"Benita, An African Romance"
Another African treasure-hunt, though in this case the hunt itself is incidental to the development of the characters. Benita Beatrix Clifford is a young woman who has lived with her half-Portuguese mother in England since the age of 13. Her mother had left her husband in Africa after he struck her when under the influence of alcohol. Although he repented his action, and indeed gave up drink althogether, Mrs Clifford refused to return to him. In her mid-20 Benita, who was named after her mother, decided to answer her fathers call. Travelling to Natal on the steamship Zanzibar she met Robert Seymour, a 30 year old idler - in his own words - who had done nothing particular with his life in the expectation of getting an inheritance from his uncle. However his uncle married and had children, so her turned to the only thing he could do, which was shoot - indeed he was a champion shot [Haggard appreciated a good shot]. For four years he had been in Africa and was now returning to Natal. As it chanced he had met Miss Clifford's father and his business partner, the German Jew Jacob Meyer, when he first went to Africa.
Approaching the coast of Natal, Benita grew increasingly apprehensive, though what she feared she could not tell. She confided something of her history to Robert Seymour, a fellow passenger, and indeed the two were falling in love. Leaving the dance floor of the saloon, Robert and Benita looked out over the sea to the distant shores of Africa. Benita remarked that she would have sailed somewhat further from the coast. Robert, though without prospects, proposed to Benita, saying that she would give him a good cause to succeed in the world. She was moved, and inclined to accept, but they were interrupted by another couple coming on deck. Just at that moment, before she could say yes or no, the ship lurches violently. She has struck rocks, just as Benita subconsciously anticipated. The captain decides to head for the shore - though that will mean that the ship will be lost - to give the passengers a better chance off getting ahore. The captain and crew do their best, but there are not enough boats for the 700 passengers and crew, and the ship soon keels over, preventing some of the boats from being launched.
Benita was knocked unconscious, and Robert carried her to the safety of one of the boats, under the charge of the First Mate. Although it is a case of "women and children first" he must also enter the boat, as he is carrying the unconscious body of Benita. But the boat is overloaded, and they cannot take any more people. The Zanzibar quickly sinks, with the captain still on the bridge. A young married woman, Mrs Jeffreys, carrying a small child, begs to be taken on board. The first mate is sympathetic but explains that they cannot do so, as they are already dangerously overloaded. Robert Seymour offers to slip into the sea and make room, if the first mate promises to allow Mrs Jeffreys and her child to enter the boat. Ashamed of their own conduct, and Seymour own gallant self-sacrifice, he agrees readily enough. Seymour takes to the water and his place is taken by Mrs Jeffreys. Although he holds onto the piece of wood which supported Mrs Jeffreys, both Seymour and the first mate knew that his chances of survival were remote.
Because of the dangers of trying to make landfall in the dark, the ships lifeboat is rowed away from the coast, while Seymour heads inland. The survivors are picked up by a passing ship very soon. Benita recovers to find herself in a strange cabin. She learns that Seymour sacrificed himself for a woman and child unknown to him. A native reported having found his body, and taken a watch as proof of identity. She feels very proud of him, but sorry that she hadn't agreed to marry him before he died. Reaching Natal safely she finds her father has heard of the shipwreck, and had greatly feared that she was lost. Whilst relieved that she survived, he was distressed at the loss of Robert Seymour, and proud of his heroic deed.
They travel inland to Mr Clifford's station, which is at Rooi Krantz. There with Jacob Meyer he breds horses, though the two also dream of returning to Bambatse, where there is a legendary Portuguese treasure. But the Makalanga of Bambatse won't let them search for the treasure. Benita is fairly happy at Rooi Krantz, but she continues to mourn Robert Seymour, and grows to fear and dislike the mysterious Meyer, who has a strange hold over her father.
One day some messengers arrive from Bambatse. They are not negroid types, but rather lighter-skinned, almost semitic or Phoenician. One is Tamas, son and heir of the chief, or Mambo. Most mambo also are chief priests, or Molimo, as is his father. They relate that although they declined to allow Clifford and Meyer to search for the treasure four years ago things have changed. Although the treasure can only be found by the "appointed one" the Molimo will allow them to look, provided that they provide guns. The Makalanga are gradually being killed by the Matabele, of whom Lobengula is paramount chief. Meyer and Clifford, who have dreamed of the gold for years, readily agree. Benita, who is of especial interest to the Makalanga, comes with them.
After a long and arduous journey the party reaches Bambatse. The town is really a collection of a few rude huts amid a ruinous stone fortress. This Zimbabwe-like ruin is obviously of ancient workmanship. The Makalanga themselves number scarcely more than a few hundreds, and will soon fall victim to the ravening Batabele. Shortly after the Cliffords and Meyer arrive messengers from the Matabele arrive, to call for more tribute. The Makalanga cannot pay - they have already have had to pay, or have had stolen, almost all their cattle. The old Molimo drove the envoys from the town. Benita intervenes to prevent them from being slain also, and the leader, Maduna, who is none other than Lobengula's brother, promises Benita safe-conduct for herself and one other, in return.
The aged and wise Molimo tells Benita that she will be in danger, but that she need not fear death there. They enter the citadel, where some centuries ago the treasure was hidden by a party of Portuguese, fleeing from their enemies. But they were besieged and all died of hunger in the tower, all except Benita Ferreira, daughter of the captain, who survived, but who threw herself of the precipice into the raging Zambesi river hundreds of feet below. Molimo noted Benita Clifford's resemblance to Benita Ferreira, whom he and his ancestors as hereditary Molimo had claimed to have seen as a ghost. Indeed, it is likely that the two Benita's were distantly related. Benita is sceptical, as is Jacob Meyer, who doesn't believe in what he cannot himself see.
The search for the treasure begins. They focus on the inner citadel, since it was there that the Portuguese took refuge. The Makalanga regarded the site as sacred and as haunted, and only the Molimo could enter it. They also regarded the treasure as being in their charge until the appointed one - who would be a woman - came for it. Molimo secretly believed that this was none other than Benita Clifford. But he would not allow his people to aid in the search. In any event they are too busy drilling with the 100 new guns Clifford and Meyer have brought them.
The Molimo shows them the citadel, allowing them to enter only if Benita led the way. They are horrified to see the dessicated remains of the Portuguese are still there. Meyer pushes the bones into a corner - having first stripped them of any gold they might be wearing - and began the search. They found a tomb, containing a mummified monk, near an old stone crucifix, but no sign of any treasure. Meyer, whose grip on reality was never strong, began to go quietly mad with frustration.
Benita presuaded her father that they had to get away from Meyer, and from Mambatse, as soon as they could. She had seen a wagon and what appeared to be a white man, near the encampment of the Matabele, and decided to try to reach him. They slipped away, leaving Meyer the remaining oxen, riding their horses. But they found that the Matabele were not inclined to let them pass, and had to run back to the safety of Bambatse. Just as they were about to be overtaken (and Benita was determined to not be taken alive, knowing her certain fate as a woman in their hands, the Matabele were ambushed and cut to piecese by Tamas and Meyer and a party of Makalanga with guns.
They return chest-fallen to Bambatse, where Molimo greeted them warmly.
Meyer, who always had a strange influence over her, asks Benita to consent to be hypotised, to discover the wearabouts of the treasure. Benita refuses, but Meyer doesn't take "no" for an answer. He drugs Benita's coffee one evening, and hypotises her in her sleep - a nineteenth century form of drug rape, though Meyer is looking for treasure first, and Benita is of only secondary interest to him - at the moment. In her drugged state Benita walked into the citadel cavern where the bodies of the Portuguese lay, and there appeared to assume the persona of the long-dead Benita Ferreira. At least it seemed so, since she spoke in Portuguese, a language the modern Benita did not know, but which Meyer was familiar. Clifford, who had seen his daughter rise from her bed, could only look on helpless.
The "other" Benita says that Benita knows where the treasure is, but won't tell Meyer where it is. Benita is woken, and is incensed that she has been so used. Meyer continues to look for the treasure - Clifford, who is growing increasingly frail - won't help. Meyer comes out of the cavern in a great fright. He has seen what he believes is a ghost - of Benita Ferreira - which is a great fright since he doesn't believe in ghosts.
Benita agrees to be mesmerised. But she does little more than confirm that she knows where the treasure is - something which the waking Benita doesn't consciously know.
Meyer, know completely crackers, is kept at bay by the simple expedient of retiring to the cavern and blocking up the entrance. But Mr Clifford is weakening fast - unsurprisingly given that although they have water from a well the only food is biscuits and biltong. They are likely to go the way of the Portuguese before them. Benita rises in the night and moves to the crucifix, before which she prays, clasping its feet. It comes to her, as though a message from the dead, that she should draw the feet to one side, and that the passage revealed thus leads to the treasure and to the river below. She does so, and although at first there is no response, without warning they move, and turn up, revealing a steep set of steps leading down into the rock. Without hesitation Benita follows the steps, passing down into the heart of the mountain. She comes to a chamber closed by a heavy wooden door. Fortunately the door is ajar, and inside is a large chamber full of gold in bags. What is more, footprints lead to and fro, footprints which are doubtless of Benita Ferreira herself. They match Benita's feet.
The footprints lead Benita to a passage down to the river. Although the door itself is impassable, she escapes through a drain, which has been used by a crocodile as its home. She follows the river bank until she approaches the Matabele camp. Passing the sentries she reaches the waggon. It is tenanted. To her intense surprise it is Robert Seymour himself. He had survived the trip to shore - he was merely unconscious when found by the native. He then headed inland to find the Cliffords, and discovering that they were going to Bambatse, followed hence. Benita is able to give him her answer. He rouses his servants and they follow Benita into the mountain. They pass the gold - which has no interest to Benita and relieve Mr Clifford.
They break down the barrier, and pass out to find Meyer quite mad. He tries to kill Seymour, and is overpowered. He is offered half the gold, but wants it all. They take him down into the treasure chamber - unwillingly enough on his part, because of the ghost he saw, though he tried to persuade himself that it was imagination.
Meyer poured the gold over his head in his crazed glee, then turned ashen and started as though he saw a ghost. He looked from Benita to a spot in front of himself, and back up as though to escape. Then he threw up his hands and died. Curiously Benita noticed then that footprints like those of Benita Ferreira passed right up to Meyer and stopped, though she could not recall having seen them there before.
The Matabele still encircle the Makalanga, but Maduna allows them to pass. Molimo is happy to let them take the gold, since it belongs to Benita.
This novel is interesting for several reasons. Although it is based around the common Haggard plot device of a search for treasure in darkest Africa, it is also much more. Benita herself is a typical Haggard heroine, strong, independent and resourceful - the notion that all women in Victorian tiimes were portrayed as being helpless is a largely a feminist fiction. She does pine for he lost Robert, but no more rigorously than Robert himself seeks her. Clifford is a poor speciman of humanity, completely in the power of Meyer, but he shows real remorse for that - and for his mistreatment of Mrs Clifford. Molimo is an interesting example of the mystical African, but he is no Zulu witchdoctor. He has more in common with the shamen.
Jacob Meyer is something of a problem for modern readers, indoctrinated by the politically correct propaganda into hypersensitivity. True he was a Jew with his heart set on gaining gold by fair means or foul. But he was a Jew who had lost his religion. He believed in nothing but what his own senses told him. Nor was he althogether bad, for his relations with Benita were initially fairly good. He was also an accomplished artist and well educated and widely read. But he was a materialist. It was therefore singularly appropriate that he met his death at the hands of a ghost, or so it seems. But unlike some of his other works Haggard does not insist that we believe in the supernatural elements here. Meyer's own explanation, that race memory or some such allowed Benita to "recall" the location of the gold might be possible. But of course Haggard, himself strongly attracted to spiritualism, wasn't inclined to have us doubt the reality of supernatural intervention where it suited his story.