the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第25节

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ehicle　and　retinue　from　the　burning　sands；　but　not　without　great　danger；　as　the　heat　was　very　violent；　and　began　to　proceed　on　our　voyage。　Storms　of　sand　of　a　similar　nature　several　times　attacked　us；　but　by　using　the　same　precautions　we　preserved　ourselves　repeatedly　from　destruction。　Having　travelled　more　than　nine　thousand　miles　over　this　inhospitable　plain；　exposed　to　the　perpendicular　rays　of　a　burning　sun；　without　ever　meeting　a　rivulet；　or　a　shower　from　heaven　to　refresh　us；　we　at　length　became　almost　desperate；　when；　to　our　inexpressible　joy；　we　beheld

some　mountains　at　a　great　distance；　and　on　our　nearer　approach　observed　them　covered　with　a　carpet　of　verdure　and　groves　and　woods。　Nothing　could　appear　more　romantic　or　beautiful　than　the　rocks　and　precipices　intermingled　with　flowers　and　shrubs　of　every　kind；　and　palm…trees　of　such　a　prodigious　size　as　to　surpass　anything　ever　seen　in　Europe。　Fruits　of　all　kinds　appeared　growing　wild　in　the　utmost　abundance；　and　antelopes　and　sheep　and　buffaloes　wandered　about　the　groves　and　valleys　in　profusion。　The　trees　resounded　with　the　melody　of　birds；　and　everything　displayed　a　general　scene　of　rural　happiness　and　joy。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXVI

　　/A　feast　on　live　bulls　and　kavaThe　inhabitants　admire　the　　　European　adventurersThe　Emperor　comes　to　meet　the　Baron；　and　　　pays　him　great　complimentsThe　inhabitants　of　the　centre　of　　　Africa　descended　from　the　people　of　the　moon　proved　by　an　　　inscription　in　Africa；　and　by　the　analogy　of　their　language；　which　　　is　also　the　same　with　that　of　the　ancient　ScythiansThe　Baron　is　　　declared　sovereign　of　the　interior　of　Africa　on　the　decease　of　the　　　EmperorHe　endeavours　to　abolish　the　custom　of　eating　live　bulls；　　　which　excites　much　discontentThe　advice　of　Hilaro　Frosticos　upon　　　the　occasionThe　Baron　makes　a　speech　to　an　Assembly　of　the　　　states；　which　only　excites　greater　murmursHe　consults　with　　　Hilaro　Frosticos。/

Having　passed　over　the　nearest　mountains　we　entered　a　delightful　vale；　where　we　perceived　a　multitude　of　persons　at　a　feast　of　living　bulls；

whose　flesh　they　cut　away　with　great　knives；　making　a　table　of　the　creature's　carcase；　serenaded　by　the　bellowing　of　the　unfortunate　animal。　Nothing　seemed　requisite　to　add　to　the　barbarity　of　this　feast　but　/kava/；　made　as　described　in　Cook's　voyages；　and　at　the　conclusion　of　the　feast　we　perceived　them　brewing　this　liquor；　which　they　drank　with　the　utmost　avidity。　From　that　moment；　inspired　with　an　idea　of　universal　benevolence；　I　determined　to　abolish　the　custom　of　eating　live　flesh　and　drinking　of　kava。　But　I　knew　that　such　a　thing　could　not　be　immediately　effected；　whatever　in　future　time　might　be　performed。

Having　rested　ourselves　during　a　few　days；　we　determined　to　set　out　towards　the　principal　city　of　the　empire。　The　singularity　of　our　appearance　was　spoken　of　all　over　the　country　as　a　phenomenon。　The　multitude　looked　upon　Sphinx；　the　bulls；　the　crickets；　the　balloons；　and　the　whole　company；　as　something　more　than　terrestrial；　but　especially　the　thunder　of　our　fire…arms；　which　struck　horror　and　amazement　into　the　whole　nation。

We　at　length　arrived　at　the　metropolis；　situated　on　the　banks　of　a　noble　river；　and　the　emperor；　attended　by　all　his　court；　came　out　in　grand　procession　to　meet　us。　The　emperor　appeared　mounted　on　a　dromedary；　royally　caparisoned；　with　all　his　attendants　on　foot　through　respect　for　his　Majesty。　He　was　rather　above　the　middle　stature　of　that　country；　four　feet　three　inches　in　height；　with　a　countenance；　like　all　his　countrymen；　as　white　as　snow！　He　was　preceded　by　a　band　of　most　exquisite　music；　according　to　the　fashion　of　the　country；　and　his　whole　retinue　halted　within　about　fifty　paces　of　our　troop。　We　returned　the　salute　by　a　discharge　of　musketry；　and　a　flourish　of　our　trumpets　and　martial　music。　I　commanded　our　caravan　to　halt；　and　dismounting；　advanced　uncovered；　with　only　two　attendants；　towards　his　Majesty。　The　emperor　was　equally　polite；　and　descending　from　his　dromedary；　advanced　to　meet　me。　〃I　am　happy；〃　said　he；　〃to　have　the　honour　to　receive　so　illustrious　a　traveller；　and　assure　you　that　everything　in　my　empire　shall　be　at　your　disposal。〃

I　thanked　his　Majesty　for　his　politeness；　and　expressed　how　happy　I　was　to　meet　so　polished　and　refined　a　people　in　the　centre　of　Africa；　and　that　I　hoped　to　show　myself　and　company　grateful　for　his　esteem；　by　introducing　the　arts　and　sciences　of　Europe　among　the　people。

I　immediately　perceived　the　true　descent　of　this　people；　which　does　not　appear　of　terrestrial　origin；　but　descended　from　some　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　moon；　because　the　principal　language　spoken　there；　and　in　the　centre　of　Africa；　is　very　nearly　the　same。　Their　alphabet　and　method　of　writing　are　pretty　much　the　same；　and　show　the　extreme　antiquity　of　this　people；　and　their　exalted　origin。　I　here　give　you　a　specimen　of　their　writing　＇/Vide　Otrckocsus　de　Orig。　Hung。/　p。　46＇：　Stregnah；　dna　skoohtop。

These　characters　I　have　submitted　to　the　inspection　of　a　celebrated　antiquarian；　and　it　will　be　proved　to　the　satisfaction　of　every　one；　in　his　next　volume；　what　an　immediate　intercourse　there　must　have　been

between　the　inhabitants　of　the　moon　and　the　ancient　Scythians；　which　Scythians　did　not　by　any　means　inhabit　a　part　of　Russia；　but　the　central　part　of　Africa；　as　I　can　abundantly　prove　to　my　very　learned　and　laborious　friend。　The　above　words；　written　in　our　characters；　are　/Sregnah　dna　skoohtop/；　that　is；　The　Scythians　are　of　heavenly　origin。　The　word　/Sregnah/；　which　signifies　/Scythians/；　is　compounded　of　/sreg/　or　/sre/；　whence　our　present　English　word　sire；　or　sir：　and　/nah/；　or　/gnah/；　knowledge；　because　the　Scythians　united　the　essentials　of　nobility　and　learning　together：　/dna/　signifies　heaven；　or　belonging　to　the　moon；　from　/duna/；　who　was　anciently　worshipped　as　goddess　of　that　luminary。　And　/skooh…top/　signifies　the　origin　or　beginning　of　anything；　from　/skoo/；　the　name　used　in　the　moon　for　a　point　in　geometry；　and　/top/　or　/htop/；　vegetation。　These　words　are　inscribed　at　this　day　upon　a　pyramid　in　the　centre　of　Africa；　nearly　at　the　source　of　the　river　Niger；　and　if　any　one　refuses　his　assent；　he　may　go　there　to　be　convinced。

The　emperor　conducted　me　to　his　court　amidst　the　admiration　of　his　courtiers；　and　paid　us　every　possible　politeness　that　African　magnificence　could　bestow。　He　never　presumed　to　proceed　on　any　expedition　without　consulting　us；　and　looking　upon　us　as　a　species　of　superior　beings；　paid　the　greatest　respect　to　our　opinions。　He　frequently　asked　me　about　the　states　of　Europe；　and　the　kingdom　of　Great　Britain；　and　appeared　lost　in　admiration　at　the　account　I　gave　him　of　our　shipping；　and　the　immensity　of　the　ocean。　We　taught　him　to　regulate　the　government　nearly　on　the　same　plan　with　the　British　constitution；　and　to　institute　a　parliament　and　degrees　of　nobility。　His　majesty　was　the　last　of　his　royal　line；　and　on　his　decease；　with　the　unanimous　consent　of　the　people；　made　me　heir　to　the　whole　empire。　The　nobility　and　chiefs　of　the　country　immediately　waited　upon　me　with　petitions；　entreating　me　to　accept　the　government。　I　consulted　with　my　noble　friends；　Gog　and　Magog；　&c。；　and　after　much　consultation　it　was　agreed　that　I　should　accept　the　government；　not　as　actual　and　independent　monarch　of　the　place；　but　as　viceroy　to　his　Majesty　of　England。

I　now　thought　it　high　time　to　do　away　the　custom　of　eating　of　live　flesh　and　drinking　of　kava；　and　for　that　purpose　used　every　persuasive　method　to　wean　the　majority　of　the　people　from　it。　This；　to　my　astonishment；　was　not　taken　in　good　part　by　the　nation；　and　they　looked　with　jealousy　at　those　strangers　who　wanted　to　make　innovations　among　them。

Nevertheless；　I　felt　much　concern　to　think　that　my　fellow…creatures　could　be　capable　of　such　barbarity。　I　did　everything　that　a　heart　fraught　with　universal　benevolence　and　good　will　to　all　mankind　could　be　capable　of　desiring。　I　first　tried　every　method　of　persuasion　and　incitement。　I　did　not　harshly　reprove　them；　but　I　invited　frequently　whole　thousands　to　dine；　after　the　fashion　of　Europe；　upon　roasted　meat。　Alas；　'twas　all　in　vain！　my　goodness　nearly　excited　a　sedition。　They　murmured　among　themselves；　spoke　of　my　intentions；　my　wild　and　ambitious　views；　as　if　I；　O　heaven！　could　have　had　any　personal　interested　motive　in　making　them　live　like　men；　rather　than　like　crocodiles　and　tigers。　In　fine；　perceiving　that　gentleness　could　be　of　no　avail；　well　knowing　that　when　complaisance　can　effect　nothing　from　some　spirits；　compulsion　excites　respect　and　veneration；　I　prohibited；　under　the　pain　of　the　severest　penalties；　the　drinking　of　kava；　or　eating　of　live　flesh；　for　the　space　of　nine　days；　within　the　districts　of　Angalinar　and　Paphagalna。

But　this　created　such　an　universal　abhorrence　and　detestation　of　my　government；　that　my　ministers；　and　even　myself；　were　universally　pasquinadoed；　lampoons；　satires；　ridicule；　and　insult；　were　showered　upon　the　name　of　Munchausen　wherever　it　was　mentioned；　and　in　fine；　there　never　was　a　government　so　much　detested；　or　with　such　little　reason。

In　this　dilemma　I　had　recourse　to　the　advice　of　my　noble　friend　Hilaro　Frosticos。　In　his　good　sense　I　now　expe