A journey to the world under-ground
discharge my Duty, by visiting the various Cities and Provinces of the
Kingdom after the usual Manner. These repeated Expeditions furnish’d me
with an Opportunity of making Enquiries into the State of the Kingdom,
as well as that of the bordering Nations; and lest what I had observ’d
in my Travels should escape my Memory, I penn’d it all down, and making
a little Volume of it, humbly presented it to the Prince. How much his
Serene Highness was taken with this Work appear’d afterward, by his
doing me the Honour to commend my Labours in full Senate; and having
again attentively perus’d my Book, he was pleas’d to make use of my
Services in a farther Discovery of the whole Planet _Nazar_. I expected
a different Recompence for my Labours, but was forc’d to say with the
Poet,
——_Virtus laudatur & alget._
But since I was fond of Novelty, and had Hopes that so bountiful a
Prince would never leave me unrewarded after my Return, I set about the
Work with a good Degree of Pleasure.
The whole Globe of the Planet _Nazar_, altho’ scarce six hundred
Miles in Circumference, yet to the Inhabitants appears of an immense
Extent, by Reason of the Slowness of their Motion. And hence to this
Day a great many Countries, and particularly the more remote ones, are
utterly unknown to the Natives. A _Potuan_ would hardly be able to
travel over this Globe on foot in two Years. But what embarrass’d me
most, was the Fear I had that a Variety of Languages would put me to
great Difficulties. But I was soon undeceiv’d, and reviv’d to hear,
that the Inhabitants of the whole Planet, tho’ wonderfully different
in their Manners, yet all spoke the same Tongue; and besides this,
that the whole Race of Trees were in the main harmless, sociable, and
beneficent Beings, so that I might, without the least Danger, make the
Tour of the whole Globe. This redoubled my Ardour, and in the Month of
_Poplars_ I began my Journey.
What follows is so marvellous, that it looks more like a poetic
Fiction, or the Chimæras of ungovern’d Fancy, than Reality and Truth;
especially since those Varieties, both of Body Mind, which in this
Journey I met with, are such as one would never expect to find between
the most distant Nations. It must be observ’d, that many Kingdoms
here are separated from each other by Seas and Straits, not unlike
the _Archipelago_ in _Europe_. These Straits are seldom cross’d; but
for the Benefit of Travellers, there are certain Ferrymen that keep
their Stations on the Banks in Readiness to transport the Passengers.
It is very rare, that the Natives ever venture beyond the Limits of
their own Country; and if compell’d, by Necessity, to make a Voyage,
they soon return, as if impatient of a foreign Soil. Hence, as many
Nations as there are, you see so many new Worlds in a Manner. The
principal Cause of this vast Dissimilitude, is the different Nature
of the Lands, as appears from the various Colours on the Surface, and
from the surprizing Difference between the Plants, Herbs, and Fruits;
it is the less Wonder, therefore, if with that Diversity of the Soil,
and the Products of it, there should also be found a no less surprizing
Variety of Inhabitants, and even opposite Natures and Tempers. In
our World, indeed, even Nations the most remote, differ very little
from each other in Genius, Manners, Learning, Shape and Colour. For
since the Nature of the Earth is almost every where the same, except
that one Part is more fruitful than another, and since the Nature of
our Plants, Herbs, and Water, is nearly the same every where, hence
nothing heterogeneous or uncommon is produc’d, as in this subterranean
Planet, where every Tract of Land has its own peculiar Property.
Strangers are allow’d to trade and travel, but not to settle out of
their own Country; nor, indeed, could such a Liberty be well granted,
considering the great Diversity and Opposition of Natures between each
other. Hence all Foreigners that you meet with, are either Merchants or
Travellers. The Countries which border upon the _Potuan_ Dominions, are
nearly of the same Nature with them. Their Inhabitants were formerly
often at War with the _Potuans_; but at this Day they are either in
Alliance with them, or having been subdued, they now rest contented in
their Subjection to so mild a Power. But if you once cross the great
Sea, which divides their whole Globe, new Scenes present themselves,
together with new and strange Creatures unknown to the _Potuans_. One
only Thing they have in common, and that is, that all the Creatures of
this Globe are rational Trees, and all use the same Dialect. This makes
Travelling very pleasant, especially as the Merchants and Foreigners,
perpetually passing thro’ every Province, give People an Opportunity of
seeing Creatures extreamly strange and unlike themselves. Thus much I
thought proper to premise, lest tender Ears should be offended with the
subsequent Narration, and the Author reproach’d with Want of Veracity.
It would be a tiresome and an unprofitable Task, to recount every Thing
singly, and in exact historical Order, that I met with in my Travels.
Let it suffice, that I give an Account of those particular People only,
whose Character, Description, and Manners have something so unusual and
marvellous in them, that upon their Account this Planet of _Nazar_ may
be reckon’d one of the principal Prodigies of the Universe. I must here
call to Mind an Observation I have before made, that this whole Race
and Country of rational Trees differ very little in Sense and Judgment
from the _Potuans_; but in their Rites and Customs, in their Make and
Temper, there is so much Diversity, that every Province you would swear
to be a new World.
In the Province of _Quamso_, which is the first beyond the Sea, the
Inhabitants are subject to no Infirmities or Diseases of Body, but each
enjoys a perfect Health from Youth to latest Age. I could not help
thinking them the most happy of Mortals. But upon a slight Acquaintance
with them, I found myself infinitely mistaken. For as, upon one Hand,
I saw nobody sad or sorrowful; so upon the other, I saw nobody pleas’d
and joyful. For as we never highly relish the Serenity of the Heavens,
and the Weather, unless we have been sensible of the Hardships of a
different Temperature of the Air; so these Trees taste no Felicity,
because it is perpetual and uninterrupted, and never know the Pleasure
of Health, for want of knowing the Misery of Diseases. Their Life is
one eternal Indolence. Their Enjoyments are never exquisite, and those
alone can taste the Sweets of Life, who have their Pleasures season’d
with a little Pain. I protest, that I never found, in any Country
upon the Face of the Earth, such lifeless Creatures, or such cold and
insipid Conversations. The People are harmless, but deserve neither
your Love or Hatred. You fear no Affront, and you expect no Favour.
In a Word, here is nothing either to please or displease. Besides, as
that continual Health never brings the Image of Death before their
Eyes, nor ever moves their Concern towards the Afflicted and Diseased,
so they pass their Days in dull Security, and never know the generous
Warmths of Pity and Compassion; nor do the least Footsteps of Love, or
any such tender Affection appear there. In Truth, Diseases remind us
of our Mortality, excite us to die well, and keep the Soul as it were
equipt for its Journey to that World from whence none return; and as
they afflict us with Pain, so they inspire a Sympathy towards others
when afflicted. This leads one easily to discern how much Diseases, and
the Danger of dying, contribute to Charity, Love, and all the social
Affections, and that those People unjustly complain of their Creator
for appointing these Afflictions, which are so full of real Advantage.
It must be observ’d, that these Trees, as often as they remove into
other Places, are expos’d to the same Evils and Casualties of Life
that others are. This is a Proof to me, that they are indebted to the
Climate for this peculiar Advantage, if indeed it can be call’d an
Advantage.
The Province of _Lalac_, surnam’d _Mascatta_, or the _Blest_, seems
to correspond with its Name; for there the Earth produces all Things
spontaneously.
_Flumina jam lactis, jam flumina Nectaris ibant,
Flavaque de viridi stillabant ilice mella:
Ipsa quoque immunis, rastroque intacta, nec ullis
Saucia vomeribus, per se dabat omnia tellus._
But this extraordinary Circumstance does not render the Natives one
Jot happier. For as there is no Need of Labour to procure their daily
Sustenance, they spend their Days in Softness, Sloth, and Luxury, and
so lay the Foundation of innumerable Diseases, and untimely Deaths.
The Nature of this Country affords ample Matter for our serious
Reflexion; in particular it appears, from the Condition of the People,
that Husbandmen, Servants and Labourers, are far happier than those,
who, free from the Fatigue of providing for themselves, are devoted to
Idleness and Pleasure.
_Nempe inamarescunt epulæ sine fine petitæ,
Illusique pedes vitiosum ferre recusant
Corpus._
Hence follows a Train of vicious Actions, desperate Resolutions, and
violent Deaths, which are here observ’d to be very common. For the
perpetual Affluence in which they live, in Length of Time quite wears
away all Taste and Sense of Pleasure, and almost infallibly introduces
a downright Loathing of Life. Thus this Region, which appear’d at first
like the Abodes of the Blest, was in Reality the Seat of Sorrow, and
more an Object of my Compassion than my Envy.
_Hoc celerare fugam, terrâque excedere jussit._
The next Province is that of _Mardak_; they are _Cypresses_, all of the
same Form and Height, and differ only from each other by the different
Make of their Eyes. Some have long Eyes, some square Eyes; some have
small ones, others have Eyes so large as to take up the whole Space
of the Forehead. Some are born with two, others with three, and some
with four Eyes. There are also those who have only one Eye; and these
might be reputed the Offspring of _Polyphemus_, but that their one Eye
is seated in the hinder Part of the Head. And hence, according to the
different Shape of their Eyes, they are divided into so many Tribes,
the Names of which are as follows:
1. _Nagiri_, or those who have long Eyes, and to whom consequently
every Object appears long.
2. _Naquiri_, those who have square Eyes.
3. _Talampi_, the small Eyes.
4. _Faraku_, those who have two Eyes, one of which is more oblique than
the other.
5. _Mehanki_, three Eyes.
6. _Tarrasuki_, four Eyes.
7. _Harramba_, those whose Eyes occupy the Space of the whole Forehead.
8. _Skadolki_, those who have only one Eye in the hinder Part of the
Head.
The most numerous, and of course the most powerful Tribe, is that of
the _Nagiri_, or those who have long Eyes, and to whom consequently
all Objects appear long. From this Tribe are taken the Senators, the
Priests, and all such as bear Office in the State. These sit at the
Helm, nor do they admit any one from another Tribe to a Post in the
Government, unless he shall first confess, and confirm his Confession
with an Oath, that a certain Tablet, dedicated to the Sun, and plac’d
in the most conspicuous Part of the Temple, appears to him to be
long. This sacred Tablet of the Sun is the principal Object of the
_Mardakanian_ Worship. Hence the honester Part of the Citizens, who
start at Perjury, are excluded from all publick Honours, and what
is worse, are expos’d to a thousand Sneers, Railleries, and even
Persecutions; and tho’ they over and over protest, that they cannot
disbelieve their Eyes, they are still complain’d of, and what is only a
Fault of Nature, is imputed to their Obstinacy and Malice.