There to calm our thirst before singing to our Maker's praise.
And even as that sweet source ever flows,
So may our lives flow to the end of time, as constant and as bright.
Then come to my arms, and twine thyself about me, and I will support
thee with strength and power, as the Mountain Supporter[20] sustains the
air-suspended cities of Montalluyah.
* * * * *
EXPLANATION OF CERTAIN TERMS USED IN THE
PRECEDING SONG OF ADMIRATION.
1. Lertees.--A lovely mountain spangled with transparent
stones, which is so resplendent at sunrise that none can look at it
without putting gauze before the eyes. Many of the stones were used to
ornament the Mountain Supporter.
2. Zacostees.--Precious stones found near the tomb of a
celebrated and beautiful woman, named Zacosta, whose loveliness,
goodness, and varied talents, created for her many bitter enemies, and
exposed her to cruel persecutions. She died heart-broken, and her tears
are said to have been petrified into these precious stones called
Zacostees which are greatly prized as ornaments for turbans and for
ladies' bosoms.
Though reviled and persecuted, Zacosta suffered without a murmur, and
rose superior to oft-renewed temptations, and to the bitter taunts of
the many incarnate evil spirits who called her an idiot simply because,
lovely and accomplished as she was, she patiently bore privations and
sufferings when many were ready to pour riches into her lap. To the last
she resisted the tempter, however fascinating the form he took, and
never lost faith to the day when she calmly closed a life in which she
had so greatly suffered.
The legend adds that Zacosta was wafted by angels to one of the
celestial stars, there to dwell in love, peace, and joy, and that she
daily prays for the alleviation of the sufferings of her persecutors,
doomed to pass through bitter ordeals, so pure and magnanimous is her
spirit.
It should be added, that according to the prevalent belief, the higher
order of spirits, those of the truly good, blessed in their own
celestial spheres with every joy, occupy themselves by seeking to
benefit others in the nether worlds. Their prayers are necessarily
unselfish, unless we regard as selfish the joys, to them great indeed,
which result from the delight of doing good.
One of the leading principles of the system which I gave to Montalluyah,
namely, the promotion of those possessing superior talents, goodness and
industry, was intended to imitate the mode in which, according to our
belief, the spirits of the good are elevated to superior ranks of
spheres according to the manner in which they pass through their several
progressive states.
In Montalluyah slander is regarded with horror. A person of either sex
who slandered a woman, and even one who gave credence to a slander
without careful investigation, would be severely punished and condemned
to wear "the dress of shame," on which would be exposed the nature of
the offence, and the base motives of the traducer.
In the cases of slander that occurred at the beginning of my reign the
offence was generally traced to envy, to the inferiority of the
slanderers to the standard of their victims whom they sought to reduce
to their own level, rarely to a desire for good.
Our horror of slanderers had been increased by the persecutions which
numbers of virtuous persons like Zacosta had suffered from the
malevolent; the very anxiety of the innocent to repel accusations having
formerly been looked upon by our hot-blooded people as evidence of
guilt. Many had preferred to suffer in silence rather than seem to give
life and consistency to a charge by their efforts to repel it.
We have a saying in Montalluyah that to attack beauty and goodness is to
attack Heaven itself, from whose attributes they are derived.
3. Raskutshi.--Supposed to be the king of the air, and ruler
of all the zephyrs and spirits of the region. According to our poetical
legends Raskutshi comes near the Earth when angry, and his advent is
followed by a terrific storm. The air preceding certain storms in our
climate has a peculiar effect in creating a species of torpor. It is
then supposed that "Raskutshi spreads his wings over the temples of his
people."
4. Kamouska.--A loving little animal like a bird, very
beautiful and gentle, with an eye of jet black, and of great brilliancy,
but softened when the little thing wishes to be petted. She likes much
the electricity of the mouth, and puts up her face as though wishing to
be kissed, at the same time emitting a beautiful musical sound. Her body
is covered with the softest down, finer than that of the ostrich or the
marabout. The feathers are of the richest gold and crimson, mingled with
grey, her breast of the richest crimson conceivable. The top of her head
is gold, the rest of her body greyish white, her beak pale pink, her
tail of green and gold, intermingled with touches of greyish-white and
red. She feeds on the blossoms of a flower growing amongst a peculiar
grass, and on all kinds of fruit. She does not drink, but is satisfied
with juices from the rich fruits which we have all the year round.
Kamouska, I should say, is the name of the female bird, who alone is
petted, the male being vicious and without feathers. Frequent reference
is made to her by our poets.
5. Orestee.--The name of a man who invented an ingenious
instrument for discovering diamonds in the bowels of the earth, and for
penetrating to the spot where they lay.
This instrument possesses an electricity sympathetic to diamonds only.
The presence of them is indicated by an exceedingly sensitive arm of the
instrument which being retained on the spot indicated, puts forth
tendrils that gradually perforate the earth, and do not stop until a
precious stone is reached.
6. Meleeta.--A pet animal of most peculiar formation. Its body
resembles that of a beast, and is covered with hair of a light hue,
interspersed with dark chestnut spots. Its belly is white, as likewise
are the feathers of its bird-like wings and tail, though these are
varied with touches of crimson, blue, and gold. Its eyes are large, and
of a jet black, its neck is long and graceful like that of a swan, its
back is short and sleek, and its legs and feet, which are armed with
claws, are small, graceful, and mobile. But its most remarkable
peculiarity is the resemblance of its face to that of man. The males,
which have horns like polished white ivory, are not petted.
The female yields a delicious milk, sweet and refreshing to the smell as
to the taste, and with peculiar qualities when taken fresh from the
animal. Meleetas are brought into the room during the early morning or
"fruit-meal" repast, and each answers to her name, and stands still to
be milked.
I had one much attached to me, who would come of her own accord, flutter
her wings, and crouch at the top of my chair. The attendant was obliged
to milk the animal close to my chair, and the affectionate little thing
would watch the man until he handed me the milk, as though she feared he
might give it to one of the guests. Infants are suckled by these tame
animals.
At the beginning of my reign the animals were very rare, and indeed
nearly extinct, their only food being the nut of a tree then extremely
scarce, for before the discovery of the application of electricity the
tree had been burnt for use. By my order large tracts were planted with
these trees, and there are now large enclosures in which herds of
Meleetas are preserved.
The young are very precocious, and can soon be fed on nuts, and
consequently taken from the mother, who remains in milk for a long
time--nearly a year and a half.
Great interest is taken in the Meleetas, and they are treated with much
gentleness, each having a small house to itself, lined with soft down,
and furnished with a perch.
They are very intelligent and grateful, and I well recollect the
astonishment of my favourite when she laid her first egg. She would take
hold of my robe and pull me, that I might look at the novel production,
and she would make all the time a pretty noise like a laugh, seeming to
be astonished and overjoyed.
I sometimes wore long flowing robes, and was often accompanied by this
little creature when I strolled through my grounds. If it was at all
damp she would hold up the hem of my garment with her mouth, that it
might not get wet. When with me in my study, she would crouch down and
remain quiet at my bidding.
The Meleetas resent ill-treatment, though not spitefully. They can only
raise themselves a small distance from the ground, but I have seen one
when offended flutter, fly up quickly, and descend, giving the offender
a smart box on the ear with her wing.
7. Turvee.--An insect whose electricity forcibly attracts and
subdues the power of man.
8. Shooting stars are, in our legends, said to be companies of
good angels, linked in brightness and despatched from one star to
another, on messages of love and peace, sometimes to protect an inferior
world from the too great inroads of legions of evil spirits.
9. Whale electricity.--Of all, the most powerfully
attractive.
10. The Martolooti.--A basilisk, or serpent, possessing
wondrous fascinating power over its prey.
11. Castrenka, or Flower of Grace.--A plant with two branches
only, which spontaneously or at the slightest breath move always
together in a most graceful manner.
12. Chilarti.--A little pet animal, always playful and
smiling.
13. The Tootmanyoso's fruit.--That is to say the Allmanyuka--
the fruit invented by me, of which hereafter.
14. The perfume of the everlasting gulf.--A gulf the waters of
which emitted a delicious fragrance, and when taken from the gulf would
not keep together, but separated into drops like tears.
In our legends it is supposed that a lovely woman had for some grave sin
been turned into a gulf, and that her breathings were continually wafted
towards Heaven in prayer.
15. The Yurdzin-nod.--The hide of the hippopotamus, which is
of extraordinary durability, and when prepared for use may be said to be
imperishable.
16. The fat of the serpent's head is very precious, and is
used for many important purposes. Prepared in a certain way it is even
supposed to strengthen the intellect.
The "mind-tamers" attending madmen--who were numerous when I began to
reign--carried with them this fat, and sometimes the head itself, as an
antidote against the contagion of insanity.
17. The Mestua Mountain.--The largest in Montalluyah, supposed
to be the firmest and most lasting of mountains. By her firmness the
sea's mighty inroads have been arrested in their progress, and the
waters have been driven back. The "will," which is likened in firmness
to the mountain, is "the will to overcome evil."