Копи царя Соломона

           "WhenweareamongtheKukuanas,mygoodfriendInfadoos,wedoastheKukuanasdo,"Isaidmajestically,andturnedroundquicklytoaddressGood, whowastrampingalongsullenlybehind,hismindfullyoccupiedwithunsatisfactoryattemptstopreventhisflannelshirtfromflappingintheeveningbreeze. TomyastonishmentIbuttedintoUmbopa,whowaswalkingalongimmediatelybehindme,andveryevidentlyhadbeenlisteningwiththegreatestinteresttomyconversationwithInfadoos. Theexpressiononhisfacewasmostcurious, andgavemetheideaofamanwhowasstrugglingwithpartialsuccesstobringsomethinglongagoforgottenbackintohismind. 

           Allthiswhilewehadbeenpressingonatagoodratetowardstheundulatingplainbeneathus. Themountainswehadcrossednowloomedhighaboveourheads,andSheba’sBreastswereveiledmodestlyindiaphanouswreathsofmist. Aswewentthecountrygrewmoreandmorelovely. Thevegetationwasluxuriant,withoutbeingtropical;thesunwasbrightandwarm,butnotburning; andagraciousbreezeblewsoftlyalongtheodorousslopesofthemountains. Indeed,thisnewlandwaslittlelessthananearthlyparadise;inbeauty,innaturalwealth,andinclimateIhaveneverseenitslike. TheTransvaalisafinecountry,butitisnothingtoKukuanaland. 

           SosoonaswestartedInfadooshaddespatchedarunnertowarnthepeopleofthekraal,which,bytheway,wasinhismilitarycommand,ofourarrival.