the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第18章

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n　the　next　minute　would　be　over　my　head。　It　was　never　at　rest；　but　for　ever　going　east；　west；　north；　or　south；　and　paid　no　more　respect　to　the　different　worlds　than　if　they　were　so　many　lanterns　without　reflectors。　Some　of　them　he　would　dash　against　and　push　out　of　their　places；　others　he　would　burn　up　and　consume　to　ashes：　and　others　again　he　would　split　into　fritters；　and　their　fragments　would　instantly　take　a　globular　form；　like　spilled　quicksilver；　and　become　satellites　to　whatever　other　worlds　they　should　happen　to　meet　with　in　their　career。　In　short；　the　whole　seemed　an　epitome　of　the　creation；　past；　present；　and　future；　and　all　that　passes　among　the　stars　during　one　thousand　years　was　here　generally　performed　in　as　many　seconds。

I　surveyed　all　the　beauties　of　the　chariot　with　wonder　and　delight。　〃Certainly；〃　cried　I；　〃this　is　heaven　in　miniature！〃　In　short；　I　took　the　reins　in　my　hand。　But　before　I　proceed　on　my　adventures；　I　shall　mention　the　rest　of　my　attendant　furniture。　The　chariot　was　drawn　by　a　team　of　nine　bulls　harnessed　to　it；　three　after　three。　In　the　first　rank　was　a　most　tremendous　bull　named　John　Mowmowsky；　the　rest　were　called　Jacks　in　general；　but　not　dignified　by　any　particular　denomination。　They　were　all　shod　for　the　journey；　not　indeed　like　horses；　with　iron；　or　as　bullocks　commonly　are；　to　drag　on　a　cart；　but　were　shod　with　men's　skulls。　Each　of　their　feet　was；　hoof　and　all；　crammed　into　a　man's　head；　cut　off　for　the　purpose；　and　fastened　therein　with　a　kind　of　cement　or　paste；　so　that　the　skull　seemed　to　be　a　part　of　the　foot　and　hoof　of　the　animal。　With　these　skull…shoes　the　creatures　could　perform　astonishing　journeys；　and　slide　upon　the　water；　or　upon　the　ocean；　with　great　velocity。　The　harnesses　were　fastened　with　golden　buckles；　and　decked　with　studs　in　a　superb　style；　and　the　creatures　were　ridden　by　nine　postillions；　crickets　of　a　great　size；　as　large　as　monkeys；　who　sat　squat　upon　the　heads　of　the　bulls；　and　were　continually　chirping　at　a　most　infernal　rate；　loud　in　proportion　to　their　bodies。

The　wheels　of　the　chariot　consisted　of　upwards　of　ten　thousand　springs；　formed　so　as　to　give　the　greater　impetuosity　to　the　vehicle；　and　were　more　complex　than　a　dozen　clocks　like　that　of　Strasburgh。　The　external　of　the　chariot　was　adorned　with　banners；　and　a　superb　festoon　of　laurel　that　formerly　shaded　me　on　horseback。　And　now；　having　given　you　a　very　concise　description　of　my　machine　for　travelling　into　Africa；　which　you　must　allow　to　be　far　superior　to　the　apparatus　of　Monsieur　Vaillant；　I　shall　proceed　to　relate　the　exploits　of　my　voyage。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXIII

　　/The　Baron　proceeds　on　his　voyageConvoys　a　squadron　to　Gibraltar　　　Declines　the　acceptance　of　the　island　of　CandiaHis　chariot　　　damaged　by　Pompey's　Pillar　and　Cleopatra's　NeedleThe　Baron　out…　　　does　AlexanderBreaks　his　chariot；　and　splits　a　great　rock　at　the　　　Cape　of　Good　Hope。/

Taking　the　reins　in　my　hand；　while　the　music　gave　a　general　salute；　I　cracked　my　whip；　away　they　went；　and　in　three　hours　I　found　myself　just　between　the　Isle　of　Wight　and　the　main　land　of　England。　Here　I　remained　four　days；　until　I　had　received　part　of　my　accompaniment；　which　I　was　ordered　to　take　under　my　convoy。　'Twas　a　squadron　of　men…　of…war　that　had　been　a　long　time　prepared　for　the　Baltic；　but　which　were　now　destined　for　the　Mediterranean。　By　the　assistance　of　large　hooks　and　eyes；　exactly　such　as　are　worn　in　our　hats；　but　of　a　greater　size；　some　hundredweight　each；　the　men…of…war　hooked　themselves　on　to　the　wheels　of　the　vehicle：　and；　in　fact；　nothing　could　be　more　simple　or　convenient；　because　they　could　be　hooked　or　unhooked　in　an　instant　with　the　utmost　facility。　In　short；　having　given　a　general　discharge　of　their　artillery；　and　three　cheers；　I　cracked　my　whip；　away　we　went；　helter　skelter；　and　in　six　jiffies　I　found　myself　and　all　my　retinue　safe　and　in　good　spirits　just　at　the　rock　of　Gibraltar。　Here　I　unhooked　my　squadron；　and　having　taken　an　affectionate　leave　of　the　officers；　I　suffered　them　to　proceed　in　their　ordinary　manner　to　the　place　of　their　destination。　The　whole　garrison　were　highly　delighted　with　the　novelty　of　my　vehicle；　and　at　the　pressing　solicitations　of　the　governor　and　officers　I　went　ashore；　and　took　a　view　of　that　barren　old　rock；　about　which　more　powder　has　been　fired　away　than　would　purchase　twice　as　much　fertile　ground　in　any　part　of　the　world！　Mounting　my　chariot；　I　took　the　reins；　and　again　made　forward；　in　mad　career；　down　the　Mediterranean　to　the　isle　of　Candia。　Here　I　received　despatches　from　the　Sublime　Porte；　entreating　me　to　assist　in　the　war　against　Russia；　with　a　reward　of　the　whole　island　of　Candia　for　my　alliance。　At　first　I　hesitated；　thinking　that　the　island　of　Candia　would　be　a　most　valuable　acquisition　to　the　sovereign　who　at　that　time　employed　me；　and　that　the　most　delicious　wines；　sugar；　&c。；　in　abundance　would　flourish　on　the　island；　yet；　when　I　considered　the　trade　of　the　East　India　Company；　which　would　most　probably　suffer　by　the　intercourse　with　Persia　through　the　Mediterranean；　I　at　once　rejected　the　proposal；　and　had　afterwards　the　thanks　of　the　Honourable　the　House　of　Commons　for　my　propriety　and　political　discernment。

Having　been　properly　refreshed　at　Candia；　I　again　proceeded；　and　in　a　short　time　arrived　in　the　land　of　Egypt。　The　land　of　this　country；　at　least　that　part　of　it　near　the　sea；　is　very　low；　so　that　I　came　upon　it　ere　I　was　aware；　and　the　Pillar　of　Pompey　got　entangled　in　the　various　wheels　of　the　machine；　and　damaged　the　whole　considerably。　Still　I　drove　on　through　thick　and　thin；　till；　passing　over　that　great　obelisk；　the　Needle　of　Cleopatra；　the　work　got　entangled　again；　and　jolted　at　a　miserable　rate　over　the　mud　and　swampy　ground　of　all　that　country；　yet　my　poor　bulls　trotted　on　with　astonishing　labour　across　the　Isthmus　of　Suez　into　the　Red　Sea；　and　left　a　track；　an　obscure　channel；　which　has　since　been　taken　by　De　Tott　for　the　remains　of　a　canal　cut　by　some　of　the　Ptolemies　from　the　Red　Sea　to　the　Mediterranean；　but；　as　you　perceive；　was　in　reality　no　more　than　the　track　of　my　chariot；　the　car　of　Queen　Mab。

As　the　artists　at　present　in　that　country　are　nothing　wonderful；　though　the　ancient　Egyptians；　'tis　said；　were　most　astonishing　fellows；　I　could　not　procure　any　new　coach…springs；　or　have　a　possibility　of　setting　my　machine　to　rights　in　the　kingdom　of　Egypt；　and　as　I　could　not　presume　to　attempt　another　journey　overland；　and　the　great　mountains　of　marble　beyond　the　source　of　the　Nile；　I　thought　it　most　eligible　to　make　the　best　way　I　could；　by　sea；　to　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope；　where　I　supposed　I　should　get　some　Dutch　smiths　and　carpenters；　or　perhaps　some　English　artists；　and　my　vehicle　being　properly　repaired；　it　was　my　intention　thence　to　proceed；　overland；　through　the　heart　of　Africa。　The　surface　of　the　water；　I　well　knew；　afforded　less　resistance　to　the　wheels　of　the　machineit　passed　along　the　waves　like　the　chariot　of　Neptune；　and　in　short；　having　gotten　upon　the　Red　Sea；　we　scudded　away　to　admiration　through　the　pass　of　Babelmandeb　to　the　great　Western　coast　of　Africa；　where　Alexander　had　not　the　courage　to　venture。

And　really；　my　friends；　if　Alexander　had　ventured　toward　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope　he　most　probably　would　have　never　returned。　It　is　difficult　to　determine　whether　there　were　then　any　inhabitants　in　the　more　southern　parts　of　Africa　or　not；　yet；　at　any　rate；　this　conqueror　of　the　world　would　have　made　but　a　nonsensical　adventure；　his　miserable　ships；　not　contrived　for　a　long　voyage；　would　have　become　leaky；　and　foundered；　before　he　could　have　doubled　the　Cape；　and　left　his　Majesty　fairly　beyond　the　limits　of　the　then　known　world。　Yet　it　would　have　been　an　august　exit　for　an　Alexander；　after　having　subdued　Persia　and　India；　to　be　wandering　the　Lord　knows　where；　to　Jup　or　Ammon；　perhaps；　or　on　a　voyage　to　the　moon；　as　an　Indian　chief　once　said　to　Captain　Cook。

But；　for　my　part；　I　was　far　more　successful　than　Alexander；　I　drove　on　with　the　most　amazing　rapidity；　and　thinking　to　halt　on　shore　at　the　Cape；　I　unfortunately　drove　too　close；　and　shattered　the　right　side　wheels　of　my　vehicle　against　the　rock；　now　called　the　Table　Mountain。　The　machine　went　against　it　with　such　impetuosity　as　completely　shivered　the　rock　in　a　horizontal　direction；　so　that　the　summit　of　the　mountain；　in　the　form　of　a　semi…sphere；　was　knocked　into　the　sea；　and　the　steep　mountain　becoming　thereby　flattened　at　the　top；　has　since　received　the　name　of　the　Table　Mountain；　from　its　similarity　to　that　piece　of　furniture。

Just　as　this　part　of　the　mountain　was　knocked　off；　the　ghost　of　the　Cape；　that　tremendous　sprite　which　cuts　such　a　figure　in　the　Lusiad；　was　discovered　sitting　squat　in　an　excavation　formed　for　him　in　the　centre　of　the　mountain。　He　seemed　just　like　a　young　bee　in　his　little　cell　before　he　comes　forth；　or　like　a　bean　in　a　bean…pod；　and　when　the　upper　part　of　the　mountain　was　split　across　and　knocked　off；　the　superior　half　of　his　person　was　discovered。　He　appeared　of　a　bottle…　blue　colour；　and　started；　dazzled　with　the　unexpected　glare　of　the　light：　hearing　the　dreadful　rattle　of　the　wheels；　and　the　loud　chirping　of　the　crickets；　he　was　thunder…struck；　and　instantly　giving　a　shriek；　sunk　down　ten　thousand　fathoms　into　the　earth；　while　the　mountain；　vomiting　out　some　smoke；　silently　closed　up；　and　left　not　a　trace　behind！



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXIV

　　/The　Baron　secures　his　chariot；　&c。；　at　the　Cape　and　takes　his　　　passage　for　England　in　a　homeward…bound　IndiamanWrecked　upon　an　　　island　of　ice；　near　the　coast　of　GuineaEscapes　from　the　wreck；　　　and　rears　a　variety　of　vegetables　upon　the　islandMeets　some　　　vessels　belonging　to　the　negroes　bringing　white　slaves　from　　　Europe；　in　retaliation；　to　work　upon　their　plantations　in　a　cold　　　climate　near　the　South　PoleArrives　in　England；　and　lays　an　　　account　of　his　expedition　before　the　Privy　CouncilGreat　　　preparations　for　a　new　expeditionThe　Sphinx；　Gog　and　Magog；　and　　　a　great　company　attend　himThe　ideas　of　Hilaro　Frosticos　　　respecting　the　interior　parts　of　Africa。/

I　perceived　with　grief　and　consternation　the　miscarriage　of　all　my　apparatus；　yet　I　was　not　absolutely　dejected：　a　great　mind　is　never　known　but　in　adversity。　With　permission　of　the　Dutch　governor　the　chariot　was　properly　laid　up　in　a　great　storehouse；　erected　at　the　water's　edge；　and　the　bulls　received　every　refreshment　possible　after　so　terrible　a　voyage。　Well；　you　may　be　sure　they　deserved　it；　and　therefore　every　attendance　was　engaged　for　them；　until　I　should　return。

As　it　was　not　possible　to　do　anything　more　I　took　my　passage　in　a　homeward…bound　Indiaman；　to　return　to　London；　and　lay　the　matter　before　the　Privy　Council。

We　met　with　nothing　particular　until　we　arrived　upon　the　coast　of　Guinea；　where；　to　our　utter　astonishment；　we　perceived　a　great　hill；　seemingly　of　glass；　advancing　against　us　in　the　open　sea；　the　rays　of　the　sun　were　reflected　upon　it　with　such　splendour；　that　it　was　extremely　difficult　to　gaze　at　the　phenomenon。　I　immediately　knew　it　to　be　an　island　of　ice；　and　though　in　so　very　warm　a　latitude；　determined　to　make　all　possible　sail　from　such　horrible　danger。　We　did　so；　but　all　in　vain；　for　about