Haggard, Henry Rider - King Solomon's Mines

King Solomon's Mines

The protagonists of this story are:
- Allan Quatermain is the actor of this story, he have 55 years old and lives in Africa.
- Sir Henry Curtis is an aristocrat; he goes in Africa because he wants to find his brother George.
- Captain Good is a Curtis’ friend, he help Sir Henry to find his brother.
- Umbopa is a African who becomes Sir Henry’s servant.
- Infadoos is a native general who makes fiends with the Englishmen, is father was one of the king of the Kukuana people.
- Twala is the king of the Kukuana people.

Allan Quatermain starts to write when he is in a boat. He, in this boat, meets 2 people that, after know, they want to go in Africa, because Sir Henry Curtis wants to find his brother George.
The protagonists speak about this travel and Allan Quatermain asks why Sir Henry Curtis and Captain Good go. After a satisfying answer the 3 mans drink some wine. Allan reaches his wallet and takes out a piece of paper: he shows Sir Henry Curtis and Captain Good the map. The 3 men speak for 3 or 4 hours. Sir Henry Curtis asks to Allan Quatermain what’s the map.

Sir Henry Curtis, Captain Good and Allan Quatermain, don’t talk about King Solomon’s Mines for he rest of the journey. Finally, they arrive at Durban, a city in Natal, and Allan know that he must give them my answer. At the beginning they think that is quite dangerous. Allan is very busy with the preparations for their long and dangerous journey into a desert. First Allan buys 20 oxen and a long wagon (carro). He discovers that Captain Good knows a lot about medicine. He has a box full of medicines with him. After that arrives Umbopa, he looks at Sir Henry. He doesn’t understand the Englishman’s words, but he smiles. One evening they see some giraffe. They are a long way away, but Captain Good takes out his rifle. He aims very carefully at one of the giraffes and fires. The giraffe falls dead. The natives are very excited. They think Captain Good is a very clever hunter. They run off to collect the meat from the dead animal. Soon Sir Henry, Captain Good and Allan are sitting comfortably around a fire. We are waiting for the delicious giraffe meat to cook. The natives prepare to sleep, except Umbopa who sits by himself. He seems to be thinking of something. Suddenly there is a noise in the darkness. Allan thinks that imagine is a lion, but is something yellow and black is coming towards us. Suddenly it stops. They move forward, carrying our rifle with us. There is a beautiful antelope. It’s dead. Lying on top of the antelope, trapped in its long horns, is a lion. The lion is dead as well. The next morning we go out to look for some elephants and find a large group of them. They take aim carefully and fire. Sir Henry’s elephant falls to the ground, but then stands up again. I fire again and the animal falls over. Then I turn to Captain Good. They don’t follow the wounded elephant. They follow herd instead. The wounded elephant is chasing them. Captain Good falls in front of the elephant. The servant turns to face the animal. He wants to protect his master. He throws his spear. The animal screams in pain and seizes the servant. The servant dies instantly, and they shoot the animal; but Captain Good and Umbopa are very sad for the servant’s death.

Allan decides to take Sir Henry and Captain Good in their journey. They begin the preparations. Mr. Quatermain buys 20 oxen and a long wagon and finds some servants. They are ready to defend but a young Zulu asks to travel with them. Sir Henry takes him as his servant. During the journey they meet giraffes, antelope and a lion. To eat they fire to one of the giraffes. Her meat is very delicious. Then they meet some elephants and when they fire the elephant seizes the servant, throws him o the ground and walks over him, that dies instantly.

Their journey from Durban to the beginning of the desert is a long one. After 3 o 4 hours, they see body: Sir Henry says that was his brother, but when the 4 men is there, they see that was a old man who went in the desert with his servant, but they didn’t come out again. The next morning the people find another body in a cave: he was called José da Silvestra and he painted their map. He died 3 hundred years ago, but there is very cold, a dead body doesn’t change, and after this assertion the 4 men go away.

They go out of the cave and walk for half mile. They are very hungry and suddenly they see a group of antelopes and shoot, hitting him. They are very happy, but cannot cook the meat, and they eat this raw. After that they walk for a long time and see a road below us. It is King Solomon’s Road. They stop near some trees and find a river. While Captain Good was swimming, a group of natives was appearing. They ask a lot of questions. At the end they say that the law wants that all strangers must die. The 4 men are so afraid that Captain Good moves his false teeth around in his mouth . The natives are very afraid now and ask what is that. Allan tells them that they come from another world. They come from the largest star in the sky and a lot of other lies. Allan says that he can kill an antelope with a noise. So he shoots and hits it. The natives are afraid once more and so Allan asks to see the king of Kukuana people: Twala.

When the natives arrive to the city with Allan, Umbopa, Sir Henry Curtis and Captain Good, Allan asks to Infadoos some notices from the last war and the little history of the preceding king. Infadoos answers that Imotu, the ex king, was killed from Twala, the actual king, and his wife ran away with her baby. The protagonists ask something about the King Solomon’s Mines. After 2 or 3 hours the 4 men arrives at the city of Loo. A person approaching at the 4 people. He is Twala, biggest man Allan has ever seen. Scragga follows him, and near he there is Gagool, an ancient woman. She is ugly. The king of kukuana people says that night there will be a great party, but the old woman says that the white men are very dangerous.

The protagonists walk back to the hut with Infadoos. He explain that Twala is cruel, very cruel, and this son is worse. Then Umbopa looks at Infadoos calmly. This one says that the Imotu’s son has a tattoo with a snake, and Ignosi was dead a lot of year ago. Umbopa removes his clothing, and Infadoos sees a drawing of a snake on the Umbopa’s body. He is a really king. Now Infadoos know the truth. During the party, Twala, Scragga and Gagool come close. There are some soldiers with them. At the time Infadoos says that the men who does the killing are out. The king sits down. He greets them. Twala says a lot of wickedness. Suddenly the 4 men see a group of old women run towards Gagool. When they reach Gagool they stop. The old witches run among the soldiers. They dance wildly, and then they choose their victims. After, Gagool begins to dance. She, too, chooses a victim. Then she comes towards them. Captain good thinks that the old witch chooses one of them. She sees Ignosi. But there is a little discussion. At the end of this paragraph Ignosi was save.