[Illustration: 0080]

CHAPTER 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._

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.

[Illustration: 5094]

[Illustration: 0095]

CHAPTER IX.

_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.

[Illustration: 0100]

CHAPTER 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._

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.

[Illustration: 5119]

[Illustration: 0120]

CHAPTER 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._

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.

[Illustration: 0137]

CHAPTER XII.

_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.

[Illustration: 0147]

CHAPTER XIII.

_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.

[Illustration: 0158]

CHAPTER 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_.

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.