A journey to the world under-ground
of the Feuds and Factions into which the Inhabitants were split;
but (what is remarkable) as they were destitute of Arms, and were
ignorant of the Use of them, they fought only with their Tongues,
and gave all the hard Names, Curses, and foul Language they could
invent. This was all we had to fear. The only Punishment that in this
Country was inflicted upon Offenders, was that they were taken up
and imprison’d, and upon full Proof of the Crime were openly brought
into the Forum, there to hear themselves revil’d in the bitterest
Manner. Certain People were appointed for this very Purpose, call’d
_Sabuti_, that is, Revilers, and are there look’d upon in the same
Light, as an Executioner amongst us. As to the Make of their Body,
they differ’d only from us in one or two Circumstances, which was,
that the Women had Beards and the Men none; the Feet also of them all
were turn’d backwards. After we had made a Descent upon this Island,
about three hundred _Canaliscans_, (so the Islanders were call’d) met
us. They attack’d us in a hostile Manner with their usual Weapons,
that is to say, with a Volley of Curses and hard Names. With such
exquisite Malice, and in such a diabolical Spirit of Bitterness,
their foul Language was conceiv’d and utter’d, (as we were inform’d
by an _Alectorian_ Interpreter of the _Canaliscan_ Tongue) that they
shew’d themselves perfect Masters of their Weapons, and not inferior
to the Grammarians of our World. However, knowing that Rage alone was
insignificant without Power, I forbid any Violence to be offer’d to
them, but only to spread Terror among them. I order’d some Guns to be
fir’d, which had this Effect, that they fell upon their Knees, and
implor’d Mercy. Presently the several little Kings of the Island came
down, and made a formal Surrender of themselves and Subjects, putting
their whole Dominions under Tribute to me, making me at the same Time
a Compliment, that it was no Dishonour to be subdued by him, whom it
was Impiety to resist, nor any Disgrace to submit to him, whom Fortune
had rais’d above all the World. Thus this Island, (the Conquest of
which added something to my Power, tho’ little to my Glory, by Reason
of the Effeminacy of the Inhabitants) becoming tributary to me, we
hoisted Sail, and after a fair Voyage of some few Days, arriv’d at the
_Mezendoric_ Coast. I then call’d a Council of War, to enquire what
was best to be done, whether it were adviseable immediately to act in
a hostile Manner, or to send an Embassy to the Emperor, to know if he
would make a peaceable Surrender, or whether we must come to an open
Rupture. The Majority were for the latter. Wherefore five Persons were
commission’d for this Embassy, one of each Nation, a _Quamite_, an
_Arctonian_, an _Alectorian_, a _Tanachite_, and a _Kispucian_. Being
introduced into the Capital, they were ask’d by the chief Magistrate,
in the Name of the Emperor, the Meaning of this unexpected Visit to
the _Mezendoric_ Dominions? The Deputies reply’d, that it was not by
Accident, but by Design they came there, and forthwith they produced
their Credentials, and a Letter from me to the Emperor, the Tenour of
which was as follows:
“_Nicolas Klimius_, Embassador of the Sun, Emperor of _Quama_,
King of _Tanachin_, _Arctonia_, and _Alectoria_, Great Duke of the
_Kispucians_, and Lord of _Canalisca_, to _Miklopolatu_, Emperor of
_Mezendoria_, Greeting. Be it known unto thee, that by the immutable
Council of Heaven, it is ordain’d, that all the Empires and Kingdoms of
the World submit to the _Quamitic_ Sovereignty. And since the Decrees
of Heaven are irrevocable, it is necessary your Empire should undergo
the common Destiny of all. We exhort you therefore to a voluntary
Surrender, and cordially admonish you not to subject your Realms to the
Chance of War, by a rash Opposition to our victorious Arms. A timely
Obedience may save the Effusion of innocent Blood, and mend your own
Condition. Given aboard our Fleet, the 3d Day of the Month _Rimat_.”
In a few Days the Embassadors return’d with a fierce and haughty
Answer. Hereupon all Prospect of Peace disappearing, we made a Descent.
Having rang’d our Troops in order of Battle, we sent out Spies to
explore the Condition of the Enemy. They soon return’d with News, that
the Enemy’s Army was in Readiness, that it consisted of Lions, Bears,
Tigers, Elephants, and Birds of Prey, to the Number of sixty Thousand.
Hereupon we posted ourselves on an advantageous Piece of Ground, and
waited their Coming. All things being now in Readiness, and the Signal
of Battle being given, suddenly there came four Embassadors, all Foxes,
from the Enemy, to renew the Negotiations, and treat of a Peace. But
having spent some Days in Conferences with our Generals, they departed
without coming to any Conclusion. It appear’d afterwards that these
were Spies, rather than Embassadors, sent for no other End but to
explore the State and Condition of out Army. They pretended indeed
that they would soon return with more ample Powers: But as we quickly
perceiv’d the whole Body of the Enemy marching briskly towards us,
we hoisted our Colours, and marched to meet them. An obstinate Fight
ensued. For tho’ our Musketeers made a furious Slaughter among them,
yet the Elephants every where kept their Rank, the Hardness of their
Hide being Proof against our Ball. But as soon as our heavy Artillery
began to thunder upon them, and the Elephants perceiv’d the horrible
Effects of it, they were seiz’d with a Panic, and left the Field. In
this Battle thirty-three thousand _Mezendorians_ were slain, and twenty
thousand taken Prisoners. Those who escap’d, fled to the Metropolis, a
City very well fortify’d, and fill’d the Inhabitants with Terror and
Consternation. We push’d our Victory, and in three Days March, came
to the Capital, which we besieg’d by Sea and Land. At our Approach,
we were saluted by a new Embassy, which brought much softer Terms of
Peace. In this the Emperor offer’d me his Daughter in Marriage, who was
esteem’d the most beautiful Lioness throughout the whole Dominions,
together with Half his Empire in Dower with her. These Conditions were
by no Means agreeable to me, especially with Respect to the Nuptials
of his Daughter; for it seem’d to me neither safe nor honourable to
divorce my Empress to marry a Lioness. Hereupon the Embassadors were
dismiss’d without any Answer. Presently our great Guns began to play
against the City-Walls, which tho’ compos’d of Stone, were soon torn
and shatter’d in many Places. And as this City was full of Animals of
all Species, it was strange to hear the Variety of Noises upon this
Occasion, such as Roaring, Howling, Bellowing, Braying, Bleating and
Hissing. The Serpents retir’d into the Clefts and Fissures of the
Earth: The Birds hover’d in the Air, and seeing the City so fiercely
assaulted, fled off to the Rocks and open Country. The Trees trembled
and drop’d their Leaves all over the City. We heard that twenty Maids
of Honour, (these were Roses and Lilies) upon the first Discharge of
our Cannon shrunk up, and wither’d away through Fear. Such a prodigious
Concourse of Animals of all Kinds, as well those of the City, as those
from the Neighbourhood, miserably straiten’d each other; and that
very Assistance, which was so necessary, was the Cause of Diseases
and Infection. The Elephants stood the Siege better than the rest;
but upon the Discharge of the great Guns, they abandon’d the Walls.
Hereupon the Emperor, despairing to hold out much longer, summon’d a
Council to deliberate upon the present Posture of Affairs. They were
all unanimous for a Peace upon any Terms; and therefore without Delay
his Imperial Highness made a formal Surrender of himself, with all his
Territories. Thus in one Day my Power was increas’d by the Addition of
an Empire, together with nine or ten lesser Realms or Principalities;
for immediately all the petty Sovereignties follow’d the Example of the
Emperor, and strove who should be foremost in their Submissions.
After such marvellous Success, having first plac’d a Garison of six
hundred Musketeers in the Capital, I order’d the captive Emperor to
be conducted aboard our Fleet. I treated him with the most perfect
Humanity, and upon our Return some time after to _Quama_, I gave him an
intire Province, the Revenues of which enabled the Royal Prisoner to
live with a good Degree of Splendor.
We now set Sail from this Place, and coasted along the _Mezendoric_
Shores. In this Voyage we demanded Hostages of all the several States
and Governments subject to the Emperor _Miklopolatu_, so that in a
small Time the very _Mezendoric_ Name and Empire were in a manner
extinguish’d. These People were for the most Part the same of which I
have formerly given some Account in my Description of my Voyage from
_Martinia_. Leaving therefore the _Mezendoric_ Territories, we steer’d
directly for _Martinia_, which, after a prosperous, tho’ long Voyage,
we happily arriv’d at. Never was the Sight of any Country so highly
grateful to me as this; and when I reflected, that in Times past I had
been condemn’d to the Oar in this very Place, to which I now return’d
as a puissant Conqueror, I was hardly able to conceal the Transport
of Joy I felt. I had at first resolv’d to declare myself, in order to
spread the greater Terror among the _Martinians_: But I chang’d that
Resolution, and determin’d to cherish the old Error concerning my
Birth, and still to pass for an Embassador of the Sun.
I flatter’d myself, that in a short time, and with a very little
Trouble, I should be able to make a compleat Conquest of the
_Martinians_, whose Effeminacy I was well acquainted with. For this
People have a strong Propensity to Pleasure, and are hurry’d on to
all vicious Excesses, not only through a natural Bent, but from that
Affluence and Abundance, which both Sea and Land conspire to indulge
them in. However, I found by Experience, that I had an arduous
Enterprize upon my Hands: For by means of that vast Commerce carry’d
on by these People, they had amass’d such endless Riches, as enabled
them to have always at their Devotion the choicest of the most warlike
Troops among the neighbouring Nations, who stood ready at their Nod
to fight their Battles for them. Add to this, that the _Martinians_
were eminent for their Skill in maritime Affairs beyond all the
Subterraneans, and our Vessels were in Comparison of theirs extremely
rude, and very slow of Motion. For it is easy to judge what sort of
Ships ours must be, which were run up in Haste under the Direction
and Supervision of a Bachelor of Philosophy, as also what a Censure
they would undergo, were they to be submitted to the Criticism of the
_Dutch_, _English_, or _Danes_. But this Defect my Artillery aton’d
for; a Method of Fighting hitherto unknown to the _Martinians_.
Before I attempted any Thing in a hostile Manner, I sent an Embassy to
the Senate with the same Tenders of Peace, which I had lately offer’d
the Emperor of _Mezendoria_. But while we waited for an Answer, all
on a Sudden we beheld a Fleet of Ships coming full Sail upon us, in
order of Battle. At Sight hereof, we rang’d our Vessels in as much
order on our Side, as the Hurry would permit, and immediately gave out
the Signal for Engagement. The Battle was fought with equal Bravery
and Ardor on both Sides. The _Martinians_ instead of Guns, made use
of a Machine, which flung Stones of an enormous Size and Weight, and
which grievously gall’d our Sailors. They had also Fire-ships loaded
with Pitch, Brimstone, Sulphur, and other combustible Materials.
These set Fire to our best Ship, and utterly consum’d it. Victory
was a long Time in Suspence, and my Forces even began to deliberate
whether they had best fight, or fly. But at last, the Explosion of