_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.
[Illustration: 5264]
[Illustration: 0265]