the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第30节

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en　alight　to　take　breath　until　we　came　within　sight　of　her　again。　Our　train　journeyed　over　a　most　prodigious　tract　of　country　in　a　direct　line；　over　hills　and　dales；　to　the　summit　of　Plinlimmon；　where　we　thought　to　have　seized　Wauwau；　but　she　instantly　took　flight；　and　never　ceased　until　she　arrived　at　the　mouth　of　the　Potomac　river　in　Virginia。

Our　company　immediately　embarked　in　the　machines　before　described；　in　which　we　had　journeyed　into　Africa；　and　after　a　few　days'　sail　arrived　in　North　America。　We　met　with　nothing　curious　on　our　voyage；　except　a　floating　island；　containing　some　very　delightful　villages；　inhabited　by　a　few　whites　and　negroes；　the　sugar　cane　did　not　thrive　there　well；　on　account；　as　I　was　informed；　of　the　variety　of　the　climates；　the　island　being　sometimes　driven　up　as　far　as　the　north　pole；　and　at　other　times　wafted　under　the　equinoctial。　In　pity　to　the　poor　islanders；　I　got　a　huge　stake　of　iron；　and　driving　it　through　the　centre　of　the　island；　fastened　it　to　the　rocks　and　mud　at　the　bottom　of　the　sea；　since　which　time　the　island　has　become　stationary；　and　is　well　known　at　present　by　the　name　of　St。　Christopher's；　and　there　is　not　an　island　in　the　world　more　secure。

Arriving　in　North　America；　we　were　received　by　the　President　of　the　United　States　with　every　honour　and　politeness。　He　was　pleased　to　give　us　all　the　information　possible　relative　to　the　woods　and　immense　regions　of　America；　and　ordered　troops　of　the　different　tribes　of　the　Esquimaux　to　guide　us　through　the　forests　in　pursuit　of　Wauwau；　who；　we　at　length　found；　had　taken　refuge　in　the　centre　of　a　morass。　The　inhabitants　of　the　country；　who　loved　hunting；　were　much　delighted　to　behold　the　manner　in　which　we　attempted　to　seize　upon　Wauwau；　the　chase　was　noble　and　uncommon。　I　determined　to　surround　the　animal　on　every　side；　and　for　this　purpose　ordered　the　judges　and　matrons　to　surround　the　morass　with　nets　extending　a　mile　in　height；　on　various　parts　of　which　net　the　company　disposed　themselves；　floating　in　the　air　like　so　many　spiders　upon　their　cobwebs。　Magog；　at　my　command；　put　on　a　kind　of　armour　that　he　had　carried　with　him　for　the　purpose；　corselet　of　steel；　with　gauntlets；　helmet；　&c。；　so　as　nearly　to　resemble　a　mole。　He　instantly　plunged　into　the　earth；　making　way　with　his　sharp　steel　head…piece；　and　tearing　up　the　ground　with　his　iron　claws；　and　found　not　much　difficulty　therein；　as　morass　in　general　is　of　a　soft　and　yielding　texture。　Thus　he　hoped　to　undermine　Wauwau；　and　suddenly　rising；　seize　her　by　the　foot；　while　his　brother　Gog　ascended　the　air　in　a　balloon；　hoping　to　catch　her　if　she　could　escape　Magog。　Thus　the　animal　was　surrounded　on　every　side；　and　at　first　was　very　much　terrified；　knowing　not　which　way　she　had　best　to　go。　At　length　hearing　an　obscure　noise　under　ground；　Wauwau　took　flight　before　Magog　could　have　time　to　catch　her　by　the　foot。　She　flew　to　the　right；　then　to　the　left；　north；　east；　west；　and　south；　but　found　on　every　side　the　company　prepared　upon　their　nets。　At　length　she　flew　right　up；　soaring　at　a　most　astonishing　rate　towards　the　sun；　while　the　company　on　every　side　set　up　one　general　acclamation。　But　Gog　in　his　balloon　soon　stopped　Wauwau　in　the　midst　of　her　career；　and　snared　her　in　a　net；　the　cords　of　which　he　continued　to　hold　in　his　hand。　Wauwau　did　not　totally　lose　her　presence　of　mind；　but　after　a　little　consideration；　made　several　violent　darts　against　the　volume　of　the　balloon；　so　fierce；　as　at　length　to　tear　open　a　great　space；　on　which　the　inflammable　air　rushing　out；　the　whole　apparatus　began　to　tumble　to　the　earth　with　amazing　rapidity。　Gog　himself　was　thrown　out　of　the　vehicle；　and　letting　go　the　reins　of　the　net；　Wauwau　got　liberty　again；　and　flew　out　of　sight　in　an　instant。

Gog　had　been　above　a　mile　elevated　from　the　earth　when　he　began　to　fall；　and　as　he　advanced　the　rapidity　increased；　so　that　he　went　like　a　ball　from　a　cannon　into　the　morass；　and　his　nose　striking　against　one　of　the　iron…capped　hands　of　his　brother　Magog；　just　then　rising　from　the　depths；　he　began　to　bleed　violently；　and；　but　for　the　softness　of　the　morass；　would　have　lost　his　life。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXXII

　　/The　Baron　harangues　the　company；　and　they　continue　the　pursuit　　　The　Baron；　wandering　from　his　retinue；　is　taken　by　the　savages；　　　scalped；　and　tied　to　a　stake　to　be　roasted；　but　he　contrives　to　　　extricate　himself；　and　kills　the　savagesThe　Baron　travels　　　overland　through　the　forests　of　North　America；　to　the　confines　of　　　RussiaArrives　at　the　castle　of　the　Nareskin　Rowskimowmowsky；　and　　　gallops　into　the　kingdom　of　LoggerheadsA　battle；　in　which　the　　　Baron　fights　the　Nareskin　in　single　combat；　and　generously　gives　　　him　his　lifeArrives　at　the　Friendly　Islands；　and　discourses　with　　　OmaiThe　Baron；　with　all　his　attendants；　goes　from　Otaheite　to　　　the　isthmus　of　Darien；　and　having　cut　a　canal　across　the　isthmus；　　　returns　to　England。/

〃My　friends；　and　very　learned　and　profound　Judiciarii；〃　said　I；　〃be　not　disheartened　that　Wauwau　has　escaped　from　you　at　present：　persevere；　and　we　shall　yet　succeed。　You　should　never　despair；　Munchausen　being　your　general；　and　therefore　be　brave；　be　courageous；　and　fortune　shall　second　your　endeavours。　Let　us　advance　undaunted　in　pursuit；　and　follow　the　fierce　Wauwau　even　three　times　round　the　globe；　until　we　entrap　her。〃

My　words　filled　them　with　confidence　and　valour；　and　they　unanimously　agreed　to　continue　the　chase。　We　penetrated　the　frightful　deserts　and　gloomy　woods　of　America；　beyond　the　source　of　the　Ohio；　through　countries　utterly　unknown　before。　I　frequently　took　the　diversion　of　shooting　in　the　woods；　and　one　day　that　I　happened　with　three　attendants　to　wander　far　from　our　troop；　we　were　suddenly　set　upon　by　a　number　of　savages。　As　we　had　expended　our　powder　and　shot；　and　happened　to　have　no　side…arms；　it　was　in　vain　to　make　any　resistance　against　hundreds　of　enemies。　In　short；　they　bound　us；　and　made　us　walk　before　them　to　a　gloomy　cavern　in　a　rock；　where　they　feasted　upon　what　game　they　had　killed；　but　which　not　being　sufficient；　they　took　my　three　unfortunate　companions　and　myself；　and　scalped　us。　The　pain　of　losing　the　flesh　from　my　head　was　most　horrible；　it　made　me　leap　in　agonies；　and　roar　like　a　bull。　They　then　tied　us　to　stakes；　and　making　great　fires　around　us；　began　to　dance　in　a　circle；　singing　with　much　distortion　and　barbarity；　and　at　times　putting　the　palms　of　their　hands　to　their　mouths；　set　up　the　war…whoop。　As　they　had　on　that　day　also　made　a　great　prize　of　some　wine　and　spirits　belonging　to　our　troop；　these　barbarians；　finding　it　delicious；　and　unconscious　of　its　intoxicating　quality；　began　to　drink　it　in　profusion；　while　they　beheld　us　roasting；　and　in　a　very　short　time　they　were　all　completely　drunk；　and　fell　asleep　around　the　fires。　Perceiving　some　hopes；　I　used　most　astonishing　efforts　to　extricate　myself　from　the　cords　which　I　was　tied；　and　at　length　succeeded。　I　immediately　unbound　my　companions；　and　though　half　roasted；　they　still　had　power　enough　to　walk。　We　sought　about　for　the　flesh　that　had　been　taken　off　our　heads；　and　having　found　the　scalps；　we　immediately　adapted　them　to　our　bloody　heads；　sticking　them　on　with　a　kind　of　glue　of　a　sovereign　quality；　that　flows　from　a　tree　in　that　country；　and　the　parts　united　and　healed　in　a　few　hours。　We　took　care　to　revenge　ourselves　on　the　savages；　and　with　their　own　hatchets　put　every　one　of　them　to　death。　We　then　returned　to　our　troop；　who　had　given　us　up　for　lost；　and　they　made　great　rejoicings　on　our　return。　We　now　proceeded　in　our　journey　through　this　prodigious　wilderness；　Gog　and　Magog　acting　as　pioneers；　hewing　down　the　trees；　&c。；　at　a　great　rate　as　we　advanced。　We　passed　over　numberless　swamps　and　lakes　and　rivers；　until　at　length　we　discovered　a　habitation　at　some　distance。　It　appeared　a　dark　and　gloomy　castle；　surrounded　with　strong　ramparts；　and　a　broad　ditch。　We　called　a　council　of　war；　and　it　was　determined　to　send　a　deputation　with　a　trumpet　to　the　walls　of　the　castle；　and　demand　friendship　from　the　governor；　whoever　he　might　be；　and　an　account　if　aught　he　knew　of　Wauwau。　For　this　purpose　our　whole　caravan　halted　in　the　wood；　and　Gog　and　Magog　reclined　amongst　the　trees；　that　their　enormous　strength　and　size　should　not　be　discovered；　and　give　umbrage　to　the　lord　of　the　castle。　Our　embassy　approached　the　castle；　and　having　demanded　admittance　for　some　time；　at　length　the　drawbridge　was　let　down；　and　they　were　suffered　to　enter。　As　soon　as　they　had　passed　the　gate　it　was　immediately　closed　after　them；　and　on　either　side　they　perceived　ranks　of　halberdiers；　who　made　them　tremble　with　fear。　〃We　come；〃　the　herald　proclaimed；　〃on　the　part　of　Hilaro　Frosticos；　Don　Quixote；　Lord　Whittington；　and　the　thrice…renowned　Baron　Munchausen；　to　claim　friendship　from　the　governor　of　this　puissant　castle；　and　to　seek　Wauwau。〃　〃The　most　noble　the　governor；〃　replied　the　officer；　〃is　at　all　times　happy　to　entertain　such　travellers　as　pass　through　these　immense　deserts；　and　will　esteem　it　an　honour　that　the　great　Hilaro　Frosticos；　Don　Quixote；　Lord　Whittington；　and　the　thrice…renowned　Baron　Munchausen；　enter　his　castle　walls。〃

In　short；　we　entered　the　castle。　The　governor　sat　with