +ualities of the 9ulus# Haggard&s good opinion of these peopleis sho n in the character of ;m(opa, the 9ulu ho .oins the three hite men ontheir search#

5t is still a fact, though, that the people of the lost country of !u"uanaland inthis (oo" seem rather childli"e# $hey are greatly affected (y simple things li"e

Captain Good&s false teeth and eyeglass, and they have not seen an eclipse (efore#'ut in defence of /ider Haggard, he "ne his su(.ect (etter than most men, and hisideas are more modern than many#

-hen Haggard as in Africa, the old city of 9im(a( e had recently (eendiscovered# He did not visit the area (ut he certainly read a(out it#


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Chapter 1 I Meet Sir Henry Curtis

5t is a strange thing that at the age of fifty3five 5 am trying to rite a history# 5onder hat sort of history it ill (eF 5 have done many things in my life, hich

seems a long one (ecause 5 started so young# At an age hen other (oys are atschool, 5 as or"ing here in Africa# 5 have (een (uying and selling, hunting,fighting or mining since then, (ut 5 only started ma"ing real money eight monthsago# 5t is a lot of money, (ut 5 do not thin" 5 ould e perience the last fifteen orsi teen months again for it# 5 am not a (rave man, 5 do not li"e violence, and 5 amtired of adventure#

5 am not a riter either# 5 am only riting this for t o good reasons Sir HenryCurtis and Captain John Good as"ed me to do it and it may entertain my son Harry,

ho is studying to (e a doctor over there in Eiverpool#5t is no a(out eighteen months since 5 first met Sir Henry Curtis and Captain

Good# 'efore that 5 as elephant hunting (eyond 'amang ato, and 5 had had (adluc"# 4verything ent rong on that trip, and then 5 got a (ad fever too# -hen 5 as

ell enough, 5 travelled do n to the iamond 2ields, sold everything, paid myhunters and moved on to the Cape# After a ee" there, 5 decided to go (ac" to

ur(an (y ship# So 5 .oined the %un"eld$ hich as aiting for passengers from4ngland on another ship# -hen they arrived, e ent to sea#

$ o of the ne passengers, ho seemed to (e friends, interested me# )ne asa man of a(out thirty, and as one of the largest and strongest3loo"ing men 5 eversa # He had yello hair, a (ig yello (eard and large grey eyes# 5 never sa a finerloo"ing man# His face as also familiar, (ut 5 could not thin" hy# 5 learned laterthat his name as Sir Henry Curtis#

$he other man, Sir Henry&s friend, as short, rather fat, and dar"# He asvery tidy, and he al ays ore an eyeglass in his right eye# 5t seemed to gro there ithad no string, and he never too" it out in daylight e cept to clean it# At first 5 thoughthe used to sleep in it, (ut 5 as rong# He put it in his poc"et, ith his very finefalse teeth, hen he ent to (ed# His name, 5 discovered from the passenger list, asGood Captain John Good#

)n the first evening there as a high ind# 5t (ecame very cold and 5 stood

near the engines here it as arm# Captain Good as already there, perhaps forthe same reason# -e started a conversation and then e .oined Sir Henry Curtis athis ta(le for dinner# $he captain and 5 soon started tal"ing a(out shooting, and 5thin" e discussed most of the animals in Africa# Some time after coffee had (eenserved, he (egan to as" a(out elephants#

& Ah, sir,& called some(ody (ehind me,& you are sitting ith the right man#Hunter Quatermain ill (e a(le to tell you a(out elephants if any man can#&

Sir Henry Curtis, ho had sat +uietly listening to our tal", loo"ed surprised#He (ent for ard and said in a deep voice, & 4 cuse me, sir, (ut is your name Allan

Quatermain *&5 said it as#Sir Henry smiled suddenly, and Good also loo"ed pleased# &$his is very

fortunate,& said Sir Henry, then continued &


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& )f course,& 5 said#& -ell,& Sir Henry said,& my (rother had some money in the (an"# He too" it

out, changed his name to %eville, and came to South Africa# He hoped to ma"emoney here# $hree years passed and 5 heard nothing of him, though 5 rote severaltimes# 5 (ecame more and more an ious a(out him and tried to discover here he

as# $hat is hy the letter came to you, and 5 got your reply# 5n the end, 5 decided tocome out here and loo" for him myself, and Captain Good "indly came ith me#&

&=es,& said the captain#& 5 have nothing else to do, you see# $hey say 5 am tooold for the sea# And no perhaps,


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him, or discover that he is dead# -ill you come ith me *&5 am not, as 5 have said, a (rave man, and 5 did not li"e the idea# $he .ourney

meant certain death# Also, 5 had a son and 5 needed to continue sending him money#5 could not afford to die#

&%o, than" you, Sir Henry, 5 do not thin" so,& 5 ans ered# &5 am too old for thissort of thing, and e ould only finish li"e my poor friend Silvestre# 5 have a son,and 5 have to stay alive for him#&

&


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elephant&s face#-ith a scream of pain, the animal caught the poor 9ulu and thre him to the

earth# $hen, placing his huge foot on his (ac", he pulled his (ody into t o pieces#-e fired our guns again and again, until the elephant fell do n dead (eside poor!hiva&s (ody#

Good got up# 2or a long time he stood and loo"ed at the man ho had givenhis life for him# ;m(opa also loo"ed, then said, & Ah ell, he is dead, (ut he diedli"e a man#&

-e put the pieces of !hiva&s (ody in a hole made (y an animal, ith a spear

to protect him on his .ourney to a (etter orld# $he ne t day e continued marching,and at last e reached Sitanda&s !raal#

)n the first evening, Good loo"ed after the arrangements of our little camp,hile Sir Henry and 5 al"ed to the top of a small hill and gaBed across the desert#

2ar, far a ay 5 could see the faint (lue form of the Suliman


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-e stayed on the hill all day, aiting for the sun to go do n# $hen e dran"again, filled our ater3(ottles, and started to al"#

)ur ater as finished again hen e reached the foot of the mountain, (ut (y good fortune e found some fruit# As e clim(ed, e suffered terri(ly during thenights from cold# -e had little strength no , and no food#

)n >Ird


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ay#& -hat is the matter*& 5 ondered#&He moved his teeth,& hispered Sir Henry e citedly# &$a"e them out, GoodF&Good o(eyed, hiding the teeth in his hand#$he men came for ard slo ly interested, (ut afraid#& -hy, strangers, does this fat man have clothes on his (ody (ut none on his

legs *& as"ed the old man, pointing to Good#& -hy does he have one shining eye, andteeth that move *&

&)pen your mouth,& 5 said to Good, and Good smiled# He sho ed a mouth that

as as toothless as a ne 3(orn (a(y&s#& -here are his teeth *& they shouted#Good passed his hand across his mouth, then he opened his lips and there

ere his teeth again#& 5 see that you are not human,& said the old man#& %o man has a round shining

eye, or teeth that move, and disappear, and gro againF ardon us, my lords#&&-e are men li"e you,& 5 said, &(ut e come from another orld# -e come

from the (iggest star that shines at night#&&)hF )hF &they cried#&-e have come to stay ith you for a time, and to help you# %o , hat should

e do to the man ho thre a spear*&& o not "ill him, my lords,& said the old man# &He is the "ing&s son#&& erhaps,& 5 said, &you do not thin" that e can "ill him* =ouF& 5 cried to

;m(opa, & Give me the magic pipe that spea"s#& ;m(opa smiled and handed me arifle#& =ou see that deer,& 5 said, pointing to an animal a(out >00 feet a ay# & Can aman "ill it from here ith a noise *&

& 5t is not possi(le, my lord,& ans ered the old man#& 'ut 5 shall "ill it,& 5 said, +uietly#$he old man smiled#&


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$he mountains are full of caves# $here the ise men of old time used to go# $hereour dead "ings are no ta"en to the lace of eath#&

After an hour e reached the edge of the to n and came to a great gate#5nfadoos spo"e, and e passed through into the main street# He led us past lines ofhuts to the gate of a group of huts# -e ere glad to eat and then sleep e ere verytired after our long .ourney#

-hen e o"e, the sun as high in the heavens# 5nfadoos told us that $ alathe "ing as ready to see us#

-e too" a rifle and some presents for the "ing and al"ed a short distance toa very large s+uare# 5t as filled (y seven or eight thousand soldiers# $he space infront of a large hut as empty, (ut facing it there ere several seats# At a sign from5nfadoos, e sat do n#

At last the door of the hut opened and a huge man stepped out, follo ed (ythe (oy, Scragga, and a "ind of animal in a hairy coat# $he "ing sat do n andScragga stood (ehind him# $he animal crept into the shado of the hut#

$here as silence#$hen the "ing stood up# He had the most frightening face that e had ever

seen# He had one angry (lac" eye# $he other eye had gone and there as only a holein his face here it had (een# 5t as a very cruel face, (ad in every ay# Around hishead ere a num(er of hite feathers# His (ody as covered ith shining armour#5n his right hand as a large spear# )n his forehead shone a huge diamond#

Still there as silence, (ut not for long# $he "ing held up the great spear in hishand and eight thousand spears ere lifted in ans er# 2rom eight thousand throatscame the royal cry of &oom.

$here as silence again, then it as (ro"en# A soldier on our left dropped hisshield#

$ ala turned his cold eye in the direction of the noise#& Come here, you,& he said, in a voice li"e thunder#A young man stepped out and stood in front of him#& -ill you em(arrass me in the eyes of these strangers from the stars * Spea"F&& 5t as an accident,& he murmured#

& $hen you must pay for your accident# Scragga, "ill this dog for me#&Scragga stepped for ard# He aved the spear once, t ice, and then struc"#$he young soldier thre up his hands and dropped dead#

& 5t as a good stro"e,& said the "ing#& $a"e him a ayour men carried a ay the (ody of the murdered man#Sir Henry as red ith anger#& Sit do nF& 5 hispered#$ ala sat silently until the (ody had (een carried a ay# $hen he said,& -hite

people, here have you come from, and hat do you ant *&& -e come from the stars,& 5 ans ered#& -e have come to see this land#&

&/emem(er that the stars are far a ay and you are near#-hy should e not"ill you *&

5 laughed though not in my heart#& Haven&t they told you ho 5 can "illfrom a distance *& 5 said#

&$hey have told me, (ut 5 do not (elieve them# !ill one of those men overthere for me#&

& %o,& 5 ans ered#& -e do not "ill e cept to punish# 'ut (ring a co in throughthe gates and 5 ill stri"e it dead#&

& 5t ill (e done,& he said#

& %o , Sir Henry& 5 said,& you must shoot# -e ant to sho that 5 am not theonly one#& 5 gave him the rifle#

$here as a pause# $hen e sa a co coming through the gate# 5t sa thegreat cro d of people and it stopped#

& %o F& 5 hispered#$here as a sharp sound, and the animal lay dead#A hisper of surprise spread through the cro d#$hen 5 sa the animal3li"e figure creeping out from the shado of the hut#

-hen it reached the place here the "ing sat, 5 sa its face# 5t as the face of a veryold oman, covered ith deep yello lines# $his as Gagool, the itch, ho asolder than any(ody&s living memory#

She placed her hand on the shoulder of $ ala the "ing and (egan to spea" &Eisten, !ingF Eisten, soldiersF Eisten, men and omenF Eisten# $here is magic inme, and 5 tell you hat ill come#&$error seemed to fill the hearts of all the people#&'loodF 'loodF 'loodF /ivers of (lood every here# 5 am oldF 5 am oldF =our fathers"ne me, and their fathers& fathers# 5 have seen (lood# HaF haF 'ut 5 ill see more

(efore 5 die#&-hat do you ant, -hite


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Chapter ( The $it)hes

5 as"ed 5nfadoos to enter our hut ith us#&5nfadoos,& 5 said, &it seems to us that $ ala the "ing is a cruel man#&&=es, my lords# He does cruel things, and the land cries out# $onight you ill

see# $he itches ill choose people and they ill die# 5f the "ing ants to ta"e aman&s cattle or his ife, or if he fears a man, that man ill die# Gagool or the other

itches ill find him# $he land is tired of $ ala and his (loody ays#&& $hen hy, 5nfadoos, don&t the people get rid of him *&

& 5f he ere "illed, Scragga ould rule in his place# $he heart of Scragga is (lac"er than the heart of $ ala his father# -hen 5motu as "illed, and then 5gnosihis son died, all hope died ith them#&

& %o,& said ;m(opa#&-hat do you mean,(oy*& as"ed 5nfadoos#&Eisten, 5nfadoos,& as the ans er# &=ears ago the "ing, 5motu, as "illed in

this country, and his ife ran a ay ith the (oy 5gnosi# $he mother and the (oy didnot die# $hey crossed the mountains and ere led (y desert3men across the sands,until they came to ater and trees again#&

& =ou are mad to tal" li"e that,& said the old soldier#& o you thin" so * Eoo", 5 ill sho you, uncle#&$hen, ith a single movement, ;m(opa too" off his cloth and stood in front

of us#& Eoo",& he said, and he pointed to the picture of a great sna"e mar"ed in his

s"in around his aist#5nfadoos loo"ed ith open eyes, then fell on his "nees#& &oomF &oomF& he cried#& 5t is my (rother&s son# 5t is the "ing#&& Stand up, 5nfadoos# 5 am not yet "ing, (ut ith your help, and ith the help

of my (rave hite friends, 5 shall (e# 'ut the old itch Gagool as right# $here ill (e rivers of (lood, and her (lood must .oin it , if she has any# She "illed my father

ith her ords and pushed my mother a ay# %o , 5nfadoos, choose# -ill you (emy man *&

$he old man got up and moved to ;m(opa or 5gnosi# $hen he too" his

hand# & 5gnosi, true "ing of the !u"uanas,& he said,& 5 am your man until death#-henyou ere a (a(y 5 played ith you on my "nees# %o my old arm ill stri"e for youand e ill free the land#&

&And you, hite men, ill you help me* -hat can 5 offer you * $he hitestones * 5f 5 in and can find them, you can have as many as you can carry a ay# 5sthat enough *&

5 translated hat he had said into 4nglish#&$ell him,& Sir Henry said, &that money is good, (ut a gentleman does not sell

himself for money# 'ut 5 have al ays li"ed ;m(opa, and 5 do not li"e $ ala, so 5ill help him#&

&-ell,& said Good,&5 en.oy a good fight, so 5 am his man too#&5 repeated these ans ers in 9ulu, and added, &;m(opa, or 5gnosi, 5 am a man

of peace, and not very (rave# 'ut 5 support my friends and 5 ill support you# 5 doneed money, so 5 shall accept your offer of those diamonds# %o tell me ho doyou intend to (ecome "ing*&

& 5 do not "no ,& replied 5gnosi#& 5nfadoos, have you a plan *&& $onight,& ans ered 5nfadoos,& the itches ill or" and there ill (e anger

in the hearts of many people against !ing $ ala# -hen the dance ends, 5 ill spea"to some of the great chiefs# 5 ill (ring them here and sho them that you are thereal "ing# 5 thin" that (y tomorro you ill have >0,000 spears at your command#&

At that moment our tal" as interrupted (y the "ing&s messengers#$hree menentered the hut# 4ach man carried a shining shirt of chain armour and a fine (attle3a e, gifts from the "ing#

$hat night, hen the full moon shone, 5nfadoos arrived in armour ith aguard of t enty men# He as"ed us to put on the shirts of chain armour under ourother clothes# -e too" our revolvers to the dance#

$he great s+uare as filled ith a(out >0,000 men# %ot a sound came fromthem#

& $hey are very silent,& said Good#&-hat does he say*& as"ed 5nfadoos# 5 told him# &


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him, the (ad one#&She danced more and more +uic"ly until suddenly she stopped, li"e a hunting

dog that smells something# $hen ith an angry cry she touched a tall soldier ith herstic"# $he t o men ne t to him held the unhappy man, and moved ith him to ardsthe "ing# $ o of the "illers stepped for ard to meet him#

& !ill,& said the "ing#&!ill,& cried Gagool#Almost (efore the ords ere spo"en, the terri(le thing as done#Another poor fello as (rought out almost immediately after this, and so the

game of death continued# )nce e stood up and tried to stop it, (ut $ ala refused tolisten#

At last the itches seemed to (ecome tired of their (loody or", (ut they hadnot finished# $o our surprise, Gagool stood up and moved for ard# $his horri(leyello 3headed old oman slo ly gre stronger until at last she danced almost as+uic"ly as her terri(le pupils# Suddenly she ran at a tall man and touched him# Asshe did this, e heard a shout from the men that he commanded# -e learnt later thathe as a rich and po erful man, a cousin of the "ing#

$hen Gagool came nearer and nearer to us#& -ho ill it (e *& murmured Sir Henry#$hen she rushed to ;m(opa and touched him on the shoulder#& !ill himF& she

cried#& He is a (ad man# !ill him, the stranger, (efore there are rivers of (lood#&5 stood up# & $his man,& 5 shouted,& is a servant of the "ing&s guests# -hoever

harms him harms us# -e are your guests, and 5 demand protection for him#&&He must die,& as the angry ans er#&He ill not die,& 5 replied# &-hoever tries to touch him ill die#&& $a"e himF& $ ala shouted to the "illers ho stood around# $hey ere red

ith the (lood of the dead#& Stand (ac"F& 5 shouted# & Stand (ac" if you ant to see tomorro &s light# 5f

you touch him, your "ing ill die#& 5 pointed my revolver at $ ala# Sir Henry andGood also pulled out their revolvers# Sir Henry pointed his at the leading "iller andGood aimed carefully at Gagool#

$ ala stepped (ac"#

&-ell,& 5 said,& hat do you thin",$ ala*&He spo"e#& =ou have said that he is my guest# 2or that reason, and not fromfear of you, 5 ill not "ill him#&

& 5 am glad,& 5 ans ered +uietly#& -e are tired of death and ant to sleep# Hasthe dance ended *&

& 5t has ended,& said $ ala in an angry voice#He lifted his spear# $he soldiers (egan to march a ay through the gate ay in

perfect silence#

Chapter * $e +i,e a Si-n

5t as almost morning hen 5nfadoos came to us, follo ed (y si fine3loo"ing chiefs#

&


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stop the moon and ma"e the land dar" *&$he chiefs laughed at this, and the oldest one said,& %o man can do that#&& $omorro night, t o hours (efore midnight, e ill ma"e the moon

disappear for an hour and a half# ar"ness ill cover the earth# 5f e do this, illyou (elieve that 5gnosi is the real "ing of the !u"uanas *&

&=es,& the old chief said, and the others agreed#& 5f you do this, e ill (esatisfied#&

$hen 5nfadoos spo"e# &$ o miles from Eoo,& he said to us, & there is a hillshaped li"e a half3moon# 5f you really can ma"e the moon dar", 5 ill lead you out of

Eoo to that place# $here you ill (e safe# And from there e can ma"e ar on $ alathe "ing#&

& Good,& 5 said#& %o , let us sleep and ma"e our magic&5 hope that this eclipse happens,& Sir Henry said, after they had gone#& 5f it does not happen,& 5 ans ered,& it ill (e the last moon that e ill ever

see#&

$he ne t evening e put on the chain armour from the "ing and ent to thegreat s+uare in front of the "ing&s hut ith our rifles# $he s+uare loo"ed verydifferent from the evening (efore# !u"uana girls ere earing flo ers in their hair#4ach girl carried a large leaf in one hand and a tall hite flo er in the other# 5n thecentre of the open space $ ala the "ing sat, ith old Gagool at his feet# $he (oyScragga and t elve guards ere also there#

$ ala greeted us and seemed happy, although he loo"ed hard at ;m(opa#$hen,& $he dance ill (egin,& he said, and the girls moved for ard# $hey danced andsang, aving the leaves and flo ers# At last they stopped, and an attractive young

oman stepped for ard and danced alone# -hen she (ecame tired, another omantoo" her place, and then another and another#

$he "ing held up his hand#&-hich of these girls do you thin" is the mostattractive *& he as"ed us#

& $he first,& 5 said, ithout thin"ing#& $hen my mind is the same as your mind and my eyes are li"e your eyes# She

is the prettiest, and that is a (ad thing for her (ecause she must dieF&

&*es$ must die! & said Gagool#& 'ut hy *& 5 said#& She has danced ell#&$ ala laughed as he ans ered#& 5t is our custom, and she (elongs to those

stone figures#& He pointed to ards the three mountains# & 5f 5 do not "ill the girl, (adluc" ill come to my people#&

$hen, turning to the guards, he said,&'ring her here#&$he girl cried out and tried to run a ay# 'ut t o men caught her and (rought

her to the "ing#& -hat is your name, girl *& said Gagool#& -ill you not ans er *


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$hen the girls ran screaming to ards the gates# $hey ere follo ed (y the"ing, his guards, some chiefs and Gagool# -e ere left alone ith 2oulata and thechiefs ho had spo"en to us the night (efore#

&%o ,& 5 said, & e have given you a sign# 5f you (elieve us, let us run +uic"lyto the place that you spo"e a(out#&

& Come,& said 5nfadoos, turning to go#-e follo ed, and 5 sa that Good had ta"en 2oulata&s hand# 5t as no

totally dar"#

Chapter The /attle

-hen the sun came up, e prepared for (attle# -e found 5nfadoos ith hiso n men, the Greys# 5gnosi .oined us#$he men ere atching $ ala&s armymarching out of Eoo in a long line#

5nfadoos and 5gnosi spo"e to the soldiers# $hey gave the royal greeting of &oom'$ accepting 5gnosi as their "ing#

& 5nfadoos, my uncle,& said 5gnosi,& you see ho the hill (ends round li"e ahalf3moon# $he flat land runs li"e a green tongue to ards us inside it# =our soldiersmust go ith another chief&s men do n to the green tongue# -hen $ ala sees you,he ill order his hole army to fight against you# 'ut the place is narro , and onlyone group of soldiers can attac"# -hile the eyes of $ ala&s army are on the fight onthe narro tongue, the rest of our army ill creep along the t o sides of the half3moon# -e ill then attac" $ ala&s army from (oth sides#&

$he arrangements for the (attle ere made very +uic"ly# $he men ate a smallmeal and then marched to their places#

$hen Good came to Sir Henry and myself#& Good(ye,& he said# & 5 am going to (e ith the people on the right, and e may not meet again#&-e shoo" hands insilence#

& 5 shall (e ith the Greys,& said Sir Henry,& and 5 do not e pect to seetomorro &s sun# $he Greys ill have to fight until they are all dead, hile the rest ofthe army gets round the sides# -ell, it ill (e a man&s death# Good(ye, old fello #&

5n another moment, Good had gone# 5nfadoos led Sir Henry to his place in the

front line of the Greys# 5 ent ith 5gnosi to my place ith a second group, hoere (ehind them#-hen e reached the edge of the hill, the Greys ere already half3 ay do n#

$ ala&s army as no near# $hey had seen the movement of the Greys, and theyere hurrying to reach the open end of the tongue (efore the Greys could come out

on to the huge flat land# $he Greys reached the centre of the tongue, here it (ecameider# $here they stopped#

-e moved do n to a place a(out I00 feet (ehind them, on slightly higherground#

$ ala&s army (egan to enter the valley# $hey discovered that the space asvery narro , and in front of them they sa the famous Greys, the (est of the!u"uana army# $hen $ ala gave an order, and the first men ran to ards the Greys#

$he Greys did not move until the attac"ers ere 1I0 feet a ay# $hensuddenly, ith a shout, they ran for ard and the t o lines met# $he sound of themeeting shields came to our ears li"e thunder# $he great group of (attling menmoved this ay and that, (ut not for long# Suddenly the attac"ing lines (egan togro thinner#$hen, li"e a great ave over a roc", the Greys passed over them# 'utthe Greys had only t o lines left no # )ne third of them ere dead#

$hey stood shoulder to shoulder, and aited for the second attac"# 5 as gladto see Sir Henry&s yello (eard as he moved among the men# So he as still aliveF

$he terri(le thunder of shields came again# $his time the fight as longer# -ethought that the Greys ere finished, and e ere preparing to ta"e their place# 'utthen 5 heard the sound of Sir Henry&s deep voice, and sa his (attle3a e circling higha(ove his head# $he Greys stopped moving (ac"# $hey stood li"e roc", as the avesof spearmen hit their shields again and again# $hen they (egan to move for ard, andsuddenly the attac"ers ere running a ay#

Eess than a +uarter of the Greys ere still standing, (ut they shouted andaved their spears# $hen they ran to a little piece of higher ground and formed three

rings around it# $here 5 sa Sir Henry, unhurt, ith our old friend 5nfadoos# $ ala&ssoldiers moved to ards them, and the (attle (egan again#

& Are e going to stand here until e gro old, 5gnosi, hile $ ala eats our (rothers there *& 5 as"ed#

As 5 spo"e, enemy soldiers rushed past the ring on the small hill and attac"edit from the nearer side#

& %o is the moment,& cried 5gnosi, and he lifted his (attle3a e as the sign toattac"#

5 cannot descri(e hat follo ed# 5 heard the sound of shouting voices, andsa shining spears through a red curtain of (lood# -hen my mind cleared, 5 foundmyself inside the ring of the Greys, .ust (ehind Sir Henry#

Again and again they attac"ed us, and again and again e (eat them (ac"# 'utall the time our circle gre smaller# $hat old soldier, 5nfadoos, gave calm orders and

stepped for ard every time to the orst fighting# 5t as a fine sight#4ven finer as the sight of Sir Henry# %o(ody lived here he struc"#An an ious cry came from the soldiers ho ere attac"ing us# )ur men had

moved round the sides and ere attac"ing the enemy from all directions# As 5gnosihad e pected, all $ ala&s army had fi ed their eyes on the (loody fight against theGreys# $hen suddenly they realiBed, too late, hat as happening#

5n five minutes the result of the (attle as decided# $ ala&s soldiers ran a ay#Soon the hole land (et een us and Eoo as covered ith groups of men, runningfrom the (attle3ground# $he men around our circle disappeared, and e ere left

1>


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there ith the dead and dying all around us# )nly ninety3five of the (rave Greysere still on their feet#


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&=es, "ing at last, ith the help of you three great men,& he ans ered#5 as"ed him hat he had decided to do ith Gagool#& 5 shall "ill her,& he ans ered,& and all the other itches ith her# She has

al ays taught the itches and (rought pro(lems to the land#&& 'ut she "no s a lot,& 5 said#& 5t is easier to destroy "no ledge than to find it#&& $hat is true,& he said#& She "no s the secret of the Silent )nes over there

here the great road leads, and here the dead "ings are ta"en#&&=es, and that is here the diamonds are# o not forget your promise#=ou

must lead us to the mines, even if Gagool has to stay alive to sho the ay#&

& 5 ill not forget,& he said,& and 5 ill thin" a(out your ords#&After 5gnosi left, 5 ent to see Good# He as very ill# $he fever as much

orse, and it continued for four or five days# All this time 2oulata stayed ith him#At first 5 tried to help, and Sir Henry too, hen he felt (etter# 'ut 2oulata told us toleave him ith her# 2or t o days 5 thought that he ould die# )nly 2oulata did not

(elieve it#& He ill live,& she said#)ne night, the fifth night of his illness, 5 ent to see him (efore 5 ent to

sleep# 5 entered the hut +uietly# $he lamp on the floor sho ed that Good as notmoving# So it had happened at lastF 5 made a noise li"e a soft cry#

& Sshhh,& came from a dar" shado (ehind Good&s head#$hen, creeping closer, 5 sa that he as not dead# He as sleeping deeply,

ith 2oulata&s fingers in his hand# He slept li"e that for eighteen hours and all thetime 2oulata stayed & ith him#

-hen Good as nearly ell again, Sir Henry told him ho 2oulata had savedhis life# Good too" me to the hut here she as preparing a meal# He as"ed me totranslate his ords into her language#

& $ell her,& he said,& that 5 ill never forget hat she has done#&After 5 repeated this in 9ulu, she said to him, &Have you forgotten that you

also saved my life *&She had forgotten that Sir Henry and 5 also helped a littleF 5 left them together#

5 "ne that if their relationship continued, Good ould have to stay there# Amarriage (et een them as not possi(le outside !u"uanaland#

Chapter 11 The la)e of Death

A fe days later 5gnosi called all the people together and they pu(liclyrecogniBed him as "ing# After this e spo"e to him, and said that e no anted togo to the mines#

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)nes#5n front of us as a all of roc" a(out eighty feet high# Gagool carried a lamp

in her hand# She gave us one (ad loo", then moved to ards this all# -e follo edher until e came to a narro door#

& %o , hite men from the stars,& she said,& are you ready * 5 ill o(ey theorders of my lord the "ing, and sho you the place here the (right stones are "ept#&

& -e are ready,& 5 said#& GoodF GoodF =our hearts must (e strong# Are you coming too, 5nfadoos *&& %o,& replied 5nfadoos,& it is not right for me to enter there# 'ut (e careful ith

my lords# 5f a hair of them is hurt, Gagool, you die# o you hear *&&5 hear# 5 ill o(ey the orders of the "ing# 5 have o(eyed the orders of many

"ings, and in the end they o(eyed mine# HaF haF 5 am going to loo" at their facesagain no F&

Gagool ent through the door# $he three of us follo ed, and 2oulata cametoo#$he path as narro , .ust ide enough for t o people# -hen e had gone a(out1?0 feet, e sa that the ay as gro ing faintly light# A minute later 3 e ere inthe most onderful place that anyone has ever seen#

5t as a huge cave# $here ere no indo s, (ut a little light came in froma(ove# Great columns stood at the sides, formed (y ater falling from the roof# $he

ater carried salts, hich in time (ecame as hard as ice# High a(ove us, hangingfrom the roof, e could see the points of huge icy needles#

Gagool led us straight to the end of the great silent cave, here e foundanother door ay#

& Are you ready to enter the lace of eath, hite men *& as"ed Gagool#& -e are,& said Good, trying not to loo" afraid#After a(out t enty steps e found ourselves in a room a(out forty feet long

and thirty feet ide# 5t had (een cut out of the mountain (y the or" of many hands#5t as dar"er than the great cave, and at first 5 could only see a large stone ta(lealong the hole length of it# A huge hite figure sat at one end of the ta(le, andother figures sat around it#


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are true, the (ag ith the stones ill lie on the floor# =ou ill soon learn if it is truethat death al ays follo s# HaF haF haF&

She ent through the door ay, ta"ing the lamp ith her# -e follo ed#Just inside the door, 2oulata said that she could not continue# She aited

there# $he rest of us follo ed Gagool# A(out fifty feet (eyond the entrance e cameto a painted ooden door# 5t as standing open# $he last person there had not foundthe time, or had forgotten, to shut it#

5n this door ay lay a (ag that appeared to (e full of stones#& HeeF heeF& laughed Gagool, as the light from her lamp fell on it#& 5 told you

that the hite man left +uic"ly and dropped the (ag# $hat is itF&Good (ent do n and lifted it#& 5 (elieve it is full of diamonds,& he hispered#& Eet&s go in,& said Sir Henry#& Here, give me the lamp#& He too" it from

Gagool&s hand and stepped through the door ay#-e follo ed, and found ourselves in Solomon&s treasure room# 5t as a room

cut out of the roc", not more than ten feet s+uare#&


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smallest chance of escape# -e could not change them for a little food or a cup ofater, or for a +uic" end to our suffering#

& Good,& said Sir Henry&s voice at last, and it sounded terri(le in that greatsilence,& ho many matches have you got in the (o *&

&4ight#&& Stri"e one and let&s see the time#&After that (lac" dar"ness, the flame nearly (linded us# 5t as five o&cloc"# $he

early morning sun as no shining on the sno far a(ove our heads#& Eet&s eat,& said Sir Henry#& -hile there is life there is hope#&

So e ate and then dran" a little ater#After some time e ent to the door and shouted# Good, from long practice at

sea, made a terri(le noise# 5 had never heard such shouts, (ut there as no(ody there#So e sat do n against the (o es of useless diamonds# $here as nothing that

e could do#'rave Sir Henry Curtis tried to help# He told stories of men ho had made

onderful escapes# And hen these failed to ma"e us happier, he reminded us thatdeath must come to us all# 5t ould (e +uic" and easy, he said hich as not trueD#

And so the day continued if &day& is the right ord for the (lac"est night#-hen e lit a match to see the time, it as seven o&cloc"#

-e ate and dran" again, and then an idea came to me#& Ho ,& 5 said,& does the air in this place stay fresh *&& =ou are rightF& said Good#& 5 never thought of thatF 5t cannot come through

the stone door# 5t must come from some here# 5f no air as coming in, e ouldnot (e a(le to (reathe no # Eet&s have a loo"#&

5n a moment e ere all creeping a(out on our hands and "nees, feeling forthe slightest sign of air# After an hour or t o Sir Henry and 5 gave up, (ut Good stillcontinued# 5t as (etter, he said, than doing nothing#

& Here, you fello sF& he said, after some time, in an e cited voice#&Quatermain, put your hand here mine is# %o can you feel anything *&

& 5 thin" 5 feel air coming up#&& %o listen#& He .umped on the place and hope gre in our hearts (ecause the

sound as hollo #-ith sha"ing hands 5 lit a match# As it (urned, e e amined the spot# $here

as a narro space in the roc" floor, and a stone ring#-e ere too e cited to spea"# Good had a "nife# He opened it and moved it

round the ring# 2inally he got the "nife under it and pressed gently up# Soon he could put his hands into it# He pulled and pulled, (ut nothing moved#

& Eet me try,& 5 said# 5 held it and pulled, (ut ith no result#$hen Sir Henry tried, and failed#Good too" off a strong (lac" hand"erchief hich he ore# He put it through

the ring#& Quatermain, ta"e Sir Henry round his aist# ull hen 5 tell you to# %o F&

& ullF ullF 5t&s movingF& said Sir Henry# Suddenly there as a (rea"ingsound, then a movement of air, and e ere all on our (ac"s on the floor ith aheavy stone on the top of us#

& Eight a match, Quatermain,& Sir Henry said, hen e had got up again#&Carefully no #&

$here, in front of us, ere stone stairs#& %o hat should e do *& as"ed Good#&2ollo the stairs, of course, and hope for good luc"#&& StopF& said Sir Henry#& Quatermain, get the food and ater# -e may need

them#&5 ent (ac" to our place (y the (o es, and an idea came to me# 5 put my hand

into the first (o and filled the poc"ets of my coat# $hen 5 put in a fe of the (igones from the third (o #

&-on&t you ta"e some diamonds ith you*& 5 said to the others#&5&ve filled my poc"ets#&

& )h, forget the diamonds,& said Sir Henry#& 5 hope 5 never see another one#&Good did not ans er# He as, 5 thin", saying good(ye to the poor girl ho

had loved him so ell#&Come on, Quatermain,& said Sir Henry, already standing on the first step of

the stone stairs#&5 ill go first#&& 'e careful here you put your feet,& 5 ans ered#& $here may (e some a ful

hole underneath#&& $here is pro(a(ly another room,& said Sir Henry, as he ent do n slo ly,

counting the steps#-hen he got to fifteen, he stopped#& $his is the (ottom,& he said#& $here seems

to (e a path# Come do n#&-e reached the (ottom and lit one of the last t o matches# -e sa t o

narro door ays, one to the left and one to the right# -hich ay should e go *$hen Good remem(ered that the air (le the flame of the match to the left#& Air

(lo s in, not out,& he said# So e ent to the right#-e al"ed slo ly through the dar"ness for a(out a +uarter of an hour# $hen

the path turned, or .oined another path# -e follo ed this, and in time e ere ledinto a third path# And so it continued for some hours#

At last e stopped# -e seemed to (e lost in these endless underground paths#-e ate our last piece of meat and dran" the rest of the ater#

$hen 5 thought that 5 heard a sound# 5 told the others to listen too# 5t as veryfaint, (ut it as a murmuring sound# %o ords can descri(e ho good it as afterall those hours of total silence#

& 5t is running ater,& said Good#-e started again in the direction of the faint murmur, feeling our ay along

the roc"y alls# As e ent, the sound (ecame clearer# -e al"ed and al"ed until16


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Good, ho as leading, said that he could smell it#& Go slo ly, Good,& said Sir Henry#& -e must (e close#&Suddenly a cry came from Good# He had fallen in#& GoodF GoodF& e shouted in terror#& -here are you *&$hen an ans er came (ac" in a faint voice# & 5&m holding a roc"# Stri"e a light

and sho me here you are#&Quic"ly 5 lit the last match# 5ts faint light sho ed us a dar" river running at

our feet# 5n the river as the figure of our friend holding on to a roc"#&'e ready to catch me,& shouted Good#&5&ll have to s im#&

5n another minute he caught Sir Henry&s hand and e pulled him up out of theater#

& $he stream is terri(ly fast,& he said# & )nly the roc" saved my life#&5t as too dangerous to follo the river in the dar"ness# -e had a good drin",

and then ent (ac" the same ay#At last e came to a path that led to our right#& -e have nothing to lose,& said Sir Henry#& All roads are the same here# Eet&s

ta"e this one#&-e ere very tired and continued slo ly# Sir Henry as no in front#Suddenly he stopped, and e fell against his (ac"#& Eoo"F& he hispered#& Am 5 going mad or is that light *&-e gaBed, and there, yes, far a ay in front of us there as a faint light#-ith a cry of hope e continued# 5n five minutes there as no longer any

dou(t# A minute later a (reath of real fresh air came to us# $he path (ecamenarro er and Sir Henry ent do n on his "nees# 5t (ecame smaller and smaller# 5t

as earth no # $he roc" had ended#Sir Henry as out, and then Good, and then 5 as out too# And there a(ove us

ere the (eautiful stars, and the s eet air as on our faces# $hen suddenlysomething fell a ay, and e ere all falling through grass and small trees and soft

et earth#5 held a (ranch and stopped# A shout came from Sir Henry ho had fallen to

some flat ground# -e found Good against a small tree#-e sat do n together there on the grass and 5 thin" e cried ith happiness#

-e had escaped from that terri(le room here e had almost died#$he grey light of day crept do n the side of the mountain, and e sa that e

ere at the (ottom, or nearly at the (ottom, of the deep mine in front of the entranceof the cave#

$he day gre (righter# -e could see each other no # )ur faces ere thin, oureyes ere hollo , and e ere covered ith dust and earth and (lood# -e ere aterri(le sight# 'ut Good&s eyeglass as still fi ed in his eye# %othing could separateGood and his eyeglass#

-e stood up and, ith slo and painful movements, (egan to clim( up the

sides of the mine#After more than an hour e stood on the great road# 'eside it, a(out I00 feet

a ay, a fire as (urning in front of some huts, and round the fire ere men# -emoved to ards them, supporting each other and stopping after every fe steps# $henone of the men stood up, sa us, and fell on the ground in fear#

& 5nfadoos, 5nfadoosF 5t is your friends#&5nfadoos ran to ards us, shouting, & )h, my lords, my lords, (ac" from the

deadF&

Chapter 14 I-nosi Says +oo"bye

$en days later e ere (ac" in our huts in Eoo# -e ere not harmed toomuch (y our terri(le e perience, (ut my hair as greyer and Good as never +uitethe same after 2oulata&s death#

-e never again entered Solomon&s treasure house# $ o days after our escape,hen e ere feeling ell again, e ent (ac" do n into the mine# -e hoped to

find our ay out of the mountain, (ut had no success# /ain had fallen and asheda ay our mar"s, and the sides of the mine ere full of animals& holes# 5t asimpossi(le to say hich hole as ours#

-e also returned to the great cave and even entered the lace of eath# -eal"ed under eath&s great spear and loo"ed at the all of roc"# -e thought of the

old itch ho lay underneath it# -e thought of the (eautiful girl ho as dead onthe other side# -e also thought of the treasure# 'ut although e e amined the roc"for an hour or more, e could find no sign of the secret ay of opening it# erhapsin the future a more fortunate man ill discover a ay in, (ut 5 dou(t it#


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& $hat is true#&& 5n the same ay, 5gnosi, our hearts are in our land#&$here as a silence# $hen 5gnosi spo"e again#& 5 understand that your ords are ise# -ell, you must go# 'ut listen, and tell

the other hite men my ords# %o other hite man must cross the mountains# 5 illnot see men ho come to sell guns and strong drin"#


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Good and 5 too" the diamonds to Streeter&s to discover their real value# 5 amafraid to tell you, (ecause it seems such a huge amount# $hey advised us to sell afe at a time# -e shall get a (etter price that ay# $hey offered a hundred andeighty thousand pounds for .ust a fe of the stones#

5 ant you to come home, dear old friend, especially as you ant to give thethird share to my (rother George# =ou have done your life&s or" and have plenty ofmoney no # $here is a house +uite close to here hich ill suit you very ell#

lease come# 5f you start immediately, you ill (e home (y Christmas, and you must promise to stay ith me for that#

Good(ye, old (oy# 5 cannot say more, (ut 5 "no that you ill come#=ou"no that it ill ma"e me happy#=our friend,Henry CurtisA(ove my riting3ta(le is the a e hich 5 used to cut off $ ala&s head# 5 am

sorry that e could not (ring a ay the coats of chain armour#

HC

$oday is $uesday# $here is a ship on 2riday# 5 really thin" 5 must do hatCurtis says# 5 ill sail ith her to 4ngland#

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King Solomons Mines PRL4

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