_Of the Discovery of a very fine Country, its Inhabitants, their
Language, Manners and Customs_, &c. _and of the Esteem which our
Author and his Comrade gain'd there._
Mean time, the Surf was at the End of his Race, and we found our
selves very cold, which were two pressing Motives to induce us to
betake our selves to some Shelter. We descended the Mountain with
no great Difficulty, because on that side it was not very deep.
At the Foot of it was a broad deep Ditch, where we were again
forc'd to swim over. This was one of the Barriers of the Country,
and was destitute of Bridges, so that People could neither pass
in nor out of it.
The farther we went into the Country, the more of its Beauties we
discover'd, and a thousand things occur'd to convince us that it
was inhabited. The Creatures which we spy'd, as we thought, from
the Mountains, were Goats feeding in the Meadows, where the green
Herbage was so high, that it partly conceal'd them from our
Sight. In short, we were not a great way from one of the Herds,
when the Man that look'd after them, who was then lain down upon
the Grass, observing that they stretch'd out their Necks as if
they spy'd something that had affrighted them, rose up to see
what it was, and as soon as he perceiv'd us, ran away with all
the Speed he could; and we heard afterwards, that seeing two
such naked Men coming down the Mountain in the Evening, he took
us for Savages: His Goats also ran as if they had been pursu'd by
some Beast of Prey. Certain Shepherds who were not far off,
tending their Flocks of Sheep, knew not what to think of this
Alarm, but they had the Courage to join one another, and came
seven or eight in a Body to examine us. As soon as we thought
they could see us, we wrung our Hands, and endeavour'd by all the
Signs we could think of, to move them to Compassion. They
advanc'd, and perceiving that we were naked and unarm'd, came
within four Paces of us, each having a great Stick in his Hand,
and fell a talking to us. I told them in _Latin_, in _French_,
and in _Portuguese_, a Language which I understood pretty well,
considering the Time I was in _Portugal_, that we were two honest
_Europeans_, who believ'd in God, and at the same time lifted up
my Hands to Heaven, and then smote my Breast. But notwithstanding
all my various Looks and Actions, I plainly perceiv'd by their
Countenances, that they understood us no more than we did them;
upon which I fell prostrate at their Feet, and by trembling, and
extending my Arms, endeavour'd to give them to understand that I
was almost starv'd to Death with Cold. Then they talk'd with one
another a few Moments, but without giving the least Indication
that they intended us any Harm, and at length, after some
Deliberation, they beckon'd to us to follow them, and carry'd us
to a venerable Personage, who, after having survey'd us, first
gave each of us a great Robe, which cover'd us from Head to Foot,
for at the Top of it a Cap was fasten'd, in the manner of a
Monk's Cowl; then he interrogated us by Signs from whence we
came, whether from the East, the West, or from any other Part of
the Globe. We answer'd him in our own Language, and by the best
Signs we were capable of making, that we were neither Angels nor
Devils; that we came neither from Heaven nor Hell; that we were
rational Creatures like himself, who having put to Sea in a great
Machine of Wood, were cast away about 150 Leagues off; that of
all the Crew only three of us set out inquest of some Asylum to
pass the Remainder of our Days; but that we left one of our
Companions by the way, in the most tragical manner that could be;
and so of the rest. Then we begg'd him to take Pity of us, to put
us to work, and to give us Nourishment. Tho' I knew not whether
he understood what we said to him, yet he seem'd to be affected,
by his shedding of Tears. He gave us a Supper, and in an Hour
after we were carry'd to a Bed, which was all done in so handsome
a manner, that we were charm'd with our Entertainment. Next Day
it was as good as a Comedy to see the Crowds of People that came
from all Parts to gaze at us. Every one look'd upon us with
Amazement, because no body could comprehend from whence or which
way we came hither. These Visits held at least a Fortnight or
three Weeks. By hearing them talk much, we began to understand
some Words of their Language: The first we retain'd was the Word
_Mula_, which they seldom fail'd to pronounce, when with our Eyes
or Hands lifted up to Heaven, we utter'd the Name of God. We
learnt the Terms, _At_, to Eat; _Bouskin_, to Drink; _Kapan_, to
Sleep; _Pryn_, to Walk; _Tian_, to Work; _Touto_, Yes; _Touton_,
No; and a great many others, which we found afterwards to bear
the same Meaning as we imagin'd they had at first. What very much
contributed to make this Language familiar to us, was there being
but three Tenses in the Indicative Mood of every Verb, _viz._ the
_Present_, the _Præterperfect_, indefinite or compound, and the
_Future_; that they have no _Imperative Mood_; that in their
_Subjunctive_ they have only the _Præterimperfect_ and
_Præterpluperfect_; and that besides these they have only the
_Infinitive Mood_ and _Participle_. They have also but three
_Persons_ in both the _Singular_ and _Plural Numbers_, and thus,
for Instance, they conjugate the Verb _At_:
_Indicative Mood, Present Tense._
_Ata_, I eat or We eat.
_Até_, Thou eatest, You eat.
_Atη_, He eateth, They eat.
_Præterperfect Tense._
_Atài_, I have eaten, We have eaten.
_Atéi_, Thou haft eaten, You have eaten.
_Atiη_, He has eaten, They have eaten.
_Future Tense._
_Atàio_, I shall or will eat, We will eat.
_Atéio_, Thou wilt eat, You will eat.
_Atηio_, He will eat, They will eat.
_Infinitive Mood._
_At_, To eat.
_Præterimperfect Tense of the Subjunctive Mood._
_Atàin_, I would eat, We would eat.
_Atéin_, Thou wouldn't eat, Ye would eat.
_Atηin_, He would eat, They would eat.
_Præterpluperfect._
_Atais_, I would have eaten, We would have eaten.
_Atéis_, Thou would'st have eaten, You would have eaten.
_Atηis_, He or she should have eaten, They would have eaten.
_Participle of the Present Tense._
_Atain_, Eating.
From thence are deriv'd the Words, _Ataus_, Kitchen; _Ataɤs_,
Food; _Atiɤ_, Cook; _Atians_, Eater, or the Person that Eateth.
Their Alphabet consists of Twenty Characters, _viz._ Seven
Vowels, _a_, _e_, _i_, _o_, _u_, _η_, _ɤ_, (the Sixth of which is
properly the _Aita_ of the Greeks, and the Seventh is equivalent
to the Dipthongue, _ou_) and Thirteen Consonants, _b_, _d_, _f_,
_g_, _h_, _k_, _l_, _m_, _n_, _p_, _r_, _s_, _t_. These same
Consonants serve them also for Numerals; as _b_, 1; _d_, 2; _f_,
3; _g_, 4; _h_, 5; _k_, 6; _l_, 7; _m_, 8; _n_, 9; _p_, 10; _pb_,
11; _pd_, 12; &c. _dp_, is equivalent to twice Ten, or Twenty;
_fp_, to thrice Ten, or Thirty; _fb_, 31; &c. _pp_, ten times
Ten, or 100; _r_, 1000; _pr_, 10000; _ppr_, 100000; _s_, a
Million; _ps_, 10 Millions; _pps_, 100 Millions; _ppps_, 1000
Millions; and so on, always adding one _p_ more.
It must likewise be observed, that their Nouns and Verbs are
deriv'd from one another, like the French, _Chat_, a Boar Cat;
_Chate_, a She Cat; _Chatons_, Kittlings; _Chatonner_, to Kitten.
Their Declensions are also very easy, of which this is an
Example:
Nom. _Brol_, }
Gen. _Brul_, } A Weather.
Dat. _Brel_, }
Nom. _Brolu_, }
Gen. _Brula_, } An Ewe or Sheep.
Dat. _Brèla_, }
Nom. _Brolη_, }
Gen. _Brulη_, } Weathers or Sheep.
Dat. _Brelη_, }
'Tis wonderful, that there is not one Exception in the
Conjugations and Declensions of this Language; and that when we
know the Variations of one Verb or Noun, it leads to the
Knowledge of all the rest; which Variation consists only in
adding the Letter _A_ to the Infinitive Mood to make the Present
Tense of the Indicative; as from _At_, comes _Ata_; from
_Bɤskin_, _Bɤskina_, &c. And to the Nouns they add _A_, to the
Nominative Case of the Masculine Gender, to make them Feminine in
_η_ when they change them to the Plural Number, as is plain from
the foregoing Example. From hence it will not be thought strange,
that at the End of six Months we understood every thing they
said to us; and that they also understood what we said to them.
But to return to our former Subject.
Not many Days after our Arrival, we were awaken'd one Morning by
an extraordinary Hurly-burly in the House. We arose to see what
was the matter; but tho' we observ'd the minutest of their
Proceedings, we could not conceive the Meaning of the Hurry they
were all in from the the Highest to the Lowest; only we guess'd
there was to be a grand Dinner, because there was a great
Slaughter of Fowls, and abundance of Meat in the Kitchen. About
Ten of the Clock, the whole Family went out. Our Patron march'd
first, with a great Cock under his Arm, and we follow'd with the
rest of the Houshold. As we pass'd the Bridge over the Canal, we
saw that all our Neighbours did the same, every Family marching
out with a Cock. Our opposite Neighbour expos'd his Cock against
ours; and the others did the same thing, it being a general
Cock-match between the People of both sides the Canal. It is
incredible with what Courage and Fury, with what Vigor and Skill
these Creatures fought. My Landlord, whose Cock was kill'd, went
and took the Victor by the Hand, congratulated him on his
Conquest, and carry'd him to his House, follow'd by all his
Children and Domestics. The Provisions laid in at the other's
House, were brought to ours. We sat down to Table, and I can say,
that I had not been at such an Entertainment a long while. It was
a Feast truly Royal, and we drank to a very hearty Pitch; but the
worst on't was, we did not understand them.
Our People were every whit as alert next Day. As soon as the Sun
was risen, all the young Men of the Canton, that is to say, the
eldest Son of every Family, went out and took a straight Pole,
like to the Mast of a Ship, which they planted in the middle of
the Canal, and to the End of it they ty'd as many great Ropes as
there were Families present. All these Ropes were afterwards
extended, and wound about the several Trees which were planted on
the Bank of the Canal; and that there might be no Jealousy, or
any Cause of Complaint, there was a Noose made in each Rope, all
at the same Distance from the Pole. To the Top of this Pole,
which was not Thirty Foot from the Surface of the Water, a round
Board was nail'd, upon which an Eagle was plac'd, whose two Feet
were fasten'd separately with strong Packthread, to two
Cramp-Irons drove into the Timber.
When every thing was ready, each of the young Men laid hold of
one of the Ropes at the Place where the Noose was, and at the
first Signal, which was given by our Landlord, they drove who
could climb up fastest. They that came first up to the Eagle,
endeavour'd to lay hold of him, but they had a smart Reception,
for as their Hands were oblig'd to be bare, they were expos'd to
the Strokes of the Eagle's Beak, which made them all over bloody.
Besides, each Man had but one Hand at liberty to attack, because
with the other he was oblig'd to hold fast. And then, the Eagle
was not ty'd so short, but that he could rise at least two Foot
from his Board; so that whereas I thought at the Beginning, the
Battle would have been over in a Trice, when it had continued
two Hours 'twas like to hold all Day. Notwithstanding the Vigour
of the Assailants, their Situation was too fatiguing, and it was
impossible they could keep it long. Some rested themselves as
well as they could; others dropped into the Water, where they
were reliev'd immediately by Persons who were underneath in
little Boats, on purpose to catch them. In short, it was a wild
Skirmish; but I think they had been engag'd about six Hours, when
one of the Assailants nimbly seizing the Eagle, broke one of its
Legs, but another pushing him, made him let go his Prize for fear
of falling off of the Rope, grip'd the Bird with both his Hands,
flung himself desperately down the Rope, and fell, with the
dismembered Prey in his Arms, into the Water. At his Fall, the
Spectators shouted as much for Joy, as if the Safety of the
Publick had been the Matter in question. Those who were wet went
to shift their Clothes, and soon after repair'd to the Victor's
House, where every one paid him their Compliments. There they
supp'd together, and spent part of the Night in Merriment, while
the Parents of the Family treated one another reciprocally with
hearty good Cheer. The third Day was spent in Plays, Dances,
Races, and agreeable Diversions.
We knew not what all this meant; but afterwards we found that
they observ'd the same Ceremonies throughout the Kingdom, every
Year, at the Full Moon preceding the Solstice of _Capricorn_, and
that the young Man who carries off the Eagle, has that Year the
Choice of all the Girls in the Canton, in case he has a mind to
alter his Condition, so that there can be no Marriage without his
Consent, which however he seldom refuses; and therefore it may be
said, that it all terminates in a meer Formality and Punctilio of
Honour to the Conqueror. At all the other Full-Moons of the Year,
without Exception, they fight Cocks. They take their Pleasure in
Gondola's, during the Summer; and in the Winter they are drawn
upon the Snow in Sleds. For two Days they take all the innocent
Pleasures they are capable of, except that of the Eagle planted
on the Pole. The rest of the Month every body is at their
Business, and there are no other Feasts at all.
Having spent all this Time without putting our Hands to any
thing, we gave our Patron to understand that we should be glad of
some Business. At first they pretended not to give ear to it, but
seeing that we insisted on being employ'd, they gave us Wool to
cleanse, wash, beat, and card, as thinking that we were fit for
nothing else. We were soon weary of this Work. _La Foret_, who
was by Profession a Watchmaker, wanted to take a File in his
Hand, and to work on the Movement of a Watch; but there were no
such Machines in those Parts, and it would have been difficult to
have given them a Notion of such presently. When they perceiv'd
our Dissatisfaction, they were willing to make use of us for the
Rigging of a little Fleet.
There being Twenty-two Houses in our Canton or Village, of which
I shall give a Description hereafter, the Number of Vessels to
be equipp'd was the same. Every Master of a Family caus'd his
Vessel to be fitted, and the necessary Provisions to be put on
Board, to serve four Persons for three Weeks. In these Vessels
they put all manner of Provisions or Merchandise which they knew
to be proper for a Voyage; as for Instance, Cordage, Pullies,
Wheelbarrows, Hatchets, Spades, Mattocks, Pick-Axes, and other
Tools fit to turn up the Ground; but especially Robes, and other
Habits, Woollen and Linen. It was then the Month of _December_,
and by consequence in the Heart of Summer, and in the finest
Season of the Year. As the Goats are extremely large in that
Country, and as strong as our Horses, they are generally made use
of for Carriages. There were four of 'em to every Boat, of which
two drew for two Hours, while the others eat, and relied in the
Vessel. Thus they work'd alternately for fifteen or sixteen Hours
every Day, which was in a manner from Sun-rise to Sun-set, but at
Night there was a Halt, and a general Rest.
My Comrade and I could never see enough of the Beauties of this
inchanting Country, and the Riches of its Soil. Their Orchards
were adorn'd with fine Trees, some in Blossom, and others with
ripe Fruit, the most excellent in the World; their Arable Lands
were cover'd with Wheat, Barley, and other Grain; their Pastures
were full of Goats and Sheep, of an extraordinary Size (for as to
Horses and Cows, I never saw any there) and every thing was in
such Elegance, Order, and Regularity, that it perfectly charm'd
us.
The whole Country, which, as we were afterwards inform'd, extends
130 _French_ Leagues from East to West, and 80 at least from
North to South, is divided into Cantons or Villages. These
Cantons are exactly of the Form of a Quadrangle, each Side being
1500 Paces, or an _Italian_ Mile and Half in length, incompass'd
all round, and separated from one another by a Canal 20 Paces
broad, and a Royal Road on each side of it of 25 Paces, with two
Rows of Trees in the middle, which form a Walk of 25 Foot, or
five Geometrical Paces, that there may be free and commodious
Passage for the Creatures employed to draw the Boats.
Every Canton is also divided in the middle by a Ditch of 20
Paces, and by a Road on both sides, of 25; with Trees planted
after the same manner. Every one of these Roads contains 11
Habitations in length, each being 130 Geometrical Paces in Front,
and about 700 in Depth, which are also separated by little
Ditches five Foot over. At the Head of every one of these
Habitations, on the Side of the Ditch which divides the Village
into two equal Parts, there's a House only one Story high, but 60
Foot wide, with a Passage in the middle, which leads to all the
Apartments, Stables, Barns, and other Offices. The Reason why
they have no Upper Rooms is, because sometimes, tho' very seldom,
they are subject to violent high Winds, which throw down their
Houses to the Ground, for their Buildings are but slight.
From this Disposition that I have now describ'd, tis plain that
in one Canton there are 22 Habitations; or Houses, opposite to
one another, and all of the same Height and Breadth, 11 on one
side of the Canal, and 11 on the other. At each End of this
Water, on both Sides, there are Bridges to pass from one Village
to the other, besides some in the middle of each Canton, which
are all built of Free-Stone of fine Architecture, and kept in
very good Repair. In these Twenty-two Families, there were always
two of Distinction; one, that of the _Papɤ_ or Priest; and the
other, that of the _Kini_, or Judge of the Canton, which face the
middle Bridge, and are opposite to one another; and behind these
Houses there's an Apartment the breadth of the whole House, which
serve the one for the Church, the other for the Court or Senate.
But we shall have occasion to treat more of this perhaps
elsewhere, and therefore we return now to our Journey.
We stay'd nine Days upon the Road, and when we came within seven
or eight Leagues from the Place to which we were bound, we began
to discover the Highlands, where we saw nothing scarce but
Mountains, whose Tops seem'd to touch the Clouds, and dazzled our
Eyes with the Whiteness of the Snow, with which they are cover'd
all the Year round. The Canal where we were, ended about two
short Leagues from those Hills, so that there we were oblig'd to
halt. Part of our Company stay'd there in the Boats, and the rest
of us made our way to the Mountains. But before we came to them,
we were fain to pass thro' a very beautiful Forest.
The perpetual Din and Clatter, which we heard as we went on, made
me think more than once, of _Vulcan_ and his Cyclops. The Air
resounded with great Strokes of Hammers, and one would actually
have sworn that we were but three Paces from the Forges of Mount
_Gibel_, or the Anvils of _Brontes_, _Pyracmon_, and _Steropes_.
We were not vastly mistaken in our Conjecture, for the Men whom
we discover'd soon after were not much unlike Giants and Dæmons;
some of them were monstrously tall, others as shagged as Bears,
and not one but was blacker than a _Newcastle_ Collier.
Some of our Company immediately apply'd to a Director, and told
him what Canton we were come from, what sort of Merchandise we
had brought, and what we came for in exchange. Then they
presented me and my Comrade to him, which we believed was to
desire him to conduct us to all those Places which he thought
worth seeing by People who had never been there; for he presently
gave Orders to one of his Footmen to accompany us wherever we
went, and five of our Companions join'd us.
The first thing he shew'd us was a large Pit, of a prodigious
Depth, where was an Iron Mine which had been work'd for thousands
of Years, and from whence so much Earth, _&c._ had been dug as
form'd several other Mountains near it. On the left side of this
Pit was a Descent of Steps, which the Workmen had made in the
Rock as they dug downwards, but tho' they were broad and easy, I
did not care to go down them. Over it they had erected a wooden
Machine, and a great Windlass, with a Pulley fasten'd to it three
Foot in Diameter, which drew up the Oar, by means of Baskets that
were fill'd by Men at the bottom, as often as they were let
down. On the right side of the Pit there was not a Hand at work,
but every thing seem'd in Disorder. Our Guide perceiving me stoop
to view the confused State of it, made Signs to me, by which he
gave me to understand, as well as he could, that not above five
Months ago a great part of the Mountain; which had perhaps been
undermin'd too far on that Side, broke away, and in the Fall
crush'd 360 Labourers that were at work.
After we had view'd that Place, he carry'd us to another, from
whence Coal was extracted after the same manner; but 'tis much
fatter than the _English_ Coal, and even than that Mineral which
is produc'd in the Country of _Liege_, for the Fire that is
commonly made of it burns twenty-four Hours, without laying on
fresh Coals.
Between these two Mines there was a Pond of Mineral Water, which
continually bubbled up. They make use of it to scour their
Bodies, Clothes, and Utensils; but they can't dress their
Victuals with it, 'tis so very ill-tasted. The Iron which they
steep in this hot Water becomes impenetrably hard, and is much
fitter than our Steel to make Springs of. I never was at a Loss
to account for the degree of Heat which is said to be in the
Mineral Waters of _Aix la Chapelle_, because they come thro' long
Subterranean Channels, where the Earth no doubt abounds with
bituminous and sulphureous Particles, which being themselves much
agitated, communicate a part of their Motion to them, as they
pass along; but here I really saw nothing like it. For this was a
little Lake of standing Water, which, as fast as it wafted by
Exhalations, and what was drawn off by People for their Use, was
supply'd by a Stone Pipe, which Nature seem'd to have form'd for
the Purpose, from whence there came a Thread of Water as clear as
Crystal, but colder than Marble; which made me think there must
be a prodigious Fire of Spirits underneath to give it that Heat
and Ferment.
We went also to see the Men that separated the Iron from the
Mine, the Furnaces where they melted it, and the Forges where
they extended it into Bars, to be work'd elsewhere; but all this
was so like the Practice in _Europe_, that there's no need to
describe it here.
I understood by what they told me afterwards, that this intire
Chain of Mountains, which serves instead of a Barrier to this
fine Country, is properly the Magazine from whence these People
have great part of their Wealth, and things which are generally
useful in Society; as Stones for Building, others for Lime; Salt,
which, tho' different from ours, is very good; very fine Pewter,
and red Copper, but in a very little Quantity, which at the same
time coils a great deal of Labour, and the Lives of very many
Men.
While I was taken up with viewing, all these Curiosities, our
People were busy in landing their Goods, bartering them, and
taking in their Ladings of such Goods as they had Orders to bring
away in exchange, which were carry'd off by Sledges, or little
flat long Carts, drawn by two, three, four, and even ten Goats at
a time, or on the Backs of Porters, and in which so many People
were imploy'd, that they made quick Work, tho' the Way was
pretty long, so that we were not there two whole Days. We carry'd
our Guide to our Barks, where we treated him in the best manner
we could, and made him so drunk, that as he got up to go away, he
fell all along and hurt his Shoulder, insomuch that the exquisite
Pain he felt made him call out upon the Name of Christ. I was
startled at the Expression, and should have been glad to have
known how he came to hear of the Saviour of Mankind, but for want
of knowing the Language, I contented my self with having raised
him on his Legs again, and glad I was to see that he had not hurt
himself dangerously.
Just as we were unmooring in order to return, it came into my
Head, that if instead of going back by the same Canal, we struck
into another two or three Cantons off, perhaps we should see
Novelties that would divert us, and make us amends for all our
Time and Labour. I communicated my Mind to _La Foret_, and he
join'd with me in persuading the others, who were so complaisant
that they consented to our Proposal, without any Scruple.
Thereupon we went Westward but when the Goats were to be
harness'd which were to draw our Boat, the oldest of 'em, which,
according to the Report of the Driver, was Forty-two Years of
Age, and had been that way I know not how often, finding that
they did not keep in the usual Track, was so unruly, that it was
impossible for the Guide to hold him in. He made so many Leaps
and Capers, that he broke the Rope with which he was harness'd,
and run away. Twenty People immediately pursu'd him, and call'd
out to others to stop him, which, as one was attempting to do,
the mad Creature leap'd fairly into the middle of the Water, at a
Place where the Banks are very high and sleep, so that he could
not possibly climb out. Our Guide getting a little before him,
stoop'd till he came by, and then throwing in a Rope with a
Noose, caught him by the Horns. At the same time the Goat being
affrighted, darted towards the other Shore, and whether the Rope
was twin'd round the Body of our Guide, or whether he chose to be
dragg'd into the Water, rather than let go his Hold, I know not,
but so it was that he fell in. The Company were immediately so
alarm'd that they all hurry'd to his Assistance; and while they
were busy in helping him out, the Creature made up to one of the
Steps of the next Bridge, by which he recover'd Land, and got
quite out of our Sight, so that we knew not what was become of
him. For my own part, I was heartily vex'd to lose him, and
wish'd almost that I had been Tongue-ty'd, ere I propos'd to come
this way, for I was afraid that my Patron would look upon us with
an evil Eye, and revenge himself upon those who had been so
complaisant as to hearken to us. We pursued our Purpose, however,
tho' some of the other Goats were resty for a little while, but
as soon as the foremost were in the Humour to go, the others
follow'd as gently as Lambs. Yet we were never the better for
this Voyage, for the Country is so uniform, that when you have
seen a Part of it, 'tis as well as if you had seen the whole,
there being really no remarkable Difference but in the People's
Faces, the same that you observe every where else; and indeed,
if there had been any Pleasure to have tasted, we were at that
time too uneasy to have partaken of it. But we were most
agreeably surpriz'd at our Arrival, to hear that the Goat had
been a Week in the Stables; so that this nimble Creature had ran
home in Thirty-five Hours. This welcome News banish'd all
melancholy, and made every one of us laugh very heartily.
The next Day the Boats were unladen, in Presence of all the
Inhabitants of the Canto. The Judge having call'd for the Bill of
Lading, and examin'd it, caus'd the Goods to be deliver'd to the
respective Proprietors, with so much Order, that it was
impossible for the least Thing to be lost. To make him amends for
this Trouble, every Family sends him next Day a Dish of the best
Fish they can catch in their Rivers, half of which is dress'd at
his own House, and the other half at the Priest's Apartment,
whither the Parents of the Family go to take part of it. This is
reckoned an Honour for these Gentlemen, but they pay dearly for
it, because all that they can save of the Fish, is not worth one
half of the Sauce, which they are oblig'd in Generosity to add to
it.
When all was over, the next thing to be thought of was, to return
to our Occupation; not that any Body gave us the least Hint of
it; for we perceiv'd on the contrary, that they did not care
whether we meddled with any thing or not; but because we hated
sauntering, tho' we had much rather have been imploy'd in any
thing else. _La Foret_, who was even more tir'd than I with the
Woollen Manufacture, did all he could to make our Landlord
understand, that as he was by Profession a Clockmaker, if he
would furnish him with the Metals and the necessary Tools, he
would make a Machine for him to shew the Time of the Day, and to
strike the Hour so as to be heard by all the Inhabitants of the
Village. As for me, who could be of no Service to them in the
Article of Surgery, because the Herbs of that Country differ for
most part from ours, and because there are few Minerals, and that
they mortally hate Bleeding, all that I had to do, was to applaud
what my Comrade said, in Hopes of being employed with him on the
same Work.
This proposition seem'd very miraculous to the Judge, who
immediately sent for the Priest to impart it to him. They had
heard Talk indeed of our Clocks, but not a Man of 'em had ever
seen one, and the Idea they had form'd of 'em was very confus'd;
so that they were very pressing with us, to set about one as soon
as we pleas'd, and to spare no Cost, the rather because their way
of dividing the Time was extremely troublesome; for, they tie a
Piece of Packthread to the Cieling, and at the End of it hang a
Ball of Pewter three Foot and two Inches in length, which serves
as a Pendulum, and putting it in Motion, they tell the Vibrations
to the Number of 7200, which by reason of the length of the Cord,
make just as many Seconds, and by consequence the 12th part of a
natural Day, or two of our Hours. I shall give an Account by and
by, who they make use of to count these Vibrations, and to go and
cry the Hour through the Village, as the Watchmen do by Night,
in many Parts of _Europe_, and particularly in _England_ and
_Holland_, where they hire Men for the Purpose. They furnish'd us
therefore with the necessary Materials for our Work. _La Foret_
bespoke some of the Tool that we had need of, and himself made
the others. At length we went to work, but we did not hurry
ourselves, for 'twas above a Year and half before we finish'd our
Clock.
When it was done, you can't imagine with what Admiration every
Body star'd at us. They could not conceive how it was possible
for this Machine to go by itself, and to sound all the Hours of
the Day. Being by this time so perfect in the Language of the
Country, that we explain'd ourselves with as much Ease as in the
_French_; we told them, that they ought to have a Tower built
over the House of the Priest or Judge, after the manner of the
Europeans, and so put up the Clock in it that every Body might
hear it strike. No sooner said, but done, and all Hands were set
to work to follow our Directions, till the Clock was hung up in
the Place which we appointed for it.
But to return to the Persons they make use of to take care of the
Pendulums, and to give. Notice to the People of the Time of the
Day. You must know, that hitherto no Person in this Country was
ever sentenc'd to die. Crimes indeed are prohibited, and the
Criminals punish'd, but not with Death; for they imagine, that as
the Life of Man is in the Power only of God who gave it, 'tis not
in Man's Power to take it away for any Cause whatsoever, not even
for the Murder of a Father or Mother. It was in vain to preach
to them, that the putting of Criminals to Death for such Capital
Offences, was a Maxim, observ'd by almost all Mankind, and
expresly commanded by our Law, of which we believe God himself
was the Dictator; all this tended only to exasperate them, and to
give them an Abhorrence for People whom they knew not, and whom
they thought unworthy to see the Light. 'Tis not likely, said
they, that a Man who kills another, is in his right Senses, and
it would be an Affront to the rest of his Species to suppose it.
But when we meet with Persons so extravagant and cruel, as to
deprive their Neighbour of a Life which they never gave him, we
ought to leave the Revenge to the _Universal Spirit_ (which is
the Name they call God by) and not to incroach upon his
Prerogatives by imitating their Barbarity, under the specious
Pretext of observing the Divine Laws, which in the main, say
they, are but the Ordonnances of an unnatural Tyrant. In the
Formation of Society, every Man may transfer the Right and
Authority which Nature has given him over himself to another, as
to his Prince or Sovereign, but he cannot give him any Power over
his own Life. 'Tis God who thro' the Means of our Parents has
made us without our Participation, and since we have not
contributed to our own Existence in any Manner whatsoever, 'tis
but just and lawful to leave it to that same God to unmake us,
and to content our selves with laying our Hands upon the other
Creatures which he seems to have left to our Disposal.
In conformity to these Principles, they only impose upon every
Criminal that Punishment which they think most adequate to his
Offence. Blasphemy against God is with them the most enormous
Sin, and those who commit it, are without Mercy condemned to hard
Labour as long as they live, in the Bottom of a dark Mine where
the Light of the Sun cannot enter. Murderers, Adulterers,
Fornicators and great Robbers are treated much after the same
manner: Some work at the Bottom, others at the Top; some are
condemn'd for 10 Years, others for more or less Time according as
the Crime is aggravated, and to the Age and Understanding of the
Offender. Peccadillos are not punish'd so severely, those who
commit them being generally confin'd to the Village. Some are
employ'd in fishing, and in making and mending of Nets, in which
they have full Employment, because their Rivers abound with Fish,
and they eat great Quantities of them. Some take care of the
Trees, and the Walks, and others cleanse the Canals. The Women
and Girls look after the Pendulums, being reliev'd every six
Hours, and the Boys go about constantly to cry the Hour of the
Day from the Time that the Sun comes to their Meridian to the
Time it returns. And when they have done this for a certain Term,
they are restor'd to their Liberty.
I said a while ago, that Blasphemy is the Crime they punish with
the greatest Severity, which gives me Occasion now to say two
Words concerning the poor Man, our Guide to the Mines, who when
he fell down, call'd out on the Name of _Christ_, as it were for
Help. When I found myself able to speak their Language, I let no
Opportunity slip of informing my self of the Things which I
desir'd to know. I told our Patron one Day the Circumstances of
the Journey we made to the Mountains, and when I mention'd the
venerable Personage, and what he said, I ask'd him, if they knew
a _Christ_ among them. He made me Answer, that about 300 or 400
Years ago, there came several People into their Country for much
the same Reasons that had brought us thither, that the last who
came, was a grave Man dress'd in a long Robe in such a manner,
that it was natural for me to think he was a Monk of some
mendicant Order. This Man, continued he, had Wit and Learning
too; he came to a Canton not far from this, but did not stay here
long. As soon as he understood a little of our Language, he often
shifted his Village. My Grandfather, as I have heard my Father
say, had lodg'd him here several times, and took a great deal of
Pleasure in hearing him talk. He was continually preaching up
Morality, and discoursing of a Resurrection, and happy
Immortality after this Life. Moreover, he affirmed, that God had
a Son ingender'd of his own Substance long before the World had a
Being, who manifested himself to Mankind several Ages past, as
born from a Virgin, or one who, if you please, had never known
Man: That this God-Man convers'd with Mankind that he suffer'd
the Death of a Robber to procure eternal Life for the rest of Men
who should be willing to embrace his Religion; and that this
Person who was call'd _Christ_, rose from the Dead, and fitteth
in Heaven at the Right Hand of God his Father, with him to govern
Heaven and Earth till the End of the World. As this was very
soothing Doctrine, the Monk found a great many People who were
hugely delighted with what he said, and others took Offence at
it, which coming to the King's Ears, he was sent for to Court,
and after having been strictly examin'd, was condemned like the
worst of Blasphemers, to spend the rest of his Days in the Bottom
of a Mine, where, not long after, he died. And as he had the Name
of _Christ_ in his Mouth at every Turn, some that work'd with
him, imitated him; and what you have now told me of your Guide,
added he, is a certain Proof that the Doctrine has found its way
to us.
Tho' this Discourse alarm'd me, I could not help telling him,
that I was of the same Belief as that Man; that the Maxims of the
Religion I profess'd, led me to it, and that I was surpriz'd to
think that Persons of their Wisdom and Humanity could find in
their Hearts to be so barbarous to a poor Friar, who no doubt was
sent to them by Heaven for their Salvation. Perhaps, said my
Landlord, it was owing in a great measure to State Policy.
Princes don't love great Alterations in Worship, for fear their
Persons should suffer by it, or that it should be prejudicial to
the Government. And then 'tis as sure on the other hand, that
your Sentiments are in many Respects contradictory, and that this
_Christ_ above all Things excites to Rebellion, and prodigiously
embarrasses humane Reason. I own, said I, 'tis an
incomprehensible Mystery, but we believe it; and we believe it
with the more Confidence and Steadiness, because we see it is for
our Advantage to believe it, and that 'tis interwoven with the
Oeconomy of Salvation; besides its being a Truth of which a
thousand Eye-Witnesses have given Evidence, and which has been
reveal'd to us by God himself.
To be sure, said the Judge, you were born in very happy Climates,
since the Divinity communicates himself there in such a manner to
the Inhabitants; or rather, the People of your Country must be
very vain and presumptuous to have the Impudence to give it out
in publick, that the universal Spirit condescends to become a
private Man, and to a Familiarity with a Worm of this Earth. To
me it seems intolerable, and if this same God was the least
concern'd for his own Honour, he would not fail to punish your
Arrogance with Severity. But, before I engage farther with you in
this Discourse, pray tell me, said he, how does this Revelation
come? Does God speak to you directly himself, does he employ
Heaven, Earth, or any other Creature in revealing it to you, in
what manner doth he do it?
I question, said I, whether 'tis worth while to talk with you on
this Subject; I perceive you are so wide from our Sentiments, and
so little dispos'd to give the least Credit to our Doctrines,
that I fear your Incredulity will stir up your Indignation, and
bring me into some Trouble. You need fear nothing, reply'd he, I
am your Friend, and a Man of Honour, and will allow you to say
what you please, only I will not give up the Right of judging for
myself. Upon this Condition, said I, I am willing to tell you as
much as my Age, Education, and Business have suffer'd me to know
of the Matter. But, for fear of rambling too far from the main
Point, or lest I should entertain you with what you know better
perhaps than I do, tell me if you please, first of all, what are
your Sentiments of God, of the World, of Man, and of his Origin,
as well as of his Dependance, and of what he ought to expect
after this Life.
You say well, reply'd the old Gentleman, I am ready to satisfy
you, as to my own particular, it being impossible that my
Confession should be general, because perhaps there are as many
Minds as there are Men. I for my part believe an increated
Substance, an universal Spirit, sovereignly wise, and perfectly
good and just, an independant and unchangeable Being, who made
Heaven and Earth, and all Things that are therein, who governs
and animates them, but in a Manner so secret, and so far above my
Nothingness, that I have but a very imperfect Idea of it. And
while we perceive the Necessity of his Existence and our
Dependance upon him, we think ourselves under an indispensable
Obligation to pay him our Homage and Adoration, never to speak of
him but with Respect, nor so much as to think of him but with
Trembling, which is one principal Part of our Worship; the other
is continually to render him Thanks for all the Favours he has
done us, without any Petition for Futurity, and much less for any
thing beyond the Grave, because then as our Existence will be at
an End, we shall have no more need of any thing whatsoever. And
'tis for this Purpose that we meet every Morning at the House of
our Priest, which you have been Witness of many times since you
came among us.
'Tis true, reply'd I, that you are very punctual in giving an
Hour of your Devotion every Day in the Year to God, for which you
are certainly very much to be commended; but I think it strange,
that you entirely reject Prayer, and make no Distinction of Days;
for we employ six Days in our domestick Affairs, and devote the
seventh to God, and the Exercises of our Religion.
We don't think, reply'd he, that one Day is a Jot better than
another. They are undoubtedly all alike, and though we are but
one Hour in the Morning in our Churches, yet we don't fail to
devote the rest of the Day to God, to meditate every Moment upon
his Greatness, and to admire his Goodness to all his Creatures.
But as to Prayer, 'tis absolutely needless, besides the offering
Violence as it were to his Nature, which being immutable, 'tis
evident that he cannot suffer any Shadow of Change.
Here Word was brought to the Judge, that the _Tιμηɤ_, that is to
say, the Intendant or Governor was come to receive the Tribute of
the Canton. We have already observ'd, that each Village consists
of 22 Families govern'd by a Bailiff. Ten of the Cantons form one
Government, the eldest of whose Bailiffs is _Tιμηɤ_, and
President of the nine others in the Assemblies which are held for
exercising Justice, and regulating the Police in those ten
Villages. Besides this, there's the Sovereign Court to which out
of the ten Governors one is deputed once a Year to the Assembly
which is held for at least twenty Days. The King presides in this
illustrious and numerous Body, which takes care of the Rights of
the Regale, and to which an Appeal may be made from all the other
Tribunals, when the Punishment of any capital Crime is the chief
thing in question.
The Intendant, who was come to receive the Gift of the People,
was perfectly well receiv'd by our Landlord, and a magnificent
Entertainment was made for him, to which the Priest and the two
Assessors of the Village were also invited. During the
Conversation, they did not forget to talk of Messieurs the
Clockmakers. The Governor who had the Curiosity to see our
Machine, admir'd the Invention of it, and said a thousand fine
Things in praise of us; but it had been better for us that he had
known nothing of the Matter, because in the Sequel it did not
turn out at all to our Advantage, as will be seen in its Place.