0216
Peter sends for his family—A rising of former slaves on that account—Takes a view of the city—Description of it, and of the country—Hot and cold springs.
HAVING now some leisure time on my hands to consider over my own affairs, I had thoughts of transporting my family, with all my effects, to Sass Doorpt Swangeanti, but yet had no mind to relinquish all thought of my ship and cargo; for the greatest part of this was still remaining, I having had but the pickings through the gulf. I once had a mind to have gone myself; but considering the immense distance over sea, though I had once come safe, I thought I ought not to tempt Providence, where my presence was not absolutely necessary.
Nasgig, to whose care and conduct any enterprise might be trusted, offered his service to go and execute any commands I should give him. His only difficulty, he said, was that it would be impossible for him to remember the different names of many things, which he had no idea of, to convey the knowledge of them to his mind when he saw them; but barring that, he doubted not to give me satisfaction. I told him I would send an assistant with him, who could remember whatever I once told him; and that I might not burden his memory with names only, Lasmeel should carry his memory with him, and that he, Nasgig, should only have the executive part.
Lasmeel, who had sat waiting an opportunity to put in for a share in the adventure, having a longing desire to see the ship, told Nasgig he had a peculiar art of memory, so as to remember whatever he would as long as he pleased, and that if he carried that with him, they need fear no mistakes.
The king having granted me as many of his guards as I pleased, for the carriage of my things, we appointed them to be ready on the fourth day; when Nasgig and Lasmeel set out with them.
I ordered Lasmeel, however, to be with me the next morning, that we might set down proper instructions; which I told him would be very long, and that he must bring a good number of leaves with him.
When Lasmeel entered my chamber next morning, he informed me that the whole city was in an uproar, especially those who had been freed by me. "What!" says I, "have they so soon forgot their subjection, to misapply their liberty already? But step and bring me word what's the matter, and order some of the ringleaders hither to me." Lasmeel upon inquiry found that it had been given out I was going to leave the country, and they all said, wherever I went they were determined to go and settle with me; for if I left them, they should be reduced to slavery again. However, he brought some of them to me, and upon my telling them I thanked them for their affection to me, but blamed them for showing it in so tumultuous a manner, and that I was so far from intending to leave them, that I was sending for my family and effects in order to settle amongst them, they rejoiced very much, and told me they would carry the good news to their companions, and disperse immediately. But I was now in more perplexity than before, for they having signified my designs to the rest, they rushed into the gallery in such numbers that they forced me up to my very chamber. I told them this was an unprecedented manner of using a person they pretended a kindness for; and told them if they made use of such risings to express their gratitude to me, it would be the direct means to oblige me to leave them: "For," says I, "do you think I can be safe in a kingdom where greater deference is paid to me than to the crown?" They begged my pardon, they said, and would obey me in anything; but the present trouble was only to offer their services to fetch my family and goods, or to do anything else I should want them for; and if I would favour them in that, they would retire directly. I told them when I had considered of it they should hear from me; and this again quieted them.
This disturbance not only took up much of my time, which I could have better employed, but put me to a non-plus how to come off with them; till I sent Maleck to tell them though I set a great value upon their esteem, yet after what had passed, it would be the most unadvisable thing in nature for me to accept their kindness; for having before requested a body of men of the king, as he had graciously granted them, it would be preferring them to the king, should I now relinquish his grant and make use of their offer; and after this I heard no more of it.
I had scarce met with a more difficult task than to fix exact rules for the conduct of my present undertaking, there being so many things to be expressed, wherein the least perplexity arising, might have caused both delay and damage; for I was not only forced to set down the things I would have brought, but the manner and method of packing and securing them; but as Lasmeel could read my writing to Pedro at home, and Youwarkee on board, it would be a means, though far from an expeditious one, of bringing matters into some order; and after I had done as I thought, I could have enumerated many more things, and was obliged to add anet cæterato the end of my catalogue; and while they were ready for flight, I added divers other particulars and circumstances. Nay, when they were even upon the graundee, I recollected the most material thing of all; for my greatest concern was, having broke up so many of my chests, to find package for the things; I say, even so late as that, I bethought me of the several great water-casks I had on board, that would hold an infinite number of small things, and would be slung easily; so I stopped them and set down that, and they were no sooner out of sight and hearing, but remembering twenty more, I was then forced to trust them to myet cætera.
I had sent my own flying-chair to bring the boys who had not the graundee, with orders for Pedro to sit tied in the chair, with Dicky tied in his arms; Jemmy to sit tied to the board before the chair, and David behind: so I hoped they would come safe enough; and then my wife and Sally were able to help themselves.
Having despatched my caravan, and being all alone, I called Quilly the next morning, and telling him I had thoughts of viewing the country, I bade him prepare to go with me.
I had now been here above six months, and yet upon coming to walk gravely about the city, I found myself as much a stranger to the knowledge of the place as if that had been the first day of my arrival, though I had been over it several times in my chair.
This city is not only one of, but actually the most curious piece of work in the world, and consists of one immense entire stone of a considerable height, and it may be seven miles in length, and near as broad as it is long. The streets and habitable part of it are scooped, as it were, out of the solid stone, to the level with the rest of the country, very flat and smooth at bottom, the rock rising perpendicular from the streets on each side.
The figure of the city is a direct square; each side about six miles long, with a large open circle in the centre of the square, about a mile in diameter, and from each of the sides of the outer streets to the opposite side runs another street, cutting the centre of the circle as in the figure.
Along the whole face of the rock, bounding the streets and the circle, there are archways; those in the circle, and the four cross streets, for the gentry and better people; and those in the outer streets, for the meaner; and it is as easy to know as by a sign where a great man lives, by the grandeur of his entrance, and lavish distribution of the pillars, carving, and statues about his portico, within and without: for as they have no doors, you may look in, and are not forbid entrance; and though it should look odd to an English reader, that an Englishman should speak with pleasure of a land of darkness, as that almost was, yet I am satisfied whoever shall see it after me will be persuaded, that for the real grandeur of their entrances, and for the magnificence of the apartments and sculpture, no part of the universe can produce the like; and though within doors there is no other manner of light than the sweecoes, yet that, when you are once used to it, is so agreeable and free from all noisome savour, that I never once regretted the loss of the sun within doors, though I often have when abroad; but then that would be injurious to the proper inhabitants, though they can no more see in total darkness than myself.
I have been over some of these private houses, which contain, it may be, thirty rooms, great and small, some higher, some lower, full of sweecoe-lights, and extremely well proportioned and beautiful.
The king's palace, with all the apartments, stands in, and takes up, one full fourth part of the square of the whole city; and is, indeed, of itself a perfect city.
There is no great man's house without one or more long galleries for the ladies to divert themselves at divers sports in, particularly at one like our bowls on a bowling-green, and at somewhat like nine-holes, at which they play for wines, and drink a great deal, for none of them will intoxicate.
In my walk and survey of the city, one of the colambs being making a house to reside in when at Brandleguarp, I had the curiosity to go in. I saw there abundance of botts stand filled with a greenish liquor, and asked Quilly what that was. He said it was what the stone-men used in making houses. I proceeded farther in, where I saw several men at work, and stayed a good while to observe them. Each man had a bott of this liquor in his left hand, and stood before a large bank of stone, it may be 30 feet high, reaching forward up to the ceiling of the place, and ascending by steps from bottom to top; the workmen standing some on one step, some on another, pouring on this liquor with their left hands, and with their right holding a wooden tool, shaped like a little spade. I observed wherever they poured on this water, a smoke arose for a little space of time, and then the place turned white, which was scraped off like fine powder with the spade-handle; and then pouring new liquor, he scraped again, working all the while by sweecoe-lights.
Having my watch in my pocket, I measured a spot of a yard long, about a foot high, and a foot and a half on the upper flat, to see how long he would be fetching down that piece; and he got it away in little above two hours. By this means I came to know how they made their houses; for I had neither seen any tool I thought proper, nor even iron itself, except my own, since I came into the country. Upon inquiry, I found that the scrapings of this stone, and a portion of common earth, mixed with a water they have, will cement like plaster; and they use it in the small ornamental work of their buildings. I then went farther into this house, where I saw one making the figure of a glumm by the same method; but it standing upright in the solid rock against the wall, the workman held his liquor in an open shell, and dipping such stuff as my bed was made of, bound up in short rolls, some larger, some less, into the liquor, he touched the figure, and then scraped till he had reduced it into a perfect piece.
It is impossible to imagine how this work rids away; for in ten months' time after I saw it, this house was completed, having a great number of fine, large, and lofty rooms in it, exquisitely carved to all appearance.
My wonder ceased as to the palace, when I saw how easily this work was done; but sure there is no other such room in the world as Begsurbeck's, that I described above.
The palace, as I said before, taking up one quarter of the city, opens into four streets by four different arches; and before one of the sides, which I call the front, is a large triangle, formed by the entrance out of one of the cross streets, and the two ends of the front of the palace. Along the lower front of it, all the way runs a piazza of considerable height, supported by vast round columns, which seemed to bear up the whole front of the rock, over which was a gallery of equal length, with balustrades along it, supported with pillars of a yet finer make, and over that a pediment with divers figures, and other work, to the top of the rock, which being there quite even for its whole length, was enclosed with balustrades between pedestals all the way, on which stood the statues of their ancient kings, so large as to appear equal to the life. The other two sides of the triangle were dwellings for divers officers belonging to the palace. Under the middle arch of the piazza was the way into the palace, through a long, spacious arched passage, whose farther end opened into a large square; on each side of this passage were large staircases, if I may so call them, by which you ascend gradually, and without steps, into the upper apartments.
The next morning we took another walk, for I told Quilly I had a mind to take a prospect of the country. We then went out at the back arch of the palace, as we had the day before at one of the sides, there being a like passage through the rock from that we went out at, to an opposite arch leading into the garden. I say, we went out at the back arch, and after passing a large quadrangle with lodgings all round it, we ascended through a cut in the rock to a large flat, where we plainly saw the Black Mountain with its top in the very sky, the sides of which afforded numberless trees, though the ground within view afforded very little verdure, or even shrubs. But the most beautiful sight from the rock was to see the people come home loaded from the mountain, and from the woods, with, it may be, forty pound weight each on their backs; and mounting over the rock, to see them dart along the streets to their several dwellings, over the heads of thousands of others walking in all parts of the streets, while others were flying other ways. It was very pleasant to see a man walking gravely in one street, and as quick as thought to see him over the rock, settled in another, perhaps two miles distant.
The near view of the country seeming so barren, naturally led me to ask Quilly from whence they got provision for so many people as the city contained, which, to be sure, could not be less than three hundred thousand. He told me that they had nothing but what came from the Great Forest on the skirts of the mountain. "But for the grain of it, and some few outward marks," says I, "I could have sworn I had eaten some of my country beef the other day at the king's table."—"I don't know what your beef, as you call it, is; but I am sure we have nothing here but the fruit of some tree or shrub, that ever I heard of."—"I wonder," says I, "Quilly, how your cooks dress their victuals. I have eaten many things boiled, and otherwise dressed hot, but have seen no rivers, or water, since I came into this country, except for drinking, or washing my hands, and I don't know where that comes from. And another thing," says I, "surprises me, though I see no sun as we have to warm the air, you are very temperate in the town, and it is seldom cold here; but I neither see fire nor smoke."—"We have," says Quilly, "several very good springs under the palace, both of hot water and cold, and I don't know what we should do with fires; we see the dread of them sufficiently at Mount Alkoe. Our cooks dress their fruits at the hot springs."—"That is a fancy," said I; "they cannot boil them there."—"I am sure we have no other dressing," says he.—"Well, Quilly," says I, "we will go home the way you told me of, and to-morrow you shall show me the springs; but, pray, how come you to be so much afraid of Mount Alkoe? I suppose your eyes won't bear the light; is not that all?"—"No, no," says Quilly, "that is the country of bad men. Some of us have flown over there accidentally, when the mountain has been cool, as it is sometimes for a good while together, and have heard such noises as would frighten any honest man out of his senses, for there they beat and punish bad men." I could not make much of his story, nor did I inquire further, for I had before determined, if possible, to get over thither. As we were now come into the garden, I ordered Quilly to get ready my dinner, and I would come in presently.
We went next morning to view the springs, and indeed it was a sight well worth considering. We were in divers offices under the rock (Quilly carrying two globe-lights before me), in which were springs of very clear water, some of hot, and some of cold, rising within two or three inches of the surface of the floor. We then went into the kitchen, which was bigger than I ever saw one of our churches, and where were a great number of these springs, the hot all boiling full speed day and night, and smoking like a caldron, the water rising through very small chinks in the stone into basons, some bigger, some less; and they had several deep stone jars to set anything to boil in. But what was the most surprising was, you should see a spring of very cold water within a few feet of one of hot, and they never rise higher or sink lower than they are. I talked with the master cook, an ingenious man, about them; and he told me they lie in this manner all over the rocky part of the country, and that the first thing any one does in looking out for a house, is to see for the water, whether both hot and cold may be found within the compass he designs to make use of; and finding that, he goes on, or else searches another place. And he told me where this convenience was not in great plenty the people did not inhabit, which made the towns all so very populous. He said, too, that those warm springs made the air more wholesome about the towns than in other parts where there were none of them. I thanked him for his information, which finished my search for that time.
0229
Peter sends for his family—Pendlehamby gives a fabulous account of the peopling of that country—Their policy and government—Peter's discourse on trade—Youwarkee arrives—Invites the king and nobles to a treat—Sends to Graundevolet for fowls.
THE days hanging heavy on my hands till the arrival of my family, I sent Pendlehamby word that as I had sent for my family and effects in order to settle in this country, and expected them very soon, I should be glad of his, my brother, and sister's company, to welcome them on their arrival.
My father came alone, which gave me an opportunity of informing myself in the rise and policy of the State, as I purposed to take several farther steps in their affairs, if they might prove agreeable and consistent; for hitherto, having had only slight sketches or hints of things, I could form no just idea of the whole of their laws, customs, and government. Explaining myself, therefore, to him, I begged his instructions in those particulars.
"Son Peter," says my father, "you have already done too much in a short time to leave any room to think you can do no more: and as you have hitherto directed your own proceedings with such incredible success, neither the king nor colambs will interpose against your inclination, but give you all the advices in our powers; and I shall esteem your selecting me for that purpose no small honour.
"Know, then, that this State, by the tradition of our ragans, has subsisted eleven thousand years; for, before that time, the great mountain Emina, then not far from the Black Mountain, but now fallen and sunk in the sea, roaring and raging in its own bowels for many ages, at last burst asunder with great violence, and threw up numberless unformed fleshy masses to the very stars; two of which happening in their passage to touch the side of the Black Mountain (for all the rest fell into the sea and were lost) lodged there, and lying close together as they grew, united to each other till they were joined in one; and, in process of time, by the dews of heaven, became a glumm and a gaw-ry; but being so linked together by the adhesion of their flesh, they were obliged both to move which way either would. Living thus a long time in great love and fondness for each other, they had but one inclination, lest both should be sufferers upon the least disagreement.
"In process of time they grew tired of each other's constant society, and one willing to go here and the other there, bred perpetual disorders between them; for prevention whereof for the future they agreed to cut themselves asunder with sharp stones. The pain indeed was intolerable during the operation; but, however, they effected it, and the wounds each received were very dangerous, and a long time before they were perfectly healed; but at length, sometimes agreeing, sometimes not, they begat a son, whom they called Perigen, and a daughter they called Philella. These two, as they grew up, despising their parents, who lived on the top of the mountain, ventured to descend into the plains, and living upon the fruits they found there, sheltered themselves in this very rock. Meantime, the old glumm and gawry, having lived to a great age, were so infirm that neither of them was able to walk for a long time; till one day, being near each other, and trying to rise by the assistance of each other, they both got up, and leaning upon and supporting each other, they also walked commodiously. This mutual assistance kept them in good humour a great while, till one day, passing along near hoximo, they both fell in.
"Perigen and Philella had several children in the plains; who, as they grew up, increasing, spread into remote parts, and peopled the country. At last, one of them being a very passionate man, at the instigation of his wife, became the first murderer, by slaying his father. This so enraged the people, that the murderer and his wife, in abhorrence of the fact, were conveyed to Mount Alkoe, where was then only a very narrow deep pit, into which they were both thrown headlong; but the persons who carried them thither, had scarce retired from the mouth of the pit, when it burst out with fire, raging prodigiously, and has kept burning ever since. Arco and Telamine (the murderer and his wife) lived seven thousand years in the flames; till having with their teeth wrought a passage through the side of the mountain, they begat a new generation about the foot of the mountain; and having brought fire with them, resolved to keep it burning ever after in memory of their escape; and power being given them over bad men, they and their progeny are now wholly employed in beating and tormenting them.
"A great while after Arco and Telamine were thus disposed of, the people of this country multiplying, it happened one year that all the fruits were so dry that the people, not able to live any longer upon the moisture of them only, as they had always done before, and fearing all to be consumed with drought, one of their ragans praying very much, and promising to make an image to Collwar and preserve it for ever, if he would send them but moisture, in one night's time the earth cast up such a flood that they were forced to mount on the rocks for fear of drowning. But the next day it all sunk away again, except several little bubbles which remained in many places for a long time, and the people lived only on the moisture they sucked from the stone where those bubbles settled for many years; for they found that the water arose to the height of the surface, and no higher; and where they found most of those chinks and bubbles they settled and formed cities, living altogether in holes of the rock; till one Lallio, having found out the art of crumbling the rock to dust by a liquor he got from the trees, and working himself a noble house in the rock, in the place where our palace now stands, he told them if they would make him their king, they should each have such a house as his own. To this they agreed, and then he discovered the secret to them.
"This Lallio directed the cutting out this whole city, divided the people into colonies where the waters were most plenty; and while half the people worked at the streets and houses, the other half brought them provisions. In short, he grew so powerful that no one durst dispute his commands; all which authority he transmitted to his successors, who, finding by the increase of the people and the many divisions of them that they grew insolent and ungovernable, they appointed a colamb in every province, as a vice-king, with absolute authority over all causes, except murder and treason, which are referred to the king and colambs in moucheratt.
"As we had no want but of victuals and habitations, the king, when he gave a colambat, gave also the lands and the fruits thereof, together with all the hot and cold springs, to the colamb, who again distributed parcels to the great officers under him, and they part of theirs to the meaner officers under them, for their subsistence, with such a number of the common people as was necessary in respect to the dignity of the post each enjoyed, who for their services are fed by their masters.
"In all cases of war, the king lays before the moucheratt the number of his own troops he designs to send; when each colamb's quota being settled at such a proportion of the whole, he forthwith sends his number from out of his own lasks, and also from the several officers under him; so that every man, let the number be ever so great, can be at the rendezvous in a very few days.
"We have but three professions, besides the ragans and soldiery, amongst us, and these are cooks, house-makers, and pike-makers, of which every colamb has several among his lasks; and these, upon the new regulations, will be the only gainers, as they may work where they please, and according to their skill will be their provision; but how the poor labourers will be the better for it, I cannot see."
"Dear sir," says I, "there are, you see, amongst lasks, some of such parts, that it is great pity they should be confined from showing them; and my meaning in giving liberty is in order for what is to follow; that is, for the introduction of arts amongst you. Now, every man who has natural parts will exert them when any art is laid before him; and he will find so much delight in making new discoveries that, did no profit attend it, the satisfaction of the discovery to a prying genius would compensate the pains; but I propose a profit also to the artificer."—"Why, what profit," says my father, "can arise but food, and perhaps a servant of their own to provide it for them?"
"Sir," says I, "the man who has nothing to hope loses the use of one of his faculties; and if I guess right, and you live ten years longer, you shall see this State as much altered as the difference has been between a lask and a tree he feeds on. You shall all be possessed of that which will bring you fruits from the woods without a lask to fetch it. Those who were before your slaves shall then take it as an honour to be employed by you, and at the same time shall employ others dependent on them; so as the great and small shall be under mutual obligations to each other, and both to the truly industrious artificer; and yet every one content only with what he merits."
"Dear son," says my father, "these will be glorious days indeed! But, come, come, you have played a good part already; don't, by attempting what you can't master, eclipse the glory so justly due to you."—"No, sir," says I, "nothing shall be attempted by me to my dishonour; for I shall ever remember my friend Glanepze. Sir," says I, "see here." (showing him my watch).—"Why, this," says he, "hung by my daughter's side at Graundevolet."—"It did so," says I; "and, pray, what did you take it for?"—"A bott," says he.—"I thought so," says I; "but as you asked no questions, I did not then force the knowledge of it upon you. But put it to your ear."—He did so. "What noise is that?" says he. "Is it alive?"—"No," says I, "it is not; but it is as significant. If I ask it what time of the day it is, or how long I have been going from this place to that, I look but in its face, and it tells me presently."
My father, looking upon it a good while, and perceiving that the minute hand had got farther than it was at first, was just dropping it out of his hand, had I not caught it. "Why, it is alive," says he; "it moves!"—"Sir," says I, "if you had dropped it, you had done me an inexpressible injury."—"Oh ho," says he, "I find now how you do your wonders; it is something you have shut up here that assists you; it is an evil spirit!" I laughing heartily, he was sorry for what he had said, believing he had shown some ignorance. "No, sir," says I, "it is no spirit, good or evil, but a machine made by some of my countrymen, to measure time with."—"I have heard," says he, "of measuring an abb, or the ground, or a rock; but never yet heard of measuring time."—"Why, sir," says I, "don't you say three days hence I will do so; or such a one is three years old? Is not that a measuring of time by so many days or years?"—"Truly," says he, "in one sense I think it is."—"Now, sir," says I, "how do you measure a day?"—"Why, by rising and lying down," says he.—"But suppose I say I will go now, and come again, and have a particular time in my head when I will return, how shall I do to make you know that time?"—"Why, that will be afterwards, another time," says he; "or I can think how long it will be."—"But," says I, "how can you make me know when you think it will be?"—"You must think too," says he.—"But then," says I, "we may deceive each other, by thinking differently. Now this will set us to rights:" then I described the figures to him, telling him how many parts they divided the day into, and that by looking on it I could tell how many of such parts were passed; and that if he went from me, and said he would come one, or two, or three parts hence, I should know when to expect him. I then showed him the wheels, and explained where the force lay, and why it went no faster or slower, as well as I could; and from my desire of teaching, insensibly perfected myself more and more in it. So that beginning to have a little idea of it, he wished he had one. "And," says he, "will you teach all our people to make such things?"—"Then they would be disregarded, sir," says I.—"It is impossible," says he.—"I'll tell you, sir, how I mean," said I. "I can, hereafter, show you a hundred things as useful as this; now, if everybody was to make these, how would other things be made? Besides, if everybody made them, nobody would want them; and then what would anybody get by them, besides the pleasing their own fancy? But if only twenty men make them in one town, all the rest must come to them; and they who make these, must go to one of twenty others, who make another thing that these men want, and so on; by which means, every man wanting something he does not make, it will be the better for every maker of everything."
"Son," says my father, "excuse me; I am really ashamed, now you have better informed me, I asked so foolish a question." I told him we had a saying in my country, that everything is easy when it is known. "I think," says he, "a man might find everything in your country."
Two days after, my wife and daughter Sally came very early; but sure no joy could be greater than ours at sight of each other. I embraced them both over and over, as did my father, especially Sally, who was a charming child. They told me I might expect everything that evening, for they left them alighting at the height of Battringdrigg; for though they came out the last, yet the body of the people with their baggage could not come so fast as they did. And little Sally said, "We stayed and rested ourselves, purely, daddy, at Battringdrigg, before the crowd came; but as soon as mammy had seen all my brothers safe, who came before the rest, and kissed Dicky, we set out again."
About seven hours after arrived the second convoy from abroad, that ever entered that country. I had too much to do with my wife and children that night, to spare a thought to my cargo; so I only set a guard over them; for though I had now been married about sixteen years, Youwarkee was ever new to me.
I was now obliged to the king again, for some additional conveniences to my former apartment; and the young ones were mightily pleased to have so much more room than we had at home, and to see the sweecoes; but finding themselves waited upon in so elegant a manner, and by so many servants (for with our new rooms, we had all the servants belonging to them), they thought themselves in a paradise to the grotto, where all we wanted we were forced to help ourselves to.
The next day Tommy came to see us, the king having given him a very pretty post, since the death of Yaccombourse; and Hallycarnie, with the Princess Jahamel, her mistress, who was mightily pleased to see Youwarkee in her English dress, and invited her and the children to her apartment.
It was but a few months since my wife saw the children; yet she scarce knew them, they were so altered; for the two courtiers behaved with so much politeness, that their brothers and Sally looked but with an ill eye upon them, finding all the fault, and dropping as many little invidious expressions on them as possible. But I sharply rebuked them: "We were all made chiefly," I told them, "to please our Maker, and that could be done only by the goodness of the heart; and if their hearts were more pure, they were the best children; but if they liked their brothers' and sisters' outward behaviour better than their own, they might so far imitate them."
When we were settled in our new apartment, I unpacked my chairs and tables, and set out my side-board, and made such a figure as had never before been seen in that part of the world. I wanted now some shoes for Pedro, his own being almost past wear, for the young ones never had worn any, but could find none; till applying to Lasmeel, and showing him what I wanted, he pointed to one of the great water-casks; but as there were eleven of them, big and little, I knew not where to begin; till, having invited the king and several of the ministers to dine with me, I was forced to look over my goods for several other things I should want.
In my search, I found half a ream of paper, a leathern ink-bottle, but no ink in it, some quills, and books of accounts, and several other things relative to writing. The prize gave me courage to attempt the other casks; but I found little more that I immediately wanted. In the last cask were several books, two of them romances, six volumes of English plays, two of devotion; the next were either Spanish or Portuguese, and the last looked like a Bible; but just opening it, and taking it to be of the same language, I put them all in again, thinking to divert myself with them some other time. I here found some more paper, and so many shoes, as, when I had fellowed them, served me as long as I stayed in the country.
Having, as I said before, invited the king to eat with me, I was sorry I had not ordered my fowls to be brought; and Youwarkee said she thought to have done it, but I had not wrote for them. I told her I would send Maleck for some of them, I was resolved; for I should pique myself on giving the king a dish he had never before tasted. So I called Maleck, telling him he must take thirty men with him to Graundevolet: "And carry six empty chests with you," says I, "and put eight of my fowls in each chest, and bring them with all expedition."—"Where do they lie, sir?" says he.—"You will find them at roost," says I, "when it is dark."—"I never was there," says he, "and don't know the way."—"What," says I, "never at Graundevolet!"—"Yes," says he, "but not at roost."—I laughed, saying, "Maleck, did not you see fowls when you was there?" He said he did not know; what were they like?—"They are a bird," says I.—"And what sort of a thing is that?" says he. Youwee hearing us in this debate, "Maleck," says she, "did not you see me toss down little nuts to something that you stared at? you saw them eat the nuts."—"Oh dear," says he, "I know it very well, with two legs and no arms."—"The same," says I, "Maleck; do you go look for a little house, almost by my grotto, and at night you will find these things stand on sticks in that house. Take them down gently, and come away with them in the chests." Maleck performed his business to a hair; but instead of forty-eight, brought me sixty, telling me he found the chests would hold them very well; and I kept them afterwards in the king's garden.
5242
0243
Peter goes to his father's—Traverses the Black Mountain—Takes a flight to Mount Alkoe—Gains the miners—Overcomes the governor's troops—Proclaims Georigetti king—Seizes the governor—Returns him the government—Peter makes laws with the consent of the people, and returns to Brandleguarp with deputies.
NO further project being ripe for execution, I took a journey home with my father to Arndrumnstake, and he would take all the children with him. Youwarkee and I stayed about six weeks, leaving all the children with my father.
Upon my return, I frequently talked with Maleck about his country; who they originally were, and how long it had been inhabited, and what other countries bordered thereon, and how they lay. He told me his countrymen looked upon themselves to be very ancient, but they were not very numerous; for the old stock was almost worn out by the hardships they had undergone; that about three hundred years before, he said, as he had it from good report, there were a people from beyond the sea, or, as they called themselves, from the Little Lands, had strangely overrun them; and he had heard say they would have overrun this country too, but they thought it would not answer. He said, "when those people first came, they began to turn up the earth to a prodigious depth; and now," says he, "bringing some nasty hard earth of several sorts, they put it into great fires till it runs about like water, and then beat it about with great heavy things into several shapes; and some of it, sir," says he, "looks just like that stuff that lay at the bottom of your ship, and some almost white, and some red; for when I was a boy I was to have been sent to work amongst them, as my father did; but it having killed him, I came hither, as many more have done, to avoid it."—"And what do they do with it," says I, "when they have beat it about as you say?"—"Then," says he, "they carry it a long way to the sea."—"What then?" says I.—"Why, then the Little-landers take it, and swim over the sea with it."—"And what do they do with it?" says I.—"Why," says he, "there are other people who take it from them, and go away with it."—"Why do they let them take it?" says I.—"Because," says he, "they give them clothes for it."—"Do they want clothes," says I, "more than you?" He told me they had no graundee.—"And what other countries have you hereabout?"— "There is one country," says he, "north of Alkoe, where they say there is just such another people as the Little-landers, and they get some of the things from Mount Alkoe."—"What do they do with them?" says I.—"I don't know," says he; "they fetch a great deal; but they won't let anybody come into their country."—"Is there nobody inhabits between the Mountain Alkoe and the sea?" He told me no, the Little-landers would not let them.
Having got what information I could from Maleck, and also from a countryman or two of his he had brought to me, I considered it all over; And, thinks I, if I could but get Mount Alkoe to submit (for they had told me they were only governed by a deputy from the Little Lands) to see the work done, I might, by intercepting the trade to the sea, turn the profit of the country my own way, and make it pass through our hands.
I next inquired of those who brought the fruits from the Great Forest, what sort of land they had there, and found, by their description, it was a light mould, and in many places well covered with grass and herbs; and by all the report I could hear, must be a fruitful country, well managed; and being a flat country and not encompassed on that side with the Black Mountain, was much higher than Doorpt Swangeanti. This news put me upon searching the truth of it; and I made the tour of the Black Mountain and the Great Forest, alighting often to make my observations.
The forest is a little world of wood without end, with here and there a fine lawn very grassy; and indeed the wood-grounds bear it very well, the trees not standing in crowds, but at a healthy distance from each other. I went abundantly farther than any one had before been, but saw no variation in the woody scene; and coming round westward home, I had a view of hoximo; which is nothing but a narrow cleft in the earth, on the top of the Black Mountain, of a most extraordinary depth; for upon dropping a stone down, you shall hear it strike and hum for a long time before all is quiet again; and laying my ear over the cleft, whilst I ordered one of my attendants to throw a large stone down, after the usual thumps and humming, I imagined I heard it dash in water, so that it is not impossible it may reach to the sea; which is at least six or seven miles below it. Into this hole all dead bodies are precipitated, from the king to the beggar; for four glumms holding by the ankles and wrists of the deceased, fly with them to hoximo and throw them down, whilst the air is filled with the lamentations of the relations of the deceased, and of such others as are induced to follow the corpse for the sake of the wines, on such occasions plentifully distributed to all comers by the gentry, and in the best proportion they are able by even the meanest amongst them.
After a stay of about fourteen days at home, I fixed my next trip for Mount Alkoe; and having told Maleck my design, he said he would go with me with all his heart, but feared I should get no Brandleguarpine to bear me; for he told me they had an old tradition that Mindrack lived there, and would not go for all the world; which has been the greatest security that country has had, for this would have devoured them else, says he.
I spoke to the king, to Nasgig, and the ragans, and found them all unanimous that the mountain Alkoe was the habitation of Mindrack, and that the noises which had been heard there were his servants beating bad men. Says I to myself, Here is one of the usefullest projects upon earth spoiled by an unaccountable prepossession; what must be done to overcome this prejudice?
I told Maleck I found what he said to be too true, as to the people of Brandleguarp: "But," says I, "are there not enough of your countrymen here to carry me thither?" He believing there were, I ordered him to contract with them; but it vexed me very much to be obliged to take these men. However, though I resolved to go, yet I chose to reason the ragans into the project if I could; thinking they would soon bring the people over.
I called several of the ragans together, and said: "Because you are a wiser and more thinking people than the vulgar, I have applied myself to your judgments in the affair of Mount Alkoe. Now, consider with yourselves whether you have any real reason beyond a prepossession, for thinking these people fiends, or devil's servants, as you call them, without further examination; for according to my comprehension, they only, understanding the nature of several sorts of earth, reduce them by labour and fire to solid substances for the use of mankind; and the want of these things is the reason of your living as you do, without a hundredth part of the benefits of life. These sort of people, these noises and these operations, which you hear and see carried on at Alkoe, are to be heard and seen in my country; and we deal and traffic with their labours, from one end of the world to the other; and we who are with them the happiest, without them should be the most miserable of people. Did not some of you see, at my entertainment, what I called my knives and forks and spoons, my pistols, cutlasses, and silver cup? All these, and infinitely more, are the produce of these poor men's industry. Now," says I, "if we settle a communication with these people, your dues will be all paid in these curious things; you will have your people employed in working them, and have strangers applying to you to serve them with what they want; who in return will give you what you want; and you will find yourselves known and respected in the world." Finding some of these arguments applied to the men had staggered them a little, I applied to their senses. Says I, "It still appears to me that you have your prejudices hanging on you; but what will you say if I go thither and return safe? will you be afraid to follow me another time?" They persuaded me from it, as a dangerous experiment; but said, if I did return, they would not think there was so much in it as they suspected.
Maleck having chose me out fourscore of his countrymen, in about a month's time I trained them up to the knowledge of my pistols and cutlasses, and the management of them; and taking a chest with me for the arms and other necessaries, we sallied up to the Black Mountain. I rested there; and there Nasgig and Lasmeel overtook me, saying that when they found me obstinate to go, they could not in their hearts leave me, happen what would. This put new spirits into me, and we consulted how the noises lay, and agreed to engage first upon the skirts of them, where the smokes were most straggling. I charged six guns and all my pistols, which I kept in my chest, and ordered them to alight with me about a hundred paces from the first smoke they saw; then ordered three of them to carry my guns after me, and twelve of them to take pistols and follow me; but not to fire till I gave orders. The remainder I left with the baggage.
We marched up to the smoke, which issued out of a low archway just at the foot of the mountain. It was very light there with the flames of the volcano; and entering the arch, a fellow ran at me with a red-hot iron bar; him I shot dead: and seeing two more and a woman there, who stood with their faces to the wall of the hut or room, as unwilling to be seen, I ordered Maleck to speak to them in a known tongue, and tell them we were no enemies, nor intended them any hurt; and that their companion's fate was owing to his own rashness in running first at me with the hot bar; and that if they would show themselves good-natured and civil to us, we should be so to them; but if they offered to resist openly, or use any manner of treachery towards us, they might depend upon the same fate their companion had just suffered.
Upon hearing this, they approached us; and showing great tokens of submission, I delivered my gun to Maleck, and bade them go on with their work, ordering all the guns out of the shop for fear of a spark. I then perceived they were direct forges, but made after another manner from ours, their wind being made by a great wheel, like a wheel of a water-mill, which worked with the fans or wings in a large trough, and caused a prodigious issue of air through a small hole in the back of the fireplace. They were then drawing out iron bars.
I gave each of these men, and also to the woman, a dram of brandy; which they swallowed down very greedily, and looked for more, and seemed very pleasant. I then inquired into the trade—by whom and how it was carried on; and they told me just as Maleck had done. I then asked where the mines lay; and one of them looking full at me said, "Then you know what we are about."—"Yes," says I, "very well."—He told me the mine was (in his language as Maleck interpreted it) about a quarter of a mile off, and directed me to it. I ordered them to go on with their work, telling them, though I left a guard over them, it was only that they might not raise their neighbours to disturb me; though if they did, I should serve them all as I had done their companion; and left four men with pistols at the archway.
I proceeded to the iron mine, but supposed the men were all within, for I saw nobody; but there were many large heaps of ore lying, which I felt of; and, being vastly heavy, I supposed it might be rich in metal.
I returned to my men at the arch, and asked them what other mines there might be in that country, and of what other metals; but Maleck not knowing the metals themselves, was not able to interpret the names they called them by. I then showed them an English halfpenny, a Portuguese piece of silver money, and my gold watch; and asking if they had any of those, they pointed to the halfpenny and silver piece, but shook their heads at the watch. I then showed them a musket-ball, and they said they had a great deal of that.
I desired them to show me the way to the copper-mine (pointing my finger to the halfpenny), and told them if they would go with me, they should have some more (pointing to my brandy); and they readily agreed, if I would stand by them for leaving their work. I believe it might be two miles farther on the right to the copper-mine; and as these men had the graundee, I expected they would have flown by me; but I found they had a light chain round their graundee which prevented them; so I walked too, and having made them my friends by being familiar with them, I desired they would go in, and let the headman of the works know that a stranger desired to speak with him and view his works, and to inform him how peaceable I was if he used me civilly, but that I could strike him dead at once if he did not.
I do not know how they managed, or what report they made; but the man came to me very courteously, and I bade Maleck ask if he came in friendship, as I did to him; and he giving me that assurance, I went in with him, taking Nasgig and Maleck with me, and leaving our firearms without. I ordered them both, as I did myself, to carry their cutlasses, sheathed in their hands, for fear of a surprise. We saw a great quantity of copper ore and several melting-vats, being just at the mouth of the mine, the mine running horizontally into the side of the mountain, and, as they said, was very rich. I gave the headman a little brandy, and two or three more of them, who had been industrious in showing and explaining things to me.
I desired the foreman to walk out with me; and asking how long he had been in that employ, he told me he was a native of the Born Isles, and was brought thither young, where he first wrought in the iron, then in the silver, and now in this mine: that he had been there twenty years, and never expected to be delivered from his miserable slavery; but as he was now overseer of that work, he did pretty well, though nothing like freedom. He told me they expected several new slaves quickly, for the mines killed those they did not agree with so fast they were very thinly wrought at present, and that the governor was gone to the isles to get more men. I was glad to hear this. "And, pray," says I, "where does the governor reside?" He (pointing to the place) told me. "And what guard," says I, "may he keep?"—"About four hundred men; but nobody durst molest him," says he; "for he tortures them in such a manner, never killing them, that not the least thing can be done against his will."
After we had talked a good while on the misery of slavery, and finding him a man fit for my purpose, I asked him if he would go with me to Brandle-guarp: "For," said I, "there are certainly good mines in those mountains; and if you will overlook them, you shall be free, and have whatever you desire." He shook his head, saying, how could he expect to be free where all the rest were slaves. "And besides," says he, "they are in such commotions among themselves, that it is said the State will be torn to pieces."—"You are mistaken," says I, "very much; I myself have settled peace amongst them, and killed the usurper."—"Is it possible?" says he; "and are you the man it was said they expected to come out of the sea?"—"The very same," says I: "and as to slavery, there is not a slave in the kingdom; nor shall be here, if you will hearken to me."—"That would be a good time indeed," says he.—"Well," says I, "my friend, I promise you it shall be so; only observe this, that when I come to reduce the governor, do none of you miners assist him." He promised he would let the other miners secretly know it, and all should be as I wished; but desired me to be expeditious, for the governor was expected every day.
I went from him to the other mines, and my guides with me; who seeing me so well received at the copper-mine and reporting it to the others, it caused my proceedings to go on smoothly, and my offers to be readily embraced wherever I came.
Having prepared matters thus, I set Maleck and his countrymen upon the natives, to treat with them about submission to Georigetti, on promise of freedom; who being assured of what I had done at Brandleguarp, and in hopes of like liberty, readily came into it; so that the only thing remaining was, before the governor's return, to attack the soldiery. Having, therefore, renewed my engagements with the miners, and believing myself upon as good terms with the natives as I could wish, I was advised by Nasgig and Lasmeel to return for cannon and a large army before I attacked the soldiery: but I, who had all my life rode upon the spur, having considered that an opportunity once lost is never to be regained; and though I could have wished for some cannon, I valued the men but for show: I therefore formed my resolves to march with the force I had next morning, and pitch upon a plain just by the governor's garrison, in order, if I could, to draw his men out. I did so, and it answered; for upon the first news of my coming, they appeared with a sort of heavy-headed weapons, which hurling round, they threw upwards aslope, in order to light upon the backs of their enemies in flight, and beat them down; but they could not throw them above thirty paces.
I sat still in my chair, with a gun in my hand, and Maleck with another at my elbow, with four more lying by me, ready to be presented; Lasmeel standing by to charge again as fast as we fired. I ordered a party of twenty of my men with cutlasses to attack the van of the enemy, by rushing impetuously upon them, they coming but thin against me; for I was not willing to employ my pieces till I could do more execution. They began the attack about a hundred yards before me, not very high in the air; and my cutlass-men having avoided the first flight of their weapons, fell upon them with such fury, that chopping here a limb and there a graundee, which, disabling their flight, was equally pernicious, they fell by scores before me: but I seeing those in the rear, which made a body of near three hundred, coming very swift and close in treble ranks, one above the other, hoping to bear down my handful of men with their numbers, I ordered my men all to retire behind me, and not till the enemy were passed over my head to fall on them. Maleck and I, as they came near, each firing a piece together, and whipping up another, and then another, in an instant they fell round us roaring and making a horrid yell. This the rest seeing, went over our men's heads, not without many falling from the cuts of my men; and those who escaped were never heard of more.
The miners, who from their several stations had beheld the action, came singing and dancing from every quarter round me, and if I had not drawn my men close in a circle about me, would probably, out of affection, have done me more hurt than two of the governor's armies; for against these common gratitude denied the use of force; and they crowding every one but to touch me, they said, for fear of being pressed to death myself, as some of them almost were, I ordered them to be let in through my men at one side of the ring, and, passing by and touching me, to be let out on the other side; and this quieted them, but kept me in penance a long time.
We then marched in a body all into the town, where we were going to proclaim Georigetti King of Mount Alkoe, when a surly fellow, much wiser than the rest, as he thought, being about to harangue the people against being too hasty in it, was knocked down and trod to death for his pains; and we went on with the proclamation, giving general liberty to all persons without exception.
The next thing to be considered was how to oppose the governor when he came; and for that purpose I inquired into the manner of his coming, the road he came, and his attendants; and being informed that a hundred of his guards who had not the graundee waited for him at the sea-side, and that he had got no other guard, except a few friends and the slaves he went for, and that the slaves always came first, six in a rank tied together, under convoy of a few of his guards, I went in person to view the route he came, and seeing a very convenient post in a thick wood through which they were to pass, from whence we might see them before they came near us, I posted a watch on the sea side of the wood, and myself and men lay on the hither side of it, just where the governor's party must come out of it again: so that my watch giving notice of their approach, we might be ready to fall on at their coming out of our side of the wood.
When we had waited three days, our watch brought word they were coming; so we kept as close as possible, letting the slaves and guards march on, who came by about two hours' march before the governor: but so soon as he approached I drew up my men on the plain within the wood in ranks, ordering them to lie close on their bellies till they saw me rise, and then to rise, follow me, and obey orders.
Several of the first ranks having passed the wood, just as the governor had entered the open country, I rose and bade Maleck call aloud that if any of them stirred or lifted up a weapon he was a dead man; and then seeing one of the foremost running, I fetched him down with a musket-shot, bidding Maleck tell the rest that if they submitted and laid down their weapons they were safe; but if they refused, I would serve them all as I had done him who fled. This speech, with the terror of the gun, fixed every man to his place like a statue.
I then went forward to the governor, and by Maleck, my interpreter, asked him who they all were with him: he told me his slaves. I then made him call every man before him and give him freedom; which finding no way to avoid (for I looked very stern), he did, and I had enough to do to quiet my new freemen, who I thought would have devoured me for joy. I asked him whither he was going; he said to his government.—"Under whom do you hold it?" says I.—"Under the zaps of the isles," says he. I then told him that whoever held that government for the future, must receive it from the hands of Georigetti, the king of that country, to whom all the natives and miners had already engaged their fidelity. I told him both natives and foreigners had been all declared free.
The governor seemed much dejected, and told me he hoped I would not use him or his company ill. I told him that depended entirely on his own and their good behaviour. I asked him who his friends were that were with him; he said they were some of the zap's relations, who were come to see the method of the government and inspect the mines.
Ordering all the governor's guards and friends to go before, and all my own, but Maleck, to keep backwards some paces, I entered into discourse with him about the state of the isles, and the country of Alkoe; and finding him a judicious person, and not a native of the isles, I thought, with some management, he might prove a useful person to me, but did not like the character I had heard of his severity: so I plainly told him that only one thing prevented my making him a greater man than ever he was; which was, I had been informed he had a roughness in his nature which drove him to extremities with the poor slaves, which I could not bear. "Sir," says he, "whatever a man is in his natural temper, where slavery abounds it is necessary to act, or at least be thought to do so, in a merciless manner. I am intrusted with the government of a land of only slaves; who have no more love, nor are they capable of any, for me, than the herbs of the ground have. I am to render an account to my masters of their labours; they work by force, and would not stir a step without it, or the fear of correction; for which reason the rod must be ever held over them; and though I seldom let it fall, when I do the suffering of one is too long remembered to permit others quickly to subject themselves to the like punishment: and this method I judged to be the most mild, as the death or sufferings of one but seldom, must, though ever so severe, be milder than the frequent execution of numbers. And as to my appearing severe to them, my post required it; for mercy to slaves being interpreted into fear, arms them with violence against you."
I could not gainsay this, especially as he told me he was glad that I had freed them all: "For no man," says he, "but if he were to choose, would rather reign by love (which he may in a free country, but it is impracticable in one of slaves) than by fear, which alone will keep the latter in subjection."
I asked him whether, as he knew the nature of the country, and the business of the governor, he could become faithful to my master Georigetti. He told me he had ever been faithful to his masters the zaps, and would till he was sure (without suspecting in the least my veracity) all was true that I was pleased to tell him; for nothing could satisfy his conscience but being an eye-witness of it, and then being discharged from any further capacity of serving them in an open way, he should be free to choose his own master; of all whom, Georigetti should to him be most preferable; but begged me not to interpret his desire of retaining fidelity to his old masters till he could no longer serve them, into an implication of assisting them by either open or concealed practices; for, wherever he engaged, he would be true to the utmost.
At the end of six days (for I travelled on foot with them) we arrived at the governor's palace, which we found without a guard, and all the slaves he had sent before him at liberty; so I ordered my men to supply the usual guard, and took my lodging in the governor's apartment.
As Gadsi (for that was the governor's name) was not confined, or any of his friends, he came into my apartment, and told me since he had found all things answered my report, if I pleased, he would quit the palace to me, and everything belonging to the government. I told him he said well. He did so, taking with him only some few things, his own property. So soon as he was without the territory of the palace, I sent for him and his friends back again. He could not help being dejected at his return, fearing some mischief. "Gadsi," says I, "this palace and this country, which I now hold for my master Georigetti, I deliver in custody to you as his governor; and now charge you to make acknowledgment of your fidelity to him." Then taking it from him in terms of my own proposing, I delivered him the regalia, of his government, charging him to maintain freedom: "But," says I, "let no man eat who will not work, as the country and the produce are the king's."
I then summoned an assembly of the people, and sent notice to all the miners to attend me. I told them all that the king desired of them was to make themselves happy: "And as the mines at present," says I, "are the only employment of this country, I would have it agreed by your own consent—for I will force nothing upon you—that every man amongst you, from sixteen to sixty, shall work every third week at the mines and other duties of the government; and two weeks out of three shall be your own to provide in for your families: and if I live to come back again, you shall each man have so much land of his own as shall be sufficient for his family; and I will make it my business to see for seeds to improve it with. And this week's work in three, and if afterwards it can be done with less in four, shall be an acknowledgment to the king for his bounty to you. Do you agree to this?" They all, with one voice, cried out, "We do!"—"Then," says I, "agree amongst yourselves, and part into proper divisions for carrying on the work; that is, into four parts, one for each sort of metal; and then again, each of those four into three parts; and on every seventh day in the morning, let those who are to begin meet those who are leaving off work; so that there be clear six days' work, and one of going and returning. Do you all agree to this?"—All cried, "We do!"—"Then," says I, "whoever neglects his duty, unless through sickness, or by leave of the governor, shall work a double week. Do you agree to this?"—"We do!"—"Then all matters of difference between you shall be decided by the governor; and in case of any injury or injustice, or wrong judgment in the governor, by Georigetti. Do you agree?"—"We do!"—"Then," says I, "agree upon ten men, two for the natives, and two for each mineral work, to send with me to Brandleguarp, to petition Georigetti to confirm these laws, till you shall make others yourselves, and to acknowledge his sovereignty. Do you agree?"—"We do!"
I then told them that as those who had been slaves were now free, they might, if they pleased, return home; but as I should make it my endeavour to provide so well for them in all the comforts of life, I believed most of them would be of opinion their interests would keep them where they were. And, above all things, recommending a hearty union between the new freemen and the natives, and to marry amongst each other, and to continue in love amongst themselves, and duty to the king and his governor; and promising speedily to return and settle what was wanting, I dismissed the assembly and set out for Brandleguarp with the ten deputies; but I left Lasmeel behind with the governor, and two servants with him, to give me immediate notice in case any disturbance should happen in my absence.