Копи царя Соломона
The Legend of Solomon’s Mines
TheoriginalragisatmyhomeinDurban,togetherwithpoorDomJosé‘stranslation,butIhavetheEnglishrenderinginmypocket-book,andafacsimileofthemap,ifitcanbecalledamap.Hereitis."
"I,JosédaSilvestra,whoamnowdyingofhungerinthelittlecavewherenosnowisonthenorthsideofthenippleofthesouthernmostofthetwomountainsIhavenamedSheba’sBreasts,writethisintheyear1590withacleftboneuponaremnantofmyraiment,mybloodbeingtheink. Ifmyslaveshouldfinditwhenhecomes,andshouldbringittoDelagoa,letmyfriend(nameillegible)bringthemattertotheknowledgeoftheking,thathemaysendanarmywhich, iftheylivethroughthedesertandthemountains,andcanovercomethebraveKukuanesandtheirdevilisharts,towhichendmanypriestsshouldbebrought,willmakehimtherichestkingsinceSolomon. WithmyowneyesIhaveseenthecountlessdiamondsstoredinSolomon’streasurechamberbehindthewhiteDeath;butthroughthetreacheryofGagoolthewitch-finderImightbringnoughtaway,scarcelymylife. Lethimwhocomesfollowthemap,andclimbthesnowofSheba’sleftbreasttillhereachesthenipple,onthenorthsideofwhichisthegreatroadSolomonmade,fromwhencethreedays’journeytotheKing’sPalace. LethimkillGagool.Prayformysoul.Farewell.
JoséDaSilvestra."
WhenIhadfinishedreadingtheabove,andshownthecopyofthemap,drawnbythedyinghandoftheoldDomwithhisbloodforink,therefollowedasilenceofastonishment.
"Well,"saidCaptainGood,"Ihavebeenroundtheworldtwice,andputinatmostports,butmayIbehungforamutineerifeverIheardayarnlikethisoutofastorybook,oriniteither,forthematterofthat."
