The Place of Death
Itwasalreadydarkonthethirddayafterthescenedescribedinthepreviouschapterwhenwecampedinsomehutsatthefootofthe"ThreeWitches,"asthetriangleofmountainsiscalledtowhichSolomon’sGreatRoadruns. OurpartyconsistedofourthreeselvesandFoulata,whowaitedonus—especiallyonGood—Infadoos,Gagool,whowasbornealonginalitter,insidewhichshecouldbeheardmutteringandcursingalldaylong,andapartyofguardsandattendants. Themountains,orratherthethreepeaksofthemountain,forthemasswasevidentlytheresultofasolitaryupheaval,were,asIhavesaid,intheformofatriangle,ofwhichthebasewastowardsus, onepeakbeingonourright,oneonourleft,andonestraightinfrontofus. NevershallIforgetthesightaffordedbythosethreetoweringpeaksintheearlysunlightofthefollowingmorning. High,highaboveus,upintotheblueair,soaredtheirtwistedsnow-wreaths. Beneaththesnow-linethepeakswerepurplewithheaths,andsowerethewildmoorsthatranuptheslopestowardsthem. StraightbeforeusthewhiteribbonofSolomon’sGreatRoadstretchedawayuphilltothefootofthecentrepeak,aboutfivemilesfromus,andtherestopped. Itwasitsterminus.
Ihadbetterleavethefeelingsofintenseexcitementwithwhichwesetoutonourmarchthatmorningtotheimaginationofthosewhoreadthishistory.