5264
0265
Peter arrives with the deputies—Presents them to the king—They return—A colony agreed to be sent thither—Nas gig made governor—Manner of choosing the colony—A flight-race, and the intent of it—Walsi wins the prize, and is found to be a gawry.
AS we alighted at the palace late at night, I kept the deputies with me till next morning, when I went to the king, desiring them to stay in my apartment till I had received his majesty's orders for their admission.
The king was but just up when I came in; and seeing me, embraced me, saying: "Dear father, I am glad to meet you again alive; your stay has given me the utmost perplexity; and could I have prevailed with any of my servants to have followed you, I had sent before this time to have known what was become of you."
I told his majesty, the greatest pleasure of my life consisted in the knowledge of his majesty's esteem for me; and he might depend upon it, I would take care of myself from a double motive whilst I was in his dominions; the one, from the natural obligation of my own preservation, and the other, equally compulsive, of continuing serviceable to his majesty, till I had made him more famous than his ancestor, the great Begsurbeck.
I told his majesty, as a small token of my duty and affection to him, I was come to make him a tender of the additional title of King of Mount Alkoe.—"Father," says he, "we shall never be able to get a sufficient number of my subjects to go thither; for though your safe return may be some encouragement, yet whilst their old apprehensions subsist (and I know not what will alter them) we can do no good; and indeed were they free to go, and under no suspicion of danger, it would cost abundance of men to conquer Mount Alkoe."
"Great sir," said I, "you mistake me: I told you I came to make you a tender of it; I have proclaimed you king there, and freedom to the people; I have held an assembly of the kingdom, placed a governor, taken the engagement of himself and subjects to you, settled laws amongst them for your benefit, the full third part of all their labour; have brought ten deputies, two from each denomination of people among them; and they only wait your command to be admitted, to beg your acceptance of their submission, and pray your royal protection."
"Father," says the king, "you amaze me! but as it is your doing, let them come in."
The deputies being received, and heard by Maleck, their interpreter, very graciously, the king told them, in a very favourable speech, that whatever his father had done, or should do, they might accept as done by himself; and commanded them to remind the governor, for whom he had the highest esteem, to observe the laws, without the least deviation, till his father should make such further additions as were consistent with his own honour and their future freedom; and having feasted them in a most magnificent manner, they returned, highly satisfied with the honours they had received.
This transaction being immediately noised abroad, all the colambs came themselves; and the great cities, by their deputies, sent his majesty their compliments upon the occasion; and there was nothing but mirth and rejoicing throughout the whole kingdom. And those who had refused going with me, as Maleck told me, hung their heads for shame and sorrow that they had missed the opportunity of bearing a part in the expedition.
I demonstrated to the king that the only way to preserve that kingdom was to settle a large colony on the plains, between the mountain and the sea, to intercept clandestine trade, and make a stand against any force that might be sent from the Little Lands to recover the mines. And I promised to be present at the settlement, and an assistant in it.
Most of the colambs, as I said, being at court upon this complimentary affair, the king summoned them for their advice on my proposals, and told them he had ordered me to lay before them my thoughts on the affairs of that kingdom; and after many compliments and encomiums had passed on me, I told them the necessity of the colony, the commodity that would arise from it, how I intended to manage it, and what prospect I had of introducing amongst them several extraordinary conveniences they had never before had.
The colambs, who, for want of practice this way, knew but little of the matter, thinking, nevertheless, that in the general turn of things they must somehow come in for a share, approved of all I said. I desired them then to settle out of what part of the people, and how to be nominated, such choice of the colony as should be made for the new settlement; but found them much at a loss to fix on any method of doing it. So I told them I believed it would be the best way to issue an order for such as would willingly go, to repair to a particular rendezvous; and in case sufficient should not appear voluntarily, to issue another order that the colambs, out of their several districts, should complete the number, so as to make a body of 12,000 men of arms, besides women and children; and that such a territory should be allotted to each, with so much wood-grounds, in common to all, as would suffice for their subsistence; all which passed the vote.
I then told them that this large people must have a head, or governor, to keep them to their duties, and to determine matters of property, and all disputes amongst them. Here they one and all nominated me; but I told them I apprehended I could be more useful other ways, having too many things in my head for the general good, to confine myself to any particular province; but if they would excuse me in presuming to recommend a person, it should be Nasgig. And immediately Nasgig being sent for, and accepting it, they conferred it upon him.
All things, as I judged, went on in so smooth a way, in reference to the new colony, that I was preparing, with the assistance of the proper officer, expresses to be sent with the king's gripsacks into the several provinces, with notice of these orders, and an appointment for a rendezvous. But while this was doing, abundance of people came crowding about me to be informed whether I thought it safe for them to go; and I believe I had fully satisfied all their scruples, when by some management of the ragans, who, having so long declared Mount Alkoe to be inhabited by Mindrack, did not care the people should all of a sudden find out they had deceived them, there was a report ran current, that though I and my bearers, who were all Mount Alkoe men, returned safe, yet if any of the Brandleguarpines had gone, they would never have come back again. This rumour coming to my ears, and fearing whitherto it might grow, I had no small prospect of a disappointment, and I thereupon stopped issuing the orders till I had considered what farther to do in the affair. At length, being persuaded I had already satisfied abundance of their scruples, and in order to dissipate the doubts of others, and to familiarise them in some measure to the country and people of Mount Alkoe, I proposed a prize to be flown for, and gave notice of it for six days all about the country, both to those of Mount Alkoe, and those of Sass Doorpt Swangeanti, that whoever, except those who were with me in the late expedition, should make the most speedy flight to the governor's of Mount Alkoe, to carry a message and bring me an answer from Lasmeel, should have one of my pistols, with a quantity of powder, and so many balls; and the person who should be second, should have a cutlass and belt. The time being fixed, very few had entered in the first two or three days; but on the third day came several over from Alkoe to enter, which the Brandleguarpines seeing, and having equal inclination to the prize, after half a dozen of them had entered on the fourth morning, before noon on the fifth I had near sixty of them on my list, besides the Alkoe men, making in all about one hundred.
The time of starting was fixed for the sixth morning, from off the rock on the back-side of the palace, upon my firing a pistol.
This unusual diversion occasioned a prodigious confluence of spectators; for scarce a person in Brandleguarp, except those who were either too young or too old for flight, but were upon one or other of the rocks; even the king himself and all his court were there, with infinite numbers from all distant parts.
I had despatched a letter by one of my old bearers to Lasmeel some days before, to inform him of it, that he might get two letters ready wrote, one to deliver to the first, and another to the second messenger, but not to take farther notice of the rest. Now, my flight-race being for the equal benefit of both the kingdoms, it happened, as I was in hopes it would, that so many of the Mount Alkoans coming over to me to be entered, and staying with me till the flight began, and such vast numbers of persons meeting of both nations upon the Black Mountain, to see them go and return, and several of the Swangeantines going, out of bravado, quite through with the flyers; the intercourse of the two nations was that day so great, and the discourse they had with the natives and miners so stripped the Swangeantines of their old apprehensions of danger from Mount Alkoe, that in three days after the whole dread of the place was vanished, and he would then have been thought mad who had attempted to revive it.
The time being come, I set my flyers in a row on the outer edge of the rock; and having given notice that no one should presume to rise till the flyers were on the graundee, and at such a distance, I then let the flyers know I should soon give fire; which I had no sooner done but down they all dropped as one man, as it were, headlong from the edge of the mountain, and presently the whole field were after them. They skimmed with incredible swiftness across the face of the plain, between the rock and the mountain; the force of which descent swung them as it were up the mountain's side in an almost upright posture, till seeming to sweep the edge of the mountain with their bellies, they slid over its surface till they were lost in the body of the Swangean, our rocks echoing the shouts of the mountaineers. I fired my pistol, by my watch, at nine o'clock in the morning, but had no occasion to inquire when it was thought they would return, for every one was passing his opinion upon it. Some said it could not be till midnight, or very near it; and others, that it would be almost next morning. However, we went to dinner, and coming again about six o'clock by my watch, I was told by the people on the rock, as the general opinion (for it was then topfull), that they could not yet be expected for a long time; and the major part concluded they could not be half-way home yet; when, on a sudden, we heard a prodigious shout from the mountain, which growing nearer and nearer to us, and louder and louder, in a few moments came a slim young fellow, and nimbly alighting on the rock, tripped briskly forward, as not being able to stop himself at once from the violence of the force he came with, and delivered me a letter from Lasmeel as I was sitting in my chair. I gave him joy of the prize, and ordered him to come to my apartment so soon as I got home, and he should have it. I then asked him where he had left the other flyers; he told me he knew nothing of them since he came past the forges in his return; for there he met them going to Lasmeel.—"Why that," says I, "must be a great way on this side the governor's." He told me about an hour's flight. I then told him, as he must be strained with so hard a flight, it would be better if he lay down, and called on me in the morning. He thanked me, and after he had told me his name was Walsi, he said he would take my advice, and springing up as light as air, went off, the rock being quite thronged with those who had followed from the mountain to see the victor.
When Walsi came in, it was just seven o'clock by my watch; so that, according to the best computation by miles I could make from their descriptions of things, I judged he had flown at little more or less than at the rate of a mile a minute.
I stayed till near nine o'clock upon the rock, where it being cold and the time tedious, I was taking Quilly home with me, and designed that Maleck should wait for the coming of the second; but hearing again a shout from the mountain I resolved to see the second come in myself. The noise increasing, I presently saw the whole air full of people very near me, for I had retired near two hundred paces from the edge of the rock to give room to the flyers to alight, and expected nothing less than to be borne down by them; when I spied two competitors, one just over the back of the other, the uppermost bearing down upon the other's graundee, their heads being just equal; so that the under man perceiving it impossible to sink lower for the rock, or to mount higher for the man above him, and as darting side-ways would lose time, and fearing to brush his belly against the rock, he slackened, just to job up his head in his antagonist's stomach; which giving the upper man a smart check with the pain, and the under one striking at that instant one bold stroke with his graundee, he fell just with his head at my feet, and the other man upon him, with his head in the under man's neck.
Thus they lay for a considerable time, breathless and motionless, save the working of their lungs, and heaving of their breasts; when each asked me if he was not the first, and the under man giving me a letter, I told them "No, Walsi had been in almost two hours ago." They both said it was impossible; they were sure no glumm in the Doorpt could outfly either of them. I ordered them both to call on me in the morning, and I would see they should have right done to their pretensions. The under man had but just told me his name was Naggitt, when another arrived, who, seeing Naggitt before him, told me he was sure he was second; but on seeing the other also he gave it up.
I would stay no longer, it being now so late; but the next morning I was informed that all the rest had stopped at the mountain but two, who were obliged to give out before, being overstrained, and unable to hold it.
The next morning Walsi was the first at my apartment, when I happened to be with the king; and speaking of his business to Quilly, he ordered him to stay in my gallery till I came back; and Quilly presently after seeing Youwarkee, told her the victor at the flight-race was waiting for me in the gallery. Youwarkee, who had great curiosity to see him, having heard how long he came in before the rest, stepped into the gallery, and taking a turn or two there, fell into discourse with him about his flight. And as women are very inquisitive, she distinguished, by the flyer's answers, speech, shape, and manner of address, that it was certainly a gawry she was talking with; though she had endeavoured to disguise herself by rolling in her hair, and tying it round her head with a broad chaplet, like a man; and by the thinness of her body, and flatness of her breasts, might fairly enough have passed for one, to a less penetrating eye than Youwarkee's. But Youwarkee putting some questions to her, and saying she was more like a gawry than a glumm, she put the poor girl—for so it was—to the blush, and at last she confessed the deceit; but upon her knees begged Youwarkee not to mention it, for it would be her undoing.
This confession gave Youwarkee a fair opportunity of asking how she came to be an adventurer for this sort of prize. The girl, finding there was no remedy, frankly confessed she had a strong affection for a glumboss, who was a very stout glumm, she said, but somewhat too corpulent for speedy flight; who ever since the prize had been proposed, could rest neither night nor day, to think he was not so well qualified to put in for it as others, especially one Naggitt, who he well knew made his addresses to her, and also was an adventurer. "Had it been a matter of strength, valour, or manhood," says he, "I had had the best of chances for it; but to be under a natural incapacity of obtaining so glorious a prize, as even the king himself is not master of such another, I cannot bear it." She then said he had told her he was resolved to give in his name and do his utmost, though he died in the flight. "What!" said he, "shall I see Naggitt run away with it, and perhaps with you too, when he has that to lay at your feet which no glumm else can boast of? No; I'll overcome, or never come home without it!"—"I must confess, madam," says Walsi, "as I knew his high spirit could never bear to be vanquished, I was afraid he would be as good as his word, and come to some unlucky end; and told him that though he need not have feared being conqueror in anything else, had it been proposed, yet in flight there were so many, half glumms as they were, who from their effeminate make and size, and little value for anything else, would certainly be in before him; that it was unworthy of a thorough glumm to contend with them for what could be obtained only by those who had no right to or share in anything more excellent; and that he must therefore not think of more than his fatigue for his pains. But as he had set his heart so much upon it, I would enter, and try to get it for him, as from my size and make, I believed few would have a better chance for it than myself. And, thanks to Collwar, madam," says she, "I hope to make him easy in it, if you will but please to conceal your knowledge of who and what I am."
Youwarkee was mightily pleased with her story, and promised she would; but engaged her to come again to her apartment so soon as she was possessed of the prize.
When I returned, hearing Walsi waited for me, I called him in, read the letter he brought, and finding it Lasmeel's, I looked over my list for Walsi's name, for I set them all down as they entered; and finding it the very last name of all, and that it was entered but on the morning the race was flown: "So," says I, "Walsi, I find the last at entering is the first at returning; but I see you have been there, by what Lasmeel has sent me; though there were some last night who questioned it, by your so speedy return. Here," says I, "take the prize, and see they are only used in the service of your country;" and then I dismissed her.
My two competitors appeared next for the cutlass, and had each of them many arguments to prevail with me in favour of him; but I told them I must do justice, and that though the difference was so small between them, yet certainly Naggitt was the nearest me at the time they both ceased flight, his face lying on my foot; so that as they both complained of foul play, and were therefore equal in that respect, Naggitt in justice must have it. And I gave it him with these words, however: "Take it, Naggitt, as certainly yours by the law of the race, but with a diffidence in myself who best deserves it."
I own I pitied the other man's case very much, as I should Naggitt's, had the other won it; but seeing the other turning away, and hearing him say, "But by half a head; when I had strove so hard!" as in a sort of dejection, I told them they were both brave glumms, and of intrepid resolution; and gave him also one, with the like instruction as to Walsi.
Walsi went from me, as she had promised, to Youwarkee, who wanted more discourse with her; for in an affair of love her gentle heart could have dwelt all day upon the repetition of any circumstances which would create delight in the enamoured. Walsi sat on thorns, wanting to be gone; but Youwarkee asking question upon question, Walsi got up and begged she would excuse her, she would come and stay at any other time. "But," says she, "madam, when the man one loves is in pain—for I am sure he is on the rack for fear of a discovery, till he sees me—if you ever loved yourself, you can't blame me for pressing to relieve him."
When she was gone, Youwarkee finding me alone, was so full of Walsi's adventure she could not be silent; but after twenty roundabout speeches and promises that I was to make, not to be angry with anybody, or undo anything I had done that day, and I know not what, out came the story. I was prodigiously pleased with it, and wished I had taken more notice of her. Says Youwarkee, "I endeavoured to keep her till you had done, that you might have seen her."—"And why did not you?" says I.—"My dear," says Youwarkee, "had you seen the poor creature's uneasiness till she got off with it, yourself could not have had the heart to have deferred that pleasure you would have perceived she expected when she came home; nor could you in conscience have detained her."
0280
The race reconciles the two kingdoms—The colony proceeds—Builds a city—Peter views the country at a distance—Hears of a prophecy of the King of Norbon's daughter Stygee—Goes thither—Kills the king's nephew—Fulfils the prophecy by engaging Stygee to Georigetti—Returns.
THIS race, notwithstanding all that the ragans could say to keep up their credit, and to prevent the people's perceiving what fools they had made of them, had so good and sudden an effect on the people's prejudices, that upon issuing the first proclamation, there was no occasion for the second; for at least twenty-five thousand men appeared voluntarily at the rendezvous of the old slaves, whose masters, though they were declared free, had used divers devices to oppress them, and render even their freedom a sort of slavery, besides women and children; so that we had now only to pick and choose those who would be likeliest to be of service to the new colony.
Nasgig and I differed now about the choice of persons. He, as a soldier, was for taking mostly single young men, and I for taking whole families, though some were either too old or too young for war. And upon farther consideration he agreed with me; for I told him young men would leave a father, mother, or mistress, behind them, which would either cause a hankering after home, and consequently the bad example of desertion, or else create an uneasy spirit, and perhaps a general distaste to the settlement. So we chose those whole families where they offered, which had the most young men in them, first; then others in like order; after that, man by man, asking them severally if any woman they liked would go with them, and if so, we took her, till we had about thirteen thousand fighting men, besides old men, women, and children; and then, marching by the palace, the king ordered ten days' stores for every mouth, and with this we took our flight; but as I was always fearful of a concourse in the air, Nasgig led them, and I brought up the rear.
Besides the above number of people, I believe we could not have less than ten thousand volunteers to the Black Mountain; some to take leave of their friends, and others out of curiosity, to see our flight. I took three pieces of cannon with me, and proper stores.
Our first stage, after a short halt on the Black Mountain, was to the governor's palace, where Gadsi received us with great respect. I told him my errand, which he approved: "For," says he, "countryman, it is now as much my interest to keep my old masters out, as ever it was to serve them when in; and you have taken the only method in the world to do it effectually." I consulted him where I should fix my colony; and, by his advice, fixed it on this side the wood, with some scattering habitations behind the wood, as watch-houses, to give notice of an enemy, having the wood for shelter, before they could reach the town, and, at the worst, the town for a retreat.
I found by Gadsi, that the ships from the Little Lands were soon expected, for that he said the zaps knew nothing yet of the change of government, nor could, till the ships returned. He asked me, as there was now a good lading, whether I thought fit to let them have it upon proper terms. I told him I would not hinder their having the metals, or endeavour to stop their trade in the least, but should be glad to treat with them about it myself.
I gave the forgemen descriptions for making shovels, spades, pick-axes, hammers, and abundance of other iron implements I should want in the building the new town: all which we got ready and carried with us. We then took flight, and alighted on the spot of our intended city; and having viewed the ground some miles each way, we drew the outlines, and set a great number of hands to cutting down trees, digging holes, and making trenches for the foundations. In short, we were all hands at it, and the women fetched the provisions; but I was obliged to show them every single step they were to take, towards the new erections; and, I must say, it was with great pleasure I did it, they seldom wanting to be told twice, having as quick an apprehension of what they heard or saw, as any people I had ever met with.
The whole city, according to our plan, was to consist of several long straight streets, parallel to each other, with gardens backwards each way, and traverse-passages at proper distances, to cross each street, from one to the other, quite through the whole city.
While this work was in hand, I took a progress to view the other country Maleck had told me of. We had not taken a very long flight, before we saw at a distance several persons of that country travelling to Mount Alkoe for metals. I had a great mind to have some talk with them about their kingdom, and ordered my bearers to go to them; they told me they durst not, for one of them would kill ten men. I did not choose to force them to it, for fear of some mischief; but observing which way they came, and that they came in several small bodies, of six or eight together, and that there was a little wood and some bushes between me and them, I ordered my bearers to sink beneath the trees out of their sight, and to ground me just at the foot of the wood; for I resolved to know something more of them before we parted.
I lay perdue till they arrived within sixty paces of me; then asking Maleck if he knew their language, and he telling me he did, having often conversed with them at the mines, I bid him greet them, and tell them I was a friend, and be sure to stand by me. There were seven of them, and many more at different distances. I showed myself, and Maleck spoke to them, when two or three of the hindermost ran quite away; one stood and looked very surly, but the rest, who had stood with him, turning to run, I bid Maleck tell him if he did not call them back I would kill them. He that stood then called to them, but they mending their pace upon it, I let fly, and shot one in the shoulder, who dropping, I was afraid I had killed him. I then went up to the other, who had not stirred even at the report of the gun, seeming quite terrified. I took him by the hand and kissed it, which made him recover himself a little, and he took mine and kissed it.
I bid Maleck tell him I was a great traveller, and only wanted to talk with him; but seeing the man I had shot stir, I went to him, and told him I was sorry I had hurt him, which I should not have attempted had he not shown a mistrust of me by running away, for I could not bear that: this I said to keep the other with me. I saw I had hurt his shoulder, but being at a great distance, the ball had not entered the blade-bone, but stopping there, had fallen out; so tying my handkerchief over it, I told him I hoped it would soon be well.
I inquired into their country, its name, the intent of their journey this way, their trades, the fruits, birds, and beasts of the country.
The man I had shot, I found, was in pain, which gave me no little concern; so I chiefly applied myself to the other, who told me the name of his country was Norbon, a large kingdom, and very populous, he said, in some parts of it, and was governed by Oniwheske, an old and good king. "He has only one daughter," says he, "named Stygee; so that I am afraid when he dies it will go to a good-for-nothing nephew of his, a desperate debauched man, who will probably ruin us, and destroy that kingdom which has been in the Oniwheske family these fifteen hundred years."—"Won't his daughter have the kingdom," says I, "after his death, or her children?"—"Children," says he, "no, that's the pity; all would be well if she had but children, and the state continue fifteen hundred years longer in the same good family."—"How is it possible for any one to know that?" says I. "You may know how long it has, but how long it will last, is mere guess-work."—"No," says he, "this very time, and the present circumstances of our kingdom, were foretold at the birth of the first king we ever had, who was of the present royal family."—"How so?" says I.—"Why," says he, "before we had any king, we had a very good old man, who lived retired in a cave by the sea; and to him everybody under their difficulties repaired for advice. This old man happening to be very ill, everybody was under great affliction for fear they should lose him; when flocking to his assistance, he told them they need not fear his death till the birth of a king who should reign fifteen hundred years. At hearing this all persons then present apprehended that his disorder had turned his brain; but he persisted in it, and recovered.
"After a few years, a great number of persons being about him, he told them he must now depart, for that their king was born, and pointed to a sucking child a poor woman had then in her arms. It caused a great wonder in his audience at the thoughts of that poor child ever becoming a king; but he told them it was so decreed, and farther, that as he was to die the next day, if they would gather all together, he would let them know what was to come in future times.
"When they were met, the woman and child being amongst them, he told them that child was their king, and that his loins should produce them a race of kings for fifteen hundred years, during which time they should be happily governed; but then a female inhabitant of the skies should claim the dominion, and, together with the kingdom, be utterly destroyed, unless a messenger from above, with a crown in each hand, should procure her a male of her own kind; and then the kingdom should remain for the like number of years to her posterity. Now," says he, "the time will expire very soon, and as no one has been, or it is believed will ever come, with two such crowns, the princess Stygee, though she undoubtedly will try for it, has little hopes of succeeding her father; for her cousin Felbamko pretends, as no woman ever reigned with us, he is the right heir, and will have the kingdom."—"Pray," says I, "what do you mean by an inhabitant of the air?"—"Oh," says he, "she flies."—"And do most of your country folks fly?" says I; "for I perceive you don't."—"No," says he, "no one but the princess Stygee."—"How comes that about?" says I.—"Her mother, when she was with child with her," says he, "being one day in a wood near the palace, and having straggled from her company, was attacked by a man with a graundee, who, not knowing her, clasped her within his graundee, and would have debauched her; but perceiving her cries had brought some of her servants to her assistance, he quitted her and went off: this accident threw her into such a fright, that it was a long time before she recovered; and then was delivered of a daughter with a graundee."—"My friend," says I, "your meeting with me will be a very happy affair for your kingdom. I am the man the princess expects: go back to the princess and let her and her father know I will be with them in six days, and establish his dominions in the princess."
The fellow looked at me, thinking I joked, but never offered to stir a foot. "Why don't you go?" says I. "And for the good news you bear to the princess, I'll see you shall be made one of the greatest men in Norbon." The man smiled still, but could not conceive I was in earnest. I asked him then how long he should be in going to the palace; he said, "Three days at soonest."—"Deliver but your message right," says I, "and I'll assure you it shall be the better for you." The man seeing me look serious, did at length believe me, and promised he would obey me punctually; but he had not seen how I came to the place he met me at, for I had ordered my bearers into the wood with my chair before I showed myself.
He arrived, as I afterwards found, at the palace, the fourth morning very early; and passing the guard in a great heat, with much ado was introduced to the king, and discharged himself of my message. His majesty, giving no credit to him, thought he had been mad; but he affirming it to be true, and telling the king at what a distance I had knocked down his companion, and made a great hole in his back, only holding up a thing I had in my hand, which made a great noise, Oniwheske ordered his daughter to come before him, who having herself heard the man's report, and being very willing to believe it, with the king's leave, desired that the messenger might be detained till the appointed day, and taken care of; and that preparation should be made for the reception of the stranger, in case it should be true.
The noise of my coming, and my errand, excited every one's curiosity to see me arrive; and the day being come, I hovered over the city a considerable time, to be sure of grounding right. The king and his daughter, on the rumour of my appearing, came forth to view me and receive me at my alighting. The people were collected into a large square, on one side of the palace, and standing in several clusters at different places, I judged where the king might seem most likely to be, and ordered my bearers to alight there; but I happened upon the most unlucky post, as it might have proved, and at the same time the most lucky I could have found there; for I had scarce raised myself from my chair, but Felbamko pushing up to me through the throng, and lifting up a large club he had in his hand, had certainly despatched me, if I had not at the instant drawn a pistol from my girdle, and shot him dead upon the spot; insomuch that the club, which was then over my head, fell gently down on my shoulder.
I did not then know who it was I had killed, but for fear of a fresh attempt, I drew out another pistol and my cutlass, and inquiring at which part of the square the king was, I walked directly up to him, he not as yet knowing what had happened. His majesty and his daughter met me, and welcomed me into his dominions. I fell at the king's feet, telling him I brought a message, which I hoped would excuse my entering his majesty's dominions without the formality of obtaining his leave.
When we came to the palace, the king ordered some refreshments to be given me and my servants; and then that I should be conducted to the room of audience.
The report of Felbamko's death had reached the palace before us, and that it was by my hand; this greatly surprised the whole court, but proved agreeable news to Stygee.
At my entrance into the room of audience, the king was sitting at the farther end of it against the wall, with his daughter on his right hand; and a seat was placed for me at his left, but nearer to the middle of the room side-ways, on which I was ordered to sit down. There were abundance of the courtiers present, and above me was a seat ordered for one of them, who I found afterwards was one of the religious.
His majesty asked me aloud how it happened that the first moment of my entering his dominions I should dip my hands in blood, and that, too, of one of his nearest relations.
I then got up to make my answer, but his majesty ordering me to my seat again, I told him that as it was most certain I knew no one person in his kingdom, so it could not be supposed I could have an ill design against any one, especially against that royal blood, into whose hands I then came to render myself; but the truth was that what I had done was in preservation of my own life, for that the person slain had rushed through the crowd upon me with a great club, intending to murder me, and that whilst the blow was over my head, I killed him in such position, that by his fall the club rested on my shoulder, but was then too weak to hurt me.
The king asking if that was the real case, several from the lower end of the room said they were informed it was, and one in particular said he saw the transaction, and I had declared it faithfully. "Then," says the king, "you are acquitted; and, now, what brings you hither? relate your business."
"Great sir," says I, "it is my peculiar happiness to be appointed by Providence as the proposer of a marriage for the princess Stygee your daughter, with a potent neighbouring monarch, having already been enabled to perform things past belief for his honour. Know then, great sir, I am a native of the north, and through infinite perils and hardships at last arrived in the dominions of Georigetti, where I have given peace to his State by the death of the usurper Harlokin. I have also just conquered the kingdom of Mount Alkoe for my master, and am here come to make your daughter an offer of both crowns, and also of all that is my master's, with his person in marriage."
The old priest then rose, and said: "May it please your majesty, we are almost right; but what has always staggered me is, how the person should come, for the messenger to us on this errand is to come from above. Now this person has not the graundee, and therefore could not come from thence. As for the rest, I understand the prince from whom he brings this offer to your daughter has the graundee, and so is a male of her own kind; and I understand the two kingdoms in his possession to be the two crowns in the messenger's hands; but, I say, what I stick at is his coming from above."
"What!" says Stygee, "did not you see him come?"—"No," says he.—"Oh," says she, "he came in the air, and was a long time over the city before he descended."—"That's impossible," says the old priest, "for he is smooth like us."—"Indeed, sir," says she, "I saw him, and so did most of the court." The king and nobles then attesting this truth: "Sir," says the priest to the king, "it is completed, and your majesty must do the rest."
"I little expected," says the king, "to see this day; and now, daughter, as this message was designed for you, you only can answer it. But still I must say it surpasses my comprehension, that in the decree of Providence it should be so ordered that the very hand which brings the accomplishment of what has been so long since foretold us, should, without design, have first destroyed all that could have rendered the marriage state uncomfortable to you."
Stygee then declared she submitted to fate and her father's will.
I stayed here a week to view the country and the sea, which I heard was not far off. Here were many useful beasts for food and burden, fowls also in plenty, and fish near the sea-coasts, and the people eat flesh, so that I thought myself amongst mankind again. I made all the remarks the shortness of the time would allow, and then taking my leave departed.
I returned to the colony, where I heard that the Little-landers had been on the coast; but I not being there, or any lading ready, they were gone away again; however, they had detained two of them. I was pleased with that, but sorry they were returned empty.
I examined the prisoners, and by giving them liberty and good usage they settled amongst us; and the next fleet that came, the sailors to a man were all my own the moment they could get to shore. This, though I thought it would have spoiled our trade at first, brought the islanders and me to the following compromise, and upon this occasion. Their ships having laid on our coasts one whole season for want of hands to carry them back, I came to an agreement with their commanders (for they were all willing to return), that such a number of them should be left as hostages with me till the return of a number of my own men, which I should lend them to navigate their ships home; and I sent word to the zaps that as it might be beneficial to us both to keep the trade still on foot, to prevent the like inconveniences for the future, I would buy their shipping, paying for them in metals, and agree to furnish them yearly with such a quantity of my goods at a stated price, and would send them by my own people; which they approving, the trade went on in a very agreeable and profitable manner, and we in time built several new vessels of our own, and employed abundance of hands in the trade, and had plenty of handicraftsmen of different occupations, each of whom I obliged to keep three natives under him, to be trained up in his business.
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A discourse on marriage between Peter and Georigetti—Peter proposes Stygee—The king accepts it—Relates his transactions at Norbon—The marriage is consummated—Account of the marriage-ceremony—Peter goes to Norbon—Opens a free trade to Mount Alkoe—Gets traders to settle at Norbon—Convoys cattle to Mount Alkoe.
AT my return to Sass Doorpt Swangeanti, I went directly to the king, and giving him an account of the settlement, and my proceedings thereon, he told me his whole kingdom would not be an equivalent for the services I had done him. I begged of him to look on them in no other light than as flowing from my duty; but if, when I should be no more, he or his children would be gracious to my family, it was all I desired.
"This, father," says the king, "I can undertake for myself; but who's to come after me, nobody knows, for I shall never marry. No! Yaccom-bourse has given me a surfeit of womankind; and unless the states will settle the kingdom on you, to which I will consent, it will probably be torn to pieces again by different competitors, for I am the last of the line of Begsurbeck, and of all the blood-royals; and indeed who is so proper to maintain it flourishing as he who has brought it to the present perfection?"
"Great sir," says I, "my ambition rises no higher than to abound in good deeds whilst I live, and to perfect my children in the same principle; and this, I hope, will entitle them to a support when I am gone. But," says I, "why is your majesty so averse from marriage, merely on account of a woman you could not expect to be true to you?"—"Not expect it!" says he; "what stronger tie upon earth could she have had to be true than my affection, and all that my kingdom could afford her?"—"Weak things all, sir," says I.—"Why, what could she have had?" said he, in some warmth.—"Honour, sir," says I, "and virtue, both which she abandoned to become yours; and those once lost, how could you expect her to be true?"—"You are too hard for me, father," says he; "but they are all alike, and I don't believe there's a grain of honour in any of them."—"In any of them like Yaccombourse, I admit, sir," says I; "but think not so of others, for no part of our species abounds more with it, or is more tender of it, than a good woman; and take my word for it, sir, there is more real sincerity in an ordinary wife than in the most extraordinary mistress. We are all biassed naturally by interest, and as there can be but one real interest between the man and wife, so the interest of a mistress is, and ever will be, to accommodate herself; for 'tis all one to her with whom she engages, so she can raise but the market by a change. Now if your majesty could find an agreeable and virtuous wife, one deserving of your royal person and bed, and perhaps with a kingdom for her dowry, a partner fit to share your cares as well as glory, would it not be a great pleasure to you to be possessed of' such a mate, and to see heirs arising under your joint tuition, to convey down your royal blood to the latest posterity? Would not this, I say, be a grateful reflection to you in your declining years?"
"Truly, father," says the king, "as you have painted it, the prospect could not fail to please, and under the circumstances you have put it, it would meet my approbation; but where is such a thing as a woman of this character to be found? I fear only in the imagination."
"Sir," says I, after a seeming muse for some time, "what should you think of Oniwheske, the king of Norbon's daughter? he has but that one child, I hear."—"Dear father, have done," says his majesty; "to what purpose should you mention her? We but barely know that there is such a State, we have never had any intercourse; and, besides, as you say he has but one child, can you suppose she will ever marry, to leave so fine a kingdom, and live here?"—"But, sir," says I, "now we are supposing, suppose she should, with her father's consent, be willing to marry you, would you have her for your queen?"—"To make any doubt of that, father," says he, "is almost to suppose me a fool."—"Then, sir," says I, "her father has consented, and she too; and if I durst have presumed so far, or had known your mind sooner, she would I believe have ventured with me to have become yours, but you might have slighted her, and crowned heads are not to be trifled with; but since you are pleased to show your approbation of it, I can assure you, sir, her person will yield to none in your majesty's dominions; for, sir, I have been there, and have seen her, and she is your own, and her kingdom too, upon demand."
"Father," says the king, looking earnestly at me, "I have been frequently, since I knew you first, in doubt of my own existence. My life seems a dream to me; for if existence is to be judged of by one's faculties only, I have been in such a delusion of them ever since, that as I find myself unable to judge with certainty of any other thing, so I am subject to doubt whether I really exist. Are these things possible that you tell me, father?"
I then told him the whole affair, and advised him by all means to accept the offer, and marry the princess out of hand.
His majesty, when I had brought him thoroughly to believe me, was as eager to consummate the marriage, as I was to have him; but then, whether he should go to her, or she come to him, was the question. I told him it was a thing unusual for a sovereign to quit his own dominions for a wife; but would advise an embassy to her father, with notice that his majesty would meet and espouse her on the frontiers of the two kingdoms.
The ambassadors returning with an appointment of time and place, it was not above a month before I had settled Stygee on the thrones of Sass Doorpt Swangeanti and Mount Alkoe, with the reversion of the kingdom of Norbon, without a competitor.
I shall here give you an account of the marriage ceremony. The king being arrived on the borders, Stygee, who had waited but a few hours at the last village in Norbon, advanced to his majesty on the very division, as they called it, of the two kingdoms, a line being drawn to express the bounds of each. The king and Stygee having talked apart from the company a little space, each standing hand in hand, on their own respective ground, the chief ragan advanced, and began the ceremony.
He first asked each party aloud, if he and she were willing to be united in body and affections, and would engage to continue so their whole lives to which each party having answered aloud in the affirmative, "Show me then a token!" says he; and immediately each expanding the right side of their graundees, laid it upon the other's left side, so that they appeared then but as one body, standing hand in hand, encased round with the graundee. The ragan then having descanted upon the duties of marriage, concluded the ceremony with wishing them as fruitful as Perigen and Philella. So soon as it was over, and the gripsacks and voices had finished an epithalamium, the bride and bridegroom taking wing, were conducted to Brandleguarp, amidst the acclamations of an infinite number of Georigetti's subjects.
The king had made vast preparations for the reception of the princess Stygee; and nothing was to be heard or seen but feastings and rejoicing for many days; and his majesty afterwards assured me of his entire satisfaction in my choice of his bride, without whom he confessed, that notwithstanding the many other blessings I had procured him, his happiness must have been incomplete.
Intending another flight to Norbon, I was charged with the king and queen's compliments to Oniwheske; which having executed, I opened a free trade to Mount Alkoe; and hearing that small vessels came frequently on the Norbonese coast, to carry off the iron and other metal from thence unwrought, and paid part of their return in wrought metals, I ordered some of the next that came to be stopped and brought to me; and the day before I had fixed for my departure, notice was sent that twelve of those traders were stopped, and in custody at the sea-side. I longed to see them, but then considering that it would take up more time to bring them to Apsilo the capital, where I was, than I should take in going to them and returning, I resolved to go and examine them myself.
They told me they traded with small vessels to Norbon for metals, which they carried home, and wrought great part of it themselves, sending it to and dispersing it in several islands at a distance; and also sold the unwrought to several people who carried it they knew not whither in great ships. They said they kept abundance of hands at work in the trade. I asked if their artificers wrought it for their own profit, or their masters'. They told me for masters, themselves being all slaves.—"And are you all slaves?" says I.—They told me "Yes, all but one," pointing to him. I then ordered him to be secured and removed; and told them if they would procure some hands to settle at Norbon and Mount Alkoe, they should all be made free, have lands assigned them, and have other privileges, and I did not doubt in time would become the richest men in the country; for I understood by them they were acquainted with the use of money. I asked them what other commodities they brought to Norbon in exchange.
They said clothes for the people, both what they received in exchange from others who bought their iron, and some of a coarser sort of their own making. I found in my discourse I had with them, that out of my eleven men there were persons of four different occupations; so I promised those who would stay with me their freedoms, good houses, and other rewards: and sending three hands home with the vessel, and a full freight, according to the value of the cargo they brought, I ordered them to engage as many as they could of their countrymen of distinct trades, to come and settle with me; and to be sure, if they had any grain, corn, roots, plants, or seeds, usually eaten for food, to bring all they could get with them, and they should have good returns for them; and as to those good hands that settled here, they should be allowed all materials to work for their own profit the first year, and after that they should also work for themselves, allowing the king one-tenth of the clear profit. This took so far with them, that it was with the utmost difficulty I got any of them to carry the ship back, for fear they should not be able to return.
Before I parted from them, I assigned the eight who were left all proper conveniences, and recommended them to the king's protection; and I ordered the owner, then in custody, to be conducted to Mount Alkoe, and from thence to Brandleguarp; where, treating him kindly and giving him liberty, I made my proper use of him.
The king having lent me a convoy to conduct my prisoner, and given me a license for as many cattle of the sorts I chose as I pleased to drive to Georigetti's dominions, I made them drive a great number of sheep of the finest wool I ever saw, and very large also; a great number of creatures not unlike an ass for shape, but with two upright horns and short ears, which gave abundance of rich milk; and also some swine. All these were drove to, and distributed at my new colony, where I let them remain till I had provided a proper receptacle for them at Doorpt Swangeanti, near the woods; when I brought many over the Black Mountain, and distributed there, with directions how to manage them; and in about seven years' time we held a little beast-market near Brandle-guarp twice a year, where the spare cattle were brought up, and preserved in salt till the next market; for I had some years before made large salt-works near the sea at Mount Alkoe, which employed abundance of hands, and was now become a considerable trade.
We had iron, copper, and silver money, which went very current; and had butter and cheese from the farms near the woods, as plenty as we had the fruits before, great numbers of families having settled there; and there was scarce a family but was of some occupation or other.
By the accounts I received from the mines, from time to time, it was prodigious to hear what vast quantities of metals were prepared in one year now, by little above one-third of the hands that were usually employed in them before; for now the men's ambition was to leave a good week's work done at their return, for an example to those who were coming; and the overseers told me they would sing and work with the greatest delight imaginable, whilst they pleased themselves with telling one another how they intended to spend the next fourteen days.