Копи царя Соломона
The Attack
Butif,ontheotherhand,theinjuredman’sconditionprovedhopeless,whatfollowedwasverydreadful,thoughdoubtlessitmayhavebeenthetruestmercy.Oneofthedoctors,underpretenceofcarryingoutanexamination,swiftlyopenedanarterywithasharpknife,andinaminuteortwothesuffererexpiredpainlessly. Thereweremanycasesthatdayinwhichthiswasdone. Infact,itwasdoneinthemajorityofcaseswhenthewoundwasinthebody,forthegashmadebytheentryoftheenormouslybroadspearsusedbytheKukuanasgenerallyrenderedrecoveryimpossible. Inmostinstancesthepoorsuffererswerealreadyunconscious, andinothersthefatal"nick"ofthearterywasinflictedsoswiftlyandpainlesslythattheydidnotseemtonoticeit. Stillitwasaghastlysight,andonefromwhichweweregladtoescape; indeed,Ineverrememberanythingofthekindthataffectedmemorethanseeingthosegallantsoldiersthusputoutofpainbythered-handedmedicinemen, except,indeed,ononeoccasionwhen,afteranattack,IsawaforceofSwazisburyingtheirhopelesslywoundedalive.
Hurryingfromthisdreadfulscenetothefurthersideofthekoppie,wefoundSirHenry,whostillheldabattle-axeinhishand,Ignosi,Infadoos,andoneortwoofthechiefsindeepconsultation.
"ThankHeaven,hereyouare,Quatermain!Ican’tquitemakeoutwhatIgnosiwantstodo. Itseemsthatthoughwehavebeatenofftheattack,Twalaisnowreceivinglargereinforcements,andisshowingadispositiontoinvestus,withtheviewofstarvingusout."
"That’sawkward."
