The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume II, by Robert Paltock This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. Title: The Life and Adventures of Peter Wilkins, Volume II Author: Robert Paltock Commentator: A. H. Bullen Release Date: May 2, 2016 [EBook #51968] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PETER WILKINS, II *** Produced by David Widger from page images generously provided by the Internet Archive
Relating particularly,
His Shipwreck near the South Pole; his wonderful Passage thro' a subterraneous Cavern into a kind of new World; his there meeting with a Gawry or flying woman, whose Life he preserv'd, and afterwards married her; his extraordinary Conveyance to the Country of Glums and Gawrys, or Men and Women that fly. Likewise a Description of this strange Country, with the Laws, Customs, and Manners of its Inhabitants, and the Author's remarkable Transactions among them.
Taken from his own Mouth, in his Passage to England from off Cape Horn in America, in the ship Hector.
With an INTRODUCTION, giving an Account of the surprizing Manner of his coming on board that Vessel, and his Death on his landing at Plymouth in the Year 1739.
Illustrated with several Cuts, clearly and distinctly representing the Structure and Mechanism of the Wings of the Glums and Gawrys, and the Manner in which they use them either to swim or fly.
By R. S. a Passenger in the Hector.
In Two Volumes.
CONTENTS
LIFE and ADVENTURES OF PETER WILKINS
A GENUINE ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.
A TABLE OF THE NAMES OF PERSONS AND THINGS MENTIONED IN THE TWO VOLUMES.
CHAPT I.
A discourse on light—Quangrollart explains the word
crashee—Believes a
fowl is a fruit—Gives a further
account of Youwarkee's reception by
her father, and by the king—Tommy
and Hallycarnie provided for at
court—Youwarkee and her father
visit the colambs, and are visited—Her
return put off till
next winter, when her father is to come with her
CHAPT II.
The
author shows Quangrollart and Rosig his poultry—They are surprised
at them—He takes them a-fishing—They wonder at his cart,
and at his
shooting a fowl—They are terribly frightened at the
firing of the
gun—He pacifies them
CHAPT III.
Peter prepares for his father's reception—Arguments about his
beard—Expects his wife—Reflections on her not coming—Sees
a messenger
on the rock—Has notice of Pendlehamby's arrival
and prepares a treat
CHAPT IV.
Peter settles the formality, of
his father's reception—Description
of their march and
alighting—Receives his father—Conducts him to
the grotto—Offers
to beg pardon for his marriage—Is prevented by
Pendlehamby—Youwarkee
not known in her English habit—Quarters the
officers in the
tent
CHAPT V.
The manner of their dinner—Believe the
fish and fowl to be
fruits—Hears his brother and the colambs
are coming—Account of their
lying—Peter's reflections on
the want of the graundee—They view
the arkoe—Servants
harder to please than their masters—Reasons for
different
dresses the same day
CHAPT VI.
Quangrollart arrives with the
colambs—Straitened for
accommodation—Remove to the tent—Youwarkee
not known—Peter relates
part of his travels—Dispute
about the beast-fish skins
CHAPT VII.
Go a-fishing—Catch
a beast-fish—Afraid of the gun—How Peter altered
his net—A
fish-dinner for the guards—Method of dressing and eating it
CHAPT VIII.
A shooting proposed—All afraid of the gun but one
private guard—His
behaviour—Pendlehamby at Peter's
request makes him a general—Peter's
discourse thereon—Remainder
of his story—The colambs return
CHAPT IX.
Peter finds
his stores low—Sends Youwarkee to the ship—Receives an
invitation to Georigetti's court
CHAPT X.
Nasgig comes with a
guard to fetch Peter—Long debate about his
going—Nasgig's
uneasiness at Peter's refusal—Relates a prediction to
him, and
proceedings thereon at Georigetti's court—Peter consents to
go—Prepares
a machine for that purpose
CHAPT XI.
Peter's speech to the
soldiery—Offers them freedom—His journey—Is met
by
the king—The king sent back, and why—Peter alights in the
king's
garden—His audience—Description of his supper and
bed
CHAPT XII.
The king's apartments described—Peter is
introduced to the king—A
moucheratt called—His discourse
with the king about religion
CHAPT XIII.
Peter's reflections
on what he was to perform—Settles the method
of it—His
advice to his son and daughter—Globe-lights living
creatures—Takes
Maleck into his service—Nasgig discovers to Peter a
plot in
court—Revolt of Gauingrunt
CHAPT XIV.
Hold a moucheratt—Speeches
of ragans and colambs—Peter settles
religion—Informs the
king of a plot—Sends Nasgig to the ship for
cannon
CHAPT
XV.
The king hears Barbarsa and Yaccombourse discourse on the plot—They
are impeached by Peter at a moucheratt—Condemned and executed—Nicor
submits, and is released
CHAPT XVI.
Nasgig returns with
the cannon—Peter informs him of the
execution—Appoints
him a guard—Settles the order of his march against
Harlokin—Combat
between Nasgig and the rebel general—The battle—Peter
returning with Harlokin's head is met by a sweecoan—A public
festival—Slavery abolished
CHAPT XVII.
A visitation of
the revolted provinces proposed by Peter—His new name
of the
country received—Religion settled in the west—Slavery
abolished
there—Lasmeel returns with Peter—Peter teaches
him letters—The king
surprised at written correspondence—Peter
describes the make of a beast
to the king
CHAPT XVIII.
Peter sends for his family—A rising of former slaves on that
account—Takes a view of the city—A description of it, and of
the
country—Hot and cold springs
CHAPT XIX.
Peter
sends for his family—Pendlehamby gives a fabulous account of the
peopling of that country—Their policy and government—Peter's
discourse on trade—You-warkee arrives—Invites the king
and nobles to a
treat—Sends to Graundevolet for fowls
CHAPT XX.
Peter goes to his father's—Traverses the Black
Mountain—Takes a
flight to Mount Alkoe—Gains the miners—Overcomes
the governor's
troops—Proclaims Georigetti king—Seizes
the governor—Returns him the
government—Peter makes laws
with the consent of the people, and returns
to Brandleguarp with
deputies
CHAPT XXI.
Peter arrives with the deputies—Presents
them to the king—They
return—A colony agreed to be sent
thither—Nasgig made governor—Manner
of choosing the
colony—A flight-race, and the intent of it—Walsi wins
the prize and is found to be a gawry
CHAPT XXII.
The race
reconciles the two kingdoms—The colony proceeds—Builds a
city—Peter views the country at a distance—Hears of a prophecy
of
the king of Norbon's daughter Stygee—Goes thither—Kills
the king's
nephew—Fulfils the prophecy by engaging Stygee to
Georigetii—Returns
CHAPT XXIII.
A discourse on marriage
between Peter and Georigetii—Peter proposes
Stygee—The
king accepts it—Relates his transactions at Norbon—The
marriage is consummated—Account of the marriage ceremony—Peter
goes
to Norbon—Opens a free trade to Mount Alkoe—Gets
traders to settle at
Norbon—Convoys cattle to Mount Alkoe
CHAPT XXIV.
Peter looking over his books finds he has got a
Latin Bible—
Sets about a translation—Teaches some of
the ragans letters—Sets up
a paper manufacture—Makes the
ragans read the Bible—The ragans teach
others to read and
write—A fair kept at the Black Mountain—Peter's
reflections on the Swangeantines
CHAPT XXV.
Peter's children
provided for—Youwarkee's death—How the king and
queen
spent their time—Peter grows melancholy—Wants to get to
England—Contrives means—Is taken up at sea
A discourse on light—Quangrollart explains the word crashee—Believes a fowl is a fruit—Gives a further account of Youwarkeds reception by her father, and by the king—Tommy and Hallycarnie provided for at court—Youwarkee and her father visit the colambs, and are visited—Her return put off till next winter, when her father is to come with her.
THE next day I prepared again of the best of everything for my new guests. I killed three fowls, and ordered Pedro (who was as good a cook almost as myself) to get them ready for boiling, whilst we took a walk to the lake. Though we went out in the clearest part of the morning, I heard no complaint of the light. I took the liberty to ask my brother if the light did not offend him; for I told him my wife could not bear so much without spectacles.—"What is that spectacle?" says he.—"Something I made your sister," says I, "to prevent the inconvenience of too much light upon her eyes."—He said the light was scarce at all troublesome to him, for he had been in much greater, and was used to it; and that the glumms, who travelled much abroad, could bear more light than the gawrys, who stayed much at home: these stirring but little out unless in large companies, and that of one another, and very rarely admitted glumms amongst them before marriage. For his own part, he said, he had an office at Crashdoorpt, * which, though he executed chiefly by a deputy, obliged him to reside there sometimes for a long season together; that being a more luminous country than Arndrumnstake, light was become familiar to him; for it was very observable that some who had been used to it young, though they might in time overcome it, yet at first it was very uneasy.
* The country of the Slits.
I was upon the tenter whilst he spoke, lest, before he had done, a question I had a thousand times thought to have asked my wife, should slip out of my head, as it had so often done before, and was what I had for years desired to be resolved in; viz., what the meaning of the word slit was, when applied to a man. So, on his pausing, I said that his mention of Crashdoorpt reminded me of inquiring what crashee meant, when applied to a glumm or gawry. "It would be no hard task," he said, "to satisfy me in respect of that, as I already understood the nature of the graundee;" whereupon he went on thus: "Slitting is the only punishment we use to incorrigible criminals: our method is, where any one has committed a very heinous offence, or, which is the same thing, has multiplied the acts of offence, he has a long string tied round his neck, in the manner of a cravat; and then two glumms, one at each end, take it in their hands, standing side by side with him; two more standing before him, and two behind him; all which in that manner take flight, so that the string keeps the criminal in the middle of them: thus they conduct him to Crashdoorpt, which lies farther on the other side of Arndrumnstake than this arkoe does on this side of it, and is just such an arkoe as ours, but much bigger within the rocks. When they come to the covett they alight, where my deputy immediately orders the malefactor to be slit, so that he can never more return to Normnbdsgrsutt, or indeed by any means get out of that arkoe, but must end his days there. The method of slitting is thus: The criminal is laid on his back with his graundee open, and after a recapitulation of his crimes, and his condemnation, the officer with a sharp stone slits the gume * between each of the filuses ** of the graundee, so that he can never fly more. But what is still worse to new-comers, if they are not very young, is the light of the place, which is so strong that it is some years before they can overcome it, if ever they do."
This discourse gave me a great pleasure; thereupon I repeated the dialogue that had passed between me and Youwarkee about my being slit, and how we had held an argument a long time, without being able to come at one another's meaning. "But pray, brother," says I, "how comes that light country to agree so well with you?"—"Why," says he, "the colambat *** of Crashdoorpt is reckoned one of the most honourable employments in the state, by reason of the hazard of it, and the person accepting it must be young: it was, by my father's interest at court, given to me at nine years of age; my friend Rosig has followed my fortune in it ever since, being much about my age, and has a post under me there: in short, by being obliged to be so much there, and from so tender an age too, I have pretty well inured myself to any light."
* The membrane.
** Ribs.
*** Government.
By this time we had got home again to dinner, which Pedro had set out as elegantly as my country could afford, consisting of pickles and preserves, as usual, a dish of hard eggs, and boiled fowls with spinage.
My guests, as I expected, stared at the fowls, but never offered to touch them, or seemed in the least inclined to do so. I was afraid they would be cold, and begged them to let me help them. I put a wing on each of their plates, and a leg on my own; but perceiving they waited to see how I managed it, I stuck in my fork, cut off a slice, dipped it in the salt, and put it in my mouth. Just as I did they did, and appeared very well pleased with the taste. "I never in my life," says Rosig, "saw a crullmott*of this shape before;" and laid hold of a leg (taking it for a stick I had thrust in, as he told me afterwards), intending to pull it out; but finding it grew there, "Mr. Peter," says he, "you have the oddest-shaped crullmotts that ever I saw; pray what part of the woods do they grow in?"—"Grow in?" says I.—"Aye," says he, "I mean whether your crullmott-trees are like ours or not?"—"Why," says I, "these fowls are about my yard and the wood too."—"What!" says he, "is it a running plant like a bott?" **—"No, no," says I, "a bird that I keep tame about my house; and these (showing him the eggs) are the eggs of these birds, and the birds grow from them."—"Pr'ythee," says Quangrollart, "never let's inquire what they are till we have dined; for my brother Peter will give us nothing we need be afraid of."
* A fruit like a melon.
** A gourd.
It growing into the night by that time we rose from table, I set a bowl of punch before them, made with my treacle and sour ram's-horn juice, which they pulled off plentifully. After some bumpers had gone round, I desired my brother to proceed where he left off, in the account of my wife's reception with her father.
"When my father," says he, "had recovered himself by some hours' repose, the first thing he did was to order my sister Youwarkee to be called; who, coming into his presence, he took her from her knees, kissed her, and ordered all to depart but myself and Hallycarnie. Then bidding us sit down, says he to your wife, 'Daughter, your appearance, whom I have so long lamented as dead, has given me the truest cordial I could have received, and I hope will add both to my health and years. I have heard you suspect my anger for some part of your past conduct (for he had hinted so to her sister and me), which you justly enough imagined may be censured; but, my dear life, I am this day, what I did not expect any more to be, a father of a new-born child; and not of one only, but of many; and this day, I say, daughter, shall not be spent in sorrow and excuses, or anything to interrupt our mutual felicity; neither will I ever hereafter permit you to forget my forgiveness, or attempt to palliate any of your proceedings; for know, child, that a benevolence freely bestowed is better than twice its value obtained by petition: I, therefore, as in presence of the Great Image, your brother and sister, at this instant erase from my mind for ever what thoughts I may have had prejudicial to the love I ever bore you, as I will have you to do all such as may cloud the unreserved complacency you used to appear with before me. And now, Quangrollart,' says he, 'let the guard be drawn out before my covett, and let the whole country be entertained for seven days; proclaim liberty to all persons confined; and let not the least sorrow appear in any face throughout my colambat.'
"I retired immediately, and gave the necessary orders for the speedy despatch of my father's commands, which indeed were performed to the utmost; and nothing for seven days was to be heard through the whole district of Arndrumnstake but joy and the name of Youwarkee.
"My father, so soon as he had despatched the above orders, sent for the children before him, whom he kissed and blessed, frequently lifting up his eyes in gratitude to the Great Image for the unexpected happiness he enjoyed on that occasion; and then he ordered Youwarkee to let him know what had befallen her in her absence, and where she lived, and with whom.
"Youwarkee was setting out with some indirect excuses; but my father absolutely forbid her, and charged her only to mention plain facts, without flourishes. So she began with her swangean, and the accidental fall she had, your taking her in after it, and saving her life. She told him your continued kindness so wrought upon her, that she found herself incapable of disesteeming you, but never showed her affection, till, having examined every particular of your life, and finding you a worthy man, she could not avoid becoming your wife; and she said the reasons why she always declined being seen by her friends in their swangeans, was for fear she should be forced from you, though she longed to see us; and that at last she was to come by your consent, and that, had it rested there only, she might have come much sooner, for that you would often have had her show herself to her friends, when you heard them, having strong desires yourself to be known to them.
"My father, upon hearing this, was so charmed with your tenderness and affection to his daughter, that you already rival his own issue in his esteem, and he is persuaded he can never do enough for you or your children.
"The noise of Youwarkee's return, and my father's rejoicing, soon spread over all Normnbdsgrsutt; and King Georigetti sent express to my father, to command him to attend with your wife and children at Brandleguarp, his capital. Thither accordingly we all went with a grand retinue, and stayed twenty days. The king took great delight, as well as the ladies of the court, to hear Youwarkee and her children talk English, and in being informed of you and your way of life; and so fond was Yaccombourse (who, though not the king's wife, is instead of one) of my nephew Tommy, that, upon my father's return, she took him to herself, and assured my sister he should continue near her person till he was qualified for better preferment. The king's sister Jahamel would also have taken Patty into her service; but she begged to be permitted to attend her mother to Arndrumnstake; so Hallycarnie, her sister, who chose to continue with Jahamel, was received in her room.
"Upon my father's return to Arndrumnstake, he found no less than fifteen expresses from several colambs, desiring to rejoice with him on the return of his daughter, with particular invitations to him and her to spend some time with them. My father, though he hates more pomp than is necessary to support dignity, could do no less than severally visit them, with Youwarkee, attended by a grand retinue, spending more or less days with each; hoping when that was over, he should have some little time to spend in retirement with his daughter before her departure, who now began to be uneasy for you, who, she said, would suffer the greatest concern in her absence: but upon their return from those visits, at about the end of four months' progress, they found themselves in as little likelihood of retirement as the first day; for the inferior colambs were continually posting away, one after another, to perform their respects to my father, and all the inferior magistrates of smaller districts sending to know when they might be permitted to do the same. Poor Youwarkee, who saw no end of it, expressed her concern for you in so lively a manner to my father, that finding he could by no means put a stop to the goodwill of the people, and not bearing the thoughts of You-warkee's departure till she had now received all their compliments, he resolved to keep her with him till the next winter set in in these parts, and then to accompany her himself to Graundevolet. In the meanwhile, that you might not remain in an uneasy suspense what was become of my sister, he ordered me to despatch messengers express to inform you of the reasons of her stay; but I told him, if he pleased, I would execute that office myself, with my friend Rosig, with which he was very well pleased, and enjoined me to assure you of his affection, and that he himself was debtor to you for the love and kindness you had shown his daughter.
"Thus, brother," says Quangrollart, "I hope I have acquitted myself of my charge to your satisfaction, and it only now remains that I return you my acknowledgments for your hearty welcome to myself and friend; which (with concern I speak it) I am afraid I shall not have an opportunity to return at Arndrumnstake, the distance being so immensely great and you not having the graundee. To-morrow morning my friend and I will set out on our return home."
Quangrollart having done, I told him I could not but blush at the load of undeserved praises he had laid on me; but as he had received his notion of my merits from a wife too fond to let my character sink for want of her support, it would be sufficient if himself could conceive of, and also represent me at his return, in no worse a light than other men; and though it gave me pain to think of losing my wife so long, yet his account of her health and the company he assured me she would return in, would doubly compensate my loss; and I begged of him, if it might be with any convenience, he would let some messenger come the day before her, to give me notice of their approach. As to their departure on the morrow, I told them I could by no means think of that, as I had proposed to catch them a dinner of fresh fish in the lake, and to show them my boat, and how and where I came into this arkoe, believing, by what I had observed, it would be no small novelty to them. So, having engaged them one day more, we parted for that night to rest.
The Author shows Quangrollart and Rosig his poultry—They are surprised at them—He takes them a-fishing—They wonder at his cart, and at his shooting a fowl—They are terribly frightened at the firing of the gun—Wilkins pacifies them.
I WAS heartily sorry to lose my brother thus quickly, and still more so to find it would be a long time yet ere I should see my wife; however, I was resolved to behave as cheerfully as possible, and to omit nothing I could do, the few remaining hours of Quangrollart's stay with me, to rivet myself thoroughly in his esteem, and to dismiss him with a most cordial affection to me and the rest of my children here with him. I rose early in the morning, to provide a good breakfast for my guests, and considering we should be in the air most part of that day, I treated them with a dish of hot fish-soup, and set before them on the table a jovial bottle of brandy and my silver can; this last piece I chose to show them, as a specimen of the richness of my household furniture, and the grandeur of my living, concealing most of my other curiosities till Pendlehamby my father-in-law's arrival, for I thought it would be imprudent not to have somewhat new of this kind to display at his entertainment.
After a plenteous meal, we set out on our pleasurable expedition, having told Pedro what to get for dinner, and that I believed we should not return till late.
We first took a turn in the wood, but I did not lead them near my tent, because I did not choose my wife should hear of that till she came. I then showed them my farmyard and poultry, which they were strangely surprised at, and wondered to see so many creatures come at my call, and run about my legs only upon a whistle, though before there were only two or three to be seen. They asked me a hundred questions about the fowl, which I answered, and told them these were some such as they had eaten, and called crullmotts, the day before. I afterwards carried them to hear the music of those plants that I call my cream-cheese, which, as there happened to be a small breeze stirring, made their usual melody.
When we had diverted ourselves some time in the wood, we went to the wet-dock, where I showed them my boat. At first view they wondered what use it was for; to satisfy them in that I stepped in, desiring them to follow me; but seeing the boat's agitation, they did not choose to venture till I assured them they might come with the greatest safety; at length, with some persuasion and repeated assurances, I prevailed on them to trust themselves with me.
We first rowed to the bridge, where I informed them by what accident I was drawn down the stream on the other side of the rock, and after a tedious and dangerous passage, discharged safe in the lake through that opening.
I then told them how surprised I had been, just before I knew Youwarkee, with the sight of her country-folks, first on the lake, and then taking flight from that bridge, and what had been my thoughts, and how great my terrors on that occasion.
After we had viewed the bridge, I took them to my rill (for by this time they were reconciled to the boat, and would help me to row it), and showed them how I got water. I then landed them to see the method of fishing, for which purpose I laid my net in proper order, and fixing it as usual, I brought it round out at the rill, and had a very good haul, with which I desired them to help me up; for though I could easily have done it myself, I had a mind to let them have a hand in the sport, with which they were pleased. I perceived, however, the fish were not agreeable to them, for when any one came near their hands, they avoided touching it: notwithstanding, having got the net on shore, I laid it open; but to see how they stared at the fish, creeping backwards, and then at me and the net, it made me very merry to myself, though I did not care to show it.
I drew up at that draught twenty-two fishes in all, of which a few were near an ell long, several about two feet, and some smaller. When they saw me take up the large ones in my arms, and tumble them into the boat, they both, unrequested, took up the small ones, and put them in likewise; but dropping them every time they struck their tails, the fish had commonly two or three falls ere they came to the boat.
I asked them how they liked that sport, and they told me, it was somewhat very surprising that I should know just where the fish were, as they could see none before I pulled them up, and yet they did not hear me whistle. I perceived by this they imagined I could whistle the fish together as well as the fowls, and I did not undeceive them, being well enough pleased they should think me excellent for something, as I really thought they were on account of the graundee.
Upon our return, when I had docked my boat, as there were too many fish to carry up by hand to the grotto, I desired them to take a turn upon the shore till I fetched my cart for them. I made what haste I could, and brought one of my guns with me, which I determined, upon some occasion or other, to fire off; for I took it they would be more surprised at the explosion of that than at anything they had yet seen. Having loaded my fish, and marched backwards, they eyed my cart very much, and wondered what made the wheels move about so, taking them for legs it walked upon, till I explained the reason of it, and then they desired to draw it, which they did with great eagerness, one at a time, the other observing its motions.
As we advanced homewards, there came a large water-fowl, about the size of a goose, flying across us. I bid them look at it, which they did. Says my brother, "I wish I had it!"
"If you have a mind for it," says I, "I'll give it you."
"I wish you would," says he, "for I never saw anything like it in my life!"
"Stand still then," says I; and stepping two or three yards before them, I fired, and down it dropped. I then turned about to observe what impression the gun had made on them, and could not help laughing to see them so terrified. Rosig, before I could well look about, had got fifty paces from me, and my brother was lying behind the cart of fish. I called and asked them what was the matter, and desired them to come to me, telling them they should receive no harm, and offered my brother the gun to handle; but he, thanking me as much as if he had, retired to Rosig.
Finding they made a serious affair of it (for I saw them whispering together), I was under some apprehension for the consequences of my frolic. Thinks I, if under this disgust they take flight, refusing to hear me, and report that I was about to murder them, or tell any other pernicious story to my father of me, I am absolutely undone, and shall never see Youwarkee more. So I laid down the gun by the fish, and moving slowly towards them, expostulated with them upon their disorder; assuring them that though the object before them might surprise them, it was but a common instrument in my country, which every boy used to take birds with; and protested to them that the gun of itself could do nothing without my skill directing it, and that they might be sure I should never employ that but to their service. This, and a great deal more, brought us together again; and when we came to reasoning coolly, they blamed me for not giving them notice. Says I, "There was no room for me to explain the operation of the gun to you whilst the bird was on the wing, for it would have been gone out of my reach before I could have made you sensible of that, and so have escaped me; which, as you desired me to get it you, I was resolved it should not do. But for yourselves, surely you could have no diffidence in me; that is highly unbecoming of man to man, especially relations; and, above all, a relation to whom you have brought the welcomest news upon earth, in the love of my dear father, and his reconciliation to my wife."
At last, by degrees, I brought them to confess that it was only a groundless sudden terror which suppressed their reason for a while, but that what I said was all very true; and as their serious reflection returned, they were satisfied of it. I then stepped for the bird, and brought it to them; it was a very fine-feathered creature, and they were very much delighted with the beauty of it, and desired it might be laid upon the cart and carried home.
All the way we went afterwards to the grotto, nothing was to be heard from them but my praises, and what a great and wise man brother Peter was. "And no wonder now, sister Youwarkee," says Quangrollart, "once knowing him, could never leave him." It was not my business to gainsay this, but only to receive it with so much modesty as might serve to heighten their good opinion of me; and I found, upon my wife's return, that Quangrollart had painted me in no mean colours to his father.
I once more had the pleasure of entertaining them with the old fare, and some of the fresh fish, part boiled and part fried, which last they chose before the boiled. We made a very cheerful supper, talking over that day's adventures, and of their ensuing journey home, after which we retired to rest, mutually pleased. We all arose early the next morning. We took a short breakfast, after which Quangrollart and Rosig stuck their chaplets with the longest and most beautiful feathers of the bird I shot, thinking them a fine ornament. Being now ready for departure, they embraced me and the children, and were just taking flight, when it came into my head, that as the king's mistress had taken Tommy into her protection, it might possibly be a means of ingratiating him in her favour if I sent him the flageolet (for I had, in my wife's absence, made two others near as good, by copying exactly after it). I therefore desired to know if one of them would trouble himself with a small piece of wood I very much wanted to convey to my son. Rosig answered, "With all his heart; if it was not very long he would put it into his colapet." * So I stepped in, and fetching the flageolet, presented it to Rosig. My brother seeing it look oddly, with holes in it, desired (after he had asked if it was not a little gun) to have the handling of it. It was given him, and he surveyed it very attentively. Being inquisitive into the use of it, I told him it was a musical instrument, and played several tunes upon it; with which he and his companion were in raptures. I doubt not they would have sat a week to hear me if I would have gone on; but I desiring the latter to take care of its safety, he put it in his colapet, and away they went.
* A bag they always carry round the neck.
Peter prepares for his father's reception—Arguments about his beard—Expects his wife—Reflections on her not coming—Sees a messenger on the rock—Has notice of Pendlehambys arrival, and prepares a treat.
THE news my late visitors had brought me set my mind quite at ease; and now having leisure to look into my own affairs, with the summer before me, I began to consider what preparations I must make against the return of my wife; for, according to the report I had heard, I concluded there would be a great number of attendants; and as her father would no doubt pique himself upon the grandeur of his equipage, if his followers should see nothing in me but a plain dirty fellow, I should be contemned, and perhaps my wife, through my means, be slighted, or at least lose that respect the report of me had in a great measure procured her.
The first thing therefore that I did, was to look into my chests again, wherein I knew there were many of the Portuguese captain's clothes, and take out such as would be most suitable to the occasion, and lay them all by themselves. I found a blue cloth laced coat, double-breasted, with very large gold buttons, and very broad gold button-holes, lined with white silk; a pair of black velvet breeches, a large gold-laced hat, and a point neckcloth with two or three very good shirts, two pair of red-heeled shoes, a pair of white and another of scarlet silk stockings, two silver-hilted swords, and several other good things; but upon examination of these clothes, and by a letter or two I found in the pockets of some of them, directed to Captain Jeremiah Vauclaile, in Thread-needle Street, London, I judged these belonged to the English captain, taken by the Portuguese ship in Africa. I immediately tried some of them on, and thought they became me very well, and laid all those in particular chests, to be ready when the time came, and set them into one of my inner rooms.
Upon examining the contents of another chest, I found a long scarlet cloak laced, a case of razors, a pair of scissors, and shaving-glass, a long-wig and two bob-wigs, and laid them by; for I was determined, as I might possibly have no other opportunity, to make myself appear as considerable as I could.
When I had digested in my mind upon what occasions I would appear in either of them, and laid them in proper order, Pedro and I went several days to work with the net, and caught abundance of fish, which I salted and dried; and we cut a great quantity of long grass to dry, and spread in my tent for the lower gentry, and made up a little cock of it; we also cut and piled up a large parcel of firewood; and as I had now about thirty of the best fish-skins, each of which would cover four chairs, I nailed them on for cushions to my chairs, and the rest I sewed together, and made rugs of them.
I had observed that my brother Quangrollart, and Rosig, neither of them had beards, and as they were quite smooth-chinned, I conjectured that none of their countrymen had any: So, says I, if that is the case, as I have now both scissors and razors, I will e'en cut off mine, to be like them. I then set up my glass, taking my scissors in hand; but had not quite closed them for a snip, when I considered that as I was not of their country, and was so different from them in other respects, whether it would not add to my dignity to appear with my beard before them. This I debated some time, and then determined in favour of my beard; but as this question still ran in my mind, and I wavered sometimes this way, sometimes that, I some days after prepared again for execution, and took a large slip off; when, says I, how can I tell whether I can shave after all? I have not tried yet, and if I can't, how much more ridiculous shall I look with stubbed hair here and there, than with this comely beard? I must say, I never in my life had so long a debate with myself, it holding upwards of two months, varying almost every time I thought of it; till one day, dressing myself in a suit I had not before tried on, and looking in the glass: It can never be, says I, that this grave beard should suit with these fine clothes; no, I will have it off, I am resolved. I had no sooner given another good snip, than spying the cloak, I had a mind to see how I looked in that. Aye, says I, now I see I must either wear this beard or not this cloak. How majestic does it look! So sage, so grave, it denotes wisdom and solidity; and if they already think well of me, don't let me be fool enough to relinquish my claim to that for a gay coat. I had no sooner fixed on this, than I took up all the implements to put again into the chest; and the last of them being the glass, I would have one more look before I parted with it; but my beard made such a horrid, frightful figure, with the three great cuts in it, that though it grieved me to think I must part with it just when I had come to a resolution to preserve it, I fell to work with my scissors, and off it came; and after two or three trials I became very expert with my razor.
Winter coming on, as I knew I must soon have more occasion than ever for a stock of provision, from the increase of mouths I expected, I laid in a stock for a little army; and when the hurry of that was over, I kept a sharp look-out upon the level, in expectation of my company, and had once a mind to have brought my tent thither to entertain them in; but it was too much trouble for the hands I had, so I dropped the design. I took one or other of the children with me every day, and grew more and more uneasy at hearing nothing of them; and as uncertain attendance naturally breeds thoughtfulness, and the hours in no employ pass so leisurely as in that, my mind presaged numberless intervening accidents that might, if not entirely prevent their coming, at least postpone it.
Thinks I (and that I fixed for my standard), Youwarkee, I am sure, would come if she could; but then, says I, here is a long flight, and to be undertaken by an old man too (for I thought my father-in-law much older than I afterwards found him), who is now quiet and safe at home; and having his daughter with him, is no doubt desirous of continuing so: now, what cares he for my uneasiness? He can find one pretence or other, no doubt, of drilling on the time till the dark weather is over; and then, forsooth, it will be too late to come; and thus shall I be hung up in suspense for another year. Or what if my brother, as he called himself, for he may be no more a brother of mine than the Pope's, for ought I know, came only on a pretence to see how I went on; and not finding, for all his sham compliments to me, his sister married to his father's liking, should advise him not to send my wife back again; and so all the trouble I have had on their account should only prove a standing monument of my foolish credulity! Nay, it is not impossible, but as I have already had one message to inform me Tommy and Hallycarnie are provided for, as much as to say in plain English I shall see them no more, so I may soon have another by some sneaking puppy or other, whom I suppose I am to treat for the news, to tell me my wife and Patty are provided for too, and I am to thank my kind benefactors for taking so great a charge off my hands. Am I? No! I'll first set my tent, clothes, chairs, and all other mementoes of my stupidity on fire, and by perishing, what's left of us, in the blaze, exterminate at once the wretched remains of a deserted family. I hate to be made a fool of!
I had scarce finished my soliloquy, when I heard a monstrous sort of groan or growl in the air, like thunder at a distance. "What's that, Pedro?" says I.—"I never heard the like before, daddy!" says he.—"Look about, boy," says I, "do you see anything?"—We heard it again. "Hark!" says Pedro, "it comes from that end of the lake."—While we were listening to the third sound, says Pedro, "Daddy, yonder is something black upon the rock, I did not see just now."—"Why, it moves," says I, "Pedro; here is news, good or bad."—"Hope the best, daddy," says Pedro; "I wish it may be mammy."—"No," says I, "Pedro, I don't expect her before I hear from her."—"Why, then," says Pedro, "here they come; I can plainly discern three of them. If my brother Tommy should be there, daddy!"—"No," says I, "Pedro, no such good news; they tell me Tommy's provided for, and that's to suffice for the loss of my child: and yet, Pedro, if I could get you settled in England in some good employ, I should consent to that: but what Tommy's to be I know not."
By this time the three persons were so near that, seeing us, they called out "Peter!" and I making signs for them to alight, they settled just before me, and told me that Pendlehamby and Youwarkee would be with me by light next day.
I had no sooner heard this, but so far was I from firing my tent, that I invited them to my grotto, set the best cheer before them, and with overhaste to do more than one thing at once, I even left undone what I might have done.
I asked them who came with my father; and they told me about two hundred guards: that knocked me up again, as I had but prepared for about sixty; thinks I, My scheme is all untwisted. I then asked them what loud noise it was, and if they heard it just before I saw them over the rock. They told me they heard only the gripsack they brought with them to distinguish them from ordinary messengers; and then one of them showed it me, for I had before only taken it for a long staff in his hand: "but," says he, "you will hear them much louder to-morrow, and longer, before they come to you."
Having entertained them to their content, I sent them to rest, not choosing to ask any questions; for I avoided anticipating the pleasure of hearing all the news from Youwarkee herself. However, the boys and I prepared what provisions of fowl and fish we could in the time, to be ready cold against they came, and then laid down ourselves.
Peter settles the formality of his father's reception-Description of their march, and alighting; receives his father—Conducts him to his grotto—Offers to beg pardon for his mandate—Is prevented by Pendlehamby—Youwarkee not known in the English habit—Quarters the officers in the tent.
MY mind ran so all night upon the settling the formality with which I should receive Pendlehamby, that I got little or no rest. In the morning I spread my table in as neat a manner as I could, and having dressed myself, Pedro, Jemmy, and David, we marched to the plain; myself carrying a chair, and each of them a stool. I was dressed in a cinnamon-coloured gold-button coat, scarlet waistcoat, velvet breeches, white silk stockings, the campaign-wig flowing, a gold-laced hat and feather, point cravat, silver sword, and over all my cloak; as for my sons, they had the clothes my wife made before she went.
When we heard them coming, I marshalled the children in the order they were to sit, and charged them to do as they saw me do, but to keep rather a half-pace backwarder than me; and then sitting down in my chair, I ordered Pedro to his stool on my right hand, and Jemmy to his on my left, and David to the left of Jemmy.
I then sent two of the messengers to meet them, with instructions to let Youwarkee know where I waited for them, that they might alight at a small distance before they came to me. This she having communicated to her father, the order ran through the whole corps immediately when and where to alight.
It will be impossible for me by words to raise your ideas adequate to the grandeur of the appearance this body of men made coming over the rock; but as I perceive your curiosity is on the stretch to comprehend it, I shall faintly aim at gratifying you.
After we had heard for some time a sound as of distant rumbling thunder, or of a thousand bears in consort, serenading in their hoarsest voices, we could just perceive by the clearness of the dawn gilding on the edge of the rock, a black stream arise above the summit of it, seemingly about forty paces broad; when the noise increasing very much the stream arose broader and broader; and then you might perceive rows of poles, with here and there a streamer; and as soon as ever the main body appeared above the rock, there was such a universal shout as rent the air, and echoing from the opposite rock returned the salute to them again. This was succeeded with a most ravishing sound of voices in song, which continued till they came pretty near me; and then the first line, consisting of all the trumpets, mounting a considerable height, and still blowing, left room for the next ranks, about twenty abreast, to come forward beneath them; each of which dividing in the middle, alighted in ranks at about twenty paces distant from my right and left, making a lane before me, at the farther end of which Pendlehamby and his two daughters alighted with about twenty of his guards behind them, the remainder, consisting of about twenty more, coming forward over my head, and alighting behind me; and during this whole ceremony, the gripsacks sounded with such a din, it was astonishing.
Poor Youwarkee, who knew nothing of my dress, or of the loss of my beard, was thunderstruck when she saw me, not being able to observe any visage I had for my great wig and hat; but putting a good face upon the matter, and not doubting but if the person she saw was not me, she should soon find her husband, for she knew the children by their clothes, she came forward at her father's right hand, I sitting as great as a lord, till they came within about thirty paces of my seat; and then gravely rising, I pulled off my hat and made my obeisance, and again at ten steps forwarder; so that I made my third low bow close at the feet of Pendlehamby, the children all doing the same. I then kneeling with one leg, embraced his right knee; who raising me up, embraced me. Then retiring three steps, and coming forward again, I embraced Youwarkee some time; during which the children observed my pattern with Pendlehamby, who took them up and kissed them.
I whispered Youwarkee to know if any more of her relations were in the train, to whom I ought to pay my compliments; she told me only her sister Hallycarnie, just behind her father. I then saluted her, and stepping forward to the old gentleman's left hand, I ushered him through the lines of guards to my chair; where I caused him to sit down with Youwarkee and Hallycarnie on each side, and myself on the left of Hallycarnie.
After expressing the great honour done me by Pendlehamby in this visit, I told him I had a little grotto about half a mile through the wood, to which, if he pleased to command, we would retire; for I had only placed that seat to relieve him immediately upon his descent.
Pendlehamby rose, and all the gripsacks sounded, he leading Youwarkee in his right hand, and I Hallycarnie in mine.
At the grotto, my father being seated, taking Youwarkee in my hand, we paid our obedience to him. I would have asked his pardon for taking his daughter to wife without his leave, and was going on in a set speech I had studied for the purpose; but he refused to hear me, telling me I was mistaken, he had consented. I was replying I knew he had been so good as to pass it over, but that would not excuse—when he again interrupted me by saying, "If I approve it and esteem you, what can you desire more!"—So, finding the subject ungrateful, I desisted.
I then gave each of them a silver can of Madeira, and Youwarkee retired. I soon made an excuse to follow her to learn if she was pleased with what I had done. Says she, "My dearest, what is come to you? I will promise you, but for fear of surprising my father, I had disowned you for my husband."—"Dear Youwee," says I, "do you approve my dress, for this is the English fashion?"—"This, Peter," says she, "I perceived attracted all eyes to you, and indeed is very showy, and I approve it in regard to those we are now to please; but you are not to imagine I esteem you more in this than your old jacket; for it is Peter I love in this and all things else; but step in again, I shall only dress, and come to you."
My wife, being dressed in her English gown, just crossed the room where my father sat, to see Dicky, who was in another side-room. I was then sitting by, and talking with him. "Son," says my father, "I understood you had no other woman in this arkoe but my daughter; for surely you have no child so tall as that," pointing to my wife.—"No, sir," said I, "that is a friend."—"Is she come to you," says he, "in my daughter's absence?"—"Oh, sir," says I, "she is very well known to my wife."
Whilst we were talking in comes Youwarkee with the child in her arms, which she kept covered to the wrists with her gown-sleeve, to hide her graundee; and playing with the child, talked only in English to it. "Is this your youngest son?" says my father.—I told him yes.—"Pray, madam," says I, "bring the child to my father."—"Madam," says he, "you have a fine baby in your arms; has his mother seen him since she came home?" He speaking this in his own tongue, and Youwarkee looking at me as if she could not understand him, I interpreted it to her. My sister then desired to see the child, but I was forced again to interpret there too. In short, they both talked with my wife near half an hour, but neither of them knew her; till at last, saying in her own language, "That is your granddaddy, my dear Dicky!" the old gentleman smoked her out.—"I'll be slit," says he, "if that is not Youwarkee!"—"It's impossible!" says Hallycarnie.—"Indeed, sister," says Youwarkee, "you are mistaken!" and my father protesting he had not the least suspicion of her, till she spoke in his tongue, rose and kissing her and the child, desired her to appear in that habit during his stay.
I asked Pedro what provision had been made for the guards: "Son," says my father, "I bring not this number of people to eat you up; they have their subsistence with them," and he would by no means suffer me to allow them any. I then desired to know if there were any officers or others to whom he would have shown any particular marks of distinction.—"Son," says the old glumm, "you seem to have studied punctilios; and though I should be sorry to incommode you for their sakes, if you could procure some shelter and sleep-room for about twenty of them who are superiors, ten at a time, while the rest are on duty, I should be glad." I told him I had purposely erected a tent, which would with great ease accommodate a greater number; and as they were of distinction, with his leave I insisted upon providing for them; to which, with some reluctance, I procured his consent.
When Pendlehamby was refreshed, he would go with me to see the officers' quarters, and showing him my tent, he having never seen such a thing before, was going to climb up the outside of it, taking it for earth. "Hold, sir," said I, "you cannot do so!" Then taking him to the front of it, I turned aside the blue cloth and desired him to walk in; at which he seemed wonderfully pleased, and asked me how it was made. I told him in as few words as I could; but he understood so little of it, that anything else I had said might have done as well. He mightily approved it; and calling the chief officer, I desired he would command my house, and that provision should be supplied to his quarters daily; at which he hesitating, I assured him I had my father's leave for what I offered; whereupon he stroked his chin.
I then asked him if he had any clever fellows under him to serve them, and dress their provisions; but he hoped, he said, they were ready dressed, as his men knew little of that matter; but for any other piece of service, as many as I pleased should be at my command.
The manner of their dinner—Believe the fish and fowl to be fruits—Hears his brother and the colambs are coming—Account of their lying—Peter's reflections on the want of the graundee—They view the arkoe—Servants harder to please than their masters—Reason for different dresses the same day.
PENDLEHAMBY having a mind to view my arkoe, took a long walk with Hallycarnie in the wood till dinner-time; and he having before told me that some of his guards always waited on him at meals, I ordered their dinner before his return, sending a large dish of cold fowls, cut into joints, into the tent, to be spread on clean leaves I had laid on the chests; and setting a sufficient quantity of bread and fish there also, I desired the officers present to refresh themselves now, and the rest when relieved should have a fresh supply. I saw there was an oddity in their countenances, which at first I did not comprehend; but presently turning about to the superior, "Sir," says I, "though this food may look unusual to you, it is what my island affords, and you will be better reconciled to it after tasting." So taking a piece of fowl and dipping it in the salt, I ate a bit myself, and recommended another to him; who, eating it, they all fell to without further scruple, above all things commending the salt as what they had never tasted the like of before, though they thought they had both of the fish and fowl.
I then told them where my supply of water came from, and that they must furnish themselves with that by their own men.
Upon the return of my father and sister, the gripsack sounded for dinner; when four officers on duty entering, desired, as their posts, to have the serving up of the dishes. One of them I perceived, having set on the first dish, never stirred from behind Pendlehamby; but upon his least word or sign, ordered the others what to do or bring, which he only presented to my father; and he frequently gave him a piece from his own plate; but the other officers served at the table promiscuously.
After dinner I brought in a bowl of punch; when begging leave to proceed in my country method, I drank to my father's health. "So, daughter," says he to my wife, "we are at the old game again. Son," says he, "this is no novelty to me, Youwarkee constantly drinking to the health of her dear Peter, and the children at Graundevolet, and obliging us to pledge her, as she called it; but I thank you, and will return your civility;" so taking a glass, "son and daughter," says he, "long life, love, and unity attend you and my grandchildren!" Youwarkee and I both rising till he had done, returned him our thanks.
When we had sat some time, "Son," says my father, "you and your wife having lived so retired, I fear my company and attendants must put you to an inconvenience; now, as my son intends you a visit also, in company with several of my brother colambs, if we shall be too great a load upon you, declare it, for they will be at Battringdrigg arkoe to-morrow, to know whether it will be agreeable for them to proceed.
"You know, son," says my father, "the mouth is a great devourer, and that the stock your family cannot consume in a year, by multiplying their numbers, may be reduced in a day: now freely let me know (for you say you provided for us) how your stock stands, that you may not only pleasure us, but we not injure you."
I told him, as for dried fish I had a vast quantity, and that my fowls were so numerous I knew not my stock; as to bread, I had a great deal, and might have almost what more I would; and then for fresh fish, the whole province of Arndrumnstake could not soon devour them; but for my pickles and preserves, I had neither such large quantities, nor conveniences to bestow them if I had.
"If this be the case, son," says my father, "I may send your brother word to proceed;" and despatched ten messengers with a gripsack to hasten his son's arrival.
It now began to be time for rest, and the old gentleman growing pretty mellow with the punch, which, by the heavy pulls he took at it, I perceived was no disagreeable entertainment to him, I conducted him to his repose; and disposing of the rest of the family, Youwarkee and I, with great impatience, retired.
You may imagine I was sincerely glad to find myself once more alone with my Youwarkee; when, after a transport of mutual endearments, I desired to know how Pendlehamby first received her; which she told me, with every circumstance, in so affecting a manner that the tears forced passage from mine eyes in perfect streams; and I loved the dear man ever after as my own father.
She told me Tommy was in great favour at court before her brother returned from me; but ever since I sent him the flageolet he had been caressed above measure, and would soon be a great man; that Hallycarnie was a constant attendant on Jahamel both in her diversions and retirement; and, she did not doubt, would in time marry very well; as for Patty, she said her father intended, with my leave, to adopt her as his own child.
My wife slept very sound after her journey; but my hurry of spirits denying me that refreshment, I never so much as now lamented the want of the graundee.—"For," thinks I, "now I have once again tasted the sweets of society, how shall I ever relish a total desertion of it, which in a few days must be the case, when all this company are fled, and myself am reduced to my old jacket and water-cart again! Now, if I was as others here are, I might make a better figure than they by my superior knowledge of things, and have the world my own; nay, I would fly to my own country, or to some other part of the world, where even the strangeness of my appearance would procure me a good subsistence. But," says I, "if with my graundee I should lose my sight, or only be able to live in the dark in England, why, I should be full as bad as I am here! for nobody would be able to keep me company abroad, as my hours for the air would be theirs of retirement; and then, at home, it would be much the same; no one would prefer my company in a dark room in the daytime, when they could enjoy others in the light of the sun; then how should I be the better for the graundee, unless I fixed a resolution of living here, or hereabouts? and then to get into company, I must retire to still darker regions, which my eyes are no ways adapted to: in short, I must be quite new moulded, new made, and new born too, before I can attain my desires. Therefore, Peter," says I, "be content; you have been happy here in your wife and children without these things; then never make yourself so wretched as to hope for a change which can never possibly happen, and which, perhaps, if obtained, might undo you; but intend only what you can compass, by weighing all circumstances, and your felicity will lie in very narrow bounds, free from two of the greatest evils a man can be beset by, hopes and fears; two inseparable companions, and deadly enemies to peace; for a man is destroyed by hope through fear of disappointment."—This brought me a show of peace again.—"Surely," says I, "I am one of the most unaccountable amongst mankind! I never can reflect till I am worn down with vexation. O Glanlepze! Glanlepze!" says I, "I shall never forget thy speech after engaging the crocodile, that everything was to be attained by resolution by him that takes both ends of a thing in his view at once, and fairly deliberates what may be given and taken from end to end. Surely," says I, "this ought to be engraven on brass, as I wish it was on my heart; it would prevent me many painful hours, help me with more ease to compass attainable ends, and to rest contented under difficulties insuperable: and if I live to rise again, I will place it where it shall never be more out of my sight, and will enforce it not only more and more on myself, but on my children."
With this thought I dropped to sleep, and with this I awaked again, and the first thing I did was to find a proper place to write it, which, having fixed for the door of my cupboard, I took a burnt stick for my pencil, and wrote as follows:—"He that is resolved to overcome, must have both ends of an object in view at once, and fairly deliberate what may be given and taken from end to end; and then pursue the dictates of cool reason." This I wrote in English, and then in the Doorpt Swangeantine tongue; and having read it twice or thrice over, I went for water and fish, and returned before the family were up.
I took care to-day also that the officers should be as well served as possible, and where an accommodation must be wanting, I rather chose to let it fall on my father than on them; for I had ever observed it to be an easier thing to satisfy the master than the man; as the master weighs circumstances, and from a natural complacency in himself, puts a humane construction upon that error or omission which the servant wholly attributes to slight and neglect.
My company being abroad, about the time I expected their return I dressed myself as the day before, only without my cloak, and in a black bob-wig, and took a turn to meet them.
Pendlehamby spying me first among the trees, "Daughter Youwarkee," says he, "you have a husband, I think, for every day in the week. Who's this? my son Peter! Why, he is not the same man he was yesterday." She told him she had heard me say we changed our apparel almost every day in England; nay, sometimes twice or thrice the same day.—"What!" says Pendlehamby, "are they so mischievous there they are fearful of being known in the latter by those who saw them in the former part of the day?"
By this time I was come up, and after paying due compliments, says Youwarkee—"My father did not know you, my dear, you are so altered in your other wig; and I told him in your country they not only change wigs, but their whole clothing, two or three times a day sometimes."—"Son," says my father, "if it be so, I cannot guess at the design of a man's making himself unlike himself."—"Oh, sir," says I, "it is owing to the different functions he is to perform that day: as, suppose, in the morning he is to pursue business with his inferiors, or meet at our coffee-houses to hear and chat over the news of the day, he appears in a light easy habit proper for despatch, and comes home dirty; then, perhaps, he is to dine with a friend at mid-day, before whom, for respect's sake, not choosing to be seen in his dirty dress, he puts on something handsomer; and after spending some time there, he has, it may be, an appointment at court, at play, or with his mistress, in all which last cases, if he has anything better than ordinary, it is a part of good breeding to appear in that; but if the very best was to be used in common, it might soon become the worst, and not fit for a nice man to stir abroad in."—"The different custom of countries you have told me of," says my father, "is surprising: here are we born with our clothes on, which always fit, be we ever so small or large; nay, are never the worse for constant wearing; and you must be eternally altering and changing colour, shape, and habit. But," says he, "where do they get all these things? Does every man make just what he likes?"—"No," says I, "there are a particular set of men whose business it is to make for all the rest."—"What!" says he, "I suppose their lasks make them?"—"No, sir, they are filgays," says I. "It is their trade, they do it for a livelihood, being paid by them they work for. A suit of their clothes," says I, taking up the flap of my coat, "will cost what we call twelve or fourteen pounds in money."—"I don't understand you," says he.—"Why, sir," says I, "that is as much as will provide one moderate man with all the necessary things of life for two months."—"Then," says he, "these nice men must be very rich."—"No, sir," said I, "there you are under a mistake; for if a man, very rich, and who is known to be so, neglects his habit, it is taken to be his choice; but one who is not known to be rich, and is really not so, is, by appearing gay sometimes, thought to be so; for he comes little abroad, and pinches miserably at home, first to get that gay suit, and then acts on the same part to preserve it, till some lucky hit may help him to the means of getting another, as it frequently happens, by a good marriage; for though he is but seldom seen in public, yet always appearing so fine when he is, the ladies, whose fancies are frequently more tickled with show than sense, admitting him only at first as a companion, are at last, if worth anything, taken in the toils he is ever spreading for them; and, becoming his wife, produce a standing fund to make him a rich man in reality, which he but personated before."
Pendlehamby could not well understand all I said; and I found by him that all the riches they possessed were only food and slaves; and as I found afterwards when amongst them, they know the want of nothing else; but I am afraid I have put them upon another way of thinking, though I aimed at what we call civilising of them.
Quangrollart arrives with the colambs—Straitened for accommodation—Remove to the tent—Youwarkee not known—Peter relates paid of his travels—Dispute about the beast-fish skins.
SLEEPING longer than usual, I was awakened next morning by a gripsack from Quangrollart; upon hearing of which I roused immediately, thinking they were at my door; but the messenger told me they could not be there in what I understood by his signs to be about two hours, for they have no such measure for time as hours; so I dressed at leisure, and then went to Youwarkee and waked her. "Youwee," says I, "your brother will be here presently, and I having a mind you should appear as my countrywoman, would have you dress yourself."
We walked down to the level, and but just saved our distance; for the van of them were within the arkoe before we arrived, and with such a train after them as seemed to reach the whole length of the arkoe. The regularity and order of their flight was admirable, and the break of the trumpets so great, sounding all the way they came (for we had not only one set of them, but at least thirty, there being so many colambs and petty princes in the train, each with fifty attendants), that I wondered how they could bear it. As the principals alighted, which was at least a hundred paces from me, the gripsacks still kept wing, sounding as long as we stayed.
This was a very tedious ceremony, for the guards alighting with their colambs, ranged just as Pendlehamby's had done, but reached as far as the eye could see. As they moved towards us, You-warkee and I, having stood still some time, moved slowly forward to meet them.
It would have surprised you to have seen the deference they paid us; and I believe the guards took us for something above the mortal race. You-warkee showed no part of her graundee, having on sleeves down to her wrists, white silk stockings and red-heeled shoes; so that none of them knew her for one of them.
The first that we met was my brother, to whom we had only an opportunity of paying our compliments en passant before another graundee came up, who was succeeded by another and another, to the number of thirty; some out of respect to my father and brother, and some out of mere curiosity to see me; and as fast as each had paid his salutes, he passed us, till we found we had no more to meet, when we turned about, and fell in with the company.
When we came to the grotto, I was very much put to it for room, we scarce being able to stand upright by each other, much less to sit down; which my father perceiving, "My dear friends," says he, "had my son known in time of so much good company, he would have been better provided with seats for us all; but considering all we see is the labour only of his own hands, we should rather admire at the many conveniences we see here, than be uneasy there are no more. And, son," says he, "as we are now so large a body, I propose we adjourn to the officers' quarters and let them take ours." I returned my father thanks for the hint, and led the way, the rest following, where we found room enough and to spare.
Though Youwarkee was with us all dinner-time helping the guests, we had no sooner done, "But," says Quangrollart aloud, "Brother Peter, are we not to see my sister?" I not hearing perfectly what he said, though I perceived he spoke to me, "Sir," says I.—"My sister Youwarkee!" says he, "why won't she appear? Here are several of her good friends as well as myself will be glad to see her." My father then laughed so heartily that the rest taking notice of it, my poor brother was put to the blush. "Son," says my father, "don't you know your own sister?"—"We have not seen her yet," says one of the colambs, "or any lady but your daughter Hallycarnie and that attendant." My brother then seeing how it was came up to salute my wife; but even then had his scruples, till he saw her smile, and then begged pardon for his oversight, as did all the colambs upon saluting her; my brother declaring that, as she was somewhat behind me on the level, he had only paid her the respect of his chin, taking her for some one attending me. The colamb following my brother, assured her the little regard shown her by Quangrollart, who, he thought, should know best where to bestow his respects, was the reason of his taking no more notice of her; and each confessing his mistake arose from too nearly copying the steps of his immediate predecessor, they all made excuse, and the mistake made us very merry, till they proposed taking a turn in the woods, it being a great novelty to them, they said; but I begged they would leave me behind to prepare for their return.
Having refreshed themselves after they came home, Quangrollart (being put upon it by some of the colambs) told me I could not render a more acceptable favour to the whole company than to relate to them an account of my adventures; "for though," says he, "I told them last night what I remembered to have heard from you, yet the variety was so great I could not deliver the facts in order as I heard them, but was obliged to take here a piece and there another, as they occurred to me, making rather several stories of it than a continued series of facts."
All the colambs immediately seconded the motion, and desired me to begin. I then ordering a clear table and a bowl of punch, and having drank all the company's healths, began my narration, hoping to have finished it before bedtime; but they pressing me to be very particular, and frequently one or other requiring explanations upon particular facts, and then one making a remark upon something which another answered, and a third replied to, they got the talk out of my hands so long that, having lost themselves in the argument, and forgot what I said last, they begged my pardon and desired me to go on; when one, who in contemplation of one fact had lost best part of another, prayed me to go on from such an incident, and another from one before that; so that I was frequently obliged to begin half-way back again. This method not only spun out my story to a very great length, but instead of its being finished that evening, as I had proposed, it was scarce well begun before bedtime drew on; so I just having brought them to Angola, told them, as it grew late, if they pleased, I would finish the remainder next night, which they agreed to.
Quangrollart then asked my father if he had been fishing since he came; but he told him he knew not what he meant. Then all the company desired I would show them what that was. I told them they might command me as they pleased; so we appointed the next morning for that exercise. "But, gentlemen," says I, "your lodging to-night gives me the greatest pain; for I know not what I shall do about that. I have a few beast-fish skins which are very soft and hairy, but not a sufficiency for so many friends as I would at present be proud to oblige; but I can lay them as far as they will go upon as much dry reeds and grass as you please." I then sent a servant to Youwarkee for the skins; after which, they one and all crying out if they had but good dry reeds they desired no better lodging, I despatched hands to bring away a large parcel of them to the tent, which they did in a trice. Then waiting on those few who lay at the grotto to their quarters, and having sent Youwarkee to her sister, I returned to the tent to take up my own lodging with those I had left there.
I had not yet entered the tent when I heard a perfect tumult within, every one talking so loud, and all together, that I verily thought they had fallen out and were going to handicuffs. However, I resolved to go in amongst them and try to compose their difference; when just entering, and they spying me, several ran to me with each a skin in his hand, the rest following as fast as they could. "Gentlemen," says I, "I hoped to have found you all at rest."—"So we should have been," says one of them, "but for these what you call 'ems."—"It is my unspeakable misfortune," says I, "that I have no more at your service, and am sorry that I should cause them to be brought, since each of you cannot have one." Says one of them, "I don't want one, I have seen enough of it."— "Then, gentlemen," says I, "it is possible there may be so many more of that colamb's mind that there may be sufficient for those who desire them." They neither knew what to make of me nor I of them all this while; till an old colamb perceiving our mistake, "Mr. Peter," says he, "we have only had a dispute."—"I am sorry at my heart for it," says I, "but I perceived you were very warm before I entered, and am in great hopes of compromising matters to all your satisfactions."—"I was going," says the same colamb, "to tell you we had a dispute about what these things were, nothing else." I was then struck on a heap, being quite ashamed they should think I suspected they had been quarrelling for the skins; and how to come off I knew not. "You'll excuse me, sir," says I, "for expressing a concern that you could not each have one to examine into at the same time, that one of you need not have waited to make your remarks till the other had done."—"No occasion, no occasion for that, Mr. Peter," said they all together; "we shall have leisure enough to examine them to-morrow; but we want to know what they are, and where they grow."—"Gentlemen," says I, "each of these is the clothing of a particular fish. And where do they grow?" said they. "In the lake," says I; "they are a living creature, who inhabit that great water; I often catch them when I am fishing, the same exercise we shall go upon to-morrow."
I had much ado to persuade them they did not grow on trees, which I was then much more surprised at than some time after, that I returned their visit; but having satisfied them, and given them some possible hopes they might see one alive next day, they were very well contented, and we all lay down to rest.
Go afishing—Catch a beast-fish—Afraid of the gun—How Peter altered his net—Fish dinner for the guards—Method of dressing and eating it.
I APPEARED before them in the morning, in my old jacket, and an old hat with brims indented almost to the crown, a flannel nightcap, and chequered shirt. "How now, son!" says my father, "what have we here?"—"Sir," says I, "this will show you the use of our English fashion I mentioned the other day, and the necessity of it. You see me in this indifferent habit, because my next business requires it; but when I come back, and have no further dirty work to do, I shall then dress, as near as I can, to qualify me for your company."
"Are you for moving, gentlemen?" says my brother; "I believe it is time." They then all arising we went to the lake, where getting into my boat, and telling them that any six of them might go with me, they never having seen such a thing before, and not much liking the looks of it, all made excuses, till my brother assuring them it was very safe, and that he had sailed in it the last trip, three or four of them, with my father, and Hallycarnie, who was very desirous of seeing me fish, got in, and we sailed a great way up the lake, taking my gun as usual with me.
It gave me exceeding delight to see the whole body of people then in the arkoe on the graundee; some hovering over our heads, and talking with us; others flying this way, others that, till I had pitched upon a spot to begin my operation; when rowing to shore, and quitting my boat, the whole body of people settled just by me, staring at me and my net, and wondering what I was doing. I then taking a sweep as usual, got some of the soldiers to assist me to shore with it; but when the cod of the net landed, and the fish began to dash with their tails at the water's edge, away ran all my soldiers, frighted out of their wits to think what was coming: but it being a large hale, and a shelving bank, I could not lift it to the level myself; which my brother, who had seen the sport before, perceiving, though not one of the rest stirred, lent me a hand, and we got it up.
You cannot imagine what surprise appeared in every face upon opening the net, and seeing all the fish naked. They drew up by degrees closer and closer, for I let the fish lie some time for their observation; but seeing the large fish, upon my handling them, flap their tails, they very expeditiously retired again. I then tossed several of them into the boat; but two of them being very large, and rough-scaled ugly fish, I did not think I could lift them myself, so desired assistance, but nobody stirred. I expected some of the colambs would have ordered their men to have helped me, but they were so terrified with seeing me handle them, that they could not have the conscience to order their men on so severe a duty, till a common man came to me, and taking the tail, and I the head, we tossed them both into the boat.
I went higher up the lake than usual, in hopes of a beast-fish to show them; but though I could not meet with one, I had several very great hauls, and took three or four of my lobsters, very large ones. This was the second trial I had made of my net since I had altered it, and it gave me great satisfaction, for I could now take as many fish at one draught as I could before have done at ten. I had found that though my net was very long, yet for want of a bag, or cod, to enclose the fish, many that were included within its compass would, whilst I drew round, swim to the extremes, and so get out, for want of some inlet to enter at; for which reason I sawed off the top of a tree at about ten feet from the ground, and drawing a circle of six feet diameter round the tree, on the ground, I stuck it round with small pegs, at two inches' distance. Then I drove the like number of nails round the top of the trunk of the tree, and straining a length of mat-line from each peg on the ground to a correspondent nail on the tree, I tied my matline in circles round the strained lines, from top to bottom, about two inches' distance at the bottom, but at a less distance where the strained lines grew nearer to each other towards the top; and having secured all the ends, by some line twisted round them, I cut a hole in the middle of my net, and tied the large ground-end over the hole in the net, and gathered the small end up in a purse, tying it up tight; and by this means I now scarce lost any fish which once were within the sweep of my net.
Having had so good success, I had a design of returning, but thought, as I could now so easily entertain a multitude, I might as well take another haul or two, and make a handsome treat for the soldiery. Then coming up to my drill's mouth, I fixed my implements for a draught there, and beginning to draw up, I found great resistance in the net, and got two or three to help me; but, coming near shore, when the company saw the net tumble and roll, and rise and fall, they all ran as if they were mad, till I called them and told the colambs it was only one of the fish whose skins I had shown them; upon which, by that time I had discharged the fish from the net, they were all round me again; but no sooner had he got loose, than up he rose, whirled his wings, and at the same instant uttered such a groan that my whole company retreated again, thinking me somewhat more than a man, who could face so dreadful an enemy. I entreated them to come and view it; but finding no arguments could bring them nearer, I edged round till I got him between me and the water, and shot him dead.
Upon the report of my gun the whole field was in the air, darting and screaming, as I have often seen a flight of rooks do on the same occasion; and I am apt to believe some of them never returned again, but went directly home.
I was a little concerned to see the confusion I had caused; and laying down my gun, my brother, who though at a distance when I shot, knowing what I was at, and coming up to me, it put the rest upon their consideration; and they alighted one by one, at a distance, till they were all on the level again.
My father and the colambs, who were the first that durst approach, wondered what I had done, and how the fish came to be dead, and whence so much fire and smoke proceeded, for they were sure I brought none with me, and asked me abundance of questions; but as I knew I must have occasion for answering to the same thing twenty times over, had I entered upon an explanation there, I deferred giving them satisfaction till we came home, when all at once might be capable of hearing what was said. So I told them the most necessary thing at present was to stow the fish in the boat; for it was the largest I had ever taken, and I could not wholly do it myself. I made several efforts for help, but in vain, till the same soldier who had helped me with one of the first fish, came to my relief, and desiring my orders what to do, assisted me; and the rest seeing the difficulty we both had to manage it, one or two more of them came up, and we shipped it on board.
I then called the colambs to me, telling them I was sorry I had given such a general disturbance to them, by shooting the fish; but as they kept at too great a distance from me to have notice of my design, and if I had followed them the fish might have escaped before my return, I was obliged to do as I did, which was without any possibility of hurting them. But, as I had given them such a fright, I hoped they would this one day give me an opportunity of complimenting their guards with a fish-dinner, if we could any way contrive to dress it; for whoever did that must be able to bear the close light of a large fire. They all shook their heads but my brother, who told me he had in his retinue six men from Mount Alkoe, purposely retained for their strong sight, to attend him always to Crashdoorpt, who, he believed, for the benefit of the rest, would undertake the cookery if I would show them how. I desired he would give them orders to attend me on the other side of the lake, and I would instruct them at my landing; and then I crossed over with my booty.
Finding the Mount Alkoe men waiting for my landing, I asked if they could bear the sight of fire. They told me they were used to much greater light and flames than I had ever seen, they believed.—"Very good," said I; "then get into my boat, three of you, and hand out that fish to the shore."—I found they were more afraid of the fish than of the fire, for not one of them stirred till I got in and tossed out several small ones; and then taking up a large one, "Help me, somebody!" says I, they looking a little at one another, till one of them venturing to take it, the rest fell heartily to work, and despatched the whole lading presently. I then laid a small parcel upon my cart, for our own eating and the officers', and sending them to the grotto, I gave the cooks their charge.
"Now," says I, "my lads, do you serve all the rest of the fish as I do this," cutting it open at the same time, and throwing away the guts, "and I will send each of you such an instrument as I use here," pointing to my knife. "I shall order six large heaps of wood to the level, to be piled up there. When you have done the fish, do you set fire to the heaps, and let them burn till the flame is over and the coals are clear; then lay on your fish, and if any are too large to be manageable, cut them in proper pieces, and with sticks, which I will send you, turn them over and over, walking round the fire, and with the forked end of the stick toss the least off first, and afterwards the greater; but be sure throw the fish as far as ever you can from the fire, amongst the men, that they may not be obliged to come too near it: and in this manner go on, till either they have enough, or your fish are gone; and when you have done, come to the grotto for your reward."
I then set abundance of hands to work to carry wood, to be laid in six heaps, two hundred paces from each other, and told them how to pile it. I then prepared six long taper sticks with forked ends, and ordered more hands to divide the fish equally to the piles. I sent others with salt and bread; and I ordered them to let me know when all was ready.
While these preparations were making, my tent-visitors had all dined, and my cart had returned with the beast-fish, which the company desired might be brought in, when every one passed his judgment upon it, and a long dissertation we had on the marvellous works of Collwar. I let them go on with their show, though I could have disproved most of their conclusions from the little knowledge I had of things; but I never was knight-errant enough to oppose my sentiments to a multitude already prepossessed on the other side of the question; for this reason, because I have ever observed that where several have imbibed the same ridiculous principle in infancy, they never want arguments, though ever so ridiculous, to support it; and as no one of them can desert it without impeaching the judgment of the rest, they encourage each other in their obstinacy, and quite out-vote a single person; and then, the laugh beginning on the strongest side, nothing is so difficult as to get it out of their hands. But when a single man in the wrong hears a just argument from a single antagonist which he cannot contradict, he imbibes its force, and whilst that lasts, as nothing but a better argument, with better reasons, can remove it, he from thenceforth adapts his adversary's reasons for his own, to oppose against his own former opinion.
In the height of our disputations on the beast-fish, came news that the broil was going to begin; and as I expected very good diversion at it, I invited the company to go see it, telling them, in my opinion, it would exceed the sport in taking them. We passed through the wood till we came amongst the shrubs, where I placed them to be out of harm's way; and the fire, which was now nothing but cinders, was of no inconvenience to them. They were pleased with it to perfection; for, first, the six men who walked round the fires, by the glowing light of the embers and the shining of their graundees, looked like men on fire; then, to see each fire surrounded with a circle of men at the diameter of near two hundred paces, as close as they could well stand, by a more distant shine of the fire, had a very pleasing effect; but when the broilers began to throw the fish about (for each man stood with some salt and a cut of bread in his hand), to see a body of a hundred men running for it, and whilst they were stooping and scrambling for that, to see a hot fish fall on the back of one, which was whipped off by another, who, scalding his mouth with it, threw it in the face of a third; when a fourth, fifth, and sixth, pulling it in pieces, ran away with it; and to see the different postures, courses, and groups, during this exercise and running feast, was the most agreeable farce my guests had ever seen in their lives; and, to the great saving of my liquors, kept us in the wood for full three hours, not a soul stirring till the feast was over.
We spent best part of this evening in discourse on the passages of the day, the reflections on which not being concluded till bedtime, my adventures were postponed till the next night; but we had first concluded upon a shooting for the next morning (for they were all extremely desirous of knowing how I did it), at a time they should have opportunity of seeing me and making remarks; and I, being unwilling they should think me a conjuror, agreed to make them masters of part of the mystery of powder and ball.
A shooting proposed—All afraid of the gun but one private guard—His behaviour—-Pendlehamby, at Peter's request, makes him a general—Peter's discourse thereon—Remainder of his story—The colambs return.
THIS being the fifth morning, I cleaned up my best gun, and prepared my balls, and we all took a walk towards the bridge, every one admiring my gun as we went; but I could get none of them to carry it, and we had at least five hundred questions proposed about it. I told them they need not be afraid of it, for it was only wood and iron; but they knew nothing of iron. I then showed them how I made it give fire, by snapping the cock; they thought it was very strange. I then put a little powder in the pan, and made it flash, and showing them the empty pan, they would not be persuaded but I had taken away the powder before the flash, or else, they said, it was impossible that should be all gone upon flashing only; for they said it was a little nut, using the same word to express both nut and seed. I then desired one of them to put in some powder and snap it himself; but having prevailed with him to try the experiment, if I had not through caution held my hand upon the barrel, the gun had been on the ground, for the moment it flashed, he let go and ran for it.
I had a great inclination to gain the better of their prejudices, and used abundance of arguments to prove the gun as innocent a thing as a twig I took up; and that it was the powder which, when set on fire, the flame thereof wanting more room than the powder itself did, forced itself, and all that opposed it, out of the mouth of the gun with such fury as to make the noise they heard; and being just come to the rock, "Now," says I, "you shall see that what I tell you is true." They told me they desired nothing more than that I would make them understand it, for it was the strangest thing they had ever seen. "Well, then," says I, "observe; I put in this much powder only, and with this rag I stop it down close. Now," says I, "you see by the length of this stick that the rag and powder take up the space only of a finger's depth on the inside of the gun." They saw that plainly they said; "But how could that kill anything?"—"Now, look again," says I, "I put in a little more powder, as I did before when I made a flash, and you see there is a little hole from this powder through the side of the gun to the powder within. Do you observe that this communicates with that through this hole?"—"Yes," said they, they did.—"Now," says I, "when I put fire to this, it sets fire to that within, which fire turning to flame, and wanting room, bursts out at the mouth of the gun; and to show you with what force it comes out, here handle this round ball," giving them a bullet to handle; "you feel how heavy it is: now, can any of you throw this ball as far as that rock?" for I stood a good hundred paces from it.—They told me No.—"And don't you think," says I, "that if the force of the fire made by this powder can throw this ball to that rock, that force must be very great?"—They said, they thought it must, but believed it to be impossible.—"But," says I, "if it not only throws it to the rock but beats out a piece of the stone, must not that be much more violent?" They agreed it must.—Then putting in the ball, "Now," says I, "we will try." I then ordered one to daub a part of the rock, about breast high, with some mud, and first to observe about it if the rock was anywhere fresh broken, or not; who, returning, reported that the rock was all of a colour and sound, but somewhat ragged all about the mud.—"Did you lay the mud on smooth?" says I. He replied, "Yes."—Then lifting up my gun, I perceived they were creeping off; so I took it down again, and calling, reasoned with them upon their fears. "What mischief," says I, "can you apprehend from this gun in my hand! Should I be able to hurt you with it, are you not all my friends or relations—could I be willing to do it? If the gun of itself could hurt, would I handle it as I do? For shame! be more courageous; rouse your reason, and stand by me; I shall take care not to hurt you. It looks as if you mistrust my love to you, for this gun can do nothing but what I direct it to." By such like persuasions, rough and smooth, I prevailed upon the major part of the colambs and officers to stand near me to see me fire, and then I shot; but though my words had engaged them to stand it, I had no sooner snapped but the graundees flew all open, though they closed again immediately; and then we fell to question and answer again. I desired them to walk to the rock; and sent the person who put up the mark before, to see and show us exactly what alteration there was. He told us there was a round hole in the mud, pointing to it, which he did not leave there, and taking away the mud, a thick shiver of the rock followed it. They then all agreed that the ball must have made both the hole in the mud and also splintered the rock, and stood in amaze at it, not being able to comprehend it: but, by all the art I had, I could not prevail with a man of them to fire the gun himself, till it had been buzzed about a good while, and at last came to my ears, that a common soldier behind said he should not be afraid of it if the gentleman would show him how.
I then ordered the fellow to me, and he told me, with a composed look, that it had always been his way of thinking, that what he saw another do he could do himself, and could not rest till he had tried. "And, sir," says he, "if this gun, as you call it, does not hurt you, why should it hurt me? And if you can make it hit that rock, why should not I, when you have told me how you manage it?"—"Are not you the man that first helped me up with the large fish yesterday?" says I. He told me he was.
I was prodigiously pleased with the fellow's spirit, "And," says I, "my friend, if you will, and I live, you will hit it before you have done." I then showed him the sight of the gun, and how to hold it; and being perfect in that, "Now," says I, "shut your left eye, and observe with your right, till this knob and that notch are exactly even with each other and the middle of that mark; and when they are so, pull this bit with your fore-finger, holding the gun tight to your shoulder." He so exactly pursued my directions that he hit the very middle of the mud; and then, without any emotion, walked up with the gun in his hand, as I had done before; and turning to me very gravely, "Sir," says he, "it is hit." I told him the best marksman on earth could not be sure of coming so near his mark. He stroked his chin, and giving me the gun again, was walking to his place; but I stopped him, and seeing something so modest and sincere in his countenance and behaviour, and so generous in his spirit, I asked him to which colamb he belonged. He told me to colamb Pendlehamby.—"To my father?" says I; "then sure I shall not be denied."
I took him with me to my father, who was not yet come up to the rock. "Sir," says I, "there is a favour I would beg of you."—"Son," says he, "what is it you can ask that I can refuse you?" Says I, "'This man belongs to your guards; now there is something so noble and daring in his spirit, and yet so meek and deserving in his deportment, that if you will load me with obligation, it is to make him an officer; he is not deserving of so ill a station as a private man."
My father looking at me, "Son," says he, "there is something to be done before he can be qualified for what you require." This, thinks I, is a put-off. "Pray, sir," says I, "what can a man of courage, sense, and a cool temper, want to qualify him for what I ask?"—"'Something," says he, "which none but myself can give; and that, at your desire, I will supply him with." Then, my father calling him, "Lask Nasgig, bonyoe," says he; that is, Slave Nasgig, lie down. Nasgig (for that was his name) immediately fell on his face, with his arms and hands straight by his sides; when my father, setting his left foot on Nasgig's neck, pronounced these words: "Lask, I give thee life, thou art a filgay!" Then Nasgig, raising himself on his knees, made obeisance to my father, and standing up, stroked his chin; and my father taking him by the hand in token of equality, the ceremony ceased.
"Now, son," says my father, "let me hear your request."—"It is only, sir," said I, "preferment for the deserving, equal to his merit." My father asked him if he understood the duty of a gorpell. He did not reply yes, but beginning, gave a compendious sort of history of his whole duty; at which all the colambs were very much surprised, for even his comrades were not apprised, or ever imagined, he knew more of military affairs than themselves. My father then asked him if he knew how to behave as a duff; but he made as little difficulty of that as the other, going through the several parts of duty in all the different branches, in peace and war, at home and abroad. "Son," says my father, "it is a mystery to me you should have found out more in an hour than I myself could in half an age; for this man was born in my palang, of my own lask, and has been mine and my father's these forty years. I shall be glad if you will look on the rest of my lasks, and give me your opinion; I may have more as deserving." I told him such as Nasgig were not to be met with very often; but when they were found, ought to be cherished accordingly.
"Sir," says I, "nature works upon the same sort of materials divers ways; on some in sport, and some in earnest; and if the necessary qualifications of a great man are impressed on our mass, it is odds but we improve regularly into one, though it may never be publicly known, or even to ourselves, till a proper occasion; for as a curious genius will be most inquisitive after, and is most in the end retentive of knowledge, so no man is less ostentatious of it. He covets knowledge, not from the prospect of gain, but merely for its own sake; the very knowing being his recompense: and if I may presume to give you a hint how properly to bestow your favours, let it be on persons like this; for the vain, knowing man, who is always showing it, as he for the most part labours for it, to show out with, and procure his rise by it, were it not for the hopes of that, would not think knowledge worth attaining; and as his rise is his aim, if he could invent any more expeditious method than that, he would not pretermit any ill act that might advance him according to his lust of rising. But the man who aims at perfection, from his natural inclination, must, to attain his end, avoid all ill courses, as impediments to that perfection he lusts after; and that, by Nasgig's worth being so little known, I'll answer for it is his character. And this being true, yourself will deduce the consequence, which is the fitter man to bear place; for with me it is a maxim, he that labours after truth for truth's sake (and that he surely must who proposes no worldly view in it) can't arrive at his ends by false methods, but is always the truest friend to himself and others, the truest subject to his lord, and the most faithful servant to his God."
My father then turning to me, "Son," says he, "you have enlightened me more than ever I was before, and have put me on a new way of thinking, for which I am to return you many thanks." And the whole company doing the same, says my father, "I lost a brave general officer lately, who was destined to the western wars which are breaking out, and have been long debating in my mind to whom I should commit his corps; and but for the hazard of the enterprise, I would have now given it to Nasgig; but shall be loth to lose him so soon after I am acquainted with his worth, so will think of some other post nearer my person for him, less dangerous, though perhaps not so honourable."
"Great sir," says Nasgig, "I am too sensible of the honour already done me, to think any post wherein I may continue to serve you either too mean or too hazardous for me; and as valour is nowhere so conspicuous as in the greatest dangers, I shall esteem my blood spent to great advantage in any enterprise where my duty under your command leads me. I therefore rather humbly request this dangerous post, that I may either lose my life in your service, or live to see you justified in your advancement of me by the whole nation. For what can I do, or how can I demonstrate my affection to your person and pleasure, in an inactive state?"
Here the whole level rang with applause to Nasgig.
My father then giving his hand to Nasgig, in token of friendship, and his word for investiture in the command of that vacant post, the whole level again resounded with, "Long live Pendlehamby, and his servant Nasgig!"
This being the last day of my company's stay, for they had agreed to go homewards next morning, some of them moved to return the sooner, that they might have time to hear out my story. So that our stay was very little longer.
In our return home, Nasgig singled me out to return his acknowledgments for my favour; and viewing my gun told me they had no such thing growing in his country. I told him if he had it, it would do no good without my powder. I then, at his request, described what I had heard of our method of fighting in battle in Europe; and mentioning our cannon, he said he supposed they killed every man they hit. "No," says I, "not so bad as that. Sometimes they hit the flesh only, and that is commonly cured; sometimes break a leg or arm, and that may in time be cured—some so well as to be useful again, and others are cut off, and healed up again; but if the ball hits the head or vitals, it is commonly mortal."—"Oh," says he, "give me the head or vitals, then; no broken limbs for me."
After dinner, at their request, I went on with my story, at repairing the castle, and my escape with Glanlepze, and so on to the crocodile; when I repeated his speech to me on that account, and told them it had made such an impression upon me that I had endeavoured to make it the leading thought of my mind, and had set it down upon one of my doors at the grotto that it might the oftener be in my sight when any difficulty arose.
One of the colambs begged pardon for interrupting, but told me, though he understood what Glanlepze meant, he could not tell how I could set what he said down at my grotto, or have it in my sight, and desired me to explain that. I would have told my guest I took it down in writing, if that would not have puzzled the cause more; but to go the nearest way I could, I told him we had a method in my country of conveying to a man at a great distance whatever we have a mind to say to him, and in such a manner that nobody but himself would know what we would have him know. And pausing here a little to consider the easiest method of demonstrating this to their senses, they told me they had gone as far as their conjectures could carry them, but could conclude on nothing so improbable as sending it by a messenger. I told them that in part was my way, but my messenger should not know the message he carried. That gravelled them quite, and they were unanimous that was what could not be done. By this time I had sent for a wood-coal, to write with upon my deal table, and kneeling down to the table, I began to write, "Honoured sir, I send this to gain by your answer to it an account of your arrival at Arndrumnstake." I then called them all to me. "Now," says I, "suppose I want to know how my father gets back to Arndrumnstake, my way is this—I set down so many words as will express my meaning to my father, after the manner you see on this table, and make a little distance between each word, which is the same thing as you do in speaking; for there, if you run one word into another, and don't give each its proper sound, who can understand you? For though you speak what contains all the words, yet without the proper sound and distinction it is only confusion. Do you understand that?" They told me they did. "Then," says I, "these are the words I would have my father know, I being at this arkoe, and he at Arndrumnstake. Honoured sir," and so I read on. "Here," says I, "you must take us to be countrymen, and that he and I understand both the same method. Now look, this word, which ends where you see the gap, stands for honoured, and this next for sir, the next for I, and so on; and we both using the same method, and seeing each other's words, are able to open our minds at a distance." I was now in hopes I had done, and was going on with my story: "But," says one of the colambs, "Mr. Peter, though this is a matter that requires consideration, I plainly see how you do it, by agreeing that all these strokes put into this form shall stand for the word honoured, and so on, as you say, let who will make them; but have not you set down there the word Arndrumnstake?"—"Yes," says I.—"Why then," says he, "none of your countrymen could understand what that means."—"No," says I, smiling; "but they could."—Says he, "You say you agree what strokes shall stand for one word, and what for another; but then how could your countrymen, who never knew what strokes you would set down for Arndrumnstake, know that your strokes meant that very country? for that you could not have agreed upon before either of you knew there was any such place."
I was at a loss, without spending more words than I was willing about it, how to answer this close reasoner; and talking of syllables and letters would only have perplexed the affair more, so I told him the readiest for despatch; that as every word consisted of one or more distinct sounds, and as some of the same sounds happened in different words, we did not agree so much upon making our strokes stand for several words, as for several sounds; and those sounds, more or less of them, added together, made the particular words. "As, for example," says I, "Arn is one sound, drumn is another sound, and stake is another; now, by our knowing how to set down these several sounds by themselves, we can couple them, and apply them to the making up any word, in the manner we please; and therefore he, by seeing those three sounds together, knows I mean Arndrumnstake, and can speak it as well, though he never heard the whole word spoken together, as if he heard me speak to him."—"I have some little notion of what you mean," says he, "but not clear enough to express myself upon it; and so go on! go on! And pray what did you do about the reeds?"
I then resuming my discourse where I left off, completed my narration that night; but I could perceive the water in my father's eyes when I came to the account of Youwarkee's fall and the condition I took her up in.
When I had done, they adjusted the order of their flight, for avoiding confusion, one to go so long before another, and the junior colambs to go first.
In the morning nothing was to be heard but the gripsacks: the men were all ranged in order to go off with their respective colambs; and after all compliments passed, the junior colamb arising, walked half-way to the wood, where his gripsack standing to wait for him, preceded him to the level, the next gripsack standing ready to sound as soon as the first removed; and this was the signal for the second colamb to move, so that each colamb was a quarter of a mile before the other.
My father was the last but two; but I shall never forget his tenderness at parting with his daughter and grandchildren, and I may say with myself too; for by this time he had a high opinion of me. Patty went with my father, she so much resembling my wife, that my father said he should still have his two daughters in his sight, having her with him.
At parting, I presented Nasgig with a broadsword; and showing him the use of it, with many expressions of gratitude on his part, and respect on mine, he took flight after the rest.
Peter finds his stores low—Sends Youwarkee to the ship—Receives an invitation to Georigetti's court.
FOR the first few days after our company had left us, Youwarkee could not forbear a tear now and then for the loss of her father and sister; but I endeavoured not to see it, lest I should, by persuading her to the contrary, seem to oppose what I really thought was a farther token of the sweetness of her disposition; but it wore off by degrees, and having a clear stage again, it cost us several days to settle ourselves and put our confused affairs in order; and when we had done we blessed ourselves that we could come and go, and converse with the pleasing tenderness we had hitherto always done.
She told me nothing in the world but her concern for so tender a father, and the fear of displeasing me if she disobliged him, should have kept her so long from me; for her life had never been so sweet and serene as with me and her children; and if she was to begin it again, and choose her settlement and company, it should be with me in that arkoe. I told her though I was entirely of her opinion for avoiding a life of hurry, yet I loved a little company, if for nothing else but to advance topics for discourse, to the exercise of our faculties; but I then agreed it was not from mere judgment I spoke, but from fancy. "But, Youwee," says I, "it will be proper for us to see what our friends have left us, that we don't want before the time comes about again." Then she took her part, and I mine; and having finished, we found they would hold out pretty well, and that the first thing to be done was to get the oil of the beast-fish.
When we came to examine the brandy and wine, I found they had suffered greatly; so I told Youwarkee, when she could spare time, she should make another flight to the ship. "And," says I, "pray look at all the small casks of wine or brandy, or be they what they will, if they are not above half-full, or thereabouts, they will swim, and you may send them down." I desired her to send a fire-shovel and tongs, describing them to her: "And there are abundance of good ropes between decks, rolled up, send them," says I, "and anything else you think we want, as plates, bowls, and all the cutlasses and pistols," says I, "that hang in the room by the cabin: for I would, me-thinks, have another cargo, as it may possibly be the last, for the ship can't hold for ever."
Youwarkee, who loved a jaunt to the ship mightily, sat very attentive to what I said, and told me, if I pleased, she would go the next day; to which I agreed.
She stayed on this trip till I began to be uneasy for her, being gone almost four days, and I was in great fear of some accident; but she arrived safe, telling me she had sent all she could any ways pack up; and any one who had seen the arrival of her fleet would had taken it for a good ship's cargo, for it cost me full three weeks to land and draw them up to the grotto; and then we had such a redundancy of things, that we were forced to pile them upon each other to the top of the room.
It began to draw towards long days again, when one morning, in bed, I heard the gripsack. I waked Youvarkee, and told her of it; and-we both got up, and were going to the level, when we met six glumms in the wood, with a gripsack before them, coming to the grotto. The trumpeter, it seems, had been there before; but the others, who seemed to be of a better rank, had not. We saluted them, and they us; and Youwarkee knowing one of them, we desired them to walk to the grotto.
They told us they came express from Georigetti's palace, with an invitation to me and Youwarkee to spend some time at his court. I let them know what a misfortune I lay under in not being born with a graundee, since Providence had pleased to dispose of me in a part of the world where alone it could have been of such infinite service to me, or I should have taken it for the highest honour to have laid myself at their master's feet: and after some other discourse, one of them pressed me to return his master my answer, for they had but a very little time to stay. I told them they saw plainly, by baring my breast to them, that I was under an absolute incapacity for such a journey, and gratifying the highest ambition I could have in the world; for I was pinned down to my arkoe, never more to pass the barrier of that rock. One of them then asking, if I should choose to go if it was possible to convey me thither, I told him he could scarce have the least doubt, was my ability to perform such a journey equal to my inclination to take it, that I should in the least hesitate at obeying his master. "Sir," says he, "you make me very happy in the regard you show my master; and I must beg leave to stay another day with you." I told him they did me great honour; but little thought what it all tended to.
We were very facetious; and they talked of the number of visitors I had had here; and they mentioned several facts which had happened, and, amongst the rest, that of Nasgig, who, they said, since his return, had been introduced by Pendlehamby to the king, and was, for his great prudence and penetration, become Georigetti's great favourite. They told me war was upon the point of breaking out, and several other pieces of news, which, as they did not concern me, I was very easy about.
The next morning they desiring to walk, and view what was most remarkable in my arkoe, and above all to see me fire my gun, which they had heard so much of; I gratified them at a mark, and hit the edge of it, and found them quite staunch, without the least start at the report. I paid them a compliment upon it, and told them how their countrymen had behaved, even at a second firing: "But," says he who was the chief spokesman, and knew, I found, as much as I could tell him, "that second fright was from seeing death the consequence of the first; and though you had then to do mostly with soldiers, you must not think they choose death more than others, though their duty obliges them to shun it less."
The same person then desired me to show him how to fire the gun; which I did, and believe he might hit the rock somewhere or other; but he did not seem to admire the sport, and I, having but few balls left, did not recommend the gun to the rest.
A little before bedtime the strangers told me they believed I should see Nasgig next morning. I presently thought there was somewhat more than ordinary in this visit, but could noways dive to the bottom of it.
Just before they went to rest, they ordered the trumpeter to be early on the rock next morning; and upon the first sight of Nasgig's corps, to sound notice of it, for us to be ready to receive him.
Nasgig comes with a guard to fetch Peter—Long debate about his going—Nasgig's uneasiness at Peter's refusal—Relates a prediction to him, and proceedings thereon at Georigetti's court—Peter consents to go—Prepares a machine for that purpose.
WE were waked by the trumpet giving notice of Nasgig's coming; I did not care to inquire of the strangers into the particulars of his embassy; "for be it what it will," thinks I, "Nasgig is so much my friend that I can know the motives of it from him, and, or I am much deceived, he is too honest to impose upon me." But I had but little time for thought, for upon our entering the level, we found him and his train, of at least a hundred persons, just alighting before us.
We embraced, and professed the particular pleasure fortune had done us in once more meeting together. When we arrived at the grotto, he told me he was assured I had been informed of the occasion of his visit; and that it would be the greatest honour done to his country that could be imagined. He then laid his hand on my beard, which was now of about five months' growth, having never shaved it since my father went, and told he was glad to see that.—"And are you not so to see me?" says I.—"Yes, surely," says he, "for I prize that for your sake."—"But," says I, "pray be open with me, and tell me what you mean by my being informed of the occasion of your coming?"—"Why," says he, "of Georigetti's message to you, as it will be of such infinite service to our country: and," says he, "if you had not consented to it, the messengers had returned and stopped me."—"True," says I, "one of the messengers told me the king would be glad to see me; which as I, so well as he, knew it was impossible he should, in return to his compliment, I believe I might say what a happiness it would be to me if I could wait on him. But pray what is your immediate message? for I hear you are in great favour at court, and would never have come hither with this retinue in so much ceremony on a trifling account."
"My dear Peter," says Nasgig, "know that your fame has reached far and near since I saw you before; and our state, though a large and populous one, and once of mighty power and twice its present extent, by the revolt of the western part of it, who chose themselves a king, has been so miserably harassed by wars, that the revolters, who are ever fomenting discontent and rebellion amongst us, will, by the encroachments they daily make on us, certainly reduce us at last to a province under their government; which will render us all slaves to a usurped power, set up against our lawful sovereign. Now these things were foretold long enough before they actually began to be transacted; but all being then at peace, and no prospect of what has since happened, we looked not out for a remedy, till the disease became stubborn and incurable."—"Pray," says I, "by whom were the things you mention foretold?"—"By a very ancient and grave ragan," says he.—"How long ago?" says I.—"Oh, above four times the age of the oldest man living," says he.—"And when did he say it would happen?" says I.—"That," says he, "was not quite so clear then."—"But how do you know," says I, "that he ever said any such thing?"—"Why, the thing itself was so peculiar," says he, "and the ragan delivered it so positively, that his successors have ever since pronounced it twelve times a year publicly, word for word, to put the people in mind of it, and from whom they must hope for relief; and now the long-expected time being come, we have no hopes but in your destruction of the tyrant-usurper."—"I destroy him!" says I: "if he is not destroyed till I do it, I fear your state is but in a bad case."—"My good friend Peter," says he, "you or nobody can do it."—"Pugh," says I, "Nasgig, I took you for a man of more sense, notwithstanding the prejudices of education, than to think, because you have seen me kill a beast-fish that could not come to hurt me at the distance of twenty paces, that I can kill your usurper at the distance he is from me."—"No, my good friend," says Nasgig, "I know you take me to have more judgment than to think so."—"Why, what else can I do," says I, "unless he will come hither to be killed by me?"—"Dear Peter," says he, "you will not hear me out."—"I will," says I, "say on."—"You, as I said before, being the only person that can, according to our prediction, destroy this usurper and restore peace among us, my master Georigetti, and the whole state of Normnbdsgrsutt, were going to send a splendid embassy to you; but your father advising to repose the commission wholly in me, they all consented to it, and I am come to invite you over to Brandleguarp for that purpose. I know you will tell me you have not the graundee, and cannot get thither: but I am assured you have what is far better; the wisdom you have will help you to surmount that difficulty, which our whole moucheratt cannot get over. And I am sure did you apply half the thought to accomplish it you seem to do to invent excuses against it, you would easily overcome that. And now, dear friend," continues he, "refuse me not; for as my first rise was owing to your favour, so my downfall as absolutely attends your refusal."
"Dear Nasgig," says I, "you know I love you, and could refuse you nothing in my power; but for me to be mounted in the air, I know not how, over these rocks, and then drowned by a fall into the sea, which is a necessary consequence of such a mad attempt; and all this in prosecution of a project founded upon an old wife's tale, is such a chimera as all men of sense would laugh at; as if there was no way of destroying me, but with a guard of a hundred men to souse me into the wide ocean. A very pretty conqueror of rebels I should prove, truly, kicking for life till the next wave sent me to the bottom."
Nasgig looked then so grave, I almost thought I should have heard no more of it; but after a short pause, "Peter," says he, "I am sorry you make so light of sacred things; a thing foretold so long ago by a holy ragan, kept up by undoubted tradition ever since, in the manner I have told you; in part performed, and now waiting your concurrence for its accomplishment; but if I cannot prevail with you, though I perish at my return, I dread to think you may be forced without thanks to perform what generously to undertake will be your greatest glory."
"Pray," says I, "Nasgig (for now I perceive you are in earnest), what may this famous prediction be?"
"Ah, Peter!" says Nasgig, "to what purpose should I relate so sacred a prediction to one who, though the most concerned in it, makes such a jest of it?"
His mentioning me as concerned in it, raised my curiosity once more to desire a relation of it. "Why should I relate it," says he, "if you are resolved not to fulfil it?"—I told him I had no resolution against anything that related to my own good, or that of my friends. "But the greatest question with me," says I, "is, whether I am at all concerned in it."—"Oh clearly, clearly!" says he, "there is no doubt of it; it must mean you or nobody."—I told him I must judge by the words of it that I was the person intended by it; and till that was apparent to my reason, it would be difficult to procure my consent to so perilous an undertaking.—"And," says he, "will you, upon hearing it, judge impartially, and go with me if you can take the application to yourself?"—"I cannot go quite so far as that," says I; "but this I'll promise you, I'll judge impartially, and if I can so apply it to myself, that it must necessarily mean me, and no other, and if you convince me I may go safely, I will go."
Nasgig was so rejoiced at this, he was at a loss how to express himself. "My dear Peter," says he, "you have given me new life! our state is free! our persons free! we are free! we are free! And, Peter," says he, "now I have given vent to my joy, you shall hear the prediction.
"You must know, this holy ragan lived four ages ago; and from certain dreams and revelations he had had, set himself to overturn our country-worship of the Great Image; and by his sanctity of life, and sound reasonings, had almost effected it under the assistance of Begsurbeck, then our king, who had fully embraced his tenets; but the rest of the ragans opposing him, and finding he could not advance his scheme, he withdrew from the ragans to a close retirement for several years; and just before his death, sending for the king and all the ragans, he told them he should certainly die that day, and that he could not die at peace till he had informed them what had been revealed to him; desiring them to take notice of it, not as a conjecture of his own, but a certain verity which should hereafter come to pass. Says he, 'you know you have rejected the alteration in your religion I proposed to you; and which Begsurbeck, here present, would have advanced; and now I must tell you what you have brought upon yourselves. As for Begsurbeck, he shall reign the longest and most prosperously of all your former and future kings; but in twice his time outrun, the west shall be divided from the east, and bring sorrow, confusion, and slaughter, till the waters of the earth shall produce a glumm, with hair round his head, swimming and flying without the graundee; who, with unknown fire and smoke, shall destroy the traitor of the west, settle the ancient limits of the monarchy, by common consent establish what I would have taught you, change the name of this country, introduce new laws and arts, add kingdoms to this state, and force tributes from the bowels of the earth of such things as this kingdom shall not know till then, and shall never afterwards want; and then shall return to the waters again. Take care,' says he, 'you miss not the opportunity when it may be had; for once lost, it shall never, never more return; and then, woe, woe, woe to my poor country!'—The ragan having said this, expired.
"This prediction made so great an impression on Begsurbeck, that he ordered all the ragans singly before him, and heard them repeat it; which having done, and made himself perfect in it, he ordered it to be pronounced twelve times in the year on particular days, in the moucherait, that the people might learn it by heart; that they and their children being perfect in it, might not fail of applying it, when the man from the waters should appear with proper description.
"Thus, Peter," says he, "has this prediction been kept up in our memories as perfectly as if it had but just been pronounced to us."—:"'Tis very true," says I, "here may have been a prediction, and it may have been, as you say, handed down very exactly from Begsurbeck's days till now; but how does that affect me? how am I concerned in it? Surely, if any marks would have denoted me to be the man, some of the colambs who have so lately left me, and were so long with me, would have found them out in my person, or among the several actions of my life I recounted to them."—"Upon the return of the colambs from you," says Nasgig, "they told his majesty what they had heard and seen at Graundevolet, and the story was conveyed through the whole realm: but every man has not the faculty of distinction. Now, one of the ragans, when he had heard of you, applying you to the prediction, and that to you, soon found our deliverer in you; and at a public moucheratt, after first pronouncing the prediction, declared himself thereon to the following effect:
"'May it please your majesty—and you the honourable colambs—the reverend ragans—and people of this state,' says he, 'you all know that our famous king Begsurbeck, who reigned at the time of this prediction, did live sixty years after it in the greatest splendour, and died at the age of one hundred and twenty years, having reigned full ninety of them; and herein you will all agree with me, no king before or since has done the like. You all likewise know, that within two hundred years after Begsurbeck's death, that is, about twice his reign of ninety years outrun, the rebellion in the west began, which has been carried on ever since; and our strength diminishing as theirs increases, we are now no fair match for them, but are fearful of being undone. So far you will agree matters have tallied with the prediction; and now, to look forward to the time to come, it becomes us to lay hold of the present opportunity for our relief, for that, once slipped, will never return; and if I have any skill in interpretations, now is the time of our deliverance.
"'Our prediction foretells the past evils, their increase and continuance, till the waters of the earth shall produce a glumm. Here I must appeal to the honourable colambs present, if the waters have not done so in the person of glumm Peter of Graundevolet, as they have received it from his own report.'
"All the colambs then rising, and making reverence to the king, declared it was most true.
"'The next part,' says the ragan, 'is, he is to be hairy round his head; and how his person in this respect agrees with the prediction, I beg leave to be informed by the colambs.'
"The colambs then rising, declared that having seen and conversed with him, they could not observe any hair on the fore part of his head; but I answered that when I left you I well remembered your having short stubbs of hair upon your cheeks and chin; which I had no sooner mentioned than your father arose and told the assembly that though he did not mind it whilst he was with you, yet he remembered that his daughter, a year before, had told him that you had hair on your face before as long as that behind.
"This again putting new life into the ragan, he proceeded—'Then let this,' says he, 'be put to the trial by an embassy to glumm Peter; and if it answers, there will be no room to doubt the rest. Then,' says the ragan, 'it is plain by the report of the colambs, that glumm Peter has not the graundee.
"'As to the next point, he is to swim and fly. Now I am informed he swims daily in a thing he calls a boat.'—To which the colambs all agreed.—'And now,' says he, 'that he flies too, that must be fulfilled; for every word must have a meaning, and that indeed he must do if ever he comes hither. I therefore advise that a contrivance be somehow found out for conveying glumm Peter through the air to us, and then we shall answer that part of the prediction; and I think, and do not doubt, but that may be done.
"'Now,' says he, 'let us see the benefit predicted to us upon the arrival of glumm Peter. Our words are: "Who, with unknown fire and smoke, shall destroy the traitor of the west." What can be plainer than this? For I again appeal to the colambs for his making unknown fire and smoke.
"'Thus far,' says the ragan, 'we have succeeded happily towards a discovery of the person; but it ends not here with the death of the traitor; but such other benefits are to accrue as are mentioned in the following part of the prediction: they are blessings yet to come, and who knows the end of them?
"'I hope,' says the ragan, 'I have given satisfaction in what I have said, and shall now leave it to the care of those whose business it is to provide that none of those woes pronounced against us may happen, by missing the time which, when gone, will never return.'
"The assembly were coming to a resolution of sending you a pompous embassy, but your father prevailed for sending me only; 'For,' says he, 'my son thinks better of him than of the rest of our whole race.' So this important affair was committed to me, with orders to prepare a conveyance for you, which I cannot attempt to do; but shall refer myself to your more solid judgment in the contrivance of it."
I had sat very attentive to Nasgig, and from what he had declared, could not say but there was a very great resemblance between myself and the person predicted of. "But then," says I, "they are idolaters: Providence would not interpose in this affair, when all the glory of its success must redound to an idol. But," says I, "has not the same thing often happened from oracular presages, where the glory must redound to the false deity? But what if, as is predicted, their religion is to be changed to the old ragan's plan, and that will be to the abolition of idolatry? I know not what to say; but if I thought my going would gain a single soul to the eternal truth, I would not scruple to hazard my life in the attempt."
I then called in Youwarkee, told her the whole affair of the prediction, which she had often heard, I found, and could have repeated. I told her that the king and states had pitched on me as the person intended by their prediction, and that Nasgig was sent to fetch me over: "And indeed," says I, "Youwee, if this be a true prediction, it seems very applicable to me as far as I can see."—"Yes, truly," says she, "so it does, now I consider it in the light you say the ragan puts it."—
"Why," says I, "prophecies and predictions are never so plain as to mention names; but yet, upon the solution, they become as intelligible as if they did, the circumstances tallying so exactly. But what would you have me do? Shall I, or shall I not, go?"—"Go!" says she, "how can you go?"—"Oh," says I, "never fear that. If this is from above, means will soon be found; Providence never directs effects without means."
Youwarkee, whose head ran only on the dangers of the undertaking, had a violent conflict with herself; the love of me, of her children, and of her country, divided her so, she was not capable of advising. I pressed her opinion again, when she told me to follow the dictates of my own reason; "And but for the dread of losing you, and for my children's sakes," says she, "I should have no choice to make when my country is at stake: but you know best."
I told Youwarkee that I really found the prediction the plainer the more I thought of it; and that, above all, the change of religion was the uppermost; for if I can reduce a State from the misery and bondage of idolatry to a true sense of the Supreme Being, and seemingly by His own direction, shall I fear to risk my own life for it? or, will He suffer me to perish till somewhat at least is done towards it? And how do I know but the whole tendency of my life has been by impulse hither for this very purpose? "My dear Youwee," says I, "fear nothing, I will go."
I called Nasgig, and told him my resolution, and that he had nothing now to do but prepare a means of conveying me.—He said he begged to refer that to me, for my own thoughts would suggest to me both the safest and easiest means.
I wanted to venture on the back of some strong glumm; when Nasgig told me no one could endure my weight so long a flight. But what charmed me most was, the lovely Youwarkee offered to carry me herself if she could: "And if I can't hold out," says she, "my dear, we can but at last drop both together." I kissed the charming creature with tears in my eyes, but declined 'the experiment.
I told Nasgig I wanted to divide my weight between two or four glumms, which I believed I could easily do; and asked if each could hold out with a fourth part of my weight.—He told me there was no doubt of that; but he was afraid I should drop between their graundees, he imagining I intended to lie along on their backs, part of me on each of them, or should bear so much on them as to prevent their flight. I told him I did not purpose to dispose of myself in the manner he presumed, but if two or four could undoubtedly bear my weight so long a flight, I would order myself without any other inconvenience to my bearers than their burden. He made light of my weight between four, as a trifle, and said he would be one with all his heart.—"Nay," says I, "if four cannot hold out, can eight?" He plainly told me, as he knew not what I meant, he could say nothing to it, nor could imagine how I could divide so small a body as mine into eight different weights, for it seemed impossible, he said, to him; but if I would show him my method, he would then give me his opinion.
I then, leaving him, took out my tools: I pitched upon a strong board my wife had sent me from the ship, about twelve feet long, and a foot and a half broad, upon the middle of which I nailed down one of my chairs; then I took one cord of about thirty-four feet long, making handloops at each end, and nailed it down in the middle to the under-side of my board, as near as I could to the fore-end of it, and I took another cord of the same length and make, and this I nailed within three feet of the farther end of my board. I then took a cord of about twenty feet long, and nailed about three feet before the foremost, and a fourth of the same length, at the farther end of my board; by which means the first and third ropes being the longest and at such a distance from the short ropes, the glumms who held them would fly so much higher and forwarder than the short-rope ones, that they and their ropes would be quite out of the others' way, which would not have happened if either the ropes had been all of one length, or nearer to or farther from one another; and then considering that if I should receive a sudden jerk or twitch, I might possibly be shook off my chair, I took a smaller rope to tie myself with fast to the chair, and then I was sure if I fell into the sea I should at least have the board and chair with me, which might possibly buoy me up till the glumms could descend to my assistance.
Having carried the machine down to the level with the help of two of Nasgig's men, he being out on a walk, and having never seen it, I ordered one of the men to sit upon the chair, and eight more to hold by the loops and rise with him; but, as I found it difficult at their first rising, not being able to mount all equally, to carry the board up even, and the back part rising first, the front pitched against the ground and threw the fellow out of the chair, I therefore bade them stop, and ordering eight others to me, said I, "Hold each of you one of these ropes as high as you can over your heads; then." says I to the eight bearers, "mount on your graundees, and come round behind him in the chair gently, two and two, and take each of you a loop, and hover with it till you are all ready, and then rise together, keeping your eye on the board that it rises neither higher at one end nor one side than the other, and see you all feel your weight alike; then fly across the lake and back again." They did so, and with as much ease, they told me, as if they had nothing in their hands; and the man rode with so much state and composure, he said, that I longed to try it myself; so, shifting places with the glumm, I mounted the chair, and tying myself round, I asked if any one knew which way Nasgig walked. One of them pointing to where he saw him just before in the wood, I ordered them to take me up as before, and go that way.
Upon coming to the place where I expected Nasgig was, I hallooed and called him; who, knowing my voice, ran to the skirt of the wood; and seeing me mounted in my flying chair, I jokingly told him I was going, if he had any commands; but he mounting immediately came up to me, and viewing me round, and seeing the pleasure the men seemed to carry me with, says he, "Are you all sure you can carry him safe to Battringdrigg?"—They all replied, "Yes, with ease."—"This then," says he, "is your doom: if you perform it not, every one shall be slit; but if you carry the deliverer safe, you are filgays every man of you!" he verily thinking I was then going off; but I undeceived him, by ordering them to turn about and set me down where I was taken up.
Nasgig alighting and viewing my contrivance, "This, Peter," says he, "is but a very plain thing."—"It is so," says I, "but it is as far as my ingenuity could reach."—"Ah, Peter!" says he "say not so, for if the greatest difficulties, as I and all my nation thought it would be to convey you to them, are so plain and easy to you, what must lesser things be? No, Peter, I did not call it plain because it might be easily done when it was seen, but in respect to the head that formed it; for the nearest way to attain one's end is always the best, and attended for the most part with fewest inconveniences; and I verily think, Peter, though we believe the rise or fall of our State wholly depends on you, you must have stayed at Graundevolet but for your own ingenuity. Well, and when shall we set out?" says he.—I told him it would take up some time to settle the affairs of my family, and to consider what I had best take with me; and required at least three days, being as little as I could have told him for that purpose.
Nasgig, who as he was an honest man, and for making the best for his patrons, was sorry it was so long, though he, imagining at the same time it was short enough for one who was to go on such an enterprise, was glad it was no longer; and immediately despatched a trumpet express with notice, that on the fourth day he should be at the height of Battringdrigg, and that having myself formed a machine for that purpose, I would accompany him.
I began next to consider what part I had to act at Doorpt Svangeanti (for I neither could nor would call it by any other name when I came thither), and what it was they expected from me. I am, says I, to kill a traitor; good, that may be, but then I must take a gun and ammunition; and why not some pistols and cutlasses? If I cannot use them all, I can teach others who may. I will take several of them, and all my guns but two, and I will leave a pair of pistols; I may return and want them. I will take my two best suits of clothes, and other things suitable; for if I am to perform things according to this prediction, it may be a long time before I get back again. Thinks I, Youwarkee shall stay here with the children, and if I like my settlement I can send for her at any time. I then began to see the necessity of making at least one more machine to carry my goods on. And says I, as they will be very weighty, I must have more lasks to shift in carrying them, for I will retain sixteen for my own body-machine, in order to relieve each other; and as the distance is so great, I will not be stinted for want of fresh hands.
Being come to this resolution, I called Nasgig, and ordered eight fresh lasks to attend my baggage; these he soon singled out: so, having settled all matters with my wife, and taken leave of her and the children, I charged them not to stir out of the grotto till I was gone; and leaving them all in tears, I set out with a heavy heart for the level, where the whole convoy and my two machines waited for me.
Peter's speech to the soldiery—Offers them freedom—His journey—Is met by the king—The king sent back, and why—Peter alights in the king's garden—His audience—Description of his supper and bed.
WHEN we came to the level, I desired Nasgig to draw all his men into a circle as near as they could stand. I then asked them who would undertake to carry me: when not a man but proffered his service, and desired to have the post of honour, as they called it. I told them my question was only in case of necessity to know whom I might depend upon, for my bearers were provided, saving accidents. "But, my friends," says I, "as you are equally deserving for the offered service, as if you were accepted, are any of you desirous of being filgays?" They all answering together, "I, I, I!"—"Nasgig," says I, "you and I must come to a capitulation before I go, and your honour must be pledged for performance of articles."
I began with telling them what an enemy I was to slavery: "And," says I to Nasgig, "as I am about to undertake what no man upon earth ever did before: to quit my country, my family, my every conveniency of life, for I know not what, I know not where, and from whence I may never return; I must be indulged, if I am ever so fortunate as to arrive safe in your country, in the satisfaction of seeing all these my fellow-travellers as happy as myself: for which reason I must insist upon every man present alighting with me in safety, being made free the moment we touch the ground; and unless you will engage your honour for this, I will not stir a step farther."
Nasgig paused for an answer, for though my bearers were his own lasks, and he could dispose of them at pleasure, yet as the rest were the king's, he knew not how far he might venture to promise for them; but being desirous to get me over the rock, fearing I might still retract my purpose, he engaged to procure their freedom of the king. And this, I thought, would make the men more zealous in my service.
I then permitting them to take me up, we were over the rock as quick as thought, and when I had a little experienced the flight, I perceived I had nothing to fear; for they were so dexterous on the graundee, that I received not the least shock all the way, or scarce a wry position, though every quarter of an inch at hand made a considerable deflection from the perpendicular. We shifted but twice till we came to Battringdrigg, the manner, of which I directed as I sat in my chair; for I ordered the new man to hover over him he was to relieve, and reaching down his hand to meet the others which were held up with a rope, the old bearer sunk beneath the chair, and the reliever took his course. This we did one by one, till all were changed; but there was one, a stout young fellow, at the first short rope on my right hand, who observing me to eye him more than the rest, in a bravado would not be relieved before we arrived at Battringdrigg arkoe; and I afterwards took him into my family.
As it was now somewhat advanced into the light season, I had hopes of a tolerable good prospect; but had it been quite light, I should have never been the better for it. I had been upon very high mountains in the inland parts of Africa, but was never too high to see what was below me before, though very much contracted; but here, in the highest of our flight, you could not distinguish the globe of the earth but by a sort of mist, for every way looked alike to me; then sometimes on a cue given, from an inexpressible height my bearers would dart as it were sloping like a shooting star, for an incredible distance, almost to the very surface of the sea, still keeping me as upright as a Spaniard on my seat. I asked them the reason of their so vast descent, when I perceived the labour they had afterwards to attain the same height again. They told me they not only eased their graundees by that descent, but could fly half as far again in a day, as by a direct (they meant horizontal) flight; for though it seemed laborious to mount so excessive high, yet they went on at the same time at a great rate; but when they came to descend again, there was no comparison in their speed. And, on my conscience, I believe they spoke true, for in their descents I think no arrow could have reached us.
In about sixteen hours, for I took my watch with me, we alighted on the height of Battringdrigg: when I thought I had returned to my own arkoe, it was so like it, but much larger. Here we rested for hours; I opened my chest, and gave each of my bearers a drop of brandy. Nasgig and I also just wetted our mouths, and ate a piece of preserve to moisten us; the rest of the lasks sitting down, and feeding upon what they had brought with them in their colapets; for their method is, when they take long flights, to carry a number of hard round fruits, flat like my cream-cheeses, but much less, which containing a sort of flour they eat dry; then drinking, which swells, and fills them as much as a good meal of anything else would. Here we met with abundance of delightful pools of water on the vast flat of the rocks. They told me, in that arkoe the young glumms and gawrys came in vast flights separately, to divert themselves on the fine lakes of water, and from thence went sometimes as far as my arkoe for that purpose; but that was but seldom.
When we had sufficiently rested, they shut their colapets, which sometimes hung down from their necks, and were sometimes swung round to their backs, and crossing the arkoe and another large sea, but nothing comparable to the first, arrived in about six hours more to the height of the White Mountains, which Nasgig told me were the confines of Georigetti's territories. But, thinks I, it may belong to whom it will for the value of it; for nothing could be more barren than all the top of it was; but the inside of it made amends for that, by the prodigious tall and large trees it abounded with, full of the strangest kinds of fruits I had ever seen; and these trees, most of them, seemed to grow out of the very stone itself, not a peck of dirt being to be collected near them. Without-side of these mountains, it was scarce darker than at my arkoe; for I made all the observation my time would allow me; when spying at a vast distance several lights, which were unusual things to me in that country, they told me the largest was the burning mountain Alkoe: this I remembered to have heard the name of upon some former occasion, though I could not recollect what; and that the rest were of the same sort, but smaller. I asked if they were in Georigetti's territories. They said no, they belonged to another king formerly, whose subjects were as fond of fire as Georigetti's were of avoiding it; and that many of them worked with it always before them, and made an insufferable noise by it.
At hearing the above relation, an impression struck my fancy, that they might be a sort of smiths or workers in iron, or other metals; and I wished myself with them, for I had a mighty notion of that work, having been frequently at a neighbouring forge when a boy, and knew all their tools, and resolved to get all the information I could of that country some other time; for our company drawing to their posts, and preparing to set forward again, I could have no more talk now; and you must know, I had observed so many idle rascals before I left England, who could neither strike a stroke nor stir a foot whilst you talked with them, that I feared if I asked questions by the way, they should in answering me neglect their duty, and let me drop.
When we came near our journey's end, Nasgig asked me where I would please to alight I told him I thought at my father's; for though I came on a visit to the king, it would not show respect to go before him just off a journey. But I might have spared me the trouble of settling that point; for we were not gone far from the Black Mountain, it going by that name within side, though it is called the White without, before we heard the gripsacks, and a sort of squeaking or screaming music, very loud. Nasgig told me the king was in flight. I asked him how he knew that, for I could see nobody. He knew it, he said, by the gripsack, and the other music, which never played but on that occasion; and presently after, I thought the whole kingdom were on the graundee, and was going to order my bearers back to the mountain, for fear of the concourse. Thinks I, they will jostle me down out of civility, and I shall break my neck to gratify their curiosity. So I told Nasgig if he did not somehow stop the multitude, I would turn back for the mountain, for I would never venture into that crowd of people.
Nasgig sprung away to the king and informed him; but the king, fearing the people should be disgusted at his sending them back, gave orders for the whole body to file off to the right and left, and taking a vast sweep each way, to fall in behind me; but upon no account to come near me, for fear of mischief. This was no sooner said than done, and all spreading into two vast semicircles, met in a train just behind my chair.
Nasgig had also persuaded the king to retreat back to the palace, telling him it was not with me as with them, who could help themselves in case of accident; but as I was under the guidance of others, and on a foundation he should scarce, in my condition, have ventured upon, he was sure I should be better satisfied with his intended respect only, than to receive it there: "But," says he, "that your majesty may see his contrivance, I will cause him to alight in the palace garden, where you may have the pleasure of viewing him in his machine."
The king returning, ordered all the colambs, who waited my arrival, to assemble in council again; and as I went over the city, I was surprised to see all the rock of which it consisted quite covered with people, besides prodigious numbers in the air, all shouting out peals of welcome to me; and as we were then but little above their heads, every one had something to say of me; one wondering what I had got on; another swearing he saw hair on my face as long as his arm; and in general, every one calling on the Image for my safety.
The king was present when I alighted in the garden; and himself taking me from my chair, I bent on one knee to kiss his hand; but he took me in his arms, called me his father, and told me he hoped I would make his days equal in glory to his great ancestor Begsurbeck. We complimented some time before he took me into a small refectory in the garden, and gave me some of his sort of wine, which I found was loaded with ram's-horn, and some dried and moist sweetmeats. He then told me I had a piece of ceremony to go through, after which he hoped to have me to himself. I told him, whatever forms of State were customary, they become necessary, and I should obey him.
His majesty then called one of the persons in waiting, and telling him he was going to the room of audience, ordered him to conduct me thither forthwith.
Following my guide, after a long walk through a sort of piazza, we entered under a stately arch, curiously carved, into a very spacious room, lighted with infinite numbers of globe-lamps, where he desired me to sit down on a round stone pedestal covered with leaves, and all round the sides were running foliages exquisitely wrought; on the walls were carved figures of glumms in several actions, but chiefly in battle, or other warlike exercises, in alto-relievo, very bold, with other devices interspersed. I sat down, having first paid my submission to the throne, and to the several colambs who sat on the king's right and left, down the sides of the room.
The person then who introduced me, going into the middle of the room, spoke to this effect: "Mighty king—and you honourable lords his colambs—here is present the glumm Peter of Graundevolet; I wait your commands where to dispose him."
Then the king and all the colambs arising, another person stepped forth, and looking at me, for I was standing, "Glumm Peter of Graundevolet," says he, "I am to signify to you that the mighty king Georigetti, and all his honourable colambs, congratulate your arrival in Normnbdsgrsutt, and have commanded me to give you rank according to your merit." Then the king and colambs sat down, and I was led to the king's right hand, and placed on the same stone with, but at some small distance from, his majesty.
The king then told me the great pleasure I had done him and his colambs, in my so speedy arrival upon their message; but said he would give me no farther trouble now than to know how I chose to be served; and desired me to give orders to a bash he would send to me, for whatever I wanted; and then giving orders to a bash to show me my lodgings, I was permitted to retire to refresh myself.
I was then conducted to my apartment, up a sloping flight of stone, very long, with a vast arch over my head; I believed it might be fifty paces long at least, but being a very broad easy ascent, and smooth, it was not in the least fatiguing. All the way I went were the same sorts of globe lights as in the audience-room. The staircase, if I may call it so, it answering the same purpose, was most beautifully carved, both sides and top. At length I came into a very large gallery, at least fourscore paces long, and about twenty broad; on each side of which hung the same globes. At the farther end of this gallery I entered by an arch, very narrow, but most neatly wrought, into an oval room; in the middle of this room, on the right hand, was another small neat archway; entering through which about ten paces, there were two smaller arches to the right and left, and within them, with an easy ascent of about three paces, you came to a flat trough of stone, six or seven feet long, and about the same width; these, I understood by my bash, were the beds to lie on.
I asked him if they were used to lie on the bare stone. He told me some did, but he had orders to lay me on doffee; and presently up came four fellows with great mats, as I took them for by my globe light, full of something, which, by their so easily carrying so great bulk, I perceived was very light. They pitched it down upon my stone bedstead, and first with great sticks, and then with small switches having beat it soundly, retired.
Whilst I was looking about at the oddity of the place, I found my bash was gone too. "So," says I, "all gone! I suppose they intend I shall now go to bed." I then went into my bed-chamber, for there were globe lights there too, and observing my bed lay full four feet above the stone, and sloping higher to the sides and head, I went to feel what it was; but laying my hand upon it, it was so soft I could feel no resistance till I had pressed it some way; and it lay so light, that a fly must have sunk upon it.—"Well," thinks I, "what if I never lay thus before, I believe I have lain as bad!"
I then took a turn into my oval room again, and observed the floor, sides, and all was stone, as smooth as possible, but not polished; and the walls and ceiling, and in short every place where they could be ornamented, were as well adorned with carvings as can be conceived.
Though nobody came near me yet, I did not care to be too inquisitive all at once, but I longed to know what they burnt in the globes, which gave so steady a light, and yet seemed to be enclosed quite round, top and sides, without any vent-hole for the smoke to evaporate. Surely, thinks I, they are a dullish glass, for they hung almost above my touch, and must be exceeding hot with the fire so enclosed, and have some small vent-hole though I can't see it. Then standing on tiptoe to feel, it struck quite cold to my finger; but I could only reach to touch that, or any of the rest, being all of one height.
Whilst I was musing thus, I heard the sound of voices coming along the gallery; and presently came a train of servants with as much victuals as a hundred men could eat, and wines proportionable; they set it down at the upper end of the oval room, on a flat of stone, which on making the room had been left in the upper bend of the oval quite across it, about table high, for that purpose. These eatables, such as were liquid, or had sauces to them, were served up in a sort of grey stone bowls; but the dry were brought in neat wooden baskets of twig-work.
The servants all retiring into the gallery, except my bash, I asked him if anybody was to eat with me: he told me no.—"I wonder," says I, "they should send me so much, then." He replied it was the allowance of my apartment by his majesty's orders; which silenced me.
I believe there were twenty different things on the table, insomuch that I did not know where to begin, and heartily wished for an excuse to get rid of my bash, who stood close at my elbow, that I might have smelt and tasted before I helped myself to anything, for I knew not what any one thing was.
In this perplexity, I asked my bash what post he was in under his majesty. He said, one of the fifty bashes appointed to be near the king's favourites when at court. "And pray," said I, "are you the person to attend me?" He was, he said, the principal to wait on my person; but there were at least sixty others, who had different offices in this apartment. "I would be glad," said I, "to know your name, that I may the more readily speak to you." He told me his name was Quilly. "Then, pray, Quilly," says I, "do you know what is become of my baggage and chair?" I found, though he guessed at my baggage, he was puzzled at the name of chair. "My seat," says I. "Oh, I understand you," says he. "Then, pray, will you go bring me word of them, and see them brought safe up into the gallery?" He tripped away on my errand. So thinks I, now I am fairly rid of you! but I had scarce turned any of my viands over, before I found he had but stepped into the gallery, to send some of the idle fellows-in-waiting there. And this putting me to a nonplus, "Quilly," says I, "you know I am a stranger here; and as different countries have different ways and customs, as well of dressing their eatables as other things, and these dishes being dressed contrary to my custom, I shall be glad if you will name some of them to me, that I may know them when I see them again."
Quilly began with this, and ran on to that, which was a fine dish; and the other few but the king have at their tables. "And here," says he, "is a dish of padsi; and there——"
"Hold, hold," says I, "Quilly, let's try these first before you proceed;" for I remembered, at my grotto, they all eat my fish for padsi, and I cut a slice of it; for I always carried my clasp-knife in my pocket, and they had no such thing there; and laying it on a round cake I took for my trencher, I tasted it, and found it so, to my apprehension, in the palate; but it did not look or flake like fish, as I observed by the slices they had cut it into; for all the victuals were in long slices ready to bite at. I asked him if these things were not all cut, and with what; for I understood they had no knives, showing him mine. He said the cook cut it with a sharp stone. I then asked him the name of several other things, and at last he came to crullmott, which having heard of before, I now tasted, and could have sworn it had been a hashed fowl. I asked him if crullmotts were very common; he told me yes, towards the bottoms of the mountains there were abundance of crullmott-trees.—"No, no," says I, "not trees; I mean fowls, birds."—"I don't know what they are," said he; "but these crullmotts grow on very large trees." Indeed, I did not know yet what I was at. "But," says I, "if your fowls do, sure your fish don't grow on trees too!"—"We have none of them," says he, "in this country."—"Why," says I, "it is but this moment I tasted one."—"I don't know," said he, "where the cook got it."—"Why, here," says I, "what you call padsi I call fish."—"Aye, padsi," says he, "'grows upon a bush in the same woods."—"Well done," says I, "this is the first country I was ever in where the fish and fowl grew on trees. It is ten to one but I meet with an ox growing on some tree by the tail before I leave you."
I had by this time, out of these two and some other pickings, made up a very good meal; and putting my knife into my pocket, desired something to drink. My bash asked me what I pleased to have. I told him, anything to take a good draught of. Then he filled me a bott of wine, very well tasted, though too sweet for meals; but putting some water to it, it did very well.
My messengers being returned, and having set all my things in the gallery, I desired Quilly to let the victuals be taken away; upon which there came more servants than dishes, who took all at once, but some wine and water I desired might remain.
I told Quilly I saw there were two beds. "Who are they for?" says I.—"One for you and one for me," says he; "for we bashes never leave the king's favourites."—"Pray, Quilly," says I, "what is the meaning that to the several rooms I have been in, there is never a door?"—"Door," says he, "I don't know that."—"What!" says I, "don't you shut your rooms at night?"—"No, no. Shut at night! I never heard of that."—"I believe," says I, "Quilly, it is almost bed-time; is it not?"—"No, no," says Quilly, "the gripsack has not sounded."—"How do you know," says I, "in this country, when you shall lie down, and when rise? for my wife has told me you have no clocks."
"No; no clocks," says he.—"Then," says I, "does every one rise and lie down when they please? or do you all lie down and all rise together about the same time?"—"Oh," says Quilly, "you will hear the gripsack presently. There are several glumms who take it by turns to sound it for the rest, and then we know it is time to lie down; and when they sound it again, we know it is time to rise." And afterwards I found these people guessed the time (being twelve hours between sound and sound) so well, that there were but few minutes' variation at any time between them and my watch; and I set my watch to go from their soundings at six o'clock.
I found myself pretty much fatigued after my journey; for though I had only to sit still, yet the excessive velocity of such an unusual motion strained every muscle as much as the hardest labour; for you may imagine I could not at first be without my fears upon ever so small a variation of my chair, which, though I could not possibly by my own inclination one way or other rectify, yet a natural propensity to a perpendicular station involuntarily biasses one to incline this or that way, in order to preserve it; and then at first my breath being ready to fail me, in proportion to the celerity of the flight, and to my own apprehensions, and being upon that exercise near thirty hours, and without sleep for almost forty, you may judge I wanted rest; so I told Quilly I would lie down, and ordered him not to disturb me till I waked of myself.
I could not prevent the officiousness of my valet to put me to bed, and cover me with the down, or whatever it was; for having no sheets, I pulled off nothing but my coat, wig, and shoes, and putting on my flannel night-cap, I laid me down.
The king's apartments described—Is introduced to the king—A moucheratt called—His discourse with the king about religion.
I HAVE known some travellers so peculiar in their taste as not to be able to sleep in a strange lodging. But, thanks to my kind stars, that did not prove my case; for having looked on my watch when I went to bed, as I call it, and finding it was down, I wound it up, and observed it began to go at about three o'clock—whether day or night, matters not; and when I waked it was past nine, so that I know I had slept eighteen hours; and finding that a very reasonable refreshment, and myself very hungry, I called Quilly to get me my breakfast.
Quilly told me his majesty had been to visit me, but would not have me disturbed. I, begging him to despatch my breakfast as soon as possible, and let me have some water for my hands, he ordered the gallery-waiters, and everything came immediately.
My breakfast was a brown liquid, with a sort of seeds or grain in it, very sweet and good; but the fear of the king's return before I was ready for him, prevented my inquiring into what it was. So, having finished it, and washed my hands, Quilly presented me a towel, which looked like an unbleached coarse linen, but was very soft and spongy; and I found afterwards was made of threads of bark stripped from some tree. I put on my brown suit, sword, and long wig, and sent Quilly to know when it was his majesty's pleasure I should wait upon him.
I had been so much used to lamplight in my grotto, that the lights of this gloomy mansion did not seem so unusual a thing to me as they would have done to a stranger. The king sent me word he would admit me immediately, and Quilly was my conductor to his majesty's apartment.
We passed through the gallery, at the farther end of which was a very beautiful arch, even with the staircase, through which Quilly led me into a large guard-room, wherein were above a hundred glumms, posted in ranks, with their pikes in hand, some headed with sharp-pointed stone, others with multangular stone, and others with stone globes. Passing through these, we entered another gallery as long as that to my apartment; then under another arch we came into a small square room, carved exceeding fine; on the right and left of which were two other archways, leading into most noble rooms. But we only saw them, passing quite cross the little room, through an arch that fronted us into a small gallery of prodigious height; at the farther end of which Quilly, turning aside a mat, introduced and left me in the most beautiful place in the universe, where, neither seeing nor hearing anybody stir, I employed myself in examining the magnificence of the place, and could, as I then thought, have feasted my eye with variety for a twelvemonth. I paced it over one hundred and thirty of my paces long, and ninety-six broad. There were arches in the middle of each side, and in the middle of each end; the arch ceiling could not be less than the breadth of the room, and covered with the most delightful carvings, from whence hung globe-lights innumerable, but seemingly without order, which I thought appeared the more beautiful on that account. In the centre of the room hung a prodigious cluster of the same lights, so disposed as to represent one vast light; and there were several rows of the same lights hung round the room, one row above another, at proper distances. These lights represented to me the stars, with the moon in the middle of them; and after I came to be better acquainted with the country, I perceived the lights were to represent the southern constellations. The archways were carved with the finest devices imaginable, gigantic glumms supporting on each side the pediments.
At every ten paces all along the sides and ends, arose columns, each upon a broad square base, admirably carved; these reached to the cornice or base of the arched ceiling quite round the room. On the panels between each column were carved the different battles and most remarkable achievements of Begsurbeck himself. Over the arch I entered at, was the statue of Begsurbeck, and over the opposite arch the old prophetic ragan. In the middle of the room stood a long stone table lengthwise, most exquisitely carved, almost the length of the room, except where it was divided in the middle about the breadth of the archways, in order for a passage from one arch to the other. In short, to describe this one room particularly would make a volume of itself.
I stayed here a full hour and a half, wondering why nobody came to me; at length turning myself about, I saw two glumms coming towards me, and having received their compliments, they desired me to walk in to the king. We passed through another middling room, and taking up a mat at the farther side of it, I was conducted in where his majesty was sitting with another glumm. They both arose at my entrance, and calling me their father, and leading me, one by each hand, obliged me to sit down between them.
After some compliments about my journey, and accommodation since, the king told me I had not waited so long without, but he had some urgent despatches to make; and as he chose to have me in private with him, he imagined, he said, I would be able to divert myself in the boskee. I declared I had never seen anything like it for grandeur and magnificence before; but the beauty of the sculpture, and disposition of the lights, were most exquisite.
All this while I felt the other glumm handling my long wig, and feeling whether it grew to my head, or what it was; for he had by this time got his finger under the caul, and was pulling my hair down; when I turning about my head, "Glumm Peter," says the king, "don't be uneasy, the ragan will do you no hurt, it is only to satisfy his curiosity; and I chose to have the ragan here, that we may more leisurely advise with you what course to take in the present exigencies of my State. I have fully heard the story of your travels from my colambs, and we have returned thanks to the Great Image for bringing you, after so many hazards and deliverances, safe to my dominions for our defence."
The ragan desired to know whether all that hair (meaning my wig) grew upon my head or not. I told him no, it was a covering only, to put on occasionally; but that hair did grow on my head, and pulling off my wig I showed them. The ragan then asked me if I had hair of my own growing under that too (meaning my beard, which he then had in his hand, for their glumms have no beards); but I told him that grew there of itself.—"O parly Puly!" says the ragan, rising up, and smiting his hands together, "It is he! It is he!"
"Pray," says I, "ragan, who is this Puly you speak of?"—"It is the image," says he, "of the great Collwar."—"Who is that?" says I.—"Why, he that made the world," says he.—"And, pray," says I, "what did his image make?"—"Oh," says he, "we made the image."—"And, pray," says I, "can't you break it again?"—"Yes," says he, "if we had a mind to be struck dead, we might; for that would be the immediate consequence of such an attempt; nay, of but holding up a finger against it in contempt."—"Pray," says I, "did ever anybody die that way?"—"No," says he, "no one ever durst presume to do it."—"Then, perhaps," said I, "upon trial, the punishment you speak of might not be the consequence of such an attempt. Pray," says I, "what makes Collwar have so great a kindness for that image?"—"Because," says he, "it is his very likeness, and he gives him all he asks for us; for we only ask him. Why," says he, "it is the image that has brought you amongst us."
I did not then think it a proper time to advance the contrary to the person I then had to do with, as I was sure it would have done no good; for a priest is only to be convinced by the strongest party: so I deferred my argument on that head to a fitter opportunity.
"Most admirable Peter," says the king, "you are the glumm we depend upon to fulfil an ancient prediction delivered by a venerable ragan. If you will, Ragan I. O. shall repeat it to you, and therein you will be able to discern yourself plainly described, in not only similar, but the express words I myself, from your story, should describe you in."
In good earnest, I had from divers circumstances concluded that I might be the person; and resolved, as I thought I had the best handle in the world for it from the prediction, to do what I could in the affair of religion, by fair means or stratagem (for I was sensible my own single force would not do it), before I began to show myself in their cause, or else to desert them; and having had a small hint from Nasgig of what the old ragan's design was in part, and which I approved of, I purposed to add what else was necessary as part of his design, if his proposals had been approved of.
I told the king I would excuse the ragan the repetition of the prediction, as I had partly been informed of it by Nasgig; and that conceiving myself, as he did, to be the person predicted of by the ragan, I had the more readily set out on this expedition, which nothing but the hopes of performing so great a good could have prevailed with me to undertake; and I did not doubt, with God's blessing, to accomplish it.
The king grew exceeding joyous at what I said, and told me he would call a moucheratt, at which all his colambs should attend, to have their advice, and then we would proceed to action; and ordered the ragan to let it be for the sixth day, and in the meantime that he and his brethren should, day and night, implore the Image to guide their deliberations.
The ragan being gone, I told the king I had something to impart to him, in which it was my duty to obtain his majesty's sentiments before I appeared publicly at the moucheratt. He desired me to proceed: I told him I had been some time considering the old ragan's prediction, with the occasion of it; "and," says I, "it is plain to me that all these mischiefs have befallen you for neglect of the ragan's proposal concerning religion; as I understand your great ancestor would have come into it, and would have had his people done so too, but for the ragans, who hindered it.
"You find," says I, "by your traditional history, that Begsurbeck lived long, and reigned gloriously; and I would aim at making you as prosperous as he was, and infinitely more happy, not only in outward splendour here, but in great glory hereafter."
Perceiving that my discourse had quickened the king's attention, says I, "I must let your majesty know it is the old ragan's plan I must proceed upon in every branch of it."—"Why," says the king, "he would have abolished our worship of the Image."—"And so would I," says I; "nay, not only would, but must and will, before I engage myself in your deliverance; and then, with the only assistance of the great Collwar, whom I adore, and whom you must too, if you expect any service from me, I don't doubt to prevail.
"Your majesty sees," says I, "in few words, I have been very plain with you; and I desire you, in as concise and plain a manner, to answer me, what are your thoughts on this head? for I can say no more till I hear them."
The king seeing me so peremptory: "Glumm Peter," says he, looking about to see no one was near, "I have too much sense to imagine our Image can do either good or hurt; for if it could have done us good, why would it not in our greatest distress, now near two hundred years past? For my own part, I put no trust in it, nor did my famous ancestor the great Begsurbeck; but here is my difficulty, where to choose another object of worship; for I perceive by myself, mankind must, through natural impulse, look to somewhat still above them, as a child does to his father, from whom he hopes for and expects succour in his difficulties; and though the father be not able to assist him, still he looks to him; and therefore, I say, we must have another before we can part with this, or the people, instead of the part who have been in the defection, will all desert me; for they are easy now in hopes of help from the Image, and every little gleam of success is attributed to it; but for the disadvantages we receive, the ragans charge them on the people's not praying and paying sufficiently; which they, poor souls, knowing in their consciences to be true enough, are willing rather, as they are bid, to take the blame upon themselves, than to suffer the least to fall on the Image.
"All this," says the king, "I am sensible of; but should I tell them so, my life must pay for it; for the ragans would bring some message from the Image against me, to desert or murder me; and then happy would be the first man who could begin the mischief, which the rest would soon follow."
This so frank and unexpected declaration gave me great confidence in the king; and I told him, if that was his opinion, he might leave the rest to me. I would so manage it, that the thing should be brought about by my means; and I would then satisfy all his scruples, and make him a flourishing prince. But I could not help reflecting with myself, how nearly this distant prince, and his State, copied some of my neighbours in Europe.
Peters reflections on what he was to perform—Settles the method of it—His advice to his son and daughter—Globe-lights living creatures—Takes Maleck into his service—Nasgig discovers to Peter a plot in court—Revolt of Gauingrunt.
HAVING now fully entered into the spirit of the business with my own good liking, I was determined to push it vigorously, or perish in the attempt. "Have I," says I, "so large a field before me now to manifest my Maker in to a whole nation, and under His own call, and to fulfil their own prediction too; and shall I shrink at the possible danger? Or may there not rather be no probability of danger in it? The nation is in distress, the readier therefore to try any remedy for help: their Image has stood idle two hundred years; there has been an old prophecy, or at least if not true, as firmly believed to be true as if it was so; and this, in regard to the people, answers in all respects as well. But why should it not be true? It is better attested by the frequent repetition, from the original delivery to this time, than are many traditions I have heard of amongst us Christians, which have come out spick and span new from the repositories of the learned, of twelve or fifteen hundred years old, little the worse for lying by; though they are not pretended to have seen light all that time, and are undoubted verities the moment they receive the grand sanction. Then if any means but fraud or force can gain so large a territory to the truth, and I am the only person can introduce it, shall not I endeavour it? Yes, surely; but I am not excluded all advantages neither, for all the works of Providence are brought to pass by appointed means: and indeed, were it otherwise, what could we call Providence? For a peremptory fiat, and it is over, may work a miracle, it is true, but will not exhibit the proceedings of Providence. Therefore let me consider, in a prudential way, how to proceed to the execution of what I am to set about—and guide me, Providence! I beseech you, to the end."
Upon the best deliberation I could take, I came to the following resolutions: First, to insist on the abolition of the Image-worship, and to introduce true religion by the fittest means I could find opportunity for.
Secondly, as the revolters had been one people with those I would serve, and had this prediction amongst them too, and were interested in it, in hopes of its distant accomplishment; so if they came properly to the knowledge that the person predicted of had appeared, and was ready for execution of his purposes, it must stagger their fidelity to their new master; and, therefore, I would find means to let them know it.
Thirdly, that I would not march till I was in condition not easily to be repulsed, for that would break both the hopes and hearts of my party, and destroy my religious scheme, and, therefore, I would get some of my cannon.
Fourthly, that I would go to the war in my flying-chair, and train up a guard for my person with pistols and cutlasses.
These resolutions I kept to myself till the moucheratt was over, to see first how matters would turn out there.
Whilst I waited for the approaching moucheratt, my son Tommy, and daughter Hallycarnie, paid their duties to me. It is strange how soon young minds are tainted by bad company. I found them both very glad to see me, for everybody, they said, told them I was to be their deliverer. They had both got the prophecy by heart, and mentioned the Image with all the affection of natural subjects. The moment Tommy spoke of it to me, "Hold," says I, "young man. What's become of those good principles I took so much pains to ground you in? Has all my concern for your salvation been thrown away upon you? Are you become a reprobate? What! an apostate from the faith you inherited by birthright? Is the God I have so often declared to you a wooden one? Answer me, or never see my face more."
The child was extremely confounded to see me look so severe, and hear me speak so harsh to him. "Indeed, father," says he, "I did not willingly offend, or design to show any particular regard to the Image, for, thanks to you, I have none; but what I said was only the common discourse in everybody's mouth; I meant neither good nor harm by it."
"Tommy," says I, "it is a great fault to run into an error, though in company of multitudes; and where a person's principle is sound at bottom, and founded upon reason, no numbers ought to shake it. You are young, therefore hearken to me; and you, Hallycarnie, whatever you shall see done by the people of this country, in the worship of this idol, don't you imitate it, don't you join in it. Keep the sound lessons I have preached to you in mind; and upon every attempt of the ragans, or any other, to draw you aside to their worship, or even to speak or act the least thing in praise of this idol, think of me and my words, pay your adoration to the Supreme Father of spirits only, and to no wooden, stone, or earthen deity whatsoever."
The children wept very heartily, and both promised me to remember and to do as I had taught them.
Being now in my oval chamber, and alone with my children, I had a mind to be informed of some things I was almost ashamed to ask Quilly. "Tommy," says I, "what sort of fire do they keep in these globes? and what are they made of?"—"Daddy," says he, "yonder is the man shifting them, you may go and see." Being very curious to see how he did it, I went to him. As I came near him, he seemed to have something all fire on his arm. "What has the man got there?" says I. "Only sweecoes," says Tommy. By this time I came up to him; "Friend," says I, "what are you about?"—"Shifting the sweecoes, sir," says he, "to feed them."—"What oil do you feed with?" says I.—"Oil!" says he, "they won't eat oil; that would kill them all."—"Why," says I, "my lamp is fed with oil."
Tommy could scarce forbear laughing himself; but for fear the servant should do so too, pulled me by the sleeve, and desired me to say no more. So turning away with him, "Daddy," says he, "it is not oil that gives this light, but sweecoes, a living creature. He has got his basket full, and is taking the old ones out to feed them, and putting new ones in. They shift them every half day and feed them."—"What!" says I, "are all these infinite number of globes I see living creatures?"—"No," says he, "the globes are only the transparent shell of a bott, like our calibashes. The light comes from the sweecoe within."—"Has that man," says I, "got any of them?"—"Yes," says he, "you may see them. The king and the colambs, and indeed every man of note, has a place to breed and feed them in."—"Pray, let us go see them," says I, "for that is a curiosity indeed."
Tommy desired the man to show me the swee-coes; so he set down his basket, which was a very beautiful resemblance of a common higler's basket, with a handle in the middle, and a division under it, with flaps on each side to lift up and down. It was made of straw-coloured small twigs, neatly compacted, but so light as scarce to be of any weight. Opening one of the lids, I could make very little distinction of substances, the bottom seeming all over of a white colour. I looking surprised at the light, the man took out one, and would have put it into my hand, but perceiving me shy of it, he assured me it was one of the most innocent things in the world. I then took it, and surveying it, it felt to my touch as smooth and cold as a piece of ice. It was about as long as a large lobworm, but much thicker. The man seeing me admire the brightness of its colour, told me it had done its duty, and was going to be fed, but those which were going upon duty were much clearer; and then opening the other lid, those appeared far exceeding the others in brightness, and thickness too. I asked what he fed them with. He said, "Leaves and fruit; but grass, when he could get it, which was not often, they were very fond of."
Having dismissed my children, I sent for Nasgig, to gain some intelligences I wanted to be informed of. The moment I saw him it came into my mind to inquire after my new filgays. He said the king granted my request at the first word. I told him then he had saved his honour with me, and I was obliged to him. "But," says I, "you told me my bearers should be free too."—"They are so," says he.—"Then there is one thing I want," says I, "and that is to see the second bearer on my right hand, who came through without shifting. I have a fancy for that fellow," says I, "to be about my person. I like him; and if you can give him a good word, I should be glad to treat with him about it."
"My friend Peter," says he, "you are a man of penetration, though it ill becomes me to say so in regard of persons; but I can say that for him, if he likes you as well as you seem to like him, he is the trustiest fellow in the world; but as he knows his own worth, he would not be so to everybody, I can tell you that."—"I don't fear his disliking me," says I, "for I make it my maxim to do as I would be done by; and if he is a man of honour, as you seem to say, he would do the same, and we shall be soon agreed."—"But," says Nasgig, "it being now the fourth day since he was freed, he may be gone home perhaps, for he is not of our country, but of Mount Alkoe. If Quilly can find him, he will come." So he ordered Quilly to send for Maleck of Mount Alkoe, with orders to come to me.
We descended from one discourse to another, and at length to King Georigetti's affairs, when Nas-gig, giving a sigh, "Ah, Peter!" says he, "we shall loiter away our time here till the enemy are upon our backs. There is venom in the grass; I wish my good master is not betrayed."—"By whom?" says I.—"By those he little suspects," says he.—"Why," says I, "they tell me you are much in his favour; if so, why do you suffer it?"—"I believe," says Nasgig, "I am in his favour, and may continue in it, if I will join in measures to ruin him, but else I shall soon be out of it."—"You tell me riddles," says I.—"These things," says he, "a man talks with his head in his teeth. There is danger in them, Peter; there is danger!"—"You don't suspect me," says I, "do you?"—"No," says he, "I know your soul too well; but there are three persons in these dominions who will never let my master rest till out of his throne, or in hoximo. I am but lately in favour, but have made as many observations, perhaps, as those who have been longer about the king."
"Nasgig," says I, "your concern proceeds from an honest heart. Don't stifle what you have to say; if I can counsel you with safety, I'll do it; if not, I'll tell you so."
"Peter," says he, "Georigetti was the only son of a well-beloved father, and ascended his throne ten years ago on his decease: but Harlokin, the prince of the revolters, whose head is never idle, finding that whispers and base stories spread about did not hurt Georigetti, or withdraw his subjects' affections, has tried a means to make him undo himself."—"As how?" says I.—"Why," said he, "by closely playing his game he has got one of his relations into the king's service, than whom he could never have chosen a fitter instrument. He, by degrees, feeding the king's humour, and promising mountains, has pushed into the best places into the kingdom. His name is Barbarsa, a most insolent man, who has had the assurance to corrupt the king's mistress, and has prevailed and brought her over to his interest."—"Oh perfidy!" says I, "is it possible?"—"Yes," says he; "and more than that, has drawn in, till now, an honest man called Nicor; and it has been agreed between them to protract this war, till by their stratagems in procuring the revolt of Gauingrunt, a very large and populous province, and now the barrier between us and the rebels, and two or three more places, they shall have persuaded Georigetti to fly; and then Barbarsa is to be king, and Yaccom-bourse his queen. A union is then to be struck between him and Harlokin, and peace made, by restoring some of the surrendered provinces; and upon the death of the first of them, or their issue, childless, the survivor, or his issue, is to take the whole. They laugh at your uniting the dominions, and the old prediction."
"These," said I, "Nasgig, are serious things, and, as you say, are not lightly to be talked of; but, Nasgig, know this, he that conceals them is a traitor. Can you prove this?"—"I have heard them say so," says Nasgig.—"How!" says I, "and not discover it!"—"I am as anxious for that as you can be," says he; "but for me to be cashiered, slit, and sent to Crashdoorpt, only for meaning well, without power to perfect my good intentions, where will be the benefit to my master or me?"—"When and where did you hear this?" says I.—"Several and several times," says he, "in my own bed."—"In your own bed?" says I.—"I'll tell you," says he; "it so happens that when I rest at the palace, as I am bound to do when on duty, there is a particular bed for me: now, as the whole palace is cut out of one solid rock, though Yaccom-bourse's apartment at the entrance is at a prodigious distance from the entrance to mine, yet my bed, and one in an inner apartment of hers, stand close together; the partition, indeed, is stone, but either from the thinness of it, or some flaw in it, I have not yet discovered, I can plainly hear every word that is spoken. And there it is, in their hours of dalliance, when they use this bed, that I hear what I have now told you."—"Say nothing of it," says I, "but leave the issue to me."
By this time the messenger returned with Maleck, and he and I soon agreeing, I took him into my service.
I went to bed as usual, but could get no rest, Nasgig's story engrossing my whole attention; I was resolved, however, to be better informed before I acquainted the king of it; but rising pretty early next morning, the king came into my chamber, leaning upon Barbarsa, to tell me that he had received an express that Gauingrunt had revolted. "Peter," says he, "behold a distressed monarch; nay, an undone monarch!"—"Great sir," says Barbarsa, "you afflict yourself too much; here is Mr. Peter come to assist you, and he will settle all your concerns, never fear." I eyed the man, and (though prejudice may hang an honest person) found him a villain in his heart; for even while he was forcing a feeling tone of affliction, he was staring at my laced hat and feather that lay on the seat, by which I was sure nothing could be at a greater distance than his heart and tongue. His sham concern put me within a moment of seizing him in the king's presence; but his majesty, at that instant speaking, diverted me.
Before the king left me, I told him, having certain propositions to make to the moucheratt next day, it was possible they might require time to consider them; wherefore it would be proper, at this critical time, to let them meet every other day, business or none, till this affair was over. The king ordered Barbarsa to see it was so, and then we parted.
Hold a moucheratt—Speeches of ragans and colambs—Peter settles religion—Informs the king of a plot—Sends Nasgig to the ship for cannon.
ATTENDING at the moucheratt to-day, I happened to be seated within two paces of the idol. There was the most numerous assembly that had ever been seen; and when all was quiet, the king opened with signifying the revolt of Gauingrunt, the approach of the enemy, and no forces in the field to stop them. This he set forth in terms so moving, that the whole assembly were melted into sighs; till one of the colambs rising up, says he: "His majesty has set forth the state of his affairs in such a manner, and I am satisfied a true one, that it becomes us all to be vigilant. We all seem to have, and I believe have, great faith in the remedy this day to be proposed to us, in answer to our ancient prediction; and as I doubt not but glumm Peter is the man, so I doubt not but through his management we shall still receive help; but let us consider if we might not have prevented these pressing evils, and especially this last, by speedier preparations against them. What province, or member of a State, will not revolt to a numerous host just ready to devour them, if they can receive no assistance from their head? for, to my certain knowledge, his majesty had ordered this almost a year ago, and not a man gone yet. Can we expect Peter to go singly to fight an army? Did your prediction say he should go alone? No, he shall slay; that is, he and his army; what is done by them being always attributed to their general. Inquire, therefore, into your past conduct, send Peter, your general, and trust to the Great Image."
His majesty then said, if there had been any remissness in executing his commands, he believed it was done with a view to his service; but a more proper opportunity might be found for an inquiry of that nature. As for the present moucheratt, it was called solely to propose to Peter the execution of the remaining part of the prediction; or, at least, such part of it as seems now, or never, to wait its accomplishment.
Here arose a ragan, and told the assembly, in the name of himself and brethren, that the prediction had never yet been applicable to any one person till glumm Peter arrived; and that his sagacity of itself was a sufficient recommendation of him to the guidance of the enterprise; and requested that glumm Peter might forthwith be declared protector of the army, and set forward with it, that the State might receive safety, and the Great Image its proper honour.
I could now hold out no longer; but, standing up, made my speech in the following manner, or very near it: "Mighty king—you, reverend ragans—and honourable colambs—with the good people of this august assembly—I am come hither, led by the force of your own prediction, at the request of his majesty and the states, at the peril of my life, to accomplish things said to be predicted of me, glumm Peter. If, then, you have a prediction, if, then, your prediction describes me, and the circumstances of these times, it consisting of several parts, they ought seriously to be weighed, that I may know when and where I am to begin my operation, and when and where to leave off; for in predictions the whole is to be accomplished as much as any member of it.
"It is said I shall destroy the traitor of the ancient limits of your monarchy. Are you willing, therefore, that should be done? yea, or nay?" Then every one answered, "Yea."—"And by common consent establish what the old ragan would have taught you?" Here the king rose up; but Barbarsa giving him a touch (for every one waited to be guided by the voice of the ragans), he sat down again; and no one answering Yea, west; "I am ready to enter upon it and settle the question."
I again put the same question, and told them, as it was their own concern, I would have an answer before I proceeded. One of the ragans then rose, and said that part of the prediction was too loose to be relied on, for it was to settle what he would have taught: "Now, who knows," says he, "what he would have taught?" The assembly paused a considerable time, and just as I was opening my mouth to speak, an ancient and venerable ragan rose: says he, "I am sorry, at my years, to find that truth wants an advocate; my age and infirmities might well have excused me from speaking in this assembly, so many of my brethren being present, younger and better qualified for that purpose than myself; but as we are upon a sacred thing, and lest, as I find none of them care to declare the truth, I should also be thought to consent to its suppression if I sat silent and suffered it to be hid under a quibble, I must beg to be heard a few words. My brother, who spoke last, says the words are too loose which say, 'and by common consent establish what I would have taught;' but I beg leave to think it far otherwise, for we all know what he would have taught, and the memory of that hath been as exactly kept as the prediction; for how could our ancestors have opposed his doctrine, but from hearing and disapproving it? And we all know, not only the prediction, but the doctrine, hath been punctually handed down to us; though, woe be to us! we have not proclaimed it as we have done the prediction; and let me tell you, when you, my brethren, severally come to my years, and have but a single step farther to hoximo, you will wish you had taught it, as I do, who believe and approve it." The poor old man, having spoke as long as his breath and spirits would permit him, sat down, and I again resumed the question, as I now thought, on a much better foundation than before, and was immediately told by another ragan that there would be no end to the assembly if we considered every point at once, for we might next go upon what countries we should conquer, and of whom to demand tribute; which would be debating about the fruit before the seed was sown. But his opinion was, to go on and quell the rebellion, and restore the monarchy, and then go upon the other points.
I told them, if they had made so light of the prediction as not to declare publicly, since they knew it, what the ragan would have taught, it ill became me to be more zealous in their own concerns than they were themselves; and I should imagine there was very little truth in any part of it, and would never hazard my life for their sakes who would not speak the truth to save the kingdom, and desired leave of the states for my departure; for I was not a person, I told them, to be cajoled into anything. I undertook it at first voluntarily; and no man could, or should, compel me to it: my life they might take, but my honour they should never stain, though I was assured I could easily, with their concurrence, complete all that related to them.
The senior colamb immediately rising, desired me to have a little patience, and not to leave the assembly (for I was going out) till I had heard him.
"Here is," says he, "this day a thing started, which, I think, every whit as much concerns us all, and the body, and every member of the people to know, as it does Peter; and I am surprised, unless the present ragans believe what their predecessor would have taught to be better than what they now teach (for nothing else can make us consent to it), that they should scruple to let us know it, and keep us ignorant, who are worshippers as well as themselves, of any matter which so nearly concerns us to know. I am for obliging the ragans to declare the truth. If this be a true prediction, all the relatives to it are true, and I insist that we hear it."
This speech emboldened several others; and all the populace siding with the colambs out of curiosity, cried out to know it.
Perceiving the ragans still hush, I rose; and beckoning the populace to silence, "Mighty king—you, honourable colambs—and you, good people," says I—"for it is to you I now speak, hear me with attention. You think, perhaps, that the suppression of the truth by your ragans (charged to their teeth by the most reverend of their whole body, whose infirmities rendering him unable, though his will is good, to declare this secret to you) will prevent the knowledge of that truth your old ragan would have taught, but you are mistaken; and that you may know I don't come here at a venture to try if I can relieve you, but with an assurance of doing it if you consent, I must let you know from me what the ragan would have taught. The ragan would have demolished this trumpery piece of dirt, this grimalkin, set out with horrid face and colour to fright children; this," I say, "he would have demolished, being assured it could neither do good nor hurt, give joy or grief to any man, or serve any other purpose whatsoever, but to procure a maintenance to a set of men who know much better than they dare to tell you. Can any of you believe this stupid piece of earth hears me?" Some of the ragans cried, "Yes!"—"And that he can revenge any affront I shall give him?" Again, "Yes, to be sure!"—"Let him then, if he dare," says I, whipping out my cutlass, and with the backside of it striking his head off. "This," says I, "O glumms, is what the ragan knew, and what I defy them to deny. Now," says I, "I will further show you to whom the old ragan would have taught you to make your petitions and pay your adorations; and that is to the Supreme Being, Maker of heaven and earth, of us and all things; who provides for us meat and drink, and all things, by causing the earth, which He has made, to produce things necessary for our use; that Being, whom you have heard of by the name of Collwar, and are taught at present to be afraid to speak to. And I appeal to your own hearts if many of you have ever thought of him. Again," says I, "let anything in the shape of man, that gives himself leave to consider at all, only tell me if what he can make, and does make, with his own hands, hath not more occasion to depend on him as its maker than he on that? Why, then, should not we depend upon and pray to our Maker?
"You very greatly mistake me, O glumms," says I, "if you imagine I would have all those reverend men turned out of employment as useless. No, I find they know too much of what is valuable; and therefore those who are willing to continue in the service of the mouch, and faithfully to teach you the old ragan's doctrine, and such farther lights of the great Being as they shall hereafter receive, let them continue your ragans still, and let others be chosen and trained up in that doctrine."
Here the poor old man got up again with much difficulty. "Mr. Peter," says he, "you are the-man predicted of; you have declared the old ragan's mind, and all my brethren know it."
Finding I had the populace on my side (for I did not doubt the king and the colambs), I put the question to the ragans: "Reverend ragans," says I, "you see your prediction this day about to be fulfilled; for if it is a true one, no force of man can withstand it. You see your Image disgraced; you see, and I appeal to you all for the truth of it, that what the ragan would have taught has, without your assistance, been disclosed. I therefore would have you the first to break the bondage of idolatry and turn to the true Collwar, as it will be so much glory to you. Will you, and which of you, from henceforth serve Collwar, and no longer worship an idol? Such of you as will do so, let them continue in the mouch: if none of you will, it shall be my business to qualify a sufficient number of true ragans to form a succession for that purpose. The issue of this great affair depends upon your answers." They waited some time for a spokesman to begin, and so soon as he was able to get up, the poor old ragan said, "I will continue in it, and do all the good I can: and blessed be the day this prediction is fulfilled to succeeding generations! I have lived long enough to have seen this." Then the rest of the ragans, one by one, followed his example. And thus, with prodigious acclamations, both the ragans and people ended the great affair of religion.
I now more and more believed the truth of the prediction, and told them I should have occasion for seven hundred men before I set out against the rebels; and desired that they might be commanded by Nasgig. This was readily granted. I then told them, as I purposed to act nothing without their concurrence, I desired the colambs would remain in the city till I set out, that they might be readily called together.
I then desired I might be quite private from company till I departed.
I took Nasgig home with me; and when we came there, "My dear friend," says he, "what have you done to-day! You have crushed a power hitherto immovable; and I shall never more think anything too difficult for you to attempt."—"Nasgig," says I, "I am glad it is over. And now," says I, "you must enter on a new employ: but first, can you provide me fifty honest, faithful glumms for a particular expedition? they must be sensible, close, and temporising." He said he would, and come to me again.
I then desired a private audience with the king; who, on seeing me, began upon my success at the moucheratt. I told his majesty, if I alone, and a stranger, could gain such influence there, I might have had much more if he had joined me, especially as he had told me he gave no credit to the Image; and that I expected he would have appeared on my side. "Ah, Peter!" says he, "monarchs neither see, hear, nor perceive with their own eyes, ears, or understandings. I would willingly have done it; but Barbarsa prevented me, by assuring me it would be my ruin; and as he is my bosom friend, what reproaches must I have suffered if it had gone amiss! Nay, I will tell you that he and Nicor are of opinion that your coming hither, which is looked upon by us all as such a blessing, will one day undo me; 'for,' say they, 'though he may perform what you expect from him, it is not to be supposed he should suffer it to redound to you.' 'No,' say they, 'if he can do these great things, he can soon set you aside.' Thus, though I have no doubt of you, is my spirit wasting within me through perpetual fears and jealousies; and I cannot get these men, who, knowing all my secrets, are feared by me, into my own way of thinking."
"Mighty sir," says I, "don't think I came hither to possess, but redress a kingdom. I lived far more to my ease in my grotto than I can in this palace; but I now desire you," drawing my sword and putting it into his hand, "to pierce this heart's blood and make yourself easy in my death, rather than, suffering me to survive, live in distrust of me. No, great king," says I, "it is not that I would injure you; but though I have been so short a time in your dominions, I find there are those who would, and will too, unless you exert the monarch, and shake off those harpies which, lying always at your ear, are ever buzzing disquiet and mischief to you."—"Peter," says he, "what do you mean? sure I have no more traitors in my State!"—"Your majesty has," says I.—"How can you prove it?" says he. "But pray inform me who they are?"—"I came not hither, great king," says I, "to turn informer, but reformer; and so far as that is necessary in order to this, I will give you satisfaction. I only desire you will wholly guide yourself by my direction for three days, and you shall be able to help yourself to all the information you can require without ray telling you. In the meantime, appear no more thoughtful than usual, or in any other way alter your accustomed habits.".
Nasgig having sent me the fifty men, I asked them if they were to be trusted, and if they could carefully and artfully execute a commission I had to charge them with. They assuring me they would, I told them I would let them into my design, which would be the best instructions I could give them, and left the management alone to them.
My confidence in them made them twice as diligent as all the particular directions in the world would have done; so I only told them I had a mind the revolted towns and also the enemy's army should know that the person so long ago predicted of was now at Brandleguarp, and had, as the first step towards reducing them and killing the traitor Harlokin, already altered their religion to the old ragan's plan; and that they had now nothing to expect but destruction to themselves as soon as I appeared against them with my unknown fire and smoke, which I always had with me; and that the thing was looked upon to be as good as done already at Brandleguarp; and then to slip away again unperceived. They all promised me exact performance, and went off.
Nasgig then coming in, I told him he was now under my command, and must take six hundred glumms with him to Graundevolet; tell Youwarkee to show him my ship, and then he must bring me the things I had described to her by the name of cannon. He must bring them by ropes, as I was brought; and bring powder, which she would direct him to, and the heavy balls which lay in the room with the powder. I told him if he thought he should not have men enough he must take more; and must be as expeditious as was consistent with safety. I desired him to tell Youwarkee I hoped in a short time to send for her and all the family over to me. "And now, Nasgig," says I, "my orders are finished; but," says I, "the king! I must assist that good man. I therefore want to know the particular times Barbarsa and Yaccombourse usually meet."—"That," says he, "is every night when she is not with the king; for he is excessively fond of her, and seldom lies without her; but whenever he does, Barbarsa is admitted to her."—"And how can I know," says I, "when she will or will not lie with the king?"
"When she is to lie with him," says he, "the king never sups without her."—"-Now," says I, "you must show me your lodging, that I may find it in your absence; and give orders to the guard to let me, and whoever comes with me, enter at any time." He then took me to his chamber; but I passed through so many rooms, galleries, and passages, that I was sure I should never find it again, so I asked him if Maleck knew the way? and he assuring me he did, I took my leave of him, and he set out for Graundevolet.
The king hears Barbarsa and Yaccombourse discourse on the plot—They are impeached by Peter at a moucherait—Condemned and executed—Nicor submits, and is released.
I HAD now several important irons in the fire, and all to be struck whilst hot; there was the securing religion, sowing sedition amongst the enemy, tripping up the heels of two ministers and a she-favourite, and transporting artillery in the air some hundred leagues; either of which failing might have been of exceeding bad consequence; but as the affair of the ministers now lay next at hand, I entered upon that in the following manner.
The king coming to me the next day, as by appointment, and having assured me he had hinted nothing to any one, no, not to Barbarsa or Yaccom-bourse, told me that Barbarsa had given orders for stopping Nasgig and his men; and had persuaded him not to be in such haste in suffering me to do as I pleased, but to show his authority and keep me under. Says I, "Your majesty's safety is so near my heart, that even want of confidence in me shall not make me decline my endeavours to serve you. But have you suffered him to stop Nasgig?"—"No," says he, "Nasgig was gone some time before he sent."—"Oh, sir!" says I, "you do not half know the worth of that man! but you shall hereafter, and will reward him accordingly. But now, sir," says I, "to what we meet upon; if you will, as I told you, but comply with me for three days, without asking questions, I will show you the greatest traitors in your dominions, and put them into your power too." He promised me again he would. "Then, sir," says I, "you must not send to Yaccombourse to sup with you to-night."—"Nor lie with me?"—"No," says I.—"Pray, what hurt can arise to my affairs from her?" says he.—"Sir," says I, "you promised me to ask no questions."—"Agreed, agreed!" says he.—"Then," says I, "please to meet me at Nasgig's lodgings without being perceived, if you can; at least without notice taken."—"Good," says he.—"And when you are there, see or hear what you will, you must not say a word till you are retired again." All which the king engaging to perform, we parted till evening.
I called Maleck, and asked if he knew the way to Nasgig's lodging. He told me, very well: and, the time being come, he conducted me thither, where I had not waited long before the king came, most of the court being in bed. I desired the king to stay in the outer room till I went into the bedchamber two or three times, and I thought we must have put it off till another night: but listening once again, I found they were come, so I called the king, and led him to the place, entreating him, whatever he heard, to keep his patience or he would ruin all. We first heard much amorous discourse between Barbarsa and Yaccombourse, and then the ensuing dialogue.
Yac. My dearest Barbarsa, what was all that uproar at the moucheratt the other day?
Bar. Nothing, my love, but that mad fellow Peter, who sets up for a conjuror, and wants us all to dance to his pipe.
Yac. I heard he overcame the ragans at an argument about the Image.
Bar. Why, I don't know how that was, but it was the doating old ragan did their business; and truly the king's fingers itched to be on Peter's side, but I gave him a judicious nod, and you know he durst not displease so dear a friend as I am; ha, ha, ha! Am not I a sad fellow, my love, to talk so of my king?
Yac. He that wants but one step to a throne, is almost a king's fellow
Bar. And that but a short one too, my dear Yaccee; but I must get rid of that Nasgig, though I think I have almost spoiled him with the king, too. I don't love your thinking rascals: that fellow thinks more than I do, Yaccee.
Yac. He'll never think to so good purpose, I believe. But how goes cousin Harlokin on? I find Gauingrunt is gone over.
Bar. And so shall Bazin, Istell, Pezele, and Ginkatt too, my dear; for I am at work there. And then good-night, my poor King Georigetti; thou shalt be advised to fly, and I'll keep the throne warm for thee.—I don't see but King Barbarsa and Queen Yaccombourse sound much better than Georigetti. Well, my dear, whenever we come to sovereignty, which now cannot be long, if Nicor has but played his part well, for I have not had an account of his success yet; I say, when we come into power, never let us be above minding our own affairs, or suffer ourselves to be led by the nose, as this poor insignificant king does. For, in short, he may as well be a king of mats, as a king of flesh, if he will not use his faculties, but suffer me to make a fool of him thus; and I should be a fool indeed to neglect it, when he thinks it the greatest piece of service I can do him.
Yac. Come, come, my dear! let us enjoy ourselves like king and queen till we come to the dignity.
Finding a pause, the king, who had admirably kept his temper, even beyond imagination, stole into the outer room. "Peter," says he, "I thank you; you have shown me myself. What fools are we kings! In endeavouring to make others happy, how miserable do we make ourselves! How easily are we deceived by the designing flattery of those below us!—Ungrateful villain!—Degenerate strumpet!—I hate you both.—Peter," says he, "give me your sword; I'll destroy them both immediately."
"Hold, sir," says I, "your majesty has heard sufficient to found a true judgment upon; but kings should not be executioners, or act by passion or revenge; but as you would punish that in others, so carefully avoid it yourself. You who are in so exalted a station, as always to have it in your power to punish a known crime in individuals, have not that necessity to prompt you to a violent act that private persons have, to whom it may be difficult to obtain justice. Therefore my advice is, that you summon the colambs to-morrow, when Barbarsa and Nicor cannot fail to attend; and I would also desire Yaccombourse to be there, you having great proposals to make to the states which you shall want her to hear. I will in the meantime prepare the servants under Quilly, and order Maleck with another posse to attend, as by your command, to execute your orders given by me, and I myself will impeach those bad persons in public; and Nicor, if he will not ingenuously confess what commission he was charged with from Barbarsa, shall be put to the torture I direct, till he discovers it."
The king was very well pleased with this method; so I ordered Quilly, as from the king, to bring all my servants to the assembly, appointing him his place, and Maleck to select me fifty stout persons and to wait to execute my orders on a signal given. So soon as the assembly met, I told them, since I had concerned myself in their affairs, I had made it my business to search into the cause of their calamities; and finding some of the traitors were now approached, not only near to, but even into the capital city, his majesty had therefore ordered me to ask their advice, what punishment was adequate, in their judgments, to the crime of conspiring against him and the State, and holding treasonable correspondence with his enemies under the show of his greatest friends.
I stopped, and looked at Barbarsa; he turned as pale as ashes and was rising to speak, when the senior colamb declared, if any such thing could be made appear, the common punishment of Crash-doorpt was too trivial; but they deserved to be dropped alive either to hoximo or Mount Alkoe. The several colambs all declaring the same to be their judgment, and even those to be too mild for their deserts, I then stepped up to Barbarsa, who sat at the king's left hand, as did Yaccombourse at his right, and telling them and Nicor they were all prisoners of state, I delivered Barbarsa and Yaccombourse in custody to Quilly and his men, and Nicor to Maleck and his men, ordering them into separate apartments, with strict commands that neither should speak to the other upon pain of the last pronounced judgment.
Barbarsa would have spoke, and called out to the king, begging him not to desert so faithful a servant for the insinuations of so vile a man as Peter; but the king only told him the vile man could be made appear presently, and he hoped he would meet his deserts.
I then stood up and told the assembly the whole of what we heard, how it first came to be discovered, and that the king himself had been an ear-witness of it, which the king confirming, the whole assembly rang with confusion, and revenge and indignation appeared in every face.
I then proposed, as we yet knew not what that secret commission was which Nicor was charged with, having enough against the rest, that Nicor might be brought forth; and upon refusal to answer, be put to the torture.
Nicor appearing before the assembly, I told him I was commanded by the king to ask him what commission he was charged with by Barbarsa, and to whom. I told him the safest way for his life, his honour, and his country, was to make a true confession at first, or I had authority to put him to the torture; for, as for slitting and banishment, as they were too slight to atone for this offence, he might rest satisfied his would be of another sort, if he hesitated at delivering the thing in its full truth.
My prelude terrifying him, he openly confessed that his last commission was to several towns, as from the king, and with his gripsack, to order their submission to Harlokin, the king not being in any condition to relieve them; and that as soon as they had submitted, Harlokin would be let into this city, which could not stand against him.
He also declared that it had been agreed, and the boundaries settled, how far Barbarsa, who was to be declared king and marry Yaccombourse, should govern, and how far Harlokin; that Barbarsa was to be styled King of the East, and Harlokin King of the West; and that either of them, on the other's dying childless, was to inherit the whole monarchy.
The king declaring this to be all true, and that by my procurement he heard it all mentioned but the last night between Barbarsa and Yaccombourse as they were solacing themselves in bed, the whole assembly ordered them to be brought out, carried with cords about their necks, and precipitated into Mount Alkoe.
I then begged they might be suffered to speak for themselves before execution; and acquainting them severally with the evidence, I first asked Barbarsa what he had to say against his sentence. He declared his ambition, and the easiness of his master's temper, had instigated him to attempt what had been charged upon him; having, as he thought, a fair opportunity of so doing.—I then asked Yaccombourse the same question; she answered me, her ambition had been her sole governor from a child, and I had done my worst in preventing the progress of that; and whatever else I could do was not worth her notice; "But to have reigned," says she, with some emotion, "was worth the lives of millions, and overbalanced everything!"
I pleaded hard for Nicor, as I perceived him to be only the favourite's favourite, and not in the scrape for his own views, more than what he might merit from his new master; and as he had declared the truth, and I believed I might make further use of him, I obtained that he might be only committed to me, and that I might have liberty of pardoning or slitting as I saw fit; and, as I expected, he afterwards proved very useful to me and my designs, and I pardoned him.
Before the assembly rose, a party of the natives of Mount Alkoe were ordered to convey Yaccombourse and Barbarsa to the mountain, slip their graundees, and drop them there; and thus ended the lives of these two aspiring persons.
When I came home, I called Nicor before me. "You know," says I, "Nicor, you are obliged to me for this moment of your life; but I don't remind you of it for any return I want to myself; but as you are sensible my endeavours are to serve this State, I offer you life and freedom upon condition you employ your utmost diligence to repair your past conduct, by a free declaration of everything in your power that may be for the benefit of the kingdom, as you know the springs by which all these bad movements have been set at work; and I desire your opinion how best to counteract the schemes formed, and redress the evils."
Nicor being fully convinced of his error, and having lost his patron, was very submissive; and declared he believed none of the provinces would have gone over to Harlokin, unless they had thought it was the king's order Barbarsa had acted by, which, by bearing his gripsack, they made no doubt of. He advised to send expresses with the king's gripsack to such places as had lately submitted, and to such as were about it, to put a stop to them. I told him I had done that; "But not by the gripsack," says he, "and unless they see and hear that, they will give no credit to the message." He then gave me some particular hints in other affairs of no mean consequence; and seeing him truly under concern, and, to my thinking, sincere in what he said, I told him I was an absolute enemy to confinement, and if any person of repute would engage he should be forthcoming upon all occasions that I might have recourse to him, I would let him have his liberty.
Poor Nicor, as it commonly happens to great men in disgrace, finding himself abandoned by all his friends, after trying everybody, dropping some tears, told me next morning he was highly sensible of what a dye his offences had been, for that not one amongst all his former friends would even look upon him in his present circumstances, wherefore he must submit to fate.
Nicor having borne a good character before seduced by Barbarsa, and knowing that an obliged enemy often becomes the sincerest friend, I pressed him again to try his friends. He told me everybody was shy of engaging in such an affair; and that he had rather suffer himself, than meanly to entreat any one into an unwilling compliance.—"Come, Nicor," says I, "will you be your own security to me? May I take your own word?"—He said he could not expect that; for as the terror of slitting lay over him, and in my hands too, he could not answer but he might deceive me in case he should conceive I had a design against him; which I myself, too, might have from a mistaken motive.
"Why, then, Nicor," says I, "you are free; now use your own discretion. I think you will never cause my judgment to be impeached for what I have done; but if you do, I can't condemn myself for it, and hope I shall have no reason to repent it."
Nicor fell at my feet, embraced them, and was so overcome with my generosity to him, that I could with difficulty prevail on him to rise again; saying he was now more than ever ashamed to see my face. I told him I had not done with him, but would use him henceforth as my friend, and ordered him to call upon me daily, for I might have several occasions for him; and, truly, next to Nasgig, he proved the usefullest man in the kingdom.
Nasgig returns with the cannon—Peter informs him of the execution—Appoints him a guard—Settles the order of his march against Harlokin—Combat between Nasgig and the rebel general—The battle—Peter returning with Harlokids head, is met by a Sweecoan—A public festival—Slavery abolished.
THE tenth day Nasgig arrived, whilst I happened to be in the king's garden; and hearing the trumpet coming before, I called out to him to give Nasgig notice where I was, and to desire him to alight there.
After ceremonies past, and I had inquired after my wife and children, and his answers had informed me of their healths, "Well," says Nasgig, "my friend, am I to live or die?"—"Explain yourself," says I.—"Nay, I only mean," says he, "have you discovered me to the king?"—"Pardon me," says I, "dear Nasgig, I must own the truth, I have."—"Then," says he, "I suppose his majesty has no more commands for me?"—"No," says I, "it is not so bad as that neither."—"But, pray," says he, "what says Barbarsa to it?"—"Oh, nothing at all!" says I; "quite quiet."—"Nor Yaccombourse? Did you discover her baseness to the king?"—"Yes," says I, "and the king behaved like a king upon the occasion."—"And where are they now?" says he.—"Only in Mount Alkoe," says I.—"Mount Alkoe!" replies he, "what do you mean by that? How can they be in Mount Alkoe? Did they go of their own accords?"—"They fled off, I suppose, with ropes about their necks," says I, "as your criminals go to Crashdoorpt."—"Are they slit too?" says he.—"No," says I, "but slipt, I'll assure you. Come, my good friend, I'll let you into the history of it." And then I told all that had happened, and the king's satisfaction at the judgment of the moucheratt "And now," says I, "Nasgig, you may call yourself the favourite, I promise you, for his majesty enjoys himself but to greet you on your return: but have a care of power; most grow giddy with it, and the next thing to that is a fall."—"Pray," says he, "what is become of Nicor? Is he under the same condemnation?"—"No," says I, "Nicor is now by my means absolutely free, and no two greater than he and I." I told him then my proceedings with him; he was glad of it; for, he said, Nicor he believed was honest at bottom.
By this time up came the cannon; and truly had my countrymen but the graundee to convey their cannon at so easy an expense from place to place, the whole world would not stand before us. They brought me five cannon, and three swivel guns, and a larger quantity of ammunition than I had spoken for.
I introduced Nasgig to the king upon his return, as the person to whose conduct the safe arrival of my cannon was owing. His majesty embracing him, told him the service he had done him was so great in the affair of Barbarsa, and his management of it so prudent, he should from thenceforth take him into his peculiar confidence and esteem.
Nasgig thanked his majesty for his acceptance of that act of his duty, and desired to know when he pleased the operations for the campaign should begin.—"Ask my father," says the king; "do you conduct the war, and let him conduct you."
Then Nasgig desired to know what number of troops would be requisite. I asked him what number the enemy had; he said about thirty thousand.—"Then," says I, "take you six only, besides the bearers of me and the artillery; and pick me out fifty of the best men you have, as a guard for my person, and send them to me."
I showed these men my cutlasses and pistols, and showed them the use and management of them: "And," says I, "as our enemies fight with pikes, keep you at a distance first, and when you would assault, toss by the pike with your hand, and closing in, have at the graundee; and this edge" (showing them the sharpness of it) "will strip it down from shoulder to heel; you need strike but once for it, but be sure come near enough; or," says I, "if you find it difficult to turn aside the pike, give it one smart stroke with this; it will cut it in two, and then the point being gone, it will be useless."
"These instructions," says I, "if rightly observed, will make us conquerors."
The next thing was to settle the order of my march, which I did in the following manner; and, taking leave of the king, I set out.
First, ten companies of one hundred men, including officers, with each a gripsack, in ten double lines, fifty abreast.
Secondly, four hundred bearers of the cannon, with two hundred to the right, the like to the left, as relays.
Thirdly, two hundred men with the ammunition, stores, hatchets, and other implements.
Fourthly, fifty body-guards, in two lines.
Fifthly, myself, borne by eight, with twelve on the right, and as many on the left, for relays.
Sixthly, two thousand men in columns, on each side the cannon and me, fifty in a line, double lines.
Seventhly, one thousand men in the rear, fifty in a line, double lines.
I consulted with Nasgig how Harlokin's army lay, that I might avoid the revolted towns, rather choosing to take them in my return; for my design was to encounter Harlokin first, and I did not doubt, if I conquered him, but the towns would surrender of course.
When we arrived within a small flight of his army, I caused a halt at a proper place for my cannon, and having pitched them, which I did by several flat stones, one on another to a proper elevation, I loaded them, and also my small-arms, consisting of six muskets and three brace of pistols, and placing my army, two thousand just behind me, two thousand to my right, and the same number to my left, I gave a strict command for none of them to stir forwards without orders, which Nasgig, who stood just behind me, was to give. I then sent a defiance to Harlokin by a gripsack, who sent me word he fought for a kingdom, and would accept it; and, as I heard afterwards, he was glad I did, for since the intelligence I had scattered in his army, they had in great numbers deserted him, and he was afraid it would have proved general. I then putting the end of a match into a pistol-pan with a little powder, by flashing lighted it; and this I put under my chair, for I sat in that, with my muskets three on each side, a pistol in my right hand, and five more in my girdle. In this manner I waited Harlokin's coming, and in about an hour we saw the van of his army, consisting of about five thousand men, who flew in five layers, one over another. I had not loaded my cannon with ball, but small-sized stones, about sixty in each; and seeing the length of their line, I spread my cannons' mouths somewhat wider than their breeches, and then taking my observation by a bright star, for there was a clear dawn all round the horizon, I observed, as I retired to my chair, how that star answered to the elevation of my cannon; and when the foremost ranks, who, not seeing my men stir, were approaching almost over me, to fall on them, and had come to my pitch, I fired two pieces of my ordnance at once, and so mauled them, that there dropped about ninety upon the first discharge, together with their commander; the rest being in flight and so close together, not being able to turn fast enough to fly, being stopped by those behind them, not only hindered those behind from turning about, but clogged up their own passage. Seeing them in such a prodigious cluster, I so successfully fired two more pieces, that I brought down double the number of the first shot; and then giving the word to fall on, my cutlass-guard and the pikemen did prodigious execution. But fearing the main body should advance before we had got in order again, I commanded them to fall back to their former stations, and to let the remainder of the enemy go off.
This did me more good in the event than if I had killed twice as many; for they not only never returned themselves, but flying some to the right, some to the left, and passing by the two wings of their own army, consisting of six thousand men each, they severally reported that they were all that was left of the whole van of the army; and that the prediction would certainly be fulfilled, for that their companions had died by fire and smoke. This report struck such terror into each wing, that every one shifted for himself, and never appeared more.
The main battle, consisting of about ten thousand men, knowing nothing of what had happened to the wings—for Harlokin had ordered the wings to take a great compass round to enclose us—hearing we were but a handful, advanced boldly; and as I had ordered my men not to mount too high, the enemy sunk to their pitch. When they came near, I asked Nasgig who led them; if it was Harlokin. He told me no, his general, but that he was behind; and Nasgig begging me to let him try his skill with the general, I consented, they not being yet come to the pitch of my cannon. Nasgig immediately took the graundee, and advancing singly with one of my cutlasses in his hand, challenged the general in single combat. He, like a man of honour, accepting it, ordered a halt, and to it they went, each emulous of glory, and of taking all the advantage he could, so that they suddenly did not strike or push; but sometimes one, then the other was uppermost, and whirling expeditiously round, met almost breast to breast; when the general, who had not a pike, but a pikestaff headed with a large stone, gave Nasgig such a stroke on his head that he reeled, and sunk considerably, and I began to be in pain for him, the general lowering after him. But Nasgig springing forward beneath him, and rising light as air behind the general, had gained his height again before the general could turn about to discern him, and then plunging forward, and receiving a stroke across his left arm, at the same time he gave the general such a blow near the outside of the shoulder as slit the graundee almost down to his hip, and took away part of the flesh of the left arm, upon which the general fell fluttering down in vast pain very near me; but not before Nasgig, in his fall, descending, had taken another severe cut at him.
Immediately upon this defeat Nasgig again took his place behind me, our army shouting to the skies; but no sooner had the general dropped, but on came Harlokin, with majesty and terror mixed in his looks, and seeming to disdain the air he rode on, waved his men to the attack with his hand. When he came near enough to hear me, I called him vile traitor, to oppose the army of his lawful sovereign, telling him, if he would submit, he should be received to mercy. "Base creeping insect," says Harlokin, "if thou hast aught to say to me worth hearing, meet me in the air! This hand shall show thee soon who'll most want mercy; and though I scorn to stoop to thee myself, this messenger shall satisfy the world thou art an impostor, and send thee back lifeless to the fond king that sent thee hither." With that he hurled a javelin pointed with flint, sharp as a needle, at me; but I avoiding it, "This, then," says I, "if words will not do, shall justify the truth of our prediction." And then levelling a musket at him, I shot him through the very heart, that he fell dead within twenty paces of me. But perceiving another to take his room, notwithstanding the confusion my musket made amongst them, I ran to my match, and giving fire to two more pieces of ordnance at the same time, they fell so thick about me, that I had enough to do to escape being crushed to death by them; and the living remainder separating, fled quite away, and put an end to the war. I waited in the field three days, to see if they would make head again; but they were so far from it, that before I could return, as I found afterwards, most of the revolting provinces had sent their deputies, who themselves carried the first news of the defeat, to beg to be received into mercy; all of whom were detained there till my return with Harlokin's head.
At my return to Brandleguarp I was met by the king, the colambs, and almost the whole body of the people; every man, woman, and child, with two sweecoe lights in their hands, which unusual sight in the air gave me great alarm, till I inquired of Nasgig what it meant, who told me it must certainly be a sweecoan, or he knew not what it was. I asking again what he meant by that, he told me it was a particular method of rejoicing he had heard of, but never seen; wherein, if the king goes in triumph, all the people of Brandleguarp, from fifteen to sixty, are obliged to attend him with sweecoes. He said it was reported amongst them that in Begsurbeck's time there were two of them, but there had been none since.
When we met them, I perceived they had opened into two lines or ranks of a prodigious length; at the farther end of which was the king, with innumerable lights about him, the whole looking like a prodigious avenue or vista of lights, bounded at the farther end, where the king was, with a pyramid light. This had the most solemn and magnificent effect on the eye that anything of light could possibly have; but as we passed through the ranks, each of the spectators having two lights, one was given to each soldier of the whole army. And then to look backward, as well as forward, the beauty of the scene was inexpressible. We marched all the way amidst the shouts of people, and the sounds of the gripsacks, going very slowly between the ranks; and at length arriving at the pyramid where the king was, I heard abundance of sweet voices, chanting my actions in triumphal songs; but I could take little notice of these, or of my son with his flageolet amongst them, for the extravagant appearance of the pyramid, which seemed to reach the very sky. For, first, there was a long line of a full half-mile, which hovered at even height with the two side ranks; in the centre of that, and over it, was the king single; over him another line, shorter than the first, and again over that, shorter and shorter lines; till, at a prodigious height, it ended in one single light *These all hovering, kept their stations; while the king darted a little space forward to meet me, and congratulate my success; then turning and preceding me, the whole pyramid turned, and marched before us, singing all the way to the city, the pyramid changing several times into divers forms, as into squares, half-moons, with the horns sometimes erect and again reversed, and various other figures. And yet amongst this infinite number of globes there was not the least glaring or offensive light, but only what was agreeable to the people themselves. As the rear of the army entered the lines, they closed upon it, and followed us into Brandleguarp. While we passed the city to the palace, the whole body of people kept hovering till the king and myself were alighted, and then every one alighted where he best could. All the streets and avenues to the palace were blocked up with people, crowding to receive the king's beneficence; for he had proclaimed a feast and open housekeeping to the people for six days. The king, the colambs, ragans, and great officers of state, with myself, had a magnificent entertainment prepared us in Begsurbeck's great room; and his majesty, after supper, being very impatient to know how the battle went, I told him the only valorous exploit was performed by my friend Nasgig, who opened the way to victory by the slaughter of Harlokin's general. Nasgig then rose, desiring only that so much might be attributed to him as fortune had accidentally thrown into his scale; for it might have been equally his fate as the general's to have fallen. "But except that skirmish," says he, "and some flying cuts at the van, we have had no engagement at all, nor have we lost a single man; Peter only sitting in his chair, and commanding victory. He spake aloud but thrice, and whispered once to them, but so powerfully that, having at the two first words laid above three hundred of the enemy at their lengths, and brought Harlokin to his feet, with a whisper, at the third word he concluded the war. The whole time, from the first sight of the enemy to their total defeat, took not up more space than one might fairly spend in traversing his majesty's garden. In short, sir," says Nasgig, "your majesty needs no other defence against public or private enemies, as I can see, than Peter; and my profession, whilst he is with us, can be of little use to the State."
After these compliments from Nasgig, and separate ones from the king and the rest, I told them it was the highest felicity to me to be made an instrument by the great Collwar in freeing so mighty a kingdom and considerable a people from the misery of a tyrannical power. "You live," says I, "so happily under the mild government of Georigetti, that it is shocking but to think into what a distressed state you must have fallen under the power of a usurper, who, claiming all as his own by way of conquest, would have reduced you to a miserable servitude. But," says I, "there is, and I am sorry to see it, still amongst you an evil that you great ones feel not, and yet it cries for redress. Are we not all, from the king to the meanest wretch amongst us, formed with the same members? Do we not all breathe the same air? inhabit the same earth? Are we not all subject to the same disorders? and do we not all feel pain and oppression alike? Have we not all the same senses, the same faculties? and, in short, are we not all equally creatures of, and servants to, the same master, the great Collwar? Would not the king have been a slave but for the accident of being begotten by one who was a king? and would not the poorest creature amongst us have been the king had he been so begotten? Did you great men, by any superior merit before your births, procure a title to the high stations in which you are placed? No, you did not. Therefore give me leave to tell you what I would have done. As every man has equal right to the protection of Collwar, why, when you have no enemy to distress you, will you distress one another? Consider, you great ones, and act upon this disinterested principle; do to another, what you, in his place, would have him do to you; dismiss your slaves, let all men be what Collwar made them, free. But if this unequal distinction amongst you, of man and man, is still retained, though you are at present free from the late disaster, it shall be succeeded with more, and heavier. And now, that you may know I would not have every man a lord, nor every one a beggar, remember I would only have every serving-man at liberty to choose his own master, and every master his own man; for he that has property and benefits to bestow will never want dependants, for the sake of those benefits to serve him, as he that has them not must serve for the sake of obtaining them. But then let it be done with free-will; he that then serves you will have an interest in it, and do it, for his own sake, with a willing mind; and you, who are served, will be tenderer and kinder to a good servant, as knowing by a contrary usage you shall lose him. I desire this may now be declared to be so, or your reasons, if any there are, against it."
One of the ragans said he thought I spoke what was very just, and would be highly acceptable to Collwar.
Then two of the colambs rose to speak together, and after a short compliment who should begin, they both declared they only arose to testify their consents.
The king referring it to me, and the colambs consenting, I ordered freedom to be proclaimed through the city; so that every one appeared at their usual duties, to serve their own masters for a month, and then to be at liberty to come to a fresh agreement with them, or who else they pleased.
"This, sir," says I to the king, "will now be a day of joy indeed to those poor hearts who would have been in no fear of losing before, let who would have reigned; for can any man believe a slave cares who is uppermost? he is but a slave still. But now," says I, "those who were so before may by industry gain property; and then their own interest engages them to defend the State.
"There is but one thing more I will trouble you with now—and that," says I to the ragans, "is, that we all meet at the mouch to-morrow, to render Collwar thanks for the late, and implore future favour." And this passed without any contradiction.
When we met, the poor ragans were at a great loss for want of their image, not knowing what to do or say; for their practice had been to prostrate themselves on the ground, making several odd gestures; but whether they prayed, or only seemed to do so, no one knew.
While the people were gathering, I called to a ragan, seeing him out of character. "Suppose," said I "(for I see you want your image), you and your brethren had received a favour of the king, and you was deputed by them to thank him, you would scarce be at a loss to express your gratitude to him, and tell him how highly you all esteemed his benefits, hoping you should retain a just sense of them, and behave yourselves as dutiful subjects for the future, and then desire him to keep you still in his protection. And this," says I, "as you believe in such a Being as Collwar, who understands what you say, you may with equal courage do to Him, keeping but your mind intent upon Him, as if you saw Him present."—"Indeed," says he, "I believe you are right, we may so; but it is a new thing, and you must excuse us if we do it not so well at first."
I found I had a very apt scholar, for after he had begun, he made a most extraordinary prayer in regular order, the people standing very attentive. It was not long, but he justly observed the points I hinted to him.
When he had done, another and another went on, till we had heard ten of them, and in every one something new, and very à propos; and several of them afterwards confessed they never had the like satisfaction in their lives, for they had new hearts and new thoughts, they said.
We spent the sixth-day feast in every gaiety imaginable, and especially of dancing, of which they were very fond in their way; but it was not so agreeable to me as my own country way, there being too much antic in it. New deputies daily arrived from the revolted towns, and several little republics, not claimed by Georigetti before, begged to be taken under his protection; so that in one week the king saw himself not only released from the dread of being driven from his throne, but courted by some, submitted to by others, and almost at the summit of glory a sovereign can attain to.
A visitation of the revolted provinces proposed by Peter—His new name of the country received—Religion settled in the west—Slavery abolished there—Lasmeel returns with Peter—Peter teaches him letters—The king surprised at written correspondence—Peter describes the make of a beast to the king.
THE festival being over, the colambs begged leave to depart; but the king, who now did nothing without me, consulted with me if it was yet proper. I told him, as things had so long been in confusion in the west, that though the provinces had made their submission, yet the necessity of their circumstances, and the general terror, might have caused them only to dissemble till their affairs were composed again, and that as it was more than probable some relations of the deceased Harlokin, or other popular person, might engage them in another revolt, I thought it would not be improper to advise with his colambs about the establishment of the present tranquillity, and not by too great a security, give way to future commotions; and as all the colambs were then present, it might be proper to summon them once more.
When they were met, the king declared the more particular satisfaction he took in that meeting than he had heretofore done, when they had been put to it for means to secure their lives and properties: "For now," says he, "our deliberations must turn upon securing our new acquisitions, and on settling those provinces which, till now, have never fallen under my power. But," says he, "I shall refer it to Peter to propose to you what at present seems most necessary for you to consider of; and that adjusted, shall dismiss you."
I told them that as the too sudden healing of wounds in the body natural, before the bottom was clean and uncorrupt, made them liable to break out again with greater malignity, so wounds in the body political, if skinned over only, without probing and cleansing the source and spring from whence they arose, would rankle and fret within till a proper opportunity, and then burst forth again with redoubled violence. I would therefore propose a visitation of the several provinces; an inquiry into their conduct; an examination into the lives and principles of the colambs, the inferior officers, and magistrates; and either to retain the old, or appoint new, as there should be occasion. This visitation I would have performed by his majesty—"and so many of you, the honourable colambs," says I, "as he shall see fit should attend him in royal state, that his new subjects may see his majesty, and hear his most gracious words; and being sensible of his good disposition towards them, may be won, by his equity and justice, to a zealous submission to his government, which nothing but the perception of their own senses can establish in the heart This, I don't doubt, will answer the end I propose, and consolidate the peace and happiness of Norm—Normns—I must say Doorpt Swangeanti."
Hearing me hesitate at the word Normndbsgrsutt, and call it Doorpt Swangeanti, the whole assembly rang with Doorpt Swangeanti! and, at last, came to a resolution that the west being now again united to the east, the whole dominions should be called Sass Doorpt Swangeanti, or the Great Flight Land.
They approved the visitation, and all offered to go with the king, but insisted I should be of the party, which agreeing to do, I chose me out two of the most knowing ragans to teach the new religion amongst them, for in every project I had my view to advance religion.
Some were for having the deputies released, and despatched with notice of the king's intentions; but I objecting that they might disrelish their confinement, and possibly raise reports prejudicial to our proceedings, it was thought better to take them with us, and go ourselves as soon as possible.
We set out with a prodigious retinue, first to the right, in order to sweep round the whole country, and take all the towns in our way, and occasionally enter the middle parts, as the towns lay commodious.
We were met by the magistrates and chief officers of each district, at some distance from each city, with strings about their necks, and the crashee instrument borne before them in much humility. His majesty said but little to them on the way, but ordered them to precede him to the city, and conduct him to the colamb's house; when he was commanded to surrender his employment to his majesty, as did all the other officers who held posts under him. Then an examination was taken of their lives, characters, and behaviour in their stations; and finding most of them had behaved well to the government they had lived under (for their plea was, they had found things under a usurpation, and being so, that government was natural to them, having singly no power to alter it); upon their perfect submission to the king, and solemn engagement to advance and maintain his right, they received their commissions anew from his majesty's own mouth. But where any one had been cruel or oppressive to the subjects, or committed any notorious crime, or breach of trust (for the meanest persons had liberty to complain), he was rejected, and for the most part sent to Crashdoorpt, to prevent the ill effects of his disgrace.
We having displaced but five colambs and a few inferior officers, the moderation and justice of our proceedings gave the utmost satisfaction both to the magistrates and people.
Having observed at Brandleguarp abundance of the small images my wife had spoken of, and thinking this a proper opportunity to show my resentment against them, I ordered several of the ragans of the west before me, and asked what small images they had amongst them. One, who spoke for the rest, told me, very few, he believed; for he had scarce had any brought to him to be blessed. "Where," says I, "is your Great Image?" He told me, "At Youk."—"And have not the people here many small ones?"—"Very few," says he; "for they have not been forced upon us long."—"How forced upon you!" says I; "don't the people worship them?"—"A small number now do," says he.—"Pray speak out," says I. "When might you not worship them?"—"Never, that I know of," says he, "in our state, till about ten years ago, when Harlokin obliged us to it."—"What! did you worship them before?" says I.—"No," says he, "never since it has been a separate kingdom; for we would follow the old ragan's advice of worshipping Collwar, which they not admitting of, the State was divided between us who would and them who would not come into the ragan's doctrine: and though Harlokin was a zealous image-worshipper, yet all he could do would not bring the people heartily into it, for Collwar never wanted a greater majority." This pleased me prodigiously, being what was never hinted to me before; and I resolved not to let my scheme be a loser by it.
As we were to visit Youk in about eight days, I summoned the ragans and people to meet at the mouch; there recounting the great things done by Collwar in all nations. "This I could make appear," says I, "by many examples; but as you have one even at your own towns, I need go no farther.
"I must begin in ancient times, when, I presume, you all worshipped an idol; have you any tradition before this?"—They said, "No."—"This image," says I, "was worshipped in Begsurbeck's days, when an old ragan, whose mind Collwar had enlightened with the truth, would have withdrawn your reverence from the image to the original Collwar himself; you would not consent: he threatens you, but promises success to Begsurbeck, who did consent; and he had it to an old age. Then those who would also consent, were so far encouraged as to be able to form an independent kingdom. Could nobody yet see the cause? was it not apparent Collwar was angry with the east, that would not follow the old ragan, and cherished the west, who would?
"But, to be short, let us apply the present instance, and sure it will convince us who is right, who wrong.
"So long as the west followed Collwar, they flourished, and the east declined; but no sooner had the west degenerated under the command of Harlokin, and the east by my means had embraced Collwar, but the tables were turned: the east is found weighty, and the west kicks the beam. These things whoso sees not, is blind indeed: therefore let publication be made for the destruction of all small images, and let the harbourers of them, contrary to this order, be slit; and for myself, I will destroy this mother-monster. Take you, holy ragans, care to destroy the brood." And having said this, I hacked the new idol to pieces.
I ordered proclamation for abolishing slavery, under the restrictions used at Brandleguarp: and thus having composed the west, and given a general satisfaction, we returned, almost the whole west accompanying us, till the east received us; and never was so happy a union, or more present to testify it, since the creation, I believe.
I ordered several of the principal men's sons to court, in order for employments, and to furnish our future colambs; and this I did, as knowing each country would rather approve of a member of their own body for their head than a stranger; and, in my opinion, it is the most natural union. And then breeding them under the eye of the king eight or ten years, or more, they are, as it were, naturalised to him too, and in better capacity to serve both king and country.
As my head was constantly at work for the good of this people, I turned the most trifling incidents into some use or other; and made the narrowest prospects extend to the vastest distances. I shall here instance in one only. There was at Youk a private man's son, whom by mere accident I happened to ask some slight question of; and he giving me, with a profound respect and graceful assurance, a most pertinent answer; that, and the manner of its delivery, gave me a pleasure, which upon farther discourse with him, was, contrary to custom, very much increased; for I found in him an extensive genius, and a desire for my conversation. I desired his father to put him under my care, which the old man, as I was then in so great repute, readily agreed to; and his son desiring nothing more, I took him with me to Brandleguarp. I soon procured him a pretty post but of small duty, for I had purposed other employment for him, but of sufficient significancy to procure him respect. I took great delight in talking with him on different subjects, and observed by his questions upon them, which often puzzled me, or his answers to them, he had a most pregnant fancy and surprising solidity, joined to a continual and unwearied application. I frequently mentioning books, writing, and letters to him, and telling him what great things might be attained that way, his inquisitive temper, and the schemes he had formed thereon, put me upon thinking of several things I should never have hit upon without him. I considered all the ways I could contrive to teach him letters; and letting him into my design, he asked me how I did to make a letter. I described a pen to him, and told him I put a black liquor into it, and as I drew that along upon a flat white thing we made use of, called paper, it would make marks which way ever I drew it, into what shape I pleased. "Why then," says he, "anything that will make a mark upon another thing as I please, will do."—"True," says I, "but what shall we get that will make a black mark?"—We were entering further into this debate; but the king sending for me, I left him unsatisfied. I stayed late with the king that night, so did not see Lasmeel (for that was his name) till next night, wondering what was become of him. I asked him then where he had been all the day. He told me he had been looking for a pen and paper. I laughed, and asked him if he had found them.—"Yes," says he, "or something that will do as well:" so he opened one side of his graundee, and showed me a large flat leaf, smooth and pulpy, very long and wide, and about a quarter of an inch thick, almost like an Indian fig-leaf.—"And what am I to do with this?" says I.—"To mark it," says he, "and see where you mark."—"With what?" says I.—"With this," says he, putting his hand again into his graundee, and taking out three or four strong sharp prickles. I looked at them both; and clapping him on the head, "Lasmeel," says I, "if you and I were in England, you should be made a privy-councillor."—"What! won't it do, then?" says he.—I told him we would try.—"I thought," says he, "it would have done very well; for I marked one all about, and though I could not see much at first, by that time I had made an end, that I did first was quite of a different colour from the leaf, and I could see it as plain as could be." I told him as he was of an age to comprehend what I meant, I would take another method with him than with a child; so I reasoned from sentences backwards to words, and from them to syllables, and so on to letters. I then made one, the vowel A, told him its sound, and added a consonant to it, and told him that part of the sound of each distinct letter put together, as the two letters themselves were, made another sound, which I called a syllable; and that joining two or more of them together made a word, by putting the same letters together as made the sounds of those syllables which made that word. Then setting him a copy of letters, which with very little difficulty were to be drawn upon the leaf, and telling him their sounds, I left him to himself; and when he had done, though I named them but twice over, his memory was so strong as to retain the sounds, as he called them, of every one but F, L, and Q.
In two months' time I made him master of anything I wrote to him; and as he delighted in it, he wrote a great deal himself, so that we kept an epistolary correspondence, and he would set down all the common occurrences of the day, as what he heard and saw, with his remarks on divers things.
One day, as the king and I were walking in the gardens, and talking of the customs of my country, and about our wars, telling him how our soldiers fought on horseback, the king could not conceive what I meant by a horse. I told him my wife had said there were neither beasts nor fishes in the country; which I was very much surprised at, considering how we abounded with both: "And therefore," says I, "to tell your majesty that a horse is a creature with four legs, you must naturally believe it to be somewhat like a man with four legs."—"Why, truly," says he, "I believe it is; but has it the graundee?" I could not forbear smiling, even at his majesty, and wanted to find some similitude to compare it to, to carry the king's mind that way; for else he would sooner, I thought, conceive it like a tree or a mountain than what it really was; and as I was musing, it came into my head I had given Lasmeel a small print of a horse, which I found in one of the captain's pockets at Graundevolet, and believing it to be the stamp of a tobacco-paper, had kept it to please the children with; so I told the king I believed I could show him the figure of a horse. He told me it would much oblige him.
Seeing several of the guards waiting at the garden arch, I looked, and at last found one of Lasmeel's leaves in the garden, and cutting one of them up with my knife, I took the point of that, and wrote to Lasmeel to send me by the bearer the picture of a horse I gave him, that I might show it the king. And calling one of the guards, "Carry that to Lasmeel," says I; "he is, I believe, in my apartment, and bring me an answer directly." Then falling into discourse again with the king, and presently turning at the end of the walk, I saw the same guard again. Says I "You cannot have brought me an answer already."—"You have not told me," says he, "what to bring you an answer to."—"Nor shall I," says I; "do as you are bid;" for I perceived then what the fellow stuck at. He walked off with the leaf, but very discontentedly. The king said he wondered how I could act such a contradiction. "This, father," says he, "is not what I expected from you; to order a man to bring an answer without giving him a message." I desired his patience only till the man came back. Presently says the king, "Here he comes!—Well," says he, "what answer?"—"Sir," says the fellow, "I have only had the walk for my pains: for he sent it back again, and a little white thing with it."—"Ha, ha!" says the king, "I thought so.—Come, father, own you have once been in the wrong; for I am sure you intended to give him a message, but having forgot it, would not submit to be told of your mistake by a guard." I looked very grave, reading what Lasmeel had wrote; which was to tell me he had obeyed my orders by sending the horse, for he was just then drawing it out upon a leaf.
"Come, come," says the king, "give the man his message, father, and let him go again."—"Sir," says I, "there is no need of that, he has punctually obeyed me; and Lasmeel was then at the table in my oval chamber with a leaf, and this picture in my hand, before him."
The king was ready to sink when I said so, and showed the print. "Truly, father," says he, "I have been to blame to question you; for though these things are above my comprehension, I am not to think anything beyond your skill." I made no reply to it; but showing the king the picture, the guard sneaked off; and glad he was, I believe, he could do so.
I went then upon the explanation of my horse, and answering fifty questions about him, at last he asked what his inside was: "Exactly the same as your majesty's," said I.—"And can he eat and breathe too?" says he.—"Just as you can," says I.—"Well," says he, "I would never have believed there had been such a creature: what would I give for one of them!"—I set forth the divers other uses we put them to, besides the wars; and by the picture, with some supposed alterations, I described a cow, a sheep, and numberless other quadrupeds; my account of which gave him great pleasure.
Peter sends for his family—A rising of former slaves on that account—Takes a view of the city—Description of it, and of the country—Hot and cold springs.
HAVING now some leisure time on my hands to consider over my own affairs, I had thoughts of transporting my family, with all my effects, to Sass Doorpt Swangeanti, but yet had no mind to relinquish all thought of my ship and cargo; for the greatest part of this was still remaining, I having had but the pickings through the gulf. I once had a mind to have gone myself; but considering the immense distance over sea, though I had once come safe, I thought I ought not to tempt Providence, where my presence was not absolutely necessary.
Nasgig, to whose care and conduct any enterprise might be trusted, offered his service to go and execute any commands I should give him. His only difficulty, he said, was that it would be impossible for him to remember the different names of many things, which he had no idea of, to convey the knowledge of them to his mind when he saw them; but barring that, he doubted not to give me satisfaction. I told him I would send an assistant with him, who could remember whatever I once told him; and that I might not burden his memory with names only, Lasmeel should carry his memory with him, and that he, Nasgig, should only have the executive part.
Lasmeel, who had sat waiting an opportunity to put in for a share in the adventure, having a longing desire to see the ship, told Nasgig he had a peculiar art of memory, so as to remember whatever he would as long as he pleased, and that if he carried that with him, they need fear no mistakes.
The king having granted me as many of his guards as I pleased, for the carriage of my things, we appointed them to be ready on the fourth day; when Nasgig and Lasmeel set out with them.
I ordered Lasmeel, however, to be with me the next morning, that we might set down proper instructions; which I told him would be very long, and that he must bring a good number of leaves with him.
When Lasmeel entered my chamber next morning, he informed me that the whole city was in an uproar, especially those who had been freed by me. "What!" says I, "have they so soon forgot their subjection, to misapply their liberty already? But step and bring me word what's the matter, and order some of the ringleaders hither to me." Lasmeel upon inquiry found that it had been given out I was going to leave the country, and they all said, wherever I went they were determined to go and settle with me; for if I left them, they should be reduced to slavery again. However, he brought some of them to me, and upon my telling them I thanked them for their affection to me, but blamed them for showing it in so tumultuous a manner, and that I was so far from intending to leave them, that I was sending for my family and effects in order to settle amongst them, they rejoiced very much, and told me they would carry the good news to their companions, and disperse immediately. But I was now in more perplexity than before, for they having signified my designs to the rest, they rushed into the gallery in such numbers that they forced me up to my very chamber. I told them this was an unprecedented manner of using a person they pretended a kindness for; and told them if they made use of such risings to express their gratitude to me, it would be the direct means to oblige me to leave them: "For," says I, "do you think I can be safe in a kingdom where greater deference is paid to me than to the crown?" They begged my pardon, they said, and would obey me in anything; but the present trouble was only to offer their services to fetch my family and goods, or to do anything else I should want them for; and if I would favour them in that, they would retire directly. I told them when I had considered of it they should hear from me; and this again quieted them.
This disturbance not only took up much of my time, which I could have better employed, but put me to a non-plus how to come off with them; till I sent Maleck to tell them though I set a great value upon their esteem, yet after what had passed, it would be the most unadvisable thing in nature for me to accept their kindness; for having before requested a body of men of the king, as he had graciously granted them, it would be preferring them to the king, should I now relinquish his grant and make use of their offer; and after this I heard no more of it.
I had scarce met with a more difficult task than to fix exact rules for the conduct of my present undertaking, there being so many things to be expressed, wherein the least perplexity arising, might have caused both delay and damage; for I was not only forced to set down the things I would have brought, but the manner and method of packing and securing them; but as Lasmeel could read my writing to Pedro at home, and Youwarkee on board, it would be a means, though far from an expeditious one, of bringing matters into some order; and after I had done as I thought, I could have enumerated many more things, and was obliged to add an et cætera to the end of my catalogue; and while they were ready for flight, I added divers other particulars and circumstances. Nay, when they were even upon the graundee, I recollected the most material thing of all; for my greatest concern was, having broke up so many of my chests, to find package for the things; I say, even so late as that, I bethought me of the several great water-casks I had on board, that would hold an infinite number of small things, and would be slung easily; so I stopped them and set down that, and they were no sooner out of sight and hearing, but remembering twenty more, I was then forced to trust them to my et cætera.
I had sent my own flying-chair to bring the boys who had not the graundee, with orders for Pedro to sit tied in the chair, with Dicky tied in his arms; Jemmy to sit tied to the board before the chair, and David behind: so I hoped they would come safe enough; and then my wife and Sally were able to help themselves.
Having despatched my caravan, and being all alone, I called Quilly the next morning, and telling him I had thoughts of viewing the country, I bade him prepare to go with me.
I had now been here above six months, and yet upon coming to walk gravely about the city, I found myself as much a stranger to the knowledge of the place as if that had been the first day of my arrival, though I had been over it several times in my chair.
This city is not only one of, but actually the most curious piece of work in the world, and consists of one immense entire stone of a considerable height, and it may be seven miles in length, and near as broad as it is long. The streets and habitable part of it are scooped, as it were, out of the solid stone, to the level with the rest of the country, very flat and smooth at bottom, the rock rising perpendicular from the streets on each side.
The figure of the city is a direct square; each side about six miles long, with a large open circle in the centre of the square, about a mile in diameter, and from each of the sides of the outer streets to the opposite side runs another street, cutting the centre of the circle as in the figure.
Along the whole face of the rock, bounding the streets and the circle, there are archways; those in the circle, and the four cross streets, for the gentry and better people; and those in the outer streets, for the meaner; and it is as easy to know as by a sign where a great man lives, by the grandeur of his entrance, and lavish distribution of the pillars, carving, and statues about his portico, within and without: for as they have no doors, you may look in, and are not forbid entrance; and though it should look odd to an English reader, that an Englishman should speak with pleasure of a land of darkness, as that almost was, yet I am satisfied whoever shall see it after me will be persuaded, that for the real grandeur of their entrances, and for the magnificence of the apartments and sculpture, no part of the universe can produce the like; and though within doors there is no other manner of light than the sweecoes, yet that, when you are once used to it, is so agreeable and free from all noisome savour, that I never once regretted the loss of the sun within doors, though I often have when abroad; but then that would be injurious to the proper inhabitants, though they can no more see in total darkness than myself.
I have been over some of these private houses, which contain, it may be, thirty rooms, great and small, some higher, some lower, full of sweecoe-lights, and extremely well proportioned and beautiful.
The king's palace, with all the apartments, stands in, and takes up, one full fourth part of the square of the whole city; and is, indeed, of itself a perfect city.
There is no great man's house without one or more long galleries for the ladies to divert themselves at divers sports in, particularly at one like our bowls on a bowling-green, and at somewhat like nine-holes, at which they play for wines, and drink a great deal, for none of them will intoxicate.
In my walk and survey of the city, one of the colambs being making a house to reside in when at Brandleguarp, I had the curiosity to go in. I saw there abundance of botts stand filled with a greenish liquor, and asked Quilly what that was. He said it was what the stone-men used in making houses. I proceeded farther in, where I saw several men at work, and stayed a good while to observe them. Each man had a bott of this liquor in his left hand, and stood before a large bank of stone, it may be 30 feet high, reaching forward up to the ceiling of the place, and ascending by steps from bottom to top; the workmen standing some on one step, some on another, pouring on this liquor with their left hands, and with their right holding a wooden tool, shaped like a little spade. I observed wherever they poured on this water, a smoke arose for a little space of time, and then the place turned white, which was scraped off like fine powder with the spade-handle; and then pouring new liquor, he scraped again, working all the while by sweecoe-lights.
Having my watch in my pocket, I measured a spot of a yard long, about a foot high, and a foot and a half on the upper flat, to see how long he would be fetching down that piece; and he got it away in little above two hours. By this means I came to know how they made their houses; for I had neither seen any tool I thought proper, nor even iron itself, except my own, since I came into the country. Upon inquiry, I found that the scrapings of this stone, and a portion of common earth, mixed with a water they have, will cement like plaster; and they use it in the small ornamental work of their buildings. I then went farther into this house, where I saw one making the figure of a glumm by the same method; but it standing upright in the solid rock against the wall, the workman held his liquor in an open shell, and dipping such stuff as my bed was made of, bound up in short rolls, some larger, some less, into the liquor, he touched the figure, and then scraped till he had reduced it into a perfect piece.
It is impossible to imagine how this work rids away; for in ten months' time after I saw it, this house was completed, having a great number of fine, large, and lofty rooms in it, exquisitely carved to all appearance.
My wonder ceased as to the palace, when I saw how easily this work was done; but sure there is no other such room in the world as Begsurbeck's, that I described above.
The palace, as I said before, taking up one quarter of the city, opens into four streets by four different arches; and before one of the sides, which I call the front, is a large triangle, formed by the entrance out of one of the cross streets, and the two ends of the front of the palace. Along the lower front of it, all the way runs a piazza of considerable height, supported by vast round columns, which seemed to bear up the whole front of the rock, over which was a gallery of equal length, with balustrades along it, supported with pillars of a yet finer make, and over that a pediment with divers figures, and other work, to the top of the rock, which being there quite even for its whole length, was enclosed with balustrades between pedestals all the way, on which stood the statues of their ancient kings, so large as to appear equal to the life. The other two sides of the triangle were dwellings for divers officers belonging to the palace. Under the middle arch of the piazza was the way into the palace, through a long, spacious arched passage, whose farther end opened into a large square; on each side of this passage were large staircases, if I may so call them, by which you ascend gradually, and without steps, into the upper apartments.
The next morning we took another walk, for I told Quilly I had a mind to take a prospect of the country. We then went out at the back arch of the palace, as we had the day before at one of the sides, there being a like passage through the rock from that we went out at, to an opposite arch leading into the garden. I say, we went out at the back arch, and after passing a large quadrangle with lodgings all round it, we ascended through a cut in the rock to a large flat, where we plainly saw the Black Mountain with its top in the very sky, the sides of which afforded numberless trees, though the ground within view afforded very little verdure, or even shrubs. But the most beautiful sight from the rock was to see the people come home loaded from the mountain, and from the woods, with, it may be, forty pound weight each on their backs; and mounting over the rock, to see them dart along the streets to their several dwellings, over the heads of thousands of others walking in all parts of the streets, while others were flying other ways. It was very pleasant to see a man walking gravely in one street, and as quick as thought to see him over the rock, settled in another, perhaps two miles distant.
The near view of the country seeming so barren, naturally led me to ask Quilly from whence they got provision for so many people as the city contained, which, to be sure, could not be less than three hundred thousand. He told me that they had nothing but what came from the Great Forest on the skirts of the mountain. "But for the grain of it, and some few outward marks," says I, "I could have sworn I had eaten some of my country beef the other day at the king's table."—"I don't know what your beef, as you call it, is; but I am sure we have nothing here but the fruit of some tree or shrub, that ever I heard of."—"I wonder," says I, "Quilly, how your cooks dress their victuals. I have eaten many things boiled, and otherwise dressed hot, but have seen no rivers, or water, since I came into this country, except for drinking, or washing my hands, and I don't know where that comes from. And another thing," says I, "surprises me, though I see no sun as we have to warm the air, you are very temperate in the town, and it is seldom cold here; but I neither see fire nor smoke."—"We have," says Quilly, "several very good springs under the palace, both of hot water and cold, and I don't know what we should do with fires; we see the dread of them sufficiently at Mount Alkoe. Our cooks dress their fruits at the hot springs."—"That is a fancy," said I; "they cannot boil them there."—"I am sure we have no other dressing," says he.—"Well, Quilly," says I, "we will go home the way you told me of, and to-morrow you shall show me the springs; but, pray, how come you to be so much afraid of Mount Alkoe? I suppose your eyes won't bear the light; is not that all?"—"No, no," says Quilly, "that is the country of bad men. Some of us have flown over there accidentally, when the mountain has been cool, as it is sometimes for a good while together, and have heard such noises as would frighten any honest man out of his senses, for there they beat and punish bad men." I could not make much of his story, nor did I inquire further, for I had before determined, if possible, to get over thither. As we were now come into the garden, I ordered Quilly to get ready my dinner, and I would come in presently.
We went next morning to view the springs, and indeed it was a sight well worth considering. We were in divers offices under the rock (Quilly carrying two globe-lights before me), in which were springs of very clear water, some of hot, and some of cold, rising within two or three inches of the surface of the floor. We then went into the kitchen, which was bigger than I ever saw one of our churches, and where were a great number of these springs, the hot all boiling full speed day and night, and smoking like a caldron, the water rising through very small chinks in the stone into basons, some bigger, some less; and they had several deep stone jars to set anything to boil in. But what was the most surprising was, you should see a spring of very cold water within a few feet of one of hot, and they never rise higher or sink lower than they are. I talked with the master cook, an ingenious man, about them; and he told me they lie in this manner all over the rocky part of the country, and that the first thing any one does in looking out for a house, is to see for the water, whether both hot and cold may be found within the compass he designs to make use of; and finding that, he goes on, or else searches another place. And he told me where this convenience was not in great plenty the people did not inhabit, which made the towns all so very populous. He said, too, that those warm springs made the air more wholesome about the towns than in other parts where there were none of them. I thanked him for his information, which finished my search for that time.
Peter sends for his family—Pendlehamby gives a fabulous account of the peopling of that country—Their policy and government—Peter's discourse on trade—Youwarkee arrives—Invites the king and nobles to a treat—Sends to Graundevolet for fowls.
THE days hanging heavy on my hands till the arrival of my family, I sent Pendlehamby word that as I had sent for my family and effects in order to settle in this country, and expected them very soon, I should be glad of his, my brother, and sister's company, to welcome them on their arrival.
My father came alone, which gave me an opportunity of informing myself in the rise and policy of the State, as I purposed to take several farther steps in their affairs, if they might prove agreeable and consistent; for hitherto, having had only slight sketches or hints of things, I could form no just idea of the whole of their laws, customs, and government. Explaining myself, therefore, to him, I begged his instructions in those particulars.
"Son Peter," says my father, "you have already done too much in a short time to leave any room to think you can do no more: and as you have hitherto directed your own proceedings with such incredible success, neither the king nor colambs will interpose against your inclination, but give you all the advices in our powers; and I shall esteem your selecting me for that purpose no small honour.
"Know, then, that this State, by the tradition of our ragans, has subsisted eleven thousand years; for, before that time, the great mountain Emina, then not far from the Black Mountain, but now fallen and sunk in the sea, roaring and raging in its own bowels for many ages, at last burst asunder with great violence, and threw up numberless unformed fleshy masses to the very stars; two of which happening in their passage to touch the side of the Black Mountain (for all the rest fell into the sea and were lost) lodged there, and lying close together as they grew, united to each other till they were joined in one; and, in process of time, by the dews of heaven, became a glumm and a gaw-ry; but being so linked together by the adhesion of their flesh, they were obliged both to move which way either would. Living thus a long time in great love and fondness for each other, they had but one inclination, lest both should be sufferers upon the least disagreement.
"In process of time they grew tired of each other's constant society, and one willing to go here and the other there, bred perpetual disorders between them; for prevention whereof for the future they agreed to cut themselves asunder with sharp stones. The pain indeed was intolerable during the operation; but, however, they effected it, and the wounds each received were very dangerous, and a long time before they were perfectly healed; but at length, sometimes agreeing, sometimes not, they begat a son, whom they called Perigen, and a daughter they called Philella. These two, as they grew up, despising their parents, who lived on the top of the mountain, ventured to descend into the plains, and living upon the fruits they found there, sheltered themselves in this very rock. Meantime, the old glumm and gawry, having lived to a great age, were so infirm that neither of them was able to walk for a long time; till one day, being near each other, and trying to rise by the assistance of each other, they both got up, and leaning upon and supporting each other, they also walked commodiously. This mutual assistance kept them in good humour a great while, till one day, passing along near hoximo, they both fell in.
"Perigen and Philella had several children in the plains; who, as they grew up, increasing, spread into remote parts, and peopled the country. At last, one of them being a very passionate man, at the instigation of his wife, became the first murderer, by slaying his father. This so enraged the people, that the murderer and his wife, in abhorrence of the fact, were conveyed to Mount Alkoe, where was then only a very narrow deep pit, into which they were both thrown headlong; but the persons who carried them thither, had scarce retired from the mouth of the pit, when it burst out with fire, raging prodigiously, and has kept burning ever since. Arco and Telamine (the murderer and his wife) lived seven thousand years in the flames; till having with their teeth wrought a passage through the side of the mountain, they begat a new generation about the foot of the mountain; and having brought fire with them, resolved to keep it burning ever after in memory of their escape; and power being given them over bad men, they and their progeny are now wholly employed in beating and tormenting them.
"A great while after Arco and Telamine were thus disposed of, the people of this country multiplying, it happened one year that all the fruits were so dry that the people, not able to live any longer upon the moisture of them only, as they had always done before, and fearing all to be consumed with drought, one of their ragans praying very much, and promising to make an image to Collwar and preserve it for ever, if he would send them but moisture, in one night's time the earth cast up such a flood that they were forced to mount on the rocks for fear of drowning. But the next day it all sunk away again, except several little bubbles which remained in many places for a long time, and the people lived only on the moisture they sucked from the stone where those bubbles settled for many years; for they found that the water arose to the height of the surface, and no higher; and where they found most of those chinks and bubbles they settled and formed cities, living altogether in holes of the rock; till one Lallio, having found out the art of crumbling the rock to dust by a liquor he got from the trees, and working himself a noble house in the rock, in the place where our palace now stands, he told them if they would make him their king, they should each have such a house as his own. To this they agreed, and then he discovered the secret to them.
"This Lallio directed the cutting out this whole city, divided the people into colonies where the waters were most plenty; and while half the people worked at the streets and houses, the other half brought them provisions. In short, he grew so powerful that no one durst dispute his commands; all which authority he transmitted to his successors, who, finding by the increase of the people and the many divisions of them that they grew insolent and ungovernable, they appointed a colamb in every province, as a vice-king, with absolute authority over all causes, except murder and treason, which are referred to the king and colambs in moucheratt.
"As we had no want but of victuals and habitations, the king, when he gave a colambat, gave also the lands and the fruits thereof, together with all the hot and cold springs, to the colamb, who again distributed parcels to the great officers under him, and they part of theirs to the meaner officers under them, for their subsistence, with such a number of the common people as was necessary in respect to the dignity of the post each enjoyed, who for their services are fed by their masters.
"In all cases of war, the king lays before the moucheratt the number of his own troops he designs to send; when each colamb's quota being settled at such a proportion of the whole, he forthwith sends his number from out of his own lasks, and also from the several officers under him; so that every man, let the number be ever so great, can be at the rendezvous in a very few days.
"We have but three professions, besides the ragans and soldiery, amongst us, and these are cooks, house-makers, and pike-makers, of which every colamb has several among his lasks; and these, upon the new regulations, will be the only gainers, as they may work where they please, and according to their skill will be their provision; but how the poor labourers will be the better for it, I cannot see."
"Dear sir," says I, "there are, you see, amongst lasks, some of such parts, that it is great pity they should be confined from showing them; and my meaning in giving liberty is in order for what is to follow; that is, for the introduction of arts amongst you. Now, every man who has natural parts will exert them when any art is laid before him; and he will find so much delight in making new discoveries that, did no profit attend it, the satisfaction of the discovery to a prying genius would compensate the pains; but I propose a profit also to the artificer."—"Why, what profit," says my father, "can arise but food, and perhaps a servant of their own to provide it for them?"
"Sir," says I, "the man who has nothing to hope loses the use of one of his faculties; and if I guess right, and you live ten years longer, you shall see this State as much altered as the difference has been between a lask and a tree he feeds on. You shall all be possessed of that which will bring you fruits from the woods without a lask to fetch it. Those who were before your slaves shall then take it as an honour to be employed by you, and at the same time shall employ others dependent on them; so as the great and small shall be under mutual obligations to each other, and both to the truly industrious artificer; and yet every one content only with what he merits."
"Dear son," says my father, "these will be glorious days indeed! But, come, come, you have played a good part already; don't, by attempting what you can't master, eclipse the glory so justly due to you."—"No, sir," says I, "nothing shall be attempted by me to my dishonour; for I shall ever remember my friend Glanepze. Sir," says I, "see here." (showing him my watch).—"Why, this," says he, "hung by my daughter's side at Graundevolet."—"It did so," says I; "and, pray, what did you take it for?"—"A bott," says he.—"I thought so," says I; "but as you asked no questions, I did not then force the knowledge of it upon you. But put it to your ear."—He did so. "What noise is that?" says he. "Is it alive?"—"No," says I, "it is not; but it is as significant. If I ask it what time of the day it is, or how long I have been going from this place to that, I look but in its face, and it tells me presently."
My father, looking upon it a good while, and perceiving that the minute hand had got farther than it was at first, was just dropping it out of his hand, had I not caught it. "Why, it is alive," says he; "it moves!"—"Sir," says I, "if you had dropped it, you had done me an inexpressible injury."—"Oh ho," says he, "I find now how you do your wonders; it is something you have shut up here that assists you; it is an evil spirit!" I laughing heartily, he was sorry for what he had said, believing he had shown some ignorance. "No, sir," says I, "it is no spirit, good or evil, but a machine made by some of my countrymen, to measure time with."—"I have heard," says he, "of measuring an abb, or the ground, or a rock; but never yet heard of measuring time."—"Why, sir," says I, "don't you say three days hence I will do so; or such a one is three years old? Is not that a measuring of time by so many days or years?"—"Truly," says he, "in one sense I think it is."—"Now, sir," says I, "how do you measure a day?"—"Why, by rising and lying down," says he.—"But suppose I say I will go now, and come again, and have a particular time in my head when I will return, how shall I do to make you know that time?"—"Why, that will be afterwards, another time," says he; "or I can think how long it will be."—"But," says I, "how can you make me know when you think it will be?"—"You must think too," says he.—"But then," says I, "we may deceive each other, by thinking differently. Now this will set us to rights:" then I described the figures to him, telling him how many parts they divided the day into, and that by looking on it I could tell how many of such parts were passed; and that if he went from me, and said he would come one, or two, or three parts hence, I should know when to expect him. I then showed him the wheels, and explained where the force lay, and why it went no faster or slower, as well as I could; and from my desire of teaching, insensibly perfected myself more and more in it. So that beginning to have a little idea of it, he wished he had one. "And," says he, "will you teach all our people to make such things?"—"Then they would be disregarded, sir," says I.—"It is impossible," says he.—"I'll tell you, sir, how I mean," said I. "I can, hereafter, show you a hundred things as useful as this; now, if everybody was to make these, how would other things be made? Besides, if everybody made them, nobody would want them; and then what would anybody get by them, besides the pleasing their own fancy? But if only twenty men make them in one town, all the rest must come to them; and they who make these, must go to one of twenty others, who make another thing that these men want, and so on; by which means, every man wanting something he does not make, it will be the better for every maker of everything."
"Son," says my father, "excuse me; I am really ashamed, now you have better informed me, I asked so foolish a question." I told him we had a saying in my country, that everything is easy when it is known. "I think," says he, "a man might find everything in your country."
Two days after, my wife and daughter Sally came very early; but sure no joy could be greater than ours at sight of each other. I embraced them both over and over, as did my father, especially Sally, who was a charming child. They told me I might expect everything that evening, for they left them alighting at the height of Battringdrigg; for though they came out the last, yet the body of the people with their baggage could not come so fast as they did. And little Sally said, "We stayed and rested ourselves, purely, daddy, at Battringdrigg, before the crowd came; but as soon as mammy had seen all my brothers safe, who came before the rest, and kissed Dicky, we set out again."
About seven hours after arrived the second convoy from abroad, that ever entered that country. I had too much to do with my wife and children that night, to spare a thought to my cargo; so I only set a guard over them; for though I had now been married about sixteen years, Youwarkee was ever new to me.
I was now obliged to the king again, for some additional conveniences to my former apartment; and the young ones were mightily pleased to have so much more room than we had at home, and to see the sweecoes; but finding themselves waited upon in so elegant a manner, and by so many servants (for with our new rooms, we had all the servants belonging to them), they thought themselves in a paradise to the grotto, where all we wanted we were forced to help ourselves to.
The next day Tommy came to see us, the king having given him a very pretty post, since the death of Yaccombourse; and Hallycarnie, with the Princess Jahamel, her mistress, who was mightily pleased to see Youwarkee in her English dress, and invited her and the children to her apartment.
It was but a few months since my wife saw the children; yet she scarce knew them, they were so altered; for the two courtiers behaved with so much politeness, that their brothers and Sally looked but with an ill eye upon them, finding all the fault, and dropping as many little invidious expressions on them as possible. But I sharply rebuked them: "We were all made chiefly," I told them, "to please our Maker, and that could be done only by the goodness of the heart; and if their hearts were more pure, they were the best children; but if they liked their brothers' and sisters' outward behaviour better than their own, they might so far imitate them."
When we were settled in our new apartment, I unpacked my chairs and tables, and set out my side-board, and made such a figure as had never before been seen in that part of the world. I wanted now some shoes for Pedro, his own being almost past wear, for the young ones never had worn any, but could find none; till applying to Lasmeel, and showing him what I wanted, he pointed to one of the great water-casks; but as there were eleven of them, big and little, I knew not where to begin; till, having invited the king and several of the ministers to dine with me, I was forced to look over my goods for several other things I should want.
In my search, I found half a ream of paper, a leathern ink-bottle, but no ink in it, some quills, and books of accounts, and several other things relative to writing. The prize gave me courage to attempt the other casks; but I found little more that I immediately wanted. In the last cask were several books, two of them romances, six volumes of English plays, two of devotion; the next were either Spanish or Portuguese, and the last looked like a Bible; but just opening it, and taking it to be of the same language, I put them all in again, thinking to divert myself with them some other time. I here found some more paper, and so many shoes, as, when I had fellowed them, served me as long as I stayed in the country.
Having, as I said before, invited the king to eat with me, I was sorry I had not ordered my fowls to be brought; and Youwarkee said she thought to have done it, but I had not wrote for them. I told her I would send Maleck for some of them, I was resolved; for I should pique myself on giving the king a dish he had never before tasted. So I called Maleck, telling him he must take thirty men with him to Graundevolet: "And carry six empty chests with you," says I, "and put eight of my fowls in each chest, and bring them with all expedition."—"Where do they lie, sir?" says he.—"You will find them at roost," says I, "when it is dark."—"I never was there," says he, "and don't know the way."—"What," says I, "never at Graundevolet!"—"Yes," says he, "but not at roost."—I laughed, saying, "Maleck, did not you see fowls when you was there?" He said he did not know; what were they like?—"They are a bird," says I.—"And what sort of a thing is that?" says he. Youwee hearing us in this debate, "Maleck," says she, "did not you see me toss down little nuts to something that you stared at? you saw them eat the nuts."—"Oh dear," says he, "I know it very well, with two legs and no arms."—"The same," says I, "Maleck; do you go look for a little house, almost by my grotto, and at night you will find these things stand on sticks in that house. Take them down gently, and come away with them in the chests." Maleck performed his business to a hair; but instead of forty-eight, brought me sixty, telling me he found the chests would hold them very well; and I kept them afterwards in the king's garden.
Peter goes to his father's—Traverses the Black Mountain—Takes a flight to Mount Alkoe—Gains the miners—Overcomes the governor's troops—Proclaims Georigetti king—Seizes the governor—Returns him the government—Peter makes laws with the consent of the people, and returns to Brandleguarp with deputies.
NO further project being ripe for execution, I took a journey home with my father to Arndrumnstake, and he would take all the children with him. Youwarkee and I stayed about six weeks, leaving all the children with my father.
Upon my return, I frequently talked with Maleck about his country; who they originally were, and how long it had been inhabited, and what other countries bordered thereon, and how they lay. He told me his countrymen looked upon themselves to be very ancient, but they were not very numerous; for the old stock was almost worn out by the hardships they had undergone; that about three hundred years before, he said, as he had it from good report, there were a people from beyond the sea, or, as they called themselves, from the Little Lands, had strangely overrun them; and he had heard say they would have overrun this country too, but they thought it would not answer. He said, "when those people first came, they began to turn up the earth to a prodigious depth; and now," says he, "bringing some nasty hard earth of several sorts, they put it into great fires till it runs about like water, and then beat it about with great heavy things into several shapes; and some of it, sir," says he, "looks just like that stuff that lay at the bottom of your ship, and some almost white, and some red; for when I was a boy I was to have been sent to work amongst them, as my father did; but it having killed him, I came hither, as many more have done, to avoid it."—"And what do they do with it," says I, "when they have beat it about as you say?"—"Then," says he, "they carry it a long way to the sea."—"What then?" says I.—"Why, then the Little-landers take it, and swim over the sea with it."—"And what do they do with it?" says I.—"Why," says he, "there are other people who take it from them, and go away with it."—"Why do they let them take it?" says I.—"Because," says he, "they give them clothes for it."—"Do they want clothes," says I, "more than you?" He told me they had no graundee.—"And what other countries have you hereabout?"— "There is one country," says he, "north of Alkoe, where they say there is just such another people as the Little-landers, and they get some of the things from Mount Alkoe."—"What do they do with them?" says I.—"I don't know," says he; "they fetch a great deal; but they won't let anybody come into their country."—"Is there nobody inhabits between the Mountain Alkoe and the sea?" He told me no, the Little-landers would not let them.
Having got what information I could from Maleck, and also from a countryman or two of his he had brought to me, I considered it all over; And, thinks I, if I could but get Mount Alkoe to submit (for they had told me they were only governed by a deputy from the Little Lands) to see the work done, I might, by intercepting the trade to the sea, turn the profit of the country my own way, and make it pass through our hands.
I next inquired of those who brought the fruits from the Great Forest, what sort of land they had there, and found, by their description, it was a light mould, and in many places well covered with grass and herbs; and by all the report I could hear, must be a fruitful country, well managed; and being a flat country and not encompassed on that side with the Black Mountain, was much higher than Doorpt Swangeanti. This news put me upon searching the truth of it; and I made the tour of the Black Mountain and the Great Forest, alighting often to make my observations.
The forest is a little world of wood without end, with here and there a fine lawn very grassy; and indeed the wood-grounds bear it very well, the trees not standing in crowds, but at a healthy distance from each other. I went abundantly farther than any one had before been, but saw no variation in the woody scene; and coming round westward home, I had a view of hoximo; which is nothing but a narrow cleft in the earth, on the top of the Black Mountain, of a most extraordinary depth; for upon dropping a stone down, you shall hear it strike and hum for a long time before all is quiet again; and laying my ear over the cleft, whilst I ordered one of my attendants to throw a large stone down, after the usual thumps and humming, I imagined I heard it dash in water, so that it is not impossible it may reach to the sea; which is at least six or seven miles below it. Into this hole all dead bodies are precipitated, from the king to the beggar; for four glumms holding by the ankles and wrists of the deceased, fly with them to hoximo and throw them down, whilst the air is filled with the lamentations of the relations of the deceased, and of such others as are induced to follow the corpse for the sake of the wines, on such occasions plentifully distributed to all comers by the gentry, and in the best proportion they are able by even the meanest amongst them.
After a stay of about fourteen days at home, I fixed my next trip for Mount Alkoe; and having told Maleck my design, he said he would go with me with all his heart, but feared I should get no Brandleguarpine to bear me; for he told me they had an old tradition that Mindrack lived there, and would not go for all the world; which has been the greatest security that country has had, for this would have devoured them else, says he.
I spoke to the king, to Nasgig, and the ragans, and found them all unanimous that the mountain Alkoe was the habitation of Mindrack, and that the noises which had been heard there were his servants beating bad men. Says I to myself, Here is one of the usefullest projects upon earth spoiled by an unaccountable prepossession; what must be done to overcome this prejudice?
I told Maleck I found what he said to be too true, as to the people of Brandleguarp: "But," says I, "are there not enough of your countrymen here to carry me thither?" He believing there were, I ordered him to contract with them; but it vexed me very much to be obliged to take these men. However, though I resolved to go, yet I chose to reason the ragans into the project if I could; thinking they would soon bring the people over.
I called several of the ragans together, and said: "Because you are a wiser and more thinking people than the vulgar, I have applied myself to your judgments in the affair of Mount Alkoe. Now, consider with yourselves whether you have any real reason beyond a prepossession, for thinking these people fiends, or devil's servants, as you call them, without further examination; for according to my comprehension, they only, understanding the nature of several sorts of earth, reduce them by labour and fire to solid substances for the use of mankind; and the want of these things is the reason of your living as you do, without a hundredth part of the benefits of life. These sort of people, these noises and these operations, which you hear and see carried on at Alkoe, are to be heard and seen in my country; and we deal and traffic with their labours, from one end of the world to the other; and we who are with them the happiest, without them should be the most miserable of people. Did not some of you see, at my entertainment, what I called my knives and forks and spoons, my pistols, cutlasses, and silver cup? All these, and infinitely more, are the produce of these poor men's industry. Now," says I, "if we settle a communication with these people, your dues will be all paid in these curious things; you will have your people employed in working them, and have strangers applying to you to serve them with what they want; who in return will give you what you want; and you will find yourselves known and respected in the world." Finding some of these arguments applied to the men had staggered them a little, I applied to their senses. Says I, "It still appears to me that you have your prejudices hanging on you; but what will you say if I go thither and return safe? will you be afraid to follow me another time?" They persuaded me from it, as a dangerous experiment; but said, if I did return, they would not think there was so much in it as they suspected.
Maleck having chose me out fourscore of his countrymen, in about a month's time I trained them up to the knowledge of my pistols and cutlasses, and the management of them; and taking a chest with me for the arms and other necessaries, we sallied up to the Black Mountain. I rested there; and there Nasgig and Lasmeel overtook me, saying that when they found me obstinate to go, they could not in their hearts leave me, happen what would. This put new spirits into me, and we consulted how the noises lay, and agreed to engage first upon the skirts of them, where the smokes were most straggling. I charged six guns and all my pistols, which I kept in my chest, and ordered them to alight with me about a hundred paces from the first smoke they saw; then ordered three of them to carry my guns after me, and twelve of them to take pistols and follow me; but not to fire till I gave orders. The remainder I left with the baggage.
We marched up to the smoke, which issued out of a low archway just at the foot of the mountain. It was very light there with the flames of the volcano; and entering the arch, a fellow ran at me with a red-hot iron bar; him I shot dead: and seeing two more and a woman there, who stood with their faces to the wall of the hut or room, as unwilling to be seen, I ordered Maleck to speak to them in a known tongue, and tell them we were no enemies, nor intended them any hurt; and that their companion's fate was owing to his own rashness in running first at me with the hot bar; and that if they would show themselves good-natured and civil to us, we should be so to them; but if they offered to resist openly, or use any manner of treachery towards us, they might depend upon the same fate their companion had just suffered.
Upon hearing this, they approached us; and showing great tokens of submission, I delivered my gun to Maleck, and bade them go on with their work, ordering all the guns out of the shop for fear of a spark. I then perceived they were direct forges, but made after another manner from ours, their wind being made by a great wheel, like a wheel of a water-mill, which worked with the fans or wings in a large trough, and caused a prodigious issue of air through a small hole in the back of the fireplace. They were then drawing out iron bars.
I gave each of these men, and also to the woman, a dram of brandy; which they swallowed down very greedily, and looked for more, and seemed very pleasant. I then inquired into the trade—by whom and how it was carried on; and they told me just as Maleck had done. I then asked where the mines lay; and one of them looking full at me said, "Then you know what we are about."—"Yes," says I, "very well."—He told me the mine was (in his language as Maleck interpreted it) about a quarter of a mile off, and directed me to it. I ordered them to go on with their work, telling them, though I left a guard over them, it was only that they might not raise their neighbours to disturb me; though if they did, I should serve them all as I had done their companion; and left four men with pistols at the archway.
I proceeded to the iron mine, but supposed the men were all within, for I saw nobody; but there were many large heaps of ore lying, which I felt of; and, being vastly heavy, I supposed it might be rich in metal.
I returned to my men at the arch, and asked them what other mines there might be in that country, and of what other metals; but Maleck not knowing the metals themselves, was not able to interpret the names they called them by. I then showed them an English halfpenny, a Portuguese piece of silver money, and my gold watch; and asking if they had any of those, they pointed to the halfpenny and silver piece, but shook their heads at the watch. I then showed them a musket-ball, and they said they had a great deal of that.
I desired them to show me the way to the copper-mine (pointing my finger to the halfpenny), and told them if they would go with me, they should have some more (pointing to my brandy); and they readily agreed, if I would stand by them for leaving their work. I believe it might be two miles farther on the right to the copper-mine; and as these men had the graundee, I expected they would have flown by me; but I found they had a light chain round their graundee which prevented them; so I walked too, and having made them my friends by being familiar with them, I desired they would go in, and let the headman of the works know that a stranger desired to speak with him and view his works, and to inform him how peaceable I was if he used me civilly, but that I could strike him dead at once if he did not.
I do not know how they managed, or what report they made; but the man came to me very courteously, and I bade Maleck ask if he came in friendship, as I did to him; and he giving me that assurance, I went in with him, taking Nasgig and Maleck with me, and leaving our firearms without. I ordered them both, as I did myself, to carry their cutlasses, sheathed in their hands, for fear of a surprise. We saw a great quantity of copper ore and several melting-vats, being just at the mouth of the mine, the mine running horizontally into the side of the mountain, and, as they said, was very rich. I gave the headman a little brandy, and two or three more of them, who had been industrious in showing and explaining things to me.
I desired the foreman to walk out with me; and asking how long he had been in that employ, he told me he was a native of the Born Isles, and was brought thither young, where he first wrought in the iron, then in the silver, and now in this mine: that he had been there twenty years, and never expected to be delivered from his miserable slavery; but as he was now overseer of that work, he did pretty well, though nothing like freedom. He told me they expected several new slaves quickly, for the mines killed those they did not agree with so fast they were very thinly wrought at present, and that the governor was gone to the isles to get more men. I was glad to hear this. "And, pray," says I, "where does the governor reside?" He (pointing to the place) told me. "And what guard," says I, "may he keep?"—"About four hundred men; but nobody durst molest him," says he; "for he tortures them in such a manner, never killing them, that not the least thing can be done against his will."
After we had talked a good while on the misery of slavery, and finding him a man fit for my purpose, I asked him if he would go with me to Brandle-guarp: "For," said I, "there are certainly good mines in those mountains; and if you will overlook them, you shall be free, and have whatever you desire." He shook his head, saying, how could he expect to be free where all the rest were slaves. "And besides," says he, "they are in such commotions among themselves, that it is said the State will be torn to pieces."—"You are mistaken," says I, "very much; I myself have settled peace amongst them, and killed the usurper."—"Is it possible?" says he; "and are you the man it was said they expected to come out of the sea?"—"The very same," says I: "and as to slavery, there is not a slave in the kingdom; nor shall be here, if you will hearken to me."—"That would be a good time indeed," says he.—"Well," says I, "my friend, I promise you it shall be so; only observe this, that when I come to reduce the governor, do none of you miners assist him." He promised he would let the other miners secretly know it, and all should be as I wished; but desired me to be expeditious, for the governor was expected every day.
I went from him to the other mines, and my guides with me; who seeing me so well received at the copper-mine and reporting it to the others, it caused my proceedings to go on smoothly, and my offers to be readily embraced wherever I came.
Having prepared matters thus, I set Maleck and his countrymen upon the natives, to treat with them about submission to Georigetti, on promise of freedom; who being assured of what I had done at Brandleguarp, and in hopes of like liberty, readily came into it; so that the only thing remaining was, before the governor's return, to attack the soldiery. Having, therefore, renewed my engagements with the miners, and believing myself upon as good terms with the natives as I could wish, I was advised by Nasgig and Lasmeel to return for cannon and a large army before I attacked the soldiery: but I, who had all my life rode upon the spur, having considered that an opportunity once lost is never to be regained; and though I could have wished for some cannon, I valued the men but for show: I therefore formed my resolves to march with the force I had next morning, and pitch upon a plain just by the governor's garrison, in order, if I could, to draw his men out. I did so, and it answered; for upon the first news of my coming, they appeared with a sort of heavy-headed weapons, which hurling round, they threw upwards aslope, in order to light upon the backs of their enemies in flight, and beat them down; but they could not throw them above thirty paces.
I sat still in my chair, with a gun in my hand, and Maleck with another at my elbow, with four more lying by me, ready to be presented; Lasmeel standing by to charge again as fast as we fired. I ordered a party of twenty of my men with cutlasses to attack the van of the enemy, by rushing impetuously upon them, they coming but thin against me; for I was not willing to employ my pieces till I could do more execution. They began the attack about a hundred yards before me, not very high in the air; and my cutlass-men having avoided the first flight of their weapons, fell upon them with such fury, that chopping here a limb and there a graundee, which, disabling their flight, was equally pernicious, they fell by scores before me: but I seeing those in the rear, which made a body of near three hundred, coming very swift and close in treble ranks, one above the other, hoping to bear down my handful of men with their numbers, I ordered my men all to retire behind me, and not till the enemy were passed over my head to fall on them. Maleck and I, as they came near, each firing a piece together, and whipping up another, and then another, in an instant they fell round us roaring and making a horrid yell. This the rest seeing, went over our men's heads, not without many falling from the cuts of my men; and those who escaped were never heard of more.
The miners, who from their several stations had beheld the action, came singing and dancing from every quarter round me, and if I had not drawn my men close in a circle about me, would probably, out of affection, have done me more hurt than two of the governor's armies; for against these common gratitude denied the use of force; and they crowding every one but to touch me, they said, for fear of being pressed to death myself, as some of them almost were, I ordered them to be let in through my men at one side of the ring, and, passing by and touching me, to be let out on the other side; and this quieted them, but kept me in penance a long time.
We then marched in a body all into the town, where we were going to proclaim Georigetti King of Mount Alkoe, when a surly fellow, much wiser than the rest, as he thought, being about to harangue the people against being too hasty in it, was knocked down and trod to death for his pains; and we went on with the proclamation, giving general liberty to all persons without exception.
The next thing to be considered was how to oppose the governor when he came; and for that purpose I inquired into the manner of his coming, the road he came, and his attendants; and being informed that a hundred of his guards who had not the graundee waited for him at the sea-side, and that he had got no other guard, except a few friends and the slaves he went for, and that the slaves always came first, six in a rank tied together, under convoy of a few of his guards, I went in person to view the route he came, and seeing a very convenient post in a thick wood through which they were to pass, from whence we might see them before they came near us, I posted a watch on the sea side of the wood, and myself and men lay on the hither side of it, just where the governor's party must come out of it again: so that my watch giving notice of their approach, we might be ready to fall on at their coming out of our side of the wood.
When we had waited three days, our watch brought word they were coming; so we kept as close as possible, letting the slaves and guards march on, who came by about two hours' march before the governor: but so soon as he approached I drew up my men on the plain within the wood in ranks, ordering them to lie close on their bellies till they saw me rise, and then to rise, follow me, and obey orders.
Several of the first ranks having passed the wood, just as the governor had entered the open country, I rose and bade Maleck call aloud that if any of them stirred or lifted up a weapon he was a dead man; and then seeing one of the foremost running, I fetched him down with a musket-shot, bidding Maleck tell the rest that if they submitted and laid down their weapons they were safe; but if they refused, I would serve them all as I had done him who fled. This speech, with the terror of the gun, fixed every man to his place like a statue.
I then went forward to the governor, and by Maleck, my interpreter, asked him who they all were with him: he told me his slaves. I then made him call every man before him and give him freedom; which finding no way to avoid (for I looked very stern), he did, and I had enough to do to quiet my new freemen, who I thought would have devoured me for joy. I asked him whither he was going; he said to his government.—"Under whom do you hold it?" says I.—"Under the zaps of the isles," says he. I then told him that whoever held that government for the future, must receive it from the hands of Georigetti, the king of that country, to whom all the natives and miners had already engaged their fidelity. I told him both natives and foreigners had been all declared free.
The governor seemed much dejected, and told me he hoped I would not use him or his company ill. I told him that depended entirely on his own and their good behaviour. I asked him who his friends were that were with him; he said they were some of the zap's relations, who were come to see the method of the government and inspect the mines.
Ordering all the governor's guards and friends to go before, and all my own, but Maleck, to keep backwards some paces, I entered into discourse with him about the state of the isles, and the country of Alkoe; and finding him a judicious person, and not a native of the isles, I thought, with some management, he might prove a useful person to me, but did not like the character I had heard of his severity: so I plainly told him that only one thing prevented my making him a greater man than ever he was; which was, I had been informed he had a roughness in his nature which drove him to extremities with the poor slaves, which I could not bear. "Sir," says he, "whatever a man is in his natural temper, where slavery abounds it is necessary to act, or at least be thought to do so, in a merciless manner. I am intrusted with the government of a land of only slaves; who have no more love, nor are they capable of any, for me, than the herbs of the ground have. I am to render an account to my masters of their labours; they work by force, and would not stir a step without it, or the fear of correction; for which reason the rod must be ever held over them; and though I seldom let it fall, when I do the suffering of one is too long remembered to permit others quickly to subject themselves to the like punishment: and this method I judged to be the most mild, as the death or sufferings of one but seldom, must, though ever so severe, be milder than the frequent execution of numbers. And as to my appearing severe to them, my post required it; for mercy to slaves being interpreted into fear, arms them with violence against you."
I could not gainsay this, especially as he told me he was glad that I had freed them all: "For no man," says he, "but if he were to choose, would rather reign by love (which he may in a free country, but it is impracticable in one of slaves) than by fear, which alone will keep the latter in subjection."
I asked him whether, as he knew the nature of the country, and the business of the governor, he could become faithful to my master Georigetti. He told me he had ever been faithful to his masters the zaps, and would till he was sure (without suspecting in the least my veracity) all was true that I was pleased to tell him; for nothing could satisfy his conscience but being an eye-witness of it, and then being discharged from any further capacity of serving them in an open way, he should be free to choose his own master; of all whom, Georigetti should to him be most preferable; but begged me not to interpret his desire of retaining fidelity to his old masters till he could no longer serve them, into an implication of assisting them by either open or concealed practices; for, wherever he engaged, he would be true to the utmost.
At the end of six days (for I travelled on foot with them) we arrived at the governor's palace, which we found without a guard, and all the slaves he had sent before him at liberty; so I ordered my men to supply the usual guard, and took my lodging in the governor's apartment.
As Gadsi (for that was the governor's name) was not confined, or any of his friends, he came into my apartment, and told me since he had found all things answered my report, if I pleased, he would quit the palace to me, and everything belonging to the government. I told him he said well. He did so, taking with him only some few things, his own property. So soon as he was without the territory of the palace, I sent for him and his friends back again. He could not help being dejected at his return, fearing some mischief. "Gadsi," says I, "this palace and this country, which I now hold for my master Georigetti, I deliver in custody to you as his governor; and now charge you to make acknowledgment of your fidelity to him." Then taking it from him in terms of my own proposing, I delivered him the regalia, of his government, charging him to maintain freedom: "But," says I, "let no man eat who will not work, as the country and the produce are the king's."
I then summoned an assembly of the people, and sent notice to all the miners to attend me. I told them all that the king desired of them was to make themselves happy: "And as the mines at present," says I, "are the only employment of this country, I would have it agreed by your own consent—for I will force nothing upon you—that every man amongst you, from sixteen to sixty, shall work every third week at the mines and other duties of the government; and two weeks out of three shall be your own to provide in for your families: and if I live to come back again, you shall each man have so much land of his own as shall be sufficient for his family; and I will make it my business to see for seeds to improve it with. And this week's work in three, and if afterwards it can be done with less in four, shall be an acknowledgment to the king for his bounty to you. Do you agree to this?" They all, with one voice, cried out, "We do!"—"Then," says I, "agree amongst yourselves, and part into proper divisions for carrying on the work; that is, into four parts, one for each sort of metal; and then again, each of those four into three parts; and on every seventh day in the morning, let those who are to begin meet those who are leaving off work; so that there be clear six days' work, and one of going and returning. Do you all agree to this?"—All cried, "We do!"—"Then," says I, "whoever neglects his duty, unless through sickness, or by leave of the governor, shall work a double week. Do you agree to this?"—"We do!"—"Then all matters of difference between you shall be decided by the governor; and in case of any injury or injustice, or wrong judgment in the governor, by Georigetti. Do you agree?"—"We do!"—"Then," says I, "agree upon ten men, two for the natives, and two for each mineral work, to send with me to Brandleguarp, to petition Georigetti to confirm these laws, till you shall make others yourselves, and to acknowledge his sovereignty. Do you agree?"—"We do!"
I then told them that as those who had been slaves were now free, they might, if they pleased, return home; but as I should make it my endeavour to provide so well for them in all the comforts of life, I believed most of them would be of opinion their interests would keep them where they were. And, above all things, recommending a hearty union between the new freemen and the natives, and to marry amongst each other, and to continue in love amongst themselves, and duty to the king and his governor; and promising speedily to return and settle what was wanting, I dismissed the assembly and set out for Brandleguarp with the ten deputies; but I left Lasmeel behind with the governor, and two servants with him, to give me immediate notice in case any disturbance should happen in my absence.
Peter arrives with the deputies—Presents them to the king—They return—A colony agreed to be sent thither—Nas gig made governor—Manner of choosing the colony—A flight-race, and the intent of it—Walsi wins the prize, and is found to be a gawry.
AS we alighted at the palace late at night, I kept the deputies with me till next morning, when I went to the king, desiring them to stay in my apartment till I had received his majesty's orders for their admission.
The king was but just up when I came in; and seeing me, embraced me, saying: "Dear father, I am glad to meet you again alive; your stay has given me the utmost perplexity; and could I have prevailed with any of my servants to have followed you, I had sent before this time to have known what was become of you."
I told his majesty, the greatest pleasure of my life consisted in the knowledge of his majesty's esteem for me; and he might depend upon it, I would take care of myself from a double motive whilst I was in his dominions; the one, from the natural obligation of my own preservation, and the other, equally compulsive, of continuing serviceable to his majesty, till I had made him more famous than his ancestor, the great Begsurbeck.
I told his majesty, as a small token of my duty and affection to him, I was come to make him a tender of the additional title of King of Mount Alkoe.—"Father," says he, "we shall never be able to get a sufficient number of my subjects to go thither; for though your safe return may be some encouragement, yet whilst their old apprehensions subsist (and I know not what will alter them) we can do no good; and indeed were they free to go, and under no suspicion of danger, it would cost abundance of men to conquer Mount Alkoe."
"Great sir," said I, "you mistake me: I told you I came to make you a tender of it; I have proclaimed you king there, and freedom to the people; I have held an assembly of the kingdom, placed a governor, taken the engagement of himself and subjects to you, settled laws amongst them for your benefit, the full third part of all their labour; have brought ten deputies, two from each denomination of people among them; and they only wait your command to be admitted, to beg your acceptance of their submission, and pray your royal protection."
"Father," says the king, "you amaze me! but as it is your doing, let them come in."
The deputies being received, and heard by Maleck, their interpreter, very graciously, the king told them, in a very favourable speech, that whatever his father had done, or should do, they might accept as done by himself; and commanded them to remind the governor, for whom he had the highest esteem, to observe the laws, without the least deviation, till his father should make such further additions as were consistent with his own honour and their future freedom; and having feasted them in a most magnificent manner, they returned, highly satisfied with the honours they had received.
This transaction being immediately noised abroad, all the colambs came themselves; and the great cities, by their deputies, sent his majesty their compliments upon the occasion; and there was nothing but mirth and rejoicing throughout the whole kingdom. And those who had refused going with me, as Maleck told me, hung their heads for shame and sorrow that they had missed the opportunity of bearing a part in the expedition.
I demonstrated to the king that the only way to preserve that kingdom was to settle a large colony on the plains, between the mountain and the sea, to intercept clandestine trade, and make a stand against any force that might be sent from the Little Lands to recover the mines. And I promised to be present at the settlement, and an assistant in it.
Most of the colambs, as I said, being at court upon this complimentary affair, the king summoned them for their advice on my proposals, and told them he had ordered me to lay before them my thoughts on the affairs of that kingdom; and after many compliments and encomiums had passed on me, I told them the necessity of the colony, the commodity that would arise from it, how I intended to manage it, and what prospect I had of introducing amongst them several extraordinary conveniences they had never before had.
The colambs, who, for want of practice this way, knew but little of the matter, thinking, nevertheless, that in the general turn of things they must somehow come in for a share, approved of all I said. I desired them then to settle out of what part of the people, and how to be nominated, such choice of the colony as should be made for the new settlement; but found them much at a loss to fix on any method of doing it. So I told them I believed it would be the best way to issue an order for such as would willingly go, to repair to a particular rendezvous; and in case sufficient should not appear voluntarily, to issue another order that the colambs, out of their several districts, should complete the number, so as to make a body of 12,000 men of arms, besides women and children; and that such a territory should be allotted to each, with so much wood-grounds, in common to all, as would suffice for their subsistence; all which passed the vote.
I then told them that this large people must have a head, or governor, to keep them to their duties, and to determine matters of property, and all disputes amongst them. Here they one and all nominated me; but I told them I apprehended I could be more useful other ways, having too many things in my head for the general good, to confine myself to any particular province; but if they would excuse me in presuming to recommend a person, it should be Nasgig. And immediately Nasgig being sent for, and accepting it, they conferred it upon him.
All things, as I judged, went on in so smooth a way, in reference to the new colony, that I was preparing, with the assistance of the proper officer, expresses to be sent with the king's gripsacks into the several provinces, with notice of these orders, and an appointment for a rendezvous. But while this was doing, abundance of people came crowding about me to be informed whether I thought it safe for them to go; and I believe I had fully satisfied all their scruples, when by some management of the ragans, who, having so long declared Mount Alkoe to be inhabited by Mindrack, did not care the people should all of a sudden find out they had deceived them, there was a report ran current, that though I and my bearers, who were all Mount Alkoe men, returned safe, yet if any of the Brandleguarpines had gone, they would never have come back again. This rumour coming to my ears, and fearing whitherto it might grow, I had no small prospect of a disappointment, and I thereupon stopped issuing the orders till I had considered what farther to do in the affair. At length, being persuaded I had already satisfied abundance of their scruples, and in order to dissipate the doubts of others, and to familiarise them in some measure to the country and people of Mount Alkoe, I proposed a prize to be flown for, and gave notice of it for six days all about the country, both to those of Mount Alkoe, and those of Sass Doorpt Swangeanti, that whoever, except those who were with me in the late expedition, should make the most speedy flight to the governor's of Mount Alkoe, to carry a message and bring me an answer from Lasmeel, should have one of my pistols, with a quantity of powder, and so many balls; and the person who should be second, should have a cutlass and belt. The time being fixed, very few had entered in the first two or three days; but on the third day came several over from Alkoe to enter, which the Brandleguarpines seeing, and having equal inclination to the prize, after half a dozen of them had entered on the fourth morning, before noon on the fifth I had near sixty of them on my list, besides the Alkoe men, making in all about one hundred.
The time of starting was fixed for the sixth morning, from off the rock on the back-side of the palace, upon my firing a pistol.
This unusual diversion occasioned a prodigious confluence of spectators; for scarce a person in Brandleguarp, except those who were either too young or too old for flight, but were upon one or other of the rocks; even the king himself and all his court were there, with infinite numbers from all distant parts.
I had despatched a letter by one of my old bearers to Lasmeel some days before, to inform him of it, that he might get two letters ready wrote, one to deliver to the first, and another to the second messenger, but not to take farther notice of the rest. Now, my flight-race being for the equal benefit of both the kingdoms, it happened, as I was in hopes it would, that so many of the Mount Alkoans coming over to me to be entered, and staying with me till the flight began, and such vast numbers of persons meeting of both nations upon the Black Mountain, to see them go and return, and several of the Swangeantines going, out of bravado, quite through with the flyers; the intercourse of the two nations was that day so great, and the discourse they had with the natives and miners so stripped the Swangeantines of their old apprehensions of danger from Mount Alkoe, that in three days after the whole dread of the place was vanished, and he would then have been thought mad who had attempted to revive it.
The time being come, I set my flyers in a row on the outer edge of the rock; and having given notice that no one should presume to rise till the flyers were on the graundee, and at such a distance, I then let the flyers know I should soon give fire; which I had no sooner done but down they all dropped as one man, as it were, headlong from the edge of the mountain, and presently the whole field were after them. They skimmed with incredible swiftness across the face of the plain, between the rock and the mountain; the force of which descent swung them as it were up the mountain's side in an almost upright posture, till seeming to sweep the edge of the mountain with their bellies, they slid over its surface till they were lost in the body of the Swangean, our rocks echoing the shouts of the mountaineers. I fired my pistol, by my watch, at nine o'clock in the morning, but had no occasion to inquire when it was thought they would return, for every one was passing his opinion upon it. Some said it could not be till midnight, or very near it; and others, that it would be almost next morning. However, we went to dinner, and coming again about six o'clock by my watch, I was told by the people on the rock, as the general opinion (for it was then topfull), that they could not yet be expected for a long time; and the major part concluded they could not be half-way home yet; when, on a sudden, we heard a prodigious shout from the mountain, which growing nearer and nearer to us, and louder and louder, in a few moments came a slim young fellow, and nimbly alighting on the rock, tripped briskly forward, as not being able to stop himself at once from the violence of the force he came with, and delivered me a letter from Lasmeel as I was sitting in my chair. I gave him joy of the prize, and ordered him to come to my apartment so soon as I got home, and he should have it. I then asked him where he had left the other flyers; he told me he knew nothing of them since he came past the forges in his return; for there he met them going to Lasmeel.—"Why that," says I, "must be a great way on this side the governor's." He told me about an hour's flight. I then told him, as he must be strained with so hard a flight, it would be better if he lay down, and called on me in the morning. He thanked me, and after he had told me his name was Walsi, he said he would take my advice, and springing up as light as air, went off, the rock being quite thronged with those who had followed from the mountain to see the victor.
When Walsi came in, it was just seven o'clock by my watch; so that, according to the best computation by miles I could make from their descriptions of things, I judged he had flown at little more or less than at the rate of a mile a minute.
I stayed till near nine o'clock upon the rock, where it being cold and the time tedious, I was taking Quilly home with me, and designed that Maleck should wait for the coming of the second; but hearing again a shout from the mountain I resolved to see the second come in myself. The noise increasing, I presently saw the whole air full of people very near me, for I had retired near two hundred paces from the edge of the rock to give room to the flyers to alight, and expected nothing less than to be borne down by them; when I spied two competitors, one just over the back of the other, the uppermost bearing down upon the other's graundee, their heads being just equal; so that the under man perceiving it impossible to sink lower for the rock, or to mount higher for the man above him, and as darting side-ways would lose time, and fearing to brush his belly against the rock, he slackened, just to job up his head in his antagonist's stomach; which giving the upper man a smart check with the pain, and the under one striking at that instant one bold stroke with his graundee, he fell just with his head at my feet, and the other man upon him, with his head in the under man's neck.
Thus they lay for a considerable time, breathless and motionless, save the working of their lungs, and heaving of their breasts; when each asked me if he was not the first, and the under man giving me a letter, I told them "No, Walsi had been in almost two hours ago." They both said it was impossible; they were sure no glumm in the Doorpt could outfly either of them. I ordered them both to call on me in the morning, and I would see they should have right done to their pretensions. The under man had but just told me his name was Naggitt, when another arrived, who, seeing Naggitt before him, told me he was sure he was second; but on seeing the other also he gave it up.
I would stay no longer, it being now so late; but the next morning I was informed that all the rest had stopped at the mountain but two, who were obliged to give out before, being overstrained, and unable to hold it.
The next morning Walsi was the first at my apartment, when I happened to be with the king; and speaking of his business to Quilly, he ordered him to stay in my gallery till I came back; and Quilly presently after seeing Youwarkee, told her the victor at the flight-race was waiting for me in the gallery. Youwarkee, who had great curiosity to see him, having heard how long he came in before the rest, stepped into the gallery, and taking a turn or two there, fell into discourse with him about his flight. And as women are very inquisitive, she distinguished, by the flyer's answers, speech, shape, and manner of address, that it was certainly a gawry she was talking with; though she had endeavoured to disguise herself by rolling in her hair, and tying it round her head with a broad chaplet, like a man; and by the thinness of her body, and flatness of her breasts, might fairly enough have passed for one, to a less penetrating eye than Youwarkee's. But Youwarkee putting some questions to her, and saying she was more like a gawry than a glumm, she put the poor girl—for so it was—to the blush, and at last she confessed the deceit; but upon her knees begged Youwarkee not to mention it, for it would be her undoing.
This confession gave Youwarkee a fair opportunity of asking how she came to be an adventurer for this sort of prize. The girl, finding there was no remedy, frankly confessed she had a strong affection for a glumboss, who was a very stout glumm, she said, but somewhat too corpulent for speedy flight; who ever since the prize had been proposed, could rest neither night nor day, to think he was not so well qualified to put in for it as others, especially one Naggitt, who he well knew made his addresses to her, and also was an adventurer. "Had it been a matter of strength, valour, or manhood," says he, "I had had the best of chances for it; but to be under a natural incapacity of obtaining so glorious a prize, as even the king himself is not master of such another, I cannot bear it." She then said he had told her he was resolved to give in his name and do his utmost, though he died in the flight. "What!" said he, "shall I see Naggitt run away with it, and perhaps with you too, when he has that to lay at your feet which no glumm else can boast of? No; I'll overcome, or never come home without it!"—"I must confess, madam," says Walsi, "as I knew his high spirit could never bear to be vanquished, I was afraid he would be as good as his word, and come to some unlucky end; and told him that though he need not have feared being conqueror in anything else, had it been proposed, yet in flight there were so many, half glumms as they were, who from their effeminate make and size, and little value for anything else, would certainly be in before him; that it was unworthy of a thorough glumm to contend with them for what could be obtained only by those who had no right to or share in anything more excellent; and that he must therefore not think of more than his fatigue for his pains. But as he had set his heart so much upon it, I would enter, and try to get it for him, as from my size and make, I believed few would have a better chance for it than myself. And, thanks to Collwar, madam," says she, "I hope to make him easy in it, if you will but please to conceal your knowledge of who and what I am."
Youwarkee was mightily pleased with her story, and promised she would; but engaged her to come again to her apartment so soon as she was possessed of the prize.
When I returned, hearing Walsi waited for me, I called him in, read the letter he brought, and finding it Lasmeel's, I looked over my list for Walsi's name, for I set them all down as they entered; and finding it the very last name of all, and that it was entered but on the morning the race was flown: "So," says I, "Walsi, I find the last at entering is the first at returning; but I see you have been there, by what Lasmeel has sent me; though there were some last night who questioned it, by your so speedy return. Here," says I, "take the prize, and see they are only used in the service of your country;" and then I dismissed her.
My two competitors appeared next for the cutlass, and had each of them many arguments to prevail with me in favour of him; but I told them I must do justice, and that though the difference was so small between them, yet certainly Naggitt was the nearest me at the time they both ceased flight, his face lying on my foot; so that as they both complained of foul play, and were therefore equal in that respect, Naggitt in justice must have it. And I gave it him with these words, however: "Take it, Naggitt, as certainly yours by the law of the race, but with a diffidence in myself who best deserves it."
I own I pitied the other man's case very much, as I should Naggitt's, had the other won it; but seeing the other turning away, and hearing him say, "But by half a head; when I had strove so hard!" as in a sort of dejection, I told them they were both brave glumms, and of intrepid resolution; and gave him also one, with the like instruction as to Walsi.
Walsi went from me, as she had promised, to Youwarkee, who wanted more discourse with her; for in an affair of love her gentle heart could have dwelt all day upon the repetition of any circumstances which would create delight in the enamoured. Walsi sat on thorns, wanting to be gone; but Youwarkee asking question upon question, Walsi got up and begged she would excuse her, she would come and stay at any other time. "But," says she, "madam, when the man one loves is in pain—for I am sure he is on the rack for fear of a discovery, till he sees me—if you ever loved yourself, you can't blame me for pressing to relieve him."
When she was gone, Youwarkee finding me alone, was so full of Walsi's adventure she could not be silent; but after twenty roundabout speeches and promises that I was to make, not to be angry with anybody, or undo anything I had done that day, and I know not what, out came the story. I was prodigiously pleased with it, and wished I had taken more notice of her. Says Youwarkee, "I endeavoured to keep her till you had done, that you might have seen her."—"And why did not you?" says I.—"My dear," says Youwarkee, "had you seen the poor creature's uneasiness till she got off with it, yourself could not have had the heart to have deferred that pleasure you would have perceived she expected when she came home; nor could you in conscience have detained her."
The race reconciles the two kingdoms—The colony proceeds—Builds a city—Peter views the country at a distance—Hears of a prophecy of the King of Norbon's daughter Stygee—Goes thither—Kills the king's nephew—Fulfils the prophecy by engaging Stygee to Georigetti—Returns.
THIS race, notwithstanding all that the ragans could say to keep up their credit, and to prevent the people's perceiving what fools they had made of them, had so good and sudden an effect on the people's prejudices, that upon issuing the first proclamation, there was no occasion for the second; for at least twenty-five thousand men appeared voluntarily at the rendezvous of the old slaves, whose masters, though they were declared free, had used divers devices to oppress them, and render even their freedom a sort of slavery, besides women and children; so that we had now only to pick and choose those who would be likeliest to be of service to the new colony.
Nasgig and I differed now about the choice of persons. He, as a soldier, was for taking mostly single young men, and I for taking whole families, though some were either too old or too young for war. And upon farther consideration he agreed with me; for I told him young men would leave a father, mother, or mistress, behind them, which would either cause a hankering after home, and consequently the bad example of desertion, or else create an uneasy spirit, and perhaps a general distaste to the settlement. So we chose those whole families where they offered, which had the most young men in them, first; then others in like order; after that, man by man, asking them severally if any woman they liked would go with them, and if so, we took her, till we had about thirteen thousand fighting men, besides old men, women, and children; and then, marching by the palace, the king ordered ten days' stores for every mouth, and with this we took our flight; but as I was always fearful of a concourse in the air, Nasgig led them, and I brought up the rear.
Besides the above number of people, I believe we could not have less than ten thousand volunteers to the Black Mountain; some to take leave of their friends, and others out of curiosity, to see our flight. I took three pieces of cannon with me, and proper stores.
Our first stage, after a short halt on the Black Mountain, was to the governor's palace, where Gadsi received us with great respect. I told him my errand, which he approved: "For," says he, "countryman, it is now as much my interest to keep my old masters out, as ever it was to serve them when in; and you have taken the only method in the world to do it effectually." I consulted him where I should fix my colony; and, by his advice, fixed it on this side the wood, with some scattering habitations behind the wood, as watch-houses, to give notice of an enemy, having the wood for shelter, before they could reach the town, and, at the worst, the town for a retreat.
I found by Gadsi, that the ships from the Little Lands were soon expected, for that he said the zaps knew nothing yet of the change of government, nor could, till the ships returned. He asked me, as there was now a good lading, whether I thought fit to let them have it upon proper terms. I told him I would not hinder their having the metals, or endeavour to stop their trade in the least, but should be glad to treat with them about it myself.
I gave the forgemen descriptions for making shovels, spades, pick-axes, hammers, and abundance of other iron implements I should want in the building the new town: all which we got ready and carried with us. We then took flight, and alighted on the spot of our intended city; and having viewed the ground some miles each way, we drew the outlines, and set a great number of hands to cutting down trees, digging holes, and making trenches for the foundations. In short, we were all hands at it, and the women fetched the provisions; but I was obliged to show them every single step they were to take, towards the new erections; and, I must say, it was with great pleasure I did it, they seldom wanting to be told twice, having as quick an apprehension of what they heard or saw, as any people I had ever met with.
The whole city, according to our plan, was to consist of several long straight streets, parallel to each other, with gardens backwards each way, and traverse-passages at proper distances, to cross each street, from one to the other, quite through the whole city.
While this work was in hand, I took a progress to view the other country Maleck had told me of. We had not taken a very long flight, before we saw at a distance several persons of that country travelling to Mount Alkoe for metals. I had a great mind to have some talk with them about their kingdom, and ordered my bearers to go to them; they told me they durst not, for one of them would kill ten men. I did not choose to force them to it, for fear of some mischief; but observing which way they came, and that they came in several small bodies, of six or eight together, and that there was a little wood and some bushes between me and them, I ordered my bearers to sink beneath the trees out of their sight, and to ground me just at the foot of the wood; for I resolved to know something more of them before we parted.
I lay perdue till they arrived within sixty paces of me; then asking Maleck if he knew their language, and he telling me he did, having often conversed with them at the mines, I bid him greet them, and tell them I was a friend, and be sure to stand by me. There were seven of them, and many more at different distances. I showed myself, and Maleck spoke to them, when two or three of the hindermost ran quite away; one stood and looked very surly, but the rest, who had stood with him, turning to run, I bid Maleck tell him if he did not call them back I would kill them. He that stood then called to them, but they mending their pace upon it, I let fly, and shot one in the shoulder, who dropping, I was afraid I had killed him. I then went up to the other, who had not stirred even at the report of the gun, seeming quite terrified. I took him by the hand and kissed it, which made him recover himself a little, and he took mine and kissed it.
I bid Maleck tell him I was a great traveller, and only wanted to talk with him; but seeing the man I had shot stir, I went to him, and told him I was sorry I had hurt him, which I should not have attempted had he not shown a mistrust of me by running away, for I could not bear that: this I said to keep the other with me. I saw I had hurt his shoulder, but being at a great distance, the ball had not entered the blade-bone, but stopping there, had fallen out; so tying my handkerchief over it, I told him I hoped it would soon be well.
I inquired into their country, its name, the intent of their journey this way, their trades, the fruits, birds, and beasts of the country.
The man I had shot, I found, was in pain, which gave me no little concern; so I chiefly applied myself to the other, who told me the name of his country was Norbon, a large kingdom, and very populous, he said, in some parts of it, and was governed by Oniwheske, an old and good king. "He has only one daughter," says he, "named Stygee; so that I am afraid when he dies it will go to a good-for-nothing nephew of his, a desperate debauched man, who will probably ruin us, and destroy that kingdom which has been in the Oniwheske family these fifteen hundred years."—"Won't his daughter have the kingdom," says I, "after his death, or her children?"—"Children," says he, "no, that's the pity; all would be well if she had but children, and the state continue fifteen hundred years longer in the same good family."—"How is it possible for any one to know that?" says I. "You may know how long it has, but how long it will last, is mere guess-work."—"No," says he, "this very time, and the present circumstances of our kingdom, were foretold at the birth of the first king we ever had, who was of the present royal family."—"How so?" says I.—"Why," says he, "before we had any king, we had a very good old man, who lived retired in a cave by the sea; and to him everybody under their difficulties repaired for advice. This old man happening to be very ill, everybody was under great affliction for fear they should lose him; when flocking to his assistance, he told them they need not fear his death till the birth of a king who should reign fifteen hundred years. At hearing this all persons then present apprehended that his disorder had turned his brain; but he persisted in it, and recovered.
"After a few years, a great number of persons being about him, he told them he must now depart, for that their king was born, and pointed to a sucking child a poor woman had then in her arms. It caused a great wonder in his audience at the thoughts of that poor child ever becoming a king; but he told them it was so decreed, and farther, that as he was to die the next day, if they would gather all together, he would let them know what was to come in future times.
"When they were met, the woman and child being amongst them, he told them that child was their king, and that his loins should produce them a race of kings for fifteen hundred years, during which time they should be happily governed; but then a female inhabitant of the skies should claim the dominion, and, together with the kingdom, be utterly destroyed, unless a messenger from above, with a crown in each hand, should procure her a male of her own kind; and then the kingdom should remain for the like number of years to her posterity. Now," says he, "the time will expire very soon, and as no one has been, or it is believed will ever come, with two such crowns, the princess Stygee, though she undoubtedly will try for it, has little hopes of succeeding her father; for her cousin Felbamko pretends, as no woman ever reigned with us, he is the right heir, and will have the kingdom."—"Pray," says I, "what do you mean by an inhabitant of the air?"—"Oh," says he, "she flies."—"And do most of your country folks fly?" says I; "for I perceive you don't."—"No," says he, "no one but the princess Stygee."—"How comes that about?" says I.—"Her mother, when she was with child with her," says he, "being one day in a wood near the palace, and having straggled from her company, was attacked by a man with a graundee, who, not knowing her, clasped her within his graundee, and would have debauched her; but perceiving her cries had brought some of her servants to her assistance, he quitted her and went off: this accident threw her into such a fright, that it was a long time before she recovered; and then was delivered of a daughter with a graundee."—"My friend," says I, "your meeting with me will be a very happy affair for your kingdom. I am the man the princess expects: go back to the princess and let her and her father know I will be with them in six days, and establish his dominions in the princess."
The fellow looked at me, thinking I joked, but never offered to stir a foot. "Why don't you go?" says I. "And for the good news you bear to the princess, I'll see you shall be made one of the greatest men in Norbon." The man smiled still, but could not conceive I was in earnest. I asked him then how long he should be in going to the palace; he said, "Three days at soonest."—"Deliver but your message right," says I, "and I'll assure you it shall be the better for you." The man seeing me look serious, did at length believe me, and promised he would obey me punctually; but he had not seen how I came to the place he met me at, for I had ordered my bearers into the wood with my chair before I showed myself.
He arrived, as I afterwards found, at the palace, the fourth morning very early; and passing the guard in a great heat, with much ado was introduced to the king, and discharged himself of my message. His majesty, giving no credit to him, thought he had been mad; but he affirming it to be true, and telling the king at what a distance I had knocked down his companion, and made a great hole in his back, only holding up a thing I had in my hand, which made a great noise, Oniwheske ordered his daughter to come before him, who having herself heard the man's report, and being very willing to believe it, with the king's leave, desired that the messenger might be detained till the appointed day, and taken care of; and that preparation should be made for the reception of the stranger, in case it should be true.
The noise of my coming, and my errand, excited every one's curiosity to see me arrive; and the day being come, I hovered over the city a considerable time, to be sure of grounding right. The king and his daughter, on the rumour of my appearing, came forth to view me and receive me at my alighting. The people were collected into a large square, on one side of the palace, and standing in several clusters at different places, I judged where the king might seem most likely to be, and ordered my bearers to alight there; but I happened upon the most unlucky post, as it might have proved, and at the same time the most lucky I could have found there; for I had scarce raised myself from my chair, but Felbamko pushing up to me through the throng, and lifting up a large club he had in his hand, had certainly despatched me, if I had not at the instant drawn a pistol from my girdle, and shot him dead upon the spot; insomuch that the club, which was then over my head, fell gently down on my shoulder.
I did not then know who it was I had killed, but for fear of a fresh attempt, I drew out another pistol and my cutlass, and inquiring at which part of the square the king was, I walked directly up to him, he not as yet knowing what had happened. His majesty and his daughter met me, and welcomed me into his dominions. I fell at the king's feet, telling him I brought a message, which I hoped would excuse my entering his majesty's dominions without the formality of obtaining his leave.
When we came to the palace, the king ordered some refreshments to be given me and my servants; and then that I should be conducted to the room of audience.
The report of Felbamko's death had reached the palace before us, and that it was by my hand; this greatly surprised the whole court, but proved agreeable news to Stygee.
At my entrance into the room of audience, the king was sitting at the farther end of it against the wall, with his daughter on his right hand; and a seat was placed for me at his left, but nearer to the middle of the room side-ways, on which I was ordered to sit down. There were abundance of the courtiers present, and above me was a seat ordered for one of them, who I found afterwards was one of the religious.
His majesty asked me aloud how it happened that the first moment of my entering his dominions I should dip my hands in blood, and that, too, of one of his nearest relations.
I then got up to make my answer, but his majesty ordering me to my seat again, I told him that as it was most certain I knew no one person in his kingdom, so it could not be supposed I could have an ill design against any one, especially against that royal blood, into whose hands I then came to render myself; but the truth was that what I had done was in preservation of my own life, for that the person slain had rushed through the crowd upon me with a great club, intending to murder me, and that whilst the blow was over my head, I killed him in such position, that by his fall the club rested on my shoulder, but was then too weak to hurt me.
The king asking if that was the real case, several from the lower end of the room said they were informed it was, and one in particular said he saw the transaction, and I had declared it faithfully. "Then," says the king, "you are acquitted; and, now, what brings you hither? relate your business."
"Great sir," says I, "it is my peculiar happiness to be appointed by Providence as the proposer of a marriage for the princess Stygee your daughter, with a potent neighbouring monarch, having already been enabled to perform things past belief for his honour. Know then, great sir, I am a native of the north, and through infinite perils and hardships at last arrived in the dominions of Georigetti, where I have given peace to his State by the death of the usurper Harlokin. I have also just conquered the kingdom of Mount Alkoe for my master, and am here come to make your daughter an offer of both crowns, and also of all that is my master's, with his person in marriage."
The old priest then rose, and said: "May it please your majesty, we are almost right; but what has always staggered me is, how the person should come, for the messenger to us on this errand is to come from above. Now this person has not the graundee, and therefore could not come from thence. As for the rest, I understand the prince from whom he brings this offer to your daughter has the graundee, and so is a male of her own kind; and I understand the two kingdoms in his possession to be the two crowns in the messenger's hands; but, I say, what I stick at is his coming from above."
"What!" says Stygee, "did not you see him come?"—"No," says he.—"Oh," says she, "he came in the air, and was a long time over the city before he descended."—"That's impossible," says the old priest, "for he is smooth like us."—"Indeed, sir," says she, "I saw him, and so did most of the court." The king and nobles then attesting this truth: "Sir," says the priest to the king, "it is completed, and your majesty must do the rest."
"I little expected," says the king, "to see this day; and now, daughter, as this message was designed for you, you only can answer it. But still I must say it surpasses my comprehension, that in the decree of Providence it should be so ordered that the very hand which brings the accomplishment of what has been so long since foretold us, should, without design, have first destroyed all that could have rendered the marriage state uncomfortable to you."
Stygee then declared she submitted to fate and her father's will.
I stayed here a week to view the country and the sea, which I heard was not far off. Here were many useful beasts for food and burden, fowls also in plenty, and fish near the sea-coasts, and the people eat flesh, so that I thought myself amongst mankind again. I made all the remarks the shortness of the time would allow, and then taking my leave departed.
I returned to the colony, where I heard that the Little-landers had been on the coast; but I not being there, or any lading ready, they were gone away again; however, they had detained two of them. I was pleased with that, but sorry they were returned empty.
I examined the prisoners, and by giving them liberty and good usage they settled amongst us; and the next fleet that came, the sailors to a man were all my own the moment they could get to shore. This, though I thought it would have spoiled our trade at first, brought the islanders and me to the following compromise, and upon this occasion. Their ships having laid on our coasts one whole season for want of hands to carry them back, I came to an agreement with their commanders (for they were all willing to return), that such a number of them should be left as hostages with me till the return of a number of my own men, which I should lend them to navigate their ships home; and I sent word to the zaps that as it might be beneficial to us both to keep the trade still on foot, to prevent the like inconveniences for the future, I would buy their shipping, paying for them in metals, and agree to furnish them yearly with such a quantity of my goods at a stated price, and would send them by my own people; which they approving, the trade went on in a very agreeable and profitable manner, and we in time built several new vessels of our own, and employed abundance of hands in the trade, and had plenty of handicraftsmen of different occupations, each of whom I obliged to keep three natives under him, to be trained up in his business.
A discourse on marriage between Peter and Georigetti—Peter proposes Stygee—The king accepts it—Relates his transactions at Norbon—The marriage is consummated—Account of the marriage-ceremony—Peter goes to Norbon—Opens a free trade to Mount Alkoe—Gets traders to settle at Norbon—Convoys cattle to Mount Alkoe.
AT my return to Sass Doorpt Swangeanti, I went directly to the king, and giving him an account of the settlement, and my proceedings thereon, he told me his whole kingdom would not be an equivalent for the services I had done him. I begged of him to look on them in no other light than as flowing from my duty; but if, when I should be no more, he or his children would be gracious to my family, it was all I desired.
"This, father," says the king, "I can undertake for myself; but who's to come after me, nobody knows, for I shall never marry. No! Yaccom-bourse has given me a surfeit of womankind; and unless the states will settle the kingdom on you, to which I will consent, it will probably be torn to pieces again by different competitors, for I am the last of the line of Begsurbeck, and of all the blood-royals; and indeed who is so proper to maintain it flourishing as he who has brought it to the present perfection?"
"Great sir," says I, "my ambition rises no higher than to abound in good deeds whilst I live, and to perfect my children in the same principle; and this, I hope, will entitle them to a support when I am gone. But," says I, "why is your majesty so averse from marriage, merely on account of a woman you could not expect to be true to you?"—"Not expect it!" says he; "what stronger tie upon earth could she have had to be true than my affection, and all that my kingdom could afford her?"—"Weak things all, sir," says I.—"Why, what could she have had?" said he, in some warmth.—"Honour, sir," says I, "and virtue, both which she abandoned to become yours; and those once lost, how could you expect her to be true?"—"You are too hard for me, father," says he; "but they are all alike, and I don't believe there's a grain of honour in any of them."—"In any of them like Yaccombourse, I admit, sir," says I; "but think not so of others, for no part of our species abounds more with it, or is more tender of it, than a good woman; and take my word for it, sir, there is more real sincerity in an ordinary wife than in the most extraordinary mistress. We are all biassed naturally by interest, and as there can be but one real interest between the man and wife, so the interest of a mistress is, and ever will be, to accommodate herself; for 'tis all one to her with whom she engages, so she can raise but the market by a change. Now if your majesty could find an agreeable and virtuous wife, one deserving of your royal person and bed, and perhaps with a kingdom for her dowry, a partner fit to share your cares as well as glory, would it not be a great pleasure to you to be possessed of' such a mate, and to see heirs arising under your joint tuition, to convey down your royal blood to the latest posterity? Would not this, I say, be a grateful reflection to you in your declining years?"
"Truly, father," says the king, "as you have painted it, the prospect could not fail to please, and under the circumstances you have put it, it would meet my approbation; but where is such a thing as a woman of this character to be found? I fear only in the imagination."
"Sir," says I, after a seeming muse for some time, "what should you think of Oniwheske, the king of Norbon's daughter? he has but that one child, I hear."—"Dear father, have done," says his majesty; "to what purpose should you mention her? We but barely know that there is such a State, we have never had any intercourse; and, besides, as you say he has but one child, can you suppose she will ever marry, to leave so fine a kingdom, and live here?"—"But, sir," says I, "now we are supposing, suppose she should, with her father's consent, be willing to marry you, would you have her for your queen?"—"To make any doubt of that, father," says he, "is almost to suppose me a fool."—"Then, sir," says I, "her father has consented, and she too; and if I durst have presumed so far, or had known your mind sooner, she would I believe have ventured with me to have become yours, but you might have slighted her, and crowned heads are not to be trifled with; but since you are pleased to show your approbation of it, I can assure you, sir, her person will yield to none in your majesty's dominions; for, sir, I have been there, and have seen her, and she is your own, and her kingdom too, upon demand."
"Father," says the king, looking earnestly at me, "I have been frequently, since I knew you first, in doubt of my own existence. My life seems a dream to me; for if existence is to be judged of by one's faculties only, I have been in such a delusion of them ever since, that as I find myself unable to judge with certainty of any other thing, so I am subject to doubt whether I really exist. Are these things possible that you tell me, father?"
I then told him the whole affair, and advised him by all means to accept the offer, and marry the princess out of hand.
His majesty, when I had brought him thoroughly to believe me, was as eager to consummate the marriage, as I was to have him; but then, whether he should go to her, or she come to him, was the question. I told him it was a thing unusual for a sovereign to quit his own dominions for a wife; but would advise an embassy to her father, with notice that his majesty would meet and espouse her on the frontiers of the two kingdoms.
The ambassadors returning with an appointment of time and place, it was not above a month before I had settled Stygee on the thrones of Sass Doorpt Swangeanti and Mount Alkoe, with the reversion of the kingdom of Norbon, without a competitor.
I shall here give you an account of the marriage ceremony. The king being arrived on the borders, Stygee, who had waited but a few hours at the last village in Norbon, advanced to his majesty on the very division, as they called it, of the two kingdoms, a line being drawn to express the bounds of each. The king and Stygee having talked apart from the company a little space, each standing hand in hand, on their own respective ground, the chief ragan advanced, and began the ceremony.
He first asked each party aloud, if he and she were willing to be united in body and affections, and would engage to continue so their whole lives to which each party having answered aloud in the affirmative, "Show me then a token!" says he; and immediately each expanding the right side of their graundees, laid it upon the other's left side, so that they appeared then but as one body, standing hand in hand, encased round with the graundee. The ragan then having descanted upon the duties of marriage, concluded the ceremony with wishing them as fruitful as Perigen and Philella. So soon as it was over, and the gripsacks and voices had finished an epithalamium, the bride and bridegroom taking wing, were conducted to Brandleguarp, amidst the acclamations of an infinite number of Georigetti's subjects.
The king had made vast preparations for the reception of the princess Stygee; and nothing was to be heard or seen but feastings and rejoicing for many days; and his majesty afterwards assured me of his entire satisfaction in my choice of his bride, without whom he confessed, that notwithstanding the many other blessings I had procured him, his happiness must have been incomplete.
Intending another flight to Norbon, I was charged with the king and queen's compliments to Oniwheske; which having executed, I opened a free trade to Mount Alkoe; and hearing that small vessels came frequently on the Norbonese coast, to carry off the iron and other metal from thence unwrought, and paid part of their return in wrought metals, I ordered some of the next that came to be stopped and brought to me; and the day before I had fixed for my departure, notice was sent that twelve of those traders were stopped, and in custody at the sea-side. I longed to see them, but then considering that it would take up more time to bring them to Apsilo the capital, where I was, than I should take in going to them and returning, I resolved to go and examine them myself.
They told me they traded with small vessels to Norbon for metals, which they carried home, and wrought great part of it themselves, sending it to and dispersing it in several islands at a distance; and also sold the unwrought to several people who carried it they knew not whither in great ships. They said they kept abundance of hands at work in the trade. I asked if their artificers wrought it for their own profit, or their masters'. They told me for masters, themselves being all slaves.—"And are you all slaves?" says I.—They told me "Yes, all but one," pointing to him. I then ordered him to be secured and removed; and told them if they would procure some hands to settle at Norbon and Mount Alkoe, they should all be made free, have lands assigned them, and have other privileges, and I did not doubt in time would become the richest men in the country; for I understood by them they were acquainted with the use of money. I asked them what other commodities they brought to Norbon in exchange.
They said clothes for the people, both what they received in exchange from others who bought their iron, and some of a coarser sort of their own making. I found in my discourse I had with them, that out of my eleven men there were persons of four different occupations; so I promised those who would stay with me their freedoms, good houses, and other rewards: and sending three hands home with the vessel, and a full freight, according to the value of the cargo they brought, I ordered them to engage as many as they could of their countrymen of distinct trades, to come and settle with me; and to be sure, if they had any grain, corn, roots, plants, or seeds, usually eaten for food, to bring all they could get with them, and they should have good returns for them; and as to those good hands that settled here, they should be allowed all materials to work for their own profit the first year, and after that they should also work for themselves, allowing the king one-tenth of the clear profit. This took so far with them, that it was with the utmost difficulty I got any of them to carry the ship back, for fear they should not be able to return.
Before I parted from them, I assigned the eight who were left all proper conveniences, and recommended them to the king's protection; and I ordered the owner, then in custody, to be conducted to Mount Alkoe, and from thence to Brandleguarp; where, treating him kindly and giving him liberty, I made my proper use of him.
The king having lent me a convoy to conduct my prisoner, and given me a license for as many cattle of the sorts I chose as I pleased to drive to Georigetti's dominions, I made them drive a great number of sheep of the finest wool I ever saw, and very large also; a great number of creatures not unlike an ass for shape, but with two upright horns and short ears, which gave abundance of rich milk; and also some swine. All these were drove to, and distributed at my new colony, where I let them remain till I had provided a proper receptacle for them at Doorpt Swangeanti, near the woods; when I brought many over the Black Mountain, and distributed there, with directions how to manage them; and in about seven years' time we held a little beast-market near Brandle-guarp twice a year, where the spare cattle were brought up, and preserved in salt till the next market; for I had some years before made large salt-works near the sea at Mount Alkoe, which employed abundance of hands, and was now become a considerable trade.
We had iron, copper, and silver money, which went very current; and had butter and cheese from the farms near the woods, as plenty as we had the fruits before, great numbers of families having settled there; and there was scarce a family but was of some occupation or other.
By the accounts I received from the mines, from time to time, it was prodigious to hear what vast quantities of metals were prepared in one year now, by little above one-third of the hands that were usually employed in them before; for now the men's ambition was to leave a good week's work done at their return, for an example to those who were coming; and the overseers told me they would sing and work with the greatest delight imaginable, whilst they pleased themselves with telling one another how they intended to spend the next fourteen days.
Peter looking over his books finds he has got a Latin Bible—Sets about a translation—Teaches some of the ragans letters—Sets up a paper manufacture—Makes the ragans read the Bible—The ragans teach others to read and write—A fair kept at the Black Mountain—Peter's reflection on the Swangeantines.
ALL things being now so settled that they would go on of themselves, and having no further direct view in my head, I spent my time with my wife; and looking over my books one day to divert myself, with the greatest joy imaginable I found that the Bible I had taken to be in the Portuguese tongue was a Latin one. It was many years since I had thought of that language; but on this occasion, by force of memory and recollection, and with some attention, consideration, and practice, I found it return to me in so plentiful a manner that I fully resolved to translate my Bible into the Swangeantine tongue.
I sent directly for Lasmeel to be my amanuensis, and to work we went upon the translation.
We began at the creation, and descending to the flood, went on to the Jewish captivity in Egypt and deliverance by Moses, leaving out the genealogies and all the Jewish ceremonies and laws, except the Ten Commandments. I translated the books of Samuel and Kings, down to the Babylonish captivity. I then translated such parts of the Prophets as were necessary to introduce the Messiah, and discover Him; the books of Psalms, Job, and the Proverbs, and with the utmost impatience hasted to the New Testament. But then considering that when I had done, as only Lasmeel and myself could read it, in case of our deaths, the translation must die with us, I chose out six of the junior ragans, and two of the elder, to learn letters; and in less than twelve months I had brought them all to read mine and Lasmeel's writings perfectly well.
I instructed these ragans at spare hours, whilst I went on with my translation; but finding my paper grow low, having had a great supply of coarse linen, and a sort of calicoes from the isles, in return for our metals, I set up a manufactory from that, and some gums of the trees, which we boiled with it to a pulp in iron pans, and beating it to pieces, made a useful paper which would bear ink tolerably. But I could find nothing to make ink of, though I sent over all the country to search for every herb and fruit not commonly used; till at last I found an herb and flower on it, which, if taken before the flower faded, would, by boiling thoroughly, become blue; this, by still more boiling in a copper pan till it was dry and burnt hard to the bottom, in some measure answered my purpose, and I fixed upon it as the best I could obtain from all my experiments.
When the ragans were masters of their pens, I set six of them to copy what Lasmeel had finished, and the other two to teach their brethren; and in two years' time, by a pretty constant application (for I made them transcribe it perfectly fair and intelligible), we finished our translation, and two fair copies.
I then ordered the ragans to read a portion of it to the people constantly, in the mouch; they, from the novelty of the story, at first grew so exceeding fond of it, that upon the proper expositions of it I taught the ragans afterwards to make, they began to apply it seriously to religious purposes.
My writing ragans were very fond of their knowledge of letters; and trade and commerce now increasing, which put every one more or less in want of the same knowledge, they made a great profit of it, by instructing all who applied to them. This increase of writing necessarily provided a maintenance for several persons who travelled to Norbon for quills, and sold them to the Swangeantines at extravagant rates; till the Norbonese hearing that, brought them themselves to the foot of the mountain, where the Swangeantines bought them, as they did several other commodities which one country had and the other wanted, especially iron wares of almost every denomination: so that the mountain, being so excessively high, was the barrier; for the Norbonese finding that difficulty in ascending and descending which the Swangeantines with their graundees did not, there was a constant market of buyers and sellers on the Mount Alkoe side of the Black Mountain, which by degrees grew the general mart of the three kingdoms.
I have often reflected with myself, and have been amazed to think, that so ingenious and industrious a people as the Swangeantines have since appeared to be, and who, till I came amongst them, had nothing more than bare food, and a hole to lie in, in a barren rocky country, and then seemed to desire only what they had, should in ten years' time be supplied not only with the conveniences, but superfluities of life; and that they should then become so fond of them, as rather willingly to part with life itself than be reduced to the state I found them in. And I have as often, on this occasion, reflected on the goodness of Providence, in rendering one part of mankind easy under the absence of such comforts as others could not rest without; and have made it a great argument for my assent to well-attested truths above my comprehension. "For," says I, "to have affirmed, at my first coming, either that these things could have been made at all, or when done could have been of any additional benefit to these people, would have been so far beyond their imaginations, that the reporter of so plain a truth, as they now find it, would have been looked upon as a madman or an impostor; but by opening their views by little and little, and showing them the dependence of one thing upon another, he that should now affirm the inutility of them, would be observed in a much worse light." And yet, without any embellishments of art, how did this so great a people live under the protection of Providence? Let us first view them at a vast distance from any sort of sustenance, yet from the help of the graundee that distance was but a step to them. They were forced to inhabit the rocks, from an utter incapacity of providing shelter elsewhere, having no tool that would either cut down timber for a habitation, or dig up the earth for a fence, or materials to make one; but they had a liquor that would dissolve the rock itself into habitations. They had neither beast nor fish, for food or burthen; but they had fruits equivalent to both, of the same relish, and as wholesome, without shedding blood. Their fruits were dangerous till they had fermented in a boiling heat; and they had neither the sun, nor any fire, nor the knowledge how to propagate or continue it. But they had their hot springs always boiling, without their care or concern. They had neither the skins of beasts, the original clothing, nor any other artificial covering from the weather; but they were born with that warm clothing the graundee, which being of a considerable density, and full of veins flowing with warm blood, not only defended their flesh from all outward injuries, but was a most soft, comely, and warm dress to the body. They lived mostly in the dark rock, having less difference of light with the change of seasons than other people have; but either by custom or make, more light than what Providence has sent them in the sweecoe is disagreeable: so that where little is to be obtained, Providence, by confining the capacity, can give content with that; and where apparent wants are, we may see, by these people, how careful Providence is to supply them; for neither the graundee, the sweecoes, nor their springs, are to be found where those necessaries can be supplied by other means.
Amongst my other considerations, I have often thought that if I had gone to the top of the Black Mountains northward of Brandleguarp, in the very lightest time, I might have seen the sun; but these mountains were so elevated, that our lightest time was only the gilded glimmering of their tops, having never seen so much light on them as totally to eclipse all the stars, of which we had always the same in view, but in different positions.
Peter's children provided for—Youwarkee's death—How the king and queen spent their time—Peter grows melancholy—Wants to get to England—Contrives means—Is taken up at sea.
I HAD now been at Brandleguarp ten years, and my children were all provided for by the king but Dickey, as fast as they were qualified for employment, and such as were fit for it were married off to the best alliances in the country; so that I had only to sit down and see everything I had put my hand to prosper, and not an evil eye in the three kingdoms cast at me: but about my eleventh or twelfth year, my wife falling into a lingering disorder, at the end of two years it carried her off. This was the first real affliction I had suffered for many years, and so soured my temper, that I became fit for nothing, and it was painful to me even to think of business.
The king's marriage had produced four children, three sons and a daughter, which he would frequently tell me were mine.
Old Oniwheske was dead, and the king and queen divided their whole time equally between Brandleguarp and Apsillo; but he was building a palace at my new colony, which by this time was grown to a vast city, and was called Stygena, in compliment to the queen; and this new palace was designed to receive the court one-third of the year, as it lay almost at equal distance between both his other palaces. This method, which his majesty took, at my persuasion, on the death of Oniwheske, though it went against the grain at first, was now grown so habitual to him, and he saw his own interest so much in it in the love and esteem it procured him from the people, that at last he wanted no spur to it.
My melancholy for the death of my wife, which I hoped time would wear off, rather gained ground upon me; and though I was as much regarded as ever by the whole court, yet it grew troublesome to me even to be asked my advice; and it not only surprised those about me, but even myself, to see the same genius, without any visible natural decay, in so short a time, from the most sprightly and enterprising, become the most phlegmatic and inactive.
My longings after my native country, ever since my wife's death, redoubled upon me, and I had formed several schemes of getting thither; as first, I had formed a project of going off by the islands, as I had so many small vessels at command there, and to get into the main ocean and try my fortune that way; but upon inquiry I found that my vessels could not get to sea, or elsewhere, but to the zaps' islands, by reason of the many rocks and sandbanks which would oppose me, unless I went through the zaps' country, which, in the light they had reason to view me, I was afraid to do. Then I had thoughts of going from the coast of Norbon; but that must have been in one of the foreign vessels, and they coming from a quite different quarter than I must go, in all probability if I had put to sea any way they were unacquainted with, they having no compass, we must have perished; for the more I grew by degrees acquainted with the situation of Doorpt Swangeanti, the stronger were my conjectures that my nearest continent must be the southern coast of America; but still it was only conjecture. At length, being tired and uneasy, I resolved, as I was accustomed to flight, and loved it, I would take a turn for some days; carry me where it would, I should certainly light on some land, whence at first I could but come back again. I then went to see if my chair, board, and ropes, were sound, for I had not used them for several years past; but I found them all so crazy, I durst not venture in them, which disappointment put off my journey for some time. However, as I had still the thought remaining, it put me on seeking some other method to put it in practice; so I contrived the poles from which you took me, being a sort of hollow cane the Swangeantines make their spears of, but exceeding strong and springy, which, interwoven with small cords, were my seat, and were much lighter than my chair; and these buoyed me up when your goodness relieved me. I had taken Mount Alkoe bearers, as I knew I must come to a country of more light; and I now find, if I had not fallen, I must soon have reached land, if we could have held out, for we were come too far to think of returning, without a resting-place: and what will become of my poor bearers, I dread to think; if they attempted to return, they must have dropt, for they had complained all the last day and night, and had shifted very often. If in your history you think fit to carry down the life of a poor old man any farther, you will as well know what to say of me as I can tell you; and I hope what I have hitherto said will in some measure recompense both your expense and labour.
Abb, a room.
Apsillo, capital of Norbon.
Arco, a man who committed the first murder.
Arhoe, water surrounded with wood.
Amdrumnstake, Pendlehamby's colambat.
Barbarsa, Georigetti's favourite.
Barkett, a husband.
Barras, a leathern apron, or flap behind.
Bash, a valet de chambre.
Battringdrigg, the name of an arkoe.
Begsurbeck, an old king of Sass Doorpt Swangeanti.
Born Isles, islands to the right hand.
Boskee, a very grand room or saloon.
Bott, a gourd.
Bougee, lie down.
Brandleguarp, chief city of Sass Doorpt Swangeanti.
Calentar, a doctor or surgeon.
Cluff, a captain.
Colamb, a governor.
Colambat, a government.
Colapet, a bag for provision.
Collwarr, God.
Covett, a mansion-house or seat.
Crashdoorpt, Quangrollart's colambat, or country of the slit.
Crashee, slit.
Crullmott, a fruit tasting like a fowl.
David, Peter's fourth son.
Doorpt Swangeanti, the land of flight.
Doors, a sort of apples.
Dossee, a soft thing.
Emina, a rock.
Felbamko, Oniwheske's nephew.
Filgay, a freeman.
Filus, a rib of the graundee.
Gadsi, governor of Mount Alkoe.
Gauingrunt, a revolted town in the west.
G awry, a flying woman.
Georigetti, king of Sass Doorpt Swangeanti.
Glanlepze, an African who escaped with Peter.
Glumm, a flying man.
Glumm Boss, a young man.
Goppo, a father-in-law.
Gorpell, an ensign.
Gowren, women.
Graundee, the glumms' wings and dress.
Graundevolet, Peter's arkoe.
Gripsack, a trumpet.
Gume, the leather between the filuses of the graundee.
Hallycarnie, Youwarkee's sister, also her second daughter.
Harlokin, prince of the rebels.
Hoximo, a place to bury the dead.
Hunkum, marriage.
Jahamel, the king's sister.
Jemmy, Peter's second son.
Lallio, first king of Sass Doorpt Swangeanti.
Lask, a slave.
Laskmett, slavery.
Lasmeel, Peter's scholar.
Maieck, Peter's man from Mount Alkoe.
Mindrack, the devil.
Mouch, a church.
Moucherait, an assembly of the states.
Mount Alkoe, a kingdom taking name from a burning mountain.
Nasgig, a common soldier, made a general at the request of Peter.
Kicor, a creature of Barbarsa, the king's favourite.
Norbon, the name of the north country.
Normnbdsgrsutt, ancient name of Youwarkee's country.
Onitvheske, king of Norbon.
Ors clamm gee, here am I.
Padsi, a fruit tasting like fish.
Palang, a town.
Parky, sweet.
Patty, Peter's eldest daughter, also his first wife.
Pedro, Peter's eldest son.
Pendlehamby, Youwarkee's father, the colamb of Arndrumn-stake.
Perigene, the first-born man.
Peter, the author.
Philella, the first-born woman.
Puly, an image.
Praave, modest.
Quangrollart, Youwarkee's brother, colamb of Crashdoorpt.
Quilly, Peter's bash.
Ragan, a priest.
Razy, mighty.
Richard, Peter's fifth son.
Roppin, marmalade.
Rossig, Quangrollart's companion.
Sary, Peter's youngest daughter.
Sass Doorpt Sivangeanti, Peter's new name given to Georigetti's dominions.
Slip the graundee, drawing the graundee tight to the body, by a running noose on a line.
Stapps, minutes.
Sty gee, Oniwheske's daughter.
Swangean, flight.
Sweecoan, a flight with sweecoes.
Sweecoe, an insect giving a strong light in the dark.
Telamine, a woman whose husband committed the first murder.
Tommy, Peter's second son.
Yaccombourse, the king's mistress.
Yacom, a man-child.
Youh, capital of the west.
Youwarkey, Peter's wife.
Zaps, lords.
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