H. Rider Haggard

“ I was up beyond the Manica country, at a place called Sitanda's Kraal, and a miserable place it was, for a man could get nothing to eat, and there was but little game about. I had an attack of fever, and was in a bad way generally, when one day a Portugee arrived with a single companion—a half-breed. Now I know your low-class Delagoa Portugee well. There is no greater devil unhung in a general way, battening as he does upon human agony and flesh in the shape of slaves. ”

“ Well, I laughed at this story at the time, though it interested me, for the Diamond Fields were not discovered then, but poor Evans went off and was killed, and for twenty years I never thought any more of the matter. However, just twenty years afterwards—and that is a long time, gentleman; an elephant hunter does not often live for twenty years at his business—I heard something more definite about Suliman's Mountains and the country which lies behind them. ”

“ I'd rather like to try a new country myself; the elephants are getting worked out about here.'
"'Ah! my boy,' I said, 'you wait till the "pale old man" gets a grip of your yellow throat, and then we shall hear what sort of a tune you sing.'
"Half an hour after that I saw Neville's waggon move off. Presently Jim came back running. 'Good-bye, Baas,' he said. 'I didn't like to start without bidding you good-bye, for I daresay you are right, and that we shall never trek south again.'
"'Is your master really going to Suliman's Berg, Jim or are you lying?'
"'No' he answered, 'he is going. ”

“ Let him kill Gagool. Pray for my soul. Farewell.
José da Silvestra." [2]
When I had finished reading the above, and shown the copy of the map, drawn by the dying hand of the old Dom with his blood for ink, there followed a silence of astonishment.
"Well," said Captain Good, "I have been round the world twice, and put in at most ports, but may I be hung for a mutineer if ever I heard a yarn like this out of a story book, or in it either, for the matter of that."
"It's a queer tale, Mr. Quatermain," said Sir Henry. "I suppose you are not hoaxing us? ”

“ You may pretty well make your own terms with me, Mr. Quatermain, and of course I shall pay all expenses."
"Sir Henry," said I, "this is the most liberal proposal I ever had, and one not to be sneezed at by a poor hunter and trader. But the job is the biggest I have come across, and I must take time to think over it. I will give you my answer before we get to Durban."
"Very good" answered Sir Henry, and then I said good-night and turned in, and dreamt about poor long-dead Silvestre and the diamonds.
↑ Suliman is the Arabic form of Solomon.—Editor. ”

“ I once knew a woman who came from there, and reached Natal with her child, she told me:—she is dead now.'
"'Your master will feed the aasvögels'—that is, vultures—'Jim, if he tries to reach Suliman's country, and so will you if they can get any pickings off your worthless old carcass,' said I.
"He grinned. 'Mayhap, Baas. Man must die ”

“ And, besides, an old Isanusi or witch doctoress up in the Manica country told me all about it. She said that the people who lived across those mountains were a "branch" of the Zulus, speaking a dialect of Zulu, but finer and bigger men even ”