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white figure on the cross had evidently been fashioned out of some
heathen statue of soft limestone； for at its back were the remains of
draperies； and long hair which the artist had not thought it necessary
to cut away。 Also； they found that the arms had been added； and were
of a slightly different stone； and that the weight of the figure was
taken partly by an iron staple which supported the body； and partly by
strong copper wire twisted to resemble cord； and painted white； which
was passed round the wrists and supported the arms。 This wire ran
through loops of rock cut in the traverse of the cross； that itself
was only raised in relief by chiselling away the solid stone behind。
Curiously enough； this part of the search was left to Mr。 Clifford and
Benita； since it was one that Jacob Meyer seemed reluctant to
undertake。 A Jew by birth； and a man who openly professed his want of
belief in that or any other religion； he yet seemed to fear this
symbol of the Christian faith； speaking of it as horrible and unlucky；
yes； he who； without qualm or remorse； had robbed and desecrated the
dead that lay about its feet。 Well； the crucifix told them nothing；
but as Mr。 Clifford； lantern in hand； descended the ladder； which
Benita held； Jacob Meyer； who was in front of the altar； called to
them excitedly that he had found something。
〃Then it is more than we have；〃 said Mr。 Clifford； as he laid down the
ladder and hurried to him。
Meyer was sounding the floor with a staff of woodan operation which
he had only just began after the walls proved barren。
〃Listen now；〃 he said； letting the heavy staff drop a few paces to the
right of the altar； where it produced the hard； metallic clang that
comes from solid stone when struck。 Then he moved to the front of the
altar and dropped it again； but now the note was hollow and
reverberant。 Again and again he repeated the experiment； till they had
exactly mapped out where the solid rock ended and that which seemed to
be hollow begana space of about eight feet square。
〃We've got it；〃 he said triumphantly。 〃That's the entrance to the
place where the gold is；〃 and the others were inclined to agree with
him。
Now it remained to put their theory to the proofa task of no small
difficulty。 Indeed； it took them three days of hard； continual work。
It will be remembered that the floor of the cave was cemented over；
and first of all this cement； which proved to be of excellent quality；
being largely composed of powdered granite； must be broken up。 By the
help of a steel crowbar； which they had brought with them in the
waggon； at length that part of their task was completed； revealing the
rock beneath。 By this time Benita was confident that； whatever might
lie below； it was not the treasure； since it was evident that the
poor； dying Portuguese would not have had the time or the strength to
cement it over。 When she told the others so； however； Meyer； convinced
that he was on the right tack； answered that doubtless it was done by
the Makalanga after the Portuguese days； as it was well known that
they retained a knowledge of the building arts of their forefathers
until quite a recent period； when the Matabele began to kill them out。
When at length the cement was cleared away and the area swept； they
discoveredfor there ran the line of itthat here a great stone was
set into the floor； it must have weighed several tons。 As it was set
in cement； however； to lift it； even if they had the strength to work
the necessary levers； proved quite impossible。 There remained only one
thing to be doneto cut a way through。 When they had worked at this
task for several hours； and only succeeded in making a hole six inches
deep； Mr。 Clifford； whose old bones ached and whose hands were very
sore； suggested that perhaps they might break it up with gunpowder。
Accordingly； a pound flask of that explosive was poured into the hole；
which they closed over with wet clay and a heavy rock； leaving a quill
through which ran an extemporized fuse of cotton wick。 All being
prepared； their fuse was lit； and they left the cave and waited。
Five minutes afterwards the dull sound of an explosion reached their
ears； but more than an hour went by before the smoke and fumes would
allow them to enter the place； and then it was to find that the
results did not equal their expectations。 To begin with； the slab was
only crackednot shattered； since the strength of the powder had been
expended upwards； not downwards； as would have happened in the case of
dynamite； of which they had none。 Moreover； either the heavy stone
which they had placed upon it； striking the roof of the cave； or the
concussion of the air； had brought down many tons of rock； and caused
wide and dangerous…looking cracks。 Also； though she said nothing of
it； it seemed to Benita that the great white statue on the cross was
leaning a little further forward than it used to do。 So the net result
of the experiment was that they were obliged to drag away great
fragments of the fallen roof that lay upon the stone； which remained
almost as solid and obdurate as before。
So there was nothing for it but to go on working with the crowbar。 At
length； towards the evening of the third day of their labour； when the
two men were utterly tired out； a hole was broken through；
demonstrating the fact that beneath this cover lay a hollow of some
sort。 Mr。 Clifford； to say nothing of Benita； who was heartily weary
of the business； wished to postpone proceedings till the morrow； but
Jacob Meyer would not。 So they toiled on until about eleven o'clock at
night； when at length the aperture was of sufficient size to admit a
man。 Now； as in the case of the well； they let down a stone tied to a
string； to find that the place beneath was not more than eight feet
deep。 Then； to ascertain the condition of the air； a candle was
lowered； which at first went out； but presently burnt well enough。
This point settled； they brought their ladder； whereby Jacob descended
with a lantern。
In another minute they heard the sound of guttural German oaths rising
through the hole。 Mr。 Clifford asked what was the matter； and received
the reply that the place was a tomb； with nothing in it but an
accursed dead monk； information at which Benita could not help
bursting into laughter。
The end of it was that both she and her father went down also； and
there； sure enough； lay the remains of the old missionary in his cowl；
with an ivory crucifix about his neck； and on his breast a scroll
stating that he； Marco； born at Lisbon in 1438； had died at Bambatse
in the year 1503； having laboured in the Empire of Monomotapa for
seventeen years； and suffered great hardships and brought many souls
to Christ。 The scroll added that it was he； who before he entered into
religion was a sculptor by trade； that had fashioned the figure on the
cross in this chapel out of that of the heathen goddess which had
stood in t