Introduction
‘King Solomon’s Mines’ was published in 1885, and written in open admiration of Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’. It is recognised as spawning the ‘lost world’ genre of novels and movies, from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Professor Challenger stories to ‘Indiana Jones’.
AFTER George Curtis went missing in South Africa, his brother Sir Henry engaged grizzled hunter Allan Quartermain to find him. George was last seen heading for Solomon’s Mines, twin peaks forty leagues north of the Kafue River — supposedly the Biblical Ophir, source of the ancient King of Israel’s fabulous wealth.*
Accompanied by Umbopa, a dignified native who insisted on coming along, Quartermain, Sir Henry and his friend Captain Good trekked north from Durban, crossing the baking desert on foot to reach the mountains of Solomon’s Mines.
There, they were ambushed by a group of warlike tribesmen, the Kukuanas. They faced summary execution until Captain Good fiddled with his false teeth, and Quartermain downed an antelope with his rifle at seventy yards. Now their awestruck captors took them for gods, and presented them before their king, Twala.
They arrived in time to watch Twala, incited by his counsellor Gagool (a horribly wise, unimaginably ancient hag), select a frightened girl named Foulata for human sacrifice.**
A league is thirty miles. Today, this would put the Kingdom of Kukuanaland in the very south of the Democratic Republic of Congo, just over the border from northern Zambia where the Kafue River rises. For Ophir, whose true location remains unknown, see e.g. 1 Kings 9:27-28.
** Haggard is here portraying a throwback civilisation, a lost tribe. As regards black Africans of his own day, Haggard’s narrator Quartermain rejects offensive terms for them, and recognises that Umbopa’s assumption of equality to Sir Henry is fully deserved. Captain Good’s interracial relationship with Foulata is declared ‘taboo’ (in both cultures) even as the reader is led into strong sympathy with it.
Précis
Sir Henry Curtis asked Allan Quartermain to accompany him to the legendary King Solomon’s Mines in southern Africa, in search of his brother George. Joined by Captain Good and a native named Umbopa, they reached the mines only to be taken captive by tribal warriors, who brought them to their cruel King Twala and his witch-like counsellor Gagool. (58 / 60 words)
Sir Henry Curtis asked Allan Quartermain to accompany him to the legendary King Solomon’s Mines in southern Africa, in search of his brother George. Joined by Captain Good and a native named Umbopa, they reached the mines only to be taken captive by tribal warriors, who brought them to their cruel King Twala and his witch-like counsellor Gagool.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: because, despite, may, must, not, or, since, unless.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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