Now confined to the mine, the men begin looking for an alternative route out. They spot a trapdoor, and Quatermain manages to stuff some diamonds into his pocket before they head into the tunnels beneath the floor. They come across an underground river, but the current is too swift for them to safely make their way out. After heading in the opposite direction, they come to a mazeof animal burrows. They follow this twisting route until they are back out in the open.
Quatermain and his men return to Loo and decide to head home shortly after. They head to the coast via a less hazardous route and are shocked and delighted to run across Neville, who informs them that he had been injured on his mission to find the mine and was unable to move beyond an abandoned hut located near an oasisthat he found. The men assist the newly-found Neville, and together, they all eventually get to Durban. Once there, they board a series of vessels that will take them home.
The novel focuses on a number of themes, not all of which have aged well. The book offers views of colonialismand European superiority that would be considered outdated and incredibly racistnowadays. One thematicelement that does hold up is the idea that materialismis a dangerous pursuit.
King Solomon’s Mines is the most well-known work of British author Sir Henry Rider Haggard. In 1875, Haggard traveled to Africa, where he was employed as the secretary to the British governorof Natal. He held a few other posts before returning to England in 1879. In addition to writing novels, he also served on several agriculturalcommissions for the government.
