Копи царя Соломона
The Legend of Solomon’s Mines
IwastellingEvansonenight,Iremember,ofsomewonderfulworkingsIhadfoundwhilsthuntingkoodooandelandinwhatisnowtheLydenburgdistrictoftheTransvaal. Iseetheyhavecomeacrosstheseworkingsagainlatelyinprospectingforgold,butIknewofthemyearsago. Thereisagreatwidewagonroadcutoutofthesolidrock,andleadingtothemouthoftheworkingorgallery. Insidethemouthofthisgalleryarestacksofgoldquartzpiledupreadyforroasting, whichshowsthattheworkers,whoevertheywere,musthaveleftinahurry. Also,abouttwentypacesin,thegalleryisbuiltacross,andabeautifulbitofmasonryitis."
"‘Ay,’saidEvans,‘butIwillspinyouaqueereryarnthanthat’; andhewentontotellmehowhehadfoundinthefarinterioraruinedcity,whichhebelievedtobetheOphiroftheBible,and,bytheway,othermorelearnedmenhavesaidthesamelongsincepoorEvans’stime. Iwas,Iremember,listeningopen-earedtoallthesewonders,forIwasyoungatthetime,andthisstoryofanancientcivilisationandofthetreasureswhichthoseoldJewishorPhoenicianadventurersusedtoextractfromacountrylongsincelapsedintothedarkestbarbarismtookagreatholduponmyimagination, whensuddenlyhesaidtome, ‘Lad,didyoueverhearoftheSulimanMountainsuptothenorth-westoftheMushakulumbwecountry?’ ItoldhimIneverhad. ‘Ah,well,’hesaid,‘thatiswhereSolomonreallyhadhismines,hisdiamondmines,Imean.’
"‘Howdoyouknowthat?’Iasked.
"‘Knowit!why,whatis"Suliman"butacorruptionofSolomon? Besides,anoldIsanusiorwitchdoctoressupintheManicacountrytoldmeallaboutit.
