Some Impressions on Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines

1. Throughout the story, one can perceive that during the 1880′s the white men hold themselves superior to the natives. Even the good Allan Quatermain would not suffer in allowing a native to address him as if he is his equal. This is evident when Umbopa seemed to talk to him as an equal:

“It is this, O white men, that if indeed you travel so far I would travel with you.”

There was a certain assumption of dignity in the man’s mode of speech, and especially in his use of the words “O white men,” instead of “O Inkosis,” or chiefs, which struck me.

“You forget yourself a little,” I said. “Your words run out unawares. That is not the way to speak. What is your name, and where is your kraal? Tell us, that we may know with whom we have to deal.”

“My name is Umbopa. I am of the Zulu people, yet not of them.” (p.40)

2. There are many kinds of natives in South Africa but the Hottentot tribe can withstand heat. The Hottentot Ventvogel can withstand tremendous heat even the heat of the desert without covering himself but he could not endure the cold temperature below zero and so he died in the cave at the snow-capped mountains.

3. During this time too, Allan Quatermain thought that it would create difficulty for a white man to marry a black woman. This is understood by the native Foulata who was in love with Captain Good and when she lay dying she acknowledges such pain:

“I am glad to die because I know that he cannot cumber his life with such as I am, for the sun may not mate with the darkness, nor the white with the black.” (p. 260)

4. H. Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines is an adventure story. This would be perfect for those who don’t like to read. It took me a long time choosing this story to read because I thought only boys would like this story but I did like it very much. It’s refreshingly not the usual run of the mill sort of story. It is just a straightforward account of how a timid man, an elephant hunter named Allan Quatermain was moved by events to acquire a lot of diamonds which was never his priority in the first place. It just fell to his lot and he was such a good man, he even shared his loot to the other two men who whom he has grown to love as brothers.

SUMMARY OF THE STORY: (map from http://www.thecommonwealth.org)

From Cape Town, Allan Quatermain boarded a boat going to Durban and met  two men. Curtis wanted him to be their guide and he only agreed after much thought. The journey towards Suliman Mountains was undertaken to seek the lost brother of Curtis. The hardships through the scorching desert with nothing to drink followed by the extreme cold when they reached the snow-capped mountains took a tool on their company. The Hottentot Ventvogel who can withstand the desert heat could not bear the cold and died in the cave where Jose Da Silvestra died in his quest for the diamonds. Jose Da Silvestra’s name is important because it was through his map that they were able to make their journey.

After the desert and the snow-capped mountains of Sheba, they reached a green and fertile land of the Kukuana. It was ruled by an evil King named Twala and his witch-doctress Gagool. Umbopa who entered their service as their servant when they were yet at Durban was actually the real king although Umbopa kept it a secret from them. There’s the twist of the story. Umbopa succeeded to the throne after a bloody civil war. In this war, Curtis played an important part because it was he who killed the evil father and son: Twala and Scragga.

When there was peace in the land and their friend Umbopa was already king, they went to Suliman Mountains. When they were inside and rejoicing over the treasures and the diamonds they saw, Gagool furtively closed the heavy stone door. However, Gagool herself died as the heavy stone door fell on her instead. Foulata, the beautiful native who fell in love with Good after he saved her from certain death due to the caprice of Twala for human sacrifice to the gods, screamed to the men (Quatermain, Good and Curtis) that the door is closing and Gagool is killing her. She died and the three men were trapped.

After a day of agony and in total darkness and absolute silence, Quatermain noticed that the air is always fresh. This led to the discovery that in a far corner of the chamber there was a join and a stone ring. When they finally opened it, it revealed a flight of stone steps which led to a tunnel towards freedom. Before they descended the stone steps, Quatermain was asked by Curtis to bring the food they had in the chamber. In so doing, he remembered to fill his clothes with diamonds. He was the only one who did so for the other two were sickened by the mere thought of the diamonds which almost led them to their death.

On their way home after a touching farewell to Umbopa whose real name was Ignosi, they went by another route, a much easier route than they had gone through before. There on the oasis of the desert, they found the long lost brother, George who was not able to continue his journey because his leg was broken. The brothers were reunited. After a short while, a letter from Curtis arrived informing him that Quatermain’s son Harry is with him and is inviting him to live in England and buy a house where both he and Good will be neighbors. He remarked that the diamonds are priced high and Quatermain has now lots of money. After reading the letter, Quatermain intends to accept the proposal of his friends. END OF STORY.

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