Копи царя Соломона

           Iamimpotentevenbeforeitsmemory. Straightbeforeus,rosetwoenormousmountains,thelikeofwhicharenot,Ibelieve,tobeseeninAfrica,ifindeedthereareanyothersuchintheworld, measuringeachofthematleastfifteenthousandfeetinheight,standingnotmorethanadozenmilesapart,linkedtogetherbyaprecipitouscliffofrock,andtoweringinawfulwhitesolemnitystraightintothesky. Thesemountainsplacedthus,likethepillarsofagiganticgateway,areshapedafterthefashionofawoman’sbreasts,andattimesthemistsandshadowsbeneaththemtaketheformofarecumbentwoman,veiledmysteriouslyinsleep. Theirbasesswellgentlyfromtheplain,lookingatthatdistanceperfectlyroundandsmooth; anduponthetopofeachisavasthillockcoveredwithsnow,exactlycorrespondingtothenippleonthefemalebreast. Thestretchofcliffthatconnectsthemappearstobesomethousandsoffeetinheight, andperfectlyprecipitous,andoneachflankofthem,sofarastheeyecanreach,extentsimilarlinesofcliff,brokenonlyhereandtherebyflattable-toppedmountains,somethingliketheworld-famedoneatCapeTown; aformation,bytheway,thatisverycommoninAfrica. 

           Todescribethecomprehensivegrandeurofthatviewisbeyondmypowers. Therewassomethingsoinexpressiblysolemnandoverpoweringaboutthosehugevolcanoes—fordoubtlesstheyareextinctvolcanoes—thatitquiteawedus.