_The Author, with only two Comrades, leaves the rest of the
Company, and penetrates into those unknown Countries. The
Obstacles he meets with in his Passage_, &c.
The next Day in the Morning, which was the 24th of _September_,
1644, and the 11th of our Arrival, we each took a Hatchet in our
Belts with a Gun, and whatsoever we thought necessary for an
Enterprise of this Nature, and without more ado enter'd the Wood,
leaving the others behind us, and made great Haste towards the
S.S.W. We travell'd at least four long Leagues before we talked
of resting. _La Foret_, who was one of my Comrades, as _Du Puis_
was the other, perceiving a Heath-cock about a hundred Paces from
us, shot him; while one pick'd it, I and the other fell to
cutting of Fuel, and making a Fire under the Tree, at which we
soon roasted our Fowl by a String. We made a hearty Dinner, only
we wanted Drink, for which we were oblig'd to wait a little
longer. As we proceeded in our Journey, we found a Pit of Water,
which tho' not very clear, yet we thought it excellent: We fill'd
our Flagons with it but made little or no Use of it, for about a
League and half further we came to a Brook, where the Water was
really as good as I ever met with in my Life. It was about two
Foot deep, and ran exactly across that Part of the Road we had
purpos'd to travel, by the help of a small Sun-Dial that I had in
my Pocket, which was of great Service to us. There being no
Bridge, nor other Conveniency, we pull'd off our Stockings, _&c._
and waded thro' the Rivulet, leaving it with great Regret, after
having drank our Bellies full, and laid in a Stock of it for time
to come. We hitherto found no Trace of Man or Beast. The Country
was all over Sand, Briars, and Forests, for a matter of Eight or
Ten Leagues that we had travell'd before Sun-set. In fine, we
pitch'd our Camp at the Foot of a little Hill, where there was a
Coppice so thick that we were as much out of the Wind, as if we
had been in a Tent. Then we eat for Supper what we left at
Dinner, and made the best shift we could to repose our selves for
Sleep.
The next Morning when we wak'd, we were surpris'd to see the
whole Firmament overcast, and threatning us with a heavy Storm;
we therefore thought fit to dig a Cave in this Hill, which was
pretty steep, on the Side where we were posted, in order to
shelter our selves from the bad Weather. In short, we found in a
trice, that by the Help of our Hatchets we had prepar'd a small
Lodging. The Rain, however, did, not begin till about Eleven of
the Clock, so that we had time enough to kill more Quails and
other small Birds, which for the most part were unknown to us,
than we could spend in a Week. There was a vast Multitude of
'em, and, generally speaking, they suffer'd themselves to be
kill'd, without stirring from the Place, which was another Reason
that induc'd us to think the Country cou'd not be, inhabited.
After all, we were oblig'd to stay here four Days, which to us
seem'd more tedious than four Weeks would have done elsewhere.
But this Chagrin of ours was alleviated afterwards, for we
enjoy'd fair Weather above a Month without Intermission.
When we had quitted our Lodging, we began to discover high
Mountains, and for fear we should not find Sustenance there, we
laid in a Stock of Provisions for several Days. We were not
mistaken in our Conjectures; one would have sworn it was another
_Greenland_, the Place being all dry and barren, so that in many
Parts there was neither Herb, nor Bush, nor any thing that could
give Nourishment to the minutest Animal; therefore we discover'd
nothing worth mentioning: The Birds also were very scarce, from
whence 'tis easy to imagine, that we spent our Time there very
ill; and had it not been that every now and then we went down
into certain little Valleys, where there were some paltry
Fruit-Trees, and Water to quench our Thirst, we had been in
danger of perishing.
The Ninth Day of our Journey, towards the Evening, we arriv'd in
a Vale, where, about a Quarter of a League from us, on the right
Hand, we saw a little Torrent that descended from a Rock into a
Hollow, from whence it ran into a Marsh, which form'd a
Semi-Circle, but extended in the Center farther than our Eyes
could reach. The Banks of this fine Water were high, and
somewhat steep, which gave us reason to think that the River was
then much lower than at another Season of the Year. As I drew
near it, in order to go into it, I was startled to find the
Ground give way all on a sudden under my Feet, so that I fell in
up to my Armpits. My Comrades seeing me stick there, fell a
laughing, however they help'd me out. At the same time ten or
twelve Birds, as big as our Geese, with Beaks as long and as
broad as ones Hand; flutter'd under my Feet, darted like an Arrow
into the Air, and sounded an Alarm by a Noise of _Quacou,
Quacou_, which was their natural Cry, and loud enough to be heard
at a great Distance. Before one could tell a Hundred, the Sky was
darkned with these Birds, which prodigious Number together with
the fearful Noise they made, scar'd us so, that we absolutely
knew not what to think of it;, especially when they accosted us
sometimes in Bodies, with desperate Cries, hovering within a
Pike's Length of our Heads, and threatning as were, to tear us
Limb from Limb; and tho' we shot at them, and brought several of
'em to the Ground, it was still the same; but when we saw that
they meant us no Harm, and that they actually began to found a
Retreat, we went to take some Refreshment.
_Du Puis_ presently remark'd, that the Place where I sunk in, was
a Nest to which some of those Birds were retired, by the Side of
which was a Second, then a Third, and so on, about the distance
of ten or twelve Foot from one another. The Mouth of these
subterraneous Nests was of an oval Form, the smallest of which
was a Foot in Diameter. I crept into the third, where I found a
Place as big as a little Room, it being above eight Foot square,
and at least three in Height. There were fifteen Nests round it,
all built in a circular Form, with small Boughs full of Leaves,
clay'd over, and they were three or four Feet in Circumference.
In each Nest were six speckled Eggs, as big as one's Fist. In the
middle of the Den, there was a sort of Trough much bigger than
those Nests, which was full of a certain Matter, divided into
little round Bits, some longer than the others, which I imagin'd
at first were their Excrements, but being so curious as to put it
to my Lips, I found it of an excellent Taste, exceeding our best
Macaroons, which it very much resembled. My Comrades, who were as
fond as my self to search for Novelties, went severally into
other Dens, where they found things in the very same Situation
and Order, as I have mention'd, only as the Cavities were not of
the same Bigness, there were more Nests in some than in others.
We infer'd from thence, That no wonder there were such Numbers of
these Birds, because they multiply to such a Degree, and there's
no body to destroy them.
Scarce were we recovered from our last surprize, but we were
infinitely more astonish'd at the Sight of one of these Caverns
about a hundred Paces off. The Entrance of it could not possibly
be the Fabrick of any Birds whatsoever, for three great Stones,
each a Foot long, plac'd in the Earth, one by another, form'd the
Threshold, and in the Door-way were large Flints, four Foot in
height, and above a hundred Weight each, with other Stones plac'd
in order, one behind another, which intirely shut it up. These
Productions of the Hand of Man made us hesitate whether we ought
to wish to find Humane Beings here or not; 'tis true we should
have rejoic'd to see Creatures of our own Species, but we were
afraid we should not be very well us'd by them. Tho' we were in
this sad Quandary, we advanc'd towards it, but took care to cry
out and make Noise enough, that we might be heard by any that
should happen to be within. _La Foret_ being quite out of
Patience to see what wry Faces we made, bid us stand on each Side
with our Hatchets in our Hands, while he wou'd remove the
Obstacles, and open the Passage, that he might go in and examine
what there was behind. He actually did so; but when he was in the
Inside, he found it too dark there to see anyone thing. All that
he told us when he came out was, that a Man might stand upright
in it, and that the Apartment was habitable, he having felt a
Bench there. Upon this we went and fell'd some Trees at a small
distance from us, where we cut as much Wood as we cou'd carry,
and made a Fire before our Cavern, and, when it was well lighted,
we enter'd into our Room, which was twice the Bigness of the
others, neatly pav'd with choice little Flints, and border'd all
round with a Bank of Turf.
But, O dreadful Sight! what should we see at the same time upon
the Bank, on the left, which was most shelter'd from the Wind,
but a Humane Corpse, which was from Head to Foot a very
Skeleton. Over it there was a kind of smooth Slate, fasten'd in
the Wall, on which was engrav'd in the Greek Language, and in
Capital Letters, ᾽ΑΓΙΟΣ ῾Ο ΘΕΟΣ, ᾽ΑΓΙΟΣ ΊΣΧΥΡΟΣ, ᾽ΑΓΙΟΣ ΚΑΙ
᾽ΑΘΑΝΑΤΟΣ, ᾿ΕΛΕΗΣΟΝ ῾ΗΜΑΣ. _O holy God, holy and powerful, holy
and immortal, have Mercy upon us!_ Every one will naturally
imagine, that various were our Conjectures and Sentiments of this
Matter, which I will not therefore trouble my self to repeat.
Mean time, Hunger, which made us very sharp-set, oblig'd us to
take a Brace of the Birds we had kill'd, which we held over the
Flame to burn off the Feathers, instead of skinning them, as we
us'd to do, because we fancy'd the Skin to be as delicate a Part
as any; nor were we at all deceiv'd, for after having drawn them,
and wash'd 'em, we put 'em upon the Brands, where they were
roasted in a Moment, and as we had eat but very little all Day,
we scarce left any thing, besides Bones; for they were fat,
juicy, and very well tasted. After having made a very hearty
Supper, we settled our selves to sleep, as well as we could,
leaving the dead Man to his Cavern, without touching him, because
we had a mind to examine him more narrowly next Day.
It was hardly Day-break, when our impertinent Birds renew'd their
Noise, as they flew to and from their Holes, to such a degree,
that it was impossible for us to sleep any longer, tho' we were
heartily inclin'd to it. We staid, however, till the Sun was up;
but our Appearance did not at all alarm the Fowls which were all
as hard employ'd about their several Occasions, as if they had
actually been in Pay. We saw some with their Bills full of Earth,
which they brought, no doubt, from the most irregular Parts of
their Holes, in order to make them either larger or neater.
Others came with Materials for repairing their Nests, but the
generality carry'd those Cracknels, which I thought so good the
Night before. We ascended the Eminence, to see from whence they
brought this Food. As soon as we had lifted up our Eyes, we saw
upon a little Hill, within a Musket-shot of us, three Bodies of
the same Height and Bigness. We went to take a near View of them,
and found, in short, that they were three broken Pyramids, eight
Foot in Height, five in Diameter at the Base, and about three at
the Top, very regularly built of Flints neatly placed in Rows
upon one another.
The bare View of three such rare Monuments in a Desert Country,
did not satisfy us; we were resolv'd to take one of them to
pieces; But as soon as we had taken off about the thickness of a
Foot and half of the Stones at the top, we discover'd first the
Skull of a Humane Creature, then the Shoulder-Bones, Arm-Bones,
and in a word, the whole Carcase. We just discover'd the Head of
a Corpse, which was in the Second, but went no farther, because
probably it was all the same in the last. While we were
reflecting upon all this with a sort of Wonder, I went and
discover'd round the third Pyramid certain Characters, form'd
also of little Flints, almost like Pidgeons Eggs, which I took
for the following _Hebrew_ Letters; and they were rang'd on the
Ground in this Order, _Koph_, _Vau_, _Lamed_, _He_, _Teth_,
_Lamed_, _Koph_, _Pe_, _Gimel_, _Vau_, _Beth_, _Thau_, _Hajin_,
_Koph_, _Mem_, _Lamed_, _Aleph_, _Sajin_, _Samech_, _Resch_; but
they had no Points, nor any other Mark to explain them. I try'd
my utmost to find out the Meaning of them, and have thought on't
a thousand times since, but could never accomplish it, which way
soever I set about it. There was something of the like kind round
the two other Monuments, but I did not think it worth while to
take off the Stones that we had cast upon them. In all
Appearance, these were the Remains of four poor Devils like our
selves, who, after having rambled out of their Knowledge, and
seeing no Likelihood of coming to any better Place than this,
stopt here, dug a Cave after the manner of the Birds I mention'd,
or perhaps took Possession of one of their Nests, and so dy'd
there, one after another; first those we saw under the Monuments,
and then the last upon the Bench, where we found him, and where
Time had so consumed his Clothes and Flesh, that we did not see
the least Traces of either.
What further confirm'd us in this Opinion was, that not far from
hence there was a vast Number of Trees, as straight as a Bulrush,
whose Branches grew all in Pyramidical Stories, ending at the Top
in form of an Acorn, as big as an Egg. All the Branches of these
Trees were like so many Plumes of Ostrich-Feathers, that is to
say, garnish'd with small Leaves like Strings, on both Sides.
From one end to the other, and all round the Edge of this
Plumage, there was a Border of the Size of a Writing-Quill, and
over each Row of Branches a Ring, which encompass'd the Tree,
about the thickness of one's Finger, and was that excellent Food,
of which our great Birds seem'd so dainty, and which we imagin'd
the four poor Pilgrims eat instead of Bread.
Forasmuch as I had but just tasted this Bread the Night before, I
and my Comrades fell on it very heartily. It was who could climb
best to come at it, where any was left; for in several Places
there was none to be had. In fine, we cramm'd till we could
swallow no more, and we all lik'd it so well, that _Du Puis_
actually talk'd of building a Tabernacle, and dying there, as the
Owners of those Skeletons seem'd to have done. But while we were
talking of this Subject, we were overtaken with such a sudden
Drowsiness, that we could scarce heave our Legs from the Ground,
and we all lay down. Not one of us was bereft of his
Understanding, but our Members were all benumb'd, and we almost
lost the Use of Speech. We had been two Hours in this Condition,
when we fell asleep till the Afternoon.
_Du Puis_, who was the first that awak'd, felt something under
his right Hand, betwixt Sleeping and Waking, which he thought
naked, smooth, and as big as his Thigh. He imagin'd at first,
that he had roll'd in his Sleep upon one of us, but recovering
his Reason with the Revival of his Spirits, and opening his Eyes
for better Information, he was terribly astonish'd to see betwixt
him and _La Foret_, a Serpent, which was above twenty-five Foot
long. He was more depriv'd of the Use of his Members then, than
before, and could neither stir nor speak; in the mean time the
Serpent retreated, twin'd himself about one of the neighbouring
Trees, and crept up to taste the Cracknels. Upon this, my Friend
took Courage, jogg'd me, and when I awak'd, he shew'd me that
hideous Animal. As weak as I still found my self, I got up in a
Moment, and ran away as fast as I could. _Du Puis_ follow'd me,
and _La Foret_, upon our calling out to him, did the like
instantly. Glad we were that this Monster had not swallow'd us
up, the Fear of which was a strong Motive to our Resolution of
decamping forthwith; but we were forc'd to stay all Night to
recover our selves.