The Attack at the Pterodactyl Rookery
Plot & Structure
Events
- •Lord John Roxton reveals he returned to the rookery with a 'spud' and a 'contraption' to ward off the creatures.
- •He discovered the 'volcanic vent full of blue clay' and extracted twenty to thirty rough diamonds.
- •Roxton shares the £200,000 fortune with the other three members of the committee.
Origin
manuscript
Tension
- •The 'traps for the unwary' in valuing rough stones.
External
- •The 'stinking beasts' (Pterodactyls) that Roxton had to fend off to get the stones.
Internal
- •Roxton's decision to keep the discovery secret until he could verify the stones' value at 'Spink's'.
Sequence
27
Worldbuilding
- •The geological link between 'blue clay' volcanic vents and diamond deposits (Kimberley) is established.
Status Changes
- •The 'rookery' is transformed from a place of terror to the source of the explorers' wealth.
- •Lord John Roxton becomes a benefactor to his colleagues.
Narrative Summary
The 'rookery' in the volcanic pit is revealed to be the source of Lord John Roxton's diamond fortune. The 'stinking beasts' that once attacked the party were nesting in the 'blue clay' of a volcanic vent, a detail Roxton kept secret until the end.
Timeline Event Ids
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Affected Entity Ids
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