A Journey to the World Under-Ground 12 – Holberg · Verses Across
Literature · Science Fiction & Fantasy
A Journey to the World Under-Ground 12Chap 12
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Literature · Science Fiction & Fantasy
A Journey to the World Under-Ground 12
Chap 12
HolbergEnglish
The Author’s Arrival at +Quama+.
And now a Croud of People surrounded me. They talk’d to me in their Language, of which, as I was wholly ignorant, I was at a Loss what to answer. They often repeated the Word Dank, Dank, which sounding like High Dutch, I answer’d first in that Language, then in the Danish Tongue, and lastly in Latin. But to all this they only shook their Heads, to intimate that these Languages were utterly unknown to them. Then I try’d them in the Subterranean Languages, namely, the Nazaric, and the Martinian; but all to no Purpose. This made me conclude, that they were an unsociable Nation, who had no Kind of Commerce with the rest of the World, and that therefore I should be under a Necessity in this Country of turning Boy, and going to School once more to learn my Letters.
After we had convers’d some Time together, but in such a Manner that we did not understand one another, they brought me to a Cottage made of Osiers. There were no Seats, Benches, or Tables in it; for they eat upon the Ground, and for Want of Beds, they use only Straw, and sleep promiscuously on the Floor, which is the more to be admir’d, as they have Plenty of Timber among them. Their Food is Milk, Cheese, Barley-Bread, and Flesh; which last they broil upon the Coals, having no Notion of any other Sort of Cookery. In short, they liv’d in as plain a Manner as the first Race of Mankind. So that I was forc’d to live like a Cynic Philosopher, till I had made such a Progress in their Language as enabled me to converse with the Inhabitants, and assist their Ignorance. And, indeed, all my Orders and Directions were observ’d as so many Oracles. Nay to such a Height my Reputation rose, that they flock’d to me in Crouds from all the adjacent Towns and Villages, as to an illustrious Doctor, or a Teacher sent from Heaven. I heard also, that a new Computation of Time was made use of among them, which commenc’d from my Arrival. All this, I own, was so much the more grateful to me, as in the Planet Nazar, and at Martinia, I had been a publick Jest; in the former Place for my Vivacity and quick Conception, and in the latter for my Dulness. And here I experienc’d the Truth of that vulgar Saying, “Among the Blind, he that squints is a King.” For I was now in a Country, where with a slender Share of Knowledge, and with ordinary Abilities, I could arrive at the highest Honours. And Room enough there was here, to try my own Strength, and exercise my Talents; for the Country abounded to Profusion with every Thing necessary for the Use of Man. Many Things it produc’d spontaneously, and whatever Grain was sow’d, repaid the Husbandman with ample Interest. The Inhabitants were of a docil Disposition, and by no Means destitute of Wit and Understanding; but then, as they had never been taught any Thing, they remain’d in the Depth of Ignorance.
When I related to them the Circumstances of my Family, my Country, my Shipwreck, and the other Accidents that befel me in my Travels, nobody could be brought to believe it. For they were positive, that I was an Inhabitant of the Sun, and that I descended from that glorious Luminary. Agreeably to this Conceit, they commonly call’d me by the Name of Pikil-Su, that is, Embassador of the Sun. As to their Religion, they did not deny the Existence of a Supreme Being, but then they did not trouble their Heads about the Proof of that high Point; it was sufficient to them that their Fathers before them believ’d it: And this is their whole System of Divinity. As to their Morality, they knew nothing except this single Precept of Not doing to others what you would not have done to yourself. They knew no Law beside the sole Will and Pleasure of their Emperor, and therefore no Crimes, but those of a publick Nature, were ever punish’d. Whatever Misdemeanour was otherwise committed, all the Revenge the Neighbours took, was to avoid the Company of the Offenders, to whom such a general Contempt was usually so intolerable, that many have died for Grief, and as many more have laid violent Hands upon themselves through a Weariness of Life. Chronology they know nothing of, only they compute their Years from the Eclipse of the Sun, which happens by the Interposition of the Planet Nazar; so that when you enquire how old any one is, their Answer is, that he is so many Eclipses old. Their Physicks are excessively barren and absurd; they believe the Sun is a Golden Plate, and the Planet Nazar a Cheese. When I enquir’d the Reason why at stated Times the Planet Nazar increas’d and decreas’d, they reply’d, that they knew nothing at all about it. Their Wealth and Substance consists chiefly in Swine, which they distinguish by some particular Mark, and then suffer them to run loose in the Woods. They scourge and beat all such Trees as bear no Fruit, from a foolish Opinion, that their Sterility proceeds from Malice and Envy. Such was the State of this poor miserable People, whom I almost despair’d of ever reducing to Humanity; but recollecting that Assertion of the Poet,
_Nemo adeo ferus est, ut non mitescere possit,
Si modo culturæ patientem præbeat aurem_,
I took Courage, and employ’d the whole Force of my Capacity and Abilities in reforming these Barbarians. For these my Endeavours, and the Success which attended them, they regarded me as something above the Race of Mortals, and so extravagant an Opinion did they entertain of my Wisdom, that they thought nothing was impossible to me. Upon the Loss of Cattle or Goods, they would come, at all Hours, to my Hut, and implore my Assistance. One Day I saw a poor Peasant prostrate before my Door weeping and wringing his Hands, and crying out to me to help him. Upon Inquiry into the Occasion of his Grief, he complain’d to me of the Perverseness and Ill-Nature of his Trees, and begg’d me to interpose my Authority to make them bear more Acorns.
I was inform’d, that the whole Country was in Subjection to a Monarch, whose Residence, at that Time, was about eight Days Journey from the Place I was now in. I say at that Time, because the Metropolis of the Empire was moveable, that is, his Majesty (whose Place of Residence was look’d upon as the Capital) had no Palace, or fix’d Habitation, but liv’d in Tents, which he transported, together with his Royal Family and the whole Court, from one Province to another. The Prince, who then sway’d the Sceptre, was a Man in Years, and was call’d Casba, which signifies, Great Emperor. This Territory, with respect, to the Extent of it, merits indeed the Name of an Empire; but thro’ the Ignorance of the Inhabitants, who do not know their own Strength, it makes no great Figure, but is expos’d to the Insults and Ridicule of its Neighbours, and is often oblig’d to become tributary to Nations in Reality more contemptible than themselves.
Fame had now spread my Name and Virtues over all the Provinces. Nothing of Moment was undertook without first consulting me, and every unsuccessful Enterprize was ascrib’d to my Coldness and Want of Favour. Nay, some had it in their Heads to appease my Anger with Sacrifices. I forbear to recount all the Follies of this stupid Nation, and shall only give one or two Instances, by which you may easily judge of the rest. A big-bellied Woman came to me, to desire she might have a Boy. Another intreated me to make his old Parents young again. Another begg’d me to take him with me up to the Sun, that he might return from thence with as much Gold as he could carry. With these, and such unaccountable Requests, was I continually pester’d, tho’ I still reprimanded their Folly in a severe Tone: For I was afraid lest that absurd Conceit of my Power might terminate in divine Worship.
At length it reach’d the Ears of the Monarch, that a Stranger was arriv’d in his Dominions, who call’d himself the Ambassador of the Sun, and who by giving most wise and divine Instructions to the Quamites (so were call’d the Inhabitants of this Country, the Name of which was Quama) had convinc’d the People that he was more than Man. Upon this he presently dispatch’d an Embassy to me, inviting me to Court. The Embassadors were in Number thirty, all cloath’d with Tigers Skins, a Dress so much the more honourable in this Country, as the Use thereof is permitted to none but those who have behav’d themselves with Gallantry in the War against the Tanachites. (These are rational Tigers, and implacable Enemies to the Quamites.) But during all this Time, in the Village where I continued, I had run up a Stone-House of two Stories, after the Manner of the Buildings in Europe. The Embassadors beheld it as a stupendous Work, exceeding human Strength, and therefore when they came to me to signify his Imperial Majesty’s Pleasure, they enter’d my House with a religious Awe, as into a Temple or Sanctuary. The Speech they made to me, on this Occasion, was nearly this:
“Whereas the great Emperor Casba, our Sovereign Lord and Master, derives his Origin from the great Spynko, Son of the Sun, and Founder of the Quamitic Empire, he therefore thinks nothing could be more fortunate or agreeable, than your Arrival, especially as it must be of the highest Advantage to his Dominions, and as there is all the Reason in the World to hope, that under such an illustrious and celestial Teacher, the Kingdom will, in a short Time, wear another Face. For which Reason he hopes you will so much the more willingly honour his Court, as the Capital of the Empire is a more ample Field for the Exercise of your Virtues.”
This Harangue being ended, I returned my humble Thanks to the Embassadors, and accompanied them immediately to the Palace. Though they had taken up fourteen Days in coming, yet in returning we spent only four, which was owing to a Contrivance of mine. For as I had observ’d a vast Multitude of Horses in this Country, which were of no Manner of Use, but rather a Burden upon the People, inasmuch as they liv’d in the Woods like wild Beasts, I laid open to the Natives the several Advantages which would accrue from the Service of those generous Brutes, and taught them the Art of breaking them. In a short Time a great Number were tam’d, and upon the Arrival of the Embassadors, I had as many broke and prepar’d, as would serve us all in our Return. At the Sight of the Horses thus instructed, the Embassadors were amazed, but were afraid to mount them. But when they saw me and others guiding and turning them which Way we pleas’d, by Means of the Bridle, and that without Fear or Danger, they took Courage, after two or three Trials, and ventur’d upon the Journey. And this was the Reason that they return’d in one Third of the Time they came. When we drew near the Place where the Royal City was suppos’d to be, we heard that this famous Metropolis was remov’d into another Province, which oblig’d us to bend our Course another Way.
Upon our Approach to the Capital, the Fright and Surprize of the People is not to be express’d. Many, struck with a Panick, abandon’d the Royal City. The Emperor himself kept shuddring in his Pavilion, nor dar’d to go out of it, till one of the Embassadors alighting from his Horse, went and explain’d the Mystery to him. I was introduc’d soon after in great Form, and with a Train of People behind me, to the Emperor’s Presence. Casba was sitting on a Carpet, surrounded by his Courtiers. Having paid my Compliments to his Imperial Highness, he rose, and ask’d me how the Emperor of the Sun did, the Founder of the Royal Family of Quama. To this Question, as I conceiv’d it necessary to keep up the popular Error, I reply’d, “That I was sent from the Monarch of the Sun to reform the savage Manners of the Quamites with salutary Instructions, and to open a Way for them not only to repel the Insults of their Neighbours, but also to enlarge the Bounds of their Empire, and that I had Orders to end my Days among them.” This Speech highly pleas’d the Emperor. He commanded a Tent to be erected for me near his own; he also assign’d me fifteen Domesticks to attend on me, and, laying aside the Monarch, behav’d to me always like a Friend.
