Excerpt from King Solomon's Mines: A Novel
Then there remains the most interesting subject - that, as it is, has only been touched on incidentally - of the magnificent system of military organisation in force in that country, which, in my opinion, is much superior to that inaugurated by Chaka in Zululand, inasmuch as it permits of even more rapid mobilisation, and does not necessitate the employment of the pernicious system of forced celibacy. Lastly, I have scarcely spoken of the domestic and family customs of the Kukuanas, many of which are exceedingly quaint, or of their proficiency in the art of smelting and welding metals. This science they carry to considerable perfection, of which a good example is to be seen in their "tollas," or heavy throwing knives, the backs of these weapons being made of hammered iron, and the edges of beautiful steel welded with great skill on to the iron frames. The fact of the matter is, I thought, with Sir Henry Curtis and Captain Good, that the best plan would be to tell my story in a plain, straightforward manner, and to leave these matters to be dealt with subsequently in whatever way ultimately may appear to be desirable. In the meanwhile I shall, of course, be delighted to give all information in my power to anybody interested in such things.
And now it only remains for me to offer apologies for my blunt way of writing.
إفريقيا القرن التاسع عشر، كما تصورها الناس وصورها الرحالة، قارة حافلة بالغرائب-إفريقيا القبائل الغامضة والتراث القديم والكنوز الدفينة. الكاتب، في هذه القصة المشوقة الرائعة، يصف لنا الساحرات والخوارق، والممرات السرية القديمة، وطبعاً الكنوز الدفينة. ولعل من أبرز المشاهد إثارة ذلك المشهد الذي يصور وصول بطل الكتاب وصحبه ودليلتهم الشريرة، الساحرة غاغول، إلى "كهف الموت" حيث الموتى من ملوك القبائل، يتحولون ببطء، بفعل المطر المتقطر من سقف الكهف، إلى حجارة.
