King Solomon's Mines

course right into the heart of Kukuanaland. Suffice it to say that as we went the country seemed to grow richer and richer, and the kraals, with their wide surrounding belt

ole force of the nation is available for its wars, offensive or defensive. As we travelled we were overtaken by thousands

asions as cantonments for the regiments, and a curious horseshoe-shaped hill, with which we were destined to become better acquainted, about two miles to the north. It is beautifully situated, and through the centre of the kraal, dividing it into two portions, runs a river, which appeared to be bridged in several places, the

king at them, and v

nting to the mountains known among

it end?"

t between them. It is there that the wise men of old time used to go to get whatever it was they

ey came for?" I

the Stars should know," he answered with a quick

I have heard, for instance, that the wise men of old came to these

lk with my lord on such matters. My lord must speak with Gagool the ol

thers, and pointed out the mountains. "T

lunged in one of the fits of abstraction wh

nds are surely there, and you shall have them, si

pa?" I asked sharply, for I di

he night, white men;" then he

? He knows more than he chooses to say, that is clear. By t

riendly with, but they all declare that no whit

ood; "we have only reached the place by a miracle; is

ry gloomily, "but somehow I

twilight does not exist. The change from day to night is as quick and as absolute as the change from life to death. The sun sank and the world was wreathed in shadows. But not for long, for see in the

hearts lifted up in the presence of a beauty that I cannot describe. Mine has been a rough life, but there are

were broken in upon by o

re a hut is made ready for my lords to-night. The moon

we came to a moat with a drawbridge, where we were met by the rattling of arms and the hoarse challenge of a sentry. Infadoos gave some password that I could not catch, which was met with a salute, and we passed on through the central street of the grea

anned skins, spread upon mattresses of aromatic grass. Food too was ready for us, and so soon as we had washed ourselves with water, which stood ready in earthenware ja

by our request, a precaution at which the amiable young ladies smiled, w

endants, who did not seem to be troubled by any false shame, already standi

flannel shirt and a pair of boots, that does not take lon

hese sacred relics had already been taken to

ight side of his face; the left, on which now appeared a very fair crop of whiskers, we impressed upon him he must on no account touch. As for ourselves, we were contented with a good wash and combing our hair. Sir Henry's y

sage was brought to us by no less a personage than Infadoos himself t

ee Twala as Twala could be to see us, we sat down and waited for an hour, employing the interval in preparing such presents as our slender stock of goods permitted-namely, the Winchester rifle which had been used by poor Ventv?gel, and some beads. The rifle and ammunition we determined to present to his royal highnes

of the king's wives. Exactly opposite the gateway, on the further side of the open space, was a very large hut, built by itself, in which his majesty resided. All the rest was open ground; that is to say, it would have been open had it not been filled by company after company of warriors, who were mus

a dead silence, but conscious that we were the object of the concentrated gaze of some eight thousand pairs of eyes. It was a somewhat trying ordeal, but we carried it off as best we could. At length the door of the hut opened, and a gigantic figure, with a splendid tiger-skin karross flung ove

ere was

lat, he had but one gleaming black eye, for the other was represented by a hollow in the face, and his whole expression was cruel and sensual to a degree. From the large head rose a magnificent plume of white ostrich feathers, his body was clad in a shirt

hand. Instantly eight thousand spears were lifted in answer, and from eight thousand throats rang out the royal salute of "Koom." Th

n voice which seemed to come from the

ght thousand throats in answer. "Be

ver, it was broken. A soldier on our left dropped his shie

cold eye in the dir

hou," he said,

ped out of the ranks,

thou make me a reproach in the eyes of these stranger

llow turn pale und

O Calf of the Black

thou must pay. Thou hast made

g's ox," was

me see how thou canst use thy spe

ed his spear. The poor victim covered his eyes with his han

dead. From the multitude about us rose something like a murmur, it rolled round and round, and died away. The tragedy was finished; there lay the corpse, a

od one," said the ki

ks, and lifting the body of the

he thin voice that proceeded from the monkey-like figur

bearing a jar filled with powdered lime, which she

at what had happened; indeed, it was wit

sake," I whispered; "o

and remai

aces of the tragedy had been

come hither, whence I know not

King of the Kuku

hence come ye, a

s, ask us not how. We

g. And that man with you," pointing to Um

in the heavens above; but ask not of ma

n a tone which I scarcely liked. "Remember that the Stars are far o

hough there was littl

estruction shall come upon thee. What, have not these"-pointing to Infadoos and Scragga, who, young villain that he was, was employed in cleaning the blood of the soldier off his spear-"told the

," said the king, surve

how we strike with deat

kill. Kill me a man among those who stand yonder"-and he po

; but if thou wilt see, bid thy servants drive in an ox through the k

ing, "kill me a man

and before thy feet reach the gate thou shalt be dead; or if thou wilt not, send t

Scragga uttered a sort of h

ically; the suggesti

ox be driven

e departed, ru

t. I want to show this ruffian that I

ly took his "expres

make a good sh

t barrel, let him have the second. Sight for 150 y

t for the kraal gate. It came on through the gate, then, catching sight of

r time," I

t the

ribs. The semi-hollow bullet had done its work well, and a

d round

lied,

s the truth," was the

that shall enable thee to kill even as we kill, only I lay this charm upon it, thou shalt kill no man with it. If thou liftest it against a man, it shall

seconds i

will break

ullet struck the flat of the spear, a

h of astonish

l show thee how to use it; but beware how thou turnest the magic

t of a woman of great age so shrunken that in size it seemed no larger than the face of a year-old child, although made up of a number of deep and yellow wrinkles. Set in these wrinkles was a sunken slit, that represented the mouth, beneath which the chin curved outwards to a point. There was no nose to speak of; indeed, the visage might have been taken for that of a

to pass through us as we gazed on it, stood still for a moment. Then suddenly it projected a skinny claw armed with n

in and storm and mist! Listen, O men and women, O youths and maidens, and O ye babes unborn! Listen, all things that live and must die!

ed to seize upon the hearts of all who heard them,

re. I see it, I smell it, I taste it-it is salt! it r

f the white man coming from afar. It shakes t

e the smell of new-shed blood. The lions shall lap it and roar

rs' fathers' fathers. I have seen the white man and know his desires. I am old, but the mountains are older than I. Who made the great road, tell me? Who wrote the pictures on the rocks,

were before ye are, who shall be when ye are not,

the unswerving? What is that bright stone upon thy forehead, O king? Whose hands made the iron garments upon

her bald vulture

ages upon ages has a white foot pressed this land; never except once, and I remember that he left it but to die. Ye come for bright stones

ou, and what seekest thou? Not stones that shine, not yellow metal that gleams, these thou leavest to 'white men fr

ecame convulsed, and she fell to the ground foamin

giments began to file off, and in ten minutes, save for ourselve

in my mind to kill you. Gagool has

ot easy to slay. Thou hast seen the fate

"It is not well to

k what is true. Try to ki

t his hand to his f

e great dance. Ye shall see it. Fear not that I s

ernedly, and then, accompanied by Infad