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diff --git a/old/11250-8.txt b/old/11250-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..df5cff6 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11250-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,14280 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 5, by Charles Sylvester + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 5 + +Author: Charles Sylvester + +Release Date: February 24, 2004 [EBook #11250] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNEYS THROUGH BOOKLAND, VOL. 5 *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Andy Jewell and PG Distributed +Proofreaders + + + + + +[Illustration: HE TURNED HIS FACE AND KISSED +HER CLIMBING +_Geraint and Enid_] + +JOURNEYS THROUGH BOOKLAND + + +A NEW AND ORIGINAL + +PLAN FOR READING APPLIED TO THE + +WORLD'S BEST LITERATURE + +FOR CHILDREN + +_BY_ + +CHARLES H. SYLVESTER + +_Author of English and American Literature_ + +VOLUME FIVE + +_New Edition_ + +[Illustration] + + +1922 + + +CONTENTS + + +JONATHAN SWIFT. +GULLIVER'S TRAVELS _Jonathan Swift_ +THE BALLAD OF AGINCOURT _Michael Drayton_ +SOME CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF THE PAST _Grace E Sellon_ +LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT _Cardinal Veuman_ +LET SOMETHING GOOD BE SAID _James Whitcomb Riley_ +POLONIUS' ADVICE _Shakespeare_ +KING ARTHUR +BALIN AND BALAN +GERAINT AND ENID _Alfred Tennyson_ +THE HOLY GRAIL _Adapted from Thomas Malory_ +DISSENSIONS AT KING ARTHUR'S COURT +THE PASSING OF ARTHUR _Alfred Tennyson_ +HENRY HUDSON'S FOURTH VOYAGE _Henry R Cleveland_ +THE RISE OF ROBERT BRUCE _Walter Scott_ +BRUCE AND THE SPIDER _Bernard Arton_ +THE HEART OF BRUCE _William E Aytoun_ +THE SKELETON IN ARMOR _Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_ +HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX + _Robert Browning_ +REMINISCENCES OF A PIONEER _Edwin D. Coe_ +THE BUCCANEERS +CAPTAIN MORGAN AT MARACAIBO +BRADDOCK'S DEFEAT _Benjamin Franklin_ +READING HISTORY +THE AMERICAN FLAG _Joseph Rodman Drake_ +BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC _Julia Ward Howe_ +"STONEWALL" JACKSON'S WAY _J.W. Palmer_ +BARON MUNCHAUSEN +THE FIDDLING PARSON _Davy Crockett_ +WE PLAN A RIVER TRIP _Jerome K Jerome_ +ON COMIC SONGS _Jerome K Jerome_ +THE INCHCAPE ROCK _Robert Southey_ +TOM BROWN AT RUBGY _Thomas Hughes_ + +PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES + +The Classification of Selections, see General Index at end of Volume X + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +HE TURN'D HIS FACE AND KISS'D HER CLIMBING (Color Plate) + _Donn P Crane_ +JONATHAN SWIFT (Halftone) +GULLIVER'S JOURNEY TO THE METROPOLIS _Iris Weddell White_ +THE EMPEROR VISITS GULLIVER _Iris Weddell White_ +GULLIVER AND THE PISTOL (Color Plate) _G H Mitchell_ +GULLIVER'S WATCH IS BORNE AWAY _Iris Weddell White_ +GULLIVER ER TAKES THE ENEMY'S FLEET _Iris Weddell White_ +GULLIVER BRINGS IN THE DRIFTING BOAT _Harry L Gage_ +THE BABY SEIZES GULLIVER _Iris Weddell White_ +A GALE WITH THEIR FANS _Iris Weddell White_ +GULLIVER AND THE KING _Iris Weddell White_ +"VICTOR I WILL REMAIN" _R F Babcock_ +CHILDREN WITH HORNBOOKS _Laura K Deal_ +ARTHUR DRAWS THE SWORD _Jessie Arms_ +KING ARTHUR (Halftone) +THE WEDDING OF ARTHUR AND GUINEVERE _Jessie Arms_ +MERLIN SAVES ARTHUR _Donn P Crane_ +ARTHUR RECEIVES EXCALIBUR _Donn P Crane_ +THE DAMSEL LET FALL HER MANTLE _Donn P Crane_ +THE LIGHT _Donn P Crane_ +ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON (Halftone) +GERAINT HEARS ENID SINGING _Donn P Crane_ +ENID LEADS THE WAY _Donn P Crane_ +ENID WATCHING BY GERAINT _Donn P Crane_ +SIR GALAHAD _Jessie Arms_ +THE SHIP APPROACHES THE CITY OF SARRAS _Jessie Arms_ +THE LAST APPEARANCE OF THE SANGREAI _Donn P Crane_ +THE BARGE MOVED FROM THE BRINK _Donn P Crane_ +CUT ADRIFT IN HUDSON'S BAY _R F Babcock_ +SAVAGES ON THE SHORE _R F Babcock_ +BRUCE KILLS COMYN _Donn P Crane_ +SHE BROUGHT HER TWO SONS _Donn P Crane_ +THE ASCENT TO THE CASTLE OF EDINBURGH _Donn P Crane_ +BRUCE SLAYS SIR HENRY DE BOHUN _Donn P Crane_ +BRUCE BEHELD A SPIDER _Donn P Crane_ +I SAW A PILGRIM STAND _Donn P Crane_ +HELD THE HEART ALOFT _Donn P Crane_ +I WAS A VIKING OLD _R F Babcock_ +THREE WEEKS WE WESTWARD BORE _R F Babcock_ +I CAST LOOSE MY BUFF COAT _Donn P Crane_ +HALF A DOZEN INDIANS BOLTED IN _R F Babcock_ +HE FISHED OUT AN OLD BUNGTOWN CENT _R F Babcock_ +CHASING THE GEESE TO GET A NEW QUILL _R F Babcock_ +THE FIRE SHIP GRAPPLED THE SPANIARD _Everett E Lowry_ +BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (Halftone) +ON THE MARCH _Everett E Lowry_ +THE AMBUSH _Everett E Lowry_ +"STONEWALL" JACKSON (Halftone) +THE LION HAD JUMPED INTO THE CROCODILE'S MOUTH + _Donn P Crane_ +I BEHELD A NOBLE STAG _Donn P Crane_ +THE HIND PART OF THE POOR CREATURE WAS MISSING + _Donn P Crane_ +WARRIORS OF THE MOON _Donn P Crane_ +WE DESCENDED SAFELY ON A MOUNTAIN OF ICE _Donn P Crane_ +THE PARSON FIDDLED _Donn P Crane_ +"AIN'T YOU GOING TO PUT THE BOOK IN" _Herbert N Rudeen_ +"WHEN I WAS YOUNG" _Herbert N Rudeen_ +ONE DREADFUL SOUND HE SEEMED TO HEAR _R F Babcock_ +RUGBY SCHOOL (Color Plate) +THE BULLY CAUGHT IT ON HIS ELBOW _Louis Grell_ +"A FIGHT!" _Louis Grell_ +TOM SITS ON MARTIN'S KNEE _Louis Grell_ + + + + + +JONATHAN SWIFT + +The father of Jonathan Swift was a Dublin lawyer who died just as he was +beginning what might have been a profitable career, and before his only +son was born. The widow was left with so little money that when her son +was born in November, 1667, she was not able to take care of him. Her +brother-in-law undertook to provide for mother and child. + +He procured a nurse who became so attached to her little charge that +when she received a small sum of money from a relative in England and +was compelled to go to that country, she stole the baby and took him +with her across the channel. It was more than three years before +Jonathan was brought back to Dublin, but he had been tenderly cared for, +and though but five years of age had been taught to spell and to read in +the Bible. + +A year later he was sent to a good school, where he made rapid progress. +However, he could not have been always studious, for visitors to the +school are still shown a desk in which his name is deeply cut. + +He was fourteen years old when he entered the University of Dublin, +where his record was not a very satisfactory one. When it came time for +him to graduate, his standing was too poor for him to take his degree, +but after some delay it was given him "by special favor," a term then +used in Dublin to show that a candidate did not pass in his +examinations. + +After this, Swift remained three years at the University under the +pretense of studying, but he was chiefly notorious for his connection +with a gang of wild and disobedient students who were often under +censure of the faculty for their irregularities. For one offense Swift +was severely censured and compelled upon his knees to beg pardon of the +dean. This punishment he did not forgive, and long afterward he wrote +bitter things about Dr. Allen, the dean. + +Yet while indulging in these follies, Swift learned to write well and +became noted for a peculiar satirical style that afterward made him much +feared by the government. + +When the uncle who had first supported Swift had died, a second uncle +and his son took up the burden. At one time this cousin sent Swift quite +a large sum of money, a fact which seemed to change the nature of the +wild young spendthrift, who thereafter remained economical; in fact, he +became niggardly in his saving. + +Swift's second degree from the University was earned creditably, and he +was much pleased with the praise and respect with which he was received. +This was owing to two years of diligent study which he spent at the home +of Sir William Temple, a leading statesman of the time and a distant +relative by marriage of Swift's mother. + +Discouraged by his fruitless attempt to enter public life, he began to +study for the ministry, and, ultimately, he received a church +appointment, of which he wearied after a short experience. + +Until 1710, he led a varied life, sometimes dependent upon his +relatives, and at others making his way in various political positions. +From the date above he was embroiled in heated political controversies +in which his bitter writings made him feared even by his friends and +fiercely hated by his enemies. But he steadily rose in power and +influence, and when his party triumphed he was rewarded for his +political services by being appointed dean of Saint Patrick's Cathedral +in Ireland. + +His appointment was exceedingly unpopular, even in Ireland, for few +believed him at all suited for a position in the church, much less for +one so high and important. On the day he was installed, some bitter +verses, of which the following are three, were found posted on the door +of the cathedral: + + To-day this temple gets a dean, + Of parts and fame uncommon; + Used both to pray and to profane, + To serve both God and Mammon. + + * * * * * + + This place he got by wit and rhyme, + And many ways most odd; + And might a bishop be in time, + Did he believe in God. + + * * * * * + + And now when'er his deanship dies, + Upon his tomb be graven-- + A man of God here buried lies, + Who never thought of heaven. + +Unfortunately there was too much truth in the charges against Swift's +character, and his career, in spite of his genius, is a pitiful one. He +was admired for his wit and brilliancy, and courted by the noble and +powerful, but he was never able to gratify his ambitions, though he did +secure many devoted friends. From his disappointments he became moody, +bitter and discontented. This state of mind, together with other causes, +finally broke his health, destroyed his mind and left him but the sad +wreck of a brilliant manhood, and an old age of helpless imbecility. +Such a life has little that is attractive for anyone, but it does show +us that even a brilliant intellect cannot save a man who persistently +neglects to guard his character, and that fame does not always bring +happiness. + +But Swift was by no means all bad, and his great services to Ireland are +still deservedly recognized by that devoted people. He really laid the +foundation for their prosperity and may be said to have created +constitutional liberty for them. + +It is, however, as a wit and a writer that Swift is now chiefly famous. +Many are the stories told of his readiness in repartee, his bright +sallies in conversation, and of his skill in quick and caustic rhyming. +It is said that one day, when traveling in the south of Ireland, he +stopped to give his horse water at a brook which crossed the road; a +gentleman of the neighborhood halted for the same purpose, and saluted +him, a courtesy which was politely returned. They parted, but the +gentleman, struck by the dean's figure, sent his servant to inquire who +the man was. The messenger rode up to the dean and said, "Please, sir, +master would be obliged if you would tell him who you are." + +"Willingly," replied the dean. "Tell your master I am the person that +bowed to him when we were giving our horses water at the brook yonder." + +[Illustration: JONATHAN SWIFT 1667-1745] + +Swift's interests lay rather with the common people than with the Irish +aristocracy, who, he thought, were arrant "grafters." Of one in +particular he said, + + "So great was his bounty-- + He erected a bridge--at the expense of the county." + +The last thing Swift wrote was an epigram. It was in almost the final +lucid interval between periods of insanity that he was riding in the +park with his physician. As they drove along, Swift saw, for the first +time, a building that had recently been put up. + +"What is that?" he inquired. + +"That," said the physician, "is the new magazine in which are stored +arms and powder for the defence of the city." + +"Oh!" said the dean, pulling out his notebook. "Let me take an item of +that; this is worth remarking: 'My tablets!' as Hamlet says, 'my +tablets! Memory put down that.'" Then he scribbled the following lines, +the last he ever penned: + + "Behold a proof of Irish sense! + Here Irish wit is seen! + When nothing's left that's worth defence, + We build a magazine." + +With the exception of _Gulliver's Travels_, very +little that Dean Swift wrote is now read by anyone +but students. + + + + +GULLIVER'S TRAVELS + + +INTRODUCTION + + +Gulliver's Travels was published in 1726 and without any allusion to the +real author, though many knew that the work must have come from the pen +of Dean Swift. Though the dean was habitually secretive in what he did, +he had some reason for not wishing to say in public that he had written +so bitter a satire on the government and on mankind. + +The work was immediately popular, not only in the British Isles but on +the Continent as well. No such form of political satire had ever +appeared, and everyone was excited over its possibilities. Not all parts +of the work were considered equally good; some parts were thought to be +failures, and the Fourth Voyage was as a whole deservedly unpopular. The +Voyages to Lilliput and to Brobdingnag were considered the best, and to +them is to be attributed the greater part of the author's fame. Their +popularity continues with the years. + +Lemuel Gulliver is represented as a British sailor who had been educated +as a doctor but whose wandering instincts led him back to the sea. On +his return from his voyages he writes the account of his adventures; and +the manner in which this account is written is so masterly that we +almost believe the things he tells. + +In describing the manners, customs, and governments of the several +countries, he shows in his inimitable way the weakness of his king, +prince, nobles, government and mankind in general. + +While the scholar and the man of affairs may still be interested in the +political significance of what is said and in a study of the keen +knowledge of human nature shown by the writer, yet it is principally as +a story that the work is now popular. Everybody enjoys reading about the +wonderful people who existed only in the imagination of the great dean +of Saint Patrick's. + +In this volume are printed some of the most enjoyable parts of the first +and second voyages. About the only changes from the original text are in +the omission of those passages which contribute nothing to the narrative +or which for other reasons it seems inadvisable to reprint. These +omissions put the real fictitious narrative into so small a compass that +children will be entertained from beginning to end. + +The _Voyage to Lilliput_ was directed against the policy of the English +Court during the reign of George I. The real differences between the +parties were trifling; not more, to Swift's idea, than that between +_High-heels_ and _Low-heels_ in the court of Lilliput; and the +controversies between the churches were not greater than those between +the _Big-endians_ and the _Little-endians._ As the Prince of Wales was +thought to favor a union of parties, he was typified in the +heir-apparent of Lilliput who wore one shoe with a high heel and one +with a low heel. This explanation will give an idea of the nature of +Swift's milder satire. + +The _Voyage to Brobdingnag_ advocates the principles then held by the +Tory party in England and attacks those of the Whigs. + +The _Voyage to Laputa_, from which we give no selections, was not +generally understood and hence was not popular. Its chief purpose was to +ridicule the proceedings of the Royal Society, but Swift was not well +enough acquainted with music and some of the other sciences fostered by +the Society to attack them to advantage. + +The _Voyage to the Houyhnhnms_ was a bitter screed against mankind, +and is in many respects disgusting. It showed Swift's venom against the +world and something of the approach of the malady which finally hurried +him into insanity. + +The following selections are somewhat condensed from the original story, +chiefly by the omission of passages of no interest to people of to-day. + + + +ADVENTURES IN LILLIPUT + +_I. The Arrival_ + + +We set sail from Bristol, May 4, 1699, and our voyage at first was very +prosperous. + +It would not be proper, for some reasons, to trouble the reader with the +particulars of our adventures; let it suffice to inform him, that, in +our passage to the East Indies, we were driven by a violent storm to the +northwest of Van Diemen's Land.[1] By an observation we found ourselves +in the latitude of 30 degrees 2 minutes south. Twelve of our crew were +dead by immoderate labor and ill food; the rest were in a very weak +condition. + +[Footnote 1: _Van Diemen's Land_ is the old name for Tasmania, an +island off the coast of Australia.] + + +On the 5th of November, which was the beginning of summer in those +parts, the weather being very hazy, the seamen spied a rock within half +a cable's length of the ship; but the wind was so strong that we were +driven directly upon it, and immediately split. Six of the crew, of whom +I was one, having let down the boat into the sea, made a shift to get +clear of the ship and the rock. We rowed, by my computation, about three +leagues, till we were able to work no longer, being already spent with +labor while we were in the ship. We, therefore, trusted ourselves to the +mercy of the waves; and in about half an hour the boat was overset by a +sudden flurry from the north. What became of my companions in the boat, +as well as those who escaped on the rock, or were left in the vessel, I +cannot tell, but conclude they were all lost. + +For my own part, I swam as Fortune directed me, and was pushed forward +by wind and tide. I often let my legs drop, and could feel no bottom; +but when I was almost gone, and able to struggle no longer, I found +myself within my depth; and by this time the storm was much abated. The +declivity was so small, that I walked near a mile before I got to the +shore, which I conjectured was about eight o'clock in the evening. I +then advanced forward near half a mile, but could not discover any sign +of houses or inhabitants; at least I was in so weak a condition that I +did not observe them. I was extremely tired; and with that, and the heat +of the weather, and about half a pint of brandy that I drank as I left +the ship, I found myself much inclined to sleep. I lay down on the +grass, which was very short and soft, where I slept sounder than ever I +remember to have done in my life, and, as I reckoned, above nine hours; +for when I awaked it was just daylight. + +I attempted to rise, but was not able to stir; for as I happened to lie +on my back, I found my arms and legs were strongly fastened on each side +to the ground, and my hair, which was long and thick, tied down in the +same manner. I likewise felt several slender ligatures across my body, +from my armpits to my thighs. I could only look upward; the sun began to +grow hot, and the light offended mine eyes. I heard a confused noise +about me, but, in the posture I lay, could see nothing except the sky. + +In a little time I felt something alive moving on my left leg, which, +advancing gently forward over my breast, came almost up to my chin; +when, bending mine eyes downward as much as I could, I perceived it to +be a human creature not six inches high, with a bow and arrow in his +hands, and a quiver at his back. In the meantime, I felt at least forty +more of the same kind (as I conjectured) following the first. I was in +the utmost astonishment, and roared so loud that they all ran back in a +fright; and some of them, as I was afterward told, were hurt with the +falls they got by leaping from my sides upon the ground. However, they +soon returned; and one of them, who ventured so far as to get a full +sight of my face, lifting up his hands and eyes by way of admiration, +cried out, in a shrill but distinct voice, "Hekinah degul." The others +repeated the same words several times; but I then knew not what they +meant. I lay all this while, as the reader may believe, in great +uneasiness. + +At length, struggling to get loose, I had the fortune to break the +strings and wrench out the pegs that fastened my left arm to the ground; +for, by lifting it up to my face, I discovered the methods they had +taken to bind me, and, at the same time, with a violent pull, which gave +me excessive pain, I a little loosened the strings that tied down my +hair on the left side, so that I was just able to turn my head about two +inches. But the creatures ran off a second time, before I could seize +them; whereupon there was a great shout, in a very shrill accent, and, +after it ceased, I heard one of them cry aloud, "Tolgo phonac"; when, in +an instant, I felt above an hundred arrows discharged on my left hand, +which pricked me like so many needles; and, besides, they shot another +flight into the air, as we do bombs in Europe; whereof many, I suppose, +fell on my body (though I felt them not), and some on my face, which I +immediately covered with my left hand. + +When this shower of arrows was over, I fell a-groaning with grief and +pain; and then, striving again to get loose, they discharged another +volley, larger than the first, and some of them attempted, with spears, +to stick me in the sides; but, by good luck, I had on me a buff[2] +jerkin, which they could not pierce. I thought it the most prudent +method to lie still; and my design was to continue so till night, when, +my left hand being already loose, I could easily free myself; and as for +the inhabitants, I had reason to believe I might be a match for the +greatest armies they could bring against me, if they were all of the +same size with him that I saw. + +[Footnote 2: _Buff_ is the name given to a kind of leather, made +originally of buffalo hide, but later of the skins of other animals] + +But fortune disposed otherwise of me. When the people observed I was +quiet, they discharged no more arrows; but, by the noise I heard, I knew +their numbers increased; and about four yards from me, over against my +right ear, I heard a knocking for above an hour, like that of people at +work; when, turning my head that way, as well as the pegs and strings +would permit me, I saw a stage erected about a foot and a half from the +ground, capable of holding four of the inhabitants, with two or three +ladders to mount it; from whence one of them, who seemed to be a person +of quality, made me a long speech, whereof I understood not one +syllable. + +But I should have mentioned that, before the principal person began his +oration, he cried out three times, "Langro dehul san" (these words and +the former were afterward repeated and explained to me); whereupon, +immediately, about fifty of the inhabitants came and cut the strings +that fastened the left side of my head, which gave me the liberty of +turning it to the right, and of observing the person and gesture of him +that was to speak. He appeared to be of a middle age, and taller than +any of the other three who attended him; whereof one was a page, that +held up his train, and seemed to be somewhat longer than my middle +finger; the other two stood one on each side to support him. He acted +every part of an orator; and I could observe many periods of +threatenings, and others of promises, pity, and kindness. + +I answered in a few words, but in the most submissive manner, lifting up +my left hand and both mine eyes to the sun, as calling him for a +witness: and being almost famished with hunger, having not eaten a +morsel for some hours before I left the ship, I found the demands of +nature so strong upon me that I could not forbear showing my impatience +(perhaps against the strict rules of decency) by putting my finger +frequently on my mouth, to signify that I wanted food. + +The _hurgo_ (for so they call a great lord, as I afterward learned) +understood me very well. He descended from the stage, and commanded that +several ladders should be applied to my sides, on which above an hundred +of the inhabitants mounted, and walked toward my mouth, laden with +baskets full of meat, which had been provided and sent thither by the +king's orders, upon the first intelligence he received of me. I observed +there was the flesh of several animals, but could not distinguish them +by the taste. There were shoulders, legs, and loins, shaped like those +of mutton, and very well dressed but smaller than the wings of a lark. I +eat them by two or three at a mouthful, and took three loaves at a time, +about the bigness of musket-bullets. They supplied me as fast as they +could, showing a thousand marks of wonder and astonishment at my bulk +and appetite. + +I then made another sign, that I wanted drink. They found by my eating +that a small quantity would not suffice me; and, being a most ingenious +people, they slung up, with great dexterity, one of their largest +hogsheads, then rolled it toward my hand, and beat out the top. I drank +it off at a draught, which I might well do, for it did not hold half a +pint, and tasted like a small wine of Burgundy, but much more delicious. +They brought me a second hogshead, which I drank in the same manner, and +made signs for more; but they had none to give me. + +When I had performed these wonders, they shouted for joy, and danced +upon my breast, repeating several times, as they did at first, "Hekinah +degul." They made me a sign that I should throw down the two hogsheads, +but first warning the people below to stand out of the way, crying +aloud, "Borach mivolah"; and when they saw the vessels in the air there +was an universal shout of "Hekinah degul." + +I confess I was often tempted, while they were passing backward and +forward on my body, to seize forty or fifty of the first that came in my +reach, and dash them against the ground. But the remembrance of what I +had felt, which probably might not be the worst they could do, and the +promise of honor I made them--for so I interpreted my submissive +behavior--soon drove out these imaginations. Besides, I now considered +myself as bound by the laws of hospitality to a people who had treated +me with so much expense and magnificence. However, in my thoughts I +could not sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity of these diminutive +mortals, who durst venture to mount and walk upon my body, while one of +my hands was at liberty, without trembling at the very sight of so +prodigious a creature as I must appear to them. + +After some time, when they observed that I made no more demands for +meat, there appeared before me a person of high rank from his imperial +majesty. His excellency, having mounted on the small of my right leg, +advanced forward up to my face, with about a dozen of his retinue; and +producing his credentials, under the signet-royal, which he applied +close to mine eyes, spoke about ten minutes without any signs of anger, +but with a kind of determinate resolution; often pointing forward; +which, as I afterward found, was toward the capital city, about half a +mile distant, whither it was agreed by his majesty in council that I +must be conveyed. + +I answered in few words, but to no purpose, and made a sign with my +hand that was loose, putting it to the other (but over his excellency's +head, for fear of hurting him or his train), and then to my own head and +body, to signify that I desired my liberty. + +It appeared that he understood me well enough, for he shook his head by +way of disapprobation, and held his hand in a posture to show that I +must be carried as a prisoner. However, he made other signs, to let me +understand that I should have meat and drink enough, and very good +treatment. Whereupon, I once more thought of attempting to break my +bonds; but again, when I felt the smart of their arrows upon my face and +hands, which were all in blisters, and many of the darts still sticking +in them, and observing likewise that the number of my enemies increased, +I gave tokens to let them know that they might do with me what they +pleased. + +Upon this, the _hurgo_ and his train withdrew, with much civility +and cheerful countenances. Soon after, I heard a general shout, with +frequent repetitions of the words "Peplom selan," and I felt great +numbers of the people on my left side, relaxing the cords to such a +degree that I was able to turn upon my right. But before this they had +daubed my face and both my hands with a sort of ointment, very pleasant +to the smell, which, in a few minutes, removed all the smart of their +arrows. These circumstances, added to the refreshment I had received by +their victuals and drink, which were very nourishing, disposed me to +sleep. I slept about eight hours, as I was afterward assured; and it was +no wonder, for the physicians, by the emperor's order, had mingled a +sleepy potion in the hogsheads of wine. + +It seems that upon the first moment I was discovered sleeping on the +ground, after my landing, the emperor had early notice of it by an +express, and determined in council that I should be tied in the manner I +have related (which was done in the night, while I slept), that plenty +of meat and drink should be sent to me, and a machine prepared to carry +me to the capital city. + +This resolution, perhaps, may appear very bold and dangerous, and I am +confident would not be imitated by any prince in Europe, on the like +occasion. However, in my opinion, it was extremely prudent, as well as +generous; for supposing these people had endeavored to kill me with +their spears and arrows while I was asleep, I should certainly have +awaked with the first sense of smart, which might so far have roused my +rage and strength as to have enabled me to break the strings wherewith I +was tied; after which, as they were not able to make resistance, so they +could expect no mercy. + +[Illustration: GULLIVER'S JOURNEY TO THE METROPOLIS] + +These people are most excellent mathematicians, and arrived to a great +perfection in mechanics, by the countenance and encouragement of the +emperor, who is a renowned patron of learning. This prince has several +machines fixed on wheels, for the carriage of trees and other great +weights. He often builds his largest men-of-war, whereof some are nine +feet long, in the woods where the timber grows, and has them carried on +these engines, three or four hundred yards, to the sea. + +Five hundred carpenters and engineers were immediately set at work to +prepare the greatest engine they had. It was a frame of wood raised +three inches from the ground, about seven feet long, and four wide, +moving upon twenty-two wheels. The shout I heard was upon the arrival of +this engine, which, it seems, set out in four hours after my landing. It +was brought parallel to me as I lay. But the principal difficulty was to +raise and place me in this vehicle. Eighty poles, each of one foot high, +were erected for this purpose, and very strong cords, of the bigness of +pack-thread, were fastened by hooks to many bandages, which the workmen +had girt round my neck, my hands, my body, and my legs. Nine hundred of +the strongest men were employed to draw up these cords, by many pulleys +fastened on the poles; and thus, in less than three hours, I was raised +and slung into the engine, and there tied fast. All this I was told; +for, while the whole operation was performing, I lay in a profound +sleep, by the force of that soporiferous medicine infused into my +liquor. Fifteen hundred of the emperor's largest horses, each about four +inches and a half high, were employed to draw me toward the metropolis, +which, as I said, was half a mile distant. About four hours after we +began our journey, I awaked by a very ridiculous accident; for the +carriage being stopped awhile to adjust something that was out of order, +two or three of the young natives had the curiosity to see how I looked +when I was asleep; they climbed up into the engine, and advancing very +softly to my face, one of them, an officer in the guards, put the sharp +end of his half-pike a good way up into my nostril, which tickled my +nose like a straw, and made me sneeze violently; whereupon they stole +off unperceived, and it was three weeks before I knew the cause of my +awaking so suddenly. + +We made a long march the remaining part of that day,[3] and rested at +night with five hundred guards on each side of me, half with torches, +and half with bows and arrows, ready to shoot me if I should offer to +stir. The next morning at sunrise we continued our march, and arrived +within two hundred yards of the city gates about noon. The emperor and +all his court came out to meet us, but his great officers would by no +means suffer his majesty to endanger his person by mounting on my body. + +[Footnote 3: Notice the skill with which Swift adjusts all things to his +tiny Lilliputians. The half-mile journey would have been but a few +minutes' walk for Gulliver, but the six-inch men and the +four-and-one-half-inch horses spent almost a day and a half in covering +the distance.] + +At the place where the carriage stopped there stood an ancient temple, +esteemed to be the largest in the whole kingdom; which, having been +polluted some years before by an unnatural murder, was, according to the +zeal of those people, looked on as profane, and therefore had been +applied to common use, and all the ornaments and furniture carried away. +In this edifice it was determined I should lodge. The great gate +fronting to the north was about four foot high, and about two foot wide, +through which I could easily creep. On each side of the gate was a small +window, not above six inches from the ground: into that on the left side +the king's smiths conveyed fourscore and eleven chains, like those that +hang to a lady's watch in Europe, and almost as large, which were locked +to my left leg with thirty-six padlocks. + +Over against this temple, on t'other side of the great highway, at +twenty foot distance, there was a turret at least five foot high. Here +the emperor ascended, with many principal lords of his court, to have an +opportunity of viewing me, as I was told, for I could not see them. It +was reckoned that above an hundred thousand inhabitants came out of the +town upon the same errand; and, in spite of my guards, I believe there +could not be fewer than ten thousand at several times, who mounted upon +my body by the help of ladders. But a proclamation was soon issued to +forbid it upon pain of death. + +When the workmen found it was impossible for me to break loose they cut +all the strings that bound me; whereupon I rose up, with as melancholy a +disposition as ever I had in my life. But the noise and astonishment of +the people, at seeing me rise and walk, are not to be expressed. The +chains that held my left leg were about two yards long, and gave me not +only the liberty of walking backward and forward in a semicircle, but, +being fixed within four inches of the gate, allowed me to creep in and +lie at my full length in the temple. + + + +_II. Imprisonment_ + + +When I found myself on my feet I looked about me, and must confess I +never beheld a more entertaining prospect. The country round appeared +like a continued garden, and the enclosed fields, which were generally +forty foot square, resembled so many beds of flowers. These fields were +intermingled with woods of half a stang,[4] and the tallest trees, as I +could judge, appeared to be seven foot high. I viewed the town on my +left hand, which looked like the painted scene of a city in a theater. + +The emperor was already descended from the tower, and advancing on +horseback toward me, which had like to have cost him dear, for the +beast, though very well trained, yet wholly unused to such a sight, +which appeared as if a mountain moved before him, reared up on his +hinder feet; but that prince, who is an excellent horseman, kept his +seat till his attendants ran in and held the bridle while his majesty +had time to dismount. + +[Footnote 4: _Stang_ is an old name for a pole, or perch, sixteen +and one-half feet.] + +When he alighted he surveyed me round with great admiration, but kept +beyond the length of my chain. He ordered his cooks and butlers, who +were already prepared, to give me victuals and drink, which they pushed +forward in sorts of vehicles upon wheels till I could reach them. I took +these vehicles, and soon emptied them all; twenty of them were filled +with meat, and ten with liquor; each of the former afforded me two or +three good mouthfuls, and I emptied the liquor of ten vessels, which was +contained in earthen vials, into one vehicle, drinking it off at a +draught. The empress and young princes of the blood, of both sexes, +attended by many ladies, sat at some distance in their chairs, but upon +the accident that happened to the emperor's horse they alighted and came +near his person, which I am now going to describe. + +He is taller, by almost the breadth of my nail, than any of his court, +which is alone enough to strike an awe into the beholders. His features +are strong and masculine, with an Austrian lip and arched nose; his +complexion olive, his countenance erect, his body and limbs well +proportioned, all his motions graceful, and his deportment majestic. He +was then past his prime, being twenty-eight years and three-quarters +old,[5] of which he had reigned about seven in great felicity, and +generally victorious. For the better convenience of beholding him I lay +on my side, so that my face was parallel to his, and he stood but three +yards off; however, I have had him since many times in my hand, and +therefore cannot be deceived in the description. His dress was very +plain and simple, and the fashion of it between the Asiatic and the +European; but he had on his head a light helmet of gold, adorned with +jewels, and a plume on the crest. He held his sword drawn in his hand to +defend himself if I should happen to break loose; it was almost three +inches long, the hilt and scabbard were gold enriched with diamonds. His +voice was shrill, but very clear and articulate, and I could distinctly +hear it when I stood up. + +[Footnote 5: Swift uses his reducing imagination even on the time, +perceiving that it would not seem natural for his tiny manikins to have +as long lives as the "man mountain" on which they gazed with such +wonder.] + +[Illustration: THE EMPEROR VISITS GULLIVER] + +The ladies and courtiers were all most magnificently clad, so that the +spot they stood upon seemed to resemble a petticoat spread on the ground +embroidered with figures of gold and silver. + +His imperial majesty spoke often to me, and I returned answers, but +neither of us could understand a syllable. There were several of his +priests and lawyers present (as I conjectured by their habit), who were +commanded to address themselves to me, and I spoke to them in as many +languages as I had the least smattering of, which were High and Low +Dutch, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and Lingua Franca,[6] but all to +no purpose. + +[Footnote 6: _Lingua Franca_ was the name given to a mixed dialect +used in some parts of the Mediterranean coasts as means of communication +between people of different nationalities. It consisted largely of +corrupted Italian words.] + +After about two hours the court retired, and I was left with a strong +guard to prevent the impertinence and probably the malice of the rabble, +who were very impatient to crowd about me as near as they durst, and +some of them had the impudence to shoot their arrows at me as I sat on +the ground by the door of my house, whereof one very narrowly missed my +left eye. But the colonel ordered six of the ringleaders to be seized, +and thought no punishment so proper as to deliver them bound into my +hands, which some of his soldiers accordingly did, pushing them forward +with the butt ends of their pikes into my reach. I took them all in my +right hand, put five of them into my coat pocket, and as to the sixth, I +made a countenance as if I would eat him alive. The poor man squalled +terribly, and the colonel and his officers were in much pain, especially +when they saw me take out my penknife; but I soon put them out of fear, +for looking mildly, and immediately cutting the strings he was bound +with, I set him gently on the ground, and away he ran. I treated the +rest in the same manner, taking them one by one out of my pocket, and I +observed both the soldiers and people were highly delighted at this mark +of my clemency, which was represented very much to my advantage at +court. + +Toward night I got with some difficulty into my house, where I lay on +the ground, and continued to do so about a fortnight, during which time +the emperor gave orders to have a bed prepared for me. Six hundred beds +of the common measure were brought in carriages, and worked up in my +house; an hundred and fifty of their beds sewn together made up the +breadth and length, and these were four double, which, however, kept me +but very indifferently from the hardness of the floor, that was of +smooth stone. By the same computation they provided me with sheets, +blankets, and coverlets, tolerable enough for one who had been so long +inured to hardships as I. + +In the meantime the emperor held frequent councils, to debate what +course should be taken with me; and I was afterward assured by a +particular friend, a person of great quality, who was looked upon to be +as much in the secret as any, that the court was under many difficulties +concerning me. They apprehended my breaking loose; that my diet would be +very expensive, and might cause a famine. Sometimes they determined to +starve me, or at least to shoot me in the face and hands with poisoned +arrows, which would soon despatch me. + +In the midst of these consultations, several officers of the army went +to the door of the great council-chamber, and two of them, being +admitted, gave an account of my behavior to the six criminals above +mentioned, which made so favorable an impression in the breast of his +majesty and the whole board in my behalf, that an imperial commission +was issued out obliging all the villages nine hundred yards round the +city to deliver in every morning six beeves, forty sheep, and other +victuals for my sustenance; together with a proportionable quantity of +bread, and wine, and other liquors; for the payment of which his majesty +gave orders upon his treasury. An establishment was also made of six +hundred persons to be my domestics, who had board wages allowed for +their maintenance, and tents built for them, very conveniently on each +side of my door. It was likewise ordered that three hundred tailors +should make me a suit of clothes, after the fashion of the country; that +six of his majesty's greatest scholars should be employed to instruct me +in their language; and, lastly, that the emperor's horses, and those of +the nobility, and troops of guard, should be frequently exercised in my +sight, to accustom themselves to me. + +All these orders were duly put in execution; and in about three weeks I +made a great progress in learning their language; during which time the +emperor frequently honored me with his visits, and was pleased to assist +my masters in teaching me. We began already to converse together in some +sort: and the first words I learned were to express my desire that he +would please to give me my liberty; which I every day repeated on my +knees. His answer, as I could apprehend it, was, that this must be a +work of time, not to be thought on without the advice of his council, +and that first I must swear a peace with him and his kingdom. However, +that I should be used with all kindness. And he advised me to acquire, +by my patience and discreet behavior, the good opinion of himself and +his subjects. + +He desired I would not take it ill, if he gave orders to certain proper +officers to search me; for probably I might carry about me several +weapons, which must needs be dangerous things, if they answered the bulk +of so prodigious a person. I said his majesty should be satisfied; for I +was ready to strip myself, and turn up my pockets before him. This, I +delivered part in words and part in signs. + +He replied, that by the laws of the kingdom, I must be searched by two +of his officers; that he knew this could not be done without my consent +and assistance; that he had so good an opinion of my generosity and +justice as to trust their persons in my hands; that whatever they took +from me should be returned when I left the country, or paid for at the +rate which I would set upon them. + +I took up the two officers in my hands, put them first into my coat +pockets, and then into every other pocket about me, except my two +fobs,[7] and another secret pocket I had no mind should be searched, +wherein I had some little necessaries that were of no consequence to any +but myself. In one of my fobs there was a silver watch, and in the other +a small quantity of gold in a purse. + +[Footnote 7: In England this word means not the ribbon or guard which +hangs from a watch, but the small pocket in the waistband of the +trousers, in which the watch is carried.] + +These gentlemen, having pen, ink, and paper about them, made an exact +inventory of everything they saw; and when they had done desired I would +set them down, that they might deliver it to the emperor. This inventory +I afterwards translated into English, and is word for word as follows: + +"_Imprimis_[8] in the right coat pocket of the great man-mountain +(for so I interpret the words _quinbus flestrin), after the +strictest search, we found only one great piece of coarse cloth, large +enough to be a footcloth for your majesty's chief room of state. + +[Footnote 8: _Imprimis_ is a word from the Latin, and means _in the +first place._] + +"In the left pocket we saw a huge silver chest, with a cover of the same +metal, which we, the searchers, were not able to lift. We desired it +should be opened, and one of us, stepping into it, found himself up to +the mid-leg in a sort of dust, some part whereof, flying up to our +faces, set us both a-sneezing for several times together. + +"In his right waistcoat pocket we found a prodigious bundle of white, +thin substances, folded one over another, about the bigness of three +men, tied with a strong cable, and marked with black figures, which we +humbly conceive to be writings, every letter almost half as large as the +palm of our hands. + +"In the left there was a sort of engine, from the back of which were +extended twenty long poles, resembling the palisadoes before your +majesty's court; wherewith we conjecture the man-mountain combs his +head; for we did not always trouble him with questions, because we found +it a great difficulty to make him understand us. + +"In the large pocket, on the right side of his middle cover (so I +translate the word _ranfu-lo,_ by which they meant my breeches), we saw +a hollow pillar of iron, about the length of a man, fastened to a strong +piece of timber larger than the pillar; and upon one side of the pillar +were huge pieces of iron sticking out, cut into strange figures, which +we know not what to make of. + +"In the left pocket, another engine of the same kind. + +"In the smaller pocket, on the right side, were several round, flat +pieces of white and red metal, of different bulk; some of the white, +which seemed to be silver, were so large and heavy that my comrade and I +could hardly lift them. + +"In the left pocket were two black pillars irregularly shaped; we could +not, without difficulty, reach the top of them, as we stood at the +bottom of his pocket. One of them was covered and seemed all of a piece; +but at the upper end of the other there appeared a white, round +substance, about twice the bigness of our heads. Within each of these +was enclosed a prodigious plate of steel; which, by our orders, we +obliged him to show us, because we apprehended they might be dangerous +engines. He took them out of their cases, and told us that, in his own +country, his practice was to shave his beard with one of these, and to +cut his meat with the other. + +"There were two pockets which we could not enter; these he called his +fobs; they were two large slits cut into the top of his middle cover, +but squeezed close by the pressure of his belly. Out of the right fob +hung a great silver chain, with a wonderful kind of engine at the +bottom. We directed him to draw out whatever was at the end of that +chain, which appeared to be a globe, half silver, and half of some +transparent metal; for, on the transparent side, we saw certain strange +figures circularly drawn, and thought we could touch them, till we found +our fingers stopped by that lucid substance. He put this engine to our +ears, which made an incessant noise like that of a water-mill: and we +conjecture it is either some unknown animal, or the god that he +worships; but we are more inclined to the latter opinion, because he +assured us (if we understood him right, for he expressed himself very +imperfectly), that he seldom did anything without consulting it. He +called it his oracle, and said it pointed out the time for every action +of his life. + +"From the left fob he took out a net, almost large enough for a +fisherman, but contrived to open and shut like a purse, and served him +for the same use: we found therein several massy pieces of yellow metal, +which, if they be real gold, must be of immense value. + +"Having thus, in obedience to your majesty's commands, diligently +searched all his pockets, we observed a girdle about his waist, made of +the hide of some prodigious animal, from which, on the left side, hung a +sword of the length of five men; and on the right, a bag or pouch +divided into two cells, each cell capable of holding three of your +majesty's subjects. In one of these cells were several globes or balls, +of a most ponderous metal, about the bigness of our heads, and required +a strong hand to lift them; the other cell contained a heap of certain +black grains, but of no great bulk or weight, for we could hold above +fifty of them in the palms of our hands. + +"This is an exact inventory of what we found about the body of the +man-mountain, who used us with great civility, and due respect to your +majesty's commission. Signed and sealed on the fourth day of the +eighty-ninth moon of your majesty's auspicious reign. + +[Illustration: GULLIVER AND THE PISTOL] + +"CLEFREN FRELOCK, MARSI FRELOCK." + +When this inventory was read over to the emperor he directed me, +although in very gentle terms, to deliver up the several particulars. He +first called for my scimitar, which I took out, scabbard and all. In the +meantime he ordered three thousand of his choicest troops (who then +attended him) to surround me at a distance, with their bows and arrows +just ready to discharge; but I did not observe it, for mine eyes were +wholly fixed upon his majesty. He then desired me to draw my scimitar, +which, although it had got some rust by the sea-water, was in most parts +exceeding bright. I did so, and immediately all the troops gave a shout +between terror and surprise: for the sun shone clear, and the reflection +dazzled their eyes, as I waved the scimitar to and fro in my hand. His +majesty, who is a most magnanimous prince, was less daunted than I could +expect: he ordered me to return it into the scabbard, and cast it on, +the ground as gently as I could, about six foot from the end of my +chain. + +The next thing he demanded was one of the hollow iron pillars: by which +he meant my pocket pistols. I drew it out, and at his desire, as well as +I could, expressed to him the use of it; and charging it only with +powder, which, by the closeness of my pouch, happened to escape wetting +in the sea (an inconvenience against which all prudent mariners take +special care to provide), I first cautioned the emperor not to be +afraid, and then I let it off in the air. The astonishment here was much +greater than at the sight of my scimitar. Hundreds fell down as if they +had been struck dead; and even the emperor, although he stood his +ground, could not recover himself in time. I delivered up both my +pistols in the same manner as I had done my scimitar, and then my pouch +of powder and bullets; begging him that the former might be kept from +the fire, for it would kindle with the smallest spark, and blow up his +imperial palace into the air. + +[Illustration: GULLIVER'S WATCH IS BORNE AWAY.] + +I likewise delivered up my watch, which the emperor was very curious to +see, and commanded two of his tallest yeomen of the guards to bear it on +a pole upon their shoulders, as draymen in England do a barrel of ale. +He was amazed at the continual noise it made, and the motion of the +minute-hand, which he could easily discern; for their sight is much more +acute than ours: and asked the opinions of his learned men about him, +which were various and remote, as the reader may well imagine without my +repeating; although, indeed, I could not perfectly understand them. + +I then gave up my silver and copper money, my purse with nine large +pieces of gold and some smaller ones; my knife and razor, my comb and +silver snuffbox, my handkerchief, and journal-book. My scimitar, +pistols, and pouch were conveyed in carriages to his majesty's stores; +but the rest of my goods were returned to me. + +I had, as I before observed, one private pocket, which escaped their +search, wherein there was a pair of spectacles (which I sometimes use +for the weakness of mine eyes), a pocket perspective,[9] and several +other little conveniences; which being of no consequence to the emperor, +I did not think myself bound in honor to discover, and I apprehended +they might be lost or spoiled if I ventured them out of my possession. + +[Footnote 9: _Perspective_ is an old name for telescope] + +About two or three days before I was set at liberty, there arrived an +express to inform his majesty that some of his subjects, riding near the +place where I was first taken up, had seen a great black substance lying +on the ground, very oddly shaped, extending its edges round, as wide as +his majesty's bedchamber, and rising up in the middle as high as a man; +that it was no living creature, as they at first apprehended, for it lay +on the grass without motion, and some of them had walked round it +several times; that, by mounting upon each other's shoulders, they had +got to the top, which was flat and even, and stamping upon it, they +found it was hollow within; that they humbly conceived it might be +something belonging to the man-mountain; and, if his majesty pleased, +they would undertake to bring it with only five horses. + +I presently knew what they meant, and was glad at heart to receive this +intelligence. It seems, upon my first reaching the shore after our +shipwreck I was in such confusion that, before I came to the place where +I went to sleep, my hat, which I had fastened with a string to my head +while I was rowing, and which had stuck on all the time I was swimming, +fell off after I came to land; the string, as I conjecture, breaking by +some accident which I never observed, but thought my hat had been lost +at sea. I entreated his imperial majesty to give orders it might be +brought to me as soon as possible, describing to him the use and the +nature of it: and the next day the wagoners arrived with it, but not in +a very good condition; they had bored two holes in the brim, within an +inch and a half of the edge, and fastened two hooks in the holes; these +hooks were tied by a long cord to the harness, and thus my hat was +dragged along for above half an English mile; but the ground in that +country being extremely smooth and level, it received less damage than I +expected.[10] + +[Footnote 10: Can you see any reason for introducing this long account +of the finding of Gulliver's hat? We have grown accustomed, in the pages +past, to thinking of the Lilliputians in contrast with Gulliver, but +does it not give us a new idea of their diminutive size to see them thus +contrasted with Gulliver's hat?] + + + +_III. The War with Blefuscu_ + + +I had sent so many memorials and petitions for my liberty, that his +majesty at length mentioned the matter, first in the cabinet, and then +in a full council; where it was opposed by none except Skyresh Bolgolam, +who was pleased, without any provocation, to be my mortal enemy. But it +was carried against him by the whole board, and confirmed by the +emperor. That minister was _galbet_, or admiral of the realm, very +much in his master's confidence, and a person well versed in affairs, +but of a morose and sour complexion.[11] However, he was at length +persuaded to comply; but prevailed that the articles and conditions upon +which I should be set free, and to which I must swear, should be drawn +up by himself. + +[Footnote 11: _Complexion_ here means disposition.] + +These articles were brought to me by Skyresh Bolgolam in person, +attended by two under-secretaries and several persons of distinction. +After they were read, I was demanded to swear to the performance of +them; first in the manner of my own country, and afterward in the method +prescribed by their laws; which was, to hold my right foot in my left +hand, to place the middle finger of my right hand on the crown of my +head, and my thumb on the tip of my right ear. + +I swore and subscribed to these articles with great cheerfulness and +content, although some of them were not so honorable as I could have +wished; which proceeded wholly from the malice of Skyresh Bolgolam, the +high admiral; whereupon my chains were immediately unlocked, and I was +at full liberty. The emperor himself in person did me the honor to be by +at the whole ceremony. I made my acknowledgments by prostrating myself +at his majesty's feet: but he commanded me to rise; and after many +gracious expressions, which, to avoid the censure of vanity I shall not +repeat, he added, that he hoped I should prove a useful servant, and +well deserve all the favors he had already conferred upon me, or might +do for the future. + +One morning, about a fortnight after I had obtained my liberty, +Reldresal, principal secretary (as they style him) of private affairs, +came to my house, attended only by one servant. He ordered his coach to +wait at a distance, and desired I would give him an hour's audience; +which I readily consented to, on account of his quality and personal +merits, as well as of the many good offices he had done me during my +solicitations at court. I offered to lie down, that he might the more +conveniently reach my ear; but he chose rather to let me hold him in my +hand during our conversation. He began with compliments on my liberty; +said he might pretend to some merit in it; but, however, added, that if +it had not been for the present situation of things at court perhaps I +might not have obtained it so soon. + +"For," said he, "as flourishing a condition as we may appear to be in to +foreigners, we labor under two mighty evils; a violent faction at home, +and the danger of an invasion by a most potent enemy from abroad. As to +the first, you are to understand that for above seventy moons[12] past +there have been two struggling parties in this empire, under the names +_Tramecksan_ and _Slamecksan_, from the high and low heels of +their shoes, by which they distinguish themselves. It is alleged, +indeed, that the high heels are most agreeable to our ancient +constitution; but, however this be, his majesty hath determined to make +use of only low heels in the administration of the government, and all +offices in the gift of the crown, as you cannot but observe; and +particularly that his majesty's imperial heels are lower, at least by a +_drurr_, than any of his court (_drurr_ is a measure about the +fourteenth part of an inch). The animosities between these two parties +run so high that they will neither eat nor drink, nor talk with each +other. We compute the _Tramecksan_, or high heels, to exceed us in +number; but the power is wholly on our side. We apprehend his imperial +highness, the heir to the crown, to have some tendency toward the high +heels; at least we can plainly discover one of his heels higher than the +other, which gives him a hobble in his gait. + +[Footnote 12: These little people measure time by _moons_ or +months, rather than by the longer division of years.] + +"Now, in the midst of these intestine disquiets, we are threatened with +an invasion from the island of Blefuscu, which is the other great empire +of the universe, almost as large and powerful as this of his majesty. +For, as to what we have heard you affirm, that there are other kingdoms +and states in the world, inhabited by human creatures as large as +yourself, our philosophers are in much doubt, and would rather +conjecture that you dropped from the moon or one of the stars; because +it is certain that an hundred mortals of your bulk would in a short time +destroy all the fruits and cattle of his majesty's dominions; besides, +our histories of six thousand moons make no mention of any other regions +than the two great empires of Lilliput and Blefuscu; which two mighty +powers have, as I was going to tell you, been engaged in a most +obstinate war for thirty-six moons past. It began upon the following +occasion: + +"It is allowed on all hands that the primitive way of breaking eggs, +before we eat them, was upon the larger end; but his present majesty's +grandfather, while he was a boy, going to eat an egg, and breaking it +according to the ancient practice, happened to cut one of his fingers; +whereupon, the emperor, his father, published an edict, commanding all +his subjects, upon great penalties, to break the smaller end of their +eggs. The people so highly resented this law that our histories tell us +there have been six rebellions raised on that account; wherein one +emperor lost his life, and another his crown. + +"These civil commotions were constantly fomented by the monarchs of +Blefuscu; and when they were quelled the exiles always fled for refuge +to that empire. It is computed that eleven thousand persons have at +several times suffered death rather than submit to break their eggs at +the smaller end. Many hundred large volumes have been published upon +this controversy; but the books of the Big-endians have been long +forbidden, and the whole party rendered incapable by law of holding +employments. During the course of these troubles, the emperors of +Blefuscu did frequently expostulate by their ambassadors, accusing us of +making a schism in religion by offending against a fundamental doctrine +of our great prophet Lustrog, in the fifty-fourth chapter of the +Blundecral (which is their Alcoran)[13]. This, however, is thought to be +a mere strain upon the text; for the words are these: that all true +believers shall break their eggs at the convenient end. And which is the +convenient end seems, in my humble opinion, to be left to every man's +conscience, or at least in the power of the chief magistrate to +determine. + +[Footnote 13: The Alcoran, or, as it is more commonly called, the Koran, +is the Mohammedan Bible.] + +"Now, the Big-endian exiles have found so much credit in the emperor of +Blefuscu's court, and so much private assistance and encouragement from +their party here at home, that a bloody war hath been carried on between +the two empires for thirty-six moons with various success; during which +time we have lost forty capital ships, and a much greater number of +smaller vessels, together with thirty thousand of our best seamen and +soldiers; and the damage received by the enemy is reckoned to be +somewhat greater than ours. However, they have now equipped a numerous +fleet, and are just preparing to make a descent upon us; and his +imperial majesty, placing great confidence in your valor and strength, +hath commanded me to lay this account of his affairs before you." + +I desired the secretary to present my humble duty to the emperor; and to +let him know that I thought it would not become me, who was a foreigner, +to interfere with parties; but I was ready, with the hazard of my life, +to defend his person and state against all invaders. + +The empire of Blefuscu is an island, situated to the northeast of +Lilliput, from which it is parted only by a channel of eight hundred +yards wide. I had not yet seen it, and upon this notice of an intended +invasion I avoided appearing on that side of the coast, for fear of +being discovered by some of the enemy's ships, who had received no +intelligence of me; all intercourse between the two empires having been +strictly forbidden during the war, upon pain of death. I communicated to +his majesty a project I had formed, of seizing the enemy's whole fleet; +which, as our scouts assured us, lay at anchor in the harbor, ready to +sail with the first fair wind. I consulted the most experienced seamen +upon the depth of the channel, which they had often plumbed; who told me +that in the middle, at high-water, it was seventy _glumgluffs_ +deep, which is about six foot of European measure; and the rest of it +fifty _glumgluffs_ at most. + +I walked toward the northeast coast, over against Blefuscu, and, lying +down behind a hillock, took out my small pocket perspective glass, and +viewed the enemy's fleet at anchor, consisting of about fifty +men-of-war, and a great number of transports: I then came back to my +house, and gave order (for which I had a warrant) for a great quantity +of the strongest cable and bars of iron. The cable was about as thick as +packthread, and the bars of the length and size of a knitting-needle. I +trebled the cable to make it stronger, and for the same reason I twisted +three of the iron bars together, bending the extremities into a hook. +Having thus fixed fifty hooks to as many cables, I went back to the +northeast coast, and, putting off my coat, shoes, and stockings, walked +into the sea, in my leathern jerkin, about half an hour before +high-water. + +I waded with what haste I could, and swam in the middle, about thirty +yards, till I felt ground. I arrived at the fleet in less than half an +hour. The enemy was so frighted when they saw me that they leaped out of +their ships, and swam to shore, where there could not be fewer than +thirty thousand souls: I then took my tackling, and, fastening a hook to +the hole at the prow of each, I tied all the cords together at the end. +While I was thus employed the enemy discharged several thousand arrows, +many of which stuck in my hands and face; and, besides the excessive +smart, gave me much disturbance in my work. My greatest apprehension was +for mine eyes, which I should have infallibly lost, if I had not +suddenly thought of an expedient. I kept, among other little +necessaries, a pair of spectacles in a private pocket, which, as I +observed before, had escaped the emperor's searchers. These I took out, +and fastened as strongly as I could upon my nose, and, thus armed, went +on boldly with my work, in spite of the enemy's arrows, many of which +struck against the glasses of my spectacles, but without any other +effect further than a little to discompose them. + +I had now fastened all the hooks, and, taking the knot in my hand, began +to pull; but not a ship would stir, for they were all too fast held by +their anchors, so that the bold part of my enterprise remained. I +therefore let go the cord, and, leaving the hooks fixed to the ships, I +resolutely cut with my knife the cables that fastened the anchors, +receiving about two hundred shots in my face and hands; then I took up +the knotted end of the cables, to which my hooks were tied, and with +great ease drew fifty of the enemy's largest men-of-war after me. + +The Blefuscudians, who had not the least imagination of what I intended, +were at first confounded with astonishment. They had seen me cut the +cables, and thought my design was only to let the ships run adrift, or +fall foul on each other; but when they perceived the whole fleet moving +in order, and saw me pulling at the end, they set up such a scream of +grief and despair that it is almost impossible to describe or conceive. +When I had got out of danger I stopped a while to pick out the arrows +that stuck in my hands and face; and rubbed on some of the ointment that +was given me at my first arrival, as I have formerly mentioned. I then +took off my spectacles, and, waiting about an hour, till the tide was a +little fallen, I waded through the middle with my cargo, and arrived +safe at the royal port of Lilliput. + +The emperor and his whole court stood on the shore, expecting the issue +of this great adventure. They saw the ships move forward in a large +half-moon, but could not discern me, who was up to my breast in water. +When I advanced to the middle of the channel they were yet more in pain, +because I was under water to my neck. The emperor concluded me to be +drowned, and that the enemy's fleet was approaching in a hostile manner: +but he was soon eased of his fears; for, the channel growing shallower +every step I made, I came in a short time within hearing, and, holding +up the end of the cable by which the fleet was fastened, I cried in a +loud voice, "Long live the most puissant Emperor of Lilliput!" This +great prince received me at my landing with all possible encomiums, and +created me a _nardac_ upon the spot, which is the highest title of +honor among them. + +[Illustration: GULLIVER TAKES THE ENEMY'S FLEET] + +His majesty desired I would take some other opportunity of bringing all +the rest of the enemy's ships into his ports. And so unmeasurable is the +ambition of princes, that he seemed to think of nothing else than +reducing the whole empire of Blefuscu into a province, and governing it +by a viceroy; of destroying the Big-endian exiles, and compelling that +people to break the smaller end of their eggs, by which he would remain +the sole monarch of the whole world. But I endeavored to divert him from +this design, by many arguments drawn from the topics of policy as well +as justice; and I plainly protested that I would never be an instrument +of bringing a free and brave people into slavery. And, when the matter +was debated in council, the wisest part of the ministry were of my +opinion. + +This open, bold declaration of mine was so opposite to the schemes and +politics of his imperial majesty that he could never forgive it. He +mentioned it in a very artful manner at council, where I was told that +some of the wisest appeared at least, by their silence, to be of my +opinion; but others, who were my secret enemies, could not forbear some +expressions which, by a side-wind, reflected on me. And from this time +began an intrigue between his majesty and a junto of ministers, +maliciously bent against me, which broke out in less than two months, +and had like to have ended in my utter destruction. Of so little weight +are the greatest services to princes when put into the balance with a +refusal to gratify their passions. + +About three weeks after this exploit there arrived a solemn embassy from +Blefuscu, with humble offers of a peace; which was soon concluded, upon +conditions very advantageous to our emperor, wherewith I shall not +trouble the reader. + + +_IV. The Escape and the Return_ + +Before I proceed to give an account of my leaving this kingdom, it may +be proper to inform the reader of a private intrigue which had been for +two months forming against me. + +When I was just preparing to pay my attendance on the emperor of +Blefuscu, a considerable person at court (to whom I had been very +serviceable at a time when he lay under the highest displeasure of his +imperial majesty) came to my house very privately at night, in a close +chair, and, without sending his name, desired admittance. The chairmen +were dismissed; I put the chair, with his lordship in it, into my coat +pocket; and giving orders to a trusty servant to say I was indisposed +and gone to sleep, I fastened the door of my house, placed the chair on +the table, according to my usual custom, and sate down by it. After the +common salutations were over, observing his lordship's countenance full +of concern, and inquiring into the reason, he desired I would hear him +with patience, in a matter that highly concerned my honor and my life. +His speech was to the following effect, for I took notes of it as soon +as he left me: + +"You are to know," said he, "that several committees of council have +been lately called, in the most private manner, on your account; and it +is but two days since his majesty came to a full resolution. + +"You are very sensible that Skyresh Bolgolam (_galbet_, or high +admiral) hath been your mortal enemy almost ever since your arrival. His +original reasons I know not; but his hatred is much increased since your +great success against Blefuscu, by which his glory as admiral is +obscured. This lord, in conjunction with Flimnap the high treasurer, +Limtoc the general, Lalcon the chamberlain, and Balmuff the grand +justiciary have prepared articles of impeachment against you, for +treason and other capital crimes. + +"In three days your friend the secretary will be directed to come to +your house, and read before you the articles of impeachment; and then to +signify the great lenity and favor of his majesty and council, whereby +you are only condemned to the loss of your eyes, which his majesty doth +not question you will gratefully and humbly submit to; and twenty of his +majesty's surgeons will attend in order to see the operation well +performed, by discharging very sharp-pointed arrows into the balls of +your eyes, as you lie on the ground. + +"I leave to your prudence what measures you will take; and, to avoid +suspicion, I must immediately return in as private a manner as I came." +His lordship did so; and I remained alone, under many doubts and +perplexities of mind. + +I took the opportunity, before the three days were elapsed, to send a +letter to my friend the secretary, signifying my resolution of setting +out that morning for Blefuscu, pursuant to the leave I had got; and, +without waiting for an answer, I went to that side of the island where +our fleet lay. I seized a large man-of-war, tied a cable to the prow, +and, lifting up the anchors, I stripped myself, put my clothes (together +with my coverlet, which I brought under my arm) into the vessel, and, +drawing it after me, between wading and swimming, arrived at the royal +port of Blefuscu, where the people had long expected me: they lent me +two guides to direct me to the capital city, which is of the same name. +I held them in my hands till I came within two hundred yards of the +gate, and desired them to signify my arrival to one of the secretaries, +and let him know I there waited his majesty's command. I had an answer +in about an hour, that his majesty, attended by the royal family, and +great officers of the court, was coming out to receive me. I advanced a +hundred yards. The emperor and his train alighted from their horses; the +empress and ladies from their coaches; and I did not perceive they were +in any fright or concern. I lay on the ground to kiss his majesty's and +the empress' hand. I told his majesty that I was come, according to my +promise, and with the license of the emperor my master, to have the +honor of seeing so mighty a monarch, and to offer him any service in my +power, consistent with my duty to my own prince; not mentioning a word +of my disgrace, because I had hitherto no regular information of it, and +might suppose myself wholly ignorant of any such design; neither could I +reasonably conceive that the emperor would discover the secret while I +was out of his power. + +Three days after my arrival, walking out of curiosity to the northeast +coast of the island, I observed, about half a league off in the sea, +somewhat that looked like a boat overturned. I pulled off my shoes and +stockings, and, wading two or three hundred yards, I found the object to +approach nearer by force of the tide; and then plainly saw it to be a +real boat, which I supposed might by some tempest have been driven from +a ship: whereupon I returned immediately toward the city, and desired +his imperial majesty to lend me twenty of the tallest vessels he had +left, after the loss of his fleet, and three thousand seamen under the +command of the vice-admiral. + +This fleet sailed round, while I went back the shortest way to the +coast, where I first discovered the boat. I found the tide had driven it +still nearer. The seamen were all provided with cordage, which I had +beforehand twisted to a sufficient strength. When the ships came up, I +stripped myself, and waded till I came within an hundred yards of the +boat, after which I was forced to swim till I got up to it. The seamen +threw me the end of the cord, which I fastened to a hole in the fore +part of the boat, and the other end to a man-of-war, but I found all my +labor to little purpose; for, being out of my depth, I was not able to +work. In this necessity, I was forced to swim behind, and push the boat +forward, as often as I could, with one of my hands; and the tide +favoring me, I advanced so far that I could just hold up my chin and +feel the ground. I rested two or three minutes, and then gave the boat +another shove, and so on, till the sea was no higher than my armpits, +and now, the most laborious part being over, I took out my other cables, +which were stowed in one of the ships, and fastened them first to the +boat, and then to nine of the vessels which attended me; the wind being +favorable, the seamen towed and I shoved, till we arrived within forty +yards of the shore; and waiting till the tide was out, I got dry to the +boat, and, by the assistance of two thousand men, with ropes and +engines, I made a shift to turn it on its bottom, and found it was but +little damaged. + +[Illustration: GULLIVER BRINGS IN THE DRIFTING BOAT] + +I shall not trouble the reader with the difficulties I was under, by the +help of certain paddles, which cost me ten days' making, to get my boat +to the royal port of Blefuscu, where a mighty concourse of people +appeared upon my arrival, full of wonder at the sight of so prodigious a +vessel. I told the emperor that my good fortune had thrown this boat in +my way to carry me some place from whence I might return into my native +country; and begged his majesty's orders for getting materials to fit it +up, together with his license to depart; which, after some kind +expostulations, he was pleased to grant. + +Five hundred workmen were employed to make two sails to my boat, +according to my directions, by quilting thirteen folds of their +strongest linen together. I was at the pains of making ropes and cables +by twisting ten, twenty or thirty of the thickest and strongest of +theirs. A great stone that I happened to find served me for an anchor. I +had the tallow of three hundred cows for greasing my boat, and other +uses. I was at incredible pains in cutting down some of the largest +timber-trees for oars and masts; wherein I was much assisted by his +majesty's ship carpenters, who helped me in smoothing them after I had +done the rough work. + +In about a month, when all was prepared, I sent to receive his majesty's +commands, and to take my leave. The emperor and royal family came out of +the palace: I lay on my face to kiss his hand, which he very graciously +gave me: so did the empress and young princes of the blood. His majesty +presented me with fifty purses of two hundred _sprugs_ apiece, +together with his picture at full length, which I put immediately into +one of my gloves, to keep it from being hurt. The ceremonies at my +departure were too many to trouble the reader with at this time. + +I stored the boat with the carcasses of an hundred oxen and three +hundred sheep, with bread and drink proportionable, and as much meat +ready dressed as four hundred cooks could provide. I took with me six +cows and two bulls alive, with as many ewes and rams, intending to carry +them into my own country, and propagate the breed. And, to feed them on +board, I had a good bundle of hay and a bag of corn. I would gladly have +taken a dozen of the natives, but this was a thing which the emperor +would by no means permit; and, besides a diligent search into my +pockets, his majesty engaged my honor not to carry away any of his +subjects, although with their own consent and desire. + +Having thus prepared all things as well as I was able, I set sail on the +24th day of September, 1701, at six in the morning; and when I had gone +about four leagues to the northward, the wind being at southeast, at six +in the evening I descried a small island, about half a league to the +northwest. I advanced forward, and cast anchor on the lee-side of the +island, which seemed to be uninhabited. I then took some refreshment, +and went to my rest. I slept well, and I conjecture at least six hours, +for I found the day broke in two hours after I awaked. It was a clear +night. I eat my breakfast before the sun was up; and, heaving anchor, +the wind being favorable, I steered the same course that I had done the +day before, wherein I was directed by my pocket compass. My intention +was to reach, if possible, one of those islands which I had reason to +believe lay to the northeast of Van Diemen's Land.[14] + +[Footnote 14: Australia is a short distance from Tasmania, or Van +Diemen's Land. There are no islands to the northeast for a long +distance.] + +I discovered nothing all that day; but upon the next, about three in the +afternoon, when I had, by my computation, made twenty-four leagues from +Blefuscu, I described a sail steering to the southeast; my course was +due east. I hailed her, but could get no answer; yet I found I gained +upon her, for the wind slackened. I made all the sail I could, and in +half an hour she spied me, then hung out her ancient,[15] and discharged +a gun. It is not easy to express the joy I was in, upon the unexpected +hope of once more seeing my beloved country, and the dear pledges I left +in it. The ship slackened her sails, and I came up with her between five +and six in the evening, September 26; but my heart leaped within me to +see her English colors. I put my cows and sheep into my coat pockets, +and got on board with all my little cargo of provisions. + +[Footnote 15: _Ancient_ is an old word for _ensign_.] + +The vessel was an English merchantman, returning from Japan by the North +and South Seas; the captain, Mr. John Biddel of Deptford, a very civil +man and an excellent sailor. We were now in the latitude of thirty +degrees south; there were about fifty men in the ship; and I met an old +comrade of mine, one Peter Williams, who gave me a good character to the +captain. This gentleman treated me with kindness, and desired I would +let him know what place I came from last, and whither I was bound; which +I did in few words, but he thought I was raving, and that the dangers I +underwent had disturbed my head; whereupon I took my black cattle and +sheep out of my pocket, which, after great astonishment, clearly +convinced him of my veracity. I then showed him the gold given me by the +Emperor of Blefuscu, together with his majesty's picture at full length, +and some other rarities of that country. I gave him two purses of two +hundred _sprugs_ each, and promised, when we arrived in England, to +make him a present of a cow and a sheep. + +I shall not trouble the reader with a particular account of this voyage, +which was very prosperous for the most part. We arrived in the Downs on +the 13th of April, 1702. I had only one misfortune, that the rats on +board carried away one of my sheep: I found her bones in a hole, picked +clean from the flesh. The rest of my cattle I got safe on shore, and set +them a-grazing in a bowling green at Greenwich, where the fineness of +the grass made them feed very heartily, though I had always feared the +contrary; neither could I possibly have preserved them in so long a +voyage, if the captain had not allowed me some of his best biscuit, +which, rubbed to powder and mingled with water, was their constant food. +The short time I continued in England, I made a considerable profit by +showing my cattle to many persons of quality and others; and before I +began my second voyage, I sold them for six hundred pounds. Since my +last return I find the breed is considerably increased, especially the +sheep, which I hope will prove much to the advantage of the woolen +manufacture, by the fineness of the fleeces. + + + + +ADVENTURES IN BROBDINGNAG + +_I. Among the Giants_ + + +Having been condemned, by nature and fortune, to an active and restless +life, in two months after my return I again left my native country, and +took shipping in the Downs, on the 20th day of June, 1702, in the +_Adventure_, Captain John Nicholas, a Cornishman, commander, bound +for Surat. + +We had a very prosperous gale till we arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, +where we landed for fresh water; but discovering a leak, we unshipped +our goods and wintered there; for the captain falling sick of an ague, +we could not leave the Cape till the end of March. We then set sail, and +had a good voyage till we passed the Straits of Madagascar; but having +got northward of that island, and to about five degrees south latitude, +the winds, which in those seas are observed to blow a constant equal +gale between the north and west, from the beginning of December to the +beginning of May, on the 19th of April began to blow with much greater +violence, and more westerly than usual, continuing so for twenty days +together; during which time we were driven a little to the east of the +Molucca Islands,[16] and about three degrees northward of the line, as +our captain found by an observation he took the 2d of May, at which time +the wind ceased, and it was a perfect calm; whereat I was not a little +rejoiced. But he, being a man well experienced in the navigation of +those seas, bid us all prepare against a storm, which accordingly +happened the day following; for a southern wind, called the Southern +monsoon,[17] began to set in, and soon it was a very fierce storm. + +[Footnote 16: They could not really have been driven to the east of the +Molucca Islands without passing Sumatra, Java, Borneo or other islands.] + +[Footnote 17: _Monsoons_ are winds that blow part of the year in +one direction, and the rest of the year in the opposite direction.] + +During this storm, which was followed by a strong wind west-southwest, +we were carried, by my computation, about five hundred leagues to the +east, so that the oldest sailor on board could not tell in what part of +the world we were. Our provisions held out well, our ship was staunch, +and our crew all in good health; but we lay in the utmost distress for +water. We thought it best to hold on the same course, rather than turn +more northerly, which might have brought us to the northwest parts of +Great Tartary, and into the Frozen Sea. + +On the 16th day of June, 1703, a boy on the topmast discovered land. On +the 17th we came in full view of a great island, or continent (for we +knew not whether), on the south side whereof was a small neck of land +jutting out into the sea, and a creek too shallow to hold a ship of +above one hundred tons. We cast anchor within a league of this creek, +and our captain sent a dozen of his men well armed in the longboat, with +vessels for water, if any could be found. I desired his leave to go with +them, that I might see the country, and make what discoveries I could. + +When we came to land we saw no river or spring, nor any sign of +inhabitants. Our men therefore wandered on the shore to find out some +fresh water near the sea, and I walked alone about a mile on the other +side, where I observed the country all barren and rocky. I now began to +be weary, and, seeing nothing to entertain my curiosity, I returned +gently down toward the creek; and the sea being full in my view, I saw +our men already got into the boat, and rowing for life to the ship. + +I was going to halloo after them, although it had been to little +purpose, when I observed a huge creature walking after them in the sea, +as fast as he could; he waded not much deeper than his knees, and took +prodigious strides; but our men had got the start of him half a league, +and the sea thereabouts being full of sharp-pointed rocks, the monster +was not able to overtake the boat. This I was afterward told, for I +durst not stay to see the issue of that adventure; but ran as fast as I +could the way I first went, and then climbed up a steep hill, which gave +me some prospect of the country. I found it fully cultivated; but that +which first surprised me was the length of the grass, which in those +grounds that seemed to be kept for hay was above twenty foot high. + +I fell into a highroad, for so I took it to be, though it served to the +inhabitants only as a footpath through a field of barley. Here I walked +on for some time, but could see little on either side, it being now near +harvest, and the corn rising at least forty foot. I was an hour walking +to the end of this field, which was fenced in with a hedge of at least +one hundred and twenty foot high, and the trees so lofty that I could +make no computation of their altitude. There was a stile to pass from +this field into the next. It had four steps, and a stone to cross over +when you came to the uppermost. It was impossible for me to climb this +stile, because every step was six foot high, and the upper stone above +twenty. + +I was endeavoring to find some gap in the hedge, when I discovered one +of the inhabitants in the next field, advancing toward the stile, of the +same size with him whom I saw in the sea pursuing our boat. He appeared +as tall as an ordinary spire steeple, and took about ten yards at every +stride, as near as I could guess. I was struck with the utmost fear and +astonishment, and ran to hide myself in the corn, from whence I saw him +at the top of the stile, looking back into the next field on the right +hand, and heard him call in a voice many degrees louder than a +speaking-trumpet; but the noise was so high in the air that at first I +certainly thought it was thunder. Whereupon seven monsters, like +himself, came toward him with reaping hooks in their hands, each hook +about the largeness of six scythes. These people were not so well clad +as the first, whose servants or laborers they seemed to be; for, upon +some words he spoke, they went to reap the corn in the field where I +lay. + +I kept from them at as great a distance as I could, but was forced to +move with extreme difficulty, for the stalks of the corn were sometimes +not above a foot distant, so that I could hardly squeeze my body betwixt +them. However, I made a shift to go forward till I came to a part of the +field where the corn had been laid by the rain and wind. Here it was +impossible for me to advance a step; for the stalks were so interwoven +that I could not creep through, and the beards of the fallen ears so +strong and pointed that they pierced through my clothes into my flesh. +At the same time I heard the reapers not above an hundred yards behind +me. Being quite dispirited with toil, and wholly overcome by grief and +despair, I lay down between two ridges, and heartily wished I might +there end my days. I bemoaned my desolate widow and fatherless children. +I lamented my own folly and willfulness in attempting a second voyage, +against the advice of all my friends and relations. In this terrible +agitation of mind I could not forbear thinking of Lilliput, whose +inhabitants looked upon me as the greatest prodigy that ever appeared in +the world; where I was able to draw an imperial fleet in my hand, and +perform those other actions which will be recorded forever in the +chronicles of that empire, while posterity shall hardly believe them, +although attested by millions. I reflected what a mortification it must +prove to me to appear as inconsiderable in this nation as one single +Lilliputian would be among us. But this I conceived was to be the least +of my misfortunes; for, as human creatures are observed to be more +savage and cruel in proportion to their bulk, what could I expect but to +be a morsel in the mouth of the first among these enormous barbarians +that should happen to seize me? Undoubtedly philosophers are in the +right when they tell us that nothing is great or little otherwise than +by comparison. It might have pleased fortune to let the Lilliputians +find some nation, where the people were as diminutive with respect to +them as they were to me. And who knows but that even this prodigious +race of mortals might be equally overmatched in some distant part of the +world, whereof we have yet no discovery. + +Scared and confounded as I was, I could not forbear going on with these +reflections, when one of the reapers, approaching within ten yards of +the ridge where I lay, made me apprehend that with the next step I +should be squashed to death under his foot, or cut in two with his +reaping-hook. And therefore when he was again about to move, I screamed +as loud as fear could make me; whereupon the huge creature trod short, +and, looking round about under him for some time, at last espied me as I +lay on the ground. He considered awhile, with the caution of one who +endeavors to lay hold on a small dangerous animal in such a manner that +it may not be able either to scratch or to bite him, as I myself have +sometimes done with a weasel in England. + +At length he ventured to take me up behind, by the middle, between his +forefinger and thumb, and brought me within three yards of his eyes, +that he might behold my shape more perfectly. I guessed his meaning, and +my good fortune gave me so much presence of mind that I resolved not to +struggle in the least as he held me in the air above sixty foot from the +ground, although he grievously pinched my sides, for fear I should slip +through his fingers. All I ventured was to raise mine eyes toward the +sun, and place my hands together in a supplicating posture, and to speak +some words in an humble, melancholy tone, suitable to the condition I +then was in; for I apprehended every moment that he would dash me +against the ground, as we usually do any little hateful animal which we +have a mind to destroy. But my good star would have it that he appeared +pleased with my voice and gestures, and began to look upon me as a +curiosity, much wondering to hear me pronounce articulate words, +although he could not understand them. In the meantime I was not able to +forbear groaning and shedding tears, and turning my head toward my +sides; letting him know as well as I could how cruelly I was hurt by the +pressure of his thumb and finger. He seemed to apprehend my meaning; +for, lifting up the lappet of his coat, he put me gently into it, and +immediately ran along with me to his master, who was a substantial +farmer, and the same person I had first seen in the field. + +The farmer having (as I supposed by their talk) received such an account +of me as his servant could give him, took a piece of a small straw, +about the size of a walking-staff, and therewith lifted up the lappets +of my coat; which, it seems, he thought to be some kind of covering that +nature had given me. He blew my hairs aside to take a better view of my +face. He called his hinds about him, and asked them, as I afterward +learned, whether they had ever seen in the fields any little creature +that resembled me. He then placed me softly on the ground upon all four, +but I got immediately up, and walked slowly backward and forward, to let +those people see I had no intent to run away. + +They all sate down in a circle about me, the better to observe my +motions. I pulled off my hat, and made a low bow toward the farmer. I +fell on my knees, and lifted up my hands and eyes, and spoke several +words as loud as I could; I took a purse of gold out of my pocket, and +humbly presented it to him. He received it on the palm of his hand, then +applied it close to his eye to see what it was, and afterward turned it +several times with the point of a pin (which he took out of his sleeve), +but could make nothing of it. Whereupon I made a sign that he should +place his hand on the ground. I then took the purse, and opening it, +poured all the gold into his palm. There were six Spanish pieces of four +pistoles[18] each, besides twenty or thirty smaller coins. I saw him wet +the tip of his little finger upon his tongue, and take up one of my +largest pieces, and then another; but he seemed to be wholly ignorant +what they were. He made me a sign to put them again into my purse, and +the purse again into my pocket, which, after offering to him several +times, I thought it best to do. + +[Footnote 18: A _pistole_ is equivalent to about four dollars.] + +The farmer, by this time, was convinced I must be a rational creature. +He spoke often to me; but the sound of his voice pierced my ears like +that of a water-mill, yet his words were articulate enough. I answered +as loud as I could in several languages, and he often laid his ear +within two yards of me; but all in vain, for we were wholly +unintelligible to each other. He then sent his servants to their work, +and taking his handkerchief out of his pocket, he that I desired his son +might be pardoned. The father complied, and the lad took his seat again, +whereupon I went to him, and kissed his hand, which my master took, and +made him stroke me gently with it. + +In the midst of dinner my mistress' favorite cat leaped into her lap. I +heard a noise behind me like that of a dozen stocking-weavers at work; +and turning my head I found it proceeded from the purring of this +animal, who seemed to be three times larger than an ox, as I computed by +the view of her head and one of her paws, while her mistress was feeding +and stroking her. The fierceness of this creature's countenance +altogether discomposed me though I stood at the further end of the +table, above fifty foot off; and although my mistress held her fast, for +fear she might give a spring, and seize me in her talons. But it +happened there was no danger; for the cat took not the least notice of +me when my master placed me within three yards of her. And, as I have +been always told, and found true by experience in my travels, that +flying or discovering fear before a fierce animal is a certain way to +make it pursue or attack you, so I resolved, in this dangerous juncture, +to show no manner of concern. I walked with intrepidity five or six +times before the very head of the cat, and came within half a yard of +her; whereupon she draw herself back, as if she were more afraid of me. + +I had less apprehension concerning the dogs, whereof three or four came +into the room as it is usual in farmers' houses; one of which was a +mastiff, equal in bulk to four elephants, and a greyhound, somewhat +taller than the mastiff, but not so large. + +When dinner was almost done the nurse came in with a child of a year old +in her arms, who immediately spied me, and began a squall that you might +have heard from London Bridge to Chelsea, after the usual oratory of +infants, to get me for a plaything. + +The mother, out of pure indulgence, took me up, and put me toward the +child, who presently seized me by the middle and got my head in his +mouth, where I roared so loud that the urchin was frighted, and let me +drop, and I should infallibly have broke my neck, if the mother had not +held her apron under me. The nurse, to quiet her babe, made use of a +rattle, which was a kind of hollow vessel filled with great stones, and +fastened by a cable to the child's waist. + +The vast creatures are not deformed: for I must do them justice to say +they are a comely race of people; and particularly the features of my +master's countenance, although he was but a farmer, when I beheld him +from the height of sixty foot, appeared very well-proportioned. + +When dinner was done my master went out to his laborers, and, as I could +discover by his voice and gesture, gave his wife a strict charge to take +care of me. I was very much tired, and disposed to sleep, which my +mistress perceiving she put me on her own bed, and covered me with a +clean white handkerchief, but larger and coarser than the mainsail of a +man-of-war. + +I slept about two hours, and dreamed I was at home with my wife and +children, which aggravated my sorrows when I awaked and found myself +alone in a vast room, between two and three hundred foot wide, and above +two hundred high, lying in a bed twenty yards wide. My mistress was gone +about her household affairs, and had locked me in. The bed was eight +yards from the floor. I wished to get down, but durst not presume to +call; and if I had it would have been in vain, with such a voice as +mine, at so great a distance as from the room where I lay to the kitchen +where the family kept. + +[Illustration: THE BABY SEIZED GULLIVER] + +While I was under these circumstances two rats crept up the curtains, +and ran smelling backward and forward on the bed. One of them came up +almost to my face, whereupon I rose in a fright, and drew out my +hanger[19] to defend myself. These horrible animals had the boldness to +attack me on both sides, and one of them held his forefeet at my collar; +but I had the good fortune to rip up his belly before he could do me any +mischief. He fell down at my feet; and the other, seeing the fate of his +comrade, made his escape, but not without one good wound on the back, +which I gave him as he fled, and made the blood run trickling from him. +After this exploit I walked gently to and fro on the bed, to recover my +breath and loss of spirits. These creatures were of the size of a large +mastiff, but infinitely more nimble and fierce; so that, if I had taken +off my belt before I went to sleep, I must have infallibly been torn to +pieces and devoured. I measured the tail of the dead rat, and found it +to be two yards long, wanting an inch; but it went against my stomach to +drag the carcass off the bed, where it lay still bleeding; I observed it +had yet some life, but with a strong slash across the neck I thoroughly +despatched it.[20] + +[Footnote 19: _Hanger_ is the name given to a kind of short, broad +sword which was formerly carried.] + +[Footnote 20: Gulliver told how, as he was returning from Lilliput, an +ordinary rat carried off a Lilliputian sheep; here he tells of rats +large enough to kill and eat a man. It is by such violent contrasts as +these that Swift impresses on us the difference in size between the +Lilliputians and the giants.] + +Soon after my mistress came into the room, who, seeing me all bloody, +ran and took me up in her hand. I pointed to the dead rat, smiling, and +making other signs to show I was not hurt; whereat she was extremely +rejoiced, calling the maid to take up the dead rat with a pair of tongs, +and throw it out of the window. Then she set me on a table, where I +showed her my hanger all bloody, and wiping it on the lappet of my coat, +returned it to the scabbard. + +I hope the gentle reader will excuse me for dwelling on these and the +like particulars, which, however insignificant they may appear to +groveling vulgar minds, yet will certainly help a philosopher to enlarge +his thoughts and imagination, and apply them to the benefit of public as +well as private life, which was my sole design in presenting this and +other accounts of my travels to the world; wherein I have been chiefly +studious of truth, without affecting any ornaments of learning or of +style. But the whole scene of this voyage made so strong an impression +on my mind, and is so deeply fixed in my memory, that, in committing it +to paper, I did not omit one material circumstance: however, upon a +strict review, I blotted out several passages of less moment, which were +in my first copy, for fear of being censured as tedious and trifling, +whereof travelers are often, perhaps not without justice, accused. + +My mistress had a daughter of nine years old, a child of towardly parts +for her age, very dexterous at her needle, and skillful in dressing her +baby.[21] Her mother and she contrived to fit up the baby's cradle for +me against night; the cradle was put into a small drawer of a cabinet, +and the drawer placed upon a hanging shelf for fear of the rats. This +was my bed all the time I stayed with those people, though made more +convenient by degrees, as I began to learn their language, and make my +wants known. She made me seven shirts and some other linen, of as fine +cloth as could be got, which indeed was coarser than sackcloth; and +these she constantly washed for me with her own hands. She was likewise +my schoolmistress, to teach me the language; when I pointed to anything +she told me the name of it in her own tongue, so that in a few days I +was able to call for whatever I had a mind to. She was very +good-natured, and not above forty foot high, being little for her age. I +called her my _Glumdalclitch,_ or little nurse, and I should be guilty +of great ingratitude if I omitted this honorable mention of her care and +affection toward me, which I heartily wish it lay in my power to requite +as she deserves. + +[Footnote 21: That is, her doll.] + +A most ingenious artist, according to my directions, in three weeks +finished for me a wooden chamber, of sixteen foot square, and twelve +high, with sash windows, a door, and two closets, like a London +bedchamber. The board that made the ceiling was to be lifted up and down +by two hinges, to put in a bed, ready furnished by her majesty's +upholsterer, which Glumdalclitch took out every day to air, made it with +her own hands, and letting it down at night, locked up the roof over me. +A workman, who was famous for little curiosities, undertook to make me +two chairs, with backs and frames, of a substance not unlike ivory, and +two tables, with a cabinet to put my things in. The room was quilted on +all sides, as well as the floor and the ceiling, to prevent any accident +from the carelessness of those who carried me, and to break the force of +a jolt when I went in a coach. I desired a lock for my door, to prevent +rats and mice from coming in. The smith made the smallest that ever was +seen among them, for I have known a larger at the gate of a gentleman's +house in England. I made a shift to keep the key in a pocket of my own, +fearing Glumdalclitch might lose it. + + + + +_III. Adventures at the Royal Court_ + + +I should have lived happily enough in that country if my littleness had +not exposed me to several ridiculous and troublesome accidents; some of +which I shall venture to relate. Glumdalclitch often carried me into the +gardens of the court in a smaller box, and would sometimes take me out +of it, and hold me in her hand, or set me down to walk. I remember the +queen's dwarf followed us one day into those gardens, and my nurse +having set me down, he and I being close together, near some dwarf apple +trees, I must needs show my wit, by a silly allusion between him and the +trees, which happens to hold in their language as it does in ours. +Whereupon, the malicious rogue, watching his opportunity when I was +walking under one of them, shook it directly over my head, by which a +dozen apples, each of them near as large as a Bristol barrel, came +tumbling about my ears; one of them hit me on the back as I chanced to +stoop, and knocked me down flat on my face; but I received no other +hurt, and the dwarf was pardoned at my desire, because I had given the +provocation. + +Another day Glumdalclitch left me on a smooth grassplot to divert +myself, while she walked at some distance with her governess. In the +meantime there suddenly fell such a violent shower of hail that I was +immediately, by the force of it, struck to the ground; and when I was +down the hailstones gave me such cruel bangs all over the body, as if I +had been pelted with tennis balls; however, I made a shift to creep on +all four, and shelter myself, by lying flat on my face, on the lee-side +of a border of lemon-thyme; but so bruised from head to foot that I +could not go abroad in ten days. Neither is this at all to be wondered +at, because nature in that country, observing the same proportion +through all her operations, a hailstone is near eighteen hundred times +as large as one in Europe; which I can assert upon experience, having +been so curious as to weigh and measure them. + +But a more dangerous accident happened to me in the same garden, where +my little nurse, believing she had put me in a secure place (which I +often entreated her to do, that I might enjoy my own thoughts), and +having left my box at home to avoid the trouble of carrying it, went to +another part of the gardens, with her governess and some ladies of her +acquaintance. While she was absent, and out of hearing, a small white +spaniel, belonging to one of the chief gardeners, having got by accident +into the garden, happened to range near the place where I lay; the dog +following the scent came directly up, and taking me in his mouth, ran +straight to his master, wagging his tail, and set me gently on the +ground. By good fortune he had been so well taught that I was carried +between his teeth without the least hurt, or even tearing my clothes. +But the poor gardener, who knew me well, and had a great kindness for +me, was in a terrible fright; he gently took me up in both his hands, +and asked me how I did, but I was so amazed and out of breath that I +could not speak a word. In a few minutes I came to myself, and he +carried me safe to my little nurse, who by this time had returned to the +place where she left me, and was in cruel agonies when I did not appear +nor answer when she called. She severely reprimanded the gardener on +account of his dog. + +This accident absolutely determined Glumdalclitch never to trust me +abroad for the future out of her sight. I had been long afraid of this +resolution, and therefore concealed from her some little unlucky +adventures that happened in those times when I was left by myself. Once +a kite hovering over the garden made a stoop at me, and if I had not +resolutely drawn my hanger, and run under a thick espalier, he would +have certainly carried me away in his talons. + +Another time, walking to the top of a fresh molehill, I fell to my neck +in the hole through which that animal had cast up the earth, and coined +some lie, not worth remembering, to excuse myself for spoiling my +clothes. I likewise broke my right shin against the shell of a snail, +which I happened to stumble over, as I was walking alone, and thinking +on poor England. + +I cannot tell whether I were more pleased or mortified to observe, in +those solitary walks, that the smaller birds did not appear to be at all +afraid of me, but would hop about within a yard distance, looking for +worms and other food, with as much indifference and security as if no +creature at all were near them. I remember, a thrush had the confidence +to snatch out of my hand, with his bill, a piece of cake that +Glumdalclitch had just given me for my breakfast. When I attempted to +catch any of these birds they would boldly turn against me, endeavoring +to peck my fingers, which I durst not venture within their reach; and +then they would turn back unconcerned, to hunt for worms or snails, as +they did before. But one day I took a thick cudgel, and threw it with +all my strength so luckily at a linnet that I knocked him down, and +seizing him by the neck with both my hands, ran with him in triumph to +my nurse. However, the bird, who had only been stunned, recovering +himself, gave me so many boxes with his wings on both sides of my head +and body, though I held him at arm's length, and was out of the reach of +his claws, that I was twenty times thinking to let him go. But I was +soon relieved by one of our servants, who wrung off the bird's neck, and +I had him next day for dinner. This linnet, as near as I can remember, +seemed to be somewhat larger than an English swan. + +The queen, who often used to hear me talk of my sea voyages, and took +all occasions to divert me when I was melancholy, asked me whether I +understood how to handle a sail or an oar, and whether a little exercise +of rowing might not be convenient for my health. I answered that I +understood both very well; for although my proper employment had been to +be surgeon or doctor to the ship, yet often upon a pinch I was forced to +work like a common mariner. But I could not see how this could be done +in their country, where the smallest wherry was equal to a first-rate +man-of-war among us; and such a boat as I could manage would never live +in any of their rivers. Her majesty said, if I would contrive a boat, +her own joiner should make it, and she would provide a place for me to +sail in. The fellow was an ingenious workman, and by my instructions, in +ten days finished a pleasure-boat, with all its tackling, able +conveniently to hold eight Europeans. When it was finished the queen was +so delighted that she ran with it in her lap to the king, who ordered it +to be put into a cistern full of water, with me in it, by way of trial, +where I could not manage my two sculls, or little oars, for want of +room. + +But the queen had before contrived another project. She ordered the +joiner to make a wooden trough of three hundred foot long, fifty broad, +and eight deep; which, being well pitched, to prevent leaking, was +placed on the floor, along the wall, in an outer room of the palace. It +had a cock near the bottom to let out the water, when it began to grow +stale; and two servants could easily fill it in half an hour. Here I +often used to row for my own diversion, as well as that of the queen and +her ladies, who thought themselves well entertained with my skill and +agility. Sometimes I would put up my sails, and then my business was +only to steer, while the ladies gave me a gale with their fans; and, +when they were weary, some of their pages would blow my sail forward +with their breath, while I showed my art by steering starboard or +larboard as I pleased. When I had done, Glumdalclitch always carried +back my boat into her closet, and hung it on a nail to dry. + +One time, one of the servants, whose office it was to fill my trough +every third day with fresh water, was so careless as to let a huge frog +(not perceiving it) slip out of his pail. The frog lay concealed till I +was put into my boat, but then, seeing a resting place, climbed up, and +made it lean so much on one side that I was forced to balance it with +all my weight on the other, to prevent overturning. When the frog was +got in it hopped at once half the length of the boat; and then over my +head, backward and forward, daubing my face and clothes with odious +slime. The largeness of its features made it appear the most deformed +animal that can be conceived. However, I desired Glumdalclitch to let me +deal with it alone. I banged it a good while with one of my sculls, and +at last forced it to leap out of the boat. + +[Illustration: A GALE WITH THEIR FANS] + +But the greatest danger I ever underwent in that kingdom was from a +monkey, who belonged to one of the clerks of the kitchen. Glumdalclitch +had locked me up in her closet, while she went somewhere upon business +or a visit. The weather being very warm, the closet window was left +open, as well as the windows and the door of my bigger box, in which I +usually lived, because of its largeness and conveniency. As I sat +quietly meditating at my table I heard Something bounce in at the closet +window, and skip about from one side to the other: whereat, although I +was much alarmed, yet I ventured to look out, but not stirring from my +seat; and then I saw this frolicsome animal frisking and leaping up and +down, till at last he came to my box, which he seemed to view with great +pleasure and curiosity, peeping in at the door and every window. I +retreated to the further corner of my room or box; but the monkey, +looking in at every side, put me into such a fright that I wanted +presence of mind to conceal myself under the bed, as I might easily have +done. After some time spent in peeping, grinning, and chattering, he at +last espied me; and, reaching one of his paws in at the door, as a cat +does when she plays with a mouse, although I often shifted place to +avoid him, he at length caught hold of the lappet of my coat (which, +being made of that country cloth, was very thick and strong), and +dragged me out. He took me up in his right forefoot, and held me, just +as I have seen the same sort of creature do with a kitten in Europe; and +when I offered to struggle he squeezed me so hard that I thought it more +prudent to submit. I have good reason to believe that he took me for a +young one of his own species, by his often stroking my face very gently +with his other paw. In these diversions he was interrupted by a noise at +the closet door, as if somebody were opening it, whereupon he suddenly +leaped up to the window at which he had come in, and thence upon the +leads and gutters, walking upon three legs, and holding me in the +fourth, till he clambered up to a roof that was next to ours. I heard +Glumdalclitch give a shriek at the moment he was carrying me out. The +poor girl was almost distracted; that quarter of the palace was all in +an uproar; the servants ran for ladders; the monkey was seen by hundreds +in the court sitting upon the ridge of a building, holding me like a +baby in one of his forepaws, and feeding me with the other, by cramming +into my mouth some victuals he had squeezed out of the bag on one side +of his chaps, and patting me when I would not eat; whereat the rabble +below could not forbear laughing; neither do I think they justly ought +to be blamed, for without question the sight was ridiculous enough to +everybody but myself. + +Some of the people threw up stones, hoping to drive the monkey down; but +this was strictly forbidden, or else, very probably, my brains had been +dashed out. + +The ladders were now applied, and mounted by several men, which the +monkey observing, and finding himself almost encompassed, not being able +to make speed enough with his three legs, let me drop on a ridge tile, +and made his escape. Here I sat for some time, three hundred yards from +the ground, expecting every moment to be blown down by the wind, or to +fall by my own giddiness, and come tumbling over and over from the ridge +to the eaves; but an honest lad, one of my nurse's footmen, climbed up, +and, putting me into his breeches pocket, brought me down safe. + +I was so weak and bruised in the sides by the squeezes given me by this +odious animal that I was forced to keep my bed a fortnight. The king, +queen, and all the court, sent every day to inquire after my health; and +her majesty made me several visits during my sickness. The monkey was +killed, and an order made that no such animal should be kept about the +palace. + +When I attended the king after my recovery, to return him thanks for his +favors, he was pleased to rally me a good deal upon this adventure. He +asked me what my thoughts and speculations were while I lay in the +monkey's paw; how I liked the victuals he gave me; his manner of +feeding; and whether the fresh air on the roof had sharpened my stomach. +He desired to know what I would have done upon such an occasion in my +own country. + +I told his majesty that in Europe we had no monkeys, except such as were +brought for curiosities from other places, and so small that I could +deal with a dozen of them together, if they presumed to attack me. And +as for that monstrous animal with whom I was so lately engaged (it was +indeed as large as an elephant), if my fear had suffered me to think so +far as to make use of my hanger (looking fiercely, and clapping my hand +upon the hilt as I spoke), when he poked his paw into my chamber, +perhaps I should have given him such a wound as would have made him glad +to withdraw it with more haste than he put it in. This I delivered in a +firm tone, like a person who was jealous lest his courage should be +called in question. However, my speech produced nothing else besides a +loud laughter, which all the respect due to his majesty from those about +him could not make them contain. This made me reflect how vain an +attempt it is for a man to endeavor doing himself honor among those who +are out of all degree of equality or comparison with him. And yet I have +seen the moral of my own behavior very frequent in England since my +return; where a little, contemptible varlet, without the least title to +birth, person, wit, or common sense, shall presume to look with +importance, and put himself upon a foot with the greatest persons of the +kingdom.[22] + +[Footnote 22: Gulliver's hatred of mankind betrays him, even in the +midst of his mildest satire, into such sharp, biting remarks as +this.] + + +[Illustration: GULLIVER AND THE KING] + + + +_IV. A Wonderful Escape_ + + +I had always a strong impulse that I should some time recover my +liberty, though it was impossible to conjecture by what means, or to +form any project with the least hope of succeeding. The ship in which I +sailed was the first ever known to be driven within sight of that coast, +and the king had given strict orders that if at any time another +appeared it should be taken ashore, and, with all its crew and +passengers, brought in a tumbrel to the capital. I was indeed treated +with much kindness; I was the favorite of a great king and queen, and +the delight of the whole court; but it was upon such a foot as ill +became the dignity of human kind. I could never forget those domestic +pledges I had left behind me. I wanted to be among people with whom I +could, converse upon even terms, and walk about the streets and fields +without fear of being trod to death like a frog or a young puppy. But my +deliverance came sooner than I expected, and in a manner not very +common; the whole story and circumstances of which I shall faithfully +relate. + +I had now been two years in the country; and about the beginning of the +third Glumdalclitch and I attended the king and queen in a progress to +the south coast of the kingdom. I was carried, as usual, in my +traveling-box, a very convenient closet of twelve foot wide. + +And I had ordered a hammock to be fixed, by silken ropes, from the four +corners at the top, to break the jolts when a servant carried me before +him on horseback, as I sometimes desired; and would often sleep in my +hammock while we were upon the road. On the roof of my closet, not +directly over the middle of the hammock, I ordered the joiner to cut out +a hole of a foot square, to give me air in hot weather, as I slept; +which hole I shut at pleasure with a board that drew backward and +forward through a groove. + +When we came to our journey's end, the king thought proper to pass a few +days at a palace he hath near Flanflasnic, a city within eighteen +English miles of the seaside. Glumdalclitch and I were much fatigued: I +had gotten a small cold, but the poor girl was so ill as to be confined +to her chamber. I longed to see the ocean, which must be the only scene +of my escape, if ever it should happen. I pretended to be worse than I +really was, and desired leave to take the fresh air of the sea, with a +page whom I was very fond of, and who had sometimes been trusted with +me. I shall never forget with what unwillingness Glumdalclitch +consented, nor the strict charge she gave the page to be careful of me, +bursting at the same time into a flood of tears, as if she had some +foreboding of what was to happen. + +The boy took me out in my box, about half an hour's walk from the +palace, toward the rocks on the seashore.[23] I ordered him to set me +down, and lifting up one of my sashes, cast many a wistful, melancholy +look toward the sea. I found myself not very well, and told the page +that I had a mind to take a nap in my hammock, which I hoped would do me +good. I got in, and the boy shut the window close down, to keep out the +cold. I soon fell asleep, and all I can conjecture is, that while I +slept the page, thinking no danger could happen, went among the rocks to +look for bird's eggs, having before observed him from my window +searching about, and picking up one or two in the clefts. + +[Footnote 23: Here again we have a striking contrast--the "half an +hour's walk" of eighteen miles set over against the day and a +half's ride of one-half mile in Lilliput.] + +Be that as it will, I found myself suddenly awaked with a violent pull +upon the ring, which was fastened at the top of my box for the +conveniency of carriage. I felt my box raised very high in the air, and +then borne forward with prodigious speed. The first jolt had like to +have shaken me out of my hammock, but afterward the motion was easy +enough. I called out several times as loud as I could raise my voice, +but all to no purpose. + +I looked toward my windows, and could see nothing but the clouds and +sky. I heard a noise just over my head, like the clapping of wings, and +then began to perceive the woeful condition I was in; that some eagle +had got the ring of my box in his beak, with an intent to let it fall on +a rock, like a tortoise in a shell, and then pick out my body, and +devour it: for the sagacity and smell of this bird enable him to +discover his quarry at a great distance, though better concealed than I +could be within a two-inch board. + +In a little time I observed the noise and flutter of wings to increase +very fast, and my box was tossed up and down, like a sign in a windy +day. I heard several bangs or buffets, as I thought, given to the eagle +(for such, I am certain, it must have been that held the ring of my box +in his beak), and then, all on a sudden, felt myself falling +perpendicularly down for above a minute, but with such incredible +swiftness that I almost lost my breath. My fall was stopped by a +terrible squash, that sounded louder to my ears than the cataract of +Niagara; after which I was quite in the dark for another minute, and +then my box began to rise so high that I could see light from the tops +of my windows. I now perceived that I was fallen into the sea. My box, +by the weight of my body, the goods that were in it, and the broad +plates of iron fixed for strength at the four corners of the top and +bottom, floated above five foot deep in water. I did then, and do now, +suppose that the eagle, which flew away with my box, was pursued by two +or three others, and forced to let me drop, while he was defending +himself against the rest, who hoped to share in the prey. The plates of +iron fastened at the bottom of the box (for those were the strongest) +preserved the balance while it fell, and hindered it from being broken +on the surface of the water. Every joint of it was well grooved; and the +door did not move on hinges, but up and down like a sash, which kept my +closet so tight that very little water came in. I got, with much +difficulty, out of my hammock, having first ventured to draw back the +slip-board on the roof, already mentioned, contrived on purpose to let +in air, for want of which I found myself almost stifled. + +How often did I then wish myself with my dear Glumdalclitch, from whom +one single hour had so far divided me! And I may say with truth, that, +in the midst of my own misfortunes, I could not forbear lamenting my +poor nurse, the grief she would suffer for my loss, the displeasure of +the queen, and the ruin of her fortune. Perhaps many travelers have not +been under greater difficulties and distress than I was at this +juncture, expecting every moment to see my box dashed in pieces, or, at +least, overset by the first violent blast, or a rising wave. A breach in +one single pane of glass would have been immediate death: nor could +anything have preserved the windows, but the strong lattice wires, +placed on the outside, against accidents in traveling. I saw water ooze +in at several crannies, although the leaks were not considerable, and I +endeavored to stop them as well as I could. I was not able to lift up +the roof of my closet, which otherwise I certainly should have done, and +sat on top of it; where I might at least preserve myself some hours +longer, than by being shut up (as I may call it) in the hold. Or, if I +escaped these dangers for a day or two, what could I expect but a +miserable death of cold and hunger? I was four hours under these +circumstances, expecting, and indeed wishing, every moment to be my +last. + +There were two strong staples fixed upon that side of my box which had +no window, and into which the servant, who used to carry me on +horseback, would put a leathern belt, and buckle it about his waist. +Being in this disconsolate state, I heard, or at least thought I heard, +some kind of grating noise on that side of my box where the staples were +fixed; and soon after I began to fancy that the box was pulled or towed +along in the sea; for I now and then felt a sort of tugging, which made +the waves rise near the tops of my windows, leaving me almost in the +dark. This gave me some faint hopes of relief, although I was not able +to imagine how it could be brought about. I ventured to unscrew one of +my chairs, which were always fastened to the floor; and having made a +hard shift to screw it down again, directly under the slipping-board +that I had lately opened, I mounted on the chair, and, putting my mouth +as near as I could to the hole, I called for help in a loud voice, and +in all the languages I understood. I then fastened my handkerchief to a +stick I usually carried, and, thrusting it up the hole waved it several +times in the air, that, if any boat or ship were near, the seamen might +conjecture some unhappy mortal to be shut up in this box. + +I found no effect from all I could do, but plainly perceived my closet +to be moved along; and in the space of an hour, or better, that side of +the box where the staples were, and had no windows, struck against +something that was hard. I apprehended it to be a rock, and found myself +tossed more than ever. I plainly heard a noise upon the cover of my +closet like that of a cable, and the grating of it as it passed through +the ring. I then found myself hoisted up, by degrees, at least three +foot higher than I was before. Whereupon I again thrust up my stick and +handkerchief, calling for help till I was almost hoarse. In return to +which I heard a great shout repeated three times, giving me such +transports of joy as are not to be conceived but by those who feel them. +I now heard a trampling over my head, and somebody calling through the +hole with a loud voice, in the English tongue, if there be anybody +below, let them speak. + +I answered, I was an Englishman, drawn, by ill fortune, into the +greatest calamity that ever any creature underwent, and begged, by all +that was moving, to be delivered out of the dungeon I was in. The voice +replied, I was safe, for my box was fastened to their ship, and the +carpenter should immediately come and saw a hole in the cover, large +enough to pull me out. I answered, that was needless, and would take up +too much time; for there was no more to be done, but let one of the crew +put his finger into the ring, and take the box out of the sea into the +ship, and so into the captain's cabin. Some of them, upon hearing me +talk so wildly, thought I was mad; others laughed; for indeed it never +came into my head that I was now got among people of my own stature and +strength. The carpenter came, and, in a few minutes, sawed a passage +about four foot square, then let down a small ladder, upon which I +mounted, and from thence was taken into the ship in a very weak +condition. + +The sailors were all in amazement, and asked me a thousand questions, +which I had no inclination to answer. I was equally confounded at the +sight of so many pigmies, for such I took them to be, after having so +long accustomed mine eyes to the monstrous objects I had left. But the +captain, Mr. Thomas Wilcocks, an honest, worthy Shropshireman, observing +I was ready to faint, took me into his cabin, gave me a cordial to +comfort me, and made me turn in upon his own bed, advising me to take a +little rest, of which I had great need. + +Before I went to sleep I gave him to understand that I had some valuable +furniture in my box, too good to be lost; a fine hammock--an handsome +field bed--two chairs--a table--and a cabinet. That my closet was hung +on all sides, or rather quilted with silk and cotton; that, if he would +let one of the crew bring my closet into his cabin, I would open it +there before him, and show him my goods. The captain, hearing me utter +these absurdities, concluded I was raving; however (I suppose to pacify +me), he promised to give order as I desired, and going upon deck, sent +some of his men down into my closet, from whence (as I afterward found) +they drew up all my goods, and stripped off the quilting; but the +chairs, cabinet, and bedstead, being screwed to the floor, were much +damaged by the ignorance of the seamen, who tore them up by force. Then +they knocked off some of the boards for the use of the ship, and when +they had got all they had a mind for, let the hull drop into the sea, +which, by reason of many breaches made in the bottom and sides, sunk to +rights.[24] And, indeed, I was glad not to have been a spectator of the +havoc they made, because I am confident it would have sensibly touched +me, by bringing former passages into my mind, which I had rather forget. + +[Footnote 24: _To rights_ means _directly_.] + +I slept some hours, but perpetually disturbed with dreams of the place I +had left, and the dangers I had escaped. However, upon waking, I found +myself much recovered. It was now about eight o'clock at night, and the +captain ordered supper immediately, thinking I had already fasted too +long. He entertained me with great kindness, observing me not to look +wildly, or talk inconsistently; and, when we were left alone, desired I +would give him a relation of my travels, and by what accident I came to +be set adrift in that monstrous wooden chest. He said that about twelve +o'clock at noon, as he was looking through his glass, he spied it at a +distance, and thought it was a sail, which he had a mind to make, being +not much out of his course, in hopes of buying some biscuit, his own +beginning to fall short; that, upon coming nearer, and finding his +error, he sent out his longboat to discover what it was; that his men +came back in a fright, swearing that they had seen a swimming house; +that he laughed at their folly, and went himself in the boat, ordering +his men to take a strong cable along with them; that the weather being +calm, he rowed round me several times, observed my windows, and the wire +lattice that defended them; that he discovered two staples upon one +side, which was all of boards, without any passage for light. He then +commanded his men to row up to that side, and fastening a cable to one +of the staples, ordered them to tow my chest, as they called it, toward +the ship. When it was there, he gave directions to fasten another cable +to the ring fixed in the cover, and to raise up my chest with pulleys, +which all the sailors were not able to do above two or three foot. He +said they saw my stick and handkerchief thrust out of the hole, and +concluded that some unhappy man must be shut up in the cavity. + +I asked whether he or the crew had seen any prodigious birds in the air +about the time he first discovered me. To which he answered, that +discoursing this matter with the sailors while I was asleep, one of them +said he had observed three eagles flying toward the north, but remarked +nothing of their being larger than the usual size; which, I suppose, +must be imputed to the great height they were at; and he could not guess +the reason of my question. I then asked the captain how far he reckoned +we might be from land. He said by the best computation he could make, we +were, at least, an hundred leagues. I assured him that he must be +mistaken by almost half, for I had not left the country from whence I +came above two hours before I dropped into the sea. Whereupon, he began +again to think that my brain was disturbed, of which he gave me a hint, +and advised me to go to bed in a cabin he had provided. + +I assured him I was well refreshed with his good entertainment and +company, and as much in my senses as ever I was in my life. He then grew +serious, and desired to ask me freely, whether I were not troubled in +mind by the consciousness of some enormous crime, for which I was +punished, at the command of some prince, by exposing me in that chest; +as great criminals, in other countries, have been forced to sea in a +leaky vessel, without provisions; for although he should be sorry to +have taken so ill a man into his ship, yet he would engage his word to +set me safe on shore at the first port where we arrived. He added that +his suspicions were much increased by some very absurd speeches I had +delivered at first to the sailors, and afterward to himself, in relation +to my closet or chest, as well as by my odd looks and behavior while I +was at supper. + +I begged his patience to hear me tell my story, which I faithfully did, +from the last time I left England to the moment he first discovered me. +And as truth always forceth its way into rational minds, so this honest, +worthy gentleman, who had some tincture of learning and very good sense, +was immediately convinced of my candor and veracity. + +But further to confirm all I had said, I entreated him to give order +that my cabinet should be brought, of which I had the key in my pocket; +for he had already informed me how the seamen disposed of my closet. I +opened it in his own presence, and showed him the small collection of +rarities I made in the country from whence I had been so strangely +delivered. There was a comb I had contrived out of the stumps of the +king's beard, and another of the same materials, but fixed into a paring +of her majesty's thumb-nail, which served for the back. There was a +collection of needles and pins, from a foot to half a yard long; four +wasp's stings, like joiner's tacks; a gold ring, which one day she made +me a present of, in a most obliging manner, taking it from her little +finger, and throwing it over my head like a collar. I desired the +captain would please to accept this ring in return of his civilities, +which he absolutely refused. I showed him a corn that I had cut off, +with my own hand, from a maid of honor's toe; it was the bigness of a +Kentish pippin, and grown so hard that, when I returned to England, I +got it hollowed into a cup, and set in silver. Lastly, I desired him to +see the breeches I had then on, which were made of a mouse's skin. + +I could force nothing on him but a footman's tooth, which I observed him +to examine with great curiosity, and found he had a fancy for it. He +received it with abundance of thanks, more than such a trifle could +deserve. It was drawn by an unskillful surgeon in a mistake, from one of +Glumdalclitch's men, who was afflicted with the toothache, but it was as +sound as any in his head. I got it cleaned, and put it in my cabinet. It +was about a foot long and four inches in diameter. + +The captain wondered at one thing very much, which was, to hear me speak +so loud; asking me whether the king or queen of that country were thick +of hearing. I told him it was what I had been used to for above two +years past, and that I wondered as much at the voices of him and his +men, who seemed to me only to whisper, and yet I could hear them well +enough. But when I spoke in that country it was like a man talking in +the street to another looking out from the top of a steeple, unless when +I was placed on a table, or held in any person's hand. + +I told him I had likewise observed another thing, that, when I first got +into the ship, and the sailors stood all about me, I thought they were +the most contemptible little creatures I had ever beheld. For, indeed, +while I was in that prince's country I could never endure to look in a +glass after mine eyes had been accustomed to such prodigious objects, +because the comparison gave me so despicable a conceit of myself. + +The captain said that while we were at supper he observed me to look at +everything with a sort of wonder, and that I often seemed hardly able to +contain my laughter, which he knew not well how to take, but imputed it +to some disorder in my brain. + +I answered, it was very true: and I wondered how I could forbear when I +saw his dishes of the size of a silver threepence, a leg of pork hardly +a mouthful, a cup not so big as a nutshell; and so I went on, describing +the rest of his household stuff and provisions, after the same manner. +For, although the queen had ordered a little equipage of all things +necessary for me, while I was in her service, yet my ideas were wholly +taken up with what I saw on every side of me, and I winked at my own +littleness as people do at their own faults. + +The captain understood my raillery very well, and merrily replied with +the old English proverb, that he doubted mine eyes were bigger than my +belly, for he did not observe my stomach so good, although I had fasted +all day; and continuing in his mirth, protested, that he would have +gladly given a hundred pounds to have seen my closet in the eagle's +bill, and afterward in its fall from so great a height into the sea, +which would certainly have been a most astonishing object, worthy to +have the description of it transmitted to future ages; and the +comparison of Phaëthon[25] was so obvious that he could not forbear +applying it, although I did not much admire the conceit. + +[Footnote 25: _Phaëthon_ was, according to Greek mythology, the son +of Apollo, the sun god. One day he prevailed upon his father to allow +him to mount the chariot of the sun and drive the white cloud-horses +across the heavens. He was unable to guide his steeds, however, and they +worked great havoc by dragging the sun up and down and from one side of +the sky to the other. Finally, Jupiter hurled the youth into a river.] + +The captain having been at Tonquin was in his return to England driven +north-eastward to the latitude of 44 degrees, and of longitude 143. But +meeting a trade-wind two days after I came on board him, we sailed +southward a long time, and coasting New Holland kept our course +west-southwest, and then south-south-west till we doubled the Cape of +Good Hope. Our voyage was very prosperous, but I shall not trouble the +reader with a journal of it. The captain called in at one or two ports, +and sent in his long boat for provisions and fresh water, but I never +went out of the ship, till we came into the Downs which was on the third +day of June, 1706, about nine months after my escape. I offered to leave +my goods in security for payment of my freight; but the captain +protested he would not receive one farthing. We took kind leave of each +other, and I made him promise he would come to see me at my house. I +hired a horse and guide for five shillings, which I borrowed of the +captain. + +As I was on the road, observing the littleness of the horses, the trees, +the cattle, and the people, I began to think myself in Lilliput. I was +afraid of trampling on every traveler I met, and often called aloud to +have them stand out of the way, so that I had like to have gotten one or +two broken heads for my impertinence. + +When I came to my own house, for which I was forced to inquire, one of +the servants opening the door, I bent down to go in (like a goose under +a gate), for fear of striking my head. My wife ran out to embrace me, +but I stooped lower than her knees, thinking she could otherwise never +be able to reach my mouth. My daughter kneeled to ask my blessing, but I +could not see her till she arose, having been so long used to stand with +my head and eyes erect to above sixty feet; and then I went to take her +up with one hand by the waist. I looked down upon the servants, and one +or two friends who were in the house, as if they had been pigmies, and I +a giant. I told my wife, "she had been too thrifty, for I found she had +starved herself and her daughter to nothing." In short, I behaved myself +so unaccountably that they were all of the captain's opinion when he +first saw me, and concluded I had lost my wits. This I mention as an +instance of the great power of habit and prejudice. + +In a little time, I and my family and friends came to a right +understanding; but my wife protested I should never go to sea any more; +although my evil destiny so ordered, that she had not power to hinder +me. + + + + +THE BALLAD OF AGINCOURT + +_By_ MICHAEL DRAYTON[1] + +[Footnote 1: Michael Drayton was an English poet who lived from 1563 to +1631. Little is known of his life beyond the fact that he served as a +page in the household of some nobleman, and that he tried in vain to +gain the patronage of King James I. This _Ballad of Agincourt_ is +one of the finest of the English martial ballads.] + + Fair stood the wind for France,[2] + When we our sails advance, + Nor now to prove our chance + Longer will tarry; + But putting to the main, + At Kaux, the mouth of Seine, + With all his martial train, + Landed King Harry.[3] + +[Footnote 2: From 1337 to 1453 the French and the English were engaged +in a series of struggles to which the name of _The Hundred Years' +War_ has been given. The cause of the conflict was the attempt of the +English kings to establish their rule over France.] + +[Footnote 3: This was Henry V, king of England from 1413 to 1422. He was +a general of great ability, and the battle described in this ballad was +one of his chief victories.] + + And taking many a fort, + Furnished in warlike sort, + Marched towards Agincourt[4] + In happy hour,-- + Skirmishing day by day. + +[Footnote 4: The English army numbered but 14,000, while the French were +about 50,000 strong. Henry, to save his men, was willing to make terms +with the French, who, however, demanded unconditional surrender. The two +armies met for battle near the little village of Agincourt.] + + With those that stopped his way, + Where the French general lay + With all his power, + + Which in his height of pride, + King Henry to deride, + His ransom to provide + To the king sending; + Which he neglects the while, + As from a nation vile, + Yet, with an angry smile, + Their fall portending. + + And turning to his men, + Quoth our brave Henry then: + "Though they to one be ten, + Be not amazed; + Yet have we well begun,-- + Battles so bravely won + Have ever to the sun + By fame been raised. + + "And for myself," quoth he, + "This my full rest shall be; + England ne'er mourn for me, + Nor more esteem me. + Victor I will remain, + Or on this earth lie slain; + Never shall she sustain + Loss to redeem me. + + "Poitiers[5] and Cressy[6] tell, + When most their pride did swell, + Under our swords they fell; + No less our skill is + Than when our grandsire[7] great, + Claiming the regal seat, + By many a warlike feat + Lopped the French lilies." [8] + +[Footnote 5: The Battle of Poitiers was fought in 1356. The English +under the Black Prince, son of Edward III of England, defeated the +French under King John, though the French outnumbered them more than +five to one.] + +[Footnote 6: In the Battle of Cressy, which was fought in 1346, 35,000 +English under King Edward III defeated 75,000 French under Philip VI. +About 30,000 of the French army were slain.] + +[Footnote 7: The great-grandfather of Henry V was Edward III, the hero +of the early part of the Hundred Years' War.] + +[Footnote 8: The lily, or fleur-de-lis, is the national flower of +France. _Lopped the French lilies_ is a poetical way of saying _defeated +the French._] + + +[Illustration: "VICTOR I WILL REMAIN"] + + The Duke of York so dread + The eager vaward[9] led; + With the main Henry sped, + Amongst his henchmen. + Excester had the rear,-- + A braver man not there: + O Lord! how hot they were + On the false Frenchmen! + +[Footnote 9: _Vaward_ is an old word for _vanward_, or _advance-guard._] + + + They now to fight are gone; + Armor on armor shone; + Drum now to drum did groan,-- + To hear was wonder; + That with the cries they make + The very earth did shake; + Trumpet to trumpet spake, + Thunder to thunder. + + Well it thine age became, + O noble Erpingham! + Which did the signal aim + To our hid forces; + When, from a meadow by, + Like a storm suddenly, + The English archery + Struck the French horses, + + With Spanish yew so strong, + Arrows a cloth-yard long, + That like to serpents stung, + Piercing the weather; + None from his fellow starts, + But playing manly parts, + And like true English hearts + Stuck close together. + + When down their bows they threw, + And forth their bilboes[10] drew, + And on the French they flew, + Not one was tardy; + Arms were from shoulders sent; + Scalps to the teeth were rent; + Down the French peasants went; + Our men were hardy. + +[Footnote 10: _Bilboes_ is a poetical word for _swords_.] + + This while our noble king, + His broadsword brandishing, + Down the French host did ding,[11] + As to o'erwhelm it; + And many a deep wound lent, + His arms with blood besprent, + And many a cruel dent + Bruiséd his helmet. + +[Footnote 11: To _ding_ is to _strike_.] + + Glo'ster, that duke so good, + Next of the royal blood, + For famous England stood, + With his brave brother,-- + Clarence, in steel so bright, + Though but a maiden knight, + Yet in that furious fight + Scarce such another. + + Warwick in blood did wade; + Oxford the foe invade, + And cruel slaughter made, + Still as they ran up. + Suffolk his axe did ply; + Beaumont and Willoughby + Bare them right doughtily, + Ferrers and Fanhope. + + Upon Saint Crispin's[12] day + Fought was this noble fray, + Which fame did not delay + To England to carry; + O, when shall Englishmen + With such acts fill a pen, + Or England breed again + Such a King Harry! + +[Footnote 12: Crispin was a Christian saint who suffered martyrdom in +the third century. The 25th of October was made sacred to him. +It was on Saint Crispin's day, 1415, that the Battle of Agincourt +was fought.] + + + + +SOME CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF +THE PAST + + +_By_ GRACE E. SELLON + + +Probably somewhere about your home, put away so far from sight that you +never think of them any more, are some of the ABC books and the alphabet +blocks and the brightly colored story books about horses, dogs and other +familiar animals that used to amuse you when you were just learning to +say the alphabet and to spell a few three-letter words. Perhaps you can +remember how much you liked to have the stories read to you and how much +fun there was in repeating your A B C's when you could point out the +big, colored letters in your book or on your blocks. But have you ever +thought that you were any more fortunate than other children of other +ages in having these interesting things to help you? Have you ever +wondered whether, far back in history before our country was discovered +and settled by white men, boys and girls had the same kinds of picture +books and drawing-slates, alphabet games and other playthings that used +to delight you in the days when you were going to kindergarten or +learning your first simple lessons from your mother? + +If you have never thought enough about this matter to ask some older +person about it, you will find the lesson books and story books used by +children of even a hundred years ago very curious. Suppose we go farther +back, to 1620, the year of the Mayflower, let us say. You could never +imagine what a child then living in England was given to learn his +letters from. As soon as he was able to remember the first little things +that children are taught, his mother would fasten to his belt a string +from which was suspended what she would call his _hornbook_. This was +not at all what we think of to-day as a book, for it was made of a piece +of cardboard covered on one side with a thin sheet of horn, and +surrounded by a frame with a handle. Through the covering of horn the +little boy could see the alphabet written on the cardboard in both large +and small letters. After these would come rows of syllables to help him +in learning to pronounce simple combinations of sounds. Probably last on +the sheet there would be the Lord's Prayer, which he must be taught to +say without a mistake. As he went about he could easily take up his +hornbook once in a while and say over to himself the letters and the +rows of syllables. Sometimes--especially if he had been obedient and had +studied well--he was given a hornbook made of gingerbread; and then, of +course, he would find that the tiresome lines of letters had all at once +become very attractive. + +The hornbook must have done its work well, or at least no better way of +teaching the alphabet had been found when the Puritans came to America, +for it was not many years before little folks in the New World were +being taught from the famous _New England Primer_, which joined to what +had been in the hornbook a catechism and various moral teachings. With +its rude illustrations and its dry contents, this little book would +probably be laughed at by school-children of to-day, if they did not +stop to think how very many of the writers, statesmen and soldiers who +have made our country great learned their first lessons from its pages. +Somewhere between 1687 and 1690 it was first published, and for a +hundred years from that time it was the schoolbook found in almost every +New England home and classroom. + +[Illustration: CHILDREN WITH HORNBOOKS] + +Can you imagine what kind of reading lessons were in this primer? If you +think they were like the lively little stories and the pleasing verses +printed in your readers, you will he a good deal surprised to find that +they are stern and gloomy tales that were meant to frighten children +into being good, rather than to entertain them. + +First of all in the little book came the alphabet and the lists of +syllables, as in the hornbook. There was this difference, however. At +the beginning of the first line of letters in the hornbooks was placed a +cross, as the symbol of Christianity, and from this fact the first line +was called the _Christ-cross_, or _criss-cross row_. But the Puritans +strictly kept the cross out of the _Primer_, for to them it stood in a +disagreeable way for the older churches from which they had separated +themselves. + +Then came a series of sentences from the Bible teaching moral lessons +and illustrating the use of the letters of the alphabet, one being made +prominent in each verse. The Lord's Prayer and the Apostle's Creed might +appear next, followed by twenty-four alphabet rhymes with accompanying +pictures. Most of these verses were upon Bible subjects, as in the case +of the letter _R_, for example, illustrated by the lines: + + "Young pious Ruth + Left all for Truth." + +One of the best-loved rhymes was one put into the series after the +Revolution to stir the pride of every young American by reminding him +that + + "Great Washington brave + His country did save." + +In the pages that followed were to be found an illustrated poem telling +of the awful fate of John Rogers, burned at the stake while his wife and +their ten children looked on, and a dialogue between Christ, a youth and +the devil, in which the youth was finally overcome by Satan's +temptations. + +This story of the terrifying fate of the youth was placed after the +shorter Westminster catechism, possibly as a warning to all children who +would not obey their religious teachings. The one hundred seven +questions of the catechism must be answered correctly, even though the +five-syllable words were even harder to understand than to pronounce. + +Religious songs and pictures and descriptions of good and of bad +children were also scattered through the book, and in some copies is to +be found the little prayer beginning: "Now I lay me down to sleep," +which was probably published for the first time in the _Primer_. + +As the years went on, pictures and verses and little articles about the +objects of nature and the everyday things that children are interested +in began to take the place of the Bible verses and subjects; and at +length when people saw how well children liked this new way of teaching, +better books than the _Primer_ took its place. + +While the young folks in New England families were thus being warned in +story and verse against the awful temptations that lay all around them, +the children in old England were being entertained by popular +penny-books that treated of all kinds of subjects, from the _History of +Joseph and his Brother_ to _The Old Egyptian Fortune Teller's Last +Legacy_. These books were of a size scarcely larger than that of the +letter-paper made for little folks, and they contained usually from +sixteen to twenty-four pages. Illustrations that looked a good deal like +the pictures made by a small boy in his schoolbooks adorned the rough +little volumes. + +In every city and town and even in the villages peddlers went along the +streets selling these chapbooks, as they were called. Imagine how the +children, and the grown people too, must have flocked around the peddler +as he began taking out one after another of his queer little books, for +he had something to please every one. The boys might choose stories like +_The Mad Pranks of Tom Tram_, _A Wonderful and Strange Relation of a +Sailor_ or _The True Tale of Robin Hood_, and we can see them almost +getting into a brawl over the possession of _The Merry Life and Mad +Exploits of Captain James Hind, the Great Robber of England_. Probably +the girls would choose _Patient Grissel_, _The History of Mother Bunch_ +or _Cinderella_. For the small children there were, for example, the +_History of Two Children in the Wood_, _The Pleasant History of Jack +Horner_ and _Tom Thumb_. Most likely it was only the pennies of +much-tried mothers and fathers that were spent for _A Timely Warning to +Rash and Disobedient Children_. + +The chapman or peddler we may well believe did not stand silently +looking on as he disposed of his stock. He had at the tip of his tongue +such a fair-sounding advertisement for every book that everybody, young +and old, came under the spell of his words and bought of his wares. + +After he had departed with his traveling library, we can picture the +children taking themselves off to quiet places with their new chapbooks. +Perhaps you are wondering why it was that they were so eager to read +them. If so, you may like to look into a few of these rare old story +books. As you read, notice how quaint the wording seems when compared +with that of the stories of to-day. + +(Extract from _The History of Tom Long the Carrier._) + +As Tom Long the Carrier was travelling between Dover and Westchester, he +fortuned to pass something near a House, where was kept a great Mastiff +Dog, who, as soon as he espied Tom, came running open-mouthed at him, +and so furiously assaulted him, as if he meant to devour him at a bite. +But Tom, having in his Hand a good Pikestaff, most valiantly defended +himself like a Man, and to withstand the danger he thrust the Pike-end +of his Staff into his Throat and so killed him. Whereupon the Owner +thereof, seeing the Dog lost, comes earnestly unto Tom, and between +threatening and chiding, asking him why he struck him not with the great +End of the staff. 'Marry,' quoth he, 'because your Dog runs not at me +with his tail.' + +(Extract from _The Kentish Miracle, or, A Seasonable Warning to all +Sinners_.) Shewn in the Wonderful Relation of one Mary Moore whose +Husband died some time ago, and left her with two children, and who was +reduced to great want. How she wandered about the Country asking relief +and went two Days without any Food--How the Devil appeared to her and +the many great offers he made her to deny Christ and enter into his +service, and how she confounded Satan by powerful Argument. How she came +to a well of water when she fell down on her knees to pray to God that +He would give that Vertue to the Water that it might refresh and satisfy +her Children's Hunger, with an Account how an Angel appeared to her, and +relieved her, also declared many Things that shall happen in the Month +of March next. Shewing likewise what strange and surprising Accidents +shall happen by means of the present War, and concerning a dreadful +Earthquake, etc. + +(Extract from _A Timely Warning to Rash and Disobedient Children_.) + + As this Child went to School one Day + Through the Churchyard she took her Way + When lo, the Devil came and said + Where are you going to, my pretty Maid + To School I am going Sir, said she + Pish, Child, don't mind the same saith he, + But haste to your Companions dear + And learn to lie and curse and swear. + They bravely spend their Time in Play + God they don't value--no, not they. + It is a Fable, Child, he cry'd + At which his cloven Foot she spy'd. + I'm sure there is a God, saith she + Who from your Power will keep me free, + And if you should this Thing deny + Your cloven Foot gives you the Lie. + Satan, avaunt, hence, out of hand, + In Name of Jesus I command. + At which the Devil instantly + In Flames of Fire away did fly. + +(Extract from _Wonder of Wonders_, being a strange and wonderful +Relation of a Mermaid that was seen and spoke with by one John Robinson, +Mariner, who was tossed on the Ocean for 6 Days and Nights. All the +other Mariners perished.) + +He was in great Fear and dreadful Fright in the main Ocean ...... but to +his great Amazement he espy'd a beautiful young Lady combing her Head +and toss'd on the Billows, cloathed all in green (but by chance he got +the first Word from her). Then She with a Smile came on Board and asked +how he did. The young Man, being Something Smart and a Scholar +reply'd--Madam, I am the better to see you in good Health, in great +hopes trusting you will be a Comfort and Assistance to me in this my low +Condition: and so caught hold of her Comb and Green Girdle that was +about her Waist. To which she reply'd, Sir, you ought not to rob a young +Woman of her Riches and then expect a Favour at her Hands, but if you +will give me my Comb and Girdle again, what lies in my Power, I will do +for you. She presents him with a Compass, told him to steer S.W., made +an Appointment for following Friday, and jumped in the sea. He arrives +safely home, and while musing on his promise She appeared to him with a +smiling Countenance, and (by his Misfortune) she got the first Word of +him, so that he could not speak one Word and was quite Dumb, and she +began to sing, after which she departed, taking from him the Compass. +She took a Ring from her Finger and gave him. (The young man went home, +fell ill and died 5 days after), to the wonderful Admiration of all +People who saw the young Man. + + * * * * * + +After the eighteenth century the chapbooks gradually went out of favor, +and since then in England, as in America, more and more careful +attention has been given to writing good stories for children and +printing these attractively. These better books could not have come, +however, had it not been that for generation after generation crude +little primers and storybooks, such as the interesting kinds that have +been described, helped to point out to people, little by little, how to +make children's reading both instructive and pleasing. + + + + +LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT + + +_By_ CARDINAL NEWMAN + +Of this poem, Newman has written: "I was aching to get home; yet for +want of a vessel, I was kept at Palermo for three weeks. At last I got +off on an orange boat, bound for Marseilles. Then it was that I wrote +the lines, _Lead, Kindly Light_, which have since become well known." + +Again, he has said: "This is one full of light, rejoicing in suffering +with our Lord. This is what those who like _Lead, Kindly Light_ must +come to--they have to learn it." + + Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling gloom, + Lead thou me on; + The night is dark and I am far from home; + Lead thou me on; + Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see + The distant scene; one step enough for me. + + I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou + Shouldst lead me on; + I loved to choose and see my path; but now + Lead thou me on; + I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, + Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years. + + So long thy power has blest me, sure it still + Will lead me on + O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent till + The night is gone, + And with the morn those angel faces smile + Which I have loved long since, and lost the while. + + + +LET SOMETHING GOOD BE SAID[A] + +[Footnote A: From _Home-Folks,_ by James Whitcomb Riley. Used by +special permission of the publishers, _The Bobbs-Merrill Company_.] + +_By_ JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY + + When over the fair fame of friend or foe + The shadows of disgrace shall fall; instead + Of words of blame, or proof of so and so, + Let something good be said. + Forget not that no fellow-being yet + May fall so low but love may lift his head; + Even the cheek of shame with tears is wet, + If something good be said. + No generous heart may vainly turn aside + In ways of sympathy; no soul so dead + But may awaken strong and glorified, + If something good be said. + And so I charge ye, by the thorny crown, + And by the cross on which the Saviour bled, + And by your own soul's hope for fair renown, + Let something good be said! + + + +POLONIUS' ADVICE + + + Give thy thoughts no tongue, + Nor any unproportion'd thought his act. + Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. + Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, + Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel; + But do not dull thy palm with entertainment + Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade. Beware + Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in, + Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee. + Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice; + Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgement. + Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, + But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy; + For the apparel oft proclaims the man, + And they in France of the best rank and station + Are of a most select and generous choice in that. + Neither a borrower nor a lender be; + For loan oft loses both itself and friend, + And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. + This above all: to thine own self be true, + And it must follow, as the night the day, + Thou canst not then be false to any man. + +SHAKESPEARE _(Hamlet, Act I, Scene 3)_. + + + + +KING ARTHUR + +I. ARTHUR MADE KING + + +Uther Pendragon was one of the kings who ruled in Britain so long ago +that many marvelous legends have sprung up about him and his more famous +son, Arthur. They lived in the days when magicians and witches were +believed to be common, and the stories of the time are filled with deeds +of magic and with miraculous events. + +Merlin was the greatest of magicians, and it was only by his power that +King Uther won the wife he wanted and that his son was protected and +nurtured during his childhood and youth. Many of the knights of King +Uther aspired to his throne, and so to protect the baby Arthur, Merlin +carried him to the good knight Sir Ector, who brought him up with his +own son Kay; but none knew that the boy was Uther's son. + +When Arthur had grown to be a tall, manly youth and was skilled in the +use of arms, the Archbishop of Canterbury called together all the +men-at-arms and the great ladies of the land, for Merlin had declared +that at Christmas-tide great wonders should be done. King Uther had been +long dead, and there was much wrangling over his successor, although he +had declared on his death bed that his son Arthur was living and should +reign in his stead. + +From all sides, barons, knights and ladies, with long retinues of +servants, crowded into London and gathered into the greatest church. +When the people came forth from the service there was seen in the +churchyard a great marble stone, four square, and having in the midst of +it a steel anvil a foot high. Through the middle of this anvil a +beautiful sword was sticking, with the point projecting beyond. Around +the sword in letters of gold was written, + + "WHOSO PULLETH THIS SWORD + OUT OF THIS STONE AND ANVIL IS + THE TRUE-BORN KING OF BRITAIN." + +The excitement was great and for some time difficult to quell, for every +man who hoped to be king wished to be the first to try to draw the +sword; but the Archbishop arranged the men in order, and one after +another they made their attempts. Not even the strongest man in the +kingdom could move the sword the fraction of a single inch. + +When it became certain that no one could draw the sword, the Archbishop +set ten knights to guard it and decreed that on New Year's Day the +people should meet for other attempts; in the meantime, word should be +sent abroad that all in the kingdom might know of the marvelous sword +and the reward that awaited the successful knight. A great tournament +was called and many rich prizes were offered. + +Among those who came to the jousts were Sir Ector and his son, Sir Kay, +and the young man Arthur, not yet a knight. In the morning when they +rode to the field where the multitude were gathered to watch the +jousting, Sir Kay discovered that he had left his sword at his lodgings. + +"Arthur, I beg you to ride back and bring me my sword," said Sir Kay. + +[Illustration: ARTHUR DRAWS THE SWORD] + +Arthur willingly rode back, but when he came to the lodging he could not +enter, because every one had gone out to see the jousting. Arthur loved +Sir Kay dearly, and could not bear to think of his brother being kept +out of the tourney because he had no sword. And so, as he rode by the +churchyard and saw the magic sword unguarded in the stone, he thought +how fine a weapon it would be for Sir Kay. + +"How fortunate that the guards have gone to see the tourney. I'll take +this sword to Kay," he said. + +When Arthur laid his hand on the jewelled hilt the sword came free from +its resting place, and the boy bore it joyously to his brother. + +As soon as Sir Kay saw the sword he knew it was the one that had been in +the magic stone. Hastily riding to Sir Ector he said, "See, here is the +sword of the stone. It must be that I am to be king." + +Sir Ector answered, "Give me the weapon and come with me to the church." + +Together with Arthur they rode to the church, and all three alighted +from their horses and saw that the sword was gone from the stone. + +"Now, my son, swear by the holy book to tell me honestly how you got the +sword." + +"My brother Arthur brought it to me--this I swear," said Sir Kay. + +"How did you get this sword?" said Sir Ector, turning to Arthur. + +"Sir," said Arthur, "when I could not find my brother's sword and +returned by this place I saw the sword sticking in the stone. So I came +and pulled at it and it yielded easily, and I took it to Sir Kay, for I +would not have my brother sword-less." + +"Were there any knights about the stone?" asked Sir Ector. + +"None," said Arthur. + +"Now I understand," said Sir Ector; "you, Arthur, are to be king of +Britain." + +[Illustration: KING ARTHUR +_Statue by Peter Vischer, in the Hofkirche, Innsbruck_] + +"Why should I be king of Britain?" asked the boy. + +"I know not why, except that God wills it so, for it has been ordained +that the man who should draw the sword from the stone is the true-born +king of Britain. Now let me see whether you can put the sword where it +was and draw it forth again." + +"That is not difficult," said Arthur, as he thrust the sword back into +the stone. + +Sir Ector tried to pull it out again, but he could not move it. + +"Now you try," he said to Sir Kay. + +Although Sir Kay pulled with all his might the sword remained immovable. + +"Now you try it," said Sir Ector to Arthur. + +"I will," said Arthur, as he grasped the hilt and drew the sword out +without any difficulty. + +Then Sir Ector and Sir Kay knelt down before Arthur and said, "Now we +know you for our king and swear allegiance to you." + +"Now my own dear father, and Kay, my brother, do not kneel to me." + +"Arthur," said Sir Ector, "I must now tell you that you are not my son, +nor is Sir Kay your brother. I do not know who you are, but I did not +think you were of kingly lineage." + +Then Arthur wept, for he loved Ector and Kay as though they were father +and brother to him. + +"When you are king," asked Sir Ector, "will you be kind to me and my +family?" + +"Indeed I will," said Arthur, "or I shall be much to blame, for I am +more deeply in debt to you than to any other man in all the world, and +to your wife, whom I have always thought my mother and who has cared for +me as for her own son. If it ever is the will of God that I be king of +Britain, ask what you desire and it will be my pleasure to accord it." + +The three then went to the Archbishop and told him all that had +happened. He counseled them to remain quiet till after the tournament, +when Arthur should make the trial in public. At that time, after all had +struggled madly to pull out the sword and had failed, Arthur drew it out +easily before the astonished eyes of the onlookers. + +The barons and knights laughed in derision and said, "Shall Britain be +ruled over by a boy? Let us have another trial at Twelfth Day." + +At Twelfth Day and at Easter were the trials again held with the same +results, but the fierce barons would not recognize Arthur until the +people grew angry and shouted, "Arthur is our king. We will have no one +but Arthur for our king." + +Even the fierce knights who aspired to the throne could not resist the +call of the people combined with that of the many barons who sided with +Sir Ector. When the Archbishop placed the crown upon the head of the +young king all there did homage to Arthur though many scowled and +threatened the life of the new ruler. Arthur did not forget his +promises, but made Sir Kay his seneschal and gave broad lands and rich +presents to his foster parents. + + + + +II. ARTHUR WEDS GUINEVERE. THE ROUND TABLE + + +Arthur's reign began with savage wars with his neighbors and with +sedition and rebellion in his kingdom. In every conflict he was +successful, and every victory made him friends, for he was a noble man +and administered his affairs with justice to all. Moreover, he cut roads +through the forests and made it possible for his husbandmen to cultivate +the lands without danger from wild beasts or fear of marauders. He +established justice everywhere so that even the poor felt sure of his +protection. If treachery or oppression appeared among his nobles he +punished them severely, but he forgave personal injuries freely. + +Many of the rulers of petty kingdoms near Arthur had occasion to bless +him for brave assistance, and among them was Leodegrance, king of +Cameliard, whom Arthur, in a fierce battle in which ten thousand men +were slain, freed from the tyranny of King Rience. After the battle, +Leodegrance entertained Arthur and his friends at a great feast, at +which Guinevere, the beautiful young daughter of the host, served the +table. At the sight of the fair maid Arthur's heart was won, and ever +after he loved her faithfully. + +Merlin, the great magician, had always been the friend and counselor of +Arthur, and to his sound advice and wonderful enchantments the king was +indebted for much of his power and renown. Before Arthur proposed to +marry Guinevere, he took counsel of Merlin, who looked sorrowful and +dismayed at the young king's words. + +"If indeed your heart is set on the fair Guinevere, you may not change +it. Yet it had been better for you to have loved another." + +Delighted at even this guarded advice Arthur went at once to Leodegrance +and asked for the hand of his young daughter. Leodegrance consented with +joy, for he loved Arthur greatly, and welcomed him as a son-in-law. + +In the great cathedral of Canterbury the two were married by the +Archbishop, while without, the people reflected in wild celebrations the +joys of the king and his fair bride. + +Among the gifts which King Arthur received was one from King Leodegrance +which pleased him most. "This gift," said Leodegrance, "is the Table +Round which King Uther Pendragon gave to me and around which can sit a +hundred and fifty knights. This table the great Merlin made, as he made +also the hundred and fifty sieges which surround it." + +The day of his marriage Arthur chose one hundred and twenty-eight +knights to found his famous Order of the Round Table, and to each he +gave one of the sieges or carved chairs, upon the back of which, as each +knight took his seat, appeared his name in magical letters of gold. Soon +all the seats were filled excepting one, the Siege Perilous, in which no +man might sit under peril of his life, unless he were blameless and free +from all sin. When by death or otherwise any of the other sieges became +vacant, a new knight was chosen to occupy it, and the magic letters +changed to spell his name. + +[Illustration: THE WEDDING OF ARTHUR AND GUINEVERE] + +Camelot, the lordly castle of Arthur, with its vast halls and beautiful +grounds, was all raised by Merlin's magic power without the aid of human +hands. Here at Christmas, at Easter and at Pentecost great festivals +were held, and Arthur's knights would gather to feast, to joust in +tournament and to tell the stories of the wonderful adventures which had +befallen them since the last meeting; and great was their knightly +pleasure in these gatherings. + + + + +III. ARTHUR AND PELLINORE + + +One day Arthur dressed himself in his best armor, mounted his best horse +and rode forth alone to seek adventure. He had started before dawn and +had ridden slowly along. + +Just at day-break he saw Merlin running toward him in deadly peril, for +three fierce vagabonds brandishing huge clubs were close at his heels. +Arthur rode toward the robbers, and they turned and fled at the sight of +an armed knight. + +"O, Merlin," said Arthur, "this time certainly you would have been +killed in spite of your magic if I had not appeared to rescue you." + +"No," said Merlin, "I could have saved myself if I had wished; but you +are nearer death than I am, for now you are certainly traveling toward +death unless God befriend you." + +Arthur asked the magician what he meant, but the wily man would give no +explanation. However, he turned and accompanied Arthur. + +As they rode along they came across a beautiful wayside spring, near +which, under a wide-spreading tree, a rich tent was set. In front of it +sat a sturdy knight full armed for battle. + +"Sir Knight," said Arthur, "why do you sit here in full armor thus +watching the road?" + +"It is my custom," said the knight, "and no man may pass by unless he +fight with me." + +"That is a vile custom," said the king, "and I bid you give it up." + +"That will I not do," said the knight. "If any man does not like my +custom, let him change it." + +"I will change it," said Arthur. + +"I will defend myself," answered the knight. + +Then the knight arose, took shield and spear, mounted the war-horse +tethered near and rode at Arthur, who spurred his horse to meet the +shock. They came together with such force that their horses were thrown +back upon their haunches and their spears were shivered against their +shields. Arthur recovered himself and pulled out his sword. + +"No, no," said the knight, "I pray you let us fight again with spears. +It is the fairer way." + +"I would be very willing," assented Arthur, "if I had another spear." + +"But I have spears for both," declared the knight, as he called to a +squire to bring him two good spears. + +When the weapons were brought Arthur selected one and the knight took +the other. Drawing apart they again charged together, and again their +spears were both broken at the hand. Again Arthur put his hand to his +sword, but the knight protested a second time. + +"Nay, not so," he said, "for the honor of our knighthood let us joust +once more. You are the strongest knight and the best jouster I have ever +met." + +"I am willing," said Arthur, "if you will let me have another spear." + +Two more spears were brought--heavy ones such as only the best of +knights could handle. Again Arthur chose the one he liked, and again +they drew apart. + +This time they ran together with greater force than ever, and once more +Arthur shivered his spear on the shield of his opponent. But this time +the spear of the unknown knight struck Arthur's shield full in the +center and drove both horse and rider to the earth. + +The king sprang free from his horse, recovered his shield, drew his +sword and cried, "Now will I fight you on foot, for I have lost the +honor on horseback." + +"No, I will fight only on horseback," said the knight. + +Then Arthur grew very angry and rushed afoot at the knight. Seeing how +determined the king was, and thinking it dishonorable to keep his seat +while Arthur fought on foot, the knight alighted and dressed his shield +against his foe. + +Long and fierce was the battle, for both were full of anger and +resentment. They charged and fell back; they hacked and hewed until +shields and armor were bent and broken in many places. Both were sorely +wounded, and the blood ran until the trampled ground was stained with +it. Then, out of breath and weary from the terrible exertion, they both +rested for a few moments, but they soon began the duel again, rushing +together like two fierce wild animals and striking such blows that both +were many times brought to their knees. Every time, however, they +recovered themselves and renewed the terrific struggle. At last the +swords met full in the air, and Arthur's was broken at the hilt. + +[Illustration: MERLIN SAVES ARTHUR] + +"Now yield," said the strange knight, "for you are wholly in my power +and I can slay or release you as I will. Yield now to me as a recreant +knight or I will slay you as you stand." + +"As for death," said Arthur, "let it come when it will. I would rather +die than shame my manhood by yielding." + +And then like lightning Arthur leaped upon the knight, clasped him round +the middle and threw him to the ground. But the knight was a powerful +man, and throwing Arthur off he hurled him to the ground, struck off his +helm and raised his sword to behead the king. + +All the time Merlin had stood and watched the fray, but when he saw the +deadly peril in which Arthur lay, he called out, "Knight, hold your +hand! If you slay this knight you put this kingdom in the greatest +peril, for this is a more worshipful knight than you dream of." + +"Why, who is he?" asked the knight. + +"It is King Arthur," Merlin replied. + +Then was the knight fearful of the vengeance of the King, if he should +survive the encounter. He raised his sword again and would have killed +Arthur as he lay, but Merlin cast an enchantment over him and he fell +into a deep sleep. + +The magician caught up the king and rode forth on the knight's horse. + +"Alas!" said Arthur, "what have you done, Merlin? Have you slain this +good knight by your crafts? There is no braver knight in the world than +he was. I would give half my kingdom if he were alive again." + +"Do not trouble yourself," replied Merlin. "He is in less danger than +you are, for he lies asleep and will awake whole and refreshed in three +hours. I told you how powerful a knight he was, and you would have +certainly been slain here if I had not been by to help. This same knight +shall live to do you great service." + +"Who is the knight?" asked Arthur. + +"It is King Pellinore; and he shall have two sons, both of whom shall be +good men; and one shall have no equal in strength, courage and +goodness." + + + + +IV. ARTHUR GETS EXCALIBUR + + +After his battle with King Pellinore, Arthur was three days with a +hermit, who by magic salves healed him of his wounds and set him again +upon his way. + +As they rode along, Arthur turned to Merlin and said, "Behold, I have no +sword." + +"That does not matter," replied Merlin; "there is a good sword near here +that shall be yours if I can get it for you." + +They turned aside and rode till they came to a beautiful little lake, +now quiet in the afternoon light. As Arthur looked he saw in the middle +of the lake an arm clothed in white samite, "mystic, wonderful," +stretched up and holding in its hand a flashing sword. + +"Lo!" said Merlin. "Yonder is the sword of which I spoke." + +As Arthur looked he saw a fair maid coming toward him over the water. + +"What damsel is that?" he inquired of Merlin. "That is the Lady of the +Lake," answered the magician. "Speak kindly to her and ask her to give +you the sword." + +As the beautiful maid came nearer she saluted Arthur and he returned the +courtesy. + +"Damsel," said Arthur, "what rich sword is that which yonder hand holds +above the water? I would it were mine, for I have no sword." + +[Illustration: ARTHUR RECEIVES EXCALIBUR] + +"That is my sword, Excalibur," answered the maid, "and I will give it to +you if you will give me a gift when I ask it." + +"Right willingly will I give you what you ask, so that I may have the +sword." + +"Well, take the boat and row yourself out to the sword. When the time +comes I will ask the gift." + +So Arthur got down from his horse, tied it to a tree and entered the +boat. When he had come to the arm Arthur reached up and grasped the +sword and scabbard. Immediately both were released, and the +white-clothed arm sank back into the waters. + +When he returned to the land the maiden had disappeared, and the two +rode on their way. Arthur kept looking at his sword, for he admired it +very much. + +"Which do you prefer," asked Merlin, "the sword or the scabbard?" + +"I like the sword the better," replied Arthur. + +"That is not wise," rejoined the magician. "The scabbard is worth ten of +the swords, because while you have the scabbard on you, you cannot lose +a drop of blood no matter how severe your wound. Therefore keep the +scabbard always by you." + +The number of King Arthur's Knights varies from twelve to several +hundred, according to the different poets or romancers. Here is one +account: + + "The fellowship of the Table Round, + Soe famous in those dayes; + Whereatt a hundred noble knights + And thirty sat alwayes; + Who for their deeds and martiall feates, + As bookes done yett record, + Amongst all other nations + Wer feared through the world." + + _Legend of King Arthur_ (Old Ballad) + + + + +BALIN AND BALAN + + +When Arthur was at one time in Camelot with his knights, a messenger +came to him from Rience, king of North Wales and Ireland, saying, "My +Lord, the king Rience has conquered eleven kings, and all of them do +homage to him. + +"Moreover, each gave to the king his heard, shaved clean from his face, +and my master has used the eleven beards to trim his mantle. One place +on the mantle is still vacant, and Rience demands that you send your +beard at once to fill the vacant place or he will come with sword and +spear, lay waste your land and take your beard and your head with it." + +Then was Arthur terribly enraged, and would have killed the messenger on +the spot, but that he remembered the knightly usage and spared the +herald. + +"Now this is the most insulting message ever sent from one man to +another. Return to your king and tell him that my beard is yet too young +to trim a mantle with, and that, moreover, neither I nor any of my +lieges owe him homage. On the other hand I demand homage from him, and +unless he render it, I will assemble my knights and take both his head +and his kingdom." + +The messenger departed, and soon Arthur heard that Rience had invaded +the kingdom with a great host, and had slain large numbers of people. +Arthur then hurriedly summoned his barons, knights and men-at-arms to +meet him at Camelot for council. + +When Arthur and his followers had gathered at Camelot a damsel richly +clothed in a robe of fur rode among them, and as she came before the +king she let fall the mantle from her shoulders, and lo! there was girt +at her side a noble sword. + +Arthur wondered, and said, "Why do you come before me in this unseemly +manner, girt with a great sword?" + +The damsel answered, "I am girt with this great sword against my will +and may not remove it until it is drawn from its scabbard, a thing that +can be done only by a knight, and that a passing good one, without +treachery or villainy of any sort. I have been with King Rience, and +many of his knights have tried to draw the sword from its scabbard, but +no one succeeded. I have heard that here you have many good knights, and +perchance one may be found who can pull the blade." + +"This is marvelous," said Arthur. "I will myself make the first attempt, +not because I think myself the best knight, but to give my knights an +example." + +Then Arthur seized the sword by the scabbard and the hilt and pulled at +it eagerly, but it would not move. + +"Sir," said the damsel, "you need not pull the half so hard, for he who +is fit can pull it with little strength." + +Then one after another the knights all tried, but none could draw the +sword. + +"Alas," said the maiden, "I had thought that in this court there would +be found at least one man of gentle blood on both his father's and his +mother's side, himself without treason or guile." + +There was then at the court a poor knight born in Northumberland who had +been in prison for slaying the king's cousin, but who had been released +at the request of the barons, for he was known to be a good man and well +born. + +Balin, for that was the knight's name, wished to try the sword, but was +afraid to come forward because of his appearance. As the damsel was +departing from the court, Balin called to her and said: + +"Fair maid, I beg you to let me try to draw the sword, for though I am +poorly clad I feel in my heart that I am as good as many who have tried, +and I think I can succeed." + +The damsel looked at Balin, and though she saw that he was a strong and +handsome man, yet she looked at his poor raiment and thought that he +could not be a noble knight without treachery and villainy. So she said +to him, "Sir, put me to no more trouble, for I cannot think you will +succeed where so many others have failed." + +"Ah, fair damsel," said Balin, "perchance good deeds are not in a man's +clothing, but manliness and bravery are hid within the person, and many +a worshipful knight is not known to all the people. Therefore honor and +greatness are not in raiment." + +"By the Lord," said the damsel, "you speak well and say the truth. +Therefore shall you try the sword." + +And Balin grasped the scabbard and drew the sword out easily, and when +he saw the sword he was greatly pleased, for it was a marvelous weapon +of finest steel. + +[Illustration: THE DAMSEL LET FALL HER MANTLE] + +"Certainly," said the damsel, "this is a good knight, the best I have +ever found, without treason, treachery or villainy; and many noble deeds +shall he do. Now, gentle and gracious knight, give back the sword to +me." + +"No," said Balin, "this sword will I keep unless it be taken from me by +force." + +"Well," said the damsel, "you are unwise to hold the sword from me, for +with it you shall slay the best friend that you have, the man you best +love in all the world; and the sword shall also be your destruction." + +"Nevertheless," replied Balin, "I shall take the event as God gives it +me. But the sword you shall not have." + +"Within a very short time," said the damsel, "you shall repent it. I ask +the sword more on your account than mine, for I am sad for your sake. It +is a great pity that you will not believe that the sword will be your +destruction." + +Speaking thus the damsel departed from the court, sorrowing as she went. +As soon as the damsel had gone, Balin sent for his horse and his armor +and made ready to depart from the court. + +"Do not leave us so lightly," said King Arthur, "for though I have in +ignorance misused thee, I know now that thou art a noble knight, and if +thou wilt stay, I will advance thee much to thy liking." + +"God bless your highness," said Balin. "Though no man may ever value +your kindness and bounty more, yet at the present time I must thank you +for your kindness and beseech your good grace." + +"If you must go," said Arthur, "I pray you not to tarry long, for right +welcome will you be on your return, and then I shall take pains to make +right what I did amiss before." + +"God reward your lordship," said Balin, as he made ready to depart. + +Ere he could leave, however, there came riding into the court the Lady +of the Lake, from whom King Arthur had received his sword. She was +richly clothed, and as she entered she saluted Arthur royally and said, +"I come now to ask the gift you promised me when I gave you the sword." + +"That is right," said Arthur; "a gift I certainly promised you, but I +have forgotten the name of the sword you gave me." + +"The name of the sword is Excalibur. That is to say, 'Cut Steel.'" + +"That is right," said the king. "Now ask what you will and you shall +have it if it lies in my power to give it." + +"I ask," returned the Lady, "the head of the knight that to-day has won +the other sword, or else the head of the damsel who brought the sword. +By right I should have the heads of both, for he slew my brother, a good +and true knight, and that woman caused my father's death." + +"Indeed," said Arthur, "I cannot grant such a request as that with any +justice to myself. Therefore, ask what else you will and I will grant +it." + +"I want nothing else," said the Lady; "I will ask no other thing." + +Now when Balin was leaving the court he saw this Lady of the Lake. Three +years before she had slain Balin's mother, and all this time he had been +searching for the wicked woman. Then some one told him that she had +asked his head of Arthur. + +On hearing this, Balin went straight to the woman and said, "It is +unlucky for you that I have found you to-day. You asked my head of King +Arthur, and therefore you shall lose yours." + +With these words Balin drew his sword, and before any one could +interfere struck off her head, even before the face of King Arthur. + +"Alas," said Arthur, "why have you done this deed? You have shamed me +and all my court, for this was a lady to whom I was indebted, and she +came here under my safe conduct. I shall never forgive you this vile +deed." + +"Sire," said Balin, "withdraw your displeasure, for this same lady was +the falsest lady living, and by enchantment and sorcery she has +destroyed many good knights. She it was who through falsehood and +treachery caused my mother to be burned." + +"No matter what cause you had," replied the king, "you should have +waited till she left my presence. You shall certainly repent this deed, +for such another insult I never had in my court. Therefore, withdraw +from my presence with all the haste you may." + +Balin took up the head of the Lady and carried it to his hostelry, where +he met his squire. + +"Now," said Balin, as the two rode out of the town, "much I regret to +have displeased King Arthur. You must, however, take this head and carry +it to my friends in Northumberland, and tell them that my most bitter +enemy is dead. Tell them, too, that I am out of prison, and how I came +to get this sword." + +"Alas," said the squire, "you were greatly to blame for so displeasing +King Arthur." + +"As for that," said Balin, "I will go with all the haste I can to meet +King Rience that I may destroy him or die myself. If perchance I may +happen to overthrow him, then Arthur will forgive me and be my gracious +lord." + +"Where shall I meet you?" said the squire. + +"In King Arthur's court," answered Balin. + +When Balin left King Arthur's court, Lanceor, a proud and arrogant +knight who counted himself the best of Arthur's followers, went and +offered to ride after Balin and bring him back dead or alive. + +"Go," said King Arthur, "for I am wroth with Balin and would have +revenge for the insult he has shown me." + +So Lanceor departed to arm himself, and in the meantime, Merlin arrived, +and hearing of the death of the Lady of the Lake, by the sword of Balin, +went in to King Arthur. + +"Now," said Merlin, "you should know that this damsel who brought the +sword to the court is the falsest woman living. She has a brother whom +she hates beyond measure, and it was to compass his death that she came +hither, for it had been decreed that whoso drew the sword should slay +her brother. This I know to be true. Would to God she had never come to +this court, for the knight that drew the sword shall die by that sword, +and this shall be a great reproach to you and your court; for no man +liveth of greater ability and prowess than this same knight Balin, and +much good will he do you. It is a great pity he may not live to serve +you with his strength and hardiness." + +In the meantime Lanceor, armed at all points, rode at full speed after +Balin, and when he caught sight of him he called in a loud voice, "Stop, +you false knight, for you shall return with me whether you will or not, +and your shield and your sword shall not help you." + +When Balin heard the voice he turned his horse fiercely and said, "What +is it you will with me? Will you joust with me?" + +"Yes," said the Irish knight. "For that reason have I followed you." + +"Perchance," said Balin, "it would have been better if you had remained +at home, for many a man who strives to overthrow his enemy falls himself +in the struggle. From what court do you come?" + +"I am from the court of King Arthur," said Lanceor, "and I came to seek +revenge for the insult you showed Arthur and his court this day." + +"I see," said Balin, "that I must fight with you, but I much regret that +I have done wrong before King Arthur and his court. Your quarrel with me +is foolish, for the lady that I slew did me, through falsehood and +treachery, the greatest harm on earth, else would I have been as loath +as any knight that lives to slay a lady." + +"Cease talking," said Lanceor, "and face me, for only one of us shall +remain alive." + +Then they levelled their spears and clashed together as hard as their +horses could. The spear of the Irish knight struck Balin on the shield +and broke all in pieces, but Balin's spear pierced the shield of +Lanceor, passed through his hauberk and body and even into his horse, so +that Lanceor fell, a dead man. + +Regretting much that he had slain one of Arthur's knights, Balin buried +Lanceor and proceeded on his way. + +He had not ridden far into the forest when he saw a knight coming +towards him whom by his arms he recognized as his brother Balan. When +they met they dismounted and kissed each other and wept for pure joy. + +When they had calmed themselves a little, Balan said, "I had no thought +of meeting you here; I had supposed you were still in prison, for a +knight that I met at the castle of Four Stones told me how you had been +imprisoned by the king. I came this way hoping to serve you." + +Balin in reply told him of his adventures until the time they met, and +added, "Truly I am very sad that King Arthur is displeased with me, for +he is the most worshipful knight that reigneth on this earth. Now I mean +to regain his love or perish in the attempt. King Rience is even now +besieging the Castle Terrabil, and thither do I ride to see what I can +do against him." + +"I will go with you," said Balan, "and we will help each other as true +knights and good brethren ought to do." + +As they talked they saw coming toward them a misshapen old man. This was +Merlin in a strange disguise, though the brothers did not know him. + +"Ah, Balin," said the old dwarf, "too ready are you to strike in anger, +for here you have slain one of the noblest knights of Arthur's court, +and his kinsmen will follow you through the world till they have slain +you." + +"As for that," said Balin, "I have little fear, but I regret beyond +words that I have displeased my lord, King Arthur." + +"Be that as it may," answered Merlin, "you have given the saddest blow +ever struck; and yet worse is to come, for with that same sword will you +slay your brother." + +"If I believed that," the sad knight replied, "I should kill myself now +to prove you a liar." + +At that moment the crippled old man vanished suddenly, and the brothers +saw Merlin in his own person riding toward them. + +"Where are you going?" inquired Merlin. + +"At present we have little to do and ride as we please." + +"I can tell you where you are going," said the magician. "You go to meet +King Rience, but your journey will be a failure unless you are guided by +my counsel." + +"Ah, Merlin," said Balin, "we will be ruled by you." + +"Come on then; but see that you fight manfully, for you will need all +your strength and valor." + +"Fear not," they both exclaimed. "We will do all that men can do." + +"Then," said the magician, "conceal yourselves here in the woods behind +the leaves. Hide your horses and rest in patience, for soon will Rience +with sixty of his best knights come this way. You can fall upon them +from ambush and easily destroy them." + +It happened just as Merlin had predicted, and the brothers soon saw the +sixty knights riding down the lane. + +"Which is Rience?" asked Balin. + +"There," said he, "the knight that rides in the midst--that is Rience." + +The brothers waited till Rience was opposite them, and then they rushed +upon him and bore him down, wounding him severely. Wheeling from the +charge they fell upon the followers of Rience and smote them to right +and left, so that many fell dead or wounded and the remainder broke into +flight. + +Returning to King Rience the brothers would have killed him, but he +cried, "Slay me not. By my death you will win nothing, but by my life +you may win." + +"That is so," the two agreed: and they made a litter, and Balan bore +Rience to King Arthur, but Balin would not go to the court till he had +done more for Arthur. + +The tale of Balin's deeds is too long for recital here, but it may be +read in the book of King Arthur's knights. At last, after many days of +wandering and many exciting combats, Balin saw by the roadside a cross +upon which in letters of gold was written, "No man must ride to this +castle alone." + +Then, too, an old man came toward him and said, "Balin le Savage, turn +now before it is too late. You have already passed the bounds of +prudence." With these words the old man vanished, and Balin heard the +blast of a horn, like that blown when a huntsman kills an animal. + +"That blast," said Balin to himself, "is for me, for I am the prize, yet +am I not dead." + +As the echoes of the horn died away, Balin saw coming toward him a +hundred knights and ladies: who rode up to him and smilingly greeted +him. + +"Come with us to the castle," said they, "and there shall be music and +dancing and feasting and much joy." + +Balin followed them to the castle and was surprised at the good cheer +that awaited him. In the midst of the feast, when joy was at its height, +the chief lady of the feast looked at Balin and said, "Knight with the +two swords, no man may pass this way unless he fight with a knight who +keeps an island near by. Now must you joust with him." + +"That is an unhappy custom," said Balin, "that a knight may not pass +this way unless he fight." + +"You need to fight with but one man," said the lady. + +"Well," said Balin, "if I must fight, then must I fight, but a traveling +man and his horse are oft-times weary. However, though my horse and my +body are weary, my heart is not weary, and I will go where danger awaits +me." + +"Sir," said one of the knights to Balin, "it seems to me that your +shield is not in good condition. Take mine; it is a larger one, and you +are quite welcome to it." + +So Balin took the strange shield and left his own, with his arms +blazoned on it, at the castle, and rode forth to the island. On his way +he met a maid who called to him, "O Balin, why have you left your own +shield behind? You have now put yourself in the gravest danger, for by +the arms upon your shield all men might know you. It is a great pity, +indeed, that evil should befall you, for you are the peer of any knight +now living." + +"I repent exceedingly," said Balin, "that I ever came into this country, +but now that I have set foot upon this adventure I may not turn back +without shame to myself. Be it life or death, now will I take whatsoever +God willeth." + +Then he looked carefully at his armor and saw that it was all in good +condition and that his shield and spear were in good trim, and then, +blessing himself, he mounted his horse. Out of the castle there now came +riding toward him a knight on a powerful charger. Red was the armor of +the knight, red his shield, without any arms or device, and red were the +trappings on his horse. Now this knight in red was Balan, and when he +saw coming toward him a knight with two swords he thought it must be his +brother Balin, but when he looked at the shield it was strange, and +thus, neither brother knowing the other, they levelled their spears and +dashed together at full speed. + +The spear of each struck fair in the center of the shield of the other, +and their spears were so strong and their charge so fierce that both +horses were thrown to the ground and the men lay on the ground +unconscious. Balin was sadly bruised by the fall of his horse, and +besides he was weary of travel, so that Balan was the first to get up +and draw his sword. Balin, however, was little behind him, and was ready +with his weapon to meet the onset. Balan was first to strike, and though +Balin put up his shield the sword passed through it and cut through his +helm. Balin returned the blow with that unhappy sword that carried so +much misery with it, and well-nigh killed his brother, but both +recovered themselves and fought together, charging back and forth until +their breath failed them. + +As they rested for a moment Balin looked up to the castle walls and saw +that the towers were filled with ladies. Inspired by the sight, both +went into battle again, and both were wounded many times. Often they +rested and often renewed the combat, until the ground around them was +red with blood. Both had been wounded seven times or more, and each +wound so serious that it would have been the death of any less mighty +man. Both were weary and weak from their exertions, but still they +fought on. Their helmets were hewed off and their armor fell to pieces +till they were almost naked and defenseless. + +At last Balan withdrew a little and lay down in utter exhaustion. + +"What knight art thou?" said Balin le Savage. "Never have I found a +knight that so well matched me." + +"My name," he said, "is Balan, brother of the great knight Balin." + +"Alas," said Balin, "that ever I should see this day." And with these +words he fell back unconscious. + +Balan, on his hands and knees, crept to his brother and took the helm +from off his head, but even then he did not know him, so bloody and +wounded was his face. + +When a few minutes later Balin recovered consciousness, he cried, "Oh +Balan, my brother, thou hast slain me and I thee. On this account all +the world shall speak of us." + +"Alas," said Balan, "that I ever saw this day, and shame on me that I +knew you not, for I saw your two swords; but because you had a strange +shield I thought you were some strange knight." + +"There is a false knight in the castle," said Balin, "that got me to +leave my own shield and gave me his, and for this reason are we both to +die. Would that I might live to destroy the castle and prevent the foul +customs that pertain here." + +"That, indeed, were the right thing to do," said Balan, "for on the day +that I came hither I happened to kill the knight that kept the island, +and since then never have I been able to depart but have been compelled +to keep this island against all comers. If you had slain me, then must +you have kept the island, for no man may leave because of an +enchantment." + +[Illustration: THE FIGHT] + +While they were still talking, the chief lady of the castle, with four +knights and six ladies and six yeomen, came to them and listened to +their complaining. + +"We are two brothers," said they, "born from one mother, and in one +grave must we lie, so we pray you to bury us here where the battle was +fought." + +Weeping at the sad spectacle the lady granted their request and promised +that they should be interred with great ceremonies. + +"Now," said Balin, "will you send us a priest that we may receive our +sacrament, the blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ?" + +"Yes," said the lady, "I will send at once." + +When the priest had come and administered the last rite, Balin said, +"When we are buried in a single tomb, and when the inscription upon it +reads that two brothers in ignorance slew each other, then will every +good knight who comes this way see our tomb and pray for the peace of +our souls." + +Amidst the weeping of the ladies and the gentlewomen there, Balan died, +but Balin lingered on until after midnight. The lady kept her promise +and buried both in one tomb, and placed before it the inscription: + + HERE LIE TWO BRETHREN, + EACH SLAIN BY + HIS BROTHER'S HAND. + +She knew not their names, but in the morning Merlin came that way, and +in letters of gold wrote on the tomb, "Here lieth Balin le Savage, the +knight with two swords, and Balan his brother." Then Merlin took the +famous sword, unfastened the pommel, and offered the sword to a knight +to try; but the knight could not handle it, and Merlin laughed in his +face. + +"Why do you laugh?" said the knight, angrily. + +"For this reason," said Merlin. "No man shall ever handle this sword +except Sir Launcelot or else Galahad, his son." + +All this Merlin wrote in letters of gold on the pommel of the sword. The +scabbard of Balin's sword he left on the side of the island where Sir +Galahad would find it. + + + + +GERAINT AND ENID[1] + +[Footnote 1: Tennyson, in his collection of poems known as the _Idyls of +the King_ worked up in beautiful form many of the legends which had +grown up around the names of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round +Table _Geraint and Enid_ is one of the most popular of these.] + +_By_ ALFRED TENNYSON + + +[Illustration: ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON 1809-1892] + + + I + + The brave Geraint, a knight of Arthur's court, + A tributary prince of Devon, one + Of that great order of the Table Round, + Had married Enid, Yniol's only child, + And loved her, as he loved the light of Heaven. + And as the light of Heaven varies, now + At sunrise, now at sunset, now by night + With moon and trembling stars, so loved Geraint + To make her beauty vary day by day, + In crimsons and in purples and in gems. + And Enid, but to please her husband's eye, + Who first had found and loved her in a state + Of broken fortunes, daily fronted him + In some fresh splendor; and the Queen herself, + Loved her, and often with her own white hands + Array'd and deck'd her, as the loveliest, + Next after her own self, in all the court. + And Enid loved the Queen, and with true heart + Adored her, as the stateliest and the best + And loveliest of all women upon earth. + At last, forsooth, because his princedom lay + Close on the borders of a territory, + Wherein were bandit earls, and caitiff knights, + Assassins, and all flyers from the hand + Of Justice, and whatever loathes a law: + He craved a fair permission to depart, + And there defend his marches; and the King + Mused for a little on his plea, but, last, + Allowing it, the Prince and Enid rode, + And fifty knights rode with them, to the shores + Of Severn, and they past to their own land; + Where, thinking, that if ever yet was wife + True to her lord, mine shall be so to me, + He compass'd her with sweet observances + And worship, never leaving her, and grew + Forgetful of his promise to the King, + Forgetful of the falcon and the hunt, + Forgetful of the tilt and tournament, + Forgetful of his glory and his name, + Forgetful of his princedom and its cares. + And this forgetfulness was hateful to her. + And by and by the people, when they met + In twos and threes, or fuller companies, + Began to scoff and jeer and babble of him + As of a prince whose manhood was all gone, + And molten down in mere uxoriousness. + And this she gather'd from the people's eyes: + This too the women who attired her head, + To please her, dwelling on his boundless love, + Told Enid, and they sadden'd her the more: + And day by day she thought to tell Geraint, + But could not out of bashful delicacy; + While he that watch'd her sadden, was the more + Suspicious that her nature had a taint. + + At last, it chanced that on a summer morn + (They sleeping each by either) the new sun + Beat thro the blindless casement of the room, + And heated the strong warrior in his dreams; + Who, moving, cast the coverlet aside, + And bared the knotted column of his throat, + The massive square of his heroic breast, + And arms on which the standing muscle sloped, + As slopes a wild brook o'er a little stone, + Running too vehemently to break upon it. + And Enid woke and sat beside the couch, + Admiring him, and thought within herself, + Was ever man so grandly made as he? + Then, like a shadow, past the people's talk + And accusation of uxoriousness + Across her mind, and bowing over him, + Low to her own heart piteously she said: + + "O noble breast and all-puissant arms, + Am I the cause, I the poor cause that men + Reproach you, saying all your force is gone? + I _am_ the cause, because I dare not speak + And tell him what I think and what they say. + And yet I hate that he should linger here; + I cannot love my lord and not his name. + Far liefer had I gird his harness on him, + And ride with him to battle and stand by, + And watch his mightful hand striking great blows + At caitiffs and at wrongers of the world. + Far better were I laid in the dark earth, + Not hearing any more his noble voice, + Not to be folded more in these dear arms, + And darken'd from the high light in his eyes, + Than that my lord thro' me should suffer shame. + Am I so bold, and could I so stand by, + And see my dear lord wounded in the strife, + Or maybe pierced to death before mine eyes, + And yet not dare to tell him what I think, + And how men slur him, saying all his force + Is melted into mere effeminacy? + O me, I fear that I am no true wife." + + Half inwardly, half audibly she spoke, + And the strong passion in her made her weep + True tears upon his broad and naked breast, + And these awoke him, and by great mischance + He heard but fragments of her later words, + And that she fear'd she was not a true wife. + And then he thought, "In spite of all my care, + For all my pains, poor man, for all my pains, + She is not faithful to me, and I see her + Weeping for some gay knight in Arthur's hall." + Right thro' his manful breast darted the pang + That makes a man, in the sweet face of her + Whom he loves most, lonely and miserable. + At this he hurl'd his huge limbs out of bed, + And shook his drowsy squire awake and cried, + "My charger and her palfrey;" then to her + "I will ride forth into the wilderness, + For tho' it seems my spurs are yet to win, + I have not fall'n so low as some would wish. + And thou, put on thy worst and meanest dress + And ride with me." And Enid ask'd, amazed, + "If Enid errs, let Enid learn her fault." + But he, "I charge thee, ask not, but obey." + + Then she bethought her of a faded silk, + A faded mantle and a faded veil, + And moving toward a cedarn cabinet, + Wherein she kept them folded reverently + With sprigs of summer laid between the folds, + She took them, and array'd herself therein, + Remembering when first he came on her + Drest in that dress, and how he loved her in it, + And all her foolish fears about the dress, + And all his journey to her, as himself + Had told her, and their coming to the court. + + For Arthur on the Whitsuntide before + Held court at old Caerleon upon Usk. + There on a day, he sitting high in hall, + Before him came a forester of Dean, + Wet from the woods, with notice of a hart + Taller than all his fellows, milky-white, + First seen that day: these things he told the King. + Then the good King gave order to let blow + His horns for hunting on the morrow morn. + And when the Queen petition'd for his leave + To see the hunt, allow'd it easily. + So with the morning all the court were gone. + But Guinevere lay late into the morn, + But rose at last, a single maiden with her, + Took horse, and forded Usk, and gain'd the wood; + There, on a little knoll beside it, stay'd + Waiting to hear the hounds; but heard instead + A sudden sound of hoofs, for Prince Geraint, + Late also, wearing neither hunting-dress + Nor weapon, save a golden-hilted brand, + Came quickly flashing thro' the shallow ford + Behind them, and so gallop'd up the knoll. + + A purple scarf, at either end whereof + There swung an apple of the purest gold, + Sway'd round about him, as he gallop'd up + To join them, glancing like a dragon-fly + In summer suit and silks of holiday. + Low bow'd the tributary Prince, and she, + Sweetly and statelily, and with all grace + Of womanhood and queenhood, answer'd him: + "Late, late, Sir Prince," she said, "later than we!" + "Yea, noble Queen," he answer'd, "and so late + That I but come like you to see the hunt, + Not join it." "Therefore wait with me," she said; + "For on this little knoll, if anywhere, + There is good chance that we shall hear the hounds: + Here often they break covert at our feet." + And while they listen'd for the distant hunt, + And chiefly for the baying of Cavall, + King Arthur's hound of deepest mouth, there rode + Full slowly by a knight, lady, and dwarf; + Whereof the dwarf lagg'd latest, and the knight + Had vizor up, and show'd a youthful face, + Imperious and of haughtiest lineaments. + And Guinevere, not mindful of his face + In the King's hall, desired his name, and sent + Her maiden to demand it of the dwarf; + Who being vicious, old and irritable, + And doubling all his master's vice of pride, + Made answer sharply that she should not know. + "Then will I ask it of himself," she said. + "Nay, by my faith, thou shalt not," cried the dwarf; + "Thou art not worthy ev'n to speak of him;" + And when she put her horse toward the knight, + Struck at her with his whip, and she return'd + Indignant to the Queen; whereat Geraint + Exclaiming, "Surely I will learn the name," + Made sharply to the dwarf, and ask'd it of him, + Who answer'd as before; and when the Prince + Had put his horse in motion toward the knight, + Struck at him with his whip, and cut his cheek. + The Prince's blood spurted upon the scarf, + Dyeing it; and his quick, instinctive hand + Caught at the hilt, as to abolish him: + But he, from his exceeding manfulness + And pure nobility of temperament, + Wroth to be wroth at such a worm, refrain'd + From ev'n a word, and so returning said: + + "I will avenge this insult, noble Queen, + Done in your maiden's person to yourself: + And I will track this vermin to their earths; + For tho' I ride unarm'd, I do not doubt + To find, at some place I shall come at, arms + On loan, or else for pledge; and, being found, + Then will I fight him, and will break his pride, + And on the third day will again be here, + So that I be not fall'n in fight. Farewell." + + "Farewell, fair Prince," answer'd the stately Queen. + "Be prosperous in this journey, as in all; + And may you light on all things that you love, + And live to wed with her whom first you love: + But ere you wed with any, bring your bride, + And I, were she the daughter of a king, + Yea, tho' she were a beggar from the hedge, + Will clothe her for her bridals like the sun." + + Geraint, now thinking that he heard + [Transcriber's note: Illegible]t at bay, now the far horn, + A little vext at losing of the hunt, + A little at the vile occasion, rode, + By ups and downs, thro' many a grassy glade + And valley, with fixt eye following the three. + At last they issued from the world of wood, + And climb'd upon a fair and even ridge, + And show'd themselves against the sky, and sank. + And thither came Geraint, and underneath + Beheld the long street of a little town + In a long valley, on one side whereof, + White from the mason's hand, a fortress rose; + And on one side a castle in decay, + Beyond a bridge that spann'd a dry ravine: + And out of town and valley came a noise + As of a broad brook o'er a shingly bed + Brawling, or like a clamor of the rooks + At distance, ere they settle for the night. + + And onward to the fortress rode the three, + And enter'd, and were lost behind the walls. + "So," thought Geraint, "I have track'd him to his earth." + And down the long street riding wearily, + Found every hostel full, and everywhere + Was hammer laid to hoof, and the hot hiss + And bustling whistle of the youth who scour'd + His master's armor; and of such a one + He ask'd, "What means the tumult in the town?" + Who told him, scouring still, "The sparrow-hawk!" + Then riding close behind an ancient churl, + Who, smitten by the dusty sloping beam, + Went sweating underneath a sack of corn, + Ask'd yet once more what meant the hubbub here? + Who answer'd gruffly, "Ugh! the sparrow-hawk." + + Then riding further past an armorer's, + Who, with back turn'd, and bow'd above his work, + Sat riveting a helmet on his knee, + He put the self-same query, but the man + Not turning round, nor looking at him, said: + "Friend, he that labors for the sparrow-hawk + Has little time for idle questioners." + Whereat Geraint flash'd into sudden spleen: + "A thousand pips eat up your sparrow-hawk! + Tits, wrens, and all wing'd nothings peck him dead! + Ye think the rustic cackle of your bourg + The murmur of the world! What is it to me? + O wretched set of sparrows, one and all, + Who pipe of nothing but of sparrow-hawks! + Speak, if ye be not like the rest, hawk-mad, + Where can I get me harborage for the night? + And arms, arms, arms to fight the enemy? Speak!" + Whereat the armorer turning all amazed + And seeing one so gay in purple silks, + Came forward with the helmet yet in hand + And answer'd, "Pardon me, O stranger knight; + We hold a tourney here to-morrow morn, + And there is scantly time for half the work. + Arms? truth! I know not: all are wanted here. + Harborage? truth, good truth, I know not, save, + It may be, at Earl Yniol's, o'er the bridge + Yonder." He spoke and fell to work again. + + Then rode Geraint, a little spleenful yet, + Across the bridge that spann'd the dry ravine. + There musing sat the hoary-headed Earl, + (His dress a suit of fray'd magnificence, + Once fit for feasts of ceremony) and said: + "Whither, fair son?" to whom Geraint replied, + "O friend, I seek a harborage for the night." + Then Yniol, "Enter therefore and partake + The slender entertainment of a house + Once rich, now poor, but ever open-door'd." + "Thanks, venerable friend," replied Geraint; + "So that you do not serve me sparrow-hawks + For supper, I will enter, I will eat + With all the passion of a twelve hours' fast." + Then sigh'd and smiled the hoary-headed Earl, + And answer'd, "Graver cause than yours is mine + To curse this hedgerow thief, the sparrow-hawk: + But in, go in; for save yourself desire it, + We will not touch upon him ev'n in jest." + + Then rode Geraint into the castle court, + His charger trampling many a prickly star + Of sprouted thistle on the broken stones. + He look'd and saw that all was ruinous. + Here stood a shatter'd archway plumed with fern; + And here had fall'n a great part of a tower, + Whole, like a crag that tumbles from the cliff, + And like a crag was gay with wilding flowers: + And high above a piece of turret stair, + Worn by the feet that now were silent, wound + Bare to the sun, and monstrous ivy-stems + Claspt the gray walls with hairy-fibred arms, + And suck'd the joining of the stones, and look'd + A knot, beneath, of snakes, aloft, a grove. + + And while he waited in the castle court, + The voice of Enid, Yniol's daughter, rang + Clear thro' the open casement of the hall, + Singing; and as the sweet voice of a bird, + Heard by the lander in a lonely isle, + Moves him to think what kind of bird it is + That sings so delicately clear, and make + Conjecture of the plumage and the form; + So the sweet voice of Enid moved Geraint; + And made him like a man abroad at morn + When first the liquid note beloved of men + Comes flying over many a windy wave + To Britain, and in April suddenly + Breaks from a coppice gemm'd with green and red, + And he suspends his converse with a friend, + Or it may be the labor of his hands, + To think or say, "There is the nightingale;" + So fared it with Geraint, who thought and said, + "Here, by God's grace, is the one voice for me." + + It chanced the song that Enid sang was one + Of Fortune and her wheel, and Enid sang: + + "Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel and lower the proud; + Turn thy wild wheel thro' sunshine, storm, and cloud; + Thy wheel and thee we neither love nor hate. + + "Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel with smile or frown; + With that wild wheel we go not up or down; + Our hoard is little, but our hearts are great. + + "Smile and we smile, the lords of many lands; + Frown and we smile, the lords of our own hands; + For man is man and master of his fate. + + "Turn, turn thy wheel above the staring crowd; + Thy wheel and thou are shadows in the cloud; + Thy wheel and thee we neither love nor hate." + +[Illustration: GERAINT HEARS ENID SINGING] + + "Hark, by the bird's song ye may learn the nest," + Said Yniol; "enter quickly." Entering then, + Right o'er a mount of newly-fallen stones, + The dusky-rafter'd many-cobweb'd hall, + He found an ancient dame in dim brocade; + And near her, like a blossom vermeil-white,[2] + That lightly breaks a faded flower-sheath, + Moved the fair Enid, all in faded silk, + Her daughter. In a moment thought Geraint, + "Here by God's rood is the one maid for me." + But none spake word except the hoary Earl: + "Enid, the good knight's horse stands in the court; + Take him to stall, and give him corn, and then + Go to the town and buy us flesh and wine; + And we will make us merry as we may. + Our hoard is little, but our hearts are great." + +[Footnote 2: _Vermeil-white_ means _red and white_, or _reddish white_.] + + He spake: the Prince, as Enid past him, fain + To follow, strode a stride, but Yniol caught + His purple scarf, and held, and said, "Forbear! + Rest! the good house, tho' ruin'd, O my son, + Endures not that her guest should serve himself." + And reverencing the custom of the house + Geraint, from utter courtesy, forbore. + + So Enid took his charger to the stall; + And after went her way across the bridge, + And reach'd the town, and while the Prince and Earl + Yet spoke together, came again with one, + A youth, that following with a costrel[3] bore + +[Footnote 3: A _costrel_ was a leather, wooden or earthenware bottle, +provided with ears, by which it might be hung at the side.] + + The means of goodly welcome, flesh and wine. + And Enid brought sweet cakes to make them cheer, + And in her veil unfolded, manchet[4] bread. + +[Footnote 4: _Manchet bread_ is fine white bread.] + + And then, because their hall must also serve + For kitchen, boil'd the flesh, and spread the board, + And stood behind, and waited on the three. + And seeing her so sweet and serviceable, + Geraint had longing in him evermore + To stoop and kiss the tender little thumb, + That crost the trencher as she laid it down: + But after all had eaten, then Geraint, + For now the wine made summer in his veins, + Let his eye rove in following, or rest + On Enid at her lowly handmaid-work, + Now here, now there, about the dusky hall; + Then suddenly addrest the hoary Earl: + + "Fair Host and Earl, I pray your courtesy; + This sparrow-hawk, what is he? tell me of him. + His name? but no, good faith, I will not have it: + For if he be the knight whom late I saw + Ride into that new fortress by your town, + White from the mason's hand, then have I sworn + From his own lips to have it--I am Geraint + Of Devon--for this morning when the Queen + Sent her own maiden to demand the name, + His dwarf, a vicious under-shapen thing, + Struck at her with his whip, and she return'd + Indignant to the Queen; and then I swore + That I would track this caitiff to his hold, + And fight and break his pride, and have it of him. + And all unarm'd I rode, and thought to find + Arms in your town, where all the men are mad; + They take the rustic murmur of their bourg + For the great wave that echoes round the world; + They would not hear me speak: but if ye know + Where I can light on arms, or if yourself + Should have them, tell me, seeing I have sworn + That I will break his pride and learn his name, + Avenging this great insult done the Queen." + + Then cried Earl Yniol, "Art thou he indeed, + Geraint, a name far-sounded among men + For noble deeds? and truly I, when first + I saw you moving by me on the bridge, + Felt ye were somewhat, yea, and by your state + And presence might have guess'd you one of those + That eat in Arthur's hall at Camelot. + Nor speak I now from foolish flattery; + For this dear child hath often heard me praise + Your feats of arms, and often when I paused + Hath ask'd again, and ever loved to hear; + So grateful is the noise of noble deeds + To noble hearts who see but acts of wrong: + O never yet had woman such a pair + Of suitors as this maiden; first Limours, + A creature wholly given to brawls and wine, + Drunk even when he woo'd; and be he dead + I know not, but he passed to the wild land. + The second was your foe, the sparrow-hawk, + My curse, my nephew--I will not let his name + Slip from my lips if I can help it--he, + When I that knew him fierce and turbulent + Refused her to him, then his pride awoke; + And since the proud man often is the mean, + He sow'd a slander in the common ear, + Affirming that his father left him gold, + And in my charge, which was not render'd to him; + Bribed with large promises the men who served + About my person, the more easily + Because my means were somewhat broken into + Thro' open doors and hospitality; + Raised my own town against me in the night + Before my Enid's birthday, sack'd my house; + From mine own earldom foully ousted me; + Built that new fort to overawe my friends, + For truly there are those who love me yet; + And keeps me in this ruinous castle here, + Where doubtless he would put me soon to death, + But that his pride too much despises me: + And I myself sometimes despise myself; + For I have let men be, and have their way; + Am much too gentle, have not used my power: + Nor know I whether I be very base + Or very manful, whether very wise + Or very foolish; only this I know, + That whatsoever evil happen to me, + I seem to suffer nothing heart or limb, + But can endure it all most patiently." + + "Well said, true heart," replied Geraint, "but arms, + That if the sparrow-hawk, this nephew, fight + In next day's tourney I may break his pride." + + And Yniol answer'd, "Arms, indeed, but old + And rusty, old and rusty, Prince Geraint, + Are mine, and therefore at thine asking, thine. + But in this tournament can no man tilt, + Except the lady he loves best be there. + Two forks are fixt into the meadow ground, + And over these is placed a silver wand. + And over that a golden sparrow-hawk, + The prize of beauty for the fairest there. + And this what knight soever be in field + Lays claim to for the lady at his side, + And tilts with my good nephew thereupon, + Who being apt at arms and big of bone + Has ever won it for the lady with him, + And toppling over all antagonism + Has earn'd himself the name of sparrow-hawk. + But thou, that hast no lady, canst not fight." + + To whom Geraint with eyes all bright replied, + Leaning a little toward him, "Thy leave! + Let _me_ lay lance in rest, O noble host, + For this dear child, because I never saw, + Tho' having seen all beauties of our time, + Nor can see elsewhere, anything so fair. + And if I fall her name will yet remain + Untarnish'd as before; but if I live, + So aid me Heaven when at mine uttermost, + As I will make her truly my true wife." + + Then, howsoever patient, Yniol's heart + Danced in his bosom, seeing better days, + And looking round he saw not Enid there, + (Who hearing her own name had stol'n away) + But that old dame, to whom full tenderly + And fondling all her hand in his he said, + "Mother, a maiden is a tender thing, + And best by her that bore her understood. + Go thou to rest, but ere thou go to rest + Tell her, and prove her heart toward the Prince." + + So spake the kindly-hearted Earl, and she + With frequent smile and nod departing found, + Half disarray'd as to her rest, the girl; + Whom first she kiss'd on either cheek, and then + On either shining shoulder laid a hand, + And kept her off and gazed upon her face, + And told her all their converse in the hall, + Proving her heart: but never light and shade + Coursed one another more on open ground + Beneath a troubled heaven, than red and pale + Across the face of Enid hearing her; + While slowly falling as a scale that falls, + When weight is added only grain by grain, + Sank her sweet head upon her gentle breast; + Nor did she lift an eye nor speak a word, + Rapt in the fear and in the wonder of it; + So moving without answer to her rest + She found no rest, and ever fail'd to draw + The quiet night into her blood, but lay + Contemplating her own unworthiness; + And when the pale and bloodless east began + To quicken to the sun, arose, and raised + Her mother too, and hand in hand they moved + Down to the meadow where the; ousts were held, + And waited there for Yniol and Geraint. + + And thither came the twain, and when Geraint + Beheld her first in field, awaiting him, + He felt, were she the prize of bodily force, + Himself beyond the rest pushing could move + The chair of Idris. Yniol's rusted arms + Were on his princely person, but thro' these + Princelike his bearing shone; and errant knights + And ladies came, and by and by the town + Flow'd in, and settling circled all the lists. + And there they fixt the forks into the ground, + And over these they placed the silver wand, + And over that the golden sparrow-hawk + Then Yniol's nephew, after trumpet blown, + Spake to the lady with him and proclaim'd + "Advance and take as fairest of the fair. + For I these two years past have won it for thee, + The prize of beauty." Loudly spake the Prince, + "Forbear: there is a worthier," and the knight + With some surprise and thrice as much disdain + Turn'd, and beheld the four, and all his face + Glow'd like the heart of a great fire at Yule + So burnt he was with passion, crying out + "Do battle for it then," no more; and thrice + They clash'd together, and thrice they brake their spears. + Then each, dishorsed and drawing, lash'd at each + So often and with such blows, that all the crowd + Wonder'd, and now and then from distant walls + There came a clapping as of phantom hands. + So twice they fought, and twice they brathed, and still + The dew of their great labor, and the blood + Of their strong bodies, flowing, drain'd their force. + But either's force was match'd till Yniol's cry + "Remember that great insult done the Queen," + Increased Geraint's, who heaved his blade aloft, + And crack'd the helmet thro', and bit the bone + And fell'd him, and set foot upon his breast + And said, "Thy name?" To whom the fallen man + Made answer, groaning, "Edyrn, son of Nudd! + Ashamed am I that I should tell it them. + My pride is broken: men have seen my fall." + + "Then, Edyrn, son of Nudd," replied Geraint, + "These two things shalt thou do, or else thou diest. + First, thou thyself, with damsel and with dwarf, + Shalt ride to Arthur's court, and coming there, + Crave pardon for that insult done the Queen, + And shalt abide her judgment on it; next, + Thou shalt give back their earldom to thy kin. + These two things shalt thou do, or thou shalt die." + And Edyrn answered, "These things will I do, + For I have never yet been overthrown, + And thou hast overthrown me, and my pride + Is broken down, for Enid sees my fall!" + And rising up, he rode to Arthur's court, + And there the Queen forgave him easily. + And being young, he changed and came to loathe + His crime of traitor, slowly drew himself + Bright from his old dark life, and fell at last + In the great battle fighting for the King. + + But when the third day from the hunting-morn + Made a low splendor in the world, and wings + Moved in her ivy, Enid, for she lay + With her fair head in the dim-yellow light, + Among the dancing shadows of the birds, + Woke and bethought her of her promise given + No later than last eve to Prince Geraint-- + So bent he seem'd on going the third day, + He would not leave her, till her promise given-- + To ride with him this morning to the court, + And there be made known to the stately Queen, + And there be wedded with all ceremony. + At this she cast her eyes upon her dress, + And thought it never yet had look'd so mean. + For as a leaf in mid-November is + To what it was in mid-October, seem'd + The dress that now she look'd on to the dress + She look'd on ere the coming of Geraint. + And still she look'd, and still the terror grew + Of that strange, bright and dreadful thing, a court, + All staring at her in her faded silk: + And softly to her own sweet heart she said: + + "This noble prince who won our earldom back, + So splendid in his acts and his attire, + Sweet heaven, how much I shall discredit him! + Would he could tarry with us here awhile, + But being so beholden to the Prince, + It were but little grace in any of us, + Bent as he seem'd on going this third day, + To seek a second favor at his hands. + Yet if he could but tarry a day or two, + Myself would work eye dim, and finger lame, + Far liefer than so much discredit him." + + And Enid fell in longing for a dress + All branch'd and flower'd with gold, a costly gift + Of her good mother, given her on the night + Before her birthday, three sad years ago. + That night of fire, when Edyrn sack'd their house, + And scatter'd all they had to all the winds: + For while the mother show'd it, and the two + Were turning and admiring it, the work + To both appear'd so costly, rose a cry + That Edyrn's men were on them, and they fled + With little save the jewels they had on, + Which being sold and sold had bought them bread: + And Edyrn's men had caught them in their flight, + And placed them in this ruin; and she wish'd + The Prince had found her in her ancient home; + Then let her fancy flit across the past, + And roam the goodly places that she knew; + And last bethought her how she used to watch, + Near that old home, a pool of golden carp; + And one was patch'd and blurr'd and lustreless + Among his burnish'd brethren of the pool; + And half asleep she made comparison + Of that and these to her own faded self + And the gay court, and fell asleep again; + And dreamt herself was such a faded form + Among her burnish'd sisters of the pool; + But this was in the garden of a king; + And tho' she lay dark in the pool, she knew + That all was bright; that all about were birds + Of sunny plume in gilded trellis-work; + That all the turf was rich in plots that look'd + Each like a garnet or a turkis in it; + And lords and ladies of the high court went + In silver tissue talking things of state; + And children of the King in cloth of gold + Glanced at the doors or gambol'd down the walks; + And while she thought "They will not see me," came + A stately queen whose name was Guinevere, + And all the children in their cloth of gold + Ran to her, crying, "If we have fish at all + Let them be gold; and charge the gardeners now + To pick the faded creature from the pool, + And cast it on the mixen[5] that it die." + And therewithal one came and seized on her, + And Enid started waking, with her heart + All overshadow'd by the foolish dream, + And lo! it was her mother grasping her + To get her well awake; and in her hand + A suit of bright apparel, which she laid + Flat on the couch, and spoke exultingly: + +[Footnote 5: _Mixen_ is an old word for _dunghill_] + + "See here, my child, how fresh the colors look, + How fast they hold like colors of a shell + That keeps the wear and polish of the wave. + Why not? It never yet was worn, I trow: + Look on it, child, and tell me if ye know it." + + And Enid look'd, but all confused at first, + Could scarce divide it from her foolish dream: + Then suddenly she knew it and rejoiced, + And answer'd, "Yea, I know it; your good gift, + So sadly lost on that unhappy night; + Your own good gift!" "Yea, surely," said the dame, + "And gladly given again this happy morn. + For when the jousts were ended yesterday, + Went Yniol thro' the town, and everywhere + He found the sack and plunder of our house + All scatter'd thro' the houses of the town; + And gave command that all which once was ours + Should now be ours again; and yester-eve, + While ye were talking sweetly with your Prince, + Came one with this and laid it in my hand, + For love or fear, or seeking favor of us, + Because we have our earldom back again. + And yester-eve I would not tell you of it, + But kept it for a sweet surprise at morn. + Yea, truly is it not a sweet surprise? + For I myself unwillingly have worn + My faded suit, as you, my child, have yours, + And howsoever patient, Yniol his. + Ah, dear, he took me from a goodly house, + With store of rich apparel, sumptuous fare, + And page, and maid, and squire, and seneschal, + And pastime both of hawk and hound, and all + That appertains to noble maintenance. + Yea, and he brought me to a goodly house; + But since our fortune swerved from sun to shade, + And all thro' that young traitor, cruel need + Constrain'd us, but a better time has come; + So clothe yourself in this, that better fits + Our mended fortunes and a Prince's bride: + For tho' ye won the prize of fairest fair, + And tho' I heard him call you fairest fair, + Let never maiden think, however fair, + She is not fairer in new clothes than old. + And should some great court-lady say, the Prince + Hath pick'd a ragged-robin from the hedge, + And like a madman brought her to the court, + Then were ye shamed, and, worse, might shame the Prince + To whom we are beholden; but I know, + When my dear child is set forth at her best, + That neither court nor country, tho' they sought + Thro' all the provinces like those of old + That lighted on Queen Esther, has her match." + + Here ceased the kindly mother out of breath; + And Enid listen'd brightening as she lay; + Then, as the white and glittering star of morn + Parts from a bank of snow, and by and by + Slips into golden cloud, the maiden rose, + And left her maiden couch, and robed herself, + Help'd by the mother's careful hand and eye, + Without a mirror, in the gorgeous gown; + Who, after, turn'd her daughter round, and said, + She never yet had seen her half so fair. * * * + + + "And I can scarcely ride with you to court, + For old am I, and rough the ways and wild; + But Yniol goes, and I full oft shall dream + I see my princess as I see her now, + Clothed with my gift, and gay among the gay.'" + + But while the women thus rejoiced, Geraint + Woke where he slept in the high hall, and call'd + For Enid, and when Yniol made report + Of that good mother making Enid gay + In such apparel as might well beseem + His princess, or indeed the stately Queen, + He answer'd: "Earl, entreat her by my love, + Albeit I give no reason but my wish, + That she ride with me in her faded silk." + Yniol with that hard message went; it fell + Like flaws in summer laying lusty corn: + For Enid, all abash'd she knew not why, + Dared not to glance at her good mother's face, + But silently, in all obedience, + Her mother silent too, nor helping her, + Laid from her limbs the costly-broider'd gift, + And robed them in her ancient suit again, + And so descended. Never man rejoiced + More than Geraint to greet her thus attired; + And glancing all at once as keenly at her + As careful robins eye the delver's toil, + Made her cheek burn and either eyelid fall, + But rested with her sweet face satisfied; + Then seeing cloud upon the mother's brow, + Her by both hands he caught, and sweetly said, + + "O my new mother, be not wroth or grieved + At thy new son, for my petition to her. + When late I left Caerleon, our great Queen, + In words whose echo lasts, they were so sweet, + Made promise, that whatever bride I brought, + Herself would clothe her like the sun in Heaven. + Thereafter, when I reach'd this ruin'd hall, + Beholding one so bright in dark estate, + I vow'd that could I gain her, our fair Queen, + No hand but hers, should make your Enid burst + Sunlike from cloud--and likewise thought perhaps, + That service done so graciously would bind + The two together; fain I would the two + Should love each other: how can Enid find + A nobler friend? Another thought was mine; + I came among you here so suddenly, + That tho' her gentle presence at the lists + Might well have served for proof that I was loved, + I doubted whether daughter's tenderness, + Or easy nature, might not let itself + Be moulded by your wishes for her weal; + Or whether some false sense in her own self + Of my contrasting brightness, overbore + Her fancy dwelling in this dusky hall; + And such a sense might make her long for court + And all its perilous glories: and I thought, + That could I someway prove such force in her + Link'd with such love for me, that at a word + (No reason given her) she could cast aside + A splendor dear to women, new to her, + And therefore dearer; or if not so new, + Yet therefore tenfold dearer by the power + Of intermitted usage; then I felt + That I could rest, a rock in ebbs and flows, + Fixt on her faith. Now, therefore, I do rest, + A prophet certain of my prophecy, + That never shadow of mistrust can cross + Between us. Grant me pardon for my thoughts: + And for my strange petition I will make + Amends hereafter by some gaudy-day, + When your fair child shall wear your costly gift + Beside your own warm hearth, with, on her knees, + Who knows? another gift of the high God, + Which, maybe, shall have learn'd to lisp you thanks." + + He spoke: the mother smiled, but half in tears, + Then brought a mantle down and wrapt her in it, + And claspt and kiss'd her, and they rode away. + + Now thrice that morning Guinevere had climb'd + The giant tower, from whose high crest, they say, + Men saw the goodly hills of Somerset, + And white sails flying on the yellow sea; + But not to goodly hill or yellow sea + Look'd the fair Queen, but up the vale of Usk, + By the flat meadow, till she saw them come; + And then descending met them at the gates, + Embraced her with all welcome as a friend, + And did her honor as the Prince's bride, + And clothed her for her bridals like the sun; + And all that week was old Caerleon gay, + For by the hands of Dubric, the high saint, + They twain were wedded with all ceremony. + + And this was on the last year's Whitsuntide. + But Enid ever kept the faded silk, + Remembering how first he came on her, + Drest in that dress, and how he loved her in it, + And all her foolish fears about the dress, + all his journey toward her, as himself + Had told her, and their coming to the court. + + And now this morning when he said to her, + "Put on your worst and meanest dress," she found + And took it, and array'd herself therein. + + + + + II + + + O purblind race of miserable men, + How many among us at this very hour + Do forge a life-long trouble for ourselves, + By taking true for false, or false for true; + Here, thro' the feeble twilight of this world + Groping, how many, until we pass and reach + That other, where we see as we are seen! + + So fared it with Geraint, who issuing forth + That morning, when they both had got to horse, + Perhaps because he loved her passionately, + And felt that tempest brooding round his heart, + Which, if he spoke at all, would break perforce + Upon a head so dear in thunder, said: + "Not at my side. I charge thee ride before, + Ever a good way on before; and this + I charge thee, on thy duty as a wife, + Whatever happens, not to speak to me, + No, not a word!" and Enid was aghast; + And forth they rode, but scarce three paces on, + When crying out, "Effeminate as I am, + I will not fight my way with gilded arms + All shall be iron;" he loosed a mighty purse, + Hung at his belt, and hurl'd it toward the squire. + So the last sight that Enid had of home + Was all the marble threshold flashing, strown + With gold and scatter'd coinage, and the squire + Chafing his shoulder: then he cried again, + "To the wilds!" and Enid leading down the tracks + Thro' which he bade her lead him on, they past + The marches, and by bandit-haunted holds, + Gray swamps and pools, waste places of the hern, + And wildernesses, perilous paths, they rode: + Round was their pace at first, but slacken'd soon: + A stranger meeting them had surely thought + They rode so slowly and they look'd so pale, + That each had suffered some exceeding wrong. + For he was ever saying to himself, + "O I that wasted time to tend upon her, + To compass her with sweet observances, + To dress her beautifully and keep her true"-- + And there he broke the sentence in his heart + Abruptly, as a man upon his tongue + May break it, when his passion masters him, + And she was ever praying the sweet heavens + To save her dear lord whole from any wound. + And ever in her mind she cast about + For that unnoticed failing in herself, + Which made him look so cloudy and so cold; + Till the great plover's human whistle amazed + Her heart, and glancing round the waste she fear'd + In every wavering brake an ambuscade. + Then thought again, "If there be such in me, + I might amend it by the grace of Heaven, + If he would only speak and tell me of it." + + But when the fourth part of the day was gone, + Then Enid was aware of three tall knights + On horseback, wholly arm d, behind a rock + In shadow, waiting for them, caitiffs all; + And heard one crying to his fellow, "Look, + Here comes a laggard hanging down his head, + Who seems no bolder than a beaten hound; + Come, we will slay him and will have his horse + And armor, and his damsel shall be ours." + +[Illustration: ENID LEADS THE WAY] + + Then Enid ponder'd in her heart, and said: + "I will go back a little to my lord, + And I will tell him all their caitiff talk; + For, be he wroth even to slaying me, + Far liefer by his dear hand had I die, + Than that my lord should suffer loss or shame." + + Then she went back some paces of return, + Met his full frown timidly firm, and said: + "My lord, I saw three bandits by the rock + Waiting to fall on you, and heard them boast + That they would slay you, and possess your horse + And armor, and your damsel should be theirs." + + He made a wrathful answer: "Did I wish + Your warning or your silence? one command + I laid upon you, not to speak to me, + And thus ye keep it! Well then, look--for now, + Whether ye wish me victory or defeat, + Long for my life, or hunger for my death, + Yourself shall see my vigor is not lost." + + Then Enid waited pale and sorrowful, + And down upon him bare the bandit three. + And at the midmost charging, Prince Geraint + Drave the long spear a cubit thro' his breast + And out beyond; and then against his brace + Of comrades, each of whom had broken on him + A lance that splinter'd like an icicle, + Swung from his brand a windy buffet out + Once, twice, to right, to left, and stunn'd the twain + Or slew them, and dismounting like a man + That skins the wild beast after slaying him, + Stript from the three dead wolves of woman born + The three gay suits of armor which they wore, + And let the bodies lie, but bound the suits + Of armor on their horses, each on each, + And tied the bridle-reins of all the three + Together, and said to her, "Drive them on + Before you;" and she drove them thro' the waste. + He follow'd nearer: ruth began to work + Against his anger in him, while he watch'd + The being he loved best in all the world, + With difficulty in mild obedience + Driving them on: he fain had spoken to her, + And loosed in words of sudden fire the wrath + And smoulder'd wrong that burnt him all within; + But evermore it seem'd an easier thing + At once without remorse to strike her dead, + Than to cry "Halt," and to her own bright face + Accuse her of the least immodesty: + And thus tongue-tied, it made him wroth the more + That she _could_ speak whom his own ear had heard + Call herself false: and suffering thus he made + Minutes an age: but in scarce longer time + Than at Caerleon the full-tided Usk, + Before he turn to fall seaward again, + Pauses, did Enid, keeping watch, behold + In the first shallow shade of a deep wood, + Before a gloom of stubborn-shafted oaks, + Three other horsemen waiting, wholly arm'd, + Whereof one seem'd far larger than her lord, + And shook her pulses, crying, "Look, a prize! + Three horses and three goodly suits of arms, + And all in charge of whom? a girl: set on." + "Nay," said the second, "yonder comes a knight." + The third, "A craven; how he hangs his head." + The giant answer'd merrily, "Yea, but one? + Wait here, and when he passes fall upon him." + + And Enid ponder'd in her heart and said, + "I will abide the coming of my lord, + And I will tell him all their villany. + My lord is weary with the fight before, + And they will fall upon him unawares. + I needs must disobey him for his good; + How should I dare obey him to his harm? + Needs must I speak, and tho' he kill me for it, + I save a life dearer to me than mine." + + And she abode his coming, and said to him + With timid firmness, "Have I leave to speak?" + He said, "Ye take it, speaking," and she spoke. + + "There lurk three villains yonder in the wood, + And each of them is wholly arm'd, and one + Is larger-limb'd than you are, and they say + That they will fall upon you while ye pass." + + To which he flung a wrathful answer back: + "And if there were an hundred in the wood, + And every man were larger-limb'd than I, + And all at once should sally upon me, + I swear it would not ruffle me so much + As you that not obey me. Stand aside, + And if I fall, cleave to the better man." + + And Enid stood aside to wait the event, + Not dare to watch the combat, only breathe + Short fits of prayer, at every stroke a breath. + And he, she dreaded most, bare down upon him. + Aim'd at the helm, his lance err'd; but Geraint's, + A little in the late encounter strain'd, + Struck thro' the bulky bandit's corselet home, + And then brake short, and down his enemy roll'd, + And there lay still; as he that tells the tale + Saw once a great piece of a promontory, + That had a sapling growing on it, slide + From the long shore-cliff's windy walls to the beach, + And there lie still, and yet the sapling grew: + So lay the man transfixt. His craven pair + Of comrades making slowlier at the Prince, + When now they saw their bulwark fallen, stood; + On whom the victor, to confound them more, + Spurr'd with his terrible war-cry; for as one, + That listens near a torrent mountain-brook, + All thro' the crash of the near cataract hears + The drumming thunder of the huger fall + At distance, were the soldiers wont to hear + His voice in battle, and be kindled by it, + And foemen scared, like that false pair who turn'd + Flying, but, overtaken, died the death + Themselves had wrought on many an innocent. + + Thereon Geraint, dismounting, pick'd the lance + That pleased him best, and drew from those dead wolves + Their three gay suits of armor, each from each, + And bound them on their horses, each on each. + And tied the bridle-reins of all the three + Together, and said to her, "Drive them on + Before you," and she drove them thro' the wood. + + He follow'd nearer still: the pain she had + To keep them in the wild ways of the wood, + Two sets of three laden with jingling arms, + Together, served a little to disedge + The sharpness of that pain about her heart: + And they themselves, like creatures gently born + But into bad hands fall'n, and now so long + By bandits groom'd, prick'd their light ears, and felt + Her low firm voice and tender government. + + So thro' the green gloom of the wood they past, + And issuing under open heavens beheld + A little town with towers, upon a rock, + And close beneath, a meadow gemlike chased + In the brown wild, and mowers mowing in it: + And down a rocky pathway from the place + There came a fair-hair'd youth, that in his hand + Bare victual for the mowers: and Geraint + Had ruth again on Enid looking pale: + Then, moving downward to the meadow ground, + He, when the fair-hair'd youth came by him, said, + "Friend, let her eat; the damsel is so faint." + "Yea, willingly," replied the youth; "and thou, + My lord, eat also, tho' the fare is coarse, + And only meet for mowers;" then set down + His basket, and dismounting on the sward + They let the horses graze, and ate themselves. + And Enid took a little delicately, + Less having stomach for it than desire + To close with her lord's pleasure; but Geraint + Ate all the mowers' victuals unawares, + And when he found all empty, was amazed; + And, "Boy," said he, "I have eaten all, but take + A horse and arms for guerdon; choose the best." + He, reddening in extremity of delight, + "My lord, you overpay me fifty-fold." + "Ye will be all the wealthier," cried the Prince. + "I take it as free gift, then," said the boy, + "Not guerdon; for myself can easily, + While your good damsel rests, return, and fetch + Fresh victual for these mowers of our Earl; + For these are his, and all the field is his, + And I myself am his; and I will tell him + How great a man thou art: he loves to know + When men of mark are in his territory: + And he will have thee to his palace here, + And serve thee costlier than with mowers' fare." + + Then said Geraint, "I wish no better fare: + I never ate with angrier appetite + Than-when I left your mowers dinnerless. + And into no Earl's palace will I go. + I know, God knows, too much of palaces! + And if he want me, let him come to me. + But hire us some fair chamber for the night, + And stalling for the horses, and return + With victual for these men, and let us know." + + "Yea, my kind lord," said the glad youth, and went, + Held his head high, and thought himself a knight, + And up the rocky pathway disappear'd, + Leading the horse, and they were left alone. + + But when the Prince had brought his errant eyes + Home from the rock, sideways he let them glance + At Enid, where she droopt: his own false doom, + That shadow of mistrust should never cross + Betwixt them, came upon him, and he sigh'd; + Then with another humorous ruth remark'd + The lusty mowers laboring dinnerless, + And watched the sun blaze on the turning scythe, + + And after nodded sleepily in the heat. + But she, remembering her old ruin'd hall, + And all the windy clamor of the daws + About her hollow turret, pluck'd the grass + There growing longest by the meadow's edge, + And into many a listless annulet, + Now over, now beneath her marriage ring, + Wove and unwove it, till the boy return'd + And told them of a chamber, and they went; + Where, after saying to her, "if ye will, + Call for the woman of the house," to which + She answer'd, "Thanks, my lord;" the two remain'd + Apart by all the chamber's width, and mute + As creatures voiceless thro' the fault of birth, + Or two wild men supporters of a shield, + Painted, who stare at open space, nor glance + The one at other, parted by the shield. + + On a sudden, many a voice along the street, + And heel against the pavement echoing, burst + Their drowse; and either started while the door, + Push'd from without, drave backward to the wall, + And midmost of a rout of roisterers, + Femininely fair and dissolutely pale, + Her suitor in old years before Geraint, + Enter'd, the wild lord of the place, Limours. + He moving up with pliant courtliness, + Greeted Geraint full face, but stealthily, + In the mid-warmth of welcome and graspt hand, + Found Enid with the corner of his eye, + And knew her sitting sad and solitary. + Then cried Geraint for wine and goodly cheer + To feed the sudden guest, and sumptuously + According to his fashion, bade the host + Call in what men soever were his friends, + And feast with these in honor of their Earl; + "And care not for the cost; the cost is mine." + And wine and food were brought, and Earl Limours + Drank till he jested with all ease, and told + Free tales, and took the word and play'd upon it, + And made it of two colors; for his talk, + When wine and free companions kindled him, + Was wont to glance and sparkle like a gem + Of fifty facets; thus he moved the Prince + To laughter and his comrades to applause. + Then, when the Prince was merry, ask'd Limours + "Your leave, my lord, to cross the room, and speak + To your good damsel there who sits apart, + And seems so lonely?" "My free leave," he said; + "Get her to speak: she doth not speak to me." + Then rose Limours, and looking at his feet, + Like him who tries the bridge he fears may fail, + Crost and came near, lifted adoring eyes, + Bow'd at her side and utter'd whisperingly: + + "Enid, the pilot star of my lone life, + Enid, my early and my only love, + Enid, the loss of whom hath turn'd me wild-- + What chance is this? how is it I see you here? + Ye are in my power at last, are in my power. + Yet fear me not: I call mine own self wild, + But keep a touch of sweet civility + Here in the heart of waste and wilderness. + I thought, but that your father came between, + In former days you saw me favorably. + And if it were so do not keep it back: + Make me a little happier: let me know it: + Owe you me nothing for a life half-lost? + Yea, yea, the whole dear debt of all you are. + And, Enid, you and he, I see with joy, + Ye sit apart, you do not speak to him, + You come with no attendance, page or maid, + To serve you--doth he love you as of old? + For, call it lovers' quarrels, yet I know + Tho' men may bicker with the things they love, + They would not make them laughable in all eyes, + Not while they loved them; and your wretched dress, + A wretched insult on you, dumbly speaks + Your story, that this man loves you no more. + Your beauty is no beauty to him now: + A common chance--right well I know it--pall'd-- + For I know men: nor will ye win him back, + For the man's love once gone never returns. + But here is one who loves you as of old; + With more exceeding passion than of old: + Good, speak the word: my followers ring him round: + He sits unarm'd; I hold a finger up; + They understand: nay; I do not mean blood: + Nor need ye look so scared at what I say: + My malice is no deeper than a moat, + No stronger than a wall: there is the keep; + He shall not cross us more; speak but the word: + Or speak it not; but then by him that made me + The one true lover whom you ever own'd, + I will make use of all the power I have. + O pardon me! the madness of that hour, + When first I parted from thee, moves me yet." + + At this the tender sound of his own voice + And sweet self-pity, or the fancy of it + Made his eye moist; but Enid fear'd his eyes, + Moist as they were, wine-heated from the feast; + And answered with such craft as women use, + Guilty or guiltless, to stave off a chance + That breaks upon them perilously, and said: + + "Earl, if you love me as in former years, + And do not practice on me, come with morn, + And snatch me from him as by violence; + Leave me to-night: I am weary to the death." + + Low at leave-taking, with his brandish'd plume + Brushing his instep, bow'd the all-amorous Earl. + And the stout Prince bade him a loud good-night. + He moving homeward babbled to his men, + How Enid never loved a man but him, + Nor cared a broken egg-shell for her lord. + + But Enid left alone with Prince Geraint, + Debating his command of silence given, + And that she now perforce must violate it, + Held commune with herself, and while she held + He fell asleep, and Enid had no heart + To wake him, but hung o'er him, wholly pleased + To find him yet unwounded after fight, + And hear him breathing low and equally. + Anon she rose, and stepping lightly, heap'd + The pieces of his armor in one place, + All to be there against a sudden need; + Then dozed awhile herself, but over-toil'd + By that day's grief and travel, evermore + Seem'd catching at a rootless thorn, and then + Went slipping down horrible precipices, + And strongly striking out her limbs awoke; + Then thought she heard the wild Earl at the door, + With all his rout of random followers, + Sound on a dreadful trumpet, summoning her; + Which was the red cock shouting to the light, + As the gray dawn stole o'er the dewy world, + And glimmer'd on his armor in the room. + And once again she rose to look at it, + But touch'd it unawares: jangling, the casque + Fell, and he started up and stared at her. + Then breaking his command of silence given, + She told him all that Earl Limours had said, + Except the passage that he loved her not; + Nor left unto the craft herself had used; + But ended with apology so sweet, + Low-spoken, and of so few words, and seem'd + So justified by that necessity, + That tho' he thought "was it for him she wept + In Devon?" he but gave a wrathful groan, + Saying, "Your sweet faces make good fellows fools + And traitors. Call the host and bid him bring + Charger and palfrey." So she glided out + Among the heavy breathings of the house, + And like a household Spirit at the walls + Beat, till she woke the sleepers, and return'd. + Then tending her rough lord, tho' all unask'd, + In silence, did him service as a squire; + Till issuing arm'd he found the host and cried, + "Thy reckoning, friend?" and ere he learnt it, "Take + Five horses and their armors;" and the host + Suddenly honest, answer'd in amaze, + "My lord, I scarce have spent the worth of one!" + "Ye will be all the wealthier," said the Prince, + And then to Enid, "Forward! and to-day + I charge you, Enid, more especially, + What thing soever ye may hear, or see, + Or fancy (tho' I count it of small use + To charge you) that ye speak not but obey." + + And Enid answer'd, "Yea, my lord, I know + Your wish, and would obey; but riding first, + I hear the violent threats you do not hear, + I see the danger which you cannot see: + Then not to give you warning, that seems hard; + Almost beyond me: yet I would obey." + + "Yea so," said he, "do it: be not too wise; + Seeing that ye are wedded to a man, + Not all mismated with a yawning clown, + But one with arms to guard his head and yours, + With eyes to find you out however far, + And ears to hear you even in his dreams." + + With that he turn'd and look'd as keenly at her + As careful robins eye the delver's toil; + And that within her, which a wanton fool, + Or hasty judger would have call'd her guilt, + Made her cheek burn and either eyelid fall. + And Geraint look'd and was not satisfied. + + Then forward by a way which, beaten broad, + Led from the territory of false Limours + To the waste earldom of another earl, + Doorm, whom his shaking vassals call'd the Bull, + Went Enid with her sullen follower on. + Once she look'd back, and when she saw him ride + More near by many a rood than yestermorn, + It wellnigh made her cheerful; till Geraint + Waving an angry hand as who should say + "Ye watch me," sadden'd all her heart again. + But while the sun yet beat a dewy blade, + The sound of many a heavily-galloping hoof + Smote on her ear, and turning round she saw + Dust, and the points of lances bicker in it. + Then not to disobey her lord's behest, + And yet to give him warning, for he rode + As if he heard not, moving back she held + Her finger up, and pointed to the dust. + At which the warrior in his obstinacy, + Because she kept the letter of his word, + Was in a manner pleased, and turning, stood. + And in the moment after, wild Limours, + Borne on a black horse, like a thunder-cloud + Whose skirts are loosen'd by the breaking storm, + Half ridden off with by the thing he rode, + And all in passion uttering a dry shriek, + Dash'd on Geraint, who closed with him, and bore + Down by the length of lance and arm beyond + The crupper, and so left him stunn'd or dead, + And overthrew the next that follow'd him, + And blindly rush'd on all the rout behind. + But at the flash and motion of the man + They vanish'd panic-stricken, like a shoal + Of darting fish, that on a summer morn + Adown the crystal dykes at Camelot + Come slipping o'er their shadows on the sand, + But if a man who stands upon the brink + But lift a shining hand against the sun, + There is not left the twinkle of a fin + Betwixt the cressy islets white in flower; + So, scared but at the motion of the man, + Fled all the boon companions of the Earl, + And left him lying in the public way; + So vanish friendships only made in wine. + + Then like a stormy sunlight smiled Geraint, + Who saw the chargers of the two that fell + Start from their fallen lords, and wildly fly, + Mixt with the flyers. "Horse and man," he said, + "All of one mind and all right-honest friends! + Not a hoof left: and I methinks till now + Was honest--paid with horses and with arms; + I cannot steal or plunder, no nor beg: + And so what say ye, shall we strip him there + Your lover? has your palfrey heart enough + To bear his armor? shall we fast, or dine? + No?--then do thou, being right honest, pray + That we may meet the horsemen of Earl Doorm. + I too would still be honest." Thus he said: + And sadly gazing on her bridle-reins, + And answering not a word, she led the way. + + But as a man to whom a dreadful loss + Falls in a far land and he knows it not, + But coming back he learns it, and the loss + So pains him that he sickens nigh to death; + So fared it with Geraint, who being prick'd + In combat with the follower of Limours, + Bled underneath his armor secretly, + And so rode on, nor told his gentle wife + What ail'd him, hardly knowing it himself, + Till his eye darken'd and his helmet wagg'd; + And at a sudden swerving of the road, + Tho' happily down on a bank of grass, + The Prince, without a word, from his horse fell. + + And Enid heard the clashing of his fall, + Suddenly came, and at his side all pale + Dismounting, loosed the fastenings of his arms, + Nor let her true hand falter, nor blue eye + Moisten, till she had lighted on his wound, + And tearing off her veil of faded silk + Had bared her forehead to the blistering sun, + And swathed the hurt that drain'd her dear lord's life. + Then after all was done that hand could do, + She rested, and her desolation came + Upon her, and she wept beside the way. + + And many past, but none regarded her, + For in that realm of lawless turbulence, + A woman weeping for her murder'd mate + Was cared as much for as a summer shower: + One took him for a victim of Earl Doorm, + Nor dared to waste a perilous pity on him: + Another hurrying past, a man-at-arms, + Rode on a mission to the bandit Earl; + Half whistling and half singing a coarse song, + He drove the dust against her veilless eyes: + Another, flying from the wrath of Doorm + Before an ever-fancied arrow, made + The long way smoke beneath him in his fear; + At which her palfrey whinnying lifted heel + And scour'd into the coppices and was lost, + While the great charger stood, grieved like a man. + + But at the point of noon the huge Earl Doorm, + Broad-faced with under-fringe of russet beard, + Bound on a foray, rolling eyes of prey, + Came riding with a hundred lances up; + But ere he came, like one that hails a ship, + Cried out with a big voice, "What, is he dead?" + "No, no, not dead!" she answer'd in all haste. + "Would some of your kind people take him up, + And bear him hence out of this cruel sun? + Most sure am I, quite sure, he is not dead." + + Then said Earl Doorm: "Well, if he be not dead, + Why wail ye for him thus? ye seem a child. + And be he dead, I count you for a fool; + Your wailing will not quicken him: dead or not, + Ye mar a comely face with idiot tears. + Yet, since the face is comely--some of you, + Here, take him up, and bear him to our hall: + An if he live, we will have him of our band; + And if he die, why earth has earth enough + To hide him. See ye take the charger too, + A noble one." + + He spake, and past away, + But left two brawny spearmen, who advanced, + Each growling like a dog, when his good bone + Seems to be pluck'd at by the village boys + Who love to vex him eating, and he fears + To lose his bone, and lays his foot upon it, + Gnawing and growling: so the ruffians growl'd, + Fearing to lose, and all for a dead man, + Their chance of booty from the morning's raid, + Yet raised and laid him on a litter-bier, + Such as they brought upon their forays out + For those that might be wounded; laid him on it + All in the hollow of his shield, and took + And bore him to the naked hall of Doorm, + (His gentle charger following him unled) + And cast him and the bier in which he lay + Down on an oaken settle in the hall, + And then departed, hot in haste to join + Their luckier mates, but growling as before, + And cursing their lost time, and the dead man, + And their own Earl, and their own souls, and her. + They might as well have blest her: she was deaf + To blessing or to cursing save from one. + + So for long hours sat Enid by her lord, + There in the naked hall, propping his head, + And chafing his pale hands, and calling to him. + Till at the last he waken'd from his swoon, + And found his own dear bride propping his head, + And chafing his faint hands, and calling to him; + And felt the warm tears falling on his face; + And said to his own heart, "She weeps for me:" + And yet lay still, and feign'd himself as dead, + That he might prove her to the uttermost, + And say to his own heart, "She weeps for me." + + But in the falling afternoon return'd + The huge Earl Doorm with plunder to the hall. + His lusty spearmen follow'd him with noise: + Each hurling down a heap of things that rang + Against the pavement, cast his lance aside, + And doff'd his helm: and then there flutter'd in, + Half-bold, half-frighted, with dilated eyes, + A tribe of women, dress'd in many hues, + And mingled with the spearmen: and Earl Doorm + Struck with a knife's haft hard against the board, + And call'd for flesh and wine to feed his spears. + And men brought in whole hogs and quarter beeves. + And all the hall was dim with steam of flesh: + +[Illustration: ENID WATCHING BY GERAINT] + + And none spake word, but all sat down at once, + And ate with tumult in the naked hall, + Feeding like horses when you hear them feed; + Till Enid shrank far back into herself, + To shun the wild ways of the lawless tribe. + But when Earl Doorm had eaten all he would, + He roll'd his eyes about the hall, and found + A damsel drooping in a corner of it. + Then he remember'd her, and how she wept; + And out of her there came a power upon him; + And rising on the sudden he said, "Eat! + I never yet beheld a thing so pale. + God's curse, it makes me mad to see you weep. + Eat! Look yourself. Good luck had your good man, + For were I dead who is it would weep for me? + Sweet lady, never since I first drew breath + Have I beheld a lily like yourself. + And so there lived some color in your cheek, + There is not one among my gentlewomen + Were fit to wear your slipper for a glove. + But listen to me, and by me be ruled, + And I will do the thing I have not done, + For ye shall share my earldom with me, girl, + And we will live like two birds in one nest, + And I will fetch you forage from all fields, + For I compel all creatures to my will." + + He spoke: the brawny spearman let his cheek + Bulge with the unswallowed piece, and turning stared; + While some, whose souls the old serpent long had drawn + Down, as the worm draws in the wither'd leaf + And makes it earth, hiss'd each at other's ear + What shall not be recorded--women they, + Women, or what had been those gracious things, + But now desired the humbling of their best, + Yea, would have help'd him to it: and all at once + They hated her, who took no thought of them, + But answer'd in low voice, her meek head yet + Drooping, "I pray you of your courtesy, + He being as he is, to let me be." + + She spake so low he hardly heard her speak, + But like a mighty patron, satisfied + With what himself had done so graciously, + Assumed that she had thank'd him, adding, "Yea, + Eat and be glad, for I account you mine." + + She answer'd meekly, "How should I be glad + Henceforth in all the world at anything, + Until my lord arise and look upon me?" + + Here the huge Earl cried out upon her talk, + As all but empty heart and weariness + And sickly nothing; suddenly seized on her, + And bare her by main violence to the board, + And thrust the dish before her, crying, "Eat." + "No, no," said Enid, vext, "I will not eat + Till yonder man upon the bier arise, + And eat with me." "Drink, then," he answer'd. "Here!" + (And fill'd a horn with wine and held it to her.) + "Lo! I, myself, when flush'd with fight, or hot, + God's curse, with anger--often I myself, + Before I well have drunken, scarce can eat: + Drink therefore and the wine will change your will." + + "Not so," she cried, "By Heaven, I will not drink + Till my dear lord arise and bid me do it, + And drink with me; and if he rise no more, + I will not look at wine until I die." + + At this he turned all red and paced his hall, + Now gnaw'd his under, now his upper lip, + And coming up close to her, said at last: + "Girl, for I see ye scorn my courtesies, + Take warning: yonder man is surely dead; + And I compel all creatures to my will. + Not eat nor drink? And wherefore wail for one, + Who put your beauty to this flout and scorn + By dressing it in rags? Amazed am I, + Beholding how ye butt against my wish, + That I forbear you thus: cross me no more. + At least put off to please me this poor gown, + This silken rag, this beggar-woman's weed: + I love that beauty should go beautifully: + For see ye not my gentlewomen here, + How gay, how suited to the house of one + Who loves that beauty should go beautifully? + Rise therefore; robe yourself in this: obey." + + He spoke, and one among his gentlewomen + Display'd a splendid silk of foreign loom, + Where like a shoaling sea the lovely blue + Play'd into green, and thicker down the front + With jewels than the sward with drops of dew, + When all night long a cloud clings to the hill, + And with the dawn ascending lets the day + Strike where it clung: so thickly shone the gems. + + But Enid answer'd, harder to be moved + Than hardest tyrants in their day of power, + With life-long injuries burning unavenged, + And now their hour has come: and Enid said: + + "In this poor gown my dear lord found me first, + And loved me serving in my father's hall: + In this poor gown I rode with him to court, + And there the Queen array'd me like the sun: + In this poor gown he bade me clothe myself, + When now we rode upon this fatal quest + Of honor, where no honor can be gain'd: + And this poor gown I will not cast aside + Until himself arise a living man, + And bid me cast it. I have griefs enough: + Pray you be gentle, pray you let me be: + I never loved, can never love but him: + Yea, God, I pray you of your gentleness, + He being as he is, to let me be." + + Then strode the brute Earl up and down his hall, + And took his russet beard between his teeth; + Last, coming up quite close, and in his mood + Crying, "I count it of no more avail, + Dame, to be gentle than ungentle with you; + Take my salute," unknightly with flat hand, + However, lightly, smote her on the cheek. + + Then Enid, in her utter helplessness, + And since she thought, "He had not dared to do it, + Except he surely knew my lord was dead," + Sent forth a sudden sharp and bitter cry, + As of a wild thing taken in the trap, + Which sees the trapper coming thro' the wood. + + This heard Geraint, and grasping at his sword, + (It lay beside him in the hollow shield), + Made but a single bound, and with a sweep of it + Shore thro' the swarthy neck, and like a ball + The russet-bearded head roll'd on the floor. + So died Earl Doorm by him he counted dead. + And all the men and women in the hall + Rose when they saw the dead man rise, and fled + Yelling as from a spectre, and the two + Were left alone together, and he said: + "Enid, I have used you worse than that dead man; + Done you more wrong: we both have undergone + That trouble which has left me thrice your own: + Henceforward I will rather die than doubt. + And here I lay this penance on myself, + Not, tho' mine own ears heard you yestermorn-- + You thought me sleeping, but I heard you say, + I heard you say, that you were no true wife: + I swear I will not ask your meaning in it: + I do believe yourself against yourself, + And will henceforward rather die than doubt." + + And Enid could not say one tender word, + She felt so blunt and stupid at the heart: + She only pray'd him, "Fly, they will return + And slay you; fly, your charger is without, + My palfrey lost." "Then, Enid, shall you ride + Behind me." "Yea," said Enid, "let us go." + And moving out they found the stately horse, + Who now no more a vassal to the thief, + But free to stretch his limbs in lawful fight, + Neigh'd with all gladness as they came, and stoop'd + With a low whinny toward the pair: and she + Kiss'd the white star upon his noble front, + Glad also; then Geraint upon the horse + Mounted, and reach'd a hand, and on his foot + She set her own and climb'd; he turn'd his face + And kiss'd her climbing, and she cast her arms + About him, and at once they rode away. + + And never yet, since high in Paradise + O'er the four rivers the first roses blew, + Came purer pleasure unto mortal kind + Than lived thro' her, who in that perilous hour + Put hand to hand beneath her husband's heart, + And felt him hers again: she did not weep, + But o'er her meek eyes came a happy mist + Like that which kept the heart of Eden green + Before the useful trouble of the rain: + Yet not so misty were her meek blue eyes + As not to see before them on the path, + Right in the gateway of the bandit hold, + A knight of Arthur's court, who laid his lance + In rest, and made as if to fall upon him. + Then, fearing for his hurt and loss of blood, + She, with her mind all full of what had chanced, + Shriek'd to the stranger "Slay not a dead man!" + "The voice of Enid," said the knight; but she, + Beholding it was Edyrn, son of Nudd, + Was moved so much the more, and shriek'd again, + "O cousin, slay not him who gave you life." + And Edyrn moving frankly forward spake: + "My lord Geraint, I greet you with all love; + I took you for a bandit knight of Doorm; + And fear not, Enid, I should fall upon him, + Who love you, Prince, with something of the love + Wherewith we love the Heaven that chastens us. + For once, when I was up so high in pride + That I was half-way down the slope to Hell, + By overthrowing me you threw me higher. + Now, made a knight of Arthur's Table Round, + And since I knew this Earl, when I myself + Was half a bandit in my lawless hour, + I come the mouthpiece of our King to Doorm + (The King is close behind me) bidding him + Disband himself, and scatter all his powers, + Submit, and hear the judgment of the King." + + "He hears the judgment of the King of kings," + Cried the wan Prince; "and lo, the powers of Doorm + Are scatter'd," and he pointed to the field, + Where, huddled here and there on mound and knoll, + Were men and women staring and aghast, + While some yet fled; and then he plainlier told + How the huge Earl lay slain within his hall. + But when the knight besought him, "Follow me, + Prince, to the camp, and in the King's own ear + Speak what has chanced; ye surely have endured + Strange chances here alone;" that other flush'd, + And hung his head, and halted in reply, + Fearing the mild face of the blameless King, + And after madness acted question ask'd: + Till Edyrn crying, "If ye will not go + To Arthur, then will Arthur come to you." + "Enough," he said, "I follow," and they went. + But Enid in their going had two fears, + One from the bandit scatter'd in the field, + And one from Edyrn. Every now and then, + When Edyrn rein'd his charger at her side, + She shrank a little. In a hollow land, + From which old fires have broken, men may fear + Fresh fire and ruin. He, perceiving, said: + + "Fair and dear cousin, you that most had cause + To fear me, fear no longer, I am changed. + Once, but for my main purpose in these jousts, + I should have slain your father, seized yourself. + I lived in hope that sometime you would come + To these my lists with him whom best you loved; + And there, poor cousin, with your meek blue eyes, + The truest eyes that ever answer'd Heaven, + Behold me overturn and trample on him. + + Then, had you cried, or knelt, or pray'd to me, + I should not less have kill'd him. And you came,-- + But once you came,--and with your own true eyes + Beheld the man you loved (I speak as one + Speaks of a service done him) overthrow + My proud self, and my purpose three years old, + And set his foot upon me, and give me life. + There was I broken down; there was I saved: + Tho' thence I rode all-shamed, hating the life + He gave me, meaning to be rid of it. + And all the penance the Queen laid upon me + Was but to rest awhile within her court; + Where first as sullen as a beast new-caged, + And waiting to be treated like a wolf, + Because I knew my deeds were known, I found, + Instead of scornful pity or pure scorn, + Such fine reserve and noble reticence, + Manners so kind, yet stately, such a grace + Of tenderest courtesy, that I began + To glance behind me at my former life, + And find that it had been the wolf's indeed: + And oft I talk'd with Dubric, the high saint, + Who, with mild heat of holy oratory, + Subdued me somewhat to that gentleness, + Which, when it weds with manhood, makes a man. + And you were often there about the Queen, + But saw me not, or mark'd not if you saw; + Nor did I care or dare to speak with you, + But kept myself aloof till I was changed; + And fear not, cousin; I am changed indeed." + + He spoke, and Enid easily believed, + Like simple noble natures, credulous + Of what they long for, good in friend or foe, + There most in those who most have done them ill. + And when they reach'd the camp the King himself + Advanced to greet them, and beholding her + Tho' pale, yet happy, ask'd her not a word, + But went apart with Edyrn, whom he held + In converse for a little, and return'd, + And, gravely smiling, lifted her from horse, + And kiss'd her with all pureness, brother-like, + And show'd an empty tent allotted her, + And glancing for a minute, till he saw her + Pass into it, turn'd to the Prince, and said: + + "Prince, when of late ye pray'd me for my leave + To move to your own land, and there defend + Your marches, I was prick'd with some reproof, + As one that let foul wrong stagnate and be, + By having look'd too much thro' alien eyes, + And wrought too long with delegated hands, + Not used mine own: but now behold me come + To cleanse this common sewer of all my realm, + With Edyrn and with others: have ye look'd + At Edyrn? have ye seen how nobly changed? + This work of his is great and wonderful. + His very face with change of heart is changed, + The world will not believe a man repents: + And this wise world of ours is mainly right. + Full seldom doth a man repent, or use + Both grace and will to pick the vicious quitch[6] + Of blood and custom wholly out of him, + And make all clean, and plant himself afresh. + Edyrn has done it, weeding all his heart + As I will weed this land before I go. + I, therefore, made him of our Table Round, + Not rashly, but have proved him everyway + One of our noblest, our most valorous, + Sanest and most obedient: and indeed + This work of Edyrn wrought upon himself + After a life of violence, seems to me + A thousand-fold more great and wonderful + Than if some knight of mine, risking his life, + My subject with my subjects under him, + Should make an onslaught single on a realm + Of robbers, tho' he slew them one by one, + And were himself nigh wounded to the death." + +[Footnote: 6. _Quitch_ is another name for couch-grass, a troublesome +weed which spreads rapidly and is eradicated only with the greatest +difficulty.] + + So spake the King; low bow'd the Prince, and felt + His work was neither great nor wonderful, + And past to Enid's tent; and thither came + The King's own leech to look into his hurt; + And Enid tended on him there; and there + Her constant motion round him, and the breath + Of her sweet tendance hovering over him, + Fill'd all the genial courses of his blood + With deeper and with ever deeper love, + As the south-west that blowing Bala lake + Fills all the sacred Dee. So past the days. + + Then, when Geraint was whole again, they past + With Arthur to Caerleon upon Usk. + There the great Queen once more embraced her friend, + And clothed her in apparel like the day. + Thence after tarrying for a space they rode, + And fifty knights rode with them to the shores + Of Severn, and they past to their own land. + And there he kept the justice of the King + So vigorously yet mildly, that all hearts + Applauded, and the spiteful whisper died: + And being ever foremost in the chase, + And victor at the tilt and tournament, + They called him the great Prince and man of men. + But Enid, whom the ladies loved to call + Enid the Fair, a grateful people named + Enid the Good; and in their halls arose + The cry of children, Enids and Geraints + Of times to be; nor did he doubt her more, + But rested in her fealty, till he crown'd + A happy life with a fair death, and fell + Against the heathen of the Northern Sea + In battle, fighting for the blameless King. + + + +THE HOLY GRAIL + + +NOTE.--Thomas Malory completed his quaint history of King Arthur in +1469, and sixteen years later the book was printed from the famous old +Caxton press. Only one perfect copy of that work is now in existence; +but several editions have since been issued with the text modernized, so +as to make it easier for us to read, yet with the quaintness and +originality of Malory's tale preserved. So charming is it, that the +following incidents in the story of the search for the Holy Grail are +told nearly as they are now in the Aldine edition of _Le Morte +d'Arthur_. + +Some rearrangement has been necessary, and a few changes have been made +in phraseology. Omissions have been made and paragraphs are indicated +and quotation marks used as is now the custom in printing. + +Many of the knights joined in the quest for the Grail, and their +adventures are told by Malory. Even Launcelot himself failed. We tell +the story of the one who succeeded. + + + + +THE KNIGHTING OF SIR GALAHAD + + +At the vigil of Pentecost, when all the fellowship of the Round Table +were come unto Camelot and there heard their service, and the tables +were set ready to the meat, right so, entered into the hall a full fair +gentlewoman on horseback, that had ridden full fast, for her horse was +all besweated. Then she there alit and came before the King and saluted +him and he said, "Damosel, God thee bless." + +"Sir," said she, "for God's sake say me where Sir Launcelot is." + +"Yonder ye may see him," said the King. + +Then she went unto Launcelot and said, "Sir Launcelot, I require you to +come along with me hereby into a forest." + +"What will ye with me?" said Sir Launcelot. + +"Ye shall know," said she, "when ye come thither." + +"Well," said he, "I will gladly go with you." + +So Sir Launcelot bade him his squire saddle his horse and bring his +arms. + +Right so departed Sir Launcelot with the gentlewoman and rode until he +came into a forest, and into a great valley, where they saw an abbey of +nuns; and there was a squire ready and opened the gates, and so they +entered and descended off their horses; and there came a fair fellowship +about Sir Launcelot, and welcomed him and were passing glad of his +coming. + +And they led him into the Abbess's chamber and unarmed him; and therein +came twelve nuns that brought with them Galahad, the which was passing +fair and well made, that unnethe[1] in the world men might not find his +match: and all those ladies wept. + +[Footnote 1: This is an old word meaning _with difficulty_.] + +"Sir," said they all, "we bring you here this child the which we have +nourished, and we pray you to make him a knight, for of a worthier man's +hand may he not receive the order of knighthood." + +Then said Sir Launcelot, "Cometh this desire of himself?" + +He and all they said, "Yea." + +"Then shall he," said Sir Launcelot, "receive the high order of +knighthood as to-morn at the reverence of the high feast." + +That night Sir Launcelot had passing good cheer; and on the morn at +Galahad's desire, he made him knight and said, "God make him a good man, +for of beauty faileth you not as any that liveth." + + + + +THE MARVELOUS SWORD + + +"Fair sir," said Sir Launcelot, "will ye come with me unto the court of +King Arthur?" + +"Nay," said he, "I will not go with you at this time." + +Then he departed from them and came to Camelot by the hour of underne[2] +on Whitsunday. By that time the King and Queen were gone to the minster +to hear their service. + +[Footnote 2: _Underne_ meant, according to ancient reckoning, nine +o'clock in the morning.] + +So when the King and all the knights were come from service, the barons +espied in the sieges of the Round Table all about, written with golden +letters: "Here ought to sit he, and he ought to sit here."[3] And thus +they went so long till they came to the Siege Perilous where they found +letters newly written of gold which said: "Four hundred winters and four +and fifty accomplished after the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ ought +this siege to be fulfilled." + +[Footnote 3: That is, "Such a one should sit here, and such another one +here."] + +Then all they said, "This is a marvelous thing and an adventurous." + +"In the name of God," said Sir Launcelot; and then accounted the term of +the writing from the birth of our Lord unto that day. "It seemeth me," +said Sir Launcelot, "this siege ought to be fulfilled this same day, for +this is the feast of Pentecost after the four hundred and four and fifty +years; and if it would please all parties, I would none of these letters +were seen this day, till he be come that ought to achieve this +adventure." + +Then made they to ordain a cloth of silk, for to cover these letters on +the Siege Perilous. Then the King bade haste unto dinner. + +So as they stood, in came a squire and said unto the King, "Sir, I bring +unto you marvelous tidings." + +"What be they?" said the King. + +"Sir, there is here beneath at the river a great +stone which I saw fleet[4] above the water, and therein +I saw sticking a sword." + +[Footnote 4: _Fleet_ here means _float_.] + +The King said: "I will see that marvel." + +So all the knights went with him, and when they came to the river they +found there a stone fleeting, as it were of red marble, and therein +stuck a fair rich sword, and in the pommel thereof were precious stones +wrought with subtle letters of gold. Then the barons read the letters +which said in this wise: "Never shall man take me hence, but only he by +whose side I ought to hang, and he shall be the best knight in the +world." + +When the King had seen the letters he said unto Sir Launcelot: "Fair +sir, this sword ought to be yours, for I am sure ye be the best knight +of the world." + +Then Sir Launcelot answered full soberly: "Certes, sir, it is not my +sword; also, sir, wit ye well I have no hardiness to set my hand to it, +for it longed not to hang by my side. Also, who that assayeth to take +the sword and faileth of it, he shall receive a wound by that sword that +he shall not be whole long after. And I will that ye wit that this same +day shall the adventures of the Sangreal,[5] that is called the Holy +Vessel, begin." + +[Footnote 5: The Holy Grail (Graal) was the cup used by Christ at the +Last Supper. It is said to have been carved from an emerald, and +to have been used by Joseph of Arimathea to catch the last drops +of blood from the body of Christ when he was taken down from the +cross. The legend continues that Joseph carried the cup to Britain. +The grail would not stay in possession of any one unless he were +pure and unsullied in character. In the time of King Arthur, one +of the descendants of Joseph sinned, and the holy vessel disappeared +and was lost. Only the pure could look upon the holy chalice, and +so although many of the knights sought it, but one achieved it. +_Sangreal_ is the old French for _Holy Grail_.] + +"Now, fair nephew," said the King unto Sir Gawaine, "assay ye, for my +love." + +"Sir," said Gawaine, "your commandment will I obey." + +And therewith he took the sword up by the handles, but he might not stir +it. + +"I thank you," said the King to Sir Gawaine. + +"My lord, Sir Gawaine," said Sir Launcelot, "now wit ye well this sword +shall touch you so sore that ye shall will ye had never set your hand +thereto for the best castle of this realm." + +"Sir," he said, "I might not withsay mine uncle's will and commandment." + +But when the King heard this he repented it much, and said unto Sir +Percivale, that he should assay for his love. + +And he said, "Gladly, for to bear Sir Gawaine fellowship." + +And therewith he set his hand on the sword and drew it strongly, but he +might not move it. Then there were more that durst be so hardy to set +their hands thereto. + +So the King and all went unto the court, and every knight knew his own +place, and set him therein, and young men that were knights served them. + + * * * * * + +GALAHAD IN THE SIEGE PERILOUS + +So when they were served and all the sieges fulfilled, save only the +Siege Perilous, anon there came in a good old man, and an ancient, +clothed all in white, and there was no knight knew from whence he came. +And with him he brought a young knight, both on foot, in red arms, +without sword or shield, save a scabbard hanging by his side. + +And these words he said: "Peace be with you fair lords." Then the old +man said unto Arthur: "Sir, I bring here a young knight, the which is of +king's lineage, and of the kindred of Joseph of Arimathie, whereby the +marvels of this court, and of strange realms, shall be fully +accomplished." + +The King was right glad of his words, and said unto the good man: "Sir, +ye be right welcome, and the young knight with you." + +Then the old man made the young knight to unarm him, and he was in a +coat of red sandal, and bare a mantle upon his shoulder that was furred +with ermine, and put that upon him. And the old knight said unto the +young knight: "Sir, follow me." + +And anon he led him unto the Siege Perilous, where beside sat Sir +Launcelot; and the good man lift up the cloth, and found these letters +that said thus: "This is the siege of Sir Galahad, the haut[6] prince." + +[Footnote 6: _Haut_ is an old form of _haughty_] + +"Sir," said the old knight, "wit ye well that place is yours." And then +he set him down surely in that siege. + +And then he said to the old man: "Sir, ye may now go your way, for well +have ye done that ye were commanded to do." + +So the good man departed. Then all the knights of the Round Table +marveled greatly of Sir Galahad, that he durst sit there in that Siege +Perilous, and was so tender of age; and wist not from whence he came, +but all only by God; and said, "This is he by whom the Sangreal shall be +achieved, for there never sat none but he, but he were mischieved."[7] + +[Footnote 7: That is, _harmed_.] + +Then came King Arthur unto Galahad and said: +"Sir, ye be welcome, for ye shall move many good +knights to the quest of the Sangreal, and ye shall +achieve that never knights might bring to an end." + + * * * * * + +GALAHAD DRAWS THE SWORD OF BALIN LE SAVAGE + +Then the King took him by the hand, and went down from the palace to +shew Galahad the adventures of the stone. + +"Sir," said the King unto Sir Galahad, "here is a great marvel as I ever +saw, and right good knights have assayed and failed." + +"Sir," said Galahad, "that is no marvel, for this adventure is not +theirs but mine; and for the surety of this sword I brought none with +me, for here by my side hangeth the scabbard." + +And anon he laid his hand on the sword, and lightly drew it out of the +stone, and put it in the sheath, and said unto the King, "Now it goeth +better than it did aforehand." + +"Sir," said the King, "a shield God shall send you." + +"Now have I that sword that was sometime the good knight's, Balin le +Savage, and he was a passing good man of his hands; and with this sword +he slew his brother Balan, and that was great pity, for he was a good +knight, and either slew other through a dolorous stroke." + + * * * * * + + +THE HOLY GRAIL APPEARS + +"I am sure," said the King, "at this quest of the Sangreal shall all ye +of the Table Round depart, and never shall I see you whole together; +therefore, I will see you all whole together in the meadow of Camelot to +joust and to tourney, that after your death men may speak of it that +such good knights were wholly together such a day." + +As unto that counsel and at the King's request they accorded all, and +took on their harness that longed unto jousting. But all this moving of +the King was for this intent, for to see Galahad proved; for the King +deemed he should not lightly come again unto the court after his +departing. So were they assembled into the meadow both more and less.[8] + +[Footnote 8: That is, the greater and the lesser knights.] + +Then Sir Galahad began to break spears marvelously, that all men had +wonder of him; for he there surmounted all other knights, for within a +while he had defouled many good knights of the Table Round save twain, +that was Sir Launcelot and Sir Percivale. + +And then the King and all estates[9] went home unto Camelot, and so went +to evensong to the great minster, and so after upon that to supper, and +every knight sat in his own place as they were toforehand. Then anon +they heard cracking and crying of thunder, that them thought the place +should all to-drive.[10] + +[Footnote 9: _Estate_ formerly meant _a person of high rank_.] + +[Footnote 10: _To-drive_ is an old expression meaning _break apart_.] + +In the midst of this blast entered a sunbeam more clearer by seven times +than ever they saw day, and all they were alighted of[11] the grace of +the Holy Ghost. Then began every knight to behold other, and either saw +other, by their seeming, fairer than ever they saw afore. Not for then +there was no knight might speak one word a great while, and so they +looked every man on other as they had been dumb. + +[Footnote 11: _Alighted of_ means _lighted by_.] + +Then there entered into the hall the Holy Grail covered with white +samite, but there was none might see it, nor who bare it. And there was +all the hall fulfilled[12] with good odours, and every knight had such +meats and drinks as he best loved in this world. And when the Holy Grail +had been borne through the hall, then the Holy Vessel departed suddenly, +that they wist not where it became: then had they all breath to speak. +And then the King yielded thankings to God, of His good grace that he +had sent them. + +[Footnote 12: _Fulfilled_ is here used with its original meaning of +_filled full_.] + +"Now," said Sir Gawaine, "we have been served this day of what meats and +drinks we thought on; but one thing beguiled us, we might not see the +Holy Grail, it was so preciously covered. Wherefore I will make here +avow, that to-morn,[13] without longer abiding, I shall labour in the +quest of the Sangreal, that I shall hold me out a twelvemonth and a day, +or more if need be, and never shall I return again unto the court till I +have seen it more openly than it hath been seen here; and if I may not +speed I shall return again as he that may not be against the will of our +Lord Jesu Christ." + +[Footnote 13: _To-morn_ is an old expression for _to morrow_] + +When they of the Table Round heard Sir Gawaine say so, they arose up the +most part and made such avows as Sir Gawaine had made. + +And then they went to rest them, and in honor of the highness of Sir +Galahad he was led into King Arthur's chamber, and there rested in his +own bed. And as soon as it was day the King arose, for he had no rest of +all that night for sorrow. + +And anon Launcelot and Gawaine commanded their men to bring their arms. +And when they all were armed save their shields and their helms, then +they came to their fellowship, which were all ready in the same wise, +for to go to the minster to hear their service. + +Then after the service was done the King would wit how many had +undertaken the quest of the Holy Grail; and to account them he prayed +them all. Then found they by tale an hundred and fifty, and all were +knights of the Round Table. And then they put on their helms and +departed, and recommended them all wholly unto the Queen; and there was +weeping and great sorrow. + +And so they mounted upon their horses and rode through the streets of +Camelot; and there was weeping of the rich and poor, and the King turned +away and might not speak for weeping. + +And on the morrow they were all accorded that they should depart each +from other; and then they departed on the morrow with weeping and +mourning cheer, and every knight took the way that him best liked. + + * * * * * + +GALAHAD GETS HIS SHIELD + +Rideth Sir Galahad yet without shield, and so he rode four days without +any adventure. And at the fourth day after evensong he came to a White +Abbey, and there he was received with great reverence, and led to a +chamber, and there he was unarmed; and then was he ware of two knights +of the Round Table, one was King Bagdemagus, and that other was Sir +Uwaine. And when they saw him they went unto him and made of him great +solace, and so they went to supper. + +"Sirs," said Sir Galahad, "what adventure brought you hither?" + +"Sir," said they, "it is told us that within this place is a shield that +no man may bear about his neck but if that he be mischieved or dead +within three days, or else maimed for ever." + +"Ah, sir," said King Bagdemagus, "I shall it bear to-morrow for to assay +this strange adventure." + +"In the name of God," said Sir Galahad. + +"Sir," said Bagdemagus, "an I may not achieve the adventure of this +shield ye shall take it upon you, for I am sure ye shall not fail." + +"Sir," said Galahad, "I agree right well thereto, for I have no shield." + +So on the morn they arose and heard mass. Anon a monk led them behind an +altar where the shield hung as white as any snow, but in the middes[14] +was a red cross. + +[Footnote 14: _Middes_ is an old word for _midst_] + +"Sir," said the monk, "this shield ought not to be hanged about no +knight's neck but he be the worthiest knight of the world, and therefore +I counsel you knights to be well advised." + +"Well," said King Bagdemagus, "I wot well that I am not the best knight +of the world, but yet shall I assay to bear it." + +And so he bare it out of the monastery; and then he said unto Sir +Galahad: "If it will please you I pray you abide here still, till ye +know how I shall speed." + +"I shall abide you here," said Galahad. Then King Bagdemagus took with +him a squire, the which should bring tidings unto Sir Galahad how he +sped. + +Then when they had ridden a two mile and came in a fair valley afore an +hermitage, then they saw a goodly knight come from that part in white +armour, horse and all; and he came as fast as his horse might run, with +his spear in the rest, and King Bagdemagus dressed his spear against him +and brake it upon the white knight. But the other struck him so hard +that he brake the mails, and thrust him through the right shoulder, for +the shield covered him not at that time; and so he bare him from his +horse. + +[Illustration: SIR GALAHAD] + +And therewith he alighted and took the white shield from him, saying: +"Knight, thou hast done thyself great folly, for this shield ought not +to be borne but by him that shall have no peer that liveth." And then he +came to King Bagdemagus' squire and said: "Bear this shield unto the +good knight Sir Galahad, that thou left in the abbey, and greet him well +from me, for this shield behoveth[15] unto no man but unto Galahad." + +[Footnote 15: That is, _belongeth_.] + +"Sir Galahad," said the squire, when he had come to the White Abbey, +"that knight that wounded Bagdemagus sendeth you greeting, and bade that +ye should bear this shield, where through great adventures should +befall." + +"Now blessed be God and fortune," said Galahad. And then he asked his +arms, and mounted upon his horse, and hung the white shield about his +neck, and commended them unto God. + +Then within a while came Galahad thereas[16] the White knight abode him +by the hermitage, and every each saluted other courteously. + +[Footnote 16: _Thereas_ is an old word meaning _where_.] + +"Sir," said Galahad, "by this shield be many marvels fallen?" + +"Sir," said the knight, "it befell after the passion of our Lord Jesu +Christ thirty-two year, that Joseph of Arimathie, the gentle knight, the +which took down our Lord off the holy Cross, at that time he departed +from Jerusalem with a great party of his kindred with him. And so he +laboured till that they came to a city that hight[17] Sarras. + +[Footnote 17: _Hight_ means _was called_.] + +"And at that same hour that Joseph came to Sarras there was a King that +hight Evelake, that had great war against the Saracens, and in especial +against one Saracen, the which was King Evelake's cousin, a rich king +and a mighty, which marched nigh this land. So on a day these two met to +do battle. Then Joseph, the son of Joseph of Arimathie, went to King +Evelake and told him he should be discomfit and slain, but if he left +his belief of the old law and believed upon the new law. And then there +he shewed him the right belief of the Holy Trinity, to the which he +agreed unto with all his heart; and there this shield was made for King +Evelake, in the name of Him that died upon the Cross. + +"And when Evelake was in the battle there was a cloth set afore the +shield, and when he was in the greatest peril he let put away the cloth, +and then his enemies saw a figure of a man on the Cross, wherethrough +they all were discomfit. + +"Then soon after there fell a great marvel, that the cross of the shield +at one time vanished away that no man wist where it became. + +"Not long after that Joseph was laid in his deadly bed. And when King +Evelake saw that he made much sorrow, and said: 'For thy love I have +left my country, and sith ye shall depart out of this world, leave me +some token of yours that I may think on you.' Joseph said: 'That will I +do full gladly; now bring me your shield that I took you.' Then Joseph +bled sore at the nose, so that he might not by no mean be staunched. And +there upon that shield he made a cross of his own blood. + +"'Now may ye see a remembrance that I love you, for ye shall never see +this shield but ye shall think on me, and it shall always be as fresh as +it is now. And never shall man bear this shield about his neck but he +shall repent it, unto the time that Galahad, the good knight, bear it; +and he last of my lineage shall have it about his neck, that shall do +many marvelous deeds.'" + + +THE GRAIL ACHIEVED + +So departed Galahad from thence, and he rode five days till that he came +to the maimed king. And ever followed Percivale the five days, asking +where he had been. + +So on a day it befell that they came out of a great forest, and there +they met at traverse with Sir Bors, the which rode alone. It is none +need to tell if they were glad; and them he saluted, and they yielded +him honour and good adventure, and every each told other. + +Then rode they a great while till that they came to the castle of +Carbonek. And when they entered within the castle King Pelles[18] knew +them; then there was great joy, for they wist well by their coming that +they had fulfilled the quest of the Sangreal. + +[Footnote 18: King Pelles was the grandfather of Galahad.] + +Then Eliazar, King Pelles' son, brought tofore them the broken sword +wherewith Joseph was stricken through the thigh. Then Bors set his hand +thereto, if that he might have soldered it again; but it would not be. +Then he took it to Percivale, but he had no more power thereto than he. + +"Now have ye it again," said Percivale to Galahad, "for an it be ever +achieved by any bodily man ye must do it." + +And then he took the pieces and set them together, and they seemed that +they had never been broken, and as well as it had been first forged. And +when they within espied that the adventure of the sword was achieved, +then they gave the sword to Bors; for he was a good knight and a worthy +man. And anon alit a voice among them, and said: "They that ought not to +sit at the table of Jesu Christ arise, for now shall very knights be +fed." So they went thence, all save King Pelles and Eliazar, his son, +the which were holy men, and a maid which was his niece; and so these +three fellows[19] and they three were there, no more. + +[Footnote 19: _Fellows_ had not formerly the rather contemptuous meaning +that it has now; it meant simply _comrades_.] + +Anon they saw knights all armed come in at the hall door, and did off +their helms and their arms, and said unto Galahad: "Sir, we have hied +right much for to be with you at this table where the holy meat shall be +departed." + +Then said he: "Ye be welcome, but of whence be ye?" + +So three of them said they were of Gaul, and other three said they were +of Ireland, and the other three said they were of Denmark. + +Therewith a voice said: "There be two among you that be not in the quest +of the Sangreal, and therefore depart ye." + +Then King Pelles and his son departed. And therewithal beseemed them +that there came a man, and four angels from heaven, clothed in likeness +of a bishop, and had a cross in his hand; and these four angels bare him +in a chair, and set him down before the table of silver whereupon the +Sangreal was; and it seemed that he had in middes of his forehead +letters the which said: "See ye here Joseph, the first bishop of +Christendom, the same which Our Lord succoured in the city of Sarras in +the spiritual place." + +Then the knights marveled, for that bishop was dead more than three +hundred year tofore. "O knights," said he, "marvel not, for I was +sometime an earthly man." + +With that they heard the chamber door open, and there they saw angels; +and two bare candles of wax, and the third a towel, and the fourth a +spear which bled marvelously, that three drops fell within a box which +he held with his other hand. And they set the candles upon the table, +and the third the towel upon the vessel, and the fourth the holy spear +even upright upon the vessel. And then the bishop made semblaunt[20] as +though he would have gone to the sacring[21] of the mass. And then he +did that longed[22] to a priest to do a mass. And then he went to +Galahad and kissed him, and bade him go and kiss his fellows: and so he +did anon. + +[Footnote 20: _Semblaunt_ meant _show, appearance_.] + +[Footnote 21: _Sacring_ is from _sacre_, an old word meaning +_consecrate_.] + +[Footnote 22: That is, _belonged_.] + +"Now," said he, "servants of Jesu Christ, ye shall be fed afore this +table with sweetmeats that never knights tasted." + +And when he had said, he vanished away. And they set them at the table +in great dread, and made their prayers. + +Then looked they and saw a man come out of the Holy Vessel, that had all +the signs of the passion of Jesu Christ, bleeding all openly, and said: +"My knights, and my servants, and my true children, which be come out of +deadly life into spiritual life, I will now no longer hide me from you, +but ye shall see now a part of my secrets and of my hidden things: now +hold and receive the high meat which ye have so much desired." Then took +he himself the Holy Vessel and came to Galahad; and he kneeled down, and +there he received his Saviour, and after him so received all his +fellows; and they thought it so sweet that it was marvelous to tell. + +Then said he to Galahad: "Son, wottest thou what I hold betwixt my +hands?" + +"Nay," said he, "but if ye will tell me." "This is," said he, "the holy +dish wherein I ate the lamb on Sher-Thursday.[23] And now hast thou seen +that thou most desire to see, but yet hast thou not seen it so openly as +thou shalt see it in the city of Sarras in the spiritual place. +Therefore thou must go hence and bear with thee this Holy Vessel; for +this night it shall depart from the realm of Logris, that it shall never +be seen more here. And wottest thou wherefor? For he is not served nor +worshipped to his right by them of this land, for they be turned to evil +living; therefore I shall disinherit them of the honour which I have +done them. And therefore go ye three to-morrow unto the sea, where ye +shall find your ship ready, and with you take no more but Sir Percivale +and Sir Bors." Then gave he them his blessing and vanished away. + +[Footnote 23: _Sher-Thursday_ or _Maundy Thursday_ is the name given to +Thursday of the Holy Week, the day on which the Last Supper was +celebrated.] + +That same night about midnight came a voice among them which said: "My +sons and not my chief sons, my friends and not my warriors, go ye hence +where ye hope best to do and as I bade you." + +"Ah, thanked be Thou, Lord, that Thou wilt vouchsafe to call us, Thy +sinners. Now may we well prove that we have not lost our pains." + +And anon in all haste they took their harness and departed. But the +three knights of Gaul, one of them hight Claudine, King Claudas' son, +and the other two were great gentlemen. Then prayed Galahad to every +each of them, that if they come to King Arthur's court that they should +salute Sir Launcelot, his father, and of them of the Round Table; and +prayed them if that they came on that part that they should not forget +it. + +Right so departed Galahad, Percivale and Bors with him; and so they rode +three days, and then they came to a rivage,[24] and found a ship. And +when they came to the board they found in the middes the table of silver +and the Sangreal which was covered with red samite. + +[Footnote 24: _Rivage_ is an old word meaning _bank_.] + +Then were they glad to have such things in their fellowship; and so they +entered and made great reverence thereto; and Galahad fell in his prayer +long time to Our Lord, that at what time he asked, that he should pass +out of this world. So much he prayed till a voice said to him: "Galahad, +thou shalt have thy request; and when thou askest the death of thy body +thou shalt have it, and then shalt thou find the life of the soul." + +Percivale heard this, and prayed him to tell him wherefore he asked such +things. + +"That shall I tell you," said Galahad; "the other day when we saw a part +of the adventures of the Sangreal I was in such joy of heart, that I +trow never man was that was earthly. And therefore I wot well, when my +body is dead my soul shall be in great joy to see the blessed Trinity +every day, and the Majesty of Our Lord, Jesu Christ." + +So long were they in the ship that they said to Galahad: "Sir, in this +bed ought ye to lie, for so sayeth the scripture." + +[Illustration: THE SHIP APPROACHES THE CITY OF SARRAS] + +And so he laid him down and slept a great while; and when he awaked he +looked afore him and saw the city of Sarras. Then took they out of the +ship the table of silver, and he took it to Percivale and to Bors, to go +tofore, and Galahad came behind. And right so they went to the city, and +at the gate of the city they saw an old man crooked. Then Galahad called +him and bade him help to bear this heavy thing. + +"Truly," said the old man, "it is ten years ago that I might not go but +with crutches." + +"Care thou not," said Galahad, "and arise up and shew thy good will." +And so he assayed, and found himself as whole as ever he was. Then ran +he to the table, and took one part against Galahad. + +And anon arose there great noise in the city, that a cripple was made +whole by knights marvelous that entered into the city. And when the king +of the city, which was cleped[25] Estorause, saw the fellowship, he +asked them of whence they were, and what thing it was that they had +brought upon the table of silver. And they told him the truth of the +Sangreal, and the power which that God had set there. Then the king was +a tyrant, and was come of the line of paynims,[26] and took them and put +them in prison in a deep hole. + +[Footnote 25: _Cleped_ meant _named_] + +[Footnote 26: A _paynim_ is an infidel.] + +But as soon as they were there Our Lord sent them the Sangreal, through +whose grace they were alway fulfilled while that they were in prison. + +So at the year's end it befell that this King Estorause lay sick, and +felt that he should die. Then he sent for the three knights, and they +came afore him; and he cried them mercy of that he had done to them, and +they forgave it him goodly; and he died anon. + +When the king was dead all the city was dismayed, and wist not who might +be their king. Right so as they were in counsel there came a voice among +them, and bade them choose the youngest knight of them three to be their +king: "For he shall well maintain you and all yours." So they made +Galahad king by all the assent of the holy city. + +[Illustration: THE LAST APPEARANCE OF THE SANGREAL] + +Now at the year's end, and the self day after Galahad had borne the +crown of gold, he arose up early and his fellows, and came to the +palace, and saw tofore them the Holy Vessel, and a man kneeling on his +knees in likeness of a bishop, that had about him a great fellowship of +angels as it had been Jesu Christ himself; and then he arose and began a +mass of Our Lady. And when he came to the sacrament of the mass, and had +done, anon he called Galahad, and said to him: "Come forth the servant +of Jesu Christ, and thou shalt see that thou hast much desired to see." + +Then Galahad held up his hands toward heaven and said: "Lord, I thank +thee, for now I see that that hath been my desire many a day. Now, +blessed Lord, would I not longer live, if it might please thee, Lord." + +And therewith the good man took Our Lord's body betwixt his hands, and +proffered it to Galahad, and he received it right gladly and meekly. +"Now wottest thou what I am?" said the good man. + +"Nay," said Galahad. "I am Joseph of Arimathie, the which Our Lord hath +sent here to thee to bear thee fellowship; and wottest thou wherefore +that he hath sent me more than any other? For thou hast resembled me in +two things; in that thou hast seen the marvels of the Sangreal, in that +thou hast been a clean maiden, as I have been and am." + +And when he had said these words Galahad went to Percivale and kissed +him, and commended him to God; and so he went to Sir Bors and kissed +him, and commended him to God, and said: "Fair lord, salute me to my +lord, Sir Launcelot, my father, and as soon as ye see him, bid him +remember of this unstable world." + +And therewith he kneeled down tofore the table and made his prayers, and +then suddenly his soul departed to Jesu Christ, and a great multitude of +angels bare his soul up to heaven, that the two fellows might well +behold it. Also the two fellows saw come from heaven an hand, but they +saw not the body. And then it came right to the Vessel, and took it and +the spear, and so bare it up to heaven. Sithen[27] was there never man +so hardy to say that he had seen the Sangreal. + +[Footnote 27: _Sithen_ is another form of _sith_, and means _since_.] + + + + +DISSENSIONS AT KING ARTHUR'S COURT + + +The quest of the Holy Grail cost King Arthur many of his best knights, +and the new ones who joined him by no means took the place of those +tried and trusty men who had made his Round Table famous. Moreover, +quarrels and dissensions broke out among them, and many of them forgot +their vows and lost the high character they held in the days of Galahad. + +The queen and Sir Launcelot incurred the hatred of some of the knights, +and there were many complaints made to discredit the queen with Arthur. +Finally she was accused of treason, and Arthur, broken-hearted, was +compelled to sit in judgment upon his wife as upon any other of his +subjects. The punishment for treason in those days was burning at the +stake, and the queen was condemned to death in this horrible manner. + +In those times all great questions might be settled by trial of battle. +There was a possibility of saving the queen's life if some knight would +volunteer to fight her accusers. For some time she was unable to find +any volunteer, and it was only under certain trying conditions that at +last Sir Bors agreed to enter the lists. He bore himself manfully in the +fray, but would not have succeeded had not Sir Launcelot appeared in +disguise and taken the battle upon himself. By his mighty prowess, +however, Launcelot established the queen's innocence of treason and +restored her to the king. + +This was only temporary relief, however, for in the combat some of the +best remaining knights were slain; among them were Sir Gareth and Sir +Gaheris, both among the closest of Launcelot's friends and both killed +by his own hand. Gawaine, their brother, one of the most powerful +knights in the court, vowed vengeance for their death and swore to +follow Launcelot to the ends of the earth. Launcelot protested that he +should never cease to mourn for Sir Gareth and that he would as soon +have slain his own nephew as to harm the man whom he made knight and +whom he loved as a brother. + +"Liar and traitor," cried Sir Gawaine, "you are a traitor both to the +king and to me." + +Launcelot replied, "I see that never again shall I have your love, +though I pray you remember that at one time we were friends, and that +once you were indebted to me for your life." + +"I care not," said Sir Gawaine, fiercely; "nor do I care for the +friendship of the king. As for you, in open combat or by stealth, your +life will I have; and as for the king, if he will not aid me now I shall +leave his kingdom and fight even against him." + +"Cease this brawling before me," said the king. "It is better for us all +that Launcelot should depart." Thus was Arthur's greatest knight +banished from the kingdom. + +This, however, did not terminate the difficulty. Arthur and Gawaine +followed Launcelot to France, where in a terrible battle Gawaine was +unhorsed and borne to the ground by Sir Launcelot, who, however, +declined to kill the valiant knight, although Gawaine still accused him +of being a traitor and declared that his enmity should never cease while +life lasted. Launcelot had gathered a large following in France, and +while Gawaine was being healed of his wounds there was peace between the +armies. + +In the meantime, Sir Mordred, the traitorous nephew of King Arthur, +remained in England and instigated a rebellion against the king. He +summoned a parliament and caused himself to be elected king. Queen +Guinevere hid herself in the tower of London and could not be induced to +leave by threat or entreaty, for she knew that Mordred's purpose was to +make her his wife. + +This news came to Arthur while he was encamped at Benwick where the +battle between his forces and Launcelot's had taken place. Arthur +immediately gathered his forces together and set sail for Britain. +Mordred learned of his approach and gathered a great army at Dover, +where he expected Sir Arthur to arrive, and where he lay in wait in the +harbor with a great array of ships of all kinds. + +Nothing daunted King Arthur, however, and in a fierce naval battle the +forces of Mordred were defeated, while the traitor fled westward, where +he gathered his scattered hosts. There were among his men many of King +Arthur's favorite knights, men whom he had showed every favor and who +were indebted to him for all that they possessed. The desertion of these +men made Arthur sorry at heart and left him little joy in his successful +battle. As soon as he could he landed and went about among the wounded +of his own army and of his enemies, binding up their wounds and giving +comfort to those who were dying. The dead he buried with honors of war +whether they were his opponents or his friends. + +As he went about among the boats he espied Sir Gawaine lying more dead +than alive, for in the battle he had received a blow which had reopened +the wound Launcelot had given him. When Arthur saw Gawaine he cried to +the stricken knight, "My sister's son, here you lie at the point of +death, the one man in the world I love most. Now is my joy all gone. Sir +Launcelot had all my friendship and you all my love, both of which are +gone utterly from me. Now indeed is my earthly joy all departed." + +"My uncle, King Arthur," said Gawaine, "you know that this is my death +day, and that all has come through my own hastiness; for now am I +smitten on an old wound which Sir Launcelot gave me, and I know well I +must die. If Sir Launcelot had been with you, this unhappy war had never +begun. Now am I the cause of all this, for now I know it was Sir +Launcelot that kept his enemies in subjection. I could not join in +friendship with him while I lived, but now as I die I pray you give me +paper, pen and ink that I may write to Launcelot with mine own hand." + +When the writing materials were brought Gawaine sat weakly up and wrote +this, "Unto Sir Launcelot, flower of all noble knights that I have heard +or saw by my days; I, Sir Gawaine, nephew of King Arthur, send you +greeting and let you know that I have been smitten upon the wound that +you gave me before the city of Benwick and that I have come to my death +day. I wish all the world to know that I, Sir Gawaine, knight of the +Round Table, came by my death by my own seeking and not through your +fault. So I beseech you, Sir Launcelot, return again to England and +sometime see my tomb and say a prayer or two for my soul. Alas, Sir +Launcelot, I beseech you by all the love that ever was between us, lose +no time but cross the sea in all haste that you may rescue the noble +king that made you knight, for he is in peril from that false traitor, +my half-brother, Sir Mordred. + +"This letter was written but two hours and a half before my death with +my own hand and sealed with my heart's blood." + +Then King Arthur wept, and sadness fell upon all who stood about. At the +hour of noon, after Sir Gawaine had received the sacrament and had +begged King Arthur to send for Launcelot, he yielded up the spirit. + +After the burial of Sir Gawaine, King Arthur, old before his time, with +all his sorrows fresh upon him, made ready to go against Sir Mordred, +who had gathered a great army in the west. + + + +THE PASSING OF ARTHUR[*] + +[Footnote *: Note.--_The Passing of Arthur_ gives us the story of King +Arthur from the time of Sir Gawaine's death.] + +_By_ ALFRED TENNYSON + + + That story which the bold Sir Bedivere, + First made and latest left of all the knights, + Told, when the man was no more than a voice + In the white winter of his age, to those + With whom he dwelt, new faces, other minds. + + For on their march to westward, Bedivere, + Who slowly paced among the slumbering host, + Heard in his tent the moanings of the King: + + "I found Him in the shining of the stars, + I mark'd Him in the flowering of His fields, + But in His ways with men I find Him not. + I waged His wars, and now I pass and die. + O me! for why is all around us here + As if some lesser god had made the world, + But had not force to shape it as he would, + Till the High God behold it from beyond, + And enter it, and make it beautiful? + Or else as if the world were wholly fair, + But that these eyes of men are dense and dim, + And have not power to see it as it is: + Perchance, because we see not to the close;-- + For I, being simple, thought to work His will, + And have but stricken with the sword in vain; + And all whereon I lean'd in wife and friend + Is traitor to my peace, and all my realm + Reels back into the beast, and is no more. + My God, thou hast forgotten me in my death: + Nay--God my Christ--I pass but shall not die." + + Then, ere that last weird battle in the west, + There came on Arthur sleeping, Gawain kill'd + In Lancelot's war, the ghost of Gawain blown + Along a wandering wind, and past his ear + Went shrilling, "Hollow, hollow all delight! + Hail, King! to-morrow thou shalt pass away. + Farewell! there is an isle of rest for thee. + And I am blown along a wandering wind, + And hollow, hollow, hollow all delight." + And fainter onward, like wild birds that change + Their season in the night and wail their way + From cloud to cloud, down the long wind the dream + Shrill'd; but in going mingled with dim cries + Far in the moonlit haze among the hills, + As of some lonely city sack'd by night, + When all is lost, and wife and child with wail + Pass to new lords; and Arthur woke and call'd, + "Who spake? A dream. O light upon the wind, + Thine, Gawain, was the voice--are these dim cries + Thine? or doth all that haunts the waste and wild + Mourn, knowing it will go along with me?" + + This heard the bold Sir Bedivere and spake: + "O me, my King, let pass whatever will, + Elves, and the harmless glamour of the field; + But in their stead thy name and glory cling + To all high places like a golden cloud + For ever: but as yet thou shalt not pass. + Light was Gawain in life, and light in death + Is Gawain, for the ghost is as the man; + And care not thou for dreams from him, but rise-- + I hear the steps of Modred in the west, + And with him many of thy people, and knights + Once thine, whom thou has loved, but grosser grown + Than heathen, spitting at their vows and thee. + Right well in heart they know thee for the King. + Arise, go forth and conquer as of old." + + Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere: + "Far other is this battle in the west + Whereto we move, than when we strove in youth, + And brake the petty kings, and fought with Rome, + Or thrust the heathen from the Roman wall,[1] + And shook him thro' the north. Ill doom is mine + To war against my people and my knights. + The king who fights his people fights himself. + And they my knights, who loved me once, the stroke + That strikes them dead is as my death to me. + Yet let us hence, and find or feel a way + Thro' this blind haze, which ever since I saw + One lying in the dust at Almesbury,[2] + Hath folded in the passes of the world." + +[Footnote 1: Shortly after his accession to the throne, according to the +legend, Arthur was called upon to send tribute to Rome. He refused, +however, and was successful in the battle against Rome which his refusal +caused. The heathen in his own country he also defeated, driving them +beyond the "Roman wall"--the wall which had been set up by the Romans at +the time of their occupancy of Britain to mark the northern boundary of +their territory.] + +[Footnote 2: Queen Guinevere, after her falseness to Arthur had been +proved, had withdrawn to a nunnery at Almesbury. Here Arthur had had an +interview with her before setting out on his last campaign.] + + Then rose the King and moved his host by night, + And ever push'd Sir Modred, league by league, + Back to the sunset bound of Lyonnesse-- + A land of old upheaven from the abyss + By fire, to sink into the abyss again; + Where fragments of forgotten peoples dwelt, + And the long mountains ended in a coast + Of ever-shifting sand, and far away + The phantom circle of a moaning sea. + There the pursuer could pursue no more, + And he that fled no further fly the King; + And there, that day when the great light of heaven + Burn'd at his lowest in the rolling year,[3] + On the waste sand by the waste sea they closed. + Nor ever yet had Arthur fought a fight + Like this last, dim, weird battle of the west. + A deathwhite mist slept over sand and sea: + Whereof the chill, to him who breathed it, drew + Down with his blood, till all his heart was cold + With formless fear; and ev'n on Arthur fell + Confusion, since he saw not whom he fought. + For friend and foe were shadows in the mist, + And friend slew friend not knowing whom he slew; + And some had visions out of golden youth, + And some beheld the faces of old ghosts + Look in upon the battle; and in the mist + Was many a noble deed, many a base, + And chance and craft and strength in single fights, + And ever and anon with host to host + Shocks, and the splintering spear, the hard mail hewn, + Shield-breakings, and the clash of brands, the crash + Of battle-axes on shatter'd helms, and shrieks + After the Christ, of those who falling down + Look'd up for heaven, and only saw the mist; + And shouts of heathen and the traitor knights, + Sweat, writhings, anguish, laboring of the lungs + In that close mist, and cryings for the light, + Moans of the dying, and voices of the dead. + +[Footnote 3: Can you tell from this on about what day Arthur fought this +last battle?] + + Last, as by some one deathbed after wail + Of suffering, silence follows, or thro' death + Or deathlike swoon, thus over all that shore, + Save for some whisper of the seething seas, + A dead hush fell; but when the dolorous day + Grew drearier toward twilight falling, came + A bitter wind, clear from the North, and blew + The mist aside, and with that wind the tide + Rose, and the pale King glanced across the field + Of battle: but no man was moving there; + Nor any cry of Christian heard thereon, + Nor yet of heathen; only the wan wave + Brake in among dead faces, to and fro + Swaying the helpless hands, and up and down + Tumbling the hollow helmets of the fallen, + And shiver'd brands that once had fought with Rome, + And rolling far along the gloomy shores + The voice of days of old and days to be. + + Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere, + And whiter than the mist that all day long + Had held the field of battle was the King: + + "Hearest thou this great voice that shakes the world, + And wastes the narrow realm whereon we move, + And beats upon the faces of the dead, + My dead, as tho' they had not died for me?-- + O Bedivere, for on my heart hath fall'n + Confusion, till I know not what I am, + Nor whence I am, nor whether I be King. + Behold, I seem but King among the dead." + + Then spake the bold Sir Bedivere: "My King, + King everywhere! and so the dead have kings, + There also will I worship thee as King. + Yet still thy life is whole, and still I live + Who love thee; but who hates thee, he that brought + The heathen back among us, yonder stands, + Modred, unharm'd, the traitor of thine house." + + Then spake the King: "My house hath been my doom. + But call not thou this traitor of my house + Who hath but dwelt beneath one roof with me. + My house are rather they who sware my vows, + Yea, even while they break them, own'd me King. + And well for thee, saying in my dark hour, + When all the purport of my throne hath failed, + That quick or dead thou holdest me for King. + King am I, whatsoever be their cry; + And one last act of kinghood shalt thou see + Yet, ere I pass." And uttering this the King + Made at the man: then Modred smote his liege + Hard on that helm which many a heathen sword + Had beaten thin; while Arthur at one blow, + Striking the last stroke with Excalibur, + Slew him, and all but slain himself, he fell. + + So all day long the noise of battle roll'd + Among the mountains by the winter sea; + Until King Arthur's Table, man by man, + Had fall'n in Lyonnesse about their lord, + King Arthur. Then, because his wound was deep, + The bold Sir Bedivere uplifted him, + And bore him to a chapel nigh the field, + A broken chancel with a broken cross, + That stood on a dark strait of barren land: + On one side lay the Ocean, and on one + Lay a great water, and the moon was full. + + Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere: + "The sequel of to-day unsolders all + The goodliest fellowship of famous knights + Whereof this world holds record. Such a sleep + They sleep--the men I loved. I think that we + Shall never more, at any future time, + Delight our souls with talk of knightly deeds, + Walking about the gardens and the halls + Of Camelot, as in the days that were. + I perish by this people which I made,-- + Tho' Merlin sware that I should come again + To rule once more; but, let what will be, be, + I am so deeply smitten thro' the helm + That without help I cannot last till morn. + Thou therefore take my brand Excalibur, + Which was my pride: for thou rememberest how + In those old days, one summer noon, an arm + Rose up from out the bosom of the lake, + Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful, + Holding the sword--and how I row'd across + And took it, and have worn it, like a king; + And, wheresoever I am sung or told + In aftertime, this also shall be known: + But now delay not: take Excalibur, + And fling him far into the middle mere:[4] + Watch what thou seest, and lightly bring me word." + +[Footnote 4: _Mere_ is a poetic word for _lake_.] + + To him replied the bold Sir Bedivere: + "It is not meet, Sir King, to leave thee thus, + Aidless, alone, and smitten thro' the helm-- + A little thing may harm a wounded man; + Yet I thy best will all perform at full, + Watch what I see, and lightly bring thee word." + + So saying, from the ruin'd shrine he stept, + And in the moon athwart the place of tombs, + Where lay the mighty bones of ancient men, + Old knights, and over them the sea-wind sang + Shrill, chill, with flakes of foam. He, stepping down + By zigzag paths, and juts of pointed rock, + Came on the shining levels of the lake. + + There drew he forth the brand Excalibur, + And o'er him, drawing it, the winter moon, + Brightening the skirts of a long cloud, ran forth + And sparkled keen with frost against the hilt: + For all-the haft twinkled with diamond sparks, + Myriads of topaz-lights, and jacinth-work + Of subtlest jewelry. He gazed so long + That both his eyes were dazzled as he stood, + This way and that dividing the swift mind, + In act to throw: but at the last it seem'd + Better to leave Excalibur conceal'd + There in the many-knotted waterflags + That whistled stiff and dry about the marge. + So strode he back slow to the wounded King. + + Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere: + "Hast thou perform'd my mission which I gave? + What is it thou hast seen? or what hast heard?" + + And answer made the bold Sir Bedivere: + "I heard the ripple washing in the reeds, + And the wild water lapping on the crag." + + To whom replied King Arthur, faint and pale: + "Thou hast betray'd thy nature and thy name, + Not rendering true answer, as beseem'd + Thy fëalty, nor like a noble knight: + For surer sign had follow'd, either hand, + Or voice, or else a motion of the mere. + This is a shameful thing for men to lie. + Yet now, I charge thee, quickly go again, + As thou art lief[5] and dear, and do the thing + I bade thee, watch, and lightly bring me word." + +[Footnote 5: _Lief_ is an old word meaning _beloved._] + + Then went Sir Bedivere the second time + Across the bridge, and paced beside the mere, + Counting the dewy pebbles, fix'd in thought; + But when he saw the wonder of the hilt, + How curiously and strangely chased, he smote + His palms together, and he cried aloud: + + "And if indeed I cast the brand away, + Surely a precious thing, one worthy note, + Should thus be lost for ever from the earth, + Which might have pleased the eyes of many men. + What good should follow this, if this were done? + What harm, undone? Deep harm to disobey, + Seeing obedience is the bond of rule. + Were it well to obey then, if a king demand + An act unprofitable, against himself? + The King is sick, and knows not what he does. + What record, or what relic of my lord + Should be to aftertime, but empty breath + And rumors of a doubt? But were this kept, + Stored in some treasure-house of mighty kings, + Some one might show it at a joust of arms, + Saying, 'King Arthur's sword, Excalibur, + Wrought by the lonely maiden of the Lake. + Nine years she wrought it, sitting in the deeps + Upon the hidden bases of the hills.' + So might some old man speak in the aftertime + To all the people, winning reverence. + But now much honor and much fame were lost." + + So spake he, clouded with his own conceit,[6] + And hid Excalibur the second time, + And so strode back slow to the wounded King. + +[Footnote 6: _Conceit_ here means _fancy_.] + + Then spoke King Arthur, breathing heavily: + "What is it thou hast seen? or what hast heard?" + + And answer made the bold Sir Bedivere: + "I heard the water lapping on the crag, + And the long ripple washing in the reeds." + + To whom replied King Arthur, much in wrath: + "Ah, miserable and unkind, untrue, + Unknightly, traitor-hearted! Woe is me! + Authority forgets a dying king, + Laid widow'd of the power in his eye + That bowed the will. I see thee what thou art, + For thou, the latest-left of all my knights, + In whom should meet the offices of all, + Thou wouldst betray me for the precious hilt; + Either from lust of gold, or like a girl + Valuing the giddy pleasure of the eyes. + Yet, for a man may fail in duty twice, + And the third time may prosper, get thee hence: + But, if thou spare to fling Excalibur, + I will arise and slay thee with my hands." + + Then quickly rose Sir Bedivere, and ran, + And, leaping down the ridges lightly, plunged + Among the bulrush beds, and clutch'd the sword, + And strongly wheel'd and threw it. The great brand + Made lightnings in the splendor of the moon, + And flashing round and round, and whirl'd in an arch, + Shot like a streamer of the northern morn, + Seen where the moving isles of winter shock + By night, with noises of the Northern Sea. + So flash'd and fell the brand Excalibur: + But ere he dipt the surface, rose an arm + Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful, + And caught him by the hilt, and brandish'd him + Three times, and drew him under in the mere. + And lightly went the other to the King. + + Then spoke King Arthur, drawing thicker breath: + "Now see I by thine eyes that this is done. + Speak out: what is it thou hast heard, or seen?" + + And answer made the bold Sir Bedivere: + "Sir King, I closed mine eyelids, lest the gems + Should blind my purpose, for I never saw, + Nor shall see, here or elsewhere, till I die, + Not tho' I live three lives of mortal men, + So great a miracle as yonder hilt. + Then with both hands I flung him, wheeling him; + But when I looked again, behold an arm, + Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful, + That caught him by the hilt, and brandish'd him + Three times, and drew him under in the mere." + + And answer made King Arthur, breathing hard: + "My end draws nigh; 'tis time that I were gone + Make broad thy shoulders to receive my weight. + And bear me to the margin; yet I fear + My wound hath taken cold, and I shall die." + + So saying, from the pavement he half rose, + Slowly, with pain, reclining on his arm, + And looking wistfully with wide blue eyes + As in a picture. Him Sir Bedivere + Remorsefully regarded thro' his tears, + And would have spoken, but he found not words: + Then took with care, and kneeling on one knee, + O'er both his shoulders drew the languid hands, + And rising bore him thro' the place of tombs. + + But, as he walk'd, King Arthur panted hard, + Like one that feels a nightmare on his bed + When all the house is mute. So sigh'd the King, + Muttering and murmuring at his ear, "Quick, quick! + I fear it is too late, and I shall die." + + But the other swiftly strode from ridge to ridge, + Clothed, with his breath, and looking, as he walk'd, + Larger than human on the frozen hills. + He heard the deep behind him, and a cry + Before. His own thought drove him like a goad. + Dry clash'd his harness in the icy caves + And barren chasms, and all to left and right + The bare black cliff clang'd round him, as he based + His feet on juts of slippery crag that rang + Sharp-smitten with the dint of armed heels-- + And on a sudden, lo! the level lake, + And the long glories of the winter moon.[7] + +[Footnote 7: This sentence is a striking example of Tennyson's ability +to make the sound of a passage help in conveying the sense. The harsh +_e_ and short _a_ sounds in the earlier part are intended to imitate the +clash of armor and the ring of "armed heels" on the rock; while the +smooth _l_ and _o_ sounds in the last two lines bring to us the quiet +and peacefulness of the scene upon which Bedivere came forth.] + + Then saw they how there hove a dusky barge, + Dark as a funeral scarf from stem to stern, + Beneath them; and descending they were ware + That all the decks were dense with stately forms, + Black-stoled, black-hooded, like a dream--by these + Three Queens with crowns of gold: and from them rose + A cry that shiver'd to the tingling stars, + And, as it were one voice, an agony + Of lamentation, like a wind that shrills + All night in a waste land, where no one comes, + Or hath come, since the making of the world. + + Then murmur'd Arthur, "Place me in the barge." + So to the barge they came. There those three Queens + Put forth their hands, and took the King, and wept. + But she, that rose the tallest of them all + And fairest, laid his head upon her lap, + And loosed the shatter'd casque, and chafed his hands, + And call'd him by his name, complaining loud, + And dropping bitter tears against a brow + Striped with dark blood: for all his face was white + And colorless, and like the wither'd moon + Smote by the fresh beam of the springing east; + And all his greaves and cuisses dash'd with drops + Of onset; and the light and lustrous curls-- + That made his forehead like a rising sun + High from the daïs-throne--were parch'd with dust, + Or, clotted into points and hanging loose, + Mix'd with the knightly growth that fringed his lips. + So like a shatter'd column lay the King; + Not like that Arthur who, with lance in rest, + From spur to plume a star of tournament, + Shot thro' the lists at Camelot, and charged + Before the eyes of ladies and of kings. + + Then loudly cried the bold Sir Bedivere: + "Ah! my Lord Arthur, whither shall I go? + Where shall I hide my forehead and my eyes? + For now I see the true old times are dead, + When every morning brought a noble chance, + And every chance brought out a noble knight. + Such times have been not since the light that led + The holy Elders[8] with the gift of myrrh. + +[Footnote 8: The Elders are the wise men who, with their gifts of myrrh. +came to worship Christ in the manger.] + + But now the whole Round Table is dissolved + Which was an image of the mighty world, + And I, the last, go forth companionless, + And the days darken round me, and the years, + Among new men, strange faces, other minds." + + And slowly answer'd Arthur from the barge: + "The old order changeth, yielding place to new, + And God fulfils himself in many ways, + Lest one good custom should corrupt the world. + Comfort thyself: what comfort is in me? + I have lived my life, and that which I have done + May He within himself make pure! but thou, + If thou shouldst never see my face again, + Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer + Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice + Rise like a fountain for me night and day. + For what are men better than sheep or goats + That nourish a blind life within the brain, + If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer + Both for themselves and those who call them friend? + For so the whole round earth is every way + Bound by gold chains about the feet of God. + But now farewell. I am going a long way + With these thou seëst--if indeed I go + (For all my mind is clouded with a doubt)-- + To the island-valley of Avilion; + Where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow, + Nor ever wind blows loudly; but it lies + Deep-meadow'd, happy, fair with orchard lawns + And bowery hollows crown'd with summer sea, + Where I will heal me of my grievous wound." + + So said he, and the barge with oar and sail + Moved from the brink, like some full-breasted swan + That, fluting a wild carol ere her death, + Ruffles her pure cold plume, and takes the flood + With swarthy webs. Long stood Sir Bedivere + Revolving many memories, till the hull + Look'd one black dot against the verge of dawn, + And on the mere the wailing died away. + But when that moan had past for evermore, + The stillness of the dead world's winter dawn + Amazed him, and he groan'd, "The King is gone." + And therewithal came on him the weird rhyme, + "From the great deep to the great deep he goes." + +Whereat he slowly turn'd and slowly clomb +The last hard footstep of that iron crag; +Thence mark'd the black hull moving yet, and cried, +"He passes to be King among the dead, +And after healing of his grievous wound +He comes again; but--if he come no more-- +O me, be yon dark Queens in yon black boat, +Who shriek'd and wail'd, the three whereat we gazed +On that high day, when, clothed with living light, +They stood before his throne in silence, friends +Of Arthur, who should help him at his need?" + +Then from the dawn it seem'd there came, but faint +As from beyond the limit of the world, +Like the last echo born of a great cry, +Sounds, as if some fair city were one voice +Around a king returning from his wars. + +Thereat once more he moved about, and clomb +Ev'n to the highest he could climb, and saw, +Straining his eyes beneath an arch of hand, +Or thought he saw, the speck that bare the King, + +[Illustration: THE BARGE MOVED FROM THE BRINK] + +Down that long water opening on the deep +Somewhere far off, pass on and on, and go +From less to less and vanish into light. +And the new sun rose bringing the new year. + + + + +HENRY HUDSON'S FOURTH VOYAGE[1] + +[Footnote 1: This sketch of Henry Hudson's fourth voyage is taken from +the _Life of Henry Hudson_ by Henry R. Cleveland, which appears in Jared +Sparks's series of books on American biography.] + +_By_ HENRY R. CLEVELAND + +Note.--It should be remembered that Hudson had already made three +voyages in search of the Northwestern Passage. On his first voyage he +tried to sail around the northern part of Greenland, but was driven back +by the ice and returned to England, whence he had sailed. + +On his second voyage he attempted to find a northeastern passage around +the North Cape and north of Europe. He reached Nova Zembla but was +unable to get any farther. + +On his third voyage he sailed under the management of the Dutch East +India Company and left the port of Amsterdam, expecting to go north +around the continent of America. In this he was disappointed; but he +proceeded west to the Banks of Newfoundland and thence south along the +coast of the United States. He visited Penobscot Bay in Maine, sailed +around Cape Cod and southward at some distance from the coast, to +Virginia, deciding by this time that he could not find a passage +westward in that direction. As he knew of the discoveries along the +coast of Virginia he returned north, and on his way discovered Delaware +Bay and the outlet of the Hudson River. After some delay he explored the +river to the present site of Albany, where he again found that his +Northwestern Passage was barred by the shallowing waters of the river. +This was the extent of the explorations of this voyage, from which he +finally returned in safety to London. + +China was well known to the people of Hudson's time, but had been +reached always by water around the Cape of Good Hope and along the +southern shore of Asia, or by the long and perilous land journey across +Europe and Asia. It was the dream of all these early navigators to find +a water passage much shorter than the one around the Cape, and for this +they naturally looked to the northwest, where they knew the distance +must be much shorter. They little knew that this search was to continue +for hundreds of years--so long, in fact, that no practicable passage of +that sort is even now known. + +The success of Hudson's last voyage probably stimulated the London +Company to take him again into their employment, and to fit out another +vessel in search of that great object of discovery, the northwest +passage. We find him setting out on a voyage, under their auspices, +early in the spring of 1610. His crew numbered several persons, who were +destined to act a conspicuous part in the melancholy events of this +expedition. Among these were Robert Juet, who had already sailed with +him as mate in two of his voyages; Habakuk Pricket, a man of some +intelligence and education, who had been in the service of Sir Dudley +Digges, one of the London Company, and from whose Journal we learn +chiefly the events of the voyage; and Henry Greene, of whose character +and circumstances it is necessary here to give a brief account. + +It appears from the Journal, that Greene was a young man of good +abilities, and education, born of highly respectable parents, but of +such abandoned character, that he had forced his family to cast him off. +Hudson found him in this condition, took pity upon him, and received him +into his house in London. When it was determined that he should command +this expedition, Hudson resolved to take Greene with him, in the hope, +that, by exciting his ambition, and by withdrawing him from his +accustomed haunts, he might reclaim him. Greene was also a good penman, +and would be useful to Hudson in that capacity. With much difficulty +Greene's mother was persuaded to advance four pounds, to buy clothes for +him; and, at last, the money was placed in the hands of an agent, for +fear that it would be wasted if given directly to him. He was not +registered in the Company's books, nor did he sail in their pay, but +Hudson, to stimulate him to reform, promised to give him wages, and on +his return to get him appointed one of the Prince's guards, provided he +should behave well on the voyage. + +Hudson was also accompanied, as usual, by his son. The crew consisted of +twenty-three men, and the vessel was named the _Discovery_. The London +Company had insisted upon Hudson's taking in the ship a person, who was +to aid him by his knowledge and experience, and in whom they felt great +confidence. This arrangement seems to have been very disagreeable to +Hudson, as he put the man into another vessel before he reached the +mouth of the Thames, and sent him back to London, with a letter to his +employers stating his reasons for so doing. What these reasons were, we +can form no conjecture, as there is no hint given in the Journal. + +He sailed from London on the 17th of April, 1610. Steering north from +the mouth of the Thames, and passing in sight of the northern part of +Scotland, the Orkney, Shetland, and Faroe Isles, and having, in a little +more than a month, sailed along the southern coast of Iceland, where he +could see the flames ascending from Mount Hecla, he anchored in a bay on +the western side of that island. Here they found a spring so hot, that +"it would scald a fowl," in which the crew bathed freely. At this place, +Hudson discovered signs of a turbulent and mutinous disposition in his +crew. The chief plotter seems to have been Robert Juet, the mate. Before +reaching Iceland, Juet had remarked to one of the crew, that there would +be bloodshed before the voyage was over; and he was evidently at that +time contriving some mischief. While the ship was at anchor in this bay, +a circumstance occurred, which gave Juet an opportunity to commence his +intrigues. It is thus narrated by Pricket. + +"At Iceland, the surgeon and he (Henry Greene) fell out in Dutch, and he +beat him ashore in English, which set all the company in a rage, so that +we had much ado to get the surgeon aboard. I told the master of it, but +he bade me let it alone; for, said he, the surgeon had a tongue that +would wrong the best friend he had. But Robert Juet, the master's mate, +would needs burn his finger in the embers, and told the carpenter a long +tale, when he was drunk, that our master had brought in Greene to crack +his credit that should displease him; which words came to the master's +ears, who, when he understood it, would have gone back to Iceland, when +he was forty leagues from thence, to have sent home his mate, Robert +Juet, in a fisherman. But, being otherwise persuaded, all was well. So +Henry Greene stood upright, and very inward with the master, and was a +serviceable man every way for manhood; but for religion, he would say, +he was clean paper, whereon he might write what he would." + +He sailed from Iceland on the 1st of June, and for several days Juet +continued to instigate the crew to mutiny, persuading them to put the +ship about and return to England. This, as we have seen, came to the +knowledge of Hudson, and he threatened to send Juet back, but was +finally pacified. In a few days he made the coast of Greenland, which +appeared very mountainous, the hills rising like sugar loaves, and +covered with snow. But the ice was so thick all along the shore, that it +was found impossible to land. He therefore steered for the south of +Greenland, where he encountered great numbers of whales. Two of these +monsters passed under the ship, but did no harm; for which the +journalist was devoutly thankful. Having doubled the southern point of +Greenland, he steered northwest, passed in sight of Desolation Island, +in the neighborhood of which he saw a huge island or mountain of ice, +and continued northwest till the latter part of June, when he came in +sight of land bearing north, which he supposed to be an island set down +in his chart in the northerly part of Davis's Strait. His wish was to +sail along the western coast of this island, and thus get to the north +of it; but adverse winds and the quantities of ice which he encountered +every day, prevented him. + +Being south of this land, he fell into a current setting westwardly, +which he followed, but was in constant danger from the ice. One day, an +enormous mountain of ice turned over near the ship, but fortunately +without touching it. This served as a warning to keep at a distance from +these masses, to prevent the ship from being crushed by them. He +encountered a severe storm, which brought the ice so thick about the +ship, that he judged it best to run her among the largest masses, and +there let her lie. In this situation, says the journalist, "some of our +men fell sick; I will not say it was of fear, although I saw small sign +of other grief." As soon as the storm abated, Hudson endeavoured to +extricate himself from the ice. Wherever any open space appeared, he +directed his course, sailing in almost every direction; but the longer +he contended with the ice, the more completely did he seem to be +enclosed, till at last he could go no further. The ship seemed to be +hemmed in on every side, and in danger of being soon closely wedged, so +as to be immovable. In this perilous situation, even the stout heart of +Hudson almost yielded to the feeling of despair; and, as he afterwards +confessed to one of the men, he thought he should never escape from the +ice, but that he was doomed to perish there. + +He did not, however, allow his crew, at the time, to be aware what his +apprehensions really were; but, assembling them all around him, he +brought out his chart, and showed them that they had advanced in this +direction a hundred leagues further than any Englishman had done before; +and gave them their choice whether to proceed, or to return home. The +men could come to no agreement; some were in favor of returning, others +were for pushing forward. This was probably what Hudson expected; the +men were mutinous, and yet knew not what they wanted themselves. Having +fairly convinced them of this, it was easier to set them at work to +extricate the ship from her immediate danger. After much time and labor, +they made room to turn the ship round, and then by little and little +they worked their way along for a league or two, when they found a clear +sea. + +The scene which has just been described, seems indeed a subject worthy +of the talents of a skilful painter. The fancy of the artist would +represent the dreary and frightful appearance of the ice-covered sea, +stretching away as far as the eye could reach, a bleak and boundless +waste; the dark and broken clouds driving across the fitful sky; the +ship motionless amidst the islands and mountains of ice, her shrouds and +sails being fringed and stiffened with the frozen spray. On the deck +would appear the form of Hudson himself, displaying the chart to his +men; his countenance careworn and sad, but still concealing, under the +appearance of calmness and indifference, the apprehensions and +forebodings, which harrowed his mind. About him would be seen the rude +and ruffian-like men; some examining the chart with eager curiosity, +some glaring on their commander with eyes of hatred and vengeance, and +expressing in their looks those murderous intentions, which they at last +so fatally executed. + +Having reached a clear sea, Hudson pursued his course northwest, and in +a short time saw land bearing southwest, which appeared very mountainous +and covered with snow. This he named _Desire Provokes_. He had now +entered the Strait which bears his name, and, steering west, he occupied +nearly the whole month of July in passing through it. To the various +capes, islands, and promontories which he saw, he gave names, either in +commemoration of some circumstance, which happened at the time, or in +honor of persons and places at home, or else for the reward of the +discoverer. + +Some islands, near which he anchored, and where his ship was but just +saved from the rocks, he called the _Isles of God's Mercies_. On the +19th, he passed a point of land, which he named _Hold with Hope_. To the +main land, which he soon after discovered, he gave the name of _Magna +Britannia_. On the 2d of September, he saw a headland on the northern +shore, which he named _Salisbury's Foreland_; and, running southwest +from this point about fourteen leagues, he entered a passage not more +than five miles in width, the southern cape at the entrance of which he +named _Cape Worsenholme_, and that on the north side, _Cape Digges_. + +He now hoped that the passage to the western sea was open before him, +and that the great discovery was at length achieved. He therefore sent a +number of the men on shore at Cape Digges, to ascend the hills, in the +hope that they would see the great ocean open to them beyond the Strait. +The exploring party, however, were prevented from making any discovery, +by a violent thunder storm, which soon drove them back to the ship. They +saw plenty of deer, and soon after espied a number of small piles of +stones, which they at first supposed must be the work of some civilized +person. On approaching them, and lifting up one of the stones, they +found them to be hollow, and filled with fowls, hung by the neck. They +endeavored to persuade their commander to wait here, till they could +provision the ship from the stores, which were thus remarkably provided +for them. But his ardor was so great to find his way into the ocean, +which he felt convinced was immediately in the vicinity, that he could +suffer no delay, but ordered his men to weigh anchor at once; a +precipitancy which he had afterwards reason bitterly to regret. Having +advanced about ten leagues through the Strait, he came into the great +open Bay or sea which bears his name. + +Having entered the Bay, he pursued a southerly course for nearly a +month, till he arrived at the bottom of the Bay; when, finding that he +was disappointed in his expectation of thus reaching the western seas, +he changed his course to the north, in order to retrace his steps. On +the 10th of September, he found it necessary to inquire into the conduct +of some of the men, whose mutinous disposition had manifested itself a +good deal of late. Upon investigation, it appeared, that the mate, +Robert Juet, and Francis Clement, the boatswain, had been the most +forward in exciting a spirit of insubordination. The conduct of Juet at +Iceland was again brought up, and, as it appeared that both he and +Clement had been lately plotting against the commander, they were both +deposed, and Robert Billet was appointed mate, and William Wilson +boatswain. + +The remaining part of September and all October were passed in exploring +the great Bay. At times the weather was so bad, that they were compelled +to run into some bay and anchor; and in one of the storms they were +obliged to cut away the cable, and so lost their anchor. At another time +they ran upon a sunken ledge of rocks, where the ship stuck fast for +twelve hours, but was at last got off without being much injured. The +last of October having now arrived, and winter beginning to set in, +Hudson ran the vessel into a small bay, and sent a party in search of a +good place to intrench themselves till the spring. They soon found a +convenient station; and, bringing the ship thither, they hauled her +aground. This was on the 1st of November. In ten days they were +completely frozen in, and the ship firmly fixed in the sea. + +The prospect for Hudson and his men was now dreary and disheartening. In +addition to the rigors of a long winter, in a high northern latitude, +they had to apprehend the suffering which would arise from a scarcity of +provisions. The vessel had been victualled for six months, and that time +having now expired, and their stores falling short, while, at the same +time, the chance of obtaining supplies from hunting and fishing was very +precarious, it was found necessary to put the crew upon an allowance. In +order, however, to stimulate the men to greater exertions, Hudson +offered a reward or bounty for every beast, fish, or fowl, which they +should kill; hoping, that in this way the scanty stock of provisions +might be made to hold out till the breaking up of the ice in the spring. + +About the middle of November, John Williams, the gunner, died. We are +not informed what was his disease, but we are led to suppose from the +Journal, that his death was hastened, if not caused, by the unkind +treatment he experienced from Hudson. It appears very evident from the +simple narration by Pricket, that "the master," as he calls him, had +become hasty and irritable in his temper. This is more to be regretted, +than wondered at. The continual hardships and disappointments, to which +he had been exposed, and especially the last unhappy failure in +discovering the northwest passage, when he had believed himself actually +within sight of it, must have operated powerfully upon an ardent and +enthusiastic mind like his, in which the feeling of regret at failure is +always proportionate to the strength and confidence of hope when first +formed. In addition to this, the troublesome disposition of the crew, +which must have caused ceaseless anxiety, undoubtedly contributed much +to disturb his calmness and self-possession, and render him precipitate +and irritable in his conduct. Many proofs of this soon occurred.[2] + +[Footnote 2: In reading the account of this Arctic expedition, we must +remember that the author has followed very closely the journal of +Pricket and has not tried to determine the truth or falseness of +that man's statements. It does not seem probable that a man of +Hudson's character should so suddenly become peevish and irritable, +nor that his judgment should so suddenly become weak. The journal +was probably written to defend Pricket's share in the disgraceful +transaction, and so events were colored to suit himself.] + +The death of the gunner was followed by consequences which may be +regarded as the beginning of troubles that in the end proved fatal. It +appears that it was the custom in those times, when a man died at sea, +to sell his clothes to the crew by auction. In one respect, Hudson +violated this custom, and probably gained no little ill will thereby. +The gunner had a gray cloth gown or wrapper, which Henry Greene had set +his heart upon possessing; and Hudson, wishing to gratify his favorite, +refused to put it up to public sale, and gave Greene the sole choice of +purchasing it. + +Not long after this, Hudson ordered the carpenter to go on shore, and +build a house, or hut, for the accommodation of the crew. The man +replied, that it would now be impossible to do such a piece of work, +from the severity of the weather, and the quantity of snow. The house +ought to have been erected when they had first fixed their station +there, but now it was too late, and Hudson had refused to have it done +at first. The carpenter's refusal to perform the work excited the anger +of the master to such a degree, that he drove him violently from the +cabin, using the most opprobrious language, and finally threatening to +hang him. + +Greene appeared to take sides with the carpenter, which made Hudson so +angry, that he gave the gown, which Greene had coveted so much, to +Billet, the mate; telling Greene, with much abusive language, that, as +not one of his friends at home would trust him to the value of twenty +shillings, he could not be expected to trust him for the value of the +gown; and that, as for wages, he should have none if he did not behave +better. These bitter taunts sunk deep into Greene's heart, and no doubt +incited him to further mutinous conduct. + +The sufferings of the men were not less, during the winter, than they +had had reason to apprehend. Many of them were made lame, probably from +chilblains and freezing their feet; and Pricket complains in the +Journal, written after the close of the voyage, that he was still +suffering from the effects of this winter. They were, however, much +better supplied with provisions than they had anticipated. For three +months they had such an abundance of white partridges about the ship, +that they killed a hundred dozen of them; and, on the departure of +these, when spring came, they found a great plenty of swans, geese, +ducks, and other waterfowl. + +Hudson was in hopes, when he saw these wild fowl, that they had come to +breed in these regions, which would have rendered it much easier to +catch them; but he found that they went still further north for this +purpose. Before the ice had broken up, these birds too had disappeared, +and the horror of starvation began to stare them in the face. They were +forced to search the hills, woods, and valleys, for anything that might +afford them subsistence; even the moss growing on the ground, and +disgusting reptiles, were not spared. Their sufferings were somewhat +relieved at last, by the use of a bud, which is described as "full of +turpentine matter." Of these buds the surgeon made a decoction, which he +gave the men to drink, and also applied them hot to their bodies, +wherever any part was affected. This was undoubtedly very effectual in +curing the scurvy. + +About the time that the ice began to break up, they were visited by a +savage, whom Hudson treated so well, that he returned the day after to +the ship, bringing several skins, some of which he gave in return for +presents he had received the day before. For others Hudson traded with +him, but made such hard bargains, that he never visited them again. As +soon as the ice would allow of it, some of the men were sent out to +fish. The first day they were very successful, catching about five +hundred fish; but after this, they never succeeded in taking a quarter +part of this number in one day. Being greatly distressed by want of +provisions, Hudson took the boat and coasted along the bay to the +southwest, in the hope of meeting some of the natives, from whom he +might obtain supplies. He saw the woods blazing at a distance, where +they had been set on fire by the natives; but he was not able at any +time to come within sight of the people themselves. After an absence of +several days, he returned unsuccessful to the ship. + +The only effect of this little expedition was defeating a conspiracy, +formed by Greene, Wilson, and some others, to seize the boat and make +off with her. They were prevented from putting this scheme in execution +by Hudson's unexpected determination to use the boat himself. Well would +it have been for him, if they had been allowed to follow their wishes. + +Having returned to the ship, and finding everything now prepared for +their departure according to his directions, before weighing anchor he +went through the mournful task of distributing to his crew the small +remnant of the provisions, about a pound of bread to each man; which he +did with tears in his eyes. He also gave them a bill of return, as a +sort of certificate for any who might live to reach home. Some of the +men were so ravenous, that they devoured in a day or two the whole of +their allowance of bread. + +They sailed from the bay, in which they had passed the winter, about the +middle of June, and, in three or four days, being surrounded with ice, +were obliged to anchor. The bread he had given the men, and a few pounds +of cheese, which had remained, were consumed. Hudson now intimated to +one of the crew, that the chests of all the men would be searched, to +find any provisions that might have been concealed there; and ordered +him at the same time to bring all that was in his. The man obeyed, and +produced thirty cakes in a bag. This indiscretion on the part of Hudson +appears to have greatly exasperated his crew, and to have been the +immediate cause of open mutiny. + +They had been detained at anchor in the ice about a week, when the first +signs of this mutiny appeared. Greene, and Wilson, the boatswain, came +in the night to Pricket, who was lying in his berth very lame, and told +him, that they and several of the crew had resolved to seize Hudson, and +set him adrift in the boat, with all on board who were disabled by +sickness; that there were but few days' provisions left, and the master +appeared entirely irresolute which way to go; that for themselves they +had eaten nothing for three days; their only hope, therefore, was in +taking command of the ship, and escaping from these regions as quickly +as possible; and that they would carry their plot unto execution, or +perish in the attempt. + +Pricket remonstrated with them in the most earnest manner, entreating +them to abandon such a wicked intention, and reminding them of their +wives and children, from whom they would be banished forever, if they +stained themselves with so great a crime. But all he could say had no +effect. He then besought them to delay the execution for three days, for +two days, for only twelve hours; but they sternly refused. Pricket then +told them, that it was not their safety for which they were anxious, but +that they were bent upon shedding blood and revenging themselves, which +made them so hasty. Upon this, Greene took up the Bible which lay there, +and swore upon it, that he would do no man harm, and that what he did +was for the good of the voyage, and for nothing else. Wilson took the +same oath, and after him came Juet and the other conspirators +separately, and swore in the same words. The words of the oath are +recorded by Pricket, because, after his return to England, he was much +blamed for administering any oath, as he seemed by so doing to side with +the mutineers. The oath, as administered by him, ran as follows: + +"You shall swear truth to God, your Prince, and Country; you shall do +nothing but to the glory of God and the good of the action in hand, and +harm to no man." How little regard was paid to this oath by the +mutineers, will shortly appear. + +It was decided, that the plot should be put in execution at daylight; +and, in the meantime, Greene went into Hudson's cabin to keep him +company and prevent his suspicions from being excited. They had +determined to put the carpenter and John King into the boat with Hudson +and the sick, having some grudge against them for their attachment to +the master. King and the carpenter had slept upon deck this night. But +about daybreak, King was observed to go down into the hold with the +cook, who was going for water. Some of the mutineers ran and shut down +the hatch over them, while Greene and another engaged the attention of +the carpenter, so that he did not observe what was going on. + +Hudson now came up from the cabin, and was immediately seized by Thomas, +and Bennet, the cook, who had come up from the hold, while Wilson ran +behind and bound his arms. He asked them what they meant, and they told +him he would know when he was in the shallop. Hudson called on the +carpenter to help him, telling him that he was bound; but he could +render him no assistance, being surrounded by mutineers. In the +meantime, Juet had gone down into the hold, where King was; but the +latter, having armed himself with a sword, attacked Juet, and would have +killed him, if the noise had not been heard upon deck by the +conspirators, some of whom ran down and overpowered him. While this was +done, two of the sick men, Lodlo and Bute, boldly reproached their +shipmates for their wickedness, telling them, that their knavery would +show itself, and that their actions were prompted by mere vengeance, not +the wish to preserve their lives. But their words had no effect. + +The boat was now hauled alongside, and the sick and lame were called up +from their berths. Pricket crawled upon deck as well as he could, and +Hudson, seeing him, called to him to come to the hatchway to speak with +him. Pricket entreated the men, on his knees, for the love of God to +remember their duty, and do as they would be done by; but they only told +him to go back to his berth, and would not allow him to have any +communication with Hudson. When Hudson was in the boat, he called again +to Pricket, who was at the horn window, which lighted his cabin, and +told him that Juet would "overthrow" them all. "Nay," said Pricket, "it +is that villain, Henry Greene;" and this he said as loud as he could. + +After Hudson was put into the boat, the carpenter was set at liberty, +but he refused to remain in the ship unless they forced him; so they +told him he might go in the boat, and allowed him to take his chest with +him. Before he got into the boat, he went down to take leave of Pricket, +who entreated him to remain in the ship; but the carpenter said he +believed that they would soon be taken on board again, as there was no +one left who knew enough to bring the ship home; and that he was +determined not to desert the master. He thought the boat would be kept +in tow; but, if they should be parted, he begged Pricket to leave some +token for them if he should reach Digges's Cape first. They then took +leave of each other with tears in their eyes, and the carpenter went +into the boat, taking a musket and some powder and shot, an iron pot, a +small quantity of meal, and other provisions. Hudson's son and six of +the men were also put into the boat. The sails were now hoisted, and +they stood eastward with a fair wind, dragging the shallop from the +stern; and in a few hours, being clear of the ice, they cut the rope by +which the boat was dragged, and soon after lost sight of her forever. + +[Illustration: CUT ADRIFT IN HUDSON'S BAY] + +The account here given of the mutiny, is nearly in the words of Pricket, +an eyewitness of the event. It is difficult at first to perceive the +whole enormity of the crime. The more we reflect upon it, the blacker it +appears. Scarcely a circumstance is wanting, that could add to the +baseness of the villainy, or the horror of the suffering inflicted. The +principal conspirators were men who were bound to Hudson by long +friendship, by lasting obligations, and by common interests, adventures +and sufferings. Juet had sailed with him on two of his former voyages, +and had shared in the glory of his discoveries. Greene had been received +into his house, when abandoned even by his own mother; had been kindly +and hospitably entertained, encouraged to reform, and taken, on Hudson's +private responsibility, into a service in which he might gain celebrity +and wealth. Wilson had been selected from among the crew, by the +approving eye of the commander, and appointed to a place of trust and +honor. Yet these men conspired to murder their benefactor, and +instigated the crew to join in their execrable scheme. + +Not contented with the destruction of their commander, that nothing +might be wanting to fill up the measure of their wickedness, they formed +the horrible plan of destroying, at the same time, all of their +companions whom sickness and suffering had rendered a helpless and +unresisting prey to their cruelty. The manner of effecting this massacre +was worthy of the authors of such a plot. To have killed their unhappy +victims outright would have been comparatively merciful; but a long, +lingering, and painful death was chosen for them. The imagination turns +with intense and fearful interest to the scene. The form of the +commander is before us, bound hand and foot, condescending to no +supplication to the mutineers, but calling in vain for assistance from +those who would gladly have helped him, but who were overpowered by +numbers, or disabled by sickness. The cry of the suffering and dying +rings in our ears, as they are dragged from their beds, to be exposed to +the inclemencies of the ice-covered sea in an open boat. Among them +appears the young son of Hudson, whose tender years can wake no +compassion in the cold-blooded murderers.[3] + +[Footnote 3: It is impossible to tell very much about this young son of +Henry Hudson. In some accounts he is said to be but a lad of seven +years old, but as he appears in the journal of the voyage as a sailor, +it is probable that he was much older. He had accompanied his +father on two of his earlier voyages and possibly on the third.] + +We refrain from following them, even in fancy, through their sufferings +after they are separated from the ship; their days and nights of agony, +their cry of distress, and the frenzy of starvation, their hopes of +relief defeated, their despair, and their raving as death comes on. Over +these awful scenes the hand of God has hung a veil, which hides them +from us forever. Let us not seek to penetrate, even in imagination, the +terrors which it conceals. + +How far Pricket's account, in regard to the course pursued by Hudson, is +worthy of confidence, must be left to conjecture. It should be +remembered, however, that Pricket was not free from the suspicion of +having been in some degree implicated in the conspiracy, and that his +narrative was designed in part as a vindication of himself. The +indiscreet severity charged upon Hudson, and the hasty temper he is +represented to have shown, in embroiling himself with his men, for +apparently trifling reasons, are not consistent with the moderation, +good sense, and equanimity, with which his conduct had been marked in +all his preceding voyages. It is moreover hardly credible, that, knowing +as he did the mutinous spirit of some of the crew he should so rashly +inflame this spirit, at a time when he was surrounded by imminent +dangers, and when his safety depended on the united support of all the +men under his command. Hence, whatever reliance may be placed on the +veracity of Pricket, it is due to the memory of Hudson not to overlook +the circumstances by which his pen may have been biased. + +When Hudson and the men were deposited in the boat, the mutineers busied +themselves with breaking open chests and pillaging the ship. They found +in the cabin a considerable quantity of biscuit, and a butt of beer; and +there were a few pieces of pork, some meal, and a half bushel of peas in +the hold. These supplies were enough to save them from immediate +starvation; and they expected to find plenty of game at Digges's Cape. + +Henry Greene was appointed commander, though evidently too ignorant for +the place. It was a full month before they could find their way to the +Strait, which leads out of the great Bay in which _they_ had wintered. +Part of this time they were detained by the ice; but several days were +spent in searching for the passage into Davis's Strait. During this time +they landed often, and sometimes succeeded in catching a few fish or +wild fowl; but supplied their wants principally by gathering the +cockle-grass, which was growing in abundance on every part of the shore. +They arrived within sight of Digges's Cape about the last of July, and +immediately sent the boat on shore for provisions. The men who landed +found considerable quantities of game, as it was a place where the wild +fowl breed. There were great numbers of savages about the shore, who +appeared very friendly, and testified their joy by lively gestures. + +The next day Henry Greene went ashore, accompanied by Wilson, Thomas, +Perse, Moter, and Pricket. The last was left in the boat, which was made +fast to a large rock, and the others went on shore in search of +provisions. While some of the men were busy in gathering sorrel from the +rocks, and Greene was surrounded by the natives, with whom he was +trading, Pricket, who was lying in the stern of the boat, observed one +of the savages coming in at the bows. Pricket made signs to him to keep +off; and while he was thus occupied, another savage stole round behind +him. Pricket suddenly saw the leg and foot of a man by him, and looking +up, perceived a savage with a knife in his hand, aiming a blow at him. +He prevented the wound from being fatal, by raising his arm and warding +off the blow; but was still severely cut. Springing up, he grappled with +the savage, and drawing his dagger, at length put him to death. + +[Illustration: SAVAGES ON THE SHORE] + +In the meantime, Greene and the others were assaulted by the savages on +shore, and with difficulty reached the boat, all of them wounded except +Perse and Moter. The latter saved his life by plunging into the water, +and catching hold of the stern of the boat. No sooner had they pushed +off, than the savages let fly a shower of arrows, which killed Greene +outright, and mortally wounded some of the others, among them Perse, who +had hitherto escaped. Perse and Moter began to row toward the ship, but +Perse soon fainted, and Moter was left to manage the boat alone, as he +had escaped unwounded. The body of Greene was thrown immediately into +the sea. Wilson and Thomas died that day in great torture, and Perse two +days afterwards. + +The remainder of the crew were glad to depart from the scene of this +fatal combat, and immediately set sail, with the intention of reaching +Ireland as soon as possible. While they were in the Strait, they managed +to kill a few wild fowl occasionally; but the supply was so small, that +they were obliged to limit the crew to half a fowl a day, which they +cooked with meal; but this soon failed, and they were forced to devour +the candles. The cook fried the bones of the fowls in tallow, and mixed +this mess with vinegar, which, says Pricket, was "a great daintie." + +Before they reached Ireland, they were so weakened, that they were +forced to sit at the helm to steer, as no one among them was able to +stand. Just before they came in sight of land, Juet died of want, thus +meeting the very fate, to avoid which he had murdered his commander and +friend. The men were now in utter despair. Only one fowl was left for +the subsistence, and another day would be their last. They abandoned all +care of the vessel, and prepared to meet their fate, when the joyful cry +of "a sail," was heard. It proved to be a fishing vessel, which took +them into a harbor in Ireland, from which they hired a pilot to take +them to England; where they all arrived in safety, after an absence of a +year and five months. + + + +THE RISE OF ROBERT BRUCE[1] + +[Footnote 1: Robert Bruce was born in July, 1274. During the early part +of his life he was sometimes to be found on the side of the English and +sometimes on the side of the Scotch, but as he grew older his patriotic +spirit was roused, and he threw himself heart and soul into the cause of +his native land. As late as the year 1299, after the Scotch patriot +Wallace had been defeated, Bruce was in favor with the English King +Edward, but in February, 1306, occurred the event with which Scott's +narrative opens.] + +_By_ SIR WALTER SCOTT[2] + +[Footnote 2: The following interesting account of some of the incidents +in the life of Bruce is abridged from Scott's _Tales of a Grandfather_, +a series of historical stories which Scott wrote for his little +grandson.] + +Robert the Bruce was a remarkably brave and strong man; there was no man +in Scotland that was thought a match for him. He was very wise and +prudent, and an excellent general; that is, he knew how to conduct an +army, and place them in order for battle, as well or better than any +great man of his time. He was generous, too, and courteous by nature; +but he had some faults, which perhaps belonged as much to the fierce +period in which he lived as to his own character. He was rash and +passionate, and in his passion he was sometimes relentless and cruel. + +Robert the Bruce had fixed his purpose to attempt once again to drive +the English out of Scotland, and he desired to prevail upon Sir John the +Red Comyn, who was his rival in his pretensions to the throne, to join +with him in expelling the foreign enemy by their common efforts. With +this purpose, Bruce posted down from London to Dumfries, on the borders +of Scotland, and requested an interview with John Comyn. They met in the +church of the Minorites in that town, before the high altar. What passed +between them is not known with certainty; but they quarrelled, either +concerning their mutual pretensions to the crown, or because Comyn +refused to join Bruce in the proposed insurrection against the English; +or, as many writers say, because Bruce charged Comyn with having +betrayed to the English his purpose of rising up against King Edward. It +is, however, certain that these two haughty barons came to high and +abusive words, until at length Bruce, who I told you was extremely +passionate, forgot the sacred character of the place in which they +stood, and struck Comyn a blow with his dagger. Having done this rash +deed, he instantly ran out of the church and called for his horse. Two +gentlemen of the country, Lindesay and Kirkpatrick, friends of Bruce, +were then in attendance on him. Seeing him pale, bloody, and in much +agitation, they eagerly inquired what was the matter. + +"I doubt," said Bruce, "that I have slain the Red Comyn." + +"Do you leave such a matter in doubt?" said Kirkpatrick. "I will make +sicker!"--that is, I will make certain. + +Accordingly, he and his companion Lindesay rushed into the church, and +made the matter certain with a vengeance, by despatching the wounded +Comyn with their daggers. His uncle, Sir Robert Comyn, was slain at the +same time. + +This slaughter of Comyn was a rash and cruel action; and the historian +of Bruce observes that it was followed by the displeasure of Heaven; for +no man ever went through more misfortunes than Robert Bruce, although he +at length rose to great honor. + +After the deed was done, Bruce might be called desperate. He had +committed an action which was sure to bring down upon him the vengeance +of all Comyn's relations, the resentment of the King of England, and the +displeasure of the Church, on account of having slain his enemy within +consecrated ground. He determined, therefore, to bid them all defiance +at once, and to assert his pretensions to the throne of Scotland. He +drew his own followers together, summoned to meet him such barons as +still entertained hopes of the freedom of the country, and was crowned +king at the Abbey of Scone, the usual place where the kings of Scotland +assumed their authority. + +The commencement of Bruce's undertaking was most disastrous. He was +crowned on the twenty-ninth of March, 1306. On the eighteenth of May he +was excommunicated by the Pope, on account of the murder of Comyn within +consecrated ground, a sentence which excluded him from all benefits of +religion, and authorized any one to kill him. Finally, on the nineteenth +of June, the new king was completely defeated near Methven by the +English Earl of Pembroke. Robert's horse was killed under him in the +action, and he was for a moment a prisoner. + +But he had fallen into the power of a Scottish knight, who, though he +served in the English army, did not choose to be the instrument of +putting Bruce into their hands, and allowed him to escape. The +conquerors executed their prisoners with their usual cruelty. + +[Illustration: BRUCE KILLS COMYN] + +Bruce, with a few brave adherents, among whom was the young Lord of +Douglas, who was afterward called the Good Lord James, retired into the +Highland mountains, where they were chased from one place of refuge to +another, often in great danger, and suffering many hardships. The +Bruce's wife, now Queen of Scotland, with several other ladies, +accompanied her husband and his few followers during their wanderings. +There was no other way of providing for them save by hunting and +fishing. It was remarked that Douglas was the most active and successful +in procuring for the unfortunate ladies such supplies as his dexterity +in fishing or in killing deer could furnish to them. + +Driven from one place in the Highlands to another, starved out of some +districts, and forced from others by the opposition of the inhabitants, +Bruce attempted to force his way into Lorn; but he was again defeated, +through force of numbers, at a place called Dalry. He directed his men +to retreat through a narrow pass, and placing himself last of the party, +he fought with and slew such of the enemy as attempted to press hard on +them. A father and two sons, called M'Androsser, all very strong men, +when they saw Bruce thus protecting the retreat of his followers, made a +vow that they would either kill this redoubted champion, or make him +prisoner. The whole three rushed on the king at once. Bruce was on +horseback, in the strait pass we have described, between a precipitous +rock and a deep lake. He struck the first man who came up and seized his +horse's rein such a blow with his sword, as cut off his hand and freed +the bridle. The man bled to death. The other brother had grasped Bruce +in the meantime by the leg, and was attempting to throw him from +horseback. The king, setting spurs to his horse, made the animal +suddenly spring forward, so that the Highlander fell under the horse's +feet, and, as he was endeavoring to rise again, Bruce cleft his head in +two with his sword. The father, seeing his two sons thus slain, flew +desperately at the king, and grasped him by the mantle so close to his +body that he could not have room to wield his long sword. But with the +heavy pommel of that weapon, or, as others say, with an iron hammer +which hung at his saddle-bow, the king struck his third assailant so +dreadful a blow, that he dashed out his brains. Still, however, the +Highlander kept his dying grasp on the king's mantle; so that, to be +freed of the dead body, Bruce was obliged to undo the brooch, or clasp, +by which it was fastened, and leave that, and the mantle itself, behind +him. + +At last dangers increased so much around the brave King Robert, that he +was obliged to separate himself from his queen and her ladies; for the +winter was coming on, and it would be impossible for the women to endure +this wandering life when the frost and snow should set in. So Bruce left +his queen, with the Countess of Buchan and others, in the only castle +which remained to him, which was called Kildrummie. The king also left +his youngest brother, Nigel Bruce, to defend the castle against the +English; and he himself, with his second brother Edward, who was a very +brave man, but still more rash and passionate than Robert himself, went +over to an island on the coast of Ireland, where Bruce and the few men +who followed his fortunes passed the winter of 1306. In the meantime, +ill luck seemed to pursue all his friends in Scotland. The castle of +Kildrummie was taken by the English, and Nigel Bruce, a beautiful and +brave youth, was cruelly put to death by the victors. The ladies who had +attended on Robert's queen, as well as the queen herself, and the +Countess of Buchan, were thrown into strict confinement, and treated +with the utmost severity. + +It was about this time that an incident took place, which, although it +rests only on tradition in families of the name of Bruce, is rendered +probable by the manners of the times. After receiving the last +unpleasing intelligence from Scotland, Bruce was lying one morning on +his wretched bed, and deliberating with himself whether he had not +better resign all thoughts of again attempting to make good his right to +the Scottish crown, and, dismissing his followers, transport himself and +his brothers to the Holy Land, and spend the rest of his life in +fighting against the Saracens; by which he thought, perhaps, he might +deserve the forgiveness of Heaven for the great sin of stabbing Comyn in +the church at Dumfries. But then, on the other hand, he thought it would +be both criminal and cowardly to give up his attempts to restore freedom +to Scotland while there yet remained the least chance of his being +successful in an undertaking, which, rightly considered, was much more +his duty than to drive the infidels out of Palestine, though the +superstition of his age might think otherwise. + +While he was divided between these reflections, and doubtful of what he +should do, Bruce was looking upward to the roof of the cabin in which he +lay; and his eye was attracted by a spider, which, hanging at the end of +a long thread of its own spinning, was endeavoring, as is the fashion of +that creature, to swing itself from one beam in the roof to another, for +the purpose of fixing the line on which it meant to stretch its web. The +insect made the attempt again and again without success; at length Bruce +counted that it had tried to carry its point six times, and been as +often unable to do so. It came into his-head that he had himself fought +just six battles against the English and their allies, and that the poor +persevering spider was exactly in the same situation with himself, +having made as many trials and been so often disappointed in what it +aimed at. "Now," thought Bruce, "as I have no means of knowing what is +best to be done, I will be guided by the luck which shall attend this +spider. If the insect shall make another effort to fix its thread, and +shall be successful, I will venture a seventh time to try my fortune in +Scotland; but if the spider shall fail, I will go to the wars in +Palestine, and never return to my native country more." + +While Bruce was forming this resolution the spider made another exertion +with all the force it could muster, and fairly succeeded in fastening +its thread to the beam which it had so often in vain attempted to reach. +Bruce, seeing the success of the spider, resolved to try his own +fortune; and as he had never before gained a victory, so he never +afterward sustained any considerable or decisive check or defeat. I have +often met with people of the name of Bruce, so completely persuaded of +the truth of this story, that they would not on any account kill a +spider, because it was that insect which had shown the example of +perseverance, and given a signal of good luck, to their great namesake. + +Having determined to renew his efforts to obtain possession of Scotland, +notwithstanding the smallness of the means which he had for +accomplishing so great a purpose, the Bruce removed himself and his +followers from Rachrin to the island of Arran, which lies in the mouth +of the Clyde. The king landed and inquired of the first woman he met +what armed men were in the island. She returned for answer that there +had arrived there very lately a body of armed strangers, who had +defeated an English officer, the governor of the castle of Brathwick, +had killed him and most of his men, and were now amusing themselves with +hunting about the island. The king, having caused himself to be guided +to the woods which these strangers most frequented, there blew his horn +repeatedly. + +Now, the chief of the strangers who had taken the castle was James +Douglas, one of the best of Bruce's friends, and he was accompanied by +some of the bravest of that patriotic band. When he heard Robert Bruce's +horn he knew the sound well, and cried out, that yonder was the king, he +knew by his manner of blowing. So he and his companions hastened to meet +King Robert, and there was great joy on both sides; while at the same +time they could not help weeping when they considered their own forlorn +condition, and the great loss that had taken place among their friends +since they had last parted. But they were stout-hearted men, and looked +forward to freeing their country in spite of all that had yet happened. + +The Bruce was now within sight of Scotland, and not distant from his own +family possessions, where the people were most likely to be attached to +him. He began immediately to form plans with Douglas how they might best +renew their enterprise against the English. The Douglas resolved to go +disguised to his own country, and raise his followers in order to begin +their enterprise by taking revenge on an English nobleman called Lord +Clifford, upon whom Edward had conferred his estates, and who had taken +up his residence in the castle of Douglas. + +Bruce, on his part, opened a communication with the opposite coast of +Carrick, by means of one of his followers called Cuthbert. This person +had directions, that if he should find the countrymen in Carrick +disposed to take up arms against the English he was to make a fire on a +headland, or lofty cape, called Turnberry, on the coast of Ayrshire, +opposite to the island of Arran. The appearance of a fire on this place +was to be a signal for Bruce to put to sea with such men as he had, who +were not more than three hundred in number, for the purpose of landing +in Carrick and joining the insurgents. + +Bruce and his men watched eagerly for the signal, but for some time in +vain. At length a fire on Turnberry-head became visible, and the king +and his followers merrily betook themselves to their ships and galleys, +concluding their Carrick friends were all in arms and ready to join with +them. They landed on the beach at midnight, where they found their spy +Cuthbert alone in waiting for them with very bad news. Lord Percy, he +said, was in the country with two or three hundred Englishmen, and had +terrified the people so much, both by actions and threats, that none of +them dared to think of rebelling against King Edward. + +"Traitor!" said Bruce, "why, then, did you make the signal?" + +"Alas," replied Cuthbert, "the fire was not made by me, but by some +other person, for what purpose I know not; but as soon as I saw it +burning, I knew that you would come over, thinking it my signal, and +therefore I came down to wait for you on the beach to tell you how the +matter stood." + +King Robert's first idea was to return to Arran after this +disappointment; but his brother Edward refused to go back. He was, as I +have told you, a man daring even to rashness. "I will not leave my +native land," he said, "now that I am so unexpectedly restored to it. I +will give freedom to Scotland, or leave my carcass on the surface of the +land which gave me birth." + +Bruce, also, after some hesitation, determined that since he had been +thus brought to the mainland of Scotland, he would remain there, and +take such adventure and fortune as Heaven should send him. + +Accordingly, he began to skirmish with the English so successfully, as +obliged the Lord Percy to quit Carrick. Bruce then dispersed his men +upon various adventures against the enemy, in which they were generally +successful. But then, on the other hand, the king, being left with small +attendance, or sometimes almost alone, ran great risk of losing his life +by treachery or by open violence. + +At one time, a near relation of Bruce's, in whom he entirely confided, +was induced by the bribes of the English to attempt to put him to death. +This villain, with his two sons, watched the king one morning, till he +saw him separated from all his men, excepting a little boy, who waited +on him as a page. The father had a sword in his hand, one of the sons +had a sword and a spear, and the other had a sword and a battle-axe. +Now, when the king saw them so well armed, when there were no enemies +near, he began to call to mind some hints which had been given to him, +that these men intended to murder him. He had no weapons excepting his +sword; but his page had a bow and arrow. He took them both from the +little boy, and bade him stand at a distance; "for," said the king, "if +I overcome these traitors, thou shalt have enough of weapons; but if I +am slain by them, you may make your escape, and tell Douglas and my +brother to revenge my death." The boy was very sorry, for he loved his +master; but he was obliged to do as he was bidden. + +In the meantime the traitors came forward upon Bruce, that they might +assault him at once. The king called out to them, and commanded them to +come no nearer, upon peril of their lives; but the father answered with +flattering words, pretending great kindness, and still continuing to +approach his person. Then the king again called to them to stand. +"Traitors," said he, "ye have sold my life for English gold; but you +shall die if you come one foot nearer to me." With that he bent the +page's bow, and as the old conspirator continued to advance, he let the +arrow fly at him. Bruce was an excellent archer; he aimed his arrow so +well that it hit the father in the eye, and penetrated from that into +his brain, so that he fell down dead. Then the two sons rushed on the +king. One of them fetched a blow at him with an axe, but missed his +stroke and stumbled, so that the king with his great sword cut him down +before he could recover his feet. The remaining traitor ran on Bruce +with his spear; but the king, with a sweep of his sword, cut the steel +head off the villain's weapon, and then killed him before he had time to +draw his sword. Then the little page came running, very joyful of his +master's victory; and the king wiped his bloody sword, and, looking upon +the dead bodies, said, "These might have been reputed three gallant men, +if they could have resisted the temptation of covetousness." + +After the death of these three traitors, Robert the Bruce continued to +keep himself concealed in his own earldom of Carrick, and in the +neighboring country of Galloway, until he should have matters ready for +a general attack upon the English. He was obliged, in the meantime, to +keep very few men with him, both for the sake of secrecy, and from the +difficulty of finding provisions. Now, many of the people of Galloway +were unfriendly to Bruce. They had heard that he was in their country, +having no more than sixty men with him; so they resolved to attack him +by surprise, and for this purpose they got two hundred men together, and +brought with them two or three bloodhounds. These animals were trained +to chase a man by the scent of his footsteps, as foxhounds chase a fox, +or as beagles and harriers chase a hare. Although the dog does not see +the person whose trace he is put upon, he follows him over every step he +has taken. At that time these bloodhounds, or sleuthhounds (so called +from _slot_, or _sleut_, a word which signifies the scent left by an +animal of chase), were used for the purpose of pursuing great criminals. +The men of Galloway thought themselves secure, that if they missed +taking Bruce, or killing him at the first onset, and if he should escape +into the woods, they would find him out by means of these bloodhounds. + +The good King Robert Bruce, who was always watchful and vigilant, had +received some information of the intention of this party to come upon +him suddenly and by night. Accordingly, he quartered his little troop of +sixty men on the side of a deep and swift-running river, that had very +steep and rocky banks. There was but one ford by which this river could +be crossed in that neighborhood, and that ford was deep and narrow, so +that two men could scarcely get through abreast; the ground on which +they were to land on the side where the king was, was steep, and the +path which led upward from the water's edge to the top of the bank, +extremely narrow and difficult. + +Bruce caused his men to lie down to take some sleep, at a place about +half a mile distant from the river, while he himself, with two +attendants, went down to watch the ford, through which the enemy must +needs pass before they could come to the place where King Robert's men +were lying. He stood for some time looking at the ford, and thinking how +easily the enemy might be kept from passing there, provided it was +bravely defended, when he heard at a distance the baying of a hound, +which was always coming nearer and nearer. This was the bloodhound which +was tracing the king's steps to the ford where he had crossed, and the +two hundred Galloway men were along with the animal, and guided by it. +Bruce at first thought of going back to awaken his men; but then he +reflected that it might be only some shepherd's dog. "My men," said he, +"are sorely tired; I will not disturb their sleep for the yelping of a +cur, till I know something more of the matter." + +So he stood and listened; and by and by, as the cry of the hound came +nearer, he began to hear a trampling of horses, and the voices of men, +and the ringing and clattering of armor, and then he was sure the enemy +were coming to the river side. Then the king thought, "If I go back to +give my men the alarm, these Galloway men will get through the ford +without opposition; and that would be a pity, since it is a place so +advantageous to make defence against them." So he looked again at the +steep path, and the deep river, and he thought that they gave him so +much advantage, that he himself could defend the passage with his own +hand, until his men came to assist him. His armor was so good and +strong, that he had no fear of arrows, and therefore the combat was not +so very unequal as it must have otherwise been. He therefore sent his +followers to waken his men, and remained alone by the bank of the river. + +In the meanwhile, the noise and trampling of the horses increased; and +the moon being bright, Bruce beheld the glancing arms of about two +hundred men, who came down to the opposite bank of the river. The men of +Galloway, on their part, saw but one solitary figure guarding the ford, +and the foremost of them plunged into the river without minding him. But +as they could only pass the ford one by one, the Bruce, who stood high +above them on the bank where they were to land, killed the foremost man +with a thrust of his long spear, and with a second thrust stabbed the +horse, which fell down, kicking and plunging in his agonies, on the +narrow path, and so prevented the others who were following from getting +out of the river. Bruce had thus an opportunity of dealing his blows at +pleasure among them, while they could not strike at him again. In the +confusion, five or six of the enemy were slain, or, having been borne +down the current, were drowned in the river. The rest were terrified, +and drew back. + +But when the Galloway men looked again, and saw they were opposed by +only one man, they themselves being so many, they cried out that their +honor would be lost forever if they did not force their way; and +encouraged each other, with loud cries, to plunge through and assault +him. But by this time the king's soldiers came up to his assistance, and +the Galloway men retreated, and gave up their enterprise. + +At another time King Robert and his foster brother were walking through +a wood extremely weary and hungry. As they proceeded, however, in the +hopes of coming to some habitation, they met in the midst of the forest +with three men who looked like thieves or ruffians. They were well +armed, and one of them bore a sheep on his back, which it seemed as if +they had just stolen. They saluted the king civilly; and he, replying to +their salutation, asked them where they were going. The men answered, +they were seeking for Robert Bruce, for that they intended to join with +him. The king answered, that if they would go with him he would conduct +them where they would find the Scottish king. Then the man who had +spoken changed countenance, and Bruce, who looked sharply at him, began +to suspect that the ruffian guessed who he was, and that he and his +companions had some design against his person, in order to gain the +reward which had been offered for his life. + +So he said to them, "My good friends, as we are not well acquainted with +each other, you must go before us, and we will follow near to you." + +"You have no occasion to suspect any harm from us," answered the man. + +"Neither do I suspect any," said Bruce; "but this is the way in which I +choose to travel." + +The men did as he commanded, and thus they traveled till they came +together to a waste and ruinous cottage, where the men proposed to dress +some part of the sheep, which their companion was carrying. The king was +glad to hear of food; but he insisted that there should be two fires +kindled, one for himself and his foster brother at one end of the house, +the other at the other end for their three companions. The men did as he +desired. They broiled a quarter of mutton for themselves, and gave +another to the king and his attendant. They were obliged to eat it +without bread or salt; but as they were very hungry, they were glad to +get food in any shape, and partook of it very heartily. + +Then so heavy a drowsiness fell on King Robert, that, for all the danger +he was in, he could not resist an inclination to sleep. But first, he +desired his foster brother to watch while he slept, for he had great +suspicion of their new acquaintances. His foster brother promised to +keep awake, and did his best to keep his word. But the king had not long +been asleep ere his foster brother fell into a deep slumber also, for he +had undergone as much fatigue as the king. When the three villains saw +the king and his attendant asleep, they made signs to each other, and +rising up at once, drew their swords with the purpose to kill them both. +But the king slept but lightly, and little noise as the traitors made in +rising, he was awakened by it, and starting up, drew his sword, and went +to meet them. At the same moment he pushed his foster brother with his +foot, to awaken him, and he got on his feet; but ere he got his eyes to +see clearly, one of the ruffians that were advancing to slay the king, +killed him with a stroke of his sword. The king was now alone, one man +against three, and in the greatest danger of his life; but his amazing +strength, and the good armor which he wore, freed him once more from +this great peril, and he killed the three men, one after another. He +then left the cottage, very sorrowful for the death of his faithful +foster brother, and took his direction toward the place where he had +appointed his men to assemble. It was now near night, and the place of +meeting being a farmhouse, he went boldly into it, where he found the +mistress, an old true-hearted Scotswoman, sitting alone. Upon seeing a +stranger enter, she asked him who and what he was. The king answered +that he was a traveler journeying through the country. + +"All travelers," answered the good woman, "are welcome here, for the +sake of one." + +"And who is that one," said the king, "for whose sake you make all +travelers welcome?" + +"It is our rightful king, Robert the Bruce," answered the mistress, "who +is the lawful lord of this country; and although he is now pursued and +hunted after with hounds and horns, I hope to live to see him king over +all Scotland." + +"Since you love him so well, dame," said the king, "know that you see +him before you. I am Robert the Bruce." + +[ILLUSTRATION: SHE BROUGHT HER TWO SONS] + +"You!" said the good woman, in great surprise; "and wherefore are you +thus alone?--where are all your men?" + +"I have none with me at this moment," answered Bruce, "and therefore I +must travel alone." + +"But that shall not be," said the brave old dame, "for I have two stout +sons, gallant and trusty men, who shall be your servants for life and +death." + +So she brought her two sons, and though she well knew the dangers to +which she exposed them, she made them swear fidelity to the king; and +they afterward became high officers in his service. + +Now, the loyal old woman was getting everything ready for the king's +supper, when suddenly there was a great trampling of horses heard round +the house. They thought it must be some of the English, and the good +wife called upon her sons to fight to the last for King Robert. But +shortly after, they heard the voice of the good Lord James of Douglas, +and of Edward Bruce, the king's brother, who had come with a hundred and +fifty horsemen to this farmhouse, according to the instructions that the +king had left with them at parting. + +Robert the Bruce was right joyful to meet his brother, and his faithful +friend Lord James, and had no sooner found himself once more at the head +of such a considerable body of followers, than forgetting hunger and +weariness, he began to inquire where the enemy who had pursued them so +long had taken up their abode for the night; "For," said he, "as they +must suppose us totally scattered and fled, it is likely that they will +think themselves quite secure, and disperse themselves into distant +quarters, and keep careless watch." + +"That is very true," answered James of Douglas, "for I passed a village +where there are two hundred of them quartered, who had placed no +sentinels; and if you have a mind to make haste, we may surprise them +this very night, and do them more mischief than they have been able to +do us during all this day's chase." + +Then there was nothing but mount and ride; and as the Scots came by +surprise on the body of English whom Douglas had mentioned, and rushed +suddenly into the village where they were quartered, they easily +dispersed and cut them to pieces; thus, as Douglas had said, doing their +pursuers more injury than they themselves had received during the long +and severe pursuit of the preceding day. + +The consequence of these successes of King Robert was, that soldiers +came to join him on all sides, and that he obtained several victories, +until at length the English were afraid to venture into the open country +as formerly, unless when they could assemble themselves in considerable +bodies. They thought it safer to lie still in the towns and castles +which they had garrisoned, and wait till the King of England should once +more come to their assistance with a powerful army. + +When King Edward the First heard that Scotland was again in arms against +him, he marched down to the Borders, with many threats of what he would +do to avenge himself on Bruce and his party, whom he called rebels. But +he was now old and feeble, and while he was making his preparations, he +was taken very ill, and after lingering a long time, at length died on +the sixth of July, 1307, at a place in Cumberland called Burgh upon the +Sands, in full sight of Scotland, and not three miles from its frontier. + +His hatred to that country was so inveterate that his thoughts of +revenge seemed to occupy his mind on his death-bed. He made his son +promise never to make peace with Scotland until the nation was subdued. +He gave also very singular directions concerning the disposal of his +dead body. He ordered that it should be boiled in a caldron till the +flesh parted from the bones, and that then the bones should be wrapped +up in a bull's hide, and carried at the head of the English army, as +often as the Scots attempted to recover their freedom. He thought that +he had inflicted such distresses on the Scots, and invaded and defeated +them so often, that his very dead bones would terrify them. His son, +Edward the Second, did not choose to execute this strange injunction, +but caused his father to be buried in Westminster Abbey, where his tomb +is still to be seen, bearing for an inscription, _Here Lies the Hammer +of the Scottish Nation_. + +Edward the Second was neither so brave nor so wise as his father; on the +contrary, he was a weak prince, fond of idle amusements and worthless +favorites. It was lucky for Scotland that such was his disposition. He +marched a little way into Scotland with the large army which Edward the +First had collected, and went back again without fighting, which gave +great encouragement to Bruce's party. + +Several of the Scottish nobility now took arms in different parts of the +country, declared for King Robert, and fought against the English troops +and garrisons. The most distinguished of these was the good Lord James +of Douglas. Other great lords also were now exerting themselves to +destroy the English. Among them was Sir Thomas Randolph, whose mother +was a sister of King Robert. + +While Robert Bruce was gradually getting possession of the country, and +driving out the English, Edinburgh, the principal town of Scotland, +remained, with its strong castle, in possession of the invaders. Sir +Thomas Randolph was extremely desirous to gain this important place; but +the castle is situated on a very steep and lofty rock, so that it is +difficult or almost impossible even to get up to the foot of the walls, +much more to climb over them. + +So while Randolph was considering what was to be done, there came to him +a Scottish gentleman named Francis, who had joined Bruce's standard, and +asked to speak with him in private. He then told Randolph that in his +youth he had lived in the Castle of Edinburgh, and that his father had +then been keeper of the fortress. It happened at that time that Francis +was much in love with a lady who lived in a part of the town beneath the +castle, which is called the Grassmarket. Now, as he could not get out of +the castle by day to see his mistress, he had practiced a way of +clambering by night down the castle rock on the south side, and +returning at his pleasure; when he came to the foot of the wall, he made +use of a ladder to get over it, as it was not very high at that point, +those who built it having trusted to the steepness of the crag; and for +the same reason, no watch was placed there. Francis had gone and come so +frequently in this dangerous manner, that, though it was now long ago, +he told Randolph he knew the road so well that he would undertake to +guide a small party of men by night to the bottom of the wall; and as +they might bring ladders with them, there would be no difficulty in +scaling it. The great risk was, that of their being discovered by the +watchmen while in the act of ascending the cliff, in which case every +man of them must have perished. + +Nevertheless, Randolph did not hesitate to attempt the adventure. He +took with him only thirty men (you may be sure they were chosen for +activity and courage), and came one dark night to the foot of the rock, +which they began to ascend under the guidance of Francis, who went +before them, upon his hands and feet, up one cliff, down another, and +round another, where there was scarce room to support themselves. All +the while, these thirty men were obliged to follow in a line, one after +the other, by a path that was fitter for a cat than a man. The noise of +a stone falling, or a word spoken from one to another, would have +alarmed the watchmen. They were obliged, therefore, to move with the +greatest precaution. When they were far up the crag, and near the +foundation of the wall, they heard the guards going their rounds, to see +that all was safe in and about the castle. Randolph and his party had +nothing for it but to lie close and quiet, each man under the crag, as +he happened to be placed, and trust that the guards would pass by +without noticing them. And while they were waiting in breathless alarm +they got a new cause of fright. One of the soldiers of the castle, +willing to startle his comrades, suddenly threw a stone from the wall, +and cried out, "Aha, I see you well!" The stone came thundering down +over the heads of Randolph and his men, who naturally thought themselves +discovered. If they had stirred, or made the slightest noise, they would +have been entirely destroyed; for the soldiers above might have killed +every man of them, merely by rolling down stones. But being courageous +and chosen men, they remained quiet, and the English soldiers, who +thought their comrade was merely playing them a trick (as, indeed, he +had no other meaning in what he said) passed on without further +examination. + +Then Randolph and his men got up and came in haste to the foot of the +wall, which was not above twice a man's height in that place. They +planted the ladders they had brought, and Francis mounted first to show +them the way; Sir Andrew Grey, a brave knight, followed him, and +Randolph himself was the third man who got over. Then the rest followed. +When once they were within the walls, there was not so much to do, for +the garrison were asleep and unarmed, excepting the watch, who were +speedily destroyed. Thus was Edinburgh Castle taken in March, 1312. + +It was not, however, only by the exertions of great and powerful barons, +like Randolph and Douglas, that the freedom of Scotland was to be +accomplished. The stout yeomanry and the bold peasantry of the land, who +were as desirous to enjoy their cottages in honorable independence as +the nobles were to reclaim their castles and estates from the English, +contributed their full share in the efforts which were made to deliver +the country from the invaders. + +While Douglas, Randolph, and other true-hearted patriots, were taking +castles and strongholds from the English, King Robert, who now had a +considerable army under his command, marched through the country, +dispersing such bodies of English as he met on the way. + +Now when Sir Philip Mowbray, the governor of Stirling, came to London to +tell the king that Stirling, the last Scottish town of importance which +remained in possession of the English, was to be surrendered if it were +not relieved by force of arms before midsummer, then all the English +nobles called out it would be a sin and shame to permit the fair +conquest which Edward the First had made to be forfeited to the Scots +for want of fighting. It was, therefore, resolved, that the king should +go himself to Scotland, with as great forces as he could possibly +muster. + +[ILLUSTRATION: THE ASCENT TO THE CASTLE OF EDINBURGH] + +King Edward the Second, therefore, assembled one of the greatest armies +which a King of England ever commanded. There were troops brought from +all his dominions. Many brave soldiers from the French provinces which +the King of England possessed in France--many Irish, many Welsh--and all +the great English nobles and barons, with their followers, were +assembled in one great army. The number was not less than one hundred +thousand men. + +King Robert the Bruce summoned all his nobles and barons to join him, +when he heard of the great preparations which the King of England was +making. They were not so numerous as the English by many thousand men. +In fact, his whole army did not very much exceed thirty thousand, and +they were much worse armed than the wealthy Englishmen; but then, +Robert, who was at their head, was one of the most expert generals of +the time; and the officers he had under him were his brother Edward, his +nephew Randolph, his faithful follower the Douglas, and other brave and +experienced leaders, who commanded the same men that had been accustomed +to fight and gain victories under every disadvantage of situation and +numbers. + +The king, on his part, studied how he might supply, by address and +stratagem, what he wanted in numbers and strength. He knew the +superiority of the English, both in their heavy-armed cavalry, which +were much better mounted and armed than that of the Scots, and in their +archers, who were better trained than any others in the world. Both +these advantages he resolved to provide against. With this purpose, he +led his army down into a plain near Stirling, called the Park, near +which, and beneath it, the English army must needs pass through a boggy +country, broken with water courses, while the Scots occupied hard, dry +ground. He then caused all the ground upon the front of his line of +battle, where cavalry were likely to act, to be dug full of holes, about +as deep as a man's knee. They were filled with light brushwood, and the +turf was laid on the top, so that it appeared a plain field, while in +reality it was all full of these pits as a honeycomb is of holes. He +also, it is said, caused steel spikes, called caltrops, to be scattered +up and down in the plain, where the English cavalry were most likely to +advance, trusting in that manner to lame and destroy their horses. + +When the Scottish army was drawn up, the line stretched north and south. +On the south, it was terminated by the banks of the brook called +Bannockburn, which are so rocky, that no troops could attack them there. +On the left, the Scottish line extended near to the town of Stirling. +Bruce reviewed his troops very carefully; all the useless servants, +drivers of carts, and such like, of whom there were very many, he +ordered to go behind a great height, afterward, in memory of the event, +called the Gillies' hill, that is, the Servants' hill. He then spoke to +the soldiers, and expressed his determination to gain the victory, or to +lose his life on the field of battle. He desired that all those who did +not propose to fight to the last, should leave the field before the +battle began, and that none should remain except those who were +determined to take the issue of victory or death, as God should send it. + +When the main body of his army was thus placed in order, the king posted +Randolph, with a body of horse, near to the Church of Saint Ninian's, +commanding him to use the utmost diligence to prevent any succors from +being thrown into Stirling Castle. He then despatched James of Douglas, +and Sir Robert Keith, the Mareschal of the Scottish army, in order that +they might survey, as nearly as they could, the English force, which was +now approaching from Falkirk. They returned with information, that the +approach of that vast host was one of the most beautiful and terrible +sights which could be seen--that the whole country seemed covered with +men-at-arms on horse and foot, that the number of standards, banners, +and pennons (all flags of different kinds) made so gallant a show, that +the bravest and most numerous host in Christendom might be alarmed to +see King Edward moving against them. + +It was upon the twenty-third of June (1314) the King of Scotland heard +the news, that the English army were approaching Stirling. He drew out +his army, therefore, in the order which he had before resolved on. After +a short time, Bruce, who was looking out anxiously for the enemy, saw a +body of English cavalry trying to get into Stirling from the eastward. +This was the Lord Clifford, who, with a chosen body of eight hundred +horse, had been detached to relieve the castle. + +"See, Randolph," said the king to his nephew, "there is a rose fallen +from your chaplet." By this he meant, that Randolph had lost some honor, +by suffering the enemy to pass where he had been stationed to hinder +them. Randolph made no reply, but rushed against Clifford with little +more than half his number. The Scots were on foot. The English turned to +charge them with their lances, and Randolph drew up his men in close +order to receive the onset. He seemed to be in so much danger, that +Douglas asked leave of the king to go and assist him. The king refused +him permission. + +"Let Randolph," he said, "redeem his own fault; I cannot break the order +of battle for his sake." Still the danger appeared greater, and the +English horse seemed entirely to encompass the small handful of Scottish +infantry. "So please you," said Douglas to the king, "my heart will not +suffer me to stand idle and see Randolph perish--I must go to his +assistance." He rode off accordingly; but long before they had reached +the place of combat, they saw the English horses galloping off, many +with empty saddles. + +"Halt!" said Douglas to his men, "Randolph has gained the day; since we +were not soon enough to help him in the battle, do not let us lessen his +glory by approaching the field." Now, that was nobly done; especially as +Douglas and Randolph were always contending which should rise highest in +the good opinion of the king and the nation. + +The van of the English army now came in sight, and a number of their +bravest knights drew near to see what the Scots were doing. They saw +King Robert dressed in his armor, and distinguished by a gold crown, +which he wore over his helmet. He was not mounted on his great +war-horse, because he did not expect to fight that evening. But he rode +on a little pony up and down the ranks of his army, putting his men in +order, and carried in his hand a sort of battle-axe made of steel. When +the king saw the English horsemen draw near, he advanced a little before +his own men, that he might look at them more nearly. + +There was a knight among the English, called Sir Henry de Bohun, who +thought this would be a good opportunity to gain great fame to himself, +and put an end to the war, by killing King Robert. The king being poorly +mounted, and having no lance, Bohun galloped on him suddenly and +furiously, thinking, with his long spear, and his tall powerful horse, +easily to bear him down to the ground. King Robert saw him, and +permitted him to come very near, then suddenly turned his pony a little +to one side, so that Sir Henry missed him with the lance-point, and was +in the act of being carried past him by the career of his horse. But as +he passed, King Robert rose up in his stirrups, and struck Sir Henry on +the head with his battle-axe so terrible a blow, that it broke to pieces +his iron helmet as if it had been a nutshell, and hurled him from his +saddle. He was dead before he reached the ground. This gallant action +was blamed by the Scottish leaders, who thought Bruce ought not to have +exposed himself to so much danger, when the safety of the whole army +depended on him. The king only kept looking at his weapon, which was +injured by the force of the blow, and said, "I have broken my good +battle-axe." + +The next morning, being the twenty-fourth of June, at break of day, the +battle began in terrible earnest. The English as they advanced saw the +Scots getting into line. The Abbot of Inchaffray walked through their +ranks bare-footed, and exhorted them to fight for their freedom. They +kneeled down as he passed, and prayed to Heaven for victory. King +Edward, who saw this, called out, "They kneel down--they are asking +forgiveness." + +[Illustration: BRUCE SLAYS SIR HENRY DE BOHUN] + +"Yes," said a celebrated English baron, called Ingelram de Umphraville, +"but they ask it from God, not from us--these men will conquer, or die +upon the field." + +The English king ordered his men to begin the battle. The archers then +bent their bows, and began to shoot so closely together, that the arrows +fell like flakes of snow on a Christmas day. They killed many of the +Scots, and might, as at Falkirk, and other places, have decided the +victory; but Bruce was prepared for them. He had in readiness a body of +men-at-arms, well mounted, who rode at full gallop among the archers, +and as they had no weapons save their bows and arrows, which they could +not use when they were attacked hand to hand, they were cut down in +great numbers by the Scottish horsemen and thrown into total confusion. + +The fine English cavalry then advanced to support their archers, and to +attack the Scottish line. But coming over the ground which was dug full +of pits, the horses fell into these holes, and the riders lay tumbling +about, without any means of defence, and unable to rise, from the weight +of their armor. The Englishmen began to fall into general disorder; and +the Scottish king, bringing up more of his forces, attacked and pressed +them still more closely. + +On a sudden, while the battle was obstinately maintained on both sides, +an event happened which decided the victory. The servants and attendants +on the Scottish camp had, as I told you, been sent behind the army to a +place afterward called the Gillies' hill. But when they saw that their +masters were likely to gain the day, they rushed from their place of +concealment with such weapons as they could get, that they might have +their share in the victory and in the spoil. The English, seeing them +come suddenly over the hill, mistook this disorderly rabble for a new +army coming up to sustain the Scots, and, losing all heart, began to +shift every man for himself. Edward himself left the field as fast as he +could ride. A valiant knight, Sir Giles de Argentine, much renowned in +the wars of Palestine, attended the king till he got him out of the +press of the combat. But he would retreat no further. "It is not my +custom," he said, "to fly." With that he took leave of the king, set +spurs to his horse, and calling out his war-cry of Argentine! Argentine! +he rushed into the thickest of the Scottish ranks, and was killed. + +Edward first fled to Stirling Castle, and entreated admittance; but Sir +Philip Mowbray, the governor, reminded the fugitive sovereign that he +was obliged to surrender the castle next day, so Edward was fain to fly +through the Torwood, closely pursued by Douglas with a body of cavalry. +An odd circumstance happened during the chase, which showed how loosely +some of the Scottish barons of that day held their political opinions: +As Douglas was riding furiously after Edward, he met a Scottish knight, +Sir Laurence Abernethy, with twenty horse. Sir Laurence had hitherto +owned the English interest, and was bringing this band of followers to +serve King Edward's army. But learning from Douglas that the English +king was entirely defeated, he changed sides on the spot, and was easily +prevailed upon to join Douglas in pursuing the unfortunate Edward, with +the very followers whom he had been leading to join his standard. + +Douglas and Abernethy continued the chase, not giving King Edward time +to alight from horseback even for an instant, and followed him as far as +Dunbar, where the English had still a friend in the governor, Patrick, +Earl of March. The earl received Edward in his forlorn condition, and +furnished him with a fishing skiff, or small ship, in which he escaped +to England, having entirely lost his fine army, and a great number of +his bravest nobles. + +The English never before or afterward, whether in France or Scotland, +lost so dreadful a battle as that of Bannockburn, nor did the Scots ever +gain one of the same importance. Many of the best and bravest of the +English nobility and gentry lay dead on the field; a great many more +were made prisoners; and the whole of King Edward's immense army was +dispersed or destroyed. + +The English, after this great defeat, were no longer in a condition to +support their pretensions to be masters of Scotland, or to continue, as +they had done for nearly twenty years, to send armies into that country +to overcome it. On the contrary, they became for a time scarce able to +defend their own frontiers against King Robert and his soldiers. + +Thus did Robert Bruce arise from the condition of an exile, hunted with +bloodhounds like a stag or beast of prey, to the rank of an independent +sovereign, universally acknowledged to be one of the wisest and bravest +kings who then lived. The nation of Scotland was also raised once more +from the situation of a distressed and conquered province to that of a +free and independent state, governed by its own laws, and subject to its +own princes; and although the country was after the Bruce's death often +subjected to great loss and distress, both by the hostility of the +English, and by the unhappy civil wars among the Scots themselves, yet +they never afterward lost the freedom for which Wallace had laid down +his life, and which King Robert had recovered, not less by his wisdom +than by his weapons. And therefore most just it is, that while the +country of Scotland retains any recollection of its history, the memory +of those brave warriors and faithful patriots should be remembered with +honor and gratitude.[3] + +[Footnote 3: Three years after the Battle of Bannockburn, Bruce went +over into Ireland to assist in establishing his brother Edward as king +of the island. The Irish defended themselves so vigorously that the +Scotch were compelled to retire, leaving Edward dead upon the field. For +a number of years, Robert the Bruce reigned gloriously over Scotland, +but toward the end of his life he fell a victim to leprosy and was +compelled to live for two years in his castle at Cardross on the +beautiful banks of the River Clyde. During this illness, Edward the +Second of England died, and his son Edward the Third, a mere youth, came +to the throne. The boy king determined to retrieve the losses that his +father had sustained, but was prevented by Douglas, Randolph, and other +loyal Scotch leaders, who distinguished themselves by almost incredible +deeds of valor. When the king was dying, he ordered that his heart +should be taken from his body, embalmed and given to Douglas to be by +him carried to Palestine and buried in Jerusalem. Douglas caused the +heart to be enclosed in a silver case, and proud of the distinction the +king had shown him, started with a number of followers for Palestine. +When he arrived in Spain, however, he was diverted from his original +purpose and led to join with King Alphonso in an attempt to drive the +Saracens from Granada. In a bitter fight with the Moors, Douglas was +killed, and after the battle, his body was found lying across the silver +case, as if his last object had been to defend the heart of Bruce. No +further attempt was made to carry Robert's heart to Jerusalem, but it +was returned to Scotland and buried in the monastery of Melrose.] + + +BRUCE AND THE SPIDER + + +_By_ BERNARD ARTON + + For Scotland's and for freedom's right + The Bruce his part had played, + In five successive fields of fight + Been conquered and dismayed; + Once more against the English host + His band he led, and once more lost + The meed for which he fought; + And now from battle, faint and worn, + The homeless fugitive forlorn + A hut's lone shelter sought. + + And cheerless was that resting place + For him who claimed a throne: + His canopy, devoid of grace, + The rude, rough beams alone; + The heather couch his only bed,-- + Yet well I ween had slumber fled + From couch of eider down! + Through darksome night till dawn of day, + Absorbed in wakeful thought he lay + Of Scotland and her crown. + + The sun rose brightly, and its gleam + Fell on that hapless bed, + And tinged with light each shapeless beam + Which roofed the lowly shed; + When, looking up with wistful eye, + The Bruce beheld a spider try + His filmy thread to fling + From beam to beam of that rude cot: + And well the insect's toilsome lot + Taught Scotland's future king. + + Six times his gossamery thread + The wary spider threw; + +[Illustration: BRUCE BEHELD A SPIDER] + + In vain that filmy line was sped, + For powerless or untrue + Each aim appeared, and back recoiled + The patient insect, six times foiled, + And yet unconquered still; + And soon the Bruce, with eager eye, + Saw him prepare once more to try + His courage, strength, and skill. + + One effort more, his seventh and last! + The hero hailed the sign! + And on the wished-for beam hung fast + That slender, silken line; + Slight as it was, his spirit caught + The more than omen, for his thought + The lesson well could trace, + Which even "he who runs may read," + That Perseverance gains its meed, + And Patience wins the race. + + + * * * * * + + +THE HEART OF BRUCE + +_By_ WILLIAM L. AYTOUN + + It was upon an April morn, + While yet the frost lay hoar, + We heard Lord James's bugle horn + Sound by the rocky shore. + + Then down we went, a hundred + knights, + All in our dark array, + And flung our armor in the ships + That rode within the bay. + + We spoke not as the shore grew less, + But gazed in silence back, + Where the long billows swept away + The foam behind our track. + + And aye the purple hues decayed + Upon the fading hill, + And but one heart in all that ship + Was tranquil, cold, and still. + + The good Lord Douglas paced the deck, + And O, his face was wan! + Unlike the flush it used to wear + When in the battle-van. + + "Come hither, come hither, my trusty knight, + Sir Simon of the Lee; + There is a freit lies near my soul + I fain would tell to thee. + + "Thou know'st the words King Robert spoke + Upon his dying day: + How he bade take his noble heart + And carry it far away; + + "And lay it in the holy soil + Where once the Saviour trod, + Since he might not bear the blessed Cross, + Nor strike one blow for God. + + "Last night as in my bed I lay, + I dreamed a dreary dream:-- + Methought I saw a Pilgrim stand + In the moonlight's quivering beam. + + "His robe was of the azure dye, + Snow-white his scattered hairs, + And even such a cross he bore + As good Saint Andrew bears. + + "'Why go ye forth, Lord James,' he said, + 'With spear and belted brand? + Why do you take its dearest pledge + From this our Scottish land? + + "'The sultry breeze of Galilee + Creeps through its groves of palm, + The olives on the Holy Mount + Stand glittering in the calm. + + "'But 'tis not there that Scotland's heart + Shall rest by God's decree, + Till the great angel calls the dead + To rise from earth and sea! + + "'Lord James of Douglas, mark my rede! + That heart shall pass once more + In fiery fight against the foe, + As it was wont of yore. + + "'And it shall pass beneath the Cross, + And save King Robert's vow; + But other hands shall bear it back, + Not, James of Douglas, thou!' + + "Now, by thy knightly faith, I pray, + Sir Simon of the Lee,-- + For truer friend had never man + Than thou hast been to me,-- + + "If ne'er upon the Holy Land + 'Tis mine in life to tread, + Bear thou to Scotland's kindly earth + The relics of her dead." + + The tear was in Sir Simon's eye + As he wrung the warrior's hand,-- + "Betide me weal, betide me woe, + I'll hold by thy command. + + "But if in battle-front, Lord James, + 'Tis ours once more to ride, + Nor force of man, nor craft of fiend, + Shall cleave me from thy side!" + +[Illustration: I SAW A PILGRIM STAND] + + And aye we sailed and aye we sailed + Across the weary sea, + Until one morn the coast of Spain + Rose grimly on our lee. + + And as we rounded to the port, + Beneath the watchtower's wall, + We heard the clash of the atabals, + And the trumpet's wavering call. + + "Why sounds yon Eastern music here + So wantonly and long, + And whose the crowd of armed men + That round yon standard throng?" + + "The Moors have come from Africa + To spoil and waste and slay, + And King Alonzo of Castile + Must fight with them to-day." + + "Now shame it were," cried good Lord James, + "Shall never be said of me + That I and mine have turned aside + From the Cross in jeopardie! + + "Have down, have down, my merry men all,-- + Have down unto the plain; + We'll let the Scottish lion loose + Within the fields of Spain!" + + "Now welcome to me, noble lord, + Thou and thy stalwart power; + Dear is the sight of a Christian knight, + Who comes in such an hour! + + "Is it for bond or faith you come, + Or yet for golden fee? + Or bring ye France's lilies here, + Or the flower of Burgundie?" + + "God greet thee well, thou valiant king, + Thee and thy belted peers,-- + Sir James of Douglas am I called, + And these are Scottish spears. + + "We do not fight for bond or plight, + Nor yet for golden fee; + But for the sake of our blessed Lord, + Who died upon the tree. + + "We bring our great King Robert's heart + Across the weltering wave. + To lay it in the holy soil + Hard by the Saviour's grave. + + "True pilgrims we, by land and sea, + Where danger bars the way; + And therefore are we here, Lord King, + To ride with thee this day!" + + The king has bent his stately head, + And the tears were in his eyne,-- + "God's blessing on thee, noble knight, + For this brave thought of thine!" + + "I know thy name full well, Lord James; + And honored may I be, + That those who fought beside the Bruce + Should fight this day for me! + + "Take thou the leading of the van, + And charge the Moors amain; + There is not such a lance as thine + In all the host of Spain!" + + The Douglas turned towards us then, + O, but his glance was high!-- + "There is not one of all my men + But is as bold as I. + + "There is not one of my knights + But bears as true a spear,-- + Then onward, Scottish gentlemen, + And think King Robert's here!" + + The trumpets blew, the cross-bolts flew, + The arrows flashed like flame, + As spur in side, and spear in rest, + Against the foe we came. + + And many a bearded Saracen + Went down, both horse and man; + For through their ranks we rode like corn, + So furiously we ran! + + But in behind our path they closed, + Though fain to let us through, + For they were forty thousand men, + And we were wondrous few. + + We might not see a lance's length, + So dense was their array, + But the long fell sweep of the Scottish blade + Still held them hard at bay. + + "Make in! make in!" Lord Douglas cried,-- + "Make in, my brethren dear! + Sir William of Saint Clair is down; + We may not leave him here!" + + But thicker, thicker grew the swarm, + And sharper shot the rain, + And the horses reared amid the press, + But they would not charge again. + + "Now Jesu help thee," said Lord James, + "Thou kind and true Saint Clair! + An' if I may not bring thee off, + I'll die beside thee there!" + + Then in his stirrups up he stood, + So lionlike and bold, + And held the precious heart aloft + All in its case of gold. + + He flung it from him, far ahead, + And never spake he more, + But--"Pass thou first, thou dauntless heart, + As thou wert wont of yore!" + + The roar of fight rose fiercer yet, + And heavier still the stour, + Till the spears of Spain came shivering in, + And swept away the Moor. + + "Now praised be God, the day is won! + They fly o'er flood and fell,-- + Why dost thou draw the rein so hard, + Good knight, that fought so well?" + + "O, ride ye on, Lord King!" he said, + "And leave the dead to me, + For I must keep the dreariest watch + That ever I shall dree! + + "There lies, above his master's heart, + The Douglas, stark and grim; + And woe is me I should be here, + Not side by side with him! + + "The world grows cold, my arm is old, + And thin my lyart hair, + And all that I loved best on earth + Is stretched before me there. + + "O Bothwell banks! that bloom so bright + Beneath the sun of May, + The heaviest cloud that ever blew + Is bound for you this day. + + "And Scotland! thou mayst veil thy head + In sorrow and in pain: + The sorest stroke upon thy brow + Hath fallen this day in Spain! + + "We'll bear them back unto our ship, + We'll bear them o'er the sea, + And lay them in the hallowed earth + Within our own countrie. + +[Illustration: HELD THE HEART ALOFT] + + "And be thou strong of heart, Lord King, + For this I tell thee sure, + The sod that drank the Douglas' blood + Shall never bear the Moor!" + + The King he lighted from his horse, + He flung his brand away, + And took the Douglas by the hand, + So stately as he lay. + + "God give thee rest, thou valiant soul! + That fought so well for Spain; + I'd rather half my land were gone, + So that thou wert here again!" + + We bore the good Lord James away, + And the priceless heart we bore, + And heavily we steered our ship + Towards the Scottish shore. + + No welcome greeted our return, + Nor clang of martial tread, + But all were dumb and hushed as death + Before the mighty dead. + + We laid our chief in Douglas Kirk, + The heart in fair Melrose; + And woful men were we that day,-- + God grant their souls repose! + + +THE SKELETON IN ARMOR + +_By_ HENRY W. LONGFELLOW + + "Speak! speak! thou fearful guest! + Who with thy hollow breast + Still in rude armor drest, + Comest to daunt me! + Wrapt not in Eastern balms, + But with thy fleshless palms + Stretched, as if asking alms, + Why dost thou haunt me?" + + Then, from those cavernous eyes + Pale flashes seemed to rise, + As when the northern skies + Gleam in December; + And, like the water's flow + Under December's snow, + Came a dull voice of woe + From the heart's chamber. + + "I was a Viking[1] old! + My deeds, though manifold, + No Skald[2] in song has told, + No Saga[3] taught thee! + +[Footnote 1: _Vikings_ was the name given to the bold Norse seamen who +in the eighth, ninth, and tenth centuries infested the northern seas. +Tradition maintains that a band of these rovers discovered America +centuries before Columbus.] + +[Footnote 2: A skald was a Norse poet who celebrated in song the deeds +of warriors.] + +[Footnote 3: A saga is an ancient Scandinavian legend or tradition, +relating mythical or historical events.] + + "Take heed, that in thy verse + Thou dost the tale rehearse, + Else dread a dead man's curse; + For this I sought thee. + + "Far in the Northern Land, + By the wild Baltic's strand, + I, with my childish hand, + Tamed the gerfalcon;[4] + And, with my skates fast-bound, + Skimmed the half-frozen Sound, + That the poor whimpering hound + Trembled to walk on. + +[Footnote 4: A gerfalcon is a large falcon of Northern Europe.] + + "Oft to his frozen lair + Tracked I the grisly bear, + While from my path the hare + Fled like a shadow; + Oft through the forest dark + Followed the werewolf's[5] bark, + Until the soaring lark + Sang from the meadow. + +[Footnote 5: According to a popular superstition, a werewolf is a man, +who, at times, is transformed into a wolf. Such a wolf is much more +savage than a real wolf, and is especially fond of human flesh. This +superstition has at some time existed among almost all peoples.] + + "But when I older grew, + Joining a corsair's[6] crew, + O'er the dark sea I flew + With the marauders. + Wild was the life we led; + Many the souls that sped, + +[Footnote 6: _Corsair_ is but another name for a pirate.] + +[Illustration: I WAS A VIKING OLD] + + Many the hearts that bled, + By our stern orders. + + "Many a wassail-bout[7] + Wore the long Winter out; + Often our midnight shout + Set the cocks crowing, + As we the Berserk's[8] tale + Measured in cups of ale, + Draining the oaken pail, + Filled to o'erflowing. + + +[Footnote 7: A wassail-bout is a drinking bout, or carouse.] + +[Footnote 8: _Berserk_, or _Berserker_, was the name given in heathen +times in Scandinavia to a wild warrior or champion. The Berserkers, it +is said, had fits of madness, when they foamed at the mouth and howled +like beasts, rushing into battle naked and defenseless. It was believed +that at such times they were proof against wounds either from fire or +from steel.] + + "Once as I told in glee + Tales of the stormy sea, + Soft eyes did gaze on me, + Burning yet tender; + And as the white stars shine + On the dark Norway pine, + On that dark heart of mine + Fell their soft splendor. + + "I wooed the blue-eyed maid, + Yielding, yet half afraid, + And in the forest's shade + Our vows were plighted. + Under its loosened vest + Fluttered her little breast, + Like birds within their nest + By the hawk frighted. + + "Bright in her father's hall + Shields gleamed upon the wall, + Loud sang the minstrels all, + Chaunting his glory; + When of old Hildebrand + I asked his daughter's hand, + Mute did the minstrels stand + To hear my story. + + "While the brown ale he quaffed, + Loud then the champion laughed. + And as the wind-gusts waft + The sea-foam brightly, + So the loud laugh of scorn, + Out of those lips unshorn, + From the deep drinking-horn + Blew the foam lightly. + + "She was a Prince's child, + I but a Viking wild, + And though she blushed and smiled, + I was discarded! + Should not the dove so white + Follow the sea-mew's flight, + Why did they leave that night + Her nest unguarded? + + "Scarce had I put to sea, + Bearing the maid with me,-- + Fairest of all was she + Among the Norsemen!-- + When on the white sea-strand, + Waving his arméd hand, + Saw we old Hildebrand, + With twenty horsemen. + + "Then launched they to the blast, + Bent like a reed each mast, + Yet we were gaining fast, + When the wind failed us; + And with a sudden flaw + Came round the gusty Skaw,[9] + So that our foe we saw + Laugh as he hailed us. + +[Footnote 9: The Skaw is the most northerly point of Denmark.] + + "And as to catch the gale + Round veered the flapping sail, + Death! was the helmsman's hail, + Death without quarter! + Mid-ships with iron keel + Struck we her ribs of steel; + Down her black hulk did reel + Through the black water! + + "As with his wings aslant, + Sails the fierce cormorant, + Seeking some rocky haunt, + With his prey laden, + So toward the open main, + Beating to sea again, + Through the wild hurricane + Bore I the maiden. + + "Three weeks we westward bore, + And when the storm was o'er, + Cloud-like we saw the shore + Stretching to lee-ward; + There for my lady's bower + Built I the lofty tower,[10] + Which, to this very hour, + Stands looking seaward. + +[Footnote: 10. At Newport in Rhode Island is an old stone tower, which +tradition says was built by the Norsemen when they visited this country. +That is the tower to which Longfellow refers here.] + +[Illustration: THREE WEEKS WE WESTWARD BORE] + + "There lived we many years; + Time dried the maiden's tears; + She had forgot her fears, + She was a mother; + Death closed her mild blue eyes, + Under that tower she lies; + Ne'er shall the sun arise + On such another! + + "Still grew my bosom then, + Still as a stagnant fen! + Hateful to me were men, + The sunlight hateful! + In the vast forest here, + Clad in my warlike gear, + Fell I upon my spear, + O, death was grateful! + + "Thus, seamed with many scars + Bursting these prison bars, + Up to its native stars + My soul ascended! + There from the flowing bowl + Deep drinks the warrior's soul, + _Skoal_![11] the Northland! _skoal_!" + --Thus the tale ended. + +[Footnote 11: _Skoal_ is the customary salutation in Scandinavia when a +health is drunk.] + +[Illustration: Round Tower at Newport] + + + + +HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX + +_By_ ROBERT BROWNING + + I sprang to the stirrup, and Joris and he; + I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three; + "Good speed!" cried the watch as the gate-bolts undrew, + "Speed!" echoed the wall to us galloping through. + Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest, + And into the midnight we galloped abreast. + + Not a word to each other; we kept the great pace,-- + Neck by neck, stride by stride, never changing our place; + I turned in my saddle and made its girths tight, + Then shortened each stirrup and set the pique right, + Rebuckled the check-strap, chained slacker the bit, + Nor galloped less steadily Roland a whit. + + 'T was a moonset at starting; but while we drew near + Lokerem, the cocks crew and twilight dawned clear; + At Boom a great yellow star came out to see; + At Duffeld 't was morning as plain as could be; + And from Mecheln church-steeple we heard the half-chime,-- + So Joris broke silence with "Yet there is time!" + At Aerschot up leaped of a sudden the sun, + And against him the cattle stood black every one. + To stare through the midst at us galloping past; + And I saw my stout galloper Roland at last, + With resolute shoulders, each butting away + The haze, as some blind river headland its spray; + And his low head and crest, just one sharp ear bent back + For my voice, and the other pricked out on his track; + And one eye's black intelligence,--ever that glance + O'er its white edge at me, his own master, askance; + And the thick heavy spume-flakes, which aye and anon + His fierce lips shook upward in galloping on. + + By Hasselt Dirck groaned; and cried Joris, "Stay spur! + Your Roos galloped bravely, the fault's not in her; + We'll remember at Aix,"--for one heard the quick wheeze + Of her chest, saw the stretched neck, and staggering knees, + And sunk tail, and horrible heave of the flank, + As down on her haunches she shuddered and sank. + + So we were left galloping, Joris and I, + Past Looz and past Tongres, no cloud in the sky; + The broad sun above laughed a pitiless laugh; + 'Neath our feet broke the brittle, bright stubble like chaff; + Till over by Dalhem a dome-spire sprang white, + And "Gallop," gasped Joris, "for Aix is in sight!" + + "How they'll greet us!"--and all in a moment his roan + Rolled neck and croup over, lay dead as a stone; + And there was my Roland to bear the whole weight + Of the news which alone could save Aix from her fate, + With his nostrils like pits full of blood to the brim, + And with circles of red for his eye-sockets' rim. + +[Illustration: I CAST LOOSE MY BUFF-COAT] + + Then I cast loose my buff-coat, each holster let fall, + Shook off both my jack-boots, let go belt and all, + Stood up in the stirrup, leaned, patted his ear, + Called my Roland his pet name, my horse without peer,-- + Clapped my hands, laughed and sang, an noise, bad or good, + Till at length into Aix Roland galloped and stood. + + And all I remember is friends flocking round. + As I sate with his head 'twixt my knees on the ground; + And no voice but was praising this Roland of mine, + As I poured down his throat our last measure of wine, + Which (the burgesses voted by common consent) + Was no more than his due who brought good news from Ghent. + +When we read this poem, the first question that comes to us is "What +_was_ the 'good news from Ghent?'" But we find on looking up the matter +that the whole incident is a fanciful one; Browning simply imagined a +very dramatic situation, and then wrote this stirring poem about it. And +surely he has made it all seem very real to us. We feel the intense +anxiety of the riders to reach Aix on time--for we are given to +understand in the last line of the third stanza that Aix must learn the +news by a certain hour; we feel the despair of the two who are forced to +give up the attempt, and the increased sense of responsibility of the +only remaining rider; and we fairly hold our breath in our fear that the +gallant Roland will not stand the strain. + +The towns mentioned are real places, all of them in Belgium. + +Does the poem seem to you somewhat rough and jerky? It is a ballad, and +that fact accounts in part for its style, for ballads are not usually +smooth and perfect in structure. + +But there is another reason for the jerkiness, if we may call it by so +strong a name. Read the first two lines aloud, giving them plenty of +swing. Do they not remind you of the galloping of a horse, with their +regular rise and fall? A little poet might have attempted to write about +this wild midnight ride in the same smooth, flowing style in which he +would describe a lazy river slipping over the stones; but Browning was a +great poet, and knew how to fit sound to sense. Other poets may excel +him in writing of quiet, peaceful scenes, but no one who has ever +written could put more dash and vigor into a poem than could Browning. + +[Illustration: GHENT] + + + +REMINISCENCES OF A PIONEER[1] + +_By_ EDWIN D. COE + +My father left his old home in Oneida County, New York, in June, 1839, a +young man in his twenty-fourth year. The beauty and fertility of the +Rock River valley, in Wisconsin, had been widely proclaimed by +participants in the Black Hawk War and in the glowing reports of +Government engineers. In fact, the latter declared it to be a very +Canaan of promise. As a consequence, hundreds of young people, restless +and ambitious, and very many older ones whom the panic of the late 30's +had separated from their business moorings, turned their thoughts and +then their steps toward the new promised land. + +When my father was rowed ashore from the steamer at Milwaukee, he could +have taken up "government land" within the present limits of that city, +but the bluffs and swamps of the future metropolis had no charms for him +compared with the vision he had in mind of the Rock River country. So he +crossed Milwaukee River on a ferry at the foot of Wisconsin Street, +walked out on a sidewalk quavering on stilts until solid ground was +reached at Third Street, and then struck the trail for the west. + +[Footnote 1: From the Proceedings of the State Historical Society of +Wisconsin, 1907.] + +Along the shore of Pewaukee Lake, the traveler met a wolf which bristled +and snarled but at last surrendered the right of way before the superior +bluff, which was put up against him, backed by a "big stick." That night +he stayed with a friend named Terry, who had come West the year before, +and preëmpted a piece of land on the east shore rock, about seven miles +above Watertown. The next morning he saw on the opposite bank a gently +rising slope covered with stately maples and oaks; beneath were the +grass and flowers of mid June, and the swift flowing river, clear as a +spring brook, was in front, making the scene one of entrancing beauty. +It was fully equal to his highest expectations, and he never rested +until he had secured title to that particular block of land. + +He at once prepared to build a log house, and, after a few days, the +neighborhood was invited to the raising. Some men came eight and ten +miles, and a big laugh went around when it was found that logs a foot +and a half and two feet in diameter had been cut for the house. Four +large ones were rolled together for a foundation, and then the +inexperienced young man was told that for a house he needed to cut logs +half as large, and they would return in a week and raise them. This they +did, showing the kindly, helpful spirit of the early settlers. + +In August my mother came and brought the household furniture from their +Oneida County home, together with a year's provisions. The trip from +Milwaukee to their log house, nearly forty miles, took nearly three days +by ox team. She was delighted and happy with the building and its +surroundings, and never faltered in her love for that first home in the +West. A barrel of pork was among the supplies she had brought, and +people came as far as twenty miles to beg a little of it, so tired were +they of fresh meat from the woods, and fish from the river; and they +never went away empty-handed, as long as it lasted. + +They came, as I have said, in 1839, and I the year following. There is a +vague, misty period at the beginning of every life, as memory rises from +mere nothingness to full strength, when it is not easy to say whether +the things remembered may not have been heard from the lips of others. +But I distinctly recall some very early events, and particularly the +disturbance created by my year-old brother, two years younger than +myself, when he screamed with pain one evening and held his bare foot +up, twisted to one side. + +My mother was ill in bed, and the terrified maid summoned my father from +outside, with the story that the baby's ankle was out of joint. He +hurried in, gave it one look, and, being a hasty, impetuous man, he +declared, "Yes, the child's ankle is out of joint; I must go for a +doctor;" and in another moment he would have been off on a seven-mile +tramp through the dark to Watertown. But the mother, a level-headed +woman, experienced in emergencies, called out from her bed, "Wait a +minute; bring me the child and a candle;" and a minute later she had +discovered a little sliver which pricked him when he set his foot down, +and extricated it between thumb and finger. "There," said she; "I don't +think you need walk to Water-town to-night." + +Indians were so numerous that I don't remember when they first came out +of the haze into my consciousness, but probably in my third year. They +were Winnebago and Pottawatomi, the river being a common inheritance of +both tribes. In the winter of 1839-40, about thirty families of the +former tribe camped for several weeks opposite our home and were very +sociable and friendly. Diligent hunters and trappers, they accumulated +fully a hundred dollars worth of otter, beaver, bear, deer, and other +skins. But a trader came up from Watertown in the spring and got the +whole lot in exchange for a four-gallon keg of whisky. That was a wild +night that followed. Some of the noisiest came over to our house, and +when denied admittance threatened to knock the door down, but my father +told them he had two guns ready for them, and they finally left. He +afterwards said that he depended more on a heavy hickory club which he +had on hand than on the guns--it could be fired faster. + +An ugly squaw whose nose had been bitten off years before in a fight, +stabbed her brother that night, because he refused her more whisky. He +had, according to custom, been left on guard, and was entirely sober. +The next day the Indians horrified my mother by declaring that they +should cut the squaw into inch pieces if her brother died. They went +down to Lake Koshkonong two days later, but he died the first day out. +The squaw escaped and lived a lonely life for years after, being known +up and down the river as "Old Mag." + +At any time of the year we were liable to receive visits from Indians +passing to and fro between Lakes Horicon and Koshkonong. They would come +into the house without ceremony further than staring into the windows +before entering. Being used only to town life in the East, my mother was +afraid of them, but she always carried a bold face and would never give +them bread, which they always demanded, unless she could readily spare +it. + +One summer afternoon, when she had finished her housework and had sat +down to sew, half a dozen Indians, male and female, suddenly bolted in +and clamored for bread. She shook her head and told them she had none +for them. When she came West she had brought yeast cakes which, by +careful renewal, she kept in succession until the family home was broken +up in 1880. Upon the afternoon referred to, she had a large pan of yeast +cakes drying before the fireplace. Seeing them, the Indians scowled at +her, called her a lying woman, and made a rush for the cakes, each one +taking a huge bite. Those familiar with the article know how bitter is +the mixture of raw meal, hops, and yeast, and so will not wonder that +presently a look of horror came over the Indians' faces and that then +they sputtered the unsavory stuff out all over the newly scrubbed floor. +My mother used to say that if they had killed her she could not have +kept from laughing. They looked very angry at first, but finally +concluded that they had not been poisoned and had only "sold" +themselves, they huddled together and went out chattering and laughing, +leaving my mother a good share of her day's work to do over again. + +[Illustration: HALF A DOZEN INDIANS BOLTED IN] + +One day I saw a big Indian shake her by the shoulder because she +wouldn't give him bread. She was ironing at the time, and threatened him +with a hot flat iron till he hurried out. Another came in one warm +summer afternoon, shut the door behind him, and leaned against it, +glowering at her. For once she was thoroughly frightened. He had with +him a tomahawk, having a hollow handle and head, that could be used as a +pipe. However, her wits did not desert her. Seeing the cat sleeping +peacefully in the corner, she cried, "How did that cat get in here!" and +catching up the broom she chased pussy around till she reached the door, +when seizing the heavy iron latch she pulled it wide open, sending Mr. +Indian into the middle of the room; she then pushed the door back +against the wall and set a chair against it. The Indian stood still for +a minute, then uttered a grunt and took himself off, probably thinking +she was too dangerous a person for him to attempt to bully. + +The Indians used to offer for sale venison, fish, and maple sugar, but +the line was always drawn on the latter, for it was commonly reported +that they strained the sap through their blankets. And you should have +seen their blankets! About 1846 a company of civilized Oneidas, some of +whom my father had known in the East, camped near by and manufactured a +large number of handsome and serviceable baskets. From wild berries they +would make dyes that never faded, and print them on the baskets with +stamps cut from potatoes. Some of their designs were quite artistic. A +small basket and a rattle which they gave my year-old sister showed +their good will. + +I soon learned to have no fear of the tribesmen, although sometimes a +fleet of fifty canoes would be in sight at once, passing down the river +to Koshkonong; but the first Germans who came to our parts nearly scared +the life out of me. Their heavy beards, long coats, broad-visored caps, +and arm-long pipes, made me certain that nothing less than a fat boy of +five would satisfy their appetites; and whenever they appeared I would +hunt my mother. They had bought a considerable tract of land about five +miles from our place, and always wanted to know of us the road thither. +The result was just such a "jabber match" as could be expected where +neither side knew the other's tongue; but by pointing and motioning my +mother was always able to direct them. Sometimes they wished to come in +and make tea or coffee on our stove, and eat the luncheon of bread and +meat that they had brought across the water. They would then always urge +their food upon me, so I came to like their black bread very much and +soon revised my first estimate of their character. All those people cut +fine farms out of the heavy timber and died rich. + +The first settlers were mostly Americans, from New York and New England; +but before leaving the old farm we used to hear of English, Irish, +Dutch, Norwegian, and Welsh settlements. The latter people enveloped and +overflowed our own particular community and came to form a good portion +of the population. + +Besides the numerous nationalities on this front edge of advancing +settlement, there were people of many and diverse individualities--the +uneasy, the unlucky, the adventurous, the men without money but full of +hope, the natural hunters, the trappers, the lovers of woods and +solitudes, and occasionally one who had left his country for his +country's good; all these classes were represented. But on the whole the +frontier's people were an honest, kindly, generous class, ready to help +in trouble or need of any kind. + +If there was sickness, watchers by the bedside and harvesters in the +field were promptly forthcoming. If a new house or barn was to be +raised, every available man came. If a cow was mired, and such was often +the case, her owner easily got all the help he wanted. Husking and +logging and quilting bees were common, and in the autumn there were bees +for candle-dipping, when the family supply of candles would be made for +a year; and all such events would of course be followed by a supper, and +perhaps a frolic. Visits among the women folk were all-day affairs; if +the husbands were invited, it would be of an evening, and the call then +would last till midnight with a supper at ten. There was a word of +comfort and good cheer in those forest homes. I doubt if any child in +modern palaces enjoys happier hours than were mine on winter evenings, +when I rested on the broad stone hearth in front of the big fireplace, +with its blazing four-foot log, the dog on one side and the cat on the +other, while my father told stories that had to be repeated as the stock +ran out, and I was gradually lulled to sleep by the soft thunder of my +mother's spinning wheel. What could be more luxurious for any youngster? + +I remember that when I was about six I saw my first apple. Half of it +came to me, and I absorbed it as if to the manor born. What a revelation +it was to a lad who could be satisfied with choke-cherries and crab +apples! In those times, when a visitor called it was common to bring out +a dish of well-washed turnips, with plate and case knife, and he could +slice them up or scrape them as he chose. + +The woods abounded in wild fruits, which the women made the most of for +the winter season. Berries, grapes, plums, and crab apples were all +utilized. The latter were especially delicious for preserves. The boy +who ate them raw off the tree could not get his face back into line the +same day; but he would eat them. However, pumpkins were our main +reliance for present and future pies and sauce; such pumpkins do not +grow now in these latter days. There were two sugar bushes on our place, +and a good supply of maple sugar was put up every spring. Many other +dainties were added to our regular menu, and a boy with such a cook for +a mother as I had, needed no sympathy from any one the whole world +round. + +The river was three hundred feet wide opposite our house, and about two +feet deep, so teams could be driven across at ordinary stages, but foot +passengers depended on our boat, a large "dugout." I remember how +beautiful it was, when first scooped out from a huge basswood log, +clean, white, and sweet-smelling. Strangers and neighbors alike would +call across, "Bring over the boat;" and if they were going from our side +they would take it over and leave the job of hollering to us. At five +years of age I could pole it around very nicely. + +One day, when I was first trusted to go in the boat alone, a stranger +called over, and as my father was busy, he told me to go after him. The +man expressed much wonderment, and some hesitancy to trusting himself to +the skill and strength of a bare-footed boy of five; but I assured him I +was a veteran at the business. He finally got in very gingerly, and sat +down flat on the bottom. All the way over he kept wondering at and +praising my work until I was ready to melt with mingled embarrassment +and delight. At the shore he asked me unctuously how much he should pay. +"Oh, nothing," I said. "But let me pay you. I'd be glad to," said he. +"Oh, no, we never take pay," I replied, and dug my toes into the sand, +not knowing how to get out of the scrape, yet well pleased at his high +estimate of my service. All the time he was plunging down first into one +pocket of his barn-door trousers and then the other, till at last he +fished out an old "bungtown" cent, which with much graciousness and +pomposity he pressed upon me, until my feeble refusals were overcome. I +took the coin and scampered away so fast that I must have been invisible +in the dust I raised. Showing it to my father, I was told that I ought +not to have taken it; but I explained how helpless I had been, and +repeated word for word what the man had said, and, unintentionally, +somewhat copied his tone and manner. The twinkle in my father's eye +showed that he understood. That copper was my first-earned money; if it +had only been put out at compound interest, I ought, if the +mathematicians are right, to be now living in _otium cum dignitate_,[2] +perhaps. + +[Footnote 2: _Otium cum dignitate_ is a Latin expression meaning _ease +with dignity_.] + +[Illustration: HE FISHED OUT AN OLD BUNGTOWN CENT] + +Steve Peck was one of the most notable of the marked characters above +hinted at. He was a roistering blade, who captained all the harumscarums +of the section. Peck was a surveyor and had helped at the laying out of +Milwaukee. Many were the stories told of his escapades, but space will +not permit of their rehearsal here. He had selected a choice piece of +land and built a good house; then he induced the daughter of an Aberdeen +ex-merchant of aristocratic family but broken fortune, who had sought a +new chance in the wilds of Wisconsin, to share them with him. But wife +and children could not hold him to a settled life, and he sold out one +day to a German immigrant, gave his wife a few dollars and disappeared, +not to be seen or heard of in those parts again. + +Another character was a man named Needham, who also was somewhat of a +mystery. The women considered that he had been "crossed in love." He +affected a sombre style, rather imitating the manners and habits of the +Indians. His cabin was near the river, and he was a constant hunter. +Many times when playing by the shore I would become conscious of a +strange, noiseless presence, and looking up would see Needham paddling +by, swift and silent. It always gave me the shudders and sent me to the +house. One day, on coming home from school, I saw a great platter of red +meat on the table. I asked who had killed the beef; it was a practice to +share the meat with the neighbors, whenever a large animal was killed, +taking pay in kind. I was told it was not beef, and being unable to +guess was at last informed that it was bear meat, which Mr. Needham had +left. As he had killed the animal near where I hunted the cows every +night, the news gave me a sensation. + +Uncle Ben Piper, the only gray-haired man in the community, kept tavern +and was an oracle on nearly all subjects. He was also postmaster, and a +wash-stand drawer served as post office. It cost twenty-five cents in +those times to pass a letter between Wisconsin and the East. Postage did +not have to be prepaid, and I have known my father to go several days +before he could raise the requisite cash to redeem a letter which he had +heard awaited him in the wash-stand drawer, for Uncle Ben was not +allowed to accept farm produce or even bank script for postage. + +An Englishman named Pease, who lived near us, had "wheels." He thought +the Free Masons and the women were in league to end his life. Every +night he ranged his gun and farm tools beside his bed, to help ward off +the attack that he constantly expected. Nothing could induce him to eat +any food that a woman had prepared. In changing "work" with my father, +which often occurred, he would bring his own luncheon and eat it by the +fire during mealtime. But after my sister was born, he refused to enter +the house; he told the neighbors that "women were getting too thick up +at Coe's." Pease had nicknames for all the settlers but one, and while +very polite to their faces, he always applied his nicknames in their +absence. + +A man named Rugg lost caste with his neighbors because he dug and used a +potato pit in an Indian mound from which he had thrown out a large +number of human bones. Some of the bones were of gigantic size. + +There were many good hunters among the settlers; the Smith brothers +scorned to shoot a bird or squirrel except through the head. If there +were sickness in the family of any neighbor, the Smiths saw that +partridges, quail, or pigeons, properly shot, were supplied. Another +Smith was a bee hunter, and a very successful one, too. Those were the +days when the beautiful passenger pigeons at times seemed to fill the +woods and the sky. Deer were very abundant; I have seen them eating hay +with my father's cows; and in the spring and fall seasons the river was +covered with wild ducks and geese. + +Two events in my seventh year left a strong impression upon me. The +first was an address by a colored man named Lewis Washington, a runaway +slave, who had a natural gift of oratory and made many speeches in this +state. I was so curious to see a genuine black man that I got too close +to him when he was in the convulsion of putting on his overcoat, and +caught a considerable thump. No harm was done, but he apologized very +earnestly. I have read that his campaigning of the state was quite +effective. + +The other occurrence was the visit to Watertown of Herr Dreisbach with +his famous menagerie. Our indulgent father took my brother and myself +and a neighbor's daughter to see the "great instructive exhibition." It +took our ox-team three hours to make the seven miles, and the elephant's +footprints by the bridges, and other impedimenta of the great show, +which we passed, carried our excitement, which had been cruelly growing +for three weeks, well-nigh up to an exploding climax. I was told not to +lose my ticket, or I could not get in; and when the ticket taker seized +hold of it, I held on until he finally yelled angrily, "Let go, you +little cuss!" whereupon my father came to his rescue. The show on the +whole was very satisfactory, except for the color of Columbus, the fine +old elephant, which for some reason, probably from the show bills on the +barns, I had expected to be of a greenish tint. I also had supposed that +the lion would drag his chariot at least half a mile, with the driver in +heroic pose, instead of merely two cars' length. Herr Dreisbach +afterwards showed on Rock Prairie, in the open country, a few miles east +of Janesville. People came from great distances to attend, even from as +far as Baraboo, sometimes camping out two nights each way. + +Our first public edifice was a log schoolhouse about twenty feet square. +It was on the opposite side of the river, nearly a mile distant, but I +began to attend school before I was fully five years old. One of the +things I remember of one of my early teachers most distinctly is, that +she used to hang a five-franc piece, tied with blue ribbon, around the +neck of the scholar who had "left off at the head." I was occasionally +favored, but my mother's satisfaction was greatly modified by her fear +that I would lose the coin while taking it back the next day. + +The teachers probably could not have passed a normal school examination, +but they could do what our graduates now cannot do--that is, make and +mend a quill pen. Those were all the pens we had, and many a time have I +chased our geese to get a new quill. The teachers patiently guided our +wobbling ideas from the alphabet to cube root. The lessons over, we were +told to "toe the crack," and "make obeisance," and were then put through +our paces in the field of general knowledge. I still remember, from +their drilling, the country, territory, county, and town in which we +lived; that James K. Polk was president, that George M. Dallas was +vice-president, and that Henry Dodge was governor. What ancient history +that now seems! + +[Illustration: CHASING THE GEESE TO GET A NEW QUILL] + +Near the school lived a family named Babcock, with four well-grown boys. +One of them used often to come over at noon to see one of the teachers. +One noon, on running to the schoolroom after something that I wanted, I +was horrified to see my loved teacher struggling to prevent the young +fellow from kissing her. I felt very sorry for her, and on going home +promptly reported the outrage to my mother. She evidently did not +approve, but did not make as much of a demonstration over it as I had +expected. I doubt now, if the teacher was as greatly in need of my +sympathy as I then thought. The Babcocks all went to the war, as I am +told, and one of them became colonel of his regiment. He came home to be +fatally and mysteriously shot one night on his way to his room in +Chicago; the why and how were never revealed. + +The winter after I was six years old I went to a school taught by a fine +young man named Martin Piper, a relative of Uncle Ben's. The next summer +he enlisted in the Mexican War with another of our young neighbors, John +Bradshaw. I saw the volunteers from Watertown filling two wagons that +carried them to Milwaukee, and I could not keep the tears back, for I +feared I should never see John and Martin again. And so it was; they +both perished at Vera Cruz. + +My last winter's school was taught by my father. I remember that we used +to cross the river, which only froze along the edges, on cakes of ice +which he would cut out and pole across. The school closed in the spring +with an "exhibition," consisting of declamations, dialogues, a little +"play," and a spelling contest. The whole countryside was there, and +about thirty of us youngsters were put up in the attic, which was +floored over with loose boards, to make room for our elders. The only +light we had was what percolated up through the cracks, and all that we +could see of the exhibition was through them. As we hustled around, +sampling them to see where we could see best, we made a good deal of +disturbance. + +The best place, next the chimney, we were driven back from, for repeated +burning had weakened the support. (The beam next to the chimney used to +catch fire nearly every day, and we younger ones used to watch it and +report to the teacher, who would calmly throw a dipper of water up and +put the fire out for the time being.) A fat woman sat under the +dangerous place that evening, and made a great outcry if we came near to +enjoy the desirable outlook--stout people always seem fearful that +something will fall on them. I remember also that her little girl, a +pretty creature in curls and a pink dress, spoke "Mary had a little +lamb," by having it "lined out" to her. + +Our schoolhouse was so set in a noble grove of oaks, elms and maples +with a heavy undergrowth, that we could not be seen from the road. +Nearly every day droves of cattle went by, and we used to run up through +the thicket to see them. It must have been an odd sight to the drovers +to see a dozen or more little half-scared faces peering out of the +brush, and no building in sight. They would often give us a noisy +salute, whereupon we would scamper back, telling of our narrow escape +from dangerous beasts and men. + +The presidential election in the fall of 1848 aroused a good deal of +interest, for Wisconsin had now become a state, and citizens could vote +for national candidates. I was in Jonathan Piper's store one evening, +with my father, when about a dozen men were present. A political +discussion sprang up and grew hot, and finally a division was called +for. Two or three voted for Zachary Taylor, the Whig candidate; one for +Lewis Cass, the Democrat; and the rest for Martin Van Buren, Free +Soiler. The State went with the lone voter, for Cass carried it by a +small plurality. + +Good health was the rule among the hardworking, plain-living pioneers, +but plowing up the soil released the poison which nature seemed to have +put there on guard, and every one at one time or another came down with +the "shakes." However, the potent influence of sunshine, quinine, and +cholagogue speedily won their way, and in a few years malaria had become +a mere reminiscence. + +In November, 1848, my parents moved to Beaver Dam, and thus our life in +the Rock River country came to an end. The splendid primeval forest has +now gone, and even before we left much of it had been converted into log +heaps and burned. Every night scores of fires would gleam out where the +finest hardwood logs, worth now a king's ransom, were turned into smoke +and ashes. Even the mills which that grand pioneer, Andrew Hardgrave, +had built in 1844, to the great rejoicing of all the people, are gone, +and the river flows on over its smooth limestone floor, unvexed as of +old. But fine brick buildings have taken the place of the old log +structures, and land brings at least twenty times as much per acre as +then. Who can argue against that? + + + + +THE BUCCANEERS + + +During the seventeenth century there were a great number of pirates who +committed serious ravages upon the settlements in the West Indies and +upon the mainland adjacent, and whose expeditions extended even to the +coasts of Chili and Peru. These men were called buccaneers; and the +meaning of the word gives some intimation of the origin of the +buccaneers themselves. + +At an earlier day, many of the settlers in the island of Hispaniola, or +Hayti, made their living by hunting cattle and preserving the meat by +the _boucan_ process. These hunters used to form parties of five or six +in number, and arming themselves with musket, bullet bag, powderhorn and +knife, they took their way on foot through the tangled forests of the +country. When they killed one of the wild cattle, its flesh was cut into +long strips and laid upon gratings, constructed of green sticks, where +it was exposed to the smoke of a wood fire, which was fed by the fat and +waste parts of the animals. The grating upon which the meat was laid was +called a _boucan_, and the hunters were called _boucaniers_. Later these +hunters were driven from Hayti by the Spaniards and took refuge in some +of the neighboring islands, where they revenged themselves for some of +the ill-treatment by preying upon the possessions of their oppressors +wherever they could find them. + +At the same time affairs in Europe brought France and England on the one +hand, and Spain on the other, into collision; and as a result, the +Spanish possessions in America became the object of French and English +attacks. Accordingly, those two nations were inclined to look with a +lenient eye upon the depredations committed by the buccaneers, so long +as the property of the English and French was respected. As a natural +consequence, many of the disreputable and daring characters of both +nations joined themselves with the original buccaneers, whom they soon +made as corrupt as themselves. Eventually these pirates increased so in +number, and grew so daring in their operations that it was necessary for +all nations to unite in putting them down; and by that time, the word +_buccaneer_ had come to mean _pirate_ in its worst sense. + +From time to time there arose among the buccaneers leaders whose success +brought a large following from men of other companies, and in one or two +instances a particularly strong man gathered about him almost all the +men who were willing to engage in such enterprises. At such times the +pirates formed a very powerful organization, and none of the smaller +cities were proof against their ravages. Whether the band was large or +small, however, the method of operation was always practically the same. + +Naturally there were preliminary meetings in which a few men discussed +plans and decided upon an expedition of some sort. Then a preliminary +meeting was held at which the object of attack was determined, funds +were raised, officers were elected, and the smaller details of the +expedition were determined. Then articles of agreement were drawn up, +signed by the buccaneers, and usually kept with remarkable exactness. In +conformity with these agreements, the spoils of the expeditions were +distributed among the individuals according to rank, each individual of +the ordinary class receiving one share of the plunder, while the +officers were given from two to eight, according to their position and +influence. + +It was customary, however, before any allotment was made to the +individuals, to set aside a certain portion of the spoils to be +distributed among those who had suffered some injury in the expeditions, +and in case any of the members died, that member's share was distributed +to his heirs. Besides this, there were special rewards given to the +first man who should sight a prize, to the first man to board a ship, +and to other men who were noticeably brave and successful. + +It was quite customary for two buccaneers to swear brotherhood each to +the other, to make written agreements to stand by each other during +life, to sign these agreements with their own blood; and then to keep +these curious partnerships to the end. There are numerous touching +accounts of the devotion with which a friend often followed the fortunes +of his sworn brother. In fact, the buccaneers usually dealt honestly and +fairly with one another, and in the same way with the Indians, +notwithstanding the fact that they were bloodthirsty, cruel and +heartless in their treatment of the captives they made on their +expeditions. + +The usual place of meeting for the buccaneers was upon the west end of +the island of Tortuga, which lies off the northern coast of Hayti, +although the English pirates after 1654 met on the island of Jamaica. +The traders and planters of these islands and of others in the vicinity +were not averse to having the buccaneers among them, for no sooner had +the latter returned from a successful expedition than they spent, with +lavish hand, the money which they had made. + +While it is true that between these forays the pirates were given to the +wildest excesses, and were anything but a desirable addition to a +community, yet there are always plenty of people who are willing to +profit by the wastefulness and dissipations of others. Many of the +buccaneers, accordingly, had homes which they visited in the intervals +of their cruises, where, although their business was well known, they +were in a certain sense respected. However, before the pirates were +wholly subdued, they had become less and less acceptable residents in +any community, and finally were at enmity with every soul not in their +own occupation. + +That these buccaneers had a large amount of physical bravery, goes +without saying; for only a man who feared nothing could undertake such +apparently hopeless tasks as these wild plunderers carried to a +successful conclusion. In fact many times they were successful for the +reason that the vessels or towns they attacked deemed themselves secure +from attack by so small a force as the pirates could muster. They were +inured to hardship and willing to undergo any amount of pain and +suffering, if they could but gather the riches for which they sought. +The accounts of their adventures are filled with description of daring +deeds, which if undertaken in a better cause would have made the men +famous for all time. + +The beginning of these expeditions may be placed at about 1625, and the +last important cruise of the pirates was made in 1688. After the latter +date they gradually dispersed, and the buccaneers appeared no more. In +1664, Mansveldt, who was one of the ablest of the pirate chiefs, +conceived the idea of forming an independent government with a flag of +its own, and locating his capital at Santa Katalina. His early death +prevented him from realizing his purpose; and though his successor, the +famous Henry Morgan, attempted to carry out the plan, it met with such +opposition from the Governor of Jamaica that it was definitely +abandoned. It was under the leadship of this same Morgan that the +buccaneers reached the height of their reputation, and executed their +most daring and successful raids. Among Morgan's performances was the +capture of the town of Puerto del Principe in Cuba, and the cities of +Porto Bello, Maracaibo and Gibraltar in South America. His greatest +exploit, however, occurred in 1670, when at the head of the fleet of +thirty-seven ships of all sizes manned by more than two thousand +pirates, he captured the forts on the Chagres River, marched across the +Isthmus of Panama, and after ten days of incredible hardship and +suffering, fighting against a force of twenty-five hundred men, captured +the city of Panama. After a stay of about three weeks he returned across +the Isthmus. + +So unsatisfactory in value were the spoils of this expedition, that +Morgan was accused of embezzling some portion, and in consequence became +very unpopular with his followers. + +However, as this expedition was made against the Spanish, it received +some approval from the English; and Morgan, abandoning his career as a +pirate, accepted the lieutenant-governorship of Jamaica, and was +subsequently made governor of that island, in which capacity he did much +toward suppressing piracy in the Caribbean Sea. + +We have two notable accounts of the deeds of the early buccaneers. One +was published in 1678 in Amsterdam by John Esquemeling, who wrote from +observation, as he was himself one of the pirates, and present at many +of the conflicts which he describes. The second account is the journal +of Basil Ringrose, who, as a pirate, took part in Sharp's voyage around +South America, and was finally killed in a plundering raid. + + + + +CAPTAIN MORGAN AT MARACAIBO[1] + +[Footnote 1: This account of Henry Morgan's deeds at Maracaibo is taken +from the narrative of John Esquemeling, but no attempt has been made to +give a literal translation of his words. Morgan had passed through the +Gulf of Venezuela, captured the town of Maracaibo and made his way +through the narrow passage into the lake of the same name, where he +captured and despoiled Gibraltar. At the opening of this sketch, he is +in Lake Maracaibo, seeking an opportunity to return to the open sea.] + +Captain Morgan had been so long absent from Maracaibo that he knew that +the Spaniards had had sufficient time to fortify themselves strongly, +and so hinder his departure from the lake. Without waiting to collect +the full sum he had required from the inhabitants of Gibraltar, he +demanded some of the townsmen as hostages, whom he might carry with him +on his return journey, and whom he would release upon the full payment +of the tribute he had levied. + +Four persons who had been agreed upon were delivered to him as hostages +for the sums demanded, and at last Morgan weighed anchor and set sail +with great haste, directing his course toward Maracaibo. Four days +later, he arrived in front of the town and found things very much in the +same condition as that in which they had been left, yet he was very much +disturbed when he learned from an old man, who had been left alone and +sick in the village, that three Spanish men-of-war were lying at anchor +in the entrance to the lake, waiting patiently for the return of the +pirates. Moreover, the great castle that stood at the opening of the +channel had been again repaired, provided with great guns and garrisoned +by a strong force which was well supplied with ammunition. + +Morgan was indeed in a dangerous predicament, for the passages leading +out of the lake were narrow and tortuous. In order to learn just what +force he had to meet, he sent his swiftest boat scouting through the +inlet, while his ships remained within the lake. + +The next day the boat came back, confirming what the old man had said +and assuring Morgan that it had been so close to the Spanish ships that +it was in great danger of being sunk by their shells. The biggest ship +carried forty guns, the second had thirty and the smallest twenty-four. +As Morgan's largest ship did not carry more than fourteen small guns, +the Spanish forces appeared much superior. In fact, every one thought +that Morgan must lose all hope, considering the difficulty of his +passing safely with his little fleet through these winding passages, +amidst the great ships and by the strong fort. Moreover, there appeared +no way of escape by land, and there was certainly no other outlet into +the sea. + +Captain Morgan, however, was not a man to be easily discouraged, and +these terrible dangers left him wholly undaunted. In a spirit of bravado +he boldly sent a Spanish prisoner to the admiral of the ships commanding +of him a considerable tribute or ransom, threatening, in case the ransom +was not promptly paid, to set the city of Maracaibo in flames and to +destroy the whole Spanish fleet. After two days the Spaniard returned, +bringing from the admiral a letter which read much as follows: + +"To Captain Morgan, Commander of the Pirate Fleet: + +"Having understood by all our friends and neighbors that you have dared +to attempt and commit hostilities in the countries, cities, towns and +villages belonging to the dominions of his Catholic Majesty, my +Sovereign Lord and Master, I let you understand by these lines that I +have come here and have put into a very good state of defense that +castle which you took out of the hands of a parcel of cowards; for I +have again mounted the artillery which you spiked and made useless. + +"My intent is to dispute with you your passage out of the lake and to +follow and pursue you everywhere. Notwithstanding, if you be content to +surrender with humility all that you have taken, together with the +slaves and all other prisoners, I will let you pass freely and without +trouble or molestation, providing you agree to return to your own +country at once. + +"But in case you make any resistance or opposition to my offers, I +assure you I will utterly destroy you and put every man of you to the +sword. This is my last absolute resolution. Be prudent, therefore, and +do not abuse my bounty. I have with me very good soldiers who desire +nothing more ardently than to revenge on you and your people all the +infamous cruelties and brutal acts that you have committed upon the +Spanish nation in America. + +"Dated on board the royal ship Magdalena, lying at anchor at the entry +of Lake Maracaibo, this twenty-fourth day of April, Sixteen Hundred +Sixty-nine. + +_Don Alonso del Campo y Espinosa_." + +As soon as Captain Morgan had received this letter, he called all his +men together in the market place at Maracaibo, and after reading the +contents both in French and in English, he requested the advice of his +companions upon the whole matter, and asked whether they preferred to +surrender all they had gained in order to obtain their liberty, or if +they wished to fight for their possessions. With one voice they cried: +"We will fight and spill the very last drop of blood in our veins rather +than surrender the booty which we have captured at the risk of our +lives." + +Among those who shouted most loudly was one who pushed his way forward +to Captain Morgan and said: "If you will take care of the rest, I, with +only twelve men, will agree to destroy the biggest of those ships. I +will take that vessel which we captured in the River of Gibraltar and +make of her a fire ship. However, to conceal our purpose from the enemy, +we will fill her decks with logs of wood standing erect and wearing hats +and caps. We will put more of these logs at the portholes where they can +be made to counterfeit cannon. At the stern we will hang out the English +colors, and so make the enemy think that she is one of our largest ships +well equipped for battle." + +Everybody agreed to the sailor's proposal, but after all they were not +fully satisfied nor fully relieved of their fears, and on the next day +they tried again to come to some agreement with Don Alonso. Morgan sent +him two messengers bearing the following propositions: + +First, that he would quit Maracaibo without doing any damage to the +town, or taking any ransoms. + +Second, that he would set at liberty half of his slaves and all the +other prisoners without ransom. + +Third, that he would send home freely those four chief inhabitants of +Gibraltar whom he held as hostages for the ransoms which had been +promised. + +Don Alonso rejected these propositions instantly, considering it +dishonorable to grant them. In return he sent back a message to the +effect that if the pirates did not surrender themselves voluntarily into +his hands within two days under the conditions of his letter, he would +immediately come and force them to do it. + +Deeply angered by this message, Captain Morgan put everything in order +for fighting, resolving to get out of the lake by main force without +surrendering anything. In the first place he commanded that all the +slaves and the prisoners should be tied and guarded very closely. After +this his men gathered all the pitch, tar and brimstone they could find +in the town, and with them stocked the fire ship, which we have spoken +of before. They mixed the powder, the brimstone and the tar with great +quantities of palm leaves, and arranged everything so that it would burn +quickly and furiously. They set their counterfeit cannon in proper +position at the portholes, and under each fastened heaps of powder so +that they would explode with great force and noise. In some of the +portholes they fastened little native drums, and upon the decks they +placed logs of wood dressed as men, wearing hats and coats and carrying +swords and muskets. + +When the fire ship was fully fitted out in this manner, they prepared to +enter the passageway into the lake. The prisoners were all put into the +great boat, and in another they placed all the plate, jewels and other +rich things which they had acquired. In the same ship were placed the +women and the wounded and suffering. The heavy goods and bulky +merchandise were distributed among other vessels, each of which was +manned by twelve well-armed sailors. + +The fire ship was ordered to go ahead of the rest of the vessels, and at +the earliest moment to grapple with the largest of the Spanish ships. +Before starting, Morgan had exacted from each of his comrades an oath in +which he vowed to defend himself and his comrades against the Spaniards, +even to the last drop of his blood, and never under any circumstances to +beg for quarter. In return for these pledges, Morgan promised his men +that all should be very well rewarded if they were successful. + +It was on the thirtieth day of April, 1669, that the buccaneers made +their courageous start to find the Spanish. It was growing dark when +Captain Morgan found the three ships riding at anchor in the middle of +the passageway into the lake, and fearing to attack in the darkness, he +ordered his vessels to come to anchor, resolved that if the Spanish +attacked he would fight them from that position. + +All that night the valiant captain and his men kept a careful and +vigilant watch, for the Spanish were almost within gunshot. No sooner +had daylight come, however, than the buccaneers weighed anchor and again +set sail, starting their course for the Spanish vessels. The latter, +seeing them come, themselves put on sail and moved to meet the attack. +The fire ship in its place at the head of the line soon met the largest +ship, and instantly grappled itself firmly to her side. Too late the +Spaniards discovered their terrible danger, and although they made +strenuous efforts to free themselves, they were unable to do so. The +flames from the burning vessel seized upon the timber and rigging of the +ship, and in a very short space of time consumed the stern of the +vessel, leaving the fore part to sink into the sea, carrying with it the +survivors. + +[Illustration: THE FIRE SHIP GRAPPLED THE SPANIARD] + +The second Spanish ship, seeing that the pirates were successful in +destroying the admiral's vessel, fled toward the castle, but being +unable to escape, they sunk their vessel, preferring to lose their ship +rather than fall into the hands of the bloodthirsty pirates. A portion +of the sunken ship extended above the shallow water and was set on fire. +The third vessel was captured by the pirates, all of whom now gave their +attention to the Spaniards who were swimming toward the shore from the +two wrecked vessels. Many were overtaken, but none would ask for +quarter, preferring to die rather than be given life by the pirates. + +Rejoicing at their wonderful and almost unexpected victory, the +buccaneers pushed rapidly to the shore and attacked the castle with +great vigor, but the walls were strong and were defended with such skill +that the assailants were driven back time and again. The pirates had +nothing but small guns with them, and although they advanced close to +the castle walls and kept up a constant fire, yet they were able to do +very little damage. On the other hand, the Spaniards were well armed, +and in the course of the day succeeded in killing and wounding no less +than sixty of the pirates. Toward evening the buccaneers retired +discouraged to their ships. + +All that night the Spaniards labored hard to strengthen their castle and +to put things in readiness for the renewal of the attack which they +expected on the morrow. However, Captain Morgan did not continue his +attack on the second day, but busied himself in taking prisoner such of +the sailors as he could find in the water or on the shore, and trying to +recover some of the riches that were lost in the two ships. + +Among those whom he captured was the pilot of the second vessel. This +man was a stranger among the Spanish, and from him Morgan gathered much +information. By this means he discovered that the Spanish Council of +State had sent six well-equipped men-of-war with instructions to drive +the English pirates out of the seas, and to destroy as many of them as +possible. This vigorous action was taken at the order of the Spanish +monarch, who had frequently complained to the English of the +depredations their subjects were committing on the Spanish possessions, +but had never been given the least satisfaction. When, however, the +ships arrived at Cartagena, two of the six were found to be too large +for cruising along the shallow waters of the coast, and were returned to +Spain. The remaining four sailed toward Campeche to seek out the +English, but in the port of that city one of the ships was lost in a +fierce gale, and only the three which Morgan had now captured remained +to act against the pirates. The night before Morgan arrived, the admiral +had given a banquet to all his people, and on that occasion he persuaded +them neither to take nor to give quarter; and this was the reason why +the sailors fought even in the presence of death by drowning. It seems +that Don Alonso had been warned by a deserting negro that the buccaneers +were building a fire ship, but he deemed it impossible that they should +construct one that would menace the safety of his vessels. + +More important information which the pilot gave, however, was that in +the vessel which had been sunk by the fire ship, was a great quantity of +gold and silver plate, together with other riches to the value of forty +thousand pieces of eight.[2] + +[Footnote 2: The piece of eight was equivalent to about $1.25 of our +money.] + +Morgan directed one of his ships to remain near the sunken vessel, drive +away the native boats which prowled around in that vicinity, and try to +recover the treasures. As for himself, the pirate returned to Gibraltar, +where he transferred himself and his sailors to the larger and stronger +ship which he had captured from the Spaniards. + +When he was well established in this new ship, he sent word to the +Spanish admiral, who had escaped on shore and who was assisting in the +defense of the castle, that a large ransom must be paid or the town +would be burned to the ground. The admiral flatly refused to pay a +single dollar to Morgan; but the garrison, remembering how successful +Morgan had always been and how fierce was his revenge, concluded to pay +the ransom freely. Accordingly, after some discussion, it was agreed +that the Spaniards should pay twenty thousand pieces of eight and +deliver five hundred beeves on the following day. This was done, and the +pirates salted the flesh of the cattle and stored it away for their +voyage. + +Notwithstanding Captain Morgan had promised to deliver the prisoners if +the ransom was paid, he was so much in fear of destruction by shells +from the castle as he was passing out of the lake that he told them he +would release none of them until he was entirely out of range and safe +in the open sea. In the meantime his men had recovered from the sunken +ship fifteen thousand pieces of eight, besides much plate and valuable +goods, such as the hilts of swords, and a great quantity of pieces of +eight that had melted and run together from the heat of the burning +vessel. + +After thinking the matter over more fully, Morgan decided that it would +not be safe even yet for him to attempt to pass the castle, and +accordingly he called before him his prisoners and told them that unless +the admiral and the garrison of the castle should promise him free +passage out of the lake, he would hang every prisoner on the yards of +his ship. Accordingly, the prisoners sent a deputation to Don Alonso +beseeching and supplicating him to have pity on the prisoners, who with +their wives and children were still on board the ship with Captain +Morgan, and to give his word of honor to permit the buccaneers to pass +freely; for if such a promise were not given, every one of those in +captivity would surely be killed by the sword or hanged. + +The reply of Don Alonso was characteristic of the brave leader: "If you +had been as loyal to your king in hindering the entry of these pirates +as I shall be in preventing their going out, you had never brought this +trouble upon yourselves nor upon our nation, which has now suffered so +much through your cowardice. In a word, I shall never grant your +request, but shall endeavor to maintain to its fullest the respect which +is due to my king." + +In deep despair over the result of their interview, the Spaniards +returned to their fellow-prisoners, and delivered to Captain Morgan the +admiral's answer. Morgan replied simply--"If Don Alonso will not give me +permission to pass, I must find a way of going without his consent." + +In preparation for his dangerous voyage, Morgan gathered his men on +shore, and required them to bring to him all the spoils, of whatever +nature, they had taken on the cruise. When these were assembled, it was +found that besides a huge quantity of merchandise and a large number of +slaves, the buccaneers had acquired plate, jewels and money to the value +of two hundred fifty thousand pieces of eight. All of this magnificent +prize was divided among the buccaneers according to the agreements which +had been made before they began the expedition. Each man was permitted +to take his share with him upon his own vessel. Morgan made the +distribution of his spoils at this time in order not to risk the loss of +the entire treasure by the sinking of one ship, and in order that no one +faction of his party might succeed in carrying off all the plunder. + +After everything was in readiness for the voyage, Morgan perfected a +little stratagem by which he hoped to make his escape more safely. He +announced to all his men that on a certain night they would sail through +the narrow channel, his own ship leading the way. On the day preceding +that night the Spaniards in the castle observed great activity in the +pirate fleet. Canoes and boats loaded with men left the ships and pulled +to the shore some distance away from the castle and on the side away +from the channel. Here, overhanging trees hid the boats from the +onlookers in the castle so that the latter were not aware that when the +boats returned from the shore the men, with the exception of one or two +who rowed, were lying concealed in the bottoms of the boats. Not a one +was landed on shore, although it appeared that Morgan was preparing to +attack the castle from the land side. + +All day long the boats plied back and forth, apparently leaving men and +returning empty to the ships. Expecting a heavy assault, the Spaniards +moved their best guns and a greater part of their garrison to that side +of the castle which faced the land, and thus left the water side +comparatively harmless. + +As soon as night came on, the pirates weighed anchor, and by the light +of the moon, without setting their sails, they glided slowly out with +the ebbing tide, which brought them down almost in sight of the castle. +They then spread their sails as quietly and with as great haste as +possible. The Spaniards saw them and opened fire, hastily moving their +guns back to the water side; but a favorable wind blew the vessels past +the danger point before the men in the castle could put their guns into +position to do any great damage. + +When Morgan was safely out of reach of the guns of the castle, he gave +his prisoners a boat and sent them ashore, retaining, however, the +hostages which he had demanded from the city of Gibraltar, because that +place had not yet paid its ransom. Just as he was sailing away, Morgan +fired seven great shells against the castle as a farewell message, but +the Spaniards did not reply even with so much as a musket shot. + +The day after their departure, the buccaneers were overtaken by a +terrible tempest which forced them at first to cast anchor, but as the +wind increased in force they were compelled to draw their anchor and to +put out to sea. Here they were indeed in great danger, for if they were +cast on shore, they certainly would receive no mercy from either the +Spaniards or the Indians. Once more, however, fortune smiled on Captain +Morgan, and after a day or two the wind ceased and the buccaneers went +on their way rejoicing. + +[Illustration] + + + + +BRADDOCK'S DEFEAT + + +_By_ BENJAMIN FRANKLIN + +NOTE.--When it became evident that the conflicting land-claims of the +French and English in America would admit of no peaceable settlement, a +convention of representatives from the colonies was called to consider a +union of the colonies and to find ways of establishing friendly +relations with the Indians, especially with the redoubtable Five +Nations. This convention met at Albany in 1754, and adopted a plan of +union which had been drawn up by Franklin. However, the plan, when +submitted to the colonies and to the British government, pleased no one. +The colonies rejected it because it gave too much power to the king, the +king because it gave too much power to the colonies. Franklin's own +account of what followed is here given: + +The British government, not choosing to permit the union of the colonies +as proposed at Albany, and to trust that union with their defence, lest +they should thereby grow too military and feel their own strength, +suspicions and jealousies at this time being entertained of them, sent +over General Braddock with two regiments of regular English troops for +that purpose. He landed at Alexandria, in Virginia, and thence marched +to Fredericktown, in Maryland, where he halted for carriages. Our +Assembly apprehending, from some information, that he had conceived +violent prejudices against them, as averse to the service, wished me to +wait upon him, not as from them, but as postmaster-general, under the +guise of proposing to settle with him the mode of conducting with most +celerity and certainty the despatches between him and the governors of +the several provinces, with whom he must necessarily have continual +correspondence, and of which they proposed to pay the expense. My son +accompanied me on this journey. + +We found the general at Fredericktown, waiting impatiently for the +return of those he had sent through the back parts of Maryland and +Virginia to collect wagons. I stayed with him several days, dined with +him daily, and had full opportunity of removing all his prejudices, by +the information of what the Assembly had before his arrival actually +done, and were still willing to do, to facilitate his operations. When I +was about to depart, the returns of wagons to be obtained were brought +in, by which it appeared that they amounted only to twenty-five, and not +all of those were in serviceable condition. The general and all the +officers were surprised, declared the expedition was then at an end, +being impossible, and exclaimed against the ministers for ignorantly +landing them in a country destitute of the means of conveying their +stores, baggage, etc., not less than one hundred and fifty wagons being +necessary. + +[Illustration: BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 1706-1790] + +I happened to say I thought it was a pity they had not been landed +rather in Pennsylvania, as in that country almost every farmer had his +wagon. The general eagerly laid hold of my words, and said, "Then you, +sir, who are a man of interest there, can probably procure them for us; +and I beg you will undertake it." I asked what terms were to be offered +the owners of the wagons; and I was desired to put on paper the terms +that appeared to me necessary. This I did, and they were agreed to, and +a commission and instructions accordingly prepared immediately. What +those terms were will appear in the advertisement I published as soon as +I arrived at Lancaster, which being, from the great and sudden effect it +produced, a piece of some curiosity, I shall insert it at length, as +follows: + +"ADVERTISEMENT + +"LANCASTER, April 26, 1755. + +"Whereas, one hundred and fifty wagons, with four horses to each wagon, +and fifteen hundred saddle or pack horses, are wanted for the service of +his Majesty's forces now about to rendezvous at Will's Creek, and his +excellency General Braddock having been pleased to empower me to +contract for the hire of the same, I hereby give notice that I shall +attend for that purpose at Lancaster from this day to next Wednesday +evening, and at York from next Thursday morning till Friday evening, +where I shall be ready to agree for wagons and teams, or single horses, +on the following terms, viz.: 1. That there shall be paid for each +wagon, with four good horses and a driver, fifteen shillings per diem; +and for each able horse with a pack-saddle or other saddle and +furniture, two shillings per diem; and for each able horse without a +saddle, eighteen pence per diem. 2. That pay commence from the time of +their joining the forces at Will's Creek, which must be on or before the +20th of May ensuing, and that a reasonable allowance be paid over and +above for the time necessary for their travelling to Will's Creek and +home again after their discharge. 3. Each wagon and team, and every +saddle or pack horse, is to be valued by indifferent persons chosen +between me and the owner; and in case of the loss of any wagon, team, or +other horse in the service, the price according to such valuation is to +be allowed and paid. 4. Seven days' pay is to be advanced and paid in +hand by me to the owner of each wagon and team or horse, at the time of +contracting, if required, and the remainder to be paid by General +Braddock, or by the paymaster of the army, at the time of their +discharge, or from time to time, as it shall be demanded. 5. No drivers +of wagons, or persons taking care of the hired horses, are on any +account to be called upon to do the duty of soldiers, or be otherwise +employed than in conducting or taking care of their carriages or horses. +6. All oats, Indian corn, or other forage that wagons or horses bring to +the camp, more than is necessary for the subsistence of the horses, is +to be taken for the use of the army, and a reasonable price paid for the +same. + +"Note.--My son, William Franklin, is empowered to enter into like +contracts with any person in Cumberland County. B. FRANKLIN." + +"_To the Inhabitants of the Counties of Lancaster, York, and Cumberland_ + +"FRIENDS AND COUNTRYMEN--Being occasionally at the camp at Frederick a +few days since, I found the general and officers extremely exasperated +on account of their not being supplied with horses and carriages, which +had been expected from this province, as most able to furnish them; but, +through the dissensions between our governor and Assembly, money had not +been provided, nor any steps taken for that purpose. + +"It was proposed to send an armed force immediately into these counties, +to seize as many of the best carriages and horses as should be wanted, +and compel as many persons into the service as would be necessary to +drive and take care of them. + +"I apprehend that the progress of British soldiers through these +counties on such an occasion, especially considering the temper they are +in, and their resentment against us, would be attended with many and +great inconveniences to the inhabitants, and therefore more willingly +took the trouble of trying first what might be done by fair and +equitable means. + +"The people of these back counties have lately complained to the Assembly +that a sufficient currency was wanting; you have an opportunity of +receiving and dividing among you a very considerable sum; for, if the +service of this expedition should continue, as it is more than probable +it will, for one hundred and twenty days, the hire of these wagons and +horses will amount to upward of thirty thousand pounds, which will be +paid you in silver and gold of the king's money. + +"The service will be light and easy, for the army will scarce march +above twelve miles per day, and the wagons and baggage horses, as they +carry those things that are absolutely necessary to the welfare of the +army, must march with the army, and no faster; and are, for the army's +sake, always placed where they can be most secure, whether in a march or +in a camp. + +"If you are really, as I believe you are, good and loyal subjects to his +majesty, you may now do a most acceptable service, and make it easy to +yourselves; for three or four of such as can not separately spare from +the business of their plantations a wagon and four horses and a driver, +may do it together, one furnishing the wagon, another one or two horses, +and another the driver, and divide the pay proportionately between you; +but if you do not this service to your king and country voluntarily, +when such good pay and reasonable terms are offered to you, your loyalty +will be strongly suspected. + +"The king's business must be done; so many brave troops, come so far for +your defence, must not stand idle through your backwardness to do what +may be reasonably expected from you; wagons and horses must be had; +violent measures will probably be used, and you will be left to seek a +recompense where you can find it, and your case, perhaps, be little +pitied or regarded. + +"I have no particular interest in this affair, as, except the +satisfaction of endeavoring to do good, I shall have only my labor for +my pains. + +"If this method of obtaining the wagons and horses is not likely to +succeed, I am obliged to send word to the general in fourteen days; and +I suppose Sir John St. Clair, the hussar, with a body of soldiers, will +immediately enter the province for the purpose, which I shall be sorry +to hear, because I am very sincerely and truly + +"Your friend and well-wisher, + +"B. FRANKLIN." + + +I received of the general about eight hundred pounds to be disbursed in +advance-money to the wagon owners, etc.; but that sum being +insufficient, I advanced upward of two hundred pounds more, and in two +weeks the one hundred and fifty wagons, with two hundred and fifty-nine +carrying horses, were on their march for the camp. The advertisement +promised payment according to the valuation, in case any wagon or horse +should be lost. The owners, however, alleging they did not know General +Braddock, or what dependence might be had on his promise, insisted on my +bond for the performance, which I accordingly gave them. + +While I was at the camp, supping one evening with the officers of +Colonel Dunbar's regiment, he represented to me his concern for the +subalterns, who, he said, were generally not in affluence, and could ill +afford, in this dear country, to lay in the stores that might be +necessary in so long a march, through a wilderness, where nothing was to +be purchased. + +I commiserated their case, and resolved to endeavor procuring them some +relief. I said nothing, however, to him of my intention, but wrote the +next morning to the committee of the Assembly, who had the disposition +of some public money, warmly recommending the case of these officers to +their consideration, and proposing that a present should be sent them of +necessaries and refreshments. My son, who had some experience of a camp +life, and of its wants, drew up a list for me, which I enclosed in my +letter. The committee approved, and used such diligence that, conducted +by my son, the stores arrived at the camp as soon as the wagons. They +consisted of twenty parcels, each containing-- + +6 lbs. loaf sugar. +6 lbs. good Muscovado ditto. +1 lb. good green tea. +1 lb. good bohea ditto. +6 lbs. good ground coffee. +6 lbs. chocolate. +1-2 lb. pepper. +1-2 cwt. best white biscuit. +1 quart best white wine vinegar. +1 Gloucester cheese. +1 keg containing 20 lbs. good butter. +2 doz. old Madeira wine. +2 gallons Jamaica spirits. +1 bottle flour of mustard. +2 well-cured hams. +1-2 dozen dried tongues. +6 lbs. rice. +6 lbs. raisins. + +These twenty parcels, well packed, were placed on as many horses, each +parcel, with the horse, being intended as a present for one officer. +They were very thankfully received, and the kindness acknowledged by +letters to me from the colonels of both regiments, in the most grateful +terms. The general, too, was highly satisfied with my conduct in +procuring him the wagons, etc., and readily paid my account of +disbursements, thanking me repeatedly, and requesting my further +assistance in sending provisions after him. I undertook this also, and +was busily employed in it till we heard of his defeat, advancing for the +service of my own money upward of one thousand pounds sterling, of which +I sent him an account. It came to his hands, luckily for me, a few days +before the battle, and he returned me immediately an order on the +paymaster for the round sum of one thousand pounds, leaving the +remainder to the next account. I consider this payment as good luck, +having never been able to obtain that remainder, of which more +hereafter. + +This general was, I think, a brave man, and might probably have made a +figure as a good officer in some European war. But he had too much +self-confidence, too high an opinion of the validity of regular troops, +and too mean a one of both Americans and Indians. George Croghan, our +Indian interpreter, joined him on his march with one hundred of those +people, who might have been of great use to his army as guides, scouts, +etc., if he had treated them kindly; but he slighted and neglected them, +and they gradually left him. + +In conversation with him one day, he was giving me some account of his +intended progress. "After taking Fort Duquesne," says he, "I am to +proceed to Niagara; and, having taken that, to Frontenac, if the season +will allow time; and I suppose it will, for Duquesne can hardly detain +me above three or four days; and then I see nothing that can obstruct my +march to Niagara." Having before resolved in my mind the long line his +army must make in their march by a very narrow road, to be cut for them +through the woods and bushes, and also what I had read of a former +defeat of fifteen hundred French, who invaded the Iroquois country, I +had conceived some doubts and some fears for the event of the campaign. +But I ventured only to say, "To be sure, sir, if you arrive well before +Duquesne, with these fine troops, so well provided with artillery, that +place not yet completely fortified, and as we hear with no very strong +garrison, can probably make but a short resistance. The only danger I +apprehend of obstruction to your march is from ambuscades of Indians, +who, by constant practice, are dexterous in laying and executing them; +and the slender line, near four miles long, which your army must make, +may expose it to be attacked by surprise in its flanks, and to be cut +like a thread into several pieces, which, from their distance, cannot +come up in time to support each other." + +[Illustration: ON THE MARCH] + +He smiled at my ignorance, and replied, "These savages may, indeed, be a +formidable enemy to your raw American militia, but upon the king's +regular and disciplined troops, sir, it is impossible they should make +any impression." I was conscious of an impropriety in my disputing with +a military man in matters of his profession, and said no more. The +enemy, however, did not take the advantage of his army which I +apprehended its long line of march exposed it to, but let it advance +without interruption till within nine miles of the place; and then, when +more in a body (for it had just passed a river, where the front had +halted till all were come over), and in a more open part of the woods +than any it had passed, attacked its advanced guard by a heavy fire from +behind trees and bushes, which was the first intelligence the general +had of an enemy's being near him. This guard being disordered, the +general hurried the troops up to their assistance, which was done in +great confusion, through wagons, baggage, and cattle; and presently the +fire came upon their flank: the officers, being on horseback, were more +easily distinguished, picked out as marks, and fell very fast; and the +soldiers were crowded together in a huddle, having or hearing no orders, +and standing to be shot at till two-thirds of them were killed; and +then, being seized with a panic, the whole fled with precipitation. + +[Illustration: THE AMBUSH] + + +The wagoners took each a horse out of his team and scampered; their +example was immediately followed by others; so that all the wagons, +provisions, artillery, and stores were left to the enemy. The general, +being wounded, was brought off with difficulty; his secretary, Mr. +Shirley, was killed by his side; and out of eighty-six officers, +sixty-three were killed or wounded, and seven hundred and fourteen men +killed out of eleven hundred. These eleven hundred had been picked men +from the whole army; the rest had been left behind with Colonel Dunbar, +who was to follow with the heavier part of the stores, provisions, and +baggage. The flyers, not being pursued, arrived at Dunbar's camp, and +the panic they brought with them instantly seized him and all his +people; and, though he had now above one thousand men, and the enemy who +had beaten Braddock did not at most exceed four hundred Indians and +French together, instead of proceeding, and endeavoring to recover some +of the lost honor, he ordered all the stores, ammunition, etc., to be +destroyed, that he might have more horses to assist his flight toward +the settlements, and less lumber to remove. He was there met with +requests from the governors of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, +that he would post his troops on the frontiers, so as to afford some +protection to the inhabitants; but he continued his hasty march through +all the country, not thinking himself safe till he arrived at +Philadelphia, where the inhabitants could protect him. This whole +transaction gave us Americans the first suspicion that our exalted ideas +of the prowess of British regulars had not been well founded. + +In their first march, too, from their landing till they got beyond the +settlements, they had plundered and stripped the inhabitants, totally +ruining some poor families, besides insulting, abusing, and confining +the people if they remonstrated. This was enough to put us out of +conceit of such defenders, if we had really wanted any. How different +was the conduct of our French friends in 1781, who, during a march +through the most inhabited part of our country from Rhode Island to +Virginia, near seven hundred miles, occasioned not the smallest +complaint for the loss of a pig, a chicken, or even an apple. + +Captain Orme, who was one of the general's aides-de-camp, and, being +grievously wounded, was brought off with him, and continued with him to +his death, which happened in a few days, told me that he was totally +silent all day, and at night only said, "_Who would have thought it_?" +That he was silent again the following day, saying only at last, "_We +shall better know how to deal with them another time_;" and died in a +few minutes after. + +The secretary's papers, with all the general's orders, instructions, and +correspondence, falling into the enemy's hands, they selected and +translated into French a number of the articles, which they printed, to +prove the hostile intentions of the British court before the declaration +of war. Among these I saw some letters of the general to the ministry, +speaking highly of the great service I had rendered the army, and +recommending me to their notice. David Hume, too, who was some years +after secretary to Lord Hertford, when minister in France, and afterward +to General Conway, when secretary of state, told me he had seen among +the papers in that office, letters from Braddock highly recommending me. +But the expedition having been unfortunate, my service, it seems, was +not thought of much value, for these recommendations were never of any +use to me. + +As to rewards from himself, I asked only one, which was that he would +give orders to his officers not to enlist any more of our bought +servants, and that he would discharge such as had been already enlisted. +This he readily granted, and several were accordingly returned to their +masters, on my application. Dunbar, when the command devolved on him, +was not so generous. He being at Philadelphia, on his retreat, or rather +flight, I applied to him for the discharge of the servants of three poor +farmers of Lancaster county that he had enlisted, reminding him of the +late general's orders on that head. He promised me that, if the masters +would come to him at Trenton, where he should be in a few days on his +march to New York, he would there deliver their men to them. They +accordingly were at the expense and trouble of going to Trenton, and +there he refused to perform his promise, to their great loss and +disappointment. + +As soon as the loss of the wagons and horses was generally known, all +the owners came upon me for the valuation which I had given bond to pay. +Their demands gave me a great deal of trouble, my acquainting them that +the money was ready in the paymaster's hands, but that orders for paying +it must first be obtained from General Shirley, and my assuring them +that I had applied to that general by letter, but he being at a +distance, an answer could not soon be received, and they must have +patience; all this was not sufficient to satisfy, and some began to sue +me. General Shirley at length relieved me from this terrible situation +by appointing commissioners to examine the claims, and ordering payment. +They amounted to nearly twenty thousand pounds, which to pay would have +ruined me. + +Before we had the news of this defeat, the two Doctors Bond came to me +with a subscription paper for raising money to defray the expense of a +grand firework, which it was intended to exhibit at a rejoicing on +receipt of the news of our taking Fort Duquesne. I looked grave, and +said it would, I thought, be time enough to prepare for the rejoicing +when we knew we should have occasion to rejoice. They seemed surprised +that I did not immediately comply with their proposal. "Why...!" says +one of them, "you surely don't suppose that the fort will not be taken?" +"I don't know that it will not be taken, but I know that the events of +war are subject to great uncertainty." I gave them the reasons of my +doubting; the subscription was dropped, and the projectors thereby +missed the mortification they would have undergone if the firework had +been prepared. Dr. Bond, on some other occasion afterward, said that he +did not like Franklin's forebodings. + + + + +READING HISTORY + + +Lively or exciting stories are so interesting that we are inclined to +read too many of them, and to read them too carelessly. By so doing, we +fail to get the highest pleasure reading can give, and never receive the +great benefit that is ours for the taking. If we let our arms rest idle +for a long time, they become weak and useless; if a boy takes no +exercise he cannot expect to be a strong man. So, if he reads nothing +that makes him exert his mind, he becomes a weakling in intellect and +never feels the pure delight that the man has who can read in a +masterful way a masterly selection. + +As a matter of fact, history when well written is as fascinating as any +story that ever was penned, and it has the merit of being true. +Sometimes it is a little harder to read than the light things that are +so numerously given us by magazines and story books, but no one shuns +hard work where it yields pleasure. A boy will play football or tramp +all day with a gun over his shoulder, and not think twice about the hard +work he is doing. Reading history bears about the same relation to +reading mild love stories and overdrawn adventures that football or +skating bears to stringing beads. + +Not all history is hard to read; in some of it the interest lies so +close to the surface that it grips us with the first glance. Such is the +kind we read in the beginning. The adventures of King Arthur, the Cid, +Robin Hood, and other half mythical heroes are history in the +making--the history that grew up when the world was young, and its great +men were something like overgrown boys. That is why we who have boyish +hearts like to read about them. Then Robert the Bruce, Caesar and +Alexander are more like the men of to-day and appeal a little more +strongly as we get more mature. And finally we have Washington, Lincoln, +Lee and Grant as men nearer our own time, whose lives and deeds require +our careful thought and our serious study, because they had to contend +with the same things and overcome the same obstacles that confront us. + +There is really no use in trying to tell just how and in what way +history becomes interesting, and nobody cares to read a long article +about history. What we older people would wish is merely this: that our +young friends should begin to read history and so find out for +themselves just how fascinating it is. We can perhaps give a word or two +of warning that may save much hard work and many discouragements. +Macaulay, Gibbon, Hume and others are great men, and in the tomes they +have written are pages of exciting, stimulating narrative; yet one must +read so many pages of heavy matter to find the interesting things that +it is not worth the time and exertion a young person would need to give. +On the other hand, there are writers like Parkman and Prescott who are +always readable and entertaining. + +The best way to learn to like history is to begin with such readable +things as are put into these volumes, and then follow any line of +interest that is discovered. + +Franklin's description of Braddock's defeat is interesting in itself, +and it calls attention to the French and Indian War and to the wonderful +career of Franklin himself. These are lines of interest that you may +follow out in histories or in works of reference. + + + + +THE AMERICAN FLAG + + +_By_ JOSEPH RODMAN DRAKE + + When Freedom, from her mountain height, + Unfurled her standard to the air, + She tore the azure robe of night, + And set the stars of glory there! + She mingled with its gorgeous dyes + The milky baldric of the skies, + And striped its pure, celestial white + With streakings of the morning light, + Then, from his mansion in the sun, + She called her eagle bearer down, + And gave into his mighty hand + The symbol of her chosen land! + + Majestic monarch of the cloud! + Who rear'st aloft thy regal form, + To hear the tempest-trumpings loud, + And see the lightning lances driven, + When strive the warriors of the storm, + And rolls the thunder-drum of heaven,-- + Child of the Sun! to thee 't is given + To guard the banner of the free, + To hover in the sulphur smoke, + To ward away the battle-stroke, + And bid its blendings shine afar, + Like rainbows on the cloud of war. + The harbingers of victory! + + Flag of the brave! thy folds shall fly, + The sign of hope and triumph high! + When speaks the signal-trumpet tone, + And the long line comes gleaming on, + Ere yet the life-blood; warm and wet, + Has dimmed the glistening bayonet, + Each soldier's eye shall brightly turn + To where thy sky-born glories burn, + And, as his springing steps advance, + Catch war and vengeance from the glance. + And when the cannon-mouthings loud + Heave in wild wreaths the battle shroud, + And gory sabres rise and fall + Like shoots of flame on midnight's pall, + Then shall thy meteor glances glow, + And cowering foes shall shrink beneath + Each gallant arm that strikes below + That lovely messenger of death. + + Flag of the seas! on ocean wave + Thy stars shall glitter o'er the brave; + When death, careering on the gale, + Sweeps darkly round the bellied sail, + And frighted waves rush wildly back + Before the broadside's reeling rack, + Each dying wanderer of the sea + Shall look at once to heaven and thee, + And smile to see thy splendors fly + In triumph o'er his closing eye. + + Flag of the free heart's hope and home, + By angel hands to valor given, + Thy stars have lit the welkin dome, + And all thy hues were born in heaven. + Forever float that standard sheet! + Where breathes the foe but falls before us + With Freedom's soil beneath our feet, + And Freedom's banner streaming o'er us? + +This is a poem that may need a little explanation if every one is to +appreciate it. + +How fancifully the poet tells of the origin of the flag in the first +stanza! The blue field and the stars are taken from the sky, and the +white from the milky way which stretches like a broad scarf or baldric +across the heavens. The red is from the first red streaks that in the +morning flash across the eastern skies to herald the rising sun. The +eagle, our national bird who supports the shield in our coat of arms, +had by the old legends the power to fly full in the face of the sun, and +to shield its eyes from the blaze was gifted with a third eyelid. In the +talons of this lordly bird Freedom placed our chosen banner. + +The second stanza continues the tribute to the eagle. To this regal bird +it is given to fling high among the clouds and smoke of battle our +brilliant banner, whose bright colors like the rainbow signify victory +and peace--the flag of victory, the bow of promise. + +The remainder of the lines are so clear in their meaning and so smooth +in their structure that they stir our blood with patriotic fire. + + + +BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC + + +_By_ JULIA WARD HOWE + + Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord: + He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; + He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword. + His truth is marching on. + + I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps; + They have builded him an altar in the evening dews and damps; + I have read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps. + His day is marching on. + + I have read a fiery gospel, writ in burnished rows of steel: + "As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal; + Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel, + Since God is marching on." + + He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat; + He is sifting out the hearts of men before his judgment-seat: + O, be swift, my soul, to answer him! be jubilant, my feet! + Our God is marching on. + + In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, + With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me; + As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, + While God is marching on. + +[Illustration] + + + + +"'STONEWALL' JACKSON'S WAY" + +_By_ J. W. PALMER + +NOTE.--Thomas J. Jackson, the great Confederate general, better known as +"Stonewall" Jackson, was loved and admired by his men not only for his +military ability, but for his personal virtues, and even for his +personal peculiarities as well. He was a deeply religious man, and never +began a battle without prayer or failed to give public thanks to God for +a victory. + +While he believed that the people through whose land he was passing, and +indeed all non-combatants, should be guarded as far as possible from the +evil results of war, he showed no compassion for the enemies sent +against him, and pushed the battle against them with all his might. His +death in 1863 was a great loss to the Confederate cause. + + + Come, stack arms, men! Pile on the rails, + Stir up the camp-fire bright; + No matter if the canteen fails, + We'll make a roaring night. + Here Shenandoah brawls along, + There burly Blue Ridge echoes strong, + To swell the brigade's rousing song + Of "'Stonewall' Jackson's way." + +[Illustration: Thomas J ("Stonewall") Jackson 1824-1863] + + We see him now--the old slouched hat + Cocked o'er his eye askew, + The shrewd, dry smile, the speech so pat, + So calm, so blunt, so true. + The "Blue-Light Elder" knows 'em well; + Says he, "That's Banks[1]--he's fond of shell, + Lord save his soul! We'll give him"--well, + That's "'Stonewall' Jackson's way." + +[Footnote 1: Nathaniel Prentiss Banks was a Federal general who was +pitted against Jackson in several engagements.] + + Silence! ground arms! kneel all! caps off! + "Old Blue-Light's" going to pray. + Strangle the fool that dares to scoff! + Attention! it's his way. + Appealing from his native sod, + "_In forma pauperis_"[2] to God-- + "Lay bare thine arm, stretch forth thy rod! + Amen!" That's "'Stonewall's way." + +[Footnote 2: _In forma pauperis_ is a Latin legal expression, meaning +_as a poor man_.] + + He's in the saddle now--Fall in! + Steady! the whole brigade! + Hill's[3] at the ford, cut off--we'll win + His way out, ball and blade! + What matter if our shoes are worn? + What matter if our feet are torn? + "Quick-step! we're with him before dawn!" + That's "'Stonewall' Jackson's way." + The sun's bright lances rout the mists + Of morning, and, by George! + Here's Longstreet[4] struggling in the lists, + Hemmed in an ugly gorge. + Pope[5] and his Yankees, whipped before,-- + "Bay'nets and grape!" hear "Stonewall" roar; + "Charge, Stuart![6] Pay off Ashby's[7] score!" + In "'Stonewall' Jackson's way." + +[Footnote 3: Ambrose P. Hill was a prominent Confederate general.] + +[Footnote 4: James Longstreet was one of the most distinguished of the +Confederate generals.] + +[Footnote 5: John Pope, the Federal general, was badly defeated by +Jackson and Robert E. Lee in the second battle of Bull Run, August 29 +and 30, 1862.] + +[Footnote 6: James E. B. Stuart, a cavalry leader in the Confederate +army, took a prominent part in the second battle of Bull Run, and was +with Jackson in other engagements.] + +[Footnote 7: Turner Ashby, a Confederate general, had greatly aided +Jackson by covering the latter's retreat before General Banks. He was +killed in a skirmish in June, 1862.] + +Ah! maiden, wait and watch and yearn + For news of "Stonewall's" band! + Ah! widow, read with eyes that burn + That ring upon thy hand. + Ah! wife, sew on, pray on, hope on! + Thy life shall not be all forlorn; + The foe had better ne'er been born + That gets in "'Stonewall's' way." + + + + + +BARON MUNCHAUSEN + + +INTRODUCTION + +Collected in a book called _The Travels of Baron Munchausen_ is a series +of the most extravagant stories imaginable. No one can possibly believe +them to be true, and yet when we are reading them they do not appear so +absurdly ridiculous as they seem afterward when we think of them. The +book is said to have been written by a German named Rudolph Erich Raspe, +but we cannot be sure of it, as there are no proofs. It is said, too, +that there was a German officer, a Baron Hieronymous Karl Friedrich +Munchausen who lived in the early part of the eighteenth century and who +told such marvelous stories that he was very popular among his fellow +officers and that his stories have been collected in a book. The book +appeared first in 1793, and some have believed that it was written to +ridicule the books of travel which had appeared from time to time, some +of which contained narratives not much less incredible than some of the +Baron's fanciful tales. It is probable, however, that the book is merely +a collection of very old stories with many newer ones included among +them, and that it was written solely for entertainment. + +The Baron always insists upon the strict truthfulness and accuracy of +his stories and grows quite indignant when his veracity is questioned. +To verify his words he printed the following notice at the beginning of +his book: + +_TO THE PUBLIC:_--Having heard, for the first time, that my adventures +have been doubted, and looked upon as jokes, I feel bound to come +forward, and vindicate my character _for veracity_, by paying three +shillings at the Mansion House of this great city for the affidavits +hereto appended. + +This I have been forced into in regard of my own honor, although I have +retired for many years from public and private life; and I hope that +this, my last edition, will place me in a proper light with my readers. + +AT THE CITY OF LONDON, ENGLAND + +We, the undersigned, as true believers in the _profit_, do most solemnly +affirm, that all the adventures of our friend Baron Munchausen, in +whatever country they may _lie_, are positive and simple facts. _And_, +as we have been believed, whose adventures are tenfold more wonderful, +_so_ do we hope all true believers will give him their full faith and +credence. + +GULLIVER. + +SINBAD. + +ALADDIN. + +_Sworn at the Mansion House 9th November last, in the absence of the +Lord Mayor_. + +JOHN (_the Porter_). + +In this volume a few of his most amusing stories are printed--all, +perhaps, that it is worth while to read. + + + +I + + +Some years before my beard announced approaching manhood, or, in other +words, when I was neither man nor boy, but between both, I expressed in +repeated conversations a strong desire of seeing the world, from which I +was discouraged by my parents, though my father had been no +inconsiderable traveler himself, as will appear before I have reached +the end of my singular, and, I may add, interesting adventures. A +cousin, by my mother's side, took a liking to me, often said I was a +fine, forward youth, and was much inclined to gratify my curiosity. His +eloquence had more effect than mine, for my father consented to my +accompanying him in a voyage to the island of Ceylon, where his uncle +had resided as governor many years. + +We sailed from Amsterdam with despatches from their High Mightinesses +the States of Holland. The only circumstance which happened on our +voyage worth relating was the wonderful effects of a storm, which had +torn up by the roots a great number of trees of enormous bulk and +height, in an island where we lay at anchor to take in wood and water; +some of these trees weighed many tons, yet they were carried by the wind +so amazingly high that they appeared like the feathers of small birds +floating in the air, for they were at least five miles above the earth: +however, as soon as the storm subsided they all fell perpendicularly +into their respective places, and took root again, except the largest, +which happened, when it was blown into the air, to have a man and his +wife, a very honest old couple, upon its branches, gathering cucumbers +(in this part of the globe that useful vegetable grows upon trees): the +weight of this couple, as the tree descended, overbalanced the trunk, +and brought it down in a horizontal position: it fell upon the chief man +of the island, and killed him on the spot; he had quitted his house in +the storm, under an apprehension of its falling upon him, and was +returning through his own garden when this fortunate accident happened. +The word fortunate here requires some explanation. This chief was a man +of a very avaricious and oppressive disposition, and though he had no +family, the natives of the island were half starved by his oppressive +and infamous impositions. + +The very goods which he had thus taken from them were spoiling in his +stores, while the poor wretches from whom they were plundered were +pining in poverty. Though the destruction of this tyrant was accidental, +the people chose the cucumber-gatherers for their governors, as a mark +of their gratitude for destroying, though accidentally, their late +tyrant. + +After we had repaired the damages we sustained in this remarkable storm, +and taken leave of the new governor and his lady, we sailed with a fair +wind for the object of our voyage. + +In about six weeks we arrived at Ceylon, where we were received with +great marks of friendship and true politeness. The following singular +adventures may not prove unentertaining. + +After we had resided at Ceylon about a fortnight I accompanied one of +the governor's brothers upon a shooting party. He was a strong, athletic +man, and being used to that climate (for he had resided there some +years), he bore the violent heat of the sun much better than I could; in +our excursion he had made a considerable progress through a thick wood +when I was only at the entrance. + +Near the banks of a large piece of water, which had engaged my +attention, I thought I heard a rustling noise behind; on turning about I +was almost petrified (as who would not be?) at the sight of a lion, +which was evidently approaching with the intention of satisfying his +appetite with my poor carcass, and that without asking my consent. What +was to be done in this horrible dilemma? I had not even a moment for +reflection; my piece was only charged with swan-shot, and I had no other +about me; however, though I could have no idea of killing such an animal +with that weak kind of ammunition, yet I had some hopes of frightening +him by the report, and perhaps of wounding him also. I immediately let +fly, without waiting till he was within reach, and the report did but +enrage him, for he now quickened his pace, and seemed to approach me +full speed: I attempted to escape, but that only added (if an addition +could be made) to my distress; for the moment I turned about, I found a +large crocodile, with his mouth extended almost ready to receive me. On +my right hand was the piece of water before mentioned, and on my left a +deep precipice, said to have, as I have since learned, a receptacle at +the bottom for venomous creatures; in short, I gave myself up as lost, +for the lion was now upon his hind legs, just in the act of seizing me; +I fell involuntarily to the ground with fear, and, as it afterwards +appeared, he sprang over me. I lay some time in a situation which no +language can describe, expecting to feel his teeth or talons in some +part of me every moment. After waiting in this prostrate situation a few +seconds I heard a violent but unusual noise, different from any sound +that had ever before assailed my ears; nor is it at all to be wondered +at, when I inform you from whence it proceeded: after listening for some +time I ventured to raise my head and look round, when, to my unspeakable +joy, I perceived the lion had, by the eagerness with which he sprung at +me, jumped forward as I fell, into the crocodile's mouth! which, as +before observed, was wide open; the head of the one stuck in the throat +of the other! and they were struggling to extricate themselves! I +fortunately recollected my hunting knife, which was by my side; with +this instrument I severed the lion's head at one blow, and the body fell +at my feet! I then, with the butt end of my fowling piece, rammed the +head farther into the throat of the crocodile, and destroyed him by +suffocation, for he could neither gorge nor eject it. + +[Illustration: THE LION HAD JUMPED INTO THE CROCODILE'S MOUTH] + +Soon after I had thus gained a complete victory over my two powerful +adversaries, my companion arrived in search of me; for finding I did not +follow him into the wood, he returned, apprehending I had lost my way, +or met with some accident. + +After mutual congratulations we measured the crocodile, which was just +forty feet in length. + +As soon as we had related this extraordinary adventure to the governor, +he sent a wagon and servants who brought home the two carcasses. The +lion's skin was properly preserved with the hair on, after which it was +made into tobacco pouches and presented by me, upon our return to +Holland, to the burgomasters, who in return requested my acceptance of a +thousand ducats. + +The skin of the crocodile was stuffed in the usual manner, and makes a +capital article in their public museum at Amsterdam, where the exhibitor +relates the whole story to each spectator, with such additions as he +thinks proper. + + + + +II + + +I set off from Rome on a journey to Russia, in the midst of winter, from +a just notion that frost and snow must of course mend the roads, which +every traveler had described as uncommonly bad through the northern +parts of Germany, Poland, Courland, and Livonia. I went on horseback, as +the most convenient manner of traveling: I was but lightly clothed, and +of this I felt the inconvenience the more I advanced northeast. What +must not a poor old man have suffered in that severe weather and +climate, whom I saw on a bleak common in Poland, lying on the road, +helpless, shivering and hardly having wherewithal to cover his +nakedness? I pitied the poor soul: though I felt the severity of the air +myself, I threw my mantle over him, and immediately I heard a voice from +the heavens blessing me for that piece of charity, saying, "You will be +rewarded, my son, for this in time." + +I went on: night and darkness overtook me. No village was to be seen. +The country was covered with snow, and I was unacquainted with the road. + +Tired, I alighted and fastened my horse to something like a pointed +stump of a tree, which appeared above the snow; for the sake of safety I +placed my pistols under my arm, and lay down on the snow, where I slept +so soundly that I did not open my eyes till full daylight. It is not +easy to conceive my astonishment to find myself in the midst of a +village, lying in a churchyard; nor was my horse to be seen, but I heard +him soon after neigh somewhere above me. On looking upwards I beheld him +hanging by his bridle to the weathercock of the steeple. Matters were +now very plain to me: the village had been covered with snow over night; +a sudden change of weather had taken place; I had sunk down to the +churchyard whilst asleep, gently, and in the same proportion as the snow +had melted away; and what in the dark I had taken to be a stump of a +little tree appearing above the snow, to which I had tied my horse, +proved to have been the cross or weathercock of the steeple! + +Without long consideration, I took one of my pistols, shot the bridle in +two, brought down the horse, and proceeded on my journey. + + + +III + + +For several months (as it was some time before I could obtain a +commission in the army) I was perfectly at liberty to sport away my time +and money in the most gentlemanlike manner. You may easily imagine that +I spent much of both out of town with such gallant fellows as knew how +to make the most of an open forest country. The very recollection of +those amusements gives me fresh spirits, and creates a warm wish for a +repetition of them. One morning I saw, through the windows of my +bedroom, that a large pond not far off was covered with wild ducks. In +an instant I took my gun from the corner, ran downstairs, and out of the +house in such a hurry that I imprudently struck my face against the +doorpost. Fire flew out of my eyes, but it did not prevent my intention; +I soon came within shot, when, leveling my piece, I observed to my +sorrow, that even the flint had sprung from the cock by the violence of +the shock I had just received. There was no time to be lost. I presently +remembered the effect it had on my eyes, therefore opened the pan, +leveled my piece against the wild fowls, and my fist against one of my +eyes. A hearty blow drew sparks again; the shot went off, and I killed +fifty brace of ducks, twenty widgeons, and three couple of teals. + + + + +IV + + +I dare say you have heard of the hunter and sportsman's saint and +protector, Saint Hubert, and of the noble stag which appeared to him in +the forest, with the holy cross between his antlers. I have paid my +homage to that saint every year in good fellowship, and seen this stag a +thousand times either painted in churches, or embroidered in the stars +of his knights; so that, upon the honor and conscience of a good +sportsman, I hardly know whether there may not have been formerly, or +whether there are not such crossed stags even at this present day. But +let me rather tell what I have seen myself. Having one day spent all my +shot, I found myself unexpectedly in presence of a stately stag, looking +at me as unconcernedly as if he had known of my empty pouches. I charged +immediately with powder, and upon it a good handful of cherrystones, for +I had sucked the fruit as far as the hurry would permit. Thus I let fly +at him, and hit him just on the middle of the forehead between his +antlers; it stunned him--he staggered--yet he made off. A year or two +after, being with a party in the same forest, I beheld a noble stag with +a fine full-grown cherry tree above ten feet high between his antlers. I +immediately recollected my former adventure, looked upon him as my +property, and brought him to the ground by one shot, which at once gave +me the haunch and cherry sauce; for the tree was covered with the +richest fruit, the like I had never tasted before. Who knows but some +passionate holy sportsman, or sporting abbot or bishop may have shot, +planted and fixed the cross between the antlers of Saint Hubert's stag, +in a manner similar to this? + +[Illustration: I BEHELD A NOBLE STAG] + + +V + + +I remember with pleasure and tenderness a superb Lithuanian horse, which +no money could have bought. He became mine by an accident, which gave me +an opportunity of showing my horsemanship to a great advantage. I was at +Count Przobossky's noble country seat in Lithuania, and remained with +the ladies at tea in the drawing-room, while the gentlemen were down in +the yard to see a young horse of blood which had just arrived from the +stud. We suddenly heard a noise of distress; I hastened downstairs, and +found the horse so unruly that nobody durst approach or mount him. The +most resolute horsemen stood dismayed and aghast; despondency was +expressed in every countenance, when, in one leap, I was on his back, +took him by surprise, and worked him quite into gentleness and +obedience, with the best display of horsemanship I was master of. Fully +to show this to the ladies, and save them unnecessary trouble, I forced +him to leap in at one of the open windows of the tea room, walk round +several times, pace, trot, and gallop, and at last made him mount the +tea table, there to repeat his lessons in a pretty style of miniature +which was exceedingly pleasing to the ladies, for he performed them +amazingly well, and did not break either cup or saucer. It placed me so +high in their opinion, and so well in that of the noble lord, that, with +his usual politeness, he begged I would accept of this young horse, and +ride him to conquest and honor in the campaign against the Turks, which +was soon to be opened, under the command of Count Munich. + +We had very hot work once in the van of the army, when we drove the +Turks into Oczakow. My spirited Lithuanian had almost brought me into a +scrape: I had an advanced forepost, and saw the enemy coming against me +in a cloud of dust, which left me rather uncertain about their actual +numbers and real intentions: to wrap myself up in a similar cloud was +common prudence, but would not have much advanced my knowledge, or +answered the end for which I had been sent out; therefore I let my +flankers on both wings spread to the right and left, and make what dust +they could, and I myself led on straight upon the enemy, to have a +nearer sight of them; in this I was gratified, for they stood and +fought, till, for fear of my flankers, they began to move off rather +disorderly. This was the moment to fall upon them with spirit; we broke +them entirely--made a terrible havoc amongst them, and drove them not +only back to a walled town in their rear, but even through it, contrary +to our most sanguine expectation. + +The swiftness of my Lithuanian enabled me to be foremost in the pursuit; +and seeing the enemy fairly flying through the opposite gate, I thought +it would be prudent to stop in the market place, to order the men to +rendezvous. I stopped, gentlemen; but judge of my astonishment when in +this market place I saw not one of my hussars about me! Are they +scouring the other streets? or what is become of them? They could not be +far off, and must, at all events, soon join me. In that expectation I +walked my panting Lithuanian to a spring in this market place, and let +him drink. He drank uncommonly, with an eagerness not to be satisfied, +but natural enough; for when I looked round for my men, what should I +see, gentlemen! the hind part of the poor creature--croup and legs--were +missing, as if he had been cut in two, and the water ran out as it came +in, without refreshing or doing him any good! How it could have happened +was quite a mystery to me, till I returned with him to the town gate. +There I saw that when I rushed in pell-mell with the flying enemy, they +had dropped the portcullis (a heavy falling door, with sharp spikes at +the bottom, let down suddenly to prevent the entrance of an enemy into a +fortified town) unperceived by me, which had totally cut off his hind +part, that still lay quivering on the outside of the gate. It would have +been an irreparable loss, had not our farrier contrived to bring both +parts together while hot. He sewed them up with sprigs and young shoots +of laurels that were at hand; the wound healed, and, what could not have +happened but to so glorious a horse, the sprigs took root in his body, +grew up, and formed a bower over me; so that afterwards I could go upon +many other expeditions in the shade of my own and my horse's laurels. + +[Illustration: THE HIND PART OF THE POOR CREATURE WAS MISSING] + + + +VI + + +Success was not always with me. I had the misfortune to be overpowered +by numbers, to be made prisoner of war; and, what is worse, but always +usual among the Turks, to be sold for a slave. In that state of +humiliation my daily task was not very hard and laborious, but rather +singular and irksome. It was to drive the Sultan's bees every morning to +their pasture grounds, to attend them all day long, and against night to +drive them back to their hives. One evening I missed a bee, and soon +observed that two bears had fallen upon her to tear her to pieces for +the honey she carried. I had nothing like an offensive weapon in my +hands but the silver hatchet, which is the badge of the Sultan's +gardeners and farmers. I threw it at the robbers, with an intention to +frighten them away, and set the poor bee at liberty; but, by an unlucky +turn of my arm, it flew upwards, and continued rising till it reached +the moon. How should I recover it? how fetch it down again? I +recollected that Turkey-beans grow very quick, and run up to an +astonishing height. I planted one immediately; it grew, and actually +fastened itself to one of the moon's horns. I had no more to do now but +to climb up by it into the moon, where I safely arrived, and had a +troublesome piece of business before I could find my silver hatchet, in +a place where everything has the brightness of silver; at last, however, +I found it in a heap of chaff and chopped straw. I was now for +returning: but, alas! the heat of the sun had dried up my bean; it was +totally useless for my descent; so I fell to work and twisted me a rope +of that chopped straw, as long and as well as I could make it. This I +fastened to one of the moon's horns, and slid down to the end of it. +Here I held myself fast with the left hand, and with the hatchet in my +right, I cut the long, now useless end of the upper part, which, when +tied to the lower end, brought me a good deal lower: this repeated +splicing and tying of the rope did not improve its quality, or bring me +down to the Sultan's farm. I was four or five miles from the earth at +least when it broke; I fell to the ground with such amazing violence +that I found myself stunned, and in a hole nine fathoms deep at least, +made by the weight of my body falling from so great a height: I +recovered, but knew not how to get out again; however, I dug slopes or +steps with my finger-nails, and easily accomplished it. + +Peace was soon after concluded with the Turks, and gaining my liberty I +left Saint Petersburg at the time of that singular revolution, when the +emperor in his cradle, his mother, the Duke of Brunswick, her father, +Field-Marshal Munich, and many others were sent to Siberia. The winter +was then so uncommonly severe all over Europe that ever since the sun +seems to be frost-bitten. At my return to this place I felt on the road +greater inconveniences than those I had experienced on my setting out. + +I traveled post, and finding myself in a narrow lane, bade the postilion +give a signal with his horn, that other travelers might not meet us in +the narrow passage. He blew with all his might; but his endeavors were +in vain; he could not make the horn sound, which was unaccountable, and +rather unfortunate, for soon after we found ourselves in the presence of +another coach coming the other way: there was no proceeding; however, I +got out of my carriage, and being pretty strong, placed it, wheels and +all, upon my head: I then jumped over a hedge about nine feet high +(which, considering the weight of the coach, was rather difficult) into +a field, and came out again by another jump into the road beyond the +other carriage: I then went back for the horses, and placing one upon my +head, and the other under my left arm, by the same means brought them to +my coach, put to, and proceeded to an inn at the end of our stage. I +should have told you that the horse under my arm was very spirited, and +not above four years old; in making my second spring over the hedge, he +expressed great dislike to that violent kind of motion by kicking and +snorting; however, I confined his hind legs by putting them into my coat +pocket. After we arrived at the inn my postilion and I refreshed +ourselves; he hung his horn on a peg near the kitchen fire; I sat on the +other side. + +Suddenly we heard a _tereng! tereng! teng! teng!_ We looked round, and +now found the reason why the postilion had not been able to sound his +horn; his tunes were frozen up in the horn, and came out now by thawing, +plain enough, and much to the credit of the driver; so that the honest +fellow entertained us for some time with a variety of tunes, without +putting his mouth to the horn--The King of Prussia's March--Over the +Hill and over the Dale--with many other favorite tunes; at length the +thawing entertainment concluded, as I shall this short account of my +Russian travels. + + + +VII + + +I embarked at Portsmouth, in a first-rate English man-of-war, of one +hundred guns, and fourteen hundred men, for North America. Nothing worth +relating happened till we arrived within three hundred leagues of the +river Saint Lawrence when the ship struck with amazing force against (as +we supposed) a rock; however, upon heaving the lead, we could find no +bottom, even with three hundred fathom. What made this circumstance the +more wonderful, and indeed beyond all comprehension, was, that the +violence of the shock was such that we lost our rudder, broke our +bow-sprit in the middle, and split all our masts from top to bottom, two +of which went by the board; a poor fellow, who was aloft, furling the +main-sheet, was flung at least three leagues from the ship; but he +fortunately saved his life by laying hold of the tail of a large +sea-gull, who brought him back, and lodged him on the very spot from +whence he was thrown. Another proof of the violence of the shock was the +force with which the people between decks were driven against the floors +above them; my head particularly was pressed into my stomach, where it +continued some months before it recovered its natural situation. Whilst +we were all in a state of astonishment at the general and unaccountable +confusion in which we were involved, the whole was suddenly explained by +the appearance of a large whale, who had been basking, asleep, within +sixteen feet of the surface of the water. This animal was so much +displeased with the disturbance which our ship had given him, for in our +passage we had with our rudder scratched his nose, that he beat in all +the gallery and part of the quarter deck with his tail, and almost at +the same instant took the main-sheet anchor, which was suspended, as it +usually is, from the head, between his teeth, and ran away with the +ship, at least sixty leagues, at the rate of twelve leagues an hour, +when fortunately the cable broke, and we lost both the whale and the +anchor. However, upon our return to Europe, some months after, we found +the same whale within a few leagues of the same spot, floating dead upon +the water; it measured above half a mile in length. As we could take but +a small quantity of such a monstrous animal on board, we got our boats +out, and with much difficulty cut off his head, where, to our great joy, +we found the anchor, and above forty fathom of the cable concealed on +the left side of his mouth, just under his tongue. (Perhaps this was the +cause of his death, as that side of his tongue was much swelled, with a +great degree of inflammation.) This was the only extraordinary +circumstance of this voyage. + + + + +VIII + + +We all remember Captain Phipp's (now Lord Mulgrave) last voyage of +discovery to the north. I accompanied the Captain, not as an officer, +but a private friend. When we arrived in a high northern latitude I was +viewing the objects around me with the telescope, when I thought I saw +two large white bears in violent action upon a body of ice considerably +above the masts, and about half a league distant. I immediately took my +carbine, slung it across my shoulder, and ascended the ice. When I +arrived at the top, the unevenness of the surface made my approach to +those animals troublesome and hazardous beyond expression: sometimes +hideous cavities opposed me, which I was obliged to spring over; in +other parts the surface was as smooth as a mirror, and I was continually +falling: as I approached near enough to reach them, I found they were +only at play. I immediately began to calculate the value of their skins, +for they were each as large as a well-fed ox: unfortunately the very +instant I was presenting my carbine my right foot slipped, and I fell +upon my back, and the violence of the blow deprived me totally of my +senses for nearly half an hour; however, when I recovered, judge of my +surprise at finding one of those large animals I have just been +describing had turned me upon my face, and was just laying hold of the +waistband of my breeches, which were then new and made of leather: he +was certainly going to carry me feet foremost, God knows where, when I +took this knife (showing a large clasp knife) out of my side pocket, +made a chop at one of his hind feet, and cut off three of his toes; he +immediately let me drop, and roared most horribly. I took up my carbine, +and fired at him as he ran off; he fell directly. The noise of the piece +roused several thousands of these white bears, who were asleep upon the +ice within half a mile of me; they came immediately to the spot. There +was no time to be lost. A most fortunate thought arrived in my +pericranium just at that instant. I took off the skin and head of the +dead bear in half the time that some people would be in skinning a +rabbit, and wrapped myself in it, placing my own head directly under +bruin's; the whole herd came round me immediately, and my apprehensions +threw me into a most piteous situation to be sure: however, my scheme +turned out a most admirable one for my own safety. They all came +smelling, and evidently took me for a brother bruin: I wanted nothing +but bulk to make an excellent counterfeit: however, I saw several cubs +amongst them not much larger than myself. After they had all smelt me, +and the body of their deceased companion, whose skin was now become my +protector, we seemed very sociable, and I found I could mimic all their +actions tolerably well; but at growling, roaring, and hugging, they were +quite my masters. I began now to think how I might turn the general +confidence which I had created amongst these animals to my advantage. + +I had heard an old army surgeon say a wound in the spine was instant +death. I now determined to try the experiment, and had again recourse to +my knife, with which I struck the largest in the back of the neck, near +the shoulders, but under great apprehensions, not doubting but the +creature would, if he survived the stab, tear me to pieces. However, I +was remarkably fortunate, for he fell dead at my feet without making the +least noise. I was now resolved to demolish them every one in the same +manner, which I accomplished without the least difficulty; for, although +they saw their companions fall, they had no suspicion of either the +cause or the effect. When they all lay dead before me, I felt myself a +second Samson, having slain my thousands. + +To make short of the story, I went back to the ship, and borrowed three +parts of the crew to assist me in skinning them, and carrying the hams +on board, which we did in a few hours, and loaded the ship with them. As +to the other parts of the animals, they were thrown into the sea, though +I doubt not but the whole would eat as well as the legs, were they +properly cured. + + * * * * * + +IX + +I have already informed you of one trip I have made to the moon in +search of my silver hatchet: I afterwards made another in a much +pleasanter manner, and stayed in it long enough to take notice of +several things, which I will endeavor to describe as accurately as my +memory will permit. + +I went on a voyage of discovery at the request of a distant relation, +who had a strange notion that there were people to be found equal in +magnitude to those described by Gulliver in the empire of Brobdingnag. +For my part I always treated that account as fabulous; however, to +oblige him, for he had made me his heir, I undertook it, and sailed for +the South Seas, where we arrived without meeting with anything +remarkable, except some flying men and women who were playing at +leapfrog, and dancing minuets in the air. + +On the eighteenth day, after we had passed the island of Otaheite, a +hurricane blew our ship at least one thousand leagues above the surface +of the water, and kept it at that height till a fresh gale arising +filled the sails in every part, and onwards we traveled at a prodigious +rate; thus we proceeded above the clouds for six weeks. At last we +discovered a great land in the sky, like a shining island, round and +bright, where, coming into a convenient harbor, we went on shore, and +soon found it was inhabited. Below us we saw another earth, containing +cities, trees, mountains, rivers, seas, etc., which we conjectured was +this world, which we had left. Here we saw huge figures riding upon +vultures of a prodigious size, and each of them having three heads. To +form some idea of the magnitude of these birds, I must inform you that +each of their wings is as wide and six times the length of the +main-sheet of our vessel, which was about six hundred tons burden. Thus, +instead of riding upon horses, as we do in this world, the inhabitants +of the moon (for we now found we were in Madam Luna) fly about on these +birds. The king, we found, was engaged in a war with the sun, and he +offered me a commission, but I declined the honor his majesty intended +me. Everything in _this_ world is of extraordinary magnitude! a common +flea being much larger than one of our sheep: in making war their +principal weapons are radishes, which are used as darts: those who are +wounded by them die immediately. Their shields are made of mushrooms, +and their darts (when radishes are out of season) of the tops of +asparagus. Some of the natives of the dog-star are to be seen here; +commerce tempts them to ramble; and their faces are like large +mastiffs', with their eyes near the lower end or tip of their noses: +they have no eyelids, but cover their eyes with the end of their tongues +when they go to sleep; they are generally twenty feet high. As to the +natives of the moon; none of them are less in stature than thirty-six +feet: they are not called the human species, but the cooking animals, +for they all dress their food by fire, as we do, but lose no time at +their meals, as they open their left side, and place the whole quantity +at once in their stomach, then shut it again till the same day in the +next month; for they never indulge themselves with food more than twelve +times a year, or once a month. All but gluttons and epicures must prefer +this method to ours. + +There is but one sex either of the cooking or any other animals in the +moon; they are all produced from trees of various sizes and foliage; +that which produces the cooking animal, or human species, is much more +beautiful than any of the others; it has large, straight boughs and +flesh-colored leaves, and the fruit it produces are nuts or pods, with +hard shells, at least two yards long; when they become ripe, which is +known from their changing color, they are gathered with great care, and +laid by as long as they think proper; when they choose to animate the +seed of these nuts, they throw them into a large cauldron of boiling +water, which opens the shells in a few hours, and out jumps the +creature. + +Nature forms their minds for different pursuits before they come into +the world; from one shell comes forth a warrior, from another a +philosopher, from a third a divine, from a fourth a lawyer, from a fifth +a farmer, from a sixth a clown, etc., etc., and all of them immediately +begin to perfect themselves by practicing what they before knew only in +theory. + +When they grown old they do not die, but turn into air and dissolve like +smoke! As for their drink, they need none. They have but one finger upon +each hand, with which they perform everything in as perfect a manner as +we do who have four besides the thumb. Their heads are placed under +their right arm, and when they are going to travel or about any violent +exercise, they generally leave them at home, for they can consult them +at any distance: this is a very common practice; and when those of rank +or quality among the Lunarians have an inclination to see what's going +forward among the common people, they stay at home, i.e., the body stays +at home and sends the head only, which is suffered to be present +_incog._, and return at pleasure with an account of what has passed. + +[Illustration: WARRIORS OF THE MOON] + +Their eyes they can take in and out of their places when they please, +and can see as well with them in their hand as in their heads! and if by +any accident they lose or damage one, they can borrow or purchase +another, and see as clearly with it as their own. Dealers in eyes are on +that account very numerous in most parts of the moon, and in this +article alone all the inhabitants are whimsical: sometimes green and +sometimes yellow eyes are the fashion. I know these things appear +strange; but if the shadow of a doubt can remain on any person's mind, I +say, let him take a voyage there himself, and then he will know I am a +traveler of veracity. + + * * * * * + +X + + +During the early part of his present Majesty's reign I had some business +with a distant relation who then lived on the Isle of Thanet; it was a +family dispute, and not likely to be finished soon. I made it a practice +during my residence there, the weather being fine, to walk out every +morning. After a few of these excursions, I observed an object upon a +great eminence about three miles distant: I extended my walk to it, and +found the ruins of an ancient temple: I approached it with admiration +and astonishment; the traces of grandeur and magnificence which yet +remained were evident proofs of its former splendor: here I could not +help lamenting the ravages and devastations of time, of which that once +noble structure exhibited such a melancholy proof. I walked round it +several times, meditating on the fleeting and transitory nature of all +terrestrial things; on the eastern end were the remains of a lofty +tower, near forty feet high, overgrown with ivy, the top apparently +flat; I surveyed it on every side very minutely, thinking that if I +could gain its summit I should enjoy the most delightful prospect of the +circumjacent country. Animated with this hope, I resolved, if possible, +to gain the summit, which I at length effected by means of the ivy, +though not without great difficulty and danger; the top I found covered +with this evergreen, except a large chasm in the middle. After I had +surveyed with pleasing wonder the beauties of art and nature that +conspired to enrich the scene, curiosity prompted me to sound the +opening in the middle, in order to ascertain its depth, as I entertained +a suspicion that it might probably communicate with some unexplored +subterranean cavern in the hill; but having no line, I was at a loss how +to proceed. After revolving the matter in my thoughts for some time, I +resolved to drop a stone down and listen to the echo; having found one +that answered my purpose, I placed myself over the hole, with one foot +on each side, and stooping down to listen, I dropped the stone, which I +had no sooner done than I heard a rustling below, and suddenly a +monstrous eagle put up its head right opposite my face, and rising up +with irresistible force, carried me away, seated on its shoulders: I +instantly grasped it around the neck, which was large enough to fill my +arms, and its wings, when extended, were ten yards from one extremity to +the other. As it rose with a regular ascent, my seat was perfectly easy, +and I enjoyed the prospect below with inexpressible pleasure. It hovered +over Margate for some time, was seen by several people, and many shots +were fired at it; one ball hit the heel of my shoe, but did me no +injury. It then directed its course to Dover Cliff, where it alighted, +and I thought of dismounting, but was prevented by a sudden discharge of +musketry from a party of marines that were exercising on the beach; the +balls flew about my head, and rattled on the feathers of the eagle like +hailstones, yet I could not perceive it had received any injury. It +instantly reascended and flew over the sea towards Calais, but so very +high that the Channel seemed to be no broader than the Thames at London +Bridge. In a quarter of an hour I found myself over a thick wood in +France, when the eagle descended very rapidly, which caused me to slip +down to the back part of its head; but as it alighted on a large tree, +and raised its head, I recovered my seat as before, but saw no +possibility of disengaging myself without the danger of being killed by +the fall; so I determined to sit fast, thinking it would carry me to the +Alps, or some other high mountain, where I could dismount without any +danger. After resting a few minutes it took wing, flew several times +round the wood, and screamed loud enough to be heard across the English +Channel. In a few minutes one of the same species arose out of the wood, +and flew directly towards us; it surveyed me with evident marks of +displeasure, and came very near me. After flying several times round, +they both directed their course to the southwest. I soon observed that +the one I rode upon could not keep pace with the other, but inclined +towards the earth, on account of my weight; its companion perceiving +this, turned round and placed itself in such a position that the other +could rest its head on its rump; in this manner they proceeded till +noon, when I saw the rock of Gibraltar very distinctly. The day being +clear, the earth's surface appeared just like a map, where land, sea, +lakes, rivers, mountains, and the like were perfectly distinguishable; +and having some knowledge of geography, I was at no loss to determine +what part of the globe I was in. + +While I was contemplating this wonderful prospect a dreadful howling +suddenly began all around me, and in a moment I was invested by +thousands of small black, deformed, frightful-looking creatures, who +pressed me on all sides in such a manner that I could neither move hand +nor foot; but I had not been in their possession more than ten minutes +when I heard the most delightful music that can possibly be imagined, +which was suddenly changed into a noise the most awful and tremendous, +to which the report of a cannon, or the loudest claps of thunder could +bear no more proportion than the gentle zephyrs of the evening to the +most dreadful hurricane; but the shortness of its duration prevented all +those fatal effects which a prolongation of it would certainly have been +attended with. + +The music commenced, and I saw a great number of the most beautiful +little creatures seize the other party, and throw them with great +violence into something like a snuffbox, which they shut down, and one +threw it away with incredible velocity; then turning to me, he said they +whom he had secured were a party of devils, who had wandered from their +proper habitation; and that the vehicle in which they were inclosed +would fly with unabating rapidity for ten thousand years, when it would +burst of its own accord, and the devils would recover their liberty and +faculties, as at the present moment. He had no sooner finished this +relation than the music ceased, and they all disappeared, leaving me in +a state of mind bordering on the confines of despair. + +When I had recomposed myself a little, I looked before me with +inexpressible pleasure, and observed that the eagles were preparing to +light on the peak of Teneriffe: they descended to the top of a rock, but +seeing no possible means of escape if I dismounted, I determined to +remain where I was. The eagles sat down seemingly fatigued, when the +heat of the sun soon caused them both to fall asleep, nor did I long +resist its fascinating power. In the cool of the evening, when the sun +had retired below the horizon, I was aroused from sleep by the eagle +moving under me; and have stretched myself along its back, I sat up, and +reassumed my traveling position, when they both took wing, and having +placed themselves as before, directed their course to South America. The +moon shining bright during the whole night, I had a fine view of all the +islands in those seas. + +About the break of day we reached the great continent of America, that +part called Terra-Firma, and descended on the top of a very high +mountain. At this time, the moon, far distant in the west, and obscured +by dark clouds, but just afforded light sufficient for me to discover a +kind of shrubbery all around bearing fruit something like cabbages, +which the eagles began to feed on very eagerly. I endeavored to discover +my situation, but fogs and passing clouds involved me in the thickest +darkness, and what rendered the scene still more shocking was the +tremendous howling of wild beasts, some of which appeared to be very +near: however, I determined to keep my seat, imagining that the eagle +would carry me away if any of them should make a hostile attempt. When +daylight began to appear I thought of examining the fruit which I had +seen the eagles eat, and as some was hanging which I could easily come +at, I took out my knife and cut a slice; but how great was my surprise +to see that it had all the appearance of roast beef regularly mixed, +both fat and lean! I tasted it, and found it well-flavored and +delicious, then cut several large slices, and put in my pocket, where I +found a crust of bread which I had brought from Margate; took it out, +and found three musket-balls that had been lodged in it on Dover Cliff. +I extracted them, and cutting a few slices more, made a hearty meal of +bread and cold beef fruit. I then cut down two of the largest that grew +near me, and tying them together with one of my garters, hung them over +the eagle's neck for another occasion, filling my pockets at the same +time. While I was settling these affairs, I observed a large fruit like +an inflated bladder which I wished to try an experiment upon; and when I +struck my knife into one of them, a fine pure liquor like Holland gin +rushed out, which the eagles observing, eagerly drank up from the +ground. I cut down the bladder as fast as I could, and saved about half +a pint in the bottom of it, which I tasted, and could not distinguish it +from the best mountain wine. I drank it all, and found myself greatly +refreshed. By this time the eagles began to stagger against the shrubs. +I endeavored to keep my seat, but was soon thrown to some distance among +the bushes. In attempting to rise, I put my hand upon a large hedgehog, +which happened to lie among the grass upon its back; it instantly closed +round my hand, so that I found it impossible to shake it off. I struck +it several times against the ground without effect; but while I was thus +employed I heard a rustling among the shrubbery, and looking up, I saw a +huge animal within three yards of me; I could make no defence, but held +out both my hands, when it rushed upon me and seized that on which the +hedgehog was fixed. My hand being soon released, I ran to some distance +where I saw the creature suddenly drop down and expire with the hedgehog +in its throat. When the danger was past, I went to view the eagles, and +found them lying on the grass fast asleep, being intoxicated with the +liquor they had drunk. Indeed, I found myself considerably elevated by +it, and seeing everything quiet, I began to search for some more, which +I soon found; and having cut down two large bladders, about a gallon +each, I tied them together, and hung them over the neck of the other +eagle, and the two smaller ones I tied with a cord round my own waist. +Having secured a good stock of provisions, and perceiving the eagles +begin to recover, I again took my seat. In half an hour they arose +majestically from the place, without taking the least notice of their +encumbrance. Each reassumed its former station; and directing their +course to the northward, they crossed the Gulf of Mexico, entered North +America, and steered directly for the Polar regions, which gave me the +finest opportunity of viewing this vast continent that can possibly be +imagined. + +Before we entered the frigid zone the cold began to affect me; but +piercing one of my bladders I took a draught, and found that it could +make no impression on me afterwards. Passing over Hudson's Bay, I saw +several of the company's ships lying at anchor, and many tribes of +Indians marching with their furs to market. + +By this time I was so reconciled to my seat, and become such an expert +rider, that I could sit up and look around me; but in general I lay +along the eagle's neck, grasping it in my arms, with my hands immersed +in its feathers, in order to keep them warm. + +In these cold climates I observed that the eagles flew with greater +rapidity, in order, I suppose, to keep their blood in circulation. In +passing Baffin's Bay I saw several large Greenlandmen to the eastward, +and many surprising mountains of ice in those seas. + +While I was surveying these wonders of nature it occurred to me that +this was a good opportunity to discover the northwest passage, if any +such thing existed, and not only obtain the reward offered by +government, but the honor of a discovery pregnant with so many +advantages to every European nation. But while my thoughts were absorbed +in this pleasing reverie I was alarmed by the first eagle striking its +head against a solid transparent substance, and in a moment that which I +rode experienced the same fate, and both fell down seemingly dead. + +Here our lives must inevitably have terminated, had not a sense of +danger and the singularity of my situation inspired me with a degree of +skill and dexterity which enabled us to fall near two miles +perpendicular with as little inconvenience as if we had been let down +with a rope; for no sooner did I perceive the eagles strike against a +frozen cloud, which is very common near the poles, than (they being +close together) I laid myself along the back of the foremost and took +hold of its wings to keep them extended, at the same time stretching out +my legs behind to support the wings of the other. This had the desired +effect, and we descended very safe on a mountain of ice, which I +supposed to be about three miles above the level of the sea. + +I dismounted, unloading the eagles, opened one of the bladders, and +administered some of the liquor to each of them, without once +considering that the horrors of destruction seemed to have conspired +against me. The roaring of waves, crashing of ice, and the howling of +bears, conspired to form a scene the most awful and tremendous; but, +notwithstanding this, my concern for the recovery of the eagles was so +great that I was insensible of the danger to which I was exposed. Having +rendered them every assistance in my power, I stood over them in painful +anxiety, fully sensible that it was only by means of them that I could +possibly be delivered from these abodes of despair. + +But suddenly a monstrous bear began to roar behind me, with a voice like +thunder. I turned round, and seeing the creature just ready to devour +me, having the bladder of liquor in my hands, through fear I squeezed it +so hard that it burst, and the liquor, flying in the eyes of the animal, +totally deprived it of sight. It instantly turned from me, ran away in a +state of distraction, and soon fell over a precipice of ice into the +sea, where I saw it no more. + +The danger being over, I again turned my attention to the eagles, whom I +found in a fair way of recovery, and suspecting that they were faint for +want of victuals, I took one of the beef fruit, cut it into small +slices, and presented them with it, which they devoured with avidity. + +Having given them plenty to eat and drink, and disposed of the remainder +of my provisions, I took possession of my seat as before. After +composing myself and adjusting everything in the best manner, I began to +eat and drink very heartily; and through the effects of the mountain, as +I called it, was very cheerful, and began to sing a few verses of a song +which I had learned when I was a boy: but the noise soon alarmed the +eagles, who had been asleep, through the quantity of liquor which they +had drunk, and they arose seemingly much terrified. + +[Illustration: WE DESCENDED SAFE ON A MOUNTAIN OF ICE] + +Happily for me, however, when I was feeding them I had accidentally +turned their heads towards the southeast, which course they pursued with +a rapid motion. In a few hours I saw the Western Isles, and soon after +had the inexpressible pleasure of seeing Old England. I took no notice +of the seas or islands over which I passed. + +The eagles descended gradually as they drew near the shore, intending, +as I supposed, to alight on one of the Welsh mountains; but when they +came to the distance of about sixty yards, two guns were fired at them, +loaded with balls, one of which penetrated a bladder of liquor that hung +to my waist; the other entered the breast of the foremost eagle, who +fell to the ground, while that which I rode, having received no injury, +flew away with amazing swiftness. + +This circumstance alarmed me exceedingly, and I began to think it was +impossible for me to escape with my life; but recovering a little, I +once more looked down upon the earth, when, to my inexpressible joy, I +saw Margate at a little distance, and the eagle descending on the old +tower whence it had carried me on the morning of the day before. It no +sooner came down than I threw myself off, happy to find that I was once +more restored to the world. The eagle flew away in a few minutes, and I +sat down to compose my fluttering spirits, which I did in a few hours. + +I soon paid a visit to my friends, and related these adventures. +Amazement stood in every countenance; their congratulations on my +returning in safety were repeated with an unaffected degree of pleasure, +and we passed the evening as we are doing now, every person present +paying the highest compliments to my COURAGE and VERACITY. + + + + +THE FIDDLING PARSON + + +ADAPTED FROM THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DAVY CROCKETT + +Little Rock lay on my way to Texas, and as I left it several companions +accompanied me a short distance from the village. We were talking +briskly together as we drew near the Washita River, and imagined +ourselves the only travelers in that vicinity. In a lull in the +conversation we were somewhat startled by the sound of music, evidently +not far away. We checked our horses and listened, while the music +continued. + +"What can all that mean?" asked I. + +"Blast my old shoes if I know," said one of the party. + +We listened again and heard _Hail Columbia! Happy Land!_ played in +first-rate style. + +"That's fine," said I. + +"Fine as silk, Colonel, and a leetle finer," said another; "but hark! +the tune is changed." + +We listened again, and the musician struck up in a brisk and lively +manner, _Over the Water to Charlie_. + +"That's mighty mysterious," said one of my friends. + +"Can't cipher it out nohow," said another. + +"A notch beyant my measure," said a third. + +"Then let's see what it is," said I, and off we dashed at a rapid gait. + +As we approached the river, we saw to the right of the road a new +clearing on a hill, from which several men were running down toward the +river like wild Indians. There appeared no time to be lost, so we all +cut ahead for the crossing. All this time the music kept growing +stronger and stronger, every note distinctly saying, _Over the Water to +Charlie._ + +When we reached the crossing, we were astonished to see a man seated in +a sulky in the middle of the river and playing for his life on a fiddle. +The horse was up to his middle in water, and it seemed as if the flimsy +vehicle was ready to be swept away by the current. Still the fiddler +fiddled on composedly as if his life had been insured. We thought he was +mad, and shouted to him. He heard us and stopped the music. + +"You have missed the crossing," shouted one of the men. + +"I know I have," replied the fiddler. + +"If you go ten feet farther you will be drowned." + +"I know I shall." + +"Turn back," cried the man. + +"I can't," said the fiddler. + +"Then how the deuce will you get out?" + +"I'm sure I don't know; come and help me." + +The men from the clearing, who understood the river, took our horses, +rode up to the sulky, and after some difficulty succeeded in bringing +the traveler safe to shore. Then we recognized him as the worthy parson, +who had played for us at a puppet show in Little Rock. + +"You have had a narrow escape," said we. + +"I found that out an hour ago," he said. "I have been fiddling to the +fishes all the time, and played everything I can play without notes." + +[Illustration: THE PARSON FIDDLED] + +"What made you think of fiddling in the time of such peril?" he was +asked. + +"I have found in my progress through life," said he, "that there is +nothing so well calculated to draw people together as the sound of a +fiddle. I might bawl for help till I was hoarse, and no one would stir a +peg, but as soon as people hear the scraping of a fiddle, they will quit +all other business and come to the spot in flocks." + +We laughed heartily at the knowledge the parson showed of human nature; +and he was right. + + + +WE PLAN A RIVER TRIP[1] + +[Footnote 1: This selection, with _On Comic Songs_, which follows, is +taken from _Three Men in a Boat_, by Jerome K. Jerome The complete title +of the book is _Three Men in a Boat (To say nothing of the Dog_)] + +_By_ JEROME K. JEROME + + +There were four of us--George, and William Samuel Harris, and myself, +and Montmorency. We were sitting in my room, smoking and talking about +how bad we were--bad from a medical point of view I mean, of course. + +We were all feeling seedy, and we were getting quite nervous about it. +Harris said he felt such extraordinary fits of giddiness come over him +at times, that he hardly knew what he was doing; and then George said +that _he_ had fits of giddiness, too, and hardly knew what he was doing. +With me, it was my liver that was out of order. I knew it was my liver +that was out of order, because I had just been reading a patent +liver-pill circular, in which were detailed the various symptoms by +which a man could tell when his liver was out of order. I had them all. + +It is a most extraordinary thing, but I never read a patent medicine +advertisement without being impelled to the conclusion that I am +suffering from the particular disease therein dealt with, in its most +virulent form. The diagnosis seems in every case to correspond exactly +with all the sensations that I have ever felt. + +I remember going to the British Museum one day to read up the treatment +for some slight ailment of which I had a touch--hay fever, I fancy it +was. I got down the book, and read all I came to read; and then, in an +unthinking moment, I idly turned the leaves, and began indolently to +study diseases generally. I forget which was the first distemper I +plunged into--some fearful, devastating scourge, I know--and, before I +had glanced half down the list of "premonitory symptoms," it was borne +in upon me that I had fairly got it. + +I sat for a while, frozen with horror; and then, in the listlessness of +despair, I again turned over the pages. I came to typhoid fever--read +the symptoms--discovered that I had typhoid fever, must have had it for +months without knowing it--wondered what else I had got; turned up Saint +Vitus's Dance--found, as I had expected, that I had that, too--began to +get interested in my case, and determined to sift it to the bottom, and +so started alphabetically--read up ague, and learned that I was +sickening for it, and that the acute stage would commence in about +another fortnight. Bright's disease, I was relieved to find, I had only +in a modified form, and, so far as that was concerned, I might live for +years. Cholera I had, with severe complications; and diphtheria I seemed +to have been born with. I plodded conscientiously through the twenty-six +letters, and the only malady I could conclude I had not got was +housemaid's knee. + +I felt rather hurt about this at first; it seemed somehow to be a sort +of slight. Why hadn't I got housemaid's knee? Why this invidious +reservation? After a while, however, less grasping feelings prevailed. I +reflected that I had every other known malady in the pharmacology, and +grew less selfish, and determined to do without housemaid's knee. Gout, +in its most malignant stage, it would appear, had seized me without my +being aware of it; and zymosis I had evidently been suffering with from +boyhood. There were no more diseases after zymosis, so I concluded there +was nothing else the matter with me. I sat and pondered. I thought what +an interesting case I must be from a medical point of view, what an +acquisition I should be to a class! Students would have no need to "walk +the hospitals," if they had me. I was a hospital in myself. All they +need do would be to walk round me, and, after that, take their diplomas. + +Then I wondered how long I had to live. I tried to examine myself. I +felt my pulse. I could not at first feel any pulse at all. Then, all of +a sudden, it seemed to start off. I pulled out my watch and timed it. I +made a hundred and forty-seven to the minute. I tried to feel my heart. +I could not feel my heart. It had stopped beating. I have since been +induced to come to the opinion that it must have been there all the +time, and must have been beating, but I cannot account for it. I patted +myself all over my front, from what I call my waist up to my head, and I +went a bit round each side, and a little way up the back. But I could +not feel or hear anything. I tried to look at my tongue. I stuck it out +as far as ever it would go, and I shut one eye, and tried to examine it +with the other. I could only see the tip, and the only thing that I +could gain from that was to feel more certain than before that I had +scarlet fever. + +I had walked into that reading-room a happy, healthy man. I crawled out +a decrepit wreck. + +I went to my medical man. He was an old chum of mine, and feels my +pulse, and looks at my tongue, and talks about the weather, all for +nothing, when I fancy I'm ill; so I thought I would do him a good turn +by going to him now. "What a doctor wants," I said, "is practice. He +shall have me. He will get more practice out of me than out of seventeen +hundred of your ordinary, commonplace patients, with only one or two +diseases each." So I went straight up and saw him, and he said: + +"Well, what's the matter with you?" + +I said: + +"I will not take up your time, dear boy, with telling you what is the +matter with me. Life is brief, and you might pass away before I had +finished. But I will tell you what is not the matter with me. I have not +got housemaid's knee. Why I have not got housemaid's knee, I cannot tell +you; but the fact remains that I have not got it. Everything, else, +however, I _have_ got." + +And I told him how I came to discover it all. + +Then he opened me and looked down me, and clutched hold of my wrist, and +then hit me over the chest when I wasn't expecting it--a cowardly thing +to do, I call it--and immediately afterward butted me with the side of +his head. After that, he sat down and wrote out a prescription, and +folded it up and gave it to me, and I put it in my pocket and went out. + +I did not open it. I took it to the nearest chemist's, and handed it in. +The man read it, and then handed it back. + +He said he didn't keep it. + +I said: + +"You are a chemist?" + +"I am a chemist. If I were a co-operative store and family hotel +combined, I might be able to oblige you. Being only a chemist hampers +me." + +I read the prescription. It ran: + + "1 lb. beefsteak, with + 1 pt. bitter beer + every six hours. + 1 ten-mile walk every morning. + 1 bed at 11 sharp every night. + + And don't stuff up your head with things you don't understand." + +I followed the directions, with the happy result--speaking for +myself--that my life was preserved, and is still going on. + + * * * * * + +George said: + +"Let's go up the river." + +He said we should have fresh air, exercise and quiet; the constant +change of scene would occupy our minds (including what there was of +Harris's); and the hard work would give us an appetite, and make us +sleep well. + +Harris said he didn't think George ought to do anything that would have +a tendency to make him sleepier than he always was, as it might be +dangerous. He said he didn't very well understand how George was going +to sleep any more than he did now, seeing that there were only +twenty-four hours in each day, summer and winter, alike; but thought +that if he _did_ sleep any more, he might just as well be dead, and so +save his board and lodging. + +Harris said, however, that the river would suit him to a "T." It suited +me to a "T," too, and Harris and I both said it was a good idea of +George's; and we said in a tone that seemed to imply somehow that we +were surprised that George should have come out so sensible. + +The only one who was not struck with the suggestion was Montmorency. He +never did care for the river, did Montmorency. + +"It's all very well for you fellows," he says; "you like it, but _I_ +don't. There's nothing for me to do. Scenery is not in my line, and I +don't smoke. If I see a rat, you won't stop; and if I go to sleep, you +get fooling about with the boat, and slop me overboard. If you ask me, I +call the whole thing bally foolishness." + +We were three to one, however, and the motion was carried. + + * * * * * + +We made a list of the things to be taken, and a pretty lengthy one it +was, before we parted that evening. The next day, which was Friday, we +got them all together, and met in the evening to pack. We got a big +Gladstone for the clothes, and a couple of hampers for the victuals and +the cooking utensils. We moved the table up against the window, piled +everything in a heap in the middle of the floor, and sat round and +looked at it. I said I'd pack. + +I rather pride myself on my packing. Packing is one of those many things +that I feel I know more about than any other person living. (It +surprises me myself, sometimes, how many of these subjects there are.) I +impressed the fact upon George and Harris, and told them they had better +leave the whole matter entirely to me. They fell into the suggestion +with a readiness that had something uncanny about it. George put on a +pipe and spread himself over the easy-chair, and Harris cocked his legs +on the table and lit a cigar. + +This was hardly what I intended. What I meant, of course, was, that I +should boss the job, and that Harris and George should potter about +under my directions, I pushing them aside every now and then with, "Oh, +you--!" "Here, let me do it." "There you are, simple enough!"--really +teaching them, as you might say. Their taking it in the way they did +irritated me. There is nothing does irritate me more than seeing other +people sitting about doing nothing when I'm working. + +I lived with a man once who used to make me mad that way. He would loll +on the sofa and watch me doing things by the hour together, following me +round the room with his eyes, wherever I went. He said it did him real +good to look on at me, messing about. He said it made him feel that life +was not an idle dream to be gaped and yawned through, but a noble task, +full of duty and stern work. He said he often wondered now how he could +have gone on before he met me, never having anybody to look at while +they worked. + +Now, I'm not like that. I can't sit still and see another man slaving +and working. I want to get up and superintend, and walk round with my +hands in my pockets, and tell what to do. It is my energetic nature. I +can't help it. + +However, I did not say anything, but started the packing. It seemed a +longer job than I had thought it was going to be, but I got the bag +finished at last, and I sat on it and strapped it. + +"Ain't you going to put the boots in?" said Harris. + +And I looked round and found I had forgotten them. That's just like +Harris. He couldn't have said a word until I'd got the bag shut and +strapped, of course. And George laughed--one of those irritating, +senseless, chuckle-headed, crack-jawed laughs of his. They do make me so +wild. + +I opened the bag and packed the boots in; and then, just as I was going +to close it, a horrible idea occurred to me. Had I packed my toothbrush? +I don't know how it is, but I never do know whether I've packed my +toothbrush. + +My toothbrush is a thing that haunts me when I'm traveling, and makes my +life a misery. I dream that I haven't packed it, and wake up in a cold +perspiration, and get out of bed and hunt for it. And, in the morning, I +pack it before I have used it, and have to unpack again to get it, and +it is always the last thing I turn out of the bag; and then I repack and +forget it, and have to rush upstairs for it at the last moment and carry +it to the railway station, wrapped up in my pocket handkerchief. + +Of course I had to turn every mortal thing out now, and, of course, I +could not find it. I rummaged the things up into much the same state +that they must have been in before the world was created, and when chaos +reigned. Of course, I found George's and Harris's eighteen times over, +but I couldn't find my own. I put the things back one by one, and held +everything up and shook it. Then I found it inside a boot. I repacked +once more. When I had finished, George asked if the soap was in. I said +I didn't care a hang whether the soap was in or whether it wasn't; and I +slammed the bag to and strapped it, and found that I had packed my +tobacco pouch in it and had to reopen it. It got shut up finally at +10:05 p.m., and then there remained the hampers to do. Harris said that +we should be wanting to start in less than twelve hours' time, and +thought that he and George had better do the rest; and I agreed and sat +down, and they had a go. + +They began in a light-hearted spirit, evidently intending to show me how +to do it. I made no comment. I only waited. When George is hanged, +Harris will be the worst packer in this world; and I looked at the piles +of plates and cups, and kettles, and bottles and jars, and pies, and +stoves, and cakes, and tomatoes, etc., and felt that the thing would +soon become exciting. + +It did. They started with breaking a cup. That was the first thing they +did. They did that just to show you what they _could_ do, and to get you +interested. + +Then Harris packed the strawberry jam on top of a tomato and squashed +it, and they had to pick out the tomato with a teaspoon. + +And then it was George's turn, and he trod on the butter. I didn't say +anything, but I came over and sat on the edge of the table and watched +them. It irritated them more than anything I could have said. I felt +that. It made them nervous and excited, and they stepped on things, and +put things behind them, and then couldn't find them when they wanted +them; and they packed the pies at the bottom, and put heavy things on +top, and smashed the pies in. + +They upset salt over everything, and as for the butter! I never saw two +men do more with one-and-two pence worth of butter in my whole life than +they did. After George had got it off his slipper, they tried to put it +in the kettle. It wouldn't go in, and what _was_ in wouldn't come out. +They did scrape it out at last, and put it down on a chair, and Harris +sat on it, and it stuck to him, and they went looking for it all over +the room. + +"I'll take my oath I put it down on that chair," said George, staring at +the empty seat. + +"I saw you do it myself, not a minute ago," said Harris. + +Then they started round the room again looking for it; and then they met +again in the center, and stared at one another. + +"Most extraordinary thing I ever heard of," said George. + +"So mysterious!" said Harris. + +Then George got around at the back of Harris and saw it. "Why, here it +is all the time," he exclaimed indignantly. + +"Where?" cried Harris, spinning round. + +"Stand still, can't you!" roared George, flying after him. + +And they got it off, and packed it in the teapot. + +Montmorency was in it all, of course. Montmorency's ambition in life is +to get in the way and be sworn at. If he can squirm in anywhere where he +particularly is not wanted, and be a perfect nuisance, and make people +mad, and have things thrown at his head, then he feels his day has not +been wasted. + +[Illustration: "AIN'T YOU GOING TO PUT THE BOOTS IN?"] + +He came and sat down on things, just when they were wanted to be packed; +and he labored under the fixed belief that, whenever Harris or George +reached out a hand for anything, it was his cold, damp nose that they +wanted. He put his leg into the jam, and he worried the teaspoons, and +he pretended that the lemons were rats, and got into the hamper and +killed three of them before Harris could land him with the frying-pan. + +Harris said I encouraged him. I didn't encourage him. A dog like that +doesn't want any encouragement. It's the natural, original sin that is +born in him that makes him do things like that. + +The packing was done at 12:50; and Harris sat on the big hamper, and +said he hoped nothing would be found broken. George said that if +anything was broken it _was_ broken, which reflection seemed to comfort +him. He also said he was ready for bed. We were all ready for bed. + +[Illustration] + + + +ON COMIC SONGS + + +_By_ JEROME K. JEROME + +Harris has a fixed idea that he _can_ sing a comic song; the fixed idea, +on the contrary, among those of Harris's friends who have heard him try, +is that he _can't_, and never will be able to, and that he ought not to +be allowed to try. + +When Harris is at a party and is asked to sing, he replies: "Well, I can +only sing a _comic_ song, you know"; and he says it in a tone that +implies that his singing of _that_, however, is a thing that you ought +to hear once, and then die. + +"Oh, that _is_ nice," says the hostess. "Do sing one, Mr. Harris," and +Harris gets up and makes for the piano, with the beaming cheeriness of a +generous-minded man who is just about to give somebody something. + +"Now, silence, please, everybody," says the hostess, turning round; "Mr. +Harris is going to sing a comic song!" + +"Oh, how jolly!" they murmur; and they hurry in from the conservatory, +and come up from the stairs, and go and fetch each other from all over +the house, and crowd into the drawing-room, and sit round, all smirking +in anticipation. + +Then Harris begins. + +Well, you don't look for much of a voice in a comic song. You don't +expect correct phrasing or vocalization. You don't mind if a man does +find out, when in the middle of a note, that he is too high, and comes +down with a jerk. You don't bother about time. You don't mind a man +being two bars in front of the accompaniment, and easing up in the +middle of a line to argue it out with the pianist, and then starting the +verse afresh. But you do expect the words. + +You don't expect a man never to remember more than the first three lines +of the first verse, and to keep on repeating these until it is time to +begin the chorus. You don't expect a man to break off in the middle of a +line, and snigger, and say, it's very funny, but he's blest if he can +think of the rest of it, and then try and make it up for himself, and, +afterward, suddenly recollect it, when he has got to an entirely +different part of the song, and break off, without a word of warning, to +go back and let you have it then and there. You don't--well, I will just +give you an idea of Harris's comic singing, and then you can judge of it +for yourself. + +HARRIS (_standing up in front of piano and addressing the expectant +mob_): "I'm afraid it's a very old thing, you know. I expect you all +know it, you know. But it's the only thing I know. It's the Judge's song +out of _Pinafore_--no, I don't mean _Pinafore_--I mean--you know what I +mean--the other thing, you know. You must all join in the chorus, you +know." + +[_Murmurs of delight and anxiety to join in the chorus. Brilliant +performance of prelude to the Judge's song in "Trial by Jury" by nervous +pianist. Moment arrives for Harris to join in. Harris takes no notice of +it. Nervous pianist commences prelude over again, and Harris, commencing +singing at the same time, dashes off the first two lines of the First +Lord's song out of "Pinafore." Nervous pianist tries to push on with +prelude, gives it up, and tries to follow Harris with the accompaniment +to the Judge's song out of "Trial by Jury," finds that doesn't answer, +and tries to recollect what he is doing, and where he is, feels his mind +giving way, and stops short_.] + +HARRIS (_with kindly encouragement_): "It's all right. You're doing very +well, indeed--go on." + +NERVOUS PIANIST: "I'm afraid there's a mistake somewhere. What are you +singing?" + +HARRIS _(promptly):_ "Why, the Judge's song out of _Trial by Jury_. +Don't you know it?" + +SOME FRIEND OF HARRIS'S (_from the back of the room_): "No, you're not, +you chucklehead, you're singing the Admiral's song from _Pinafore_." + +[_Long argument between Harris and Harris's friend as to what Harris is +really singing. Friend finally suggests that it doesn't matter what +Harris is singing so long as Harris gets on and sings it, and Harris, +with an evident sense of injustice rankling inside him, requests pianist +to begin again. Pianist, thereupon, starts prelude to the Admiral's +song, and Harris, seizing what he considers to be a favorable opening in +the music, begins:_] + +HARRIS: + + "'When I was young and called to the Bar.'" + +[_General roar of laughter, taken by Harris as a compliment. Pianist, +thinking of his wife and family, gives up the unequal contest and +retires: his place being taken by a stronger-nerved man._] + +THE NEW PIANIST _(cheerily):_ "Now then, old man, you start off, and +I'll follow. We won't bother about any prelude." + +HARRIS (_upon whom the explanation of matters has slowly +dawned--laughing_): "By Jove! I beg your pardon. Of course--I've been +mixing up the two songs. It was Jenkins confused me, you know. Now +then." + +[_Singing; his voice appearing to come from the cellar, and suggesting +the first low warnings of an approaching earthquake_.] + + "'When I was young I served a term As office-boy to an attorney's + firm.'" + +_(Aside to pianist_): "It is too low, old man; we'll have that over +again, if you don't mind." + +[_Sings first two lines over again, in a high falsetto this time. Great +surprise on the part of the audience. Nervous old lady begins to cry, +and has to be led out_]. + +HARRIS _(continuing):_ + + "'I swept the windows and I swept the door, + And I--'" + +No--no, I cleaned the windows of the big front door. And I polished up +the floor--no, dash it--I beg your pardon--funny thing, I can't think of +that line. And I--and I--oh, well, we'll get on the chorus and chance it +_(sings):_ + + "'And I diddle-diddle-diddle-diddle-diddle-diddle-de, + Till now I am the ruler of the Queen's navee." + +[Illustration: "WHEN I WAS YOUNG"] + +"Now then chorus--it's the last two lines repeated, you know." + +GENERAL CHORUS: + + "'And he diddle-diddle-diddle-diddle-diddle-did-dle-dee'd, + Till now he is the ruler of the Queen's navee.'" + +And Harris never sees what an ass he is making of himself, and how he is +annoying a lot of people who never did him any harm. He honestly +imagines that he has given them a treat, and says he will sing another +comic song after supper. + +Speaking of comic songs and parties, reminds me of a rather curious +incident at which I once assisted; which, as it throws much light upon +the inner mental working of human nature in general, ought, I think, to +be recorded in these pages. + +We were a fashionable and highly cultured party. We had on our best +clothes, and we talked pretty, and were very happy--all except two young +fellows, students, just returned from Germany, commonplace young men, +who seemed restless and uncomfortable, as if they found the proceedings +slow. The truth was, we were too clever for them. Our brilliant but +polished conversation, and our high-class tastes, were beyond them. They +were out of place among us. They never ought to have been there at all. +Everybody agreed upon that, later on. + +We discussed philosophy and ethics. We flirted with graceful dignity. We +were even humorous--in a high-class way. + +Somebody recited a French poem after supper, and we said it was +beautiful; and then a lady sang a sentimental ballad in Spanish and it +made one or two of us weep--it was so pathetic. + +And then those two young men got up, and asked us if we had ever heard +Herr Slossenn Boschen (who had just arrived, and was then down in the +supper room) sing his great German comic song. + +None of us had heard it, that we could remember. + +The young men said it was the funniest song that had ever been written, +and that, if we liked, they would get Herr Slossenn Boschen, whom they +knew very well, to sing it. They said it was so funny that, when Herr +Slossenn Boschen had sung it once before the German Emperor, he (the +German Emperor) had had to be carried off to bed. + +They said nobody could sing it like Herr Slossenn Boschen; he was so +intensely serious all through it that you might fancy he was reciting a +tragedy, and that, of course, made it all the funnier. They said he +never once suggested by his tone or manner that he was singing anything +funny--that would spoil it. It was his air of seriousness, almost of +pathos, that made it so irresistibly amusing. + +We said we yearned to hear it, that we wanted a good laugh; and they +went downstairs, and fetched Herr Slossenn Boschen. + +He appeared to be quite pleased to sing it, for he came up at once, and +sat down to the piano without another word. + +"Oh, it will amuse you. You will laugh," whispered the two young men, as +they passed through the room and took up an unobtrusive position behind +the Professor's back. + +Herr Slossenn Boschen accompanied himself. The prelude did not suggest a +comic song exactly. It was a weird, soulful air. It quite made one's +flesh creep; but we murmured to one another that it was the German +method, and prepared to enjoy it. + +I don't understand German myself. I learned it at school, but forgot +every word of it two years after I had left, and have felt much better +ever since. Still, I did not want the people there to guess my +ignorance; so I hit upon what I thought to be rather a good idea. I kept +my eye on the two young students, and followed them. When they tittered, +I tittered; when they roared, I roared; and I also threw in a little +snigger all by myself now and then, as if I had seen a bit of humor that +had escaped the others. I considered this particularly artful on my +part. + +I noticed, as the song progressed, that a good many other people seemed +to have their eyes fixed on the two young men, as well as myself. These +other people also tittered when the young men tittered, and roared when +the young men roared; and, as the two young men tittered and roared and +exploded with laughter pretty continuously all through the song, it went +exceedingly well. + +And yet that German professor did not seem happy. At first, when we +began to laugh, the expression of his face was one of intense surprise, +as if laughter were the very last thing he had expected to be greeted +with. We thought this very funny: we said his earnest manner was half +the humor. The slightest hint on his part that he knew how funny he was +would have completely ruined it all. As we continued to laugh, his +surprise gave way to an air of annoyance and indignation, and he scowled +fiercely round upon us all (except the two young men, who, being behind +him, could not be seen). That sent us into convulsions. We told each +other it would be the death of us, this thing. The words alone, we said, +were enough to send us into fits, but added to his mock seriousness--oh, +it was too much! + +In the last verse, he surpassed himself. He glowered round upon us with +a look of such concentrated ferocity that, but for our being forewarned +as to the German method of comic singing, we should have been nervous; +and he threw such a wailing note of agony into the weird music that, if +we had not known it was a funny song, we might have wept. + +He finished amid a perfect shriek of laughter. We said it was the +funniest thing we had ever heard in all our lives. We said how strange +it was that, in the face of things like these, there should be a popular +notion that the Germans hadn't any sense of humor. And we asked the +Professor why he didn't translate the song into English, so that the +common people could understand it, and hear what a real comic song was +like. + +Then Herr Slossenn Boschen got up, and went on awful. He swore at us in +German (which I should judge to be a singularly effective language for +that purpose), and he danced, and shook his fists, and called us all the +English he knew. He said he had never been so insulted in all his life. + +It appeared that the song was not a comic song at all. It was about a +young girl who lived in the Harz Mountains, and who had given up her +life to save her lover's soul; and he died, and met her spirit in the +air; and then, in the last verse, he jilted her spirit, and went on with +another spirit--I'm not quite sure of the details, but it was something +very sad, I know. Herr Boschen said he had sung it once before the +German Emperor, and he (the German Emperor) had sobbed like a little +child. He (Herr Boschen) said it was generally acknowledged to be one of +the most tragic and pathetic songs in the German language. + +It was a trying situation for us--very trying. There seemed to be no +answer. We looked around for the two young men who had done this thing, +but they had left the house in an unostentatious manner immediately +after the end of the song. + +That was the end of that party. I never saw a party break up so quietly, +and with so little fuss. We never said good-night even to one another. +We came downstairs one at a time, walking softly, and keeping the shady +side. We asked the servant for our hats and coats in whispers, and +opened the door, and slipped out, and got round the corner quickly, +avoiding each other as much as possible. + +I have never taken much interest in German songs since then. + + + + +THE INCHCAPE ROCK + + +_By_ ROBERT SOUTHEY + +NOTE.--The Inchcape Rock, or Bell Rock, is a dangerous reef in the North +Sea, east of the Firth of Tay, in Scotland, and twelve miles from all +land. The story of the forethought of the abbot of Aberbrothok in +placing the bell on the buoy as a warning to sailors is an ancient one, +and one old writer thus gives the tradition made use of by Southey in +this poem: + +"In old times upon the said rocke there was a bell fixed upon a timber, +which rang continually, being moved by the sea, giving notice to saylers +of the danger. The bell was put there and maintained by the abbot of +Aberbrothok, but being taken down by a sea-pirate, a yeare thereafter he +perished upon the same rocke, with ship and goodes, in the righteous +judgment of God." + +A lighthouse, built with the greatest difficulty, has stood on the rock +since 1810. + + + No stir in the air, no stir in the sea,-- + The ship was still as she might be; + Her sails from heaven received no motion; + Her keel was steady in the ocean. + + Without either sign or sound of their shock, + The waves flowed over the Inchcape Rock; + So little they rose, so little they fell, + They did not move the Inchcape bell. + + The holy abbot of Aberbrothok + Had floated that bell on the Inchcape Rock; + On the waves of the storm it floated and swung, + And louder and louder its warning rung. + + When the rock was hid by the tempest's swell, + The mariners heard the warning bell; + And then they knew the perilous rock, + And blessed the priest of Aberbrothok. + + The sun in heaven shone so gay,-- + All things were joyful on that day; + The sea-birds screamed as they sported round, + And there was pleasure in their sound. + + The float of the Inchcape bell was seen, + A darker speck on the ocean green; + Sir Ralph, the rover, walked his deck, + And he fixed his eye on the darker speck. + + He felt the cheering power of spring,-- + It made him whistle, it made him sing; + His heart was mirthful to excess; + But the rover's mirth was wickedness. + + His eye was on the bell and float: + Quoth he, "My men, pull out the boat; + And row me to the Inchcape Rock, + And I'll plague the priest of Aberbrothok." + + The boat is lowered, the boatmen row, + And to the Inchcape Rock they go; + Sir Ralph bent over from the boat, + And cut the warning bell from the float. + + Down sank the bell with a gurgling sound; + The bubbles rose, and burst around. + Quoth Sir Ralph, "The next who comes to the rock + Will not bless the priest of Aberbrothok." + + Sir Ralph, the rover, sailed away,-- + He scoured the seas for many a day; + And now, grown rich with plundered store, + He steers his course to Scotland's shore. + + So thick a haze o'erspreads the sky + They could not see the sun on high; + The wind hath blown a gale all day; + At evening it hath died away. + + On the deck the rover takes his stand; + So dark it is they see no land. + Quoth Sir Ralph, "It will be lighter soon, + For there is the dawn of the rising moon." + + "Canst hear," said one, "the breakers roar? + For yonder, methinks, should be the shore. + Now where we are I cannot tell, + But I wish we could hear the Inchcape bell." + + They hear no sound; the swell is strong, + Though the wind hath fallen, they drift along; + Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock,-- + O Christ! it is the Inchcape Rock! + + Sir Ralph, the rover, tore his hair; + He beat himself in wild despair. + The waves rush in on every side; + The ship is sinking beneath the tide. + + But ever in his dying fear + One dreadful sound he seemed to hear,-- + A sound as if with the Inchcape bell + The evil spirit was ringing his knell. + +[Illustration: ONE DREADFUL SOUND HE SEEMED TO HEAR] + + + + + +TOM BROWN AT RUGBY[1] + +[Footnote 1: _Tom Brown's School Days_, a description of life at the +great English public school of Rugby, is one of the best known and +best-liked books ever written for boys. The author, Thomas Hughes, was +himself a Rugby boy, and many of the incidents of the story are drawn +from his own experience. One of the most interesting things about the +book is the picture it gives of Thomas Arnold, head-master of Rugby from +1828 to 1842. The influence for good of this famous scholar and +educator, called affectionately "the doctor," can scarcely be +overestimated. + +He held that fully as much attention should be paid to the development +of manly character in the boys as to mental training, and that the prime +object of a school was not to turn out scholars, but to turn out men. +This Doctor Arnold was the father of Matthew Arnold, the poet.] + +_By_ THOMAS HUGHES + +TOM AND ARTHUR + +It was a huge, high, airy room, with two large windows looking on to the +school close.[2] There were twelve beds in the room, the one in the +furthest corner by the fireplace occupied by the sixth-form[3] boy who +was responsible for the discipline of the room, and the rest by boys in +the lower-fifth and other junior forms, all fags[1] (for the fifth-form +boys, as has been said, slept in rooms by themselves). Being fags, the +eldest of them was not more than about sixteen years old, and all were +bound to be up and in bed by ten; the sixth-form boys came to bed from +ten to a quarter-past (at which time the old verger came round to put +the candles out), except when they sat up to read. + +[Footnote: 2: Tom Brown, an old Rugby boy, has come back after his +vacation, full of plans for the good times which he expects to have with +his chum East and other cronies. He is, however, called into the +housekeeper's room and introduced to a shy, frail boy, whom he is asked +to receive as his roommate and to look out for in the early days of his +life at Rugby. Although greatly disappointed, Tom sees no way to refuse +the request, and at the beginning of the selection here given we find +him with young Arthur in the boys' dormitory.] + +[Footnote 3: The word _form_ is used in English schools instead of +_class_.] + +[Footnote 1: In English schools the name _fag_ is applied to a boy who +does, under compulsion, menial work for a boy of a higher form. The +fagging system used to be greatly abused, the boys of the higher classes +treating their fags with the greatest cruelty; but the bad points of the +custom have been largely done away with.] + +Within a few minutes, therefore, of their entry, all the other boys who +slept in Number 4, had come up. The little fellows went quietly to their +own beds, and began undressing and talking to each other in whispers; +while the elder, among whom was Tom, sat chatting about on one another's +beds. Poor little Arthur was overwhelmed with the novelty of his +position. The idea of sleeping in the room with strange boys had clearly +never crossed his mind before, and was as painful as it was strange to +him. He could hardly bear to take his jacket off; however, presently, +with an effort, off it came, and then he paused and looked at Tom, who +was sitting at the bottom of his bed talking and laughing. + +"Please, Brown," he whispered, "may I wash my face and hands?" + +"Of course, if you like," said Tom, staring; "that's your +washhand-stand, under the window, second from your bed. You'll have to +go down for more water in the morning if you use it all." And on he went +with his talk, while Arthur stole timidly from between the beds out to +his washhand-stand, and began his ablutions, thereby drawing for a +moment on himself the attention of the room. + +[Illustration: THE BULLY CAUGHT IT ON HIS ELBOW] + +On went the talk and laughter. Arthur finished his washing and +undressing, and put on his nightgown. He then looked round more +nervously than ever. Two or three of the little boys were already in +bed, sitting up with their chins on their knees. The light burned clear, +the noise went on. It was a trying moment for the poor little lonely +boy; however, this time he didn't ask Tom what he might or might not do, +but dropped on his knees by his bedside, as he had done every day from +his childhood, to open his heart to Him who heareth the cry and beareth +the sorrows of the tender child, and the strong man in agony. + +Tom was sitting at the bottom of his bed unlacing his boots, so that his +back was toward Arthur, and he didn't see what had happened, and looked +up in wonder at the sudden silence. Then two or three boys laughed and +sneered, and a big brutal fellow, who was standing in the middle of the +room, picked up a slipper, and shied it at the kneeling boy, calling him +a sniveling young shaver. Then Tom saw the whole, and the next moment +the boot he had just pulled off flew straight at the head of the bully, +who had just time to throw up his arm and catch it on his elbow. + +"Confound you, Brown, what's that for?" roared he, stamping with pain. + +"Never mind what I mean," said Tom, stepping on to the floor, every drop +of blood in his body tingling; "if any fellow wants the other boot, he +knows how to get it." + +What would have been the result is doubtful, for at this moment the +sixth-form boy came in, and not another word could be said. Tom and the +rest rushed into bed and finished unrobing there, and the old verger, as +punctual as the clock, had put out the candle in another minute, and +toddled on to the next room, shutting the door with his usual "Good +night, genl'm'n." + +There were many boys in the room by whom that little scene was taken to +heart before they slept. But sleep seemed to have deserted the pillow of +poor Tom. For some time his excitement, and the flood of memories which +chased one another through his brain, kept him from thinking or +resolving. His head throbbed, his heart leaped, and he could hardly keep +himself from springing out of bed and rushing about the room. Then the +thought of his own mother came across him, and the promise he had made +at her knee, years ago, never to forget to kneel by his bedside, and +give himself up to his Father, before he laid his head on the pillow, +from which it might never rise; and he lay down gently and cried as if +his heart would break. He was only fourteen years old. + +[Illustration: Rugby School] + +It was no light act of courage in those days, my dear boys, for a little +fellow to say his prayers publicly even at Rugby. A few years later, +when Arnold's manly piety had begun to leaven the school, the tables +turned; before he died, in the schoolhouse at least, and I believe in +the other houses, the rule was the other way. But poor Tom had come to +school in other times. The first few nights after he came he did not +kneel down because of the noise, but sat up in bed till the candle was +out, and then stole out and said his prayers in fear, lest some one +should find him out. So did many another poor little fellow. Then he +began to think that he might just as well say his prayers in bed, and +then that it didn't matter whether he was kneeling, or sitting, or lying +down. And so it had come to pass with Tom as with all who will not +confess their Lord before men: and for the last year he had probably not +said his prayers in earnest a dozen times. + +Poor Tom! the first and bitterest feeling which was like to break his +heart was the sense of his own cowardice. The vice of all others which +he loathed was brought in and burned in on his own soul. He had lied to +his mother, to his conscience, to his God. How could he bear it? And +then the poor little weak boy, whom he had pitied and almost scorned for +his weakness, had done that which he, braggart as he was, dared not do. +The first dawn of comfort came to him in swearing to himself that he +would stand by that boy through thick and thin, and cheer him, and help +him, and bear his burdens, for the good deed done that night. Then he +resolved to write home next day and tell his mother all, and what a +coward her son had been. And then peace came to him as he resolved, +lastly, to bear his testimony next morning. The morning would be harder +than the night to begin with, but he felt that he could not afford to +let one chance slip. Several times he faltered, for the devil showed +him, first, all his old friends calling him "Saint" and "Square-toes," +and a dozen hard names, and whispered to him that his motives would be +misunderstood, and he would only be left alone with the new boy; whereas +it was his duty to keep all means of influence, that he might do good to +the largest number. And then came the more subtle temptation, "Shall I +not be showing myself braver than others by doing this? Have I any right +to begin it now? Ought I not rather to pray in my own study, letting +other boys know that I do so, and trying to lead them to it, while in +public at least I should go on as I have done?" However, his good angel +was too strong that night, and he turned on his side and slept, tired of +trying to reason, but resolved to follow the impulse which had been so +strong, and in which he had found peace. + +Next morning he was up and washed and dressed, all but his jacket and +waistcoat, just as the ten minute's bell began to ring, and then in the +face of the whole room knelt down to pray. Not five words could he +say--the bell mocked him; he was listening for every whisper in the +room--what were they all thinking of him? He was ashamed to go on +kneeling, ashamed to rise from his knees. At last, as it were from his +inmost heart, a still small voice seemed to breathe forth words of the +publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" He repeated them over and +over, clinging to them as for his life, and rose from his knees +comforted and humbled, and ready to face the whole world. It was not +needed: two other boys besides Arthur had already followed his example, +and he went down to the great school with a glimmering of another lesson +in his heart--the lesson that he who has conquered his own coward spirit +has conquered the whole outward world; and that other one which the old +prophet learned in the cave of Mount Horeb, when he hid his face, and +the still small voice asked, "What doest thou here, Elijah?" that +however we may fancy ourselves alone on the side of good, the King and +Lord of men is nowhere without His witnesses; for in every society, +however seemingly corrupt and godless, there are those who have not +bowed the knee to Baal. + +He found too how greatly he had exaggerated the effect to be produced by +his act. For a few nights there was a sneer or a laugh when he knelt +down, but this passed off soon and one by one all the other boys but +three or four followed the lead. I fear that this was in some measure +owing to the fact, that Tom could probably have thrashed any boy in the +room except the praepostor;[5] at any rate, every boy knew that he would +try upon very slight provocation, and didn't choose to run the risk of a +hard fight because Tom Brown had taken a fancy to say his prayers. + +[Footnote 5: A praepostor is a monitor, a scholar appointed to oversee +other scholars.] + + + +THE FIGHT + +There is a certain sort of fellow--we who are used to studying boys all +know him well enough--of whom you can predicate with almost positive +certainty, after he has been a month at school, that he is sure to have +a fight, and with almost equal certainty that he will have but one. Tom +Brown was one of these; and as it is our well-weighed intention to give +a full, true, and correct account of Tom's only single combat with a +school-fellow, let those young persons whose stomachs are not strong, or +who think a good set-to with the weapons which God has given to us all, +an uncivilized, unchristian, or ungentlemanly, affair, just skip this +chapter at once, for it won't be to their taste. + +It was not at all usual in those days for two school-house boys to have +a fight. Of course there were exceptions, when some cross-grained, +hard-headed fellow came up, who would never be happy unless he was +quarreling with his nearest neighbors, or when there was some +class-dispute between the fifth-form and the fags, for instance, which +required blood-letting; and a champion was picked out on each side +tacitly, who settled the matter by a good, hearty mill. But for the most +part the constant use of those surest keepers of the peace, the +boxing-gloves, kept the school-house boys from fighting one another. Two +or three nights in every week the gloves were brought out, either in the +hall or fifth-form room; and every boy who was ever likely to fight at +all, knew all his neighbors' prowess perfectly well, and could tell to a +nicety what chance he would have in a stand-up fight with any other boy +in the house. But of course no such experience could be gotten as +regarded boys in other houses; and as most of the other houses were more +or less jealous of the school-house, collisions were frequent. + +After all, what would life be without fighting, I should like to know? +From the cradle to the grave, fighting, rightly understood, is the +business, the real, highest, honestest business of every son of man. +Every one who is worth his salt has his enemies, who must be beaten, be +they evil thoughts and habits in himself, or spiritual wickedness in +high places, or Russians, or border-ruffians, or Bill, Tom, or Harry, +who will not let him live his life in quiet till he has thrashed them. + +It is no good for Quakers, or any other body of men to uplift their +voices against fighting. Human nature is too strong for them, and they +don't follow their own precepts. Every soul of them is doing his own +piece of fighting, somehow and somewhere. The world might be a better +world without fighting, for anything I know, but it wouldn't be our +world; and therefore I am dead against crying peace when there is no +peace, and isn't meant to be. I am as sorry as any man to see folk +fighting the wrong people and the wrong things, but I'd a deal sooner +see them doing that, than that they should have no fight in them. So +having recorded, and being about to record, my hero's fights of all +sorts, with all sorts of enemies, I shall now proceed to give an account +of his passage-at-arms with the only one of his school-fellows whom he +ever had to encounter in this manner. + +It was drawing toward the close of Arthur's first half-year, and the May +evenings were lengthening out. Locking-up was not till eight o'clock, +and everybody was beginning to talk about what he would do in the +holidays. The shell,[6] in which form all our _dramatis personae_ now +are, were reading among other things the last book of "Homer's Iliad," +and had worked through it as far as the speeches of the women over +Hector's body. It is a whole school-day, and four or five of the +school-house boys (among whom are Arthur, Tom and East) are preparing +third lesson together. They have finished the regulation forty lines, +and are for the most part getting very tired, notwithstanding the +exquisite pathos of Helen's lamentation. And now several long +four-syllabled words come together, and the boy with the dictionary +strikes work. + +[Footnote 6: _Shell_ is the name applied, in some public schools, to a +sort of intermediate class.] + +"I am not going to look out any more words," says he; "we've done the +quantity. Ten to one we shan't get so far. Let's go out into the close." + +"Come along, boys," cries East, always ready to leave the grind, as he +called it; "our old coach is laid up, you know, and we shall have one of +the new masters, who's sure to go slow and let us down easy." + +So an adjournment to the close was carried _nem. con._,[7] little +Arthur not daring to lift up his voice; but, being deeply interested in +what they were reading, he stayed quietly behind, and learned on for his +own pleasure. + +[Footnote 7: _Nemine contradicente_ is a Latin expression meaning _no +one speaking in opposition_.] + +As East had said, the regular master of the form was unwell, and they +were to be heard by one of the new masters, quite a young man, who had +only just left the university. Certainly it would be hard lines, if, by +dawdling as much as possible in coming in and taking their places, +entering into long-winded explanations of what was the usual course of +the regular master of the form, and others of the stock contrivances of +boys for wasting time in school, they could not spin out the lesson so +that he should not work them through more than the forty lines; as to +which quantity there was a perpetual fight going on between the master +and his form, the latter insisting, and enforcing by passive resistance, +that it was the prescribed quantity of Homer for a shell lesson, the +former that there was no fixed quantity, but that they must always be +ready to go on to fifty or sixty lines if there were time within the +hour. However, notwithstanding all their efforts, the new master got on +horribly quick; he seemed to have the bad taste to be really interested +in the lesson, and to be trying to work them up into something like +appreciation of it, giving them good spirited English words, instead of +the wretched bald stuff into which they rendered poor old Homer; and +construing over each piece himself to them, after each boy, to show them +how it should be done. + +Now the clock strikes the three quarters; there is only a quarter of an +hour more; but the forty lines are all but done. So the boys, one after +another, who are called up, stick more and more, and make balder and +ever more bald work of it. The poor young master is pretty near beat by +this time, and feels ready to knock his head against the wall, or his +fingers against somebody else's head. So he gives up altogether the +lower and middle parts of the form, and looks round in despair at the +boys on the top bench to see if there is one out of whom he can strike a +spark or two, and who will be too chivalrous to murder the most +beautiful utterances of the most beautiful woman of the old world. His +eye rests on Arthur, and he calls him up to finish construing Helen's +speech. Whereupon all the other boys draw long breaths, and begin to +stare about and take it easy. They are all safe; Arthur is the head of +the form, and sure to be able to construe, and that will tide on safely +till the hour strikes. + +Arthur proceeds to read out the passage in Greek before construing it, +as the custom is. Tom, who isn't paying much attention, is suddenly +caught by the falter in his voice as he reads the two lines: + + [Greek: alla su ton g' epeessi maraiphamenos katrukes, + Sae t' aganophrosunae kai sois aganois epeessin.][1] + +[Footnote 1: Pope's free rendering of these lines is as follows: + + If some proud brother eyed me with disdain, + Or scornful sister with her sweeping train, + Thy gentle accents softened all my pain.] + + +He looks up at Arthur. "Why, bless us," thinks he, "what can be the +matter with the young 'un? He's never going to get floored. He's sure to +have learned to the end." Next moment he is reassured by the spirited +tone in which Arthur begins construing, and betakes himself to drawing +dogs' heads in his notebook, while the master, evidently enjoying the +change, turns his back on the middle bench and stands before Arthur, +beating a sort of time with his hand and foot and saying "Yes, yes," +"very well," as Arthur goes on. + +But as he nears the fatal two lines, Tom catches that falter and again +looks up. He sees that there is something the matter--Arthur can hardly +get on at all. What can it be? + +Suddenly at this point Arthur breaks down altogether, and fairly bursts +out crying, and dashes the cuff of his jacket across his eyes, blushing +up to the roots of his hair, and feeling as if he should like to go down +suddenly through the floor. The whole form are taken aback; most of them +stare stupidly at him, while those who are gifted with presence of mind +find their places and look steadily at their books, in hopes of not +catching the master's eye and getting called up in Arthur's place. + +The master looks puzzled for a moment, and then seeing, as the fact is, +that the boy is really affected to tears by the most touching thing in +Homer, perhaps in all profane poetry put together, steps up to him and +lays his hand kindly on his shoulder, saying, "Never mind, my little +man, you've construed very well. Stop a minute, there's no hurry." + +Now, as luck would have it, there sat next above Tom that day, in the +middle bench of the form, a big boy, by name Williams, generally +supposed to be the cock of the shell, therefore, of all the school below +the fifths. The small boys, who are great speculators on the prowess of +their elders, used to hold forth to one another about Williams' great +strength, and to discuss whether East or Brown would take a licking from +him. He was called Slogger Williams, from the force with which it was +supposed he could hit. In the main, he was a rough, good-natured fellow +enough, but very much alive to his own dignity. He reckoned himself the +king of the form, and kept up his position with a strong hand, +especially in the matter of forcing boys not to construe more than the +legitimate forty lines. He had already grunted and grumbled to himself +when Arthur went on reading beyond the forty lines. But now that he had +broken down just in the middle of all the long words, the slogger's +wrath was fairly roused. + +"Sneaking little brute," muttered he, regardless of prudence, "clapping +on the waterworks just in the hardest place; see if I don't punch his +head after fourth lesson." + +"Whose?" said Tom, to whom the remark seemed to be addressed. + +"Why, that little sneak, Arthur's," replied Williams. + +"No, you shan't," said Tom. + +"Hullo!" exclaimed Williams, looking at Tom with great surprise for a +moment, and then giving him a sudden dig in the ribs with his elbow, +which sent Tom's books flying on the floor, and called the attention of +the master, who turned suddenly round, and seeing the state of things, +said: + +"Williams, go down three places, and then go on." + +The slogger found his legs very slowly, and proceeded to go below Tom +and two other boys with great disgust, and then turning round and facing +the master said: + +"I haven't learned any more, sir; our lesson is only forty lines." + +"Is that so?" said the master, appealing generally to the top bench. No +answer. + +"Who is the head boy of the form?" said he, waxing wroth. + +"Arthur, sir," answered three or four boys, indicating our friend. + +"Oh, your name's Arthur. Well now, what is the length of your regular +lesson?" + +Arthur hesitated a moment, and then said, "We call it only forty lines, +sir." + +"How do you mean, you call it?" + +"Well, sir, Mr. Graham says we ain't to stop there, when there's time to +construe more." + +"I understand," said the master. "Williams, go down three more places, +and write me out the lesson in Greek and English. And now, Arthur, +finish construing." + +"Oh! would I be in Arthur's shoes after fourth lesson?" said the little +boys to one another; but Arthur finished Helen's speech without any +further catastrophe, and the clock struck four, which ended third +lesson. Another hour was occupied in preparing and saying fourth lesson, +during which Williams was bottling up his wrath; and when five struck, +and the lessons for the day were over, he prepared to take summary +vengeance on the innocent cause of his misfortune. + +Tom was detained in school a few minutes after the rest, and on coming +out into the quadrangle, the first thing he saw was a small ring of +boys, applauding Williams, who was holding Arthur by the collar. + +"There, you young sneak," said he, giving Arthur a cuff on the head with +his other hand, "what made you say that--" + +"Hullo!" said Tom, shouldering into the crowd, "you drop that, Williams; +you shan't touch him." + +"Who'll stop me?" said the slogger, raising his hand again. + +"I," said Tom; and suiting the action to the word, struck the arm which +held Arthur's arm so sharply, that the slogger dropped it with a start, +and turned the full current of his wrath on Tom. + +"Will you fight?" + +"Yes, of course." + +"Huzza, there's going to be a fight between Slogger Williams and Tom +Brown!" + +The news ran like wild-fire about, and many boys were on their way to +tea at their several houses turned back, and sought the back of the +chapel, where the fights come off. + +"Just run and tell East to come and back me," said Tom to a small +school-house boy, who was off like a rocket to Harrowell's, just +stopping for a moment to poke his head into the school-house hall, where +the lower boys were already at tea, and sing out, "Fight! Tom Brown and +Slogger Williams." + +Up start half the boys at once, leaving bread, eggs, butter, sprats, and +all the rest to take care of themselves. The greater part of the +remainder follow in a minute, after swallowing their tea, carrying their +food in their hands to consume as they go. Three or four only remain, +who steal the butter of the more impetuous, and make to themselves an +unctuous feast. + +In another minute East and Martin tear through the quadrangle carrying a +sponge, and arrive at the scene of action just as the combatants are +beginning to strip. + +Tom felt he had got his work cut out for him, as he stripped off his +jacket, waistcoat, and braces. East tied his handkerchief round his +waist, and rolled up his shirt-sleeves for him: "Now, old boy, don't you +open your mouth to say a word, or try to help yourself a bit, we'll do +all that; you keep all your breath and strength for the slogger." Martin +meanwhile folded the clothes, and put them under the chapel rails; and +now Tom, with East to handle him and Martin to give him a knee, steps +out on the turf, and is ready for all that may come: and here is the +slogger too, all stripped, and thirsting for the fray. + +[Illustration: "A FIGHT!"] + +It doesn't look a fair match at first glance: Williams is nearly two +inches taller, and probably a long year older than his opponent, and he +is very strongly made about the arms and shoulders; "peels well," as the +little knot of big fifth-form boys, the amateurs, say; who stand outside +the ring of little boys, looking complacently on, but taking no active +part in the proceedings. But down below he is not so good by any means; +no spring from the loins, and feebleish, not to say shipwrecky, about +the knees. Tom, on the contrary, though not half so strong in the arms, +is good all over, straight, hard, and springy from neck to ankle, better +perhaps in his legs than anywhere. Besides, you can see by the clear +white of his eye and fresh bright look of his skin, that he is in +tip-top training, able to do all he knows; while the slogger looks +rather sodden, as if he didn't take much exercise and ate too much +tuck.[9] The time-keeper is chosen, a large ring made, and the two stand +up opposite one another for a moment, giving us time just to make our +little observations. + +[Footnote: 9. _Tuck_ is a slang name for pastry or sweetmeats.] + +"If Tom'll only condescend to fight with his head and heels," as East +mutters to Martin, "we shall do." + +But seemingly he won't for there he goes in, making play with both +hands. Hard all, is the word; the two stand to one another like men; +rally follows rally in quick succession, each fighting as if he thought +to finish the whole thing out of hand. "Can't last at this rate," say +the knowing ones, while the partisans of each make the air ring with +their shouts and counter-shouts, of encouragement, approval and +defiance. + +"Take it easy, take it easy--keep away, let him come after you," +implores East, as he wipes Tom's face after the first round with a wet +sponge, while he sits back on Martin's knee, supported by the Madman's +long arms, which tremble a little from excitement. + +"Time's up," calls the time-keeper. + +"There he goes again, hang it all!" growls East as his man is at it +again as hard as ever. A very severe round follows, in which Tom gets +out and out the worst of it, and is at last hit clean off his legs, and +deposited on the grass by a right-hander from the slogger. Loud shouts +rise from the boys of slogger's house, and the school-house are silent +and vicious, ready to pick quarrels anywhere. + +[Illustration: TOM SITS ON MARTIN'S KNEE] + +"Two to one in half-crowns on the big 'un," says Rattle, one of the +amateurs, a tall fellow, in thunder-and-lightning waistcoat, and puffy, +good-natured face. + +"Done!" says Groove, another amateur of quieter look, taking out his +note-book to enter it--for our friend Rattle sometimes forgets these +little things. + +Meantime East is freshening up Tom with the sponges for the next round, +and has set two other boys to rub his hands. + +"Tom, old boy," whispers he, "this may be fun for you, but it's death to +me. He'll hit all the fight out of you in another five minutes, and then +I shall go and drown myself in the island ditch. Feint him--use your +legs! draw him about! he'll lose his wind then in no time, and you can +go into him. Hit at his body too, we'll take care of his frontispiece by +and by." + +Tom felt the wisdom of the counsel, and saw already that he couldn't go +in and finish the slogger off at mere hammer and tongs, so changed his +tactics completely in the third round. He now fights cautious, getting +away from and parrying the slogger's lunging hits, instead of trying to +counter, and leading his enemy a dance all round the ring after him. +"He's funking; go in, Williams," "Catch him up," "Finish him off," +scream the small boys of the slogger party. + +"Just what we want," thinks East, chuckling to himself, as he sees +Williams, excited by these shouts and thinking the game in his own +hands, blowing himself in his exertions to get to close quarters again, +while Tom is keeping away with perfect ease. + +They quarter over the ground again and again, Tom always on the +defensive. + +The slogger pulls up at last for a moment, fairly blown. + +"Now then, Tom," sings out East dancing with delight. Tom goes in in a +twinkling, and hits two heavy body blows, and gets away again before the +slogger can catch his wind; which when he does he rushes with blind fury +at Tom, and being skillfully parried and avoided, over-reaches himself +and falls on his face, amid terrific cheers from the school-house boys. + +"Double your two to one?" says Groove to Rattle, note-book in hand. + +"Stop a bit," says the hero, looking uncomfortably at Williams, who is +puffing away on his second's knee, winded enough, but little the worse +in any other way. + +After another round the slogger too seems to see that he can't go in and +win right off, and has met his match or thereabouts. So he too begins to +use his head and tries to make Tom lose patience and come in before his +time. And so the fight sways on, now one, and now the other, getting a +trifling pull. + +Tom's face begins to look very one-sided--there are little queer bumps +on his forehead, and his mouth is bleeding; but East keeps the wet +sponge going so scientifically, that he comes up looking as fresh and +bright as ever. Williams is only slightly marked in the face, but by the +nervous movement of his elbows you can see that Tom's body blows are +telling. In fact, half the vice of the slogger's hitting is neutralized, +for he daren't lunge out freely for fear of exposing his sides. It is +too interesting by this time for much shouting, and the whole ring is +very quiet. + +"All right, Tommy," whispers East; "hold on's the horse that's to win. +We've got the last. Keep your head, old boy." + +But where is Arthur all this time? Words cannot paint the poor little +fellow's distress. He couldn't muster courage to come up to the ring, +but wandered up and down from the great fives'-court to the corner of +the chapel rails, now trying to make up his mind to throw himself +between them, and try to stop them; then thinking of running in and +telling Mary, the matron, who he knew would instantly report it to the +doctor. The stories he had heard of men being killed in prize-fights +rose up horribly before him. + +Once only, when the shouts of "Well done, Brown!" "Huzza for the +school-house!" rose higher than ever, he ventured up to the ring, +thinking the victory was won. Catching sight of Tom's face in the state +I have described, all fear of consequences vanishing out of his mind, he +rushed straight off to the matron's room, beseeching her to get the +fight stopped, or he should die. + +But it's time for us to get back to the close. What is this fierce +tumult and confusion? The ring is broken, and high and angry words are +being bandied about; "It's all fair,"--"It isn't"--"No hugging": the +fight is stopped. The combatants, however, sit there quietly, tended by +their seconds, while their adherents wrangle in the middle. East can't +help shouting challenges to two or three of the other side, though he +never leaves Tom for a moment, and plies the sponges as fast as ever. + +The fact is, that at the end of the last round, Tom seeing a good +opening, had closed with his opponent, and after a moment's struggle had +thrown him heavily, by the help of the fall he had learned from his +village rival in the vale of White Horse. Williams hadn't the ghost of a +chance with Tom at wrestling; and the conviction broke at once on the +slogger faction, that if this were allowed their man must be licked. +There was a strong feeling in the school against catching hold and +throwing, though it was generally ruled all fair within certain limits; +so the ring was broken and the fight stopped. + +The school-house are overruled--the fight is on again, but there is to +be no throwing; and East in high wrath threatens to take his man away +after the next round (which he don't mean to do, by the way), when +suddenly young Brooke comes through the small gate at the end of the +chapel. The school-house faction rush to him. "Oh, hurra! now we shall +get fair play." + +"Please, Brooke, come up, they won't let Tom Brown throw him." + +"Throw whom?" says Brooke, coming up to the ring. "Oh! Williams, I see. +Nonsense! of course he may throw him if he catches him fairly above the +waist." + +Now, young Brooke, you're in the sixth, you know, and you ought to stop +all fights. He looks hard at both boys. "Anything wrong?" says he to +East, nodding at Tom. + +"Not a bit." + +"Not beat at all?" + +"Bless you, no! heaps of fight in him. Ain't there, Tom?" + +Tom looks at Brooke and grins. + +"How's he?" nodding at Williams. + +"So, so; rather done, I think, since his last fall. He won't stand above +two more." + +"Time's up!" the boys rise again and face one another. Brooke can't find +it in his heart to stop them just yet, so the round goes on, the slogger +waiting for Tom, and reserving all his strength to hit him out should he +come in for the wrestling dodge again, for he feels that that must be +stopped, or his sponge will soon go up in the air. + +And now another newcomer appears on the field, to-wit, the under-porter, +with his long brush and great wooden receptacle for dust under his arm. +He has been sweeping out the schools. + +"You'd better stop, gentlemen," he says; "the doctor knows that Brown's +fighting--he'll be out in a minute." + +"You go to Bath, Bill," is all that that excellent servitor gets by his +advice. And being a man of his hands, and a stanch upholder of the +school-house, he can't help stopping to look on for a bit, and see Tom +Brown, their pet craftsman, fight a round. + +It is grim earnest now, and no mistake. Both boys feel this, and summon +every power of head, hand, and eye to their aid. A piece of luck on +either side, a foot slipping, a blow getting well home, or another fall, +may decide it. Tom works slowly round for an opening; he has all the +legs, and can choose his own time: the slogger waits for the attack, and +hopes to finish it by some heavy right-handed blow. As they quarter +slowly over the ground, the evening sun comes out from behind a cloud +and falls full on Williams' face. Tom starts in; the heavy right hand is +delivered, but only grazes his head. A short rally at close quarters, +and they close: in another moment the slogger is thrown again heavily +for the third time. + +"I'll give you three to two on the little one in half-crowns," said +Groove to Rattle. + +"No, thank 'ee," answers the other, diving his hands further into his +coat-tails. + +Just at this stage of the proceedings, the door of the doctor's library +suddenly opens, and he steps into the close, and makes straight for the +ring, in which Brown and the slogger are both seated on their seconds' +knees for the last time. + +"The doctor! the doctor!" shouts some small boy who catches sight of +him, and the ring melts away in a few seconds, the small boys tearing +off, Tom collaring his jacket and waistcoat, and slipping through the +little gate by the chapel, and round the corner to Harrowell's with his +backers, as lively as need be; Williams and his backers making off not +quite so fast across the close; Groove, Rattle and the other bigger +fellows trying to combine dignity and prudence in a comical manner, and +walking off fast enough, they hope, not to be recognized, and not fast +enough to look like running away. + +Young Brooke alone remains on the ground by the time the doctor gets +there, and touches his hat, not without a slight inward qualm. + +"Hah! Brooke. I am surprised to see you here. Don't you know that I +expect the sixth to stop fighting?" + +Brooke felt much more uncomfortable than he had expected, but he was +rather a favorite with the doctor for his openness and plainness of +speech; so blurted out, as he walked by the doctor's side, who had +already turned back: + +"Yes, sir, generally. But I thought you wished us to exercise a +discretion in the matter, too--not to interfere too soon." + +"But they have been fighting this half-hour and more," said the doctor. + +"Yes, sir, but neither was hurt. And they're the sort of boys who'll be +all the better friends now, which they wouldn't have been if they had +been stopped any earlier--before it was so equal." + +"Who was fighting with Brown?" said the doctor. + +"Williams, sir, of Thompson's. He is bigger than Brown, and had the best +of it at first, but not when you came up, sir. There's a good deal of +jealousy between our house and Thompson's, and there would have been +more fights if this hadn't been let go on, or if either of them had had +much the worst of it." + +"Well but, Brooke," said the doctor, "doesn't this look a little as if +you exercised your discretion by only stopping a fight when the +school-house boy is getting the worst of it?" + +Brooke, it must be confessed, felt rather graveled. + +"Remember," added the doctor, as he stopped at the turret-door, "this +fight is not to go on--you'll see to that. And I expect you to stop all +fights in future at once." + +"Very-well, sir," said young Brooke, touching his hat, and not sorry to +see the turret-door close, behind the doctor's back. + +Meantime Tom and the stanchest of his adherents had reached Harrowell's, +and Sally was bustling about to get them a late tea, while Stumps had +been sent off to Tew, the butcher, to get a piece of raw beef for Tom's +eye, so that he might show well in the morning. He was not a bit the +worse except a slight difficulty in his vision, a singing in his ears, +and a sprained thumb, which he kept in a cold-water bandage, while he +drank lots of tea, and listened to the babel of voices talking and +speculating of nothing but the fight, and how Williams would have given +in after another fall (which he didn't in the least believe), and how on +earth the doctor could have gotten to know of it--such bad luck! He +couldn't help thinking to himself that he was glad he hadn't won; he +liked it better as it was, and felt very friendly to the slogger. And +then poor little Arthur crept in and sat down quietly near him, and kept +looking at him and the raw beef with such plaintive looks, that Tom at +last burst out laughing. + +"Don't make such eyes, young 'un," said he, "there's nothing the +matter." + +"Oh, but Tom, are you much hurt? I can't bear thinking it was all for +me." + +"Not a bit of it, don't flatter yourself. We were sure to have had it +out sooner or later." + +"Well, but you won't go on, will you? You'll promise me you won't go +on." + +"Can't tell about that--all depends on the houses. We're in the hands of +our countrymen, you know. Must fight for the school-house flag, if so +be." + +And now, boys all, three words before we quit the subject. I have put in +this chapter on fighting of malice prepense, partly because I want to +give you a true picture of what every-day school life was in my time and +partly because of the cant and twaddle that's talked of boxing and +fighting with fists now-a-days. Even Thackeray has given in to it; and +only a few weeks ago there was some rampant stuff in the _Times_ on the +subject. + +Boys will quarrel, and when they quarrel will sometimes fight. Fighting +with fists is the natural English way for English boys to settle their +quarrels. What substitute for it is there, or ever was there, among any +nation under the sun? What would you like to see take its place? + +Learn to box, then, as you learn to play cricket and football. Not one +of you will be the worse, but very much the better for learning to box +well. Should you never have to use it in earnest, there's no exercise in +the world so good for the temper, and for the muscles of the back and +legs. + +As to fighting, keep out of it if you can, by all means. When the time +comes, if it ever should, that you have to say "Yes" or "No" to a +challenge to fight, say "No" if you can--only take care you make it +clear to yourselves why you say "No." It's a proof of the highest +courage, if done from true Christian motives. It's quite right and +justifiable, if done from a simple aversion to physical pain and danger. +But don't say "No" because you fear a licking, and say or think it's +because you fear God, for that's neither Christian nor honest. And if +you do fight, fight it out; and don't give in while you can stand and +see. + + + +PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES + +NOTE.--The pronunciation of difficult words is indicated by respelling +them phonetically. _N_ is used to indicate the French nasal sound; +_K_ the sound of _ch_ in German; _ü_ the sound of the +German _ü_, and French _u; ö_ the sound of _ö_ in foreign +languages. + +AGINCOURT, _aj' in kort_, or _ah zhaN koor'_ + +ATHELSTANE, _ath' el stane_ + +AYTOUN, (Wai. E.) _ay' toon_ + +CAERLEON, _kahr le' on_ + +CHEYENNE, _shi en'_ + +DUQUESNE, _du kayn'_ + +FROUDE, _frood_ + +GALAHAD, _gal' a had_ + +GHENT, _gent_ + +GRANTMESNIL, _groN ma neel'_ + +GUINEVERE, _gwin' e veer_ + +HOUYHNHNMS, _hoo' in 'ms_ + +LEIODES, _le o' deez_ + +MARACAIBO, _mahr ah ki' bo_ + +OTAHEITE, _o tah he' te_ + +POITIERS, _pwaht ya'_ + +SEINE, _sayn_ + +SIOUX, _soo_ + +SKALD, _skawld_ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 5 +by Charles Sylvester + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNEYS THROUGH BOOKLAND, VOL. 5 *** + +***** This file should be named 11250-8.txt or 11250-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/2/5/11250/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Andy Jewell and PG Distributed +Proofreaders + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + diff --git a/old/11250-8.zip b/old/11250-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..024e19e --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11250-8.zip diff --git a/old/11250.txt b/old/11250.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2058716 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11250.txt @@ -0,0 +1,14280 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 5, by Charles Sylvester + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 5 + +Author: Charles Sylvester + +Release Date: February 24, 2004 [EBook #11250] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNEYS THROUGH BOOKLAND, VOL. 5 *** + + + + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Andy Jewell and PG Distributed +Proofreaders + + + + + +[Illustration: HE TURNED HIS FACE AND KISSED +HER CLIMBING +_Geraint and Enid_] + +JOURNEYS THROUGH BOOKLAND + + +A NEW AND ORIGINAL + +PLAN FOR READING APPLIED TO THE + +WORLD'S BEST LITERATURE + +FOR CHILDREN + +_BY_ + +CHARLES H. SYLVESTER + +_Author of English and American Literature_ + +VOLUME FIVE + +_New Edition_ + +[Illustration] + + +1922 + + +CONTENTS + + +JONATHAN SWIFT. +GULLIVER'S TRAVELS _Jonathan Swift_ +THE BALLAD OF AGINCOURT _Michael Drayton_ +SOME CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF THE PAST _Grace E Sellon_ +LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT _Cardinal Veuman_ +LET SOMETHING GOOD BE SAID _James Whitcomb Riley_ +POLONIUS' ADVICE _Shakespeare_ +KING ARTHUR +BALIN AND BALAN +GERAINT AND ENID _Alfred Tennyson_ +THE HOLY GRAIL _Adapted from Thomas Malory_ +DISSENSIONS AT KING ARTHUR'S COURT +THE PASSING OF ARTHUR _Alfred Tennyson_ +HENRY HUDSON'S FOURTH VOYAGE _Henry R Cleveland_ +THE RISE OF ROBERT BRUCE _Walter Scott_ +BRUCE AND THE SPIDER _Bernard Arton_ +THE HEART OF BRUCE _William E Aytoun_ +THE SKELETON IN ARMOR _Henry Wadsworth Longfellow_ +HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX + _Robert Browning_ +REMINISCENCES OF A PIONEER _Edwin D. Coe_ +THE BUCCANEERS +CAPTAIN MORGAN AT MARACAIBO +BRADDOCK'S DEFEAT _Benjamin Franklin_ +READING HISTORY +THE AMERICAN FLAG _Joseph Rodman Drake_ +BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC _Julia Ward Howe_ +"STONEWALL" JACKSON'S WAY _J.W. Palmer_ +BARON MUNCHAUSEN +THE FIDDLING PARSON _Davy Crockett_ +WE PLAN A RIVER TRIP _Jerome K Jerome_ +ON COMIC SONGS _Jerome K Jerome_ +THE INCHCAPE ROCK _Robert Southey_ +TOM BROWN AT RUBGY _Thomas Hughes_ + +PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES + +The Classification of Selections, see General Index at end of Volume X + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +HE TURN'D HIS FACE AND KISS'D HER CLIMBING (Color Plate) + _Donn P Crane_ +JONATHAN SWIFT (Halftone) +GULLIVER'S JOURNEY TO THE METROPOLIS _Iris Weddell White_ +THE EMPEROR VISITS GULLIVER _Iris Weddell White_ +GULLIVER AND THE PISTOL (Color Plate) _G H Mitchell_ +GULLIVER'S WATCH IS BORNE AWAY _Iris Weddell White_ +GULLIVER ER TAKES THE ENEMY'S FLEET _Iris Weddell White_ +GULLIVER BRINGS IN THE DRIFTING BOAT _Harry L Gage_ +THE BABY SEIZES GULLIVER _Iris Weddell White_ +A GALE WITH THEIR FANS _Iris Weddell White_ +GULLIVER AND THE KING _Iris Weddell White_ +"VICTOR I WILL REMAIN" _R F Babcock_ +CHILDREN WITH HORNBOOKS _Laura K Deal_ +ARTHUR DRAWS THE SWORD _Jessie Arms_ +KING ARTHUR (Halftone) +THE WEDDING OF ARTHUR AND GUINEVERE _Jessie Arms_ +MERLIN SAVES ARTHUR _Donn P Crane_ +ARTHUR RECEIVES EXCALIBUR _Donn P Crane_ +THE DAMSEL LET FALL HER MANTLE _Donn P Crane_ +THE LIGHT _Donn P Crane_ +ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON (Halftone) +GERAINT HEARS ENID SINGING _Donn P Crane_ +ENID LEADS THE WAY _Donn P Crane_ +ENID WATCHING BY GERAINT _Donn P Crane_ +SIR GALAHAD _Jessie Arms_ +THE SHIP APPROACHES THE CITY OF SARRAS _Jessie Arms_ +THE LAST APPEARANCE OF THE SANGREAI _Donn P Crane_ +THE BARGE MOVED FROM THE BRINK _Donn P Crane_ +CUT ADRIFT IN HUDSON'S BAY _R F Babcock_ +SAVAGES ON THE SHORE _R F Babcock_ +BRUCE KILLS COMYN _Donn P Crane_ +SHE BROUGHT HER TWO SONS _Donn P Crane_ +THE ASCENT TO THE CASTLE OF EDINBURGH _Donn P Crane_ +BRUCE SLAYS SIR HENRY DE BOHUN _Donn P Crane_ +BRUCE BEHELD A SPIDER _Donn P Crane_ +I SAW A PILGRIM STAND _Donn P Crane_ +HELD THE HEART ALOFT _Donn P Crane_ +I WAS A VIKING OLD _R F Babcock_ +THREE WEEKS WE WESTWARD BORE _R F Babcock_ +I CAST LOOSE MY BUFF COAT _Donn P Crane_ +HALF A DOZEN INDIANS BOLTED IN _R F Babcock_ +HE FISHED OUT AN OLD BUNGTOWN CENT _R F Babcock_ +CHASING THE GEESE TO GET A NEW QUILL _R F Babcock_ +THE FIRE SHIP GRAPPLED THE SPANIARD _Everett E Lowry_ +BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (Halftone) +ON THE MARCH _Everett E Lowry_ +THE AMBUSH _Everett E Lowry_ +"STONEWALL" JACKSON (Halftone) +THE LION HAD JUMPED INTO THE CROCODILE'S MOUTH + _Donn P Crane_ +I BEHELD A NOBLE STAG _Donn P Crane_ +THE HIND PART OF THE POOR CREATURE WAS MISSING + _Donn P Crane_ +WARRIORS OF THE MOON _Donn P Crane_ +WE DESCENDED SAFELY ON A MOUNTAIN OF ICE _Donn P Crane_ +THE PARSON FIDDLED _Donn P Crane_ +"AIN'T YOU GOING TO PUT THE BOOK IN" _Herbert N Rudeen_ +"WHEN I WAS YOUNG" _Herbert N Rudeen_ +ONE DREADFUL SOUND HE SEEMED TO HEAR _R F Babcock_ +RUGBY SCHOOL (Color Plate) +THE BULLY CAUGHT IT ON HIS ELBOW _Louis Grell_ +"A FIGHT!" _Louis Grell_ +TOM SITS ON MARTIN'S KNEE _Louis Grell_ + + + + + +JONATHAN SWIFT + +The father of Jonathan Swift was a Dublin lawyer who died just as he was +beginning what might have been a profitable career, and before his only +son was born. The widow was left with so little money that when her son +was born in November, 1667, she was not able to take care of him. Her +brother-in-law undertook to provide for mother and child. + +He procured a nurse who became so attached to her little charge that +when she received a small sum of money from a relative in England and +was compelled to go to that country, she stole the baby and took him +with her across the channel. It was more than three years before +Jonathan was brought back to Dublin, but he had been tenderly cared for, +and though but five years of age had been taught to spell and to read in +the Bible. + +A year later he was sent to a good school, where he made rapid progress. +However, he could not have been always studious, for visitors to the +school are still shown a desk in which his name is deeply cut. + +He was fourteen years old when he entered the University of Dublin, +where his record was not a very satisfactory one. When it came time for +him to graduate, his standing was too poor for him to take his degree, +but after some delay it was given him "by special favor," a term then +used in Dublin to show that a candidate did not pass in his +examinations. + +After this, Swift remained three years at the University under the +pretense of studying, but he was chiefly notorious for his connection +with a gang of wild and disobedient students who were often under +censure of the faculty for their irregularities. For one offense Swift +was severely censured and compelled upon his knees to beg pardon of the +dean. This punishment he did not forgive, and long afterward he wrote +bitter things about Dr. Allen, the dean. + +Yet while indulging in these follies, Swift learned to write well and +became noted for a peculiar satirical style that afterward made him much +feared by the government. + +When the uncle who had first supported Swift had died, a second uncle +and his son took up the burden. At one time this cousin sent Swift quite +a large sum of money, a fact which seemed to change the nature of the +wild young spendthrift, who thereafter remained economical; in fact, he +became niggardly in his saving. + +Swift's second degree from the University was earned creditably, and he +was much pleased with the praise and respect with which he was received. +This was owing to two years of diligent study which he spent at the home +of Sir William Temple, a leading statesman of the time and a distant +relative by marriage of Swift's mother. + +Discouraged by his fruitless attempt to enter public life, he began to +study for the ministry, and, ultimately, he received a church +appointment, of which he wearied after a short experience. + +Until 1710, he led a varied life, sometimes dependent upon his +relatives, and at others making his way in various political positions. +From the date above he was embroiled in heated political controversies +in which his bitter writings made him feared even by his friends and +fiercely hated by his enemies. But he steadily rose in power and +influence, and when his party triumphed he was rewarded for his +political services by being appointed dean of Saint Patrick's Cathedral +in Ireland. + +His appointment was exceedingly unpopular, even in Ireland, for few +believed him at all suited for a position in the church, much less for +one so high and important. On the day he was installed, some bitter +verses, of which the following are three, were found posted on the door +of the cathedral: + + To-day this temple gets a dean, + Of parts and fame uncommon; + Used both to pray and to profane, + To serve both God and Mammon. + + * * * * * + + This place he got by wit and rhyme, + And many ways most odd; + And might a bishop be in time, + Did he believe in God. + + * * * * * + + And now when'er his deanship dies, + Upon his tomb be graven-- + A man of God here buried lies, + Who never thought of heaven. + +Unfortunately there was too much truth in the charges against Swift's +character, and his career, in spite of his genius, is a pitiful one. He +was admired for his wit and brilliancy, and courted by the noble and +powerful, but he was never able to gratify his ambitions, though he did +secure many devoted friends. From his disappointments he became moody, +bitter and discontented. This state of mind, together with other causes, +finally broke his health, destroyed his mind and left him but the sad +wreck of a brilliant manhood, and an old age of helpless imbecility. +Such a life has little that is attractive for anyone, but it does show +us that even a brilliant intellect cannot save a man who persistently +neglects to guard his character, and that fame does not always bring +happiness. + +But Swift was by no means all bad, and his great services to Ireland are +still deservedly recognized by that devoted people. He really laid the +foundation for their prosperity and may be said to have created +constitutional liberty for them. + +It is, however, as a wit and a writer that Swift is now chiefly famous. +Many are the stories told of his readiness in repartee, his bright +sallies in conversation, and of his skill in quick and caustic rhyming. +It is said that one day, when traveling in the south of Ireland, he +stopped to give his horse water at a brook which crossed the road; a +gentleman of the neighborhood halted for the same purpose, and saluted +him, a courtesy which was politely returned. They parted, but the +gentleman, struck by the dean's figure, sent his servant to inquire who +the man was. The messenger rode up to the dean and said, "Please, sir, +master would be obliged if you would tell him who you are." + +"Willingly," replied the dean. "Tell your master I am the person that +bowed to him when we were giving our horses water at the brook yonder." + +[Illustration: JONATHAN SWIFT 1667-1745] + +Swift's interests lay rather with the common people than with the Irish +aristocracy, who, he thought, were arrant "grafters." Of one in +particular he said, + + "So great was his bounty-- + He erected a bridge--at the expense of the county." + +The last thing Swift wrote was an epigram. It was in almost the final +lucid interval between periods of insanity that he was riding in the +park with his physician. As they drove along, Swift saw, for the first +time, a building that had recently been put up. + +"What is that?" he inquired. + +"That," said the physician, "is the new magazine in which are stored +arms and powder for the defence of the city." + +"Oh!" said the dean, pulling out his notebook. "Let me take an item of +that; this is worth remarking: 'My tablets!' as Hamlet says, 'my +tablets! Memory put down that.'" Then he scribbled the following lines, +the last he ever penned: + + "Behold a proof of Irish sense! + Here Irish wit is seen! + When nothing's left that's worth defence, + We build a magazine." + +With the exception of _Gulliver's Travels_, very +little that Dean Swift wrote is now read by anyone +but students. + + + + +GULLIVER'S TRAVELS + + +INTRODUCTION + + +Gulliver's Travels was published in 1726 and without any allusion to the +real author, though many knew that the work must have come from the pen +of Dean Swift. Though the dean was habitually secretive in what he did, +he had some reason for not wishing to say in public that he had written +so bitter a satire on the government and on mankind. + +The work was immediately popular, not only in the British Isles but on +the Continent as well. No such form of political satire had ever +appeared, and everyone was excited over its possibilities. Not all parts +of the work were considered equally good; some parts were thought to be +failures, and the Fourth Voyage was as a whole deservedly unpopular. The +Voyages to Lilliput and to Brobdingnag were considered the best, and to +them is to be attributed the greater part of the author's fame. Their +popularity continues with the years. + +Lemuel Gulliver is represented as a British sailor who had been educated +as a doctor but whose wandering instincts led him back to the sea. On +his return from his voyages he writes the account of his adventures; and +the manner in which this account is written is so masterly that we +almost believe the things he tells. + +In describing the manners, customs, and governments of the several +countries, he shows in his inimitable way the weakness of his king, +prince, nobles, government and mankind in general. + +While the scholar and the man of affairs may still be interested in the +political significance of what is said and in a study of the keen +knowledge of human nature shown by the writer, yet it is principally as +a story that the work is now popular. Everybody enjoys reading about the +wonderful people who existed only in the imagination of the great dean +of Saint Patrick's. + +In this volume are printed some of the most enjoyable parts of the first +and second voyages. About the only changes from the original text are in +the omission of those passages which contribute nothing to the narrative +or which for other reasons it seems inadvisable to reprint. These +omissions put the real fictitious narrative into so small a compass that +children will be entertained from beginning to end. + +The _Voyage to Lilliput_ was directed against the policy of the English +Court during the reign of George I. The real differences between the +parties were trifling; not more, to Swift's idea, than that between +_High-heels_ and _Low-heels_ in the court of Lilliput; and the +controversies between the churches were not greater than those between +the _Big-endians_ and the _Little-endians._ As the Prince of Wales was +thought to favor a union of parties, he was typified in the +heir-apparent of Lilliput who wore one shoe with a high heel and one +with a low heel. This explanation will give an idea of the nature of +Swift's milder satire. + +The _Voyage to Brobdingnag_ advocates the principles then held by the +Tory party in England and attacks those of the Whigs. + +The _Voyage to Laputa_, from which we give no selections, was not +generally understood and hence was not popular. Its chief purpose was to +ridicule the proceedings of the Royal Society, but Swift was not well +enough acquainted with music and some of the other sciences fostered by +the Society to attack them to advantage. + +The _Voyage to the Houyhnhnms_ was a bitter screed against mankind, +and is in many respects disgusting. It showed Swift's venom against the +world and something of the approach of the malady which finally hurried +him into insanity. + +The following selections are somewhat condensed from the original story, +chiefly by the omission of passages of no interest to people of to-day. + + + +ADVENTURES IN LILLIPUT + +_I. The Arrival_ + + +We set sail from Bristol, May 4, 1699, and our voyage at first was very +prosperous. + +It would not be proper, for some reasons, to trouble the reader with the +particulars of our adventures; let it suffice to inform him, that, in +our passage to the East Indies, we were driven by a violent storm to the +northwest of Van Diemen's Land.[1] By an observation we found ourselves +in the latitude of 30 degrees 2 minutes south. Twelve of our crew were +dead by immoderate labor and ill food; the rest were in a very weak +condition. + +[Footnote 1: _Van Diemen's Land_ is the old name for Tasmania, an +island off the coast of Australia.] + + +On the 5th of November, which was the beginning of summer in those +parts, the weather being very hazy, the seamen spied a rock within half +a cable's length of the ship; but the wind was so strong that we were +driven directly upon it, and immediately split. Six of the crew, of whom +I was one, having let down the boat into the sea, made a shift to get +clear of the ship and the rock. We rowed, by my computation, about three +leagues, till we were able to work no longer, being already spent with +labor while we were in the ship. We, therefore, trusted ourselves to the +mercy of the waves; and in about half an hour the boat was overset by a +sudden flurry from the north. What became of my companions in the boat, +as well as those who escaped on the rock, or were left in the vessel, I +cannot tell, but conclude they were all lost. + +For my own part, I swam as Fortune directed me, and was pushed forward +by wind and tide. I often let my legs drop, and could feel no bottom; +but when I was almost gone, and able to struggle no longer, I found +myself within my depth; and by this time the storm was much abated. The +declivity was so small, that I walked near a mile before I got to the +shore, which I conjectured was about eight o'clock in the evening. I +then advanced forward near half a mile, but could not discover any sign +of houses or inhabitants; at least I was in so weak a condition that I +did not observe them. I was extremely tired; and with that, and the heat +of the weather, and about half a pint of brandy that I drank as I left +the ship, I found myself much inclined to sleep. I lay down on the +grass, which was very short and soft, where I slept sounder than ever I +remember to have done in my life, and, as I reckoned, above nine hours; +for when I awaked it was just daylight. + +I attempted to rise, but was not able to stir; for as I happened to lie +on my back, I found my arms and legs were strongly fastened on each side +to the ground, and my hair, which was long and thick, tied down in the +same manner. I likewise felt several slender ligatures across my body, +from my armpits to my thighs. I could only look upward; the sun began to +grow hot, and the light offended mine eyes. I heard a confused noise +about me, but, in the posture I lay, could see nothing except the sky. + +In a little time I felt something alive moving on my left leg, which, +advancing gently forward over my breast, came almost up to my chin; +when, bending mine eyes downward as much as I could, I perceived it to +be a human creature not six inches high, with a bow and arrow in his +hands, and a quiver at his back. In the meantime, I felt at least forty +more of the same kind (as I conjectured) following the first. I was in +the utmost astonishment, and roared so loud that they all ran back in a +fright; and some of them, as I was afterward told, were hurt with the +falls they got by leaping from my sides upon the ground. However, they +soon returned; and one of them, who ventured so far as to get a full +sight of my face, lifting up his hands and eyes by way of admiration, +cried out, in a shrill but distinct voice, "Hekinah degul." The others +repeated the same words several times; but I then knew not what they +meant. I lay all this while, as the reader may believe, in great +uneasiness. + +At length, struggling to get loose, I had the fortune to break the +strings and wrench out the pegs that fastened my left arm to the ground; +for, by lifting it up to my face, I discovered the methods they had +taken to bind me, and, at the same time, with a violent pull, which gave +me excessive pain, I a little loosened the strings that tied down my +hair on the left side, so that I was just able to turn my head about two +inches. But the creatures ran off a second time, before I could seize +them; whereupon there was a great shout, in a very shrill accent, and, +after it ceased, I heard one of them cry aloud, "Tolgo phonac"; when, in +an instant, I felt above an hundred arrows discharged on my left hand, +which pricked me like so many needles; and, besides, they shot another +flight into the air, as we do bombs in Europe; whereof many, I suppose, +fell on my body (though I felt them not), and some on my face, which I +immediately covered with my left hand. + +When this shower of arrows was over, I fell a-groaning with grief and +pain; and then, striving again to get loose, they discharged another +volley, larger than the first, and some of them attempted, with spears, +to stick me in the sides; but, by good luck, I had on me a buff[2] +jerkin, which they could not pierce. I thought it the most prudent +method to lie still; and my design was to continue so till night, when, +my left hand being already loose, I could easily free myself; and as for +the inhabitants, I had reason to believe I might be a match for the +greatest armies they could bring against me, if they were all of the +same size with him that I saw. + +[Footnote 2: _Buff_ is the name given to a kind of leather, made +originally of buffalo hide, but later of the skins of other animals] + +But fortune disposed otherwise of me. When the people observed I was +quiet, they discharged no more arrows; but, by the noise I heard, I knew +their numbers increased; and about four yards from me, over against my +right ear, I heard a knocking for above an hour, like that of people at +work; when, turning my head that way, as well as the pegs and strings +would permit me, I saw a stage erected about a foot and a half from the +ground, capable of holding four of the inhabitants, with two or three +ladders to mount it; from whence one of them, who seemed to be a person +of quality, made me a long speech, whereof I understood not one +syllable. + +But I should have mentioned that, before the principal person began his +oration, he cried out three times, "Langro dehul san" (these words and +the former were afterward repeated and explained to me); whereupon, +immediately, about fifty of the inhabitants came and cut the strings +that fastened the left side of my head, which gave me the liberty of +turning it to the right, and of observing the person and gesture of him +that was to speak. He appeared to be of a middle age, and taller than +any of the other three who attended him; whereof one was a page, that +held up his train, and seemed to be somewhat longer than my middle +finger; the other two stood one on each side to support him. He acted +every part of an orator; and I could observe many periods of +threatenings, and others of promises, pity, and kindness. + +I answered in a few words, but in the most submissive manner, lifting up +my left hand and both mine eyes to the sun, as calling him for a +witness: and being almost famished with hunger, having not eaten a +morsel for some hours before I left the ship, I found the demands of +nature so strong upon me that I could not forbear showing my impatience +(perhaps against the strict rules of decency) by putting my finger +frequently on my mouth, to signify that I wanted food. + +The _hurgo_ (for so they call a great lord, as I afterward learned) +understood me very well. He descended from the stage, and commanded that +several ladders should be applied to my sides, on which above an hundred +of the inhabitants mounted, and walked toward my mouth, laden with +baskets full of meat, which had been provided and sent thither by the +king's orders, upon the first intelligence he received of me. I observed +there was the flesh of several animals, but could not distinguish them +by the taste. There were shoulders, legs, and loins, shaped like those +of mutton, and very well dressed but smaller than the wings of a lark. I +eat them by two or three at a mouthful, and took three loaves at a time, +about the bigness of musket-bullets. They supplied me as fast as they +could, showing a thousand marks of wonder and astonishment at my bulk +and appetite. + +I then made another sign, that I wanted drink. They found by my eating +that a small quantity would not suffice me; and, being a most ingenious +people, they slung up, with great dexterity, one of their largest +hogsheads, then rolled it toward my hand, and beat out the top. I drank +it off at a draught, which I might well do, for it did not hold half a +pint, and tasted like a small wine of Burgundy, but much more delicious. +They brought me a second hogshead, which I drank in the same manner, and +made signs for more; but they had none to give me. + +When I had performed these wonders, they shouted for joy, and danced +upon my breast, repeating several times, as they did at first, "Hekinah +degul." They made me a sign that I should throw down the two hogsheads, +but first warning the people below to stand out of the way, crying +aloud, "Borach mivolah"; and when they saw the vessels in the air there +was an universal shout of "Hekinah degul." + +I confess I was often tempted, while they were passing backward and +forward on my body, to seize forty or fifty of the first that came in my +reach, and dash them against the ground. But the remembrance of what I +had felt, which probably might not be the worst they could do, and the +promise of honor I made them--for so I interpreted my submissive +behavior--soon drove out these imaginations. Besides, I now considered +myself as bound by the laws of hospitality to a people who had treated +me with so much expense and magnificence. However, in my thoughts I +could not sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity of these diminutive +mortals, who durst venture to mount and walk upon my body, while one of +my hands was at liberty, without trembling at the very sight of so +prodigious a creature as I must appear to them. + +After some time, when they observed that I made no more demands for +meat, there appeared before me a person of high rank from his imperial +majesty. His excellency, having mounted on the small of my right leg, +advanced forward up to my face, with about a dozen of his retinue; and +producing his credentials, under the signet-royal, which he applied +close to mine eyes, spoke about ten minutes without any signs of anger, +but with a kind of determinate resolution; often pointing forward; +which, as I afterward found, was toward the capital city, about half a +mile distant, whither it was agreed by his majesty in council that I +must be conveyed. + +I answered in few words, but to no purpose, and made a sign with my +hand that was loose, putting it to the other (but over his excellency's +head, for fear of hurting him or his train), and then to my own head and +body, to signify that I desired my liberty. + +It appeared that he understood me well enough, for he shook his head by +way of disapprobation, and held his hand in a posture to show that I +must be carried as a prisoner. However, he made other signs, to let me +understand that I should have meat and drink enough, and very good +treatment. Whereupon, I once more thought of attempting to break my +bonds; but again, when I felt the smart of their arrows upon my face and +hands, which were all in blisters, and many of the darts still sticking +in them, and observing likewise that the number of my enemies increased, +I gave tokens to let them know that they might do with me what they +pleased. + +Upon this, the _hurgo_ and his train withdrew, with much civility +and cheerful countenances. Soon after, I heard a general shout, with +frequent repetitions of the words "Peplom selan," and I felt great +numbers of the people on my left side, relaxing the cords to such a +degree that I was able to turn upon my right. But before this they had +daubed my face and both my hands with a sort of ointment, very pleasant +to the smell, which, in a few minutes, removed all the smart of their +arrows. These circumstances, added to the refreshment I had received by +their victuals and drink, which were very nourishing, disposed me to +sleep. I slept about eight hours, as I was afterward assured; and it was +no wonder, for the physicians, by the emperor's order, had mingled a +sleepy potion in the hogsheads of wine. + +It seems that upon the first moment I was discovered sleeping on the +ground, after my landing, the emperor had early notice of it by an +express, and determined in council that I should be tied in the manner I +have related (which was done in the night, while I slept), that plenty +of meat and drink should be sent to me, and a machine prepared to carry +me to the capital city. + +This resolution, perhaps, may appear very bold and dangerous, and I am +confident would not be imitated by any prince in Europe, on the like +occasion. However, in my opinion, it was extremely prudent, as well as +generous; for supposing these people had endeavored to kill me with +their spears and arrows while I was asleep, I should certainly have +awaked with the first sense of smart, which might so far have roused my +rage and strength as to have enabled me to break the strings wherewith I +was tied; after which, as they were not able to make resistance, so they +could expect no mercy. + +[Illustration: GULLIVER'S JOURNEY TO THE METROPOLIS] + +These people are most excellent mathematicians, and arrived to a great +perfection in mechanics, by the countenance and encouragement of the +emperor, who is a renowned patron of learning. This prince has several +machines fixed on wheels, for the carriage of trees and other great +weights. He often builds his largest men-of-war, whereof some are nine +feet long, in the woods where the timber grows, and has them carried on +these engines, three or four hundred yards, to the sea. + +Five hundred carpenters and engineers were immediately set at work to +prepare the greatest engine they had. It was a frame of wood raised +three inches from the ground, about seven feet long, and four wide, +moving upon twenty-two wheels. The shout I heard was upon the arrival of +this engine, which, it seems, set out in four hours after my landing. It +was brought parallel to me as I lay. But the principal difficulty was to +raise and place me in this vehicle. Eighty poles, each of one foot high, +were erected for this purpose, and very strong cords, of the bigness of +pack-thread, were fastened by hooks to many bandages, which the workmen +had girt round my neck, my hands, my body, and my legs. Nine hundred of +the strongest men were employed to draw up these cords, by many pulleys +fastened on the poles; and thus, in less than three hours, I was raised +and slung into the engine, and there tied fast. All this I was told; +for, while the whole operation was performing, I lay in a profound +sleep, by the force of that soporiferous medicine infused into my +liquor. Fifteen hundred of the emperor's largest horses, each about four +inches and a half high, were employed to draw me toward the metropolis, +which, as I said, was half a mile distant. About four hours after we +began our journey, I awaked by a very ridiculous accident; for the +carriage being stopped awhile to adjust something that was out of order, +two or three of the young natives had the curiosity to see how I looked +when I was asleep; they climbed up into the engine, and advancing very +softly to my face, one of them, an officer in the guards, put the sharp +end of his half-pike a good way up into my nostril, which tickled my +nose like a straw, and made me sneeze violently; whereupon they stole +off unperceived, and it was three weeks before I knew the cause of my +awaking so suddenly. + +We made a long march the remaining part of that day,[3] and rested at +night with five hundred guards on each side of me, half with torches, +and half with bows and arrows, ready to shoot me if I should offer to +stir. The next morning at sunrise we continued our march, and arrived +within two hundred yards of the city gates about noon. The emperor and +all his court came out to meet us, but his great officers would by no +means suffer his majesty to endanger his person by mounting on my body. + +[Footnote 3: Notice the skill with which Swift adjusts all things to his +tiny Lilliputians. The half-mile journey would have been but a few +minutes' walk for Gulliver, but the six-inch men and the +four-and-one-half-inch horses spent almost a day and a half in covering +the distance.] + +At the place where the carriage stopped there stood an ancient temple, +esteemed to be the largest in the whole kingdom; which, having been +polluted some years before by an unnatural murder, was, according to the +zeal of those people, looked on as profane, and therefore had been +applied to common use, and all the ornaments and furniture carried away. +In this edifice it was determined I should lodge. The great gate +fronting to the north was about four foot high, and about two foot wide, +through which I could easily creep. On each side of the gate was a small +window, not above six inches from the ground: into that on the left side +the king's smiths conveyed fourscore and eleven chains, like those that +hang to a lady's watch in Europe, and almost as large, which were locked +to my left leg with thirty-six padlocks. + +Over against this temple, on t'other side of the great highway, at +twenty foot distance, there was a turret at least five foot high. Here +the emperor ascended, with many principal lords of his court, to have an +opportunity of viewing me, as I was told, for I could not see them. It +was reckoned that above an hundred thousand inhabitants came out of the +town upon the same errand; and, in spite of my guards, I believe there +could not be fewer than ten thousand at several times, who mounted upon +my body by the help of ladders. But a proclamation was soon issued to +forbid it upon pain of death. + +When the workmen found it was impossible for me to break loose they cut +all the strings that bound me; whereupon I rose up, with as melancholy a +disposition as ever I had in my life. But the noise and astonishment of +the people, at seeing me rise and walk, are not to be expressed. The +chains that held my left leg were about two yards long, and gave me not +only the liberty of walking backward and forward in a semicircle, but, +being fixed within four inches of the gate, allowed me to creep in and +lie at my full length in the temple. + + + +_II. Imprisonment_ + + +When I found myself on my feet I looked about me, and must confess I +never beheld a more entertaining prospect. The country round appeared +like a continued garden, and the enclosed fields, which were generally +forty foot square, resembled so many beds of flowers. These fields were +intermingled with woods of half a stang,[4] and the tallest trees, as I +could judge, appeared to be seven foot high. I viewed the town on my +left hand, which looked like the painted scene of a city in a theater. + +The emperor was already descended from the tower, and advancing on +horseback toward me, which had like to have cost him dear, for the +beast, though very well trained, yet wholly unused to such a sight, +which appeared as if a mountain moved before him, reared up on his +hinder feet; but that prince, who is an excellent horseman, kept his +seat till his attendants ran in and held the bridle while his majesty +had time to dismount. + +[Footnote 4: _Stang_ is an old name for a pole, or perch, sixteen +and one-half feet.] + +When he alighted he surveyed me round with great admiration, but kept +beyond the length of my chain. He ordered his cooks and butlers, who +were already prepared, to give me victuals and drink, which they pushed +forward in sorts of vehicles upon wheels till I could reach them. I took +these vehicles, and soon emptied them all; twenty of them were filled +with meat, and ten with liquor; each of the former afforded me two or +three good mouthfuls, and I emptied the liquor of ten vessels, which was +contained in earthen vials, into one vehicle, drinking it off at a +draught. The empress and young princes of the blood, of both sexes, +attended by many ladies, sat at some distance in their chairs, but upon +the accident that happened to the emperor's horse they alighted and came +near his person, which I am now going to describe. + +He is taller, by almost the breadth of my nail, than any of his court, +which is alone enough to strike an awe into the beholders. His features +are strong and masculine, with an Austrian lip and arched nose; his +complexion olive, his countenance erect, his body and limbs well +proportioned, all his motions graceful, and his deportment majestic. He +was then past his prime, being twenty-eight years and three-quarters +old,[5] of which he had reigned about seven in great felicity, and +generally victorious. For the better convenience of beholding him I lay +on my side, so that my face was parallel to his, and he stood but three +yards off; however, I have had him since many times in my hand, and +therefore cannot be deceived in the description. His dress was very +plain and simple, and the fashion of it between the Asiatic and the +European; but he had on his head a light helmet of gold, adorned with +jewels, and a plume on the crest. He held his sword drawn in his hand to +defend himself if I should happen to break loose; it was almost three +inches long, the hilt and scabbard were gold enriched with diamonds. His +voice was shrill, but very clear and articulate, and I could distinctly +hear it when I stood up. + +[Footnote 5: Swift uses his reducing imagination even on the time, +perceiving that it would not seem natural for his tiny manikins to have +as long lives as the "man mountain" on which they gazed with such +wonder.] + +[Illustration: THE EMPEROR VISITS GULLIVER] + +The ladies and courtiers were all most magnificently clad, so that the +spot they stood upon seemed to resemble a petticoat spread on the ground +embroidered with figures of gold and silver. + +His imperial majesty spoke often to me, and I returned answers, but +neither of us could understand a syllable. There were several of his +priests and lawyers present (as I conjectured by their habit), who were +commanded to address themselves to me, and I spoke to them in as many +languages as I had the least smattering of, which were High and Low +Dutch, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and Lingua Franca,[6] but all to +no purpose. + +[Footnote 6: _Lingua Franca_ was the name given to a mixed dialect +used in some parts of the Mediterranean coasts as means of communication +between people of different nationalities. It consisted largely of +corrupted Italian words.] + +After about two hours the court retired, and I was left with a strong +guard to prevent the impertinence and probably the malice of the rabble, +who were very impatient to crowd about me as near as they durst, and +some of them had the impudence to shoot their arrows at me as I sat on +the ground by the door of my house, whereof one very narrowly missed my +left eye. But the colonel ordered six of the ringleaders to be seized, +and thought no punishment so proper as to deliver them bound into my +hands, which some of his soldiers accordingly did, pushing them forward +with the butt ends of their pikes into my reach. I took them all in my +right hand, put five of them into my coat pocket, and as to the sixth, I +made a countenance as if I would eat him alive. The poor man squalled +terribly, and the colonel and his officers were in much pain, especially +when they saw me take out my penknife; but I soon put them out of fear, +for looking mildly, and immediately cutting the strings he was bound +with, I set him gently on the ground, and away he ran. I treated the +rest in the same manner, taking them one by one out of my pocket, and I +observed both the soldiers and people were highly delighted at this mark +of my clemency, which was represented very much to my advantage at +court. + +Toward night I got with some difficulty into my house, where I lay on +the ground, and continued to do so about a fortnight, during which time +the emperor gave orders to have a bed prepared for me. Six hundred beds +of the common measure were brought in carriages, and worked up in my +house; an hundred and fifty of their beds sewn together made up the +breadth and length, and these were four double, which, however, kept me +but very indifferently from the hardness of the floor, that was of +smooth stone. By the same computation they provided me with sheets, +blankets, and coverlets, tolerable enough for one who had been so long +inured to hardships as I. + +In the meantime the emperor held frequent councils, to debate what +course should be taken with me; and I was afterward assured by a +particular friend, a person of great quality, who was looked upon to be +as much in the secret as any, that the court was under many difficulties +concerning me. They apprehended my breaking loose; that my diet would be +very expensive, and might cause a famine. Sometimes they determined to +starve me, or at least to shoot me in the face and hands with poisoned +arrows, which would soon despatch me. + +In the midst of these consultations, several officers of the army went +to the door of the great council-chamber, and two of them, being +admitted, gave an account of my behavior to the six criminals above +mentioned, which made so favorable an impression in the breast of his +majesty and the whole board in my behalf, that an imperial commission +was issued out obliging all the villages nine hundred yards round the +city to deliver in every morning six beeves, forty sheep, and other +victuals for my sustenance; together with a proportionable quantity of +bread, and wine, and other liquors; for the payment of which his majesty +gave orders upon his treasury. An establishment was also made of six +hundred persons to be my domestics, who had board wages allowed for +their maintenance, and tents built for them, very conveniently on each +side of my door. It was likewise ordered that three hundred tailors +should make me a suit of clothes, after the fashion of the country; that +six of his majesty's greatest scholars should be employed to instruct me +in their language; and, lastly, that the emperor's horses, and those of +the nobility, and troops of guard, should be frequently exercised in my +sight, to accustom themselves to me. + +All these orders were duly put in execution; and in about three weeks I +made a great progress in learning their language; during which time the +emperor frequently honored me with his visits, and was pleased to assist +my masters in teaching me. We began already to converse together in some +sort: and the first words I learned were to express my desire that he +would please to give me my liberty; which I every day repeated on my +knees. His answer, as I could apprehend it, was, that this must be a +work of time, not to be thought on without the advice of his council, +and that first I must swear a peace with him and his kingdom. However, +that I should be used with all kindness. And he advised me to acquire, +by my patience and discreet behavior, the good opinion of himself and +his subjects. + +He desired I would not take it ill, if he gave orders to certain proper +officers to search me; for probably I might carry about me several +weapons, which must needs be dangerous things, if they answered the bulk +of so prodigious a person. I said his majesty should be satisfied; for I +was ready to strip myself, and turn up my pockets before him. This, I +delivered part in words and part in signs. + +He replied, that by the laws of the kingdom, I must be searched by two +of his officers; that he knew this could not be done without my consent +and assistance; that he had so good an opinion of my generosity and +justice as to trust their persons in my hands; that whatever they took +from me should be returned when I left the country, or paid for at the +rate which I would set upon them. + +I took up the two officers in my hands, put them first into my coat +pockets, and then into every other pocket about me, except my two +fobs,[7] and another secret pocket I had no mind should be searched, +wherein I had some little necessaries that were of no consequence to any +but myself. In one of my fobs there was a silver watch, and in the other +a small quantity of gold in a purse. + +[Footnote 7: In England this word means not the ribbon or guard which +hangs from a watch, but the small pocket in the waistband of the +trousers, in which the watch is carried.] + +These gentlemen, having pen, ink, and paper about them, made an exact +inventory of everything they saw; and when they had done desired I would +set them down, that they might deliver it to the emperor. This inventory +I afterwards translated into English, and is word for word as follows: + +"_Imprimis_[8] in the right coat pocket of the great man-mountain +(for so I interpret the words _quinbus flestrin), after the +strictest search, we found only one great piece of coarse cloth, large +enough to be a footcloth for your majesty's chief room of state. + +[Footnote 8: _Imprimis_ is a word from the Latin, and means _in the +first place._] + +"In the left pocket we saw a huge silver chest, with a cover of the same +metal, which we, the searchers, were not able to lift. We desired it +should be opened, and one of us, stepping into it, found himself up to +the mid-leg in a sort of dust, some part whereof, flying up to our +faces, set us both a-sneezing for several times together. + +"In his right waistcoat pocket we found a prodigious bundle of white, +thin substances, folded one over another, about the bigness of three +men, tied with a strong cable, and marked with black figures, which we +humbly conceive to be writings, every letter almost half as large as the +palm of our hands. + +"In the left there was a sort of engine, from the back of which were +extended twenty long poles, resembling the palisadoes before your +majesty's court; wherewith we conjecture the man-mountain combs his +head; for we did not always trouble him with questions, because we found +it a great difficulty to make him understand us. + +"In the large pocket, on the right side of his middle cover (so I +translate the word _ranfu-lo,_ by which they meant my breeches), we saw +a hollow pillar of iron, about the length of a man, fastened to a strong +piece of timber larger than the pillar; and upon one side of the pillar +were huge pieces of iron sticking out, cut into strange figures, which +we know not what to make of. + +"In the left pocket, another engine of the same kind. + +"In the smaller pocket, on the right side, were several round, flat +pieces of white and red metal, of different bulk; some of the white, +which seemed to be silver, were so large and heavy that my comrade and I +could hardly lift them. + +"In the left pocket were two black pillars irregularly shaped; we could +not, without difficulty, reach the top of them, as we stood at the +bottom of his pocket. One of them was covered and seemed all of a piece; +but at the upper end of the other there appeared a white, round +substance, about twice the bigness of our heads. Within each of these +was enclosed a prodigious plate of steel; which, by our orders, we +obliged him to show us, because we apprehended they might be dangerous +engines. He took them out of their cases, and told us that, in his own +country, his practice was to shave his beard with one of these, and to +cut his meat with the other. + +"There were two pockets which we could not enter; these he called his +fobs; they were two large slits cut into the top of his middle cover, +but squeezed close by the pressure of his belly. Out of the right fob +hung a great silver chain, with a wonderful kind of engine at the +bottom. We directed him to draw out whatever was at the end of that +chain, which appeared to be a globe, half silver, and half of some +transparent metal; for, on the transparent side, we saw certain strange +figures circularly drawn, and thought we could touch them, till we found +our fingers stopped by that lucid substance. He put this engine to our +ears, which made an incessant noise like that of a water-mill: and we +conjecture it is either some unknown animal, or the god that he +worships; but we are more inclined to the latter opinion, because he +assured us (if we understood him right, for he expressed himself very +imperfectly), that he seldom did anything without consulting it. He +called it his oracle, and said it pointed out the time for every action +of his life. + +"From the left fob he took out a net, almost large enough for a +fisherman, but contrived to open and shut like a purse, and served him +for the same use: we found therein several massy pieces of yellow metal, +which, if they be real gold, must be of immense value. + +"Having thus, in obedience to your majesty's commands, diligently +searched all his pockets, we observed a girdle about his waist, made of +the hide of some prodigious animal, from which, on the left side, hung a +sword of the length of five men; and on the right, a bag or pouch +divided into two cells, each cell capable of holding three of your +majesty's subjects. In one of these cells were several globes or balls, +of a most ponderous metal, about the bigness of our heads, and required +a strong hand to lift them; the other cell contained a heap of certain +black grains, but of no great bulk or weight, for we could hold above +fifty of them in the palms of our hands. + +"This is an exact inventory of what we found about the body of the +man-mountain, who used us with great civility, and due respect to your +majesty's commission. Signed and sealed on the fourth day of the +eighty-ninth moon of your majesty's auspicious reign. + +[Illustration: GULLIVER AND THE PISTOL] + +"CLEFREN FRELOCK, MARSI FRELOCK." + +When this inventory was read over to the emperor he directed me, +although in very gentle terms, to deliver up the several particulars. He +first called for my scimitar, which I took out, scabbard and all. In the +meantime he ordered three thousand of his choicest troops (who then +attended him) to surround me at a distance, with their bows and arrows +just ready to discharge; but I did not observe it, for mine eyes were +wholly fixed upon his majesty. He then desired me to draw my scimitar, +which, although it had got some rust by the sea-water, was in most parts +exceeding bright. I did so, and immediately all the troops gave a shout +between terror and surprise: for the sun shone clear, and the reflection +dazzled their eyes, as I waved the scimitar to and fro in my hand. His +majesty, who is a most magnanimous prince, was less daunted than I could +expect: he ordered me to return it into the scabbard, and cast it on, +the ground as gently as I could, about six foot from the end of my +chain. + +The next thing he demanded was one of the hollow iron pillars: by which +he meant my pocket pistols. I drew it out, and at his desire, as well as +I could, expressed to him the use of it; and charging it only with +powder, which, by the closeness of my pouch, happened to escape wetting +in the sea (an inconvenience against which all prudent mariners take +special care to provide), I first cautioned the emperor not to be +afraid, and then I let it off in the air. The astonishment here was much +greater than at the sight of my scimitar. Hundreds fell down as if they +had been struck dead; and even the emperor, although he stood his +ground, could not recover himself in time. I delivered up both my +pistols in the same manner as I had done my scimitar, and then my pouch +of powder and bullets; begging him that the former might be kept from +the fire, for it would kindle with the smallest spark, and blow up his +imperial palace into the air. + +[Illustration: GULLIVER'S WATCH IS BORNE AWAY.] + +I likewise delivered up my watch, which the emperor was very curious to +see, and commanded two of his tallest yeomen of the guards to bear it on +a pole upon their shoulders, as draymen in England do a barrel of ale. +He was amazed at the continual noise it made, and the motion of the +minute-hand, which he could easily discern; for their sight is much more +acute than ours: and asked the opinions of his learned men about him, +which were various and remote, as the reader may well imagine without my +repeating; although, indeed, I could not perfectly understand them. + +I then gave up my silver and copper money, my purse with nine large +pieces of gold and some smaller ones; my knife and razor, my comb and +silver snuffbox, my handkerchief, and journal-book. My scimitar, +pistols, and pouch were conveyed in carriages to his majesty's stores; +but the rest of my goods were returned to me. + +I had, as I before observed, one private pocket, which escaped their +search, wherein there was a pair of spectacles (which I sometimes use +for the weakness of mine eyes), a pocket perspective,[9] and several +other little conveniences; which being of no consequence to the emperor, +I did not think myself bound in honor to discover, and I apprehended +they might be lost or spoiled if I ventured them out of my possession. + +[Footnote 9: _Perspective_ is an old name for telescope] + +About two or three days before I was set at liberty, there arrived an +express to inform his majesty that some of his subjects, riding near the +place where I was first taken up, had seen a great black substance lying +on the ground, very oddly shaped, extending its edges round, as wide as +his majesty's bedchamber, and rising up in the middle as high as a man; +that it was no living creature, as they at first apprehended, for it lay +on the grass without motion, and some of them had walked round it +several times; that, by mounting upon each other's shoulders, they had +got to the top, which was flat and even, and stamping upon it, they +found it was hollow within; that they humbly conceived it might be +something belonging to the man-mountain; and, if his majesty pleased, +they would undertake to bring it with only five horses. + +I presently knew what they meant, and was glad at heart to receive this +intelligence. It seems, upon my first reaching the shore after our +shipwreck I was in such confusion that, before I came to the place where +I went to sleep, my hat, which I had fastened with a string to my head +while I was rowing, and which had stuck on all the time I was swimming, +fell off after I came to land; the string, as I conjecture, breaking by +some accident which I never observed, but thought my hat had been lost +at sea. I entreated his imperial majesty to give orders it might be +brought to me as soon as possible, describing to him the use and the +nature of it: and the next day the wagoners arrived with it, but not in +a very good condition; they had bored two holes in the brim, within an +inch and a half of the edge, and fastened two hooks in the holes; these +hooks were tied by a long cord to the harness, and thus my hat was +dragged along for above half an English mile; but the ground in that +country being extremely smooth and level, it received less damage than I +expected.[10] + +[Footnote 10: Can you see any reason for introducing this long account +of the finding of Gulliver's hat? We have grown accustomed, in the pages +past, to thinking of the Lilliputians in contrast with Gulliver, but +does it not give us a new idea of their diminutive size to see them thus +contrasted with Gulliver's hat?] + + + +_III. The War with Blefuscu_ + + +I had sent so many memorials and petitions for my liberty, that his +majesty at length mentioned the matter, first in the cabinet, and then +in a full council; where it was opposed by none except Skyresh Bolgolam, +who was pleased, without any provocation, to be my mortal enemy. But it +was carried against him by the whole board, and confirmed by the +emperor. That minister was _galbet_, or admiral of the realm, very +much in his master's confidence, and a person well versed in affairs, +but of a morose and sour complexion.[11] However, he was at length +persuaded to comply; but prevailed that the articles and conditions upon +which I should be set free, and to which I must swear, should be drawn +up by himself. + +[Footnote 11: _Complexion_ here means disposition.] + +These articles were brought to me by Skyresh Bolgolam in person, +attended by two under-secretaries and several persons of distinction. +After they were read, I was demanded to swear to the performance of +them; first in the manner of my own country, and afterward in the method +prescribed by their laws; which was, to hold my right foot in my left +hand, to place the middle finger of my right hand on the crown of my +head, and my thumb on the tip of my right ear. + +I swore and subscribed to these articles with great cheerfulness and +content, although some of them were not so honorable as I could have +wished; which proceeded wholly from the malice of Skyresh Bolgolam, the +high admiral; whereupon my chains were immediately unlocked, and I was +at full liberty. The emperor himself in person did me the honor to be by +at the whole ceremony. I made my acknowledgments by prostrating myself +at his majesty's feet: but he commanded me to rise; and after many +gracious expressions, which, to avoid the censure of vanity I shall not +repeat, he added, that he hoped I should prove a useful servant, and +well deserve all the favors he had already conferred upon me, or might +do for the future. + +One morning, about a fortnight after I had obtained my liberty, +Reldresal, principal secretary (as they style him) of private affairs, +came to my house, attended only by one servant. He ordered his coach to +wait at a distance, and desired I would give him an hour's audience; +which I readily consented to, on account of his quality and personal +merits, as well as of the many good offices he had done me during my +solicitations at court. I offered to lie down, that he might the more +conveniently reach my ear; but he chose rather to let me hold him in my +hand during our conversation. He began with compliments on my liberty; +said he might pretend to some merit in it; but, however, added, that if +it had not been for the present situation of things at court perhaps I +might not have obtained it so soon. + +"For," said he, "as flourishing a condition as we may appear to be in to +foreigners, we labor under two mighty evils; a violent faction at home, +and the danger of an invasion by a most potent enemy from abroad. As to +the first, you are to understand that for above seventy moons[12] past +there have been two struggling parties in this empire, under the names +_Tramecksan_ and _Slamecksan_, from the high and low heels of +their shoes, by which they distinguish themselves. It is alleged, +indeed, that the high heels are most agreeable to our ancient +constitution; but, however this be, his majesty hath determined to make +use of only low heels in the administration of the government, and all +offices in the gift of the crown, as you cannot but observe; and +particularly that his majesty's imperial heels are lower, at least by a +_drurr_, than any of his court (_drurr_ is a measure about the +fourteenth part of an inch). The animosities between these two parties +run so high that they will neither eat nor drink, nor talk with each +other. We compute the _Tramecksan_, or high heels, to exceed us in +number; but the power is wholly on our side. We apprehend his imperial +highness, the heir to the crown, to have some tendency toward the high +heels; at least we can plainly discover one of his heels higher than the +other, which gives him a hobble in his gait. + +[Footnote 12: These little people measure time by _moons_ or +months, rather than by the longer division of years.] + +"Now, in the midst of these intestine disquiets, we are threatened with +an invasion from the island of Blefuscu, which is the other great empire +of the universe, almost as large and powerful as this of his majesty. +For, as to what we have heard you affirm, that there are other kingdoms +and states in the world, inhabited by human creatures as large as +yourself, our philosophers are in much doubt, and would rather +conjecture that you dropped from the moon or one of the stars; because +it is certain that an hundred mortals of your bulk would in a short time +destroy all the fruits and cattle of his majesty's dominions; besides, +our histories of six thousand moons make no mention of any other regions +than the two great empires of Lilliput and Blefuscu; which two mighty +powers have, as I was going to tell you, been engaged in a most +obstinate war for thirty-six moons past. It began upon the following +occasion: + +"It is allowed on all hands that the primitive way of breaking eggs, +before we eat them, was upon the larger end; but his present majesty's +grandfather, while he was a boy, going to eat an egg, and breaking it +according to the ancient practice, happened to cut one of his fingers; +whereupon, the emperor, his father, published an edict, commanding all +his subjects, upon great penalties, to break the smaller end of their +eggs. The people so highly resented this law that our histories tell us +there have been six rebellions raised on that account; wherein one +emperor lost his life, and another his crown. + +"These civil commotions were constantly fomented by the monarchs of +Blefuscu; and when they were quelled the exiles always fled for refuge +to that empire. It is computed that eleven thousand persons have at +several times suffered death rather than submit to break their eggs at +the smaller end. Many hundred large volumes have been published upon +this controversy; but the books of the Big-endians have been long +forbidden, and the whole party rendered incapable by law of holding +employments. During the course of these troubles, the emperors of +Blefuscu did frequently expostulate by their ambassadors, accusing us of +making a schism in religion by offending against a fundamental doctrine +of our great prophet Lustrog, in the fifty-fourth chapter of the +Blundecral (which is their Alcoran)[13]. This, however, is thought to be +a mere strain upon the text; for the words are these: that all true +believers shall break their eggs at the convenient end. And which is the +convenient end seems, in my humble opinion, to be left to every man's +conscience, or at least in the power of the chief magistrate to +determine. + +[Footnote 13: The Alcoran, or, as it is more commonly called, the Koran, +is the Mohammedan Bible.] + +"Now, the Big-endian exiles have found so much credit in the emperor of +Blefuscu's court, and so much private assistance and encouragement from +their party here at home, that a bloody war hath been carried on between +the two empires for thirty-six moons with various success; during which +time we have lost forty capital ships, and a much greater number of +smaller vessels, together with thirty thousand of our best seamen and +soldiers; and the damage received by the enemy is reckoned to be +somewhat greater than ours. However, they have now equipped a numerous +fleet, and are just preparing to make a descent upon us; and his +imperial majesty, placing great confidence in your valor and strength, +hath commanded me to lay this account of his affairs before you." + +I desired the secretary to present my humble duty to the emperor; and to +let him know that I thought it would not become me, who was a foreigner, +to interfere with parties; but I was ready, with the hazard of my life, +to defend his person and state against all invaders. + +The empire of Blefuscu is an island, situated to the northeast of +Lilliput, from which it is parted only by a channel of eight hundred +yards wide. I had not yet seen it, and upon this notice of an intended +invasion I avoided appearing on that side of the coast, for fear of +being discovered by some of the enemy's ships, who had received no +intelligence of me; all intercourse between the two empires having been +strictly forbidden during the war, upon pain of death. I communicated to +his majesty a project I had formed, of seizing the enemy's whole fleet; +which, as our scouts assured us, lay at anchor in the harbor, ready to +sail with the first fair wind. I consulted the most experienced seamen +upon the depth of the channel, which they had often plumbed; who told me +that in the middle, at high-water, it was seventy _glumgluffs_ +deep, which is about six foot of European measure; and the rest of it +fifty _glumgluffs_ at most. + +I walked toward the northeast coast, over against Blefuscu, and, lying +down behind a hillock, took out my small pocket perspective glass, and +viewed the enemy's fleet at anchor, consisting of about fifty +men-of-war, and a great number of transports: I then came back to my +house, and gave order (for which I had a warrant) for a great quantity +of the strongest cable and bars of iron. The cable was about as thick as +packthread, and the bars of the length and size of a knitting-needle. I +trebled the cable to make it stronger, and for the same reason I twisted +three of the iron bars together, bending the extremities into a hook. +Having thus fixed fifty hooks to as many cables, I went back to the +northeast coast, and, putting off my coat, shoes, and stockings, walked +into the sea, in my leathern jerkin, about half an hour before +high-water. + +I waded with what haste I could, and swam in the middle, about thirty +yards, till I felt ground. I arrived at the fleet in less than half an +hour. The enemy was so frighted when they saw me that they leaped out of +their ships, and swam to shore, where there could not be fewer than +thirty thousand souls: I then took my tackling, and, fastening a hook to +the hole at the prow of each, I tied all the cords together at the end. +While I was thus employed the enemy discharged several thousand arrows, +many of which stuck in my hands and face; and, besides the excessive +smart, gave me much disturbance in my work. My greatest apprehension was +for mine eyes, which I should have infallibly lost, if I had not +suddenly thought of an expedient. I kept, among other little +necessaries, a pair of spectacles in a private pocket, which, as I +observed before, had escaped the emperor's searchers. These I took out, +and fastened as strongly as I could upon my nose, and, thus armed, went +on boldly with my work, in spite of the enemy's arrows, many of which +struck against the glasses of my spectacles, but without any other +effect further than a little to discompose them. + +I had now fastened all the hooks, and, taking the knot in my hand, began +to pull; but not a ship would stir, for they were all too fast held by +their anchors, so that the bold part of my enterprise remained. I +therefore let go the cord, and, leaving the hooks fixed to the ships, I +resolutely cut with my knife the cables that fastened the anchors, +receiving about two hundred shots in my face and hands; then I took up +the knotted end of the cables, to which my hooks were tied, and with +great ease drew fifty of the enemy's largest men-of-war after me. + +The Blefuscudians, who had not the least imagination of what I intended, +were at first confounded with astonishment. They had seen me cut the +cables, and thought my design was only to let the ships run adrift, or +fall foul on each other; but when they perceived the whole fleet moving +in order, and saw me pulling at the end, they set up such a scream of +grief and despair that it is almost impossible to describe or conceive. +When I had got out of danger I stopped a while to pick out the arrows +that stuck in my hands and face; and rubbed on some of the ointment that +was given me at my first arrival, as I have formerly mentioned. I then +took off my spectacles, and, waiting about an hour, till the tide was a +little fallen, I waded through the middle with my cargo, and arrived +safe at the royal port of Lilliput. + +The emperor and his whole court stood on the shore, expecting the issue +of this great adventure. They saw the ships move forward in a large +half-moon, but could not discern me, who was up to my breast in water. +When I advanced to the middle of the channel they were yet more in pain, +because I was under water to my neck. The emperor concluded me to be +drowned, and that the enemy's fleet was approaching in a hostile manner: +but he was soon eased of his fears; for, the channel growing shallower +every step I made, I came in a short time within hearing, and, holding +up the end of the cable by which the fleet was fastened, I cried in a +loud voice, "Long live the most puissant Emperor of Lilliput!" This +great prince received me at my landing with all possible encomiums, and +created me a _nardac_ upon the spot, which is the highest title of +honor among them. + +[Illustration: GULLIVER TAKES THE ENEMY'S FLEET] + +His majesty desired I would take some other opportunity of bringing all +the rest of the enemy's ships into his ports. And so unmeasurable is the +ambition of princes, that he seemed to think of nothing else than +reducing the whole empire of Blefuscu into a province, and governing it +by a viceroy; of destroying the Big-endian exiles, and compelling that +people to break the smaller end of their eggs, by which he would remain +the sole monarch of the whole world. But I endeavored to divert him from +this design, by many arguments drawn from the topics of policy as well +as justice; and I plainly protested that I would never be an instrument +of bringing a free and brave people into slavery. And, when the matter +was debated in council, the wisest part of the ministry were of my +opinion. + +This open, bold declaration of mine was so opposite to the schemes and +politics of his imperial majesty that he could never forgive it. He +mentioned it in a very artful manner at council, where I was told that +some of the wisest appeared at least, by their silence, to be of my +opinion; but others, who were my secret enemies, could not forbear some +expressions which, by a side-wind, reflected on me. And from this time +began an intrigue between his majesty and a junto of ministers, +maliciously bent against me, which broke out in less than two months, +and had like to have ended in my utter destruction. Of so little weight +are the greatest services to princes when put into the balance with a +refusal to gratify their passions. + +About three weeks after this exploit there arrived a solemn embassy from +Blefuscu, with humble offers of a peace; which was soon concluded, upon +conditions very advantageous to our emperor, wherewith I shall not +trouble the reader. + + +_IV. The Escape and the Return_ + +Before I proceed to give an account of my leaving this kingdom, it may +be proper to inform the reader of a private intrigue which had been for +two months forming against me. + +When I was just preparing to pay my attendance on the emperor of +Blefuscu, a considerable person at court (to whom I had been very +serviceable at a time when he lay under the highest displeasure of his +imperial majesty) came to my house very privately at night, in a close +chair, and, without sending his name, desired admittance. The chairmen +were dismissed; I put the chair, with his lordship in it, into my coat +pocket; and giving orders to a trusty servant to say I was indisposed +and gone to sleep, I fastened the door of my house, placed the chair on +the table, according to my usual custom, and sate down by it. After the +common salutations were over, observing his lordship's countenance full +of concern, and inquiring into the reason, he desired I would hear him +with patience, in a matter that highly concerned my honor and my life. +His speech was to the following effect, for I took notes of it as soon +as he left me: + +"You are to know," said he, "that several committees of council have +been lately called, in the most private manner, on your account; and it +is but two days since his majesty came to a full resolution. + +"You are very sensible that Skyresh Bolgolam (_galbet_, or high +admiral) hath been your mortal enemy almost ever since your arrival. His +original reasons I know not; but his hatred is much increased since your +great success against Blefuscu, by which his glory as admiral is +obscured. This lord, in conjunction with Flimnap the high treasurer, +Limtoc the general, Lalcon the chamberlain, and Balmuff the grand +justiciary have prepared articles of impeachment against you, for +treason and other capital crimes. + +"In three days your friend the secretary will be directed to come to +your house, and read before you the articles of impeachment; and then to +signify the great lenity and favor of his majesty and council, whereby +you are only condemned to the loss of your eyes, which his majesty doth +not question you will gratefully and humbly submit to; and twenty of his +majesty's surgeons will attend in order to see the operation well +performed, by discharging very sharp-pointed arrows into the balls of +your eyes, as you lie on the ground. + +"I leave to your prudence what measures you will take; and, to avoid +suspicion, I must immediately return in as private a manner as I came." +His lordship did so; and I remained alone, under many doubts and +perplexities of mind. + +I took the opportunity, before the three days were elapsed, to send a +letter to my friend the secretary, signifying my resolution of setting +out that morning for Blefuscu, pursuant to the leave I had got; and, +without waiting for an answer, I went to that side of the island where +our fleet lay. I seized a large man-of-war, tied a cable to the prow, +and, lifting up the anchors, I stripped myself, put my clothes (together +with my coverlet, which I brought under my arm) into the vessel, and, +drawing it after me, between wading and swimming, arrived at the royal +port of Blefuscu, where the people had long expected me: they lent me +two guides to direct me to the capital city, which is of the same name. +I held them in my hands till I came within two hundred yards of the +gate, and desired them to signify my arrival to one of the secretaries, +and let him know I there waited his majesty's command. I had an answer +in about an hour, that his majesty, attended by the royal family, and +great officers of the court, was coming out to receive me. I advanced a +hundred yards. The emperor and his train alighted from their horses; the +empress and ladies from their coaches; and I did not perceive they were +in any fright or concern. I lay on the ground to kiss his majesty's and +the empress' hand. I told his majesty that I was come, according to my +promise, and with the license of the emperor my master, to have the +honor of seeing so mighty a monarch, and to offer him any service in my +power, consistent with my duty to my own prince; not mentioning a word +of my disgrace, because I had hitherto no regular information of it, and +might suppose myself wholly ignorant of any such design; neither could I +reasonably conceive that the emperor would discover the secret while I +was out of his power. + +Three days after my arrival, walking out of curiosity to the northeast +coast of the island, I observed, about half a league off in the sea, +somewhat that looked like a boat overturned. I pulled off my shoes and +stockings, and, wading two or three hundred yards, I found the object to +approach nearer by force of the tide; and then plainly saw it to be a +real boat, which I supposed might by some tempest have been driven from +a ship: whereupon I returned immediately toward the city, and desired +his imperial majesty to lend me twenty of the tallest vessels he had +left, after the loss of his fleet, and three thousand seamen under the +command of the vice-admiral. + +This fleet sailed round, while I went back the shortest way to the +coast, where I first discovered the boat. I found the tide had driven it +still nearer. The seamen were all provided with cordage, which I had +beforehand twisted to a sufficient strength. When the ships came up, I +stripped myself, and waded till I came within an hundred yards of the +boat, after which I was forced to swim till I got up to it. The seamen +threw me the end of the cord, which I fastened to a hole in the fore +part of the boat, and the other end to a man-of-war, but I found all my +labor to little purpose; for, being out of my depth, I was not able to +work. In this necessity, I was forced to swim behind, and push the boat +forward, as often as I could, with one of my hands; and the tide +favoring me, I advanced so far that I could just hold up my chin and +feel the ground. I rested two or three minutes, and then gave the boat +another shove, and so on, till the sea was no higher than my armpits, +and now, the most laborious part being over, I took out my other cables, +which were stowed in one of the ships, and fastened them first to the +boat, and then to nine of the vessels which attended me; the wind being +favorable, the seamen towed and I shoved, till we arrived within forty +yards of the shore; and waiting till the tide was out, I got dry to the +boat, and, by the assistance of two thousand men, with ropes and +engines, I made a shift to turn it on its bottom, and found it was but +little damaged. + +[Illustration: GULLIVER BRINGS IN THE DRIFTING BOAT] + +I shall not trouble the reader with the difficulties I was under, by the +help of certain paddles, which cost me ten days' making, to get my boat +to the royal port of Blefuscu, where a mighty concourse of people +appeared upon my arrival, full of wonder at the sight of so prodigious a +vessel. I told the emperor that my good fortune had thrown this boat in +my way to carry me some place from whence I might return into my native +country; and begged his majesty's orders for getting materials to fit it +up, together with his license to depart; which, after some kind +expostulations, he was pleased to grant. + +Five hundred workmen were employed to make two sails to my boat, +according to my directions, by quilting thirteen folds of their +strongest linen together. I was at the pains of making ropes and cables +by twisting ten, twenty or thirty of the thickest and strongest of +theirs. A great stone that I happened to find served me for an anchor. I +had the tallow of three hundred cows for greasing my boat, and other +uses. I was at incredible pains in cutting down some of the largest +timber-trees for oars and masts; wherein I was much assisted by his +majesty's ship carpenters, who helped me in smoothing them after I had +done the rough work. + +In about a month, when all was prepared, I sent to receive his majesty's +commands, and to take my leave. The emperor and royal family came out of +the palace: I lay on my face to kiss his hand, which he very graciously +gave me: so did the empress and young princes of the blood. His majesty +presented me with fifty purses of two hundred _sprugs_ apiece, +together with his picture at full length, which I put immediately into +one of my gloves, to keep it from being hurt. The ceremonies at my +departure were too many to trouble the reader with at this time. + +I stored the boat with the carcasses of an hundred oxen and three +hundred sheep, with bread and drink proportionable, and as much meat +ready dressed as four hundred cooks could provide. I took with me six +cows and two bulls alive, with as many ewes and rams, intending to carry +them into my own country, and propagate the breed. And, to feed them on +board, I had a good bundle of hay and a bag of corn. I would gladly have +taken a dozen of the natives, but this was a thing which the emperor +would by no means permit; and, besides a diligent search into my +pockets, his majesty engaged my honor not to carry away any of his +subjects, although with their own consent and desire. + +Having thus prepared all things as well as I was able, I set sail on the +24th day of September, 1701, at six in the morning; and when I had gone +about four leagues to the northward, the wind being at southeast, at six +in the evening I descried a small island, about half a league to the +northwest. I advanced forward, and cast anchor on the lee-side of the +island, which seemed to be uninhabited. I then took some refreshment, +and went to my rest. I slept well, and I conjecture at least six hours, +for I found the day broke in two hours after I awaked. It was a clear +night. I eat my breakfast before the sun was up; and, heaving anchor, +the wind being favorable, I steered the same course that I had done the +day before, wherein I was directed by my pocket compass. My intention +was to reach, if possible, one of those islands which I had reason to +believe lay to the northeast of Van Diemen's Land.[14] + +[Footnote 14: Australia is a short distance from Tasmania, or Van +Diemen's Land. There are no islands to the northeast for a long +distance.] + +I discovered nothing all that day; but upon the next, about three in the +afternoon, when I had, by my computation, made twenty-four leagues from +Blefuscu, I described a sail steering to the southeast; my course was +due east. I hailed her, but could get no answer; yet I found I gained +upon her, for the wind slackened. I made all the sail I could, and in +half an hour she spied me, then hung out her ancient,[15] and discharged +a gun. It is not easy to express the joy I was in, upon the unexpected +hope of once more seeing my beloved country, and the dear pledges I left +in it. The ship slackened her sails, and I came up with her between five +and six in the evening, September 26; but my heart leaped within me to +see her English colors. I put my cows and sheep into my coat pockets, +and got on board with all my little cargo of provisions. + +[Footnote 15: _Ancient_ is an old word for _ensign_.] + +The vessel was an English merchantman, returning from Japan by the North +and South Seas; the captain, Mr. John Biddel of Deptford, a very civil +man and an excellent sailor. We were now in the latitude of thirty +degrees south; there were about fifty men in the ship; and I met an old +comrade of mine, one Peter Williams, who gave me a good character to the +captain. This gentleman treated me with kindness, and desired I would +let him know what place I came from last, and whither I was bound; which +I did in few words, but he thought I was raving, and that the dangers I +underwent had disturbed my head; whereupon I took my black cattle and +sheep out of my pocket, which, after great astonishment, clearly +convinced him of my veracity. I then showed him the gold given me by the +Emperor of Blefuscu, together with his majesty's picture at full length, +and some other rarities of that country. I gave him two purses of two +hundred _sprugs_ each, and promised, when we arrived in England, to +make him a present of a cow and a sheep. + +I shall not trouble the reader with a particular account of this voyage, +which was very prosperous for the most part. We arrived in the Downs on +the 13th of April, 1702. I had only one misfortune, that the rats on +board carried away one of my sheep: I found her bones in a hole, picked +clean from the flesh. The rest of my cattle I got safe on shore, and set +them a-grazing in a bowling green at Greenwich, where the fineness of +the grass made them feed very heartily, though I had always feared the +contrary; neither could I possibly have preserved them in so long a +voyage, if the captain had not allowed me some of his best biscuit, +which, rubbed to powder and mingled with water, was their constant food. +The short time I continued in England, I made a considerable profit by +showing my cattle to many persons of quality and others; and before I +began my second voyage, I sold them for six hundred pounds. Since my +last return I find the breed is considerably increased, especially the +sheep, which I hope will prove much to the advantage of the woolen +manufacture, by the fineness of the fleeces. + + + + +ADVENTURES IN BROBDINGNAG + +_I. Among the Giants_ + + +Having been condemned, by nature and fortune, to an active and restless +life, in two months after my return I again left my native country, and +took shipping in the Downs, on the 20th day of June, 1702, in the +_Adventure_, Captain John Nicholas, a Cornishman, commander, bound +for Surat. + +We had a very prosperous gale till we arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, +where we landed for fresh water; but discovering a leak, we unshipped +our goods and wintered there; for the captain falling sick of an ague, +we could not leave the Cape till the end of March. We then set sail, and +had a good voyage till we passed the Straits of Madagascar; but having +got northward of that island, and to about five degrees south latitude, +the winds, which in those seas are observed to blow a constant equal +gale between the north and west, from the beginning of December to the +beginning of May, on the 19th of April began to blow with much greater +violence, and more westerly than usual, continuing so for twenty days +together; during which time we were driven a little to the east of the +Molucca Islands,[16] and about three degrees northward of the line, as +our captain found by an observation he took the 2d of May, at which time +the wind ceased, and it was a perfect calm; whereat I was not a little +rejoiced. But he, being a man well experienced in the navigation of +those seas, bid us all prepare against a storm, which accordingly +happened the day following; for a southern wind, called the Southern +monsoon,[17] began to set in, and soon it was a very fierce storm. + +[Footnote 16: They could not really have been driven to the east of the +Molucca Islands without passing Sumatra, Java, Borneo or other islands.] + +[Footnote 17: _Monsoons_ are winds that blow part of the year in +one direction, and the rest of the year in the opposite direction.] + +During this storm, which was followed by a strong wind west-southwest, +we were carried, by my computation, about five hundred leagues to the +east, so that the oldest sailor on board could not tell in what part of +the world we were. Our provisions held out well, our ship was staunch, +and our crew all in good health; but we lay in the utmost distress for +water. We thought it best to hold on the same course, rather than turn +more northerly, which might have brought us to the northwest parts of +Great Tartary, and into the Frozen Sea. + +On the 16th day of June, 1703, a boy on the topmast discovered land. On +the 17th we came in full view of a great island, or continent (for we +knew not whether), on the south side whereof was a small neck of land +jutting out into the sea, and a creek too shallow to hold a ship of +above one hundred tons. We cast anchor within a league of this creek, +and our captain sent a dozen of his men well armed in the longboat, with +vessels for water, if any could be found. I desired his leave to go with +them, that I might see the country, and make what discoveries I could. + +When we came to land we saw no river or spring, nor any sign of +inhabitants. Our men therefore wandered on the shore to find out some +fresh water near the sea, and I walked alone about a mile on the other +side, where I observed the country all barren and rocky. I now began to +be weary, and, seeing nothing to entertain my curiosity, I returned +gently down toward the creek; and the sea being full in my view, I saw +our men already got into the boat, and rowing for life to the ship. + +I was going to halloo after them, although it had been to little +purpose, when I observed a huge creature walking after them in the sea, +as fast as he could; he waded not much deeper than his knees, and took +prodigious strides; but our men had got the start of him half a league, +and the sea thereabouts being full of sharp-pointed rocks, the monster +was not able to overtake the boat. This I was afterward told, for I +durst not stay to see the issue of that adventure; but ran as fast as I +could the way I first went, and then climbed up a steep hill, which gave +me some prospect of the country. I found it fully cultivated; but that +which first surprised me was the length of the grass, which in those +grounds that seemed to be kept for hay was above twenty foot high. + +I fell into a highroad, for so I took it to be, though it served to the +inhabitants only as a footpath through a field of barley. Here I walked +on for some time, but could see little on either side, it being now near +harvest, and the corn rising at least forty foot. I was an hour walking +to the end of this field, which was fenced in with a hedge of at least +one hundred and twenty foot high, and the trees so lofty that I could +make no computation of their altitude. There was a stile to pass from +this field into the next. It had four steps, and a stone to cross over +when you came to the uppermost. It was impossible for me to climb this +stile, because every step was six foot high, and the upper stone above +twenty. + +I was endeavoring to find some gap in the hedge, when I discovered one +of the inhabitants in the next field, advancing toward the stile, of the +same size with him whom I saw in the sea pursuing our boat. He appeared +as tall as an ordinary spire steeple, and took about ten yards at every +stride, as near as I could guess. I was struck with the utmost fear and +astonishment, and ran to hide myself in the corn, from whence I saw him +at the top of the stile, looking back into the next field on the right +hand, and heard him call in a voice many degrees louder than a +speaking-trumpet; but the noise was so high in the air that at first I +certainly thought it was thunder. Whereupon seven monsters, like +himself, came toward him with reaping hooks in their hands, each hook +about the largeness of six scythes. These people were not so well clad +as the first, whose servants or laborers they seemed to be; for, upon +some words he spoke, they went to reap the corn in the field where I +lay. + +I kept from them at as great a distance as I could, but was forced to +move with extreme difficulty, for the stalks of the corn were sometimes +not above a foot distant, so that I could hardly squeeze my body betwixt +them. However, I made a shift to go forward till I came to a part of the +field where the corn had been laid by the rain and wind. Here it was +impossible for me to advance a step; for the stalks were so interwoven +that I could not creep through, and the beards of the fallen ears so +strong and pointed that they pierced through my clothes into my flesh. +At the same time I heard the reapers not above an hundred yards behind +me. Being quite dispirited with toil, and wholly overcome by grief and +despair, I lay down between two ridges, and heartily wished I might +there end my days. I bemoaned my desolate widow and fatherless children. +I lamented my own folly and willfulness in attempting a second voyage, +against the advice of all my friends and relations. In this terrible +agitation of mind I could not forbear thinking of Lilliput, whose +inhabitants looked upon me as the greatest prodigy that ever appeared in +the world; where I was able to draw an imperial fleet in my hand, and +perform those other actions which will be recorded forever in the +chronicles of that empire, while posterity shall hardly believe them, +although attested by millions. I reflected what a mortification it must +prove to me to appear as inconsiderable in this nation as one single +Lilliputian would be among us. But this I conceived was to be the least +of my misfortunes; for, as human creatures are observed to be more +savage and cruel in proportion to their bulk, what could I expect but to +be a morsel in the mouth of the first among these enormous barbarians +that should happen to seize me? Undoubtedly philosophers are in the +right when they tell us that nothing is great or little otherwise than +by comparison. It might have pleased fortune to let the Lilliputians +find some nation, where the people were as diminutive with respect to +them as they were to me. And who knows but that even this prodigious +race of mortals might be equally overmatched in some distant part of the +world, whereof we have yet no discovery. + +Scared and confounded as I was, I could not forbear going on with these +reflections, when one of the reapers, approaching within ten yards of +the ridge where I lay, made me apprehend that with the next step I +should be squashed to death under his foot, or cut in two with his +reaping-hook. And therefore when he was again about to move, I screamed +as loud as fear could make me; whereupon the huge creature trod short, +and, looking round about under him for some time, at last espied me as I +lay on the ground. He considered awhile, with the caution of one who +endeavors to lay hold on a small dangerous animal in such a manner that +it may not be able either to scratch or to bite him, as I myself have +sometimes done with a weasel in England. + +At length he ventured to take me up behind, by the middle, between his +forefinger and thumb, and brought me within three yards of his eyes, +that he might behold my shape more perfectly. I guessed his meaning, and +my good fortune gave me so much presence of mind that I resolved not to +struggle in the least as he held me in the air above sixty foot from the +ground, although he grievously pinched my sides, for fear I should slip +through his fingers. All I ventured was to raise mine eyes toward the +sun, and place my hands together in a supplicating posture, and to speak +some words in an humble, melancholy tone, suitable to the condition I +then was in; for I apprehended every moment that he would dash me +against the ground, as we usually do any little hateful animal which we +have a mind to destroy. But my good star would have it that he appeared +pleased with my voice and gestures, and began to look upon me as a +curiosity, much wondering to hear me pronounce articulate words, +although he could not understand them. In the meantime I was not able to +forbear groaning and shedding tears, and turning my head toward my +sides; letting him know as well as I could how cruelly I was hurt by the +pressure of his thumb and finger. He seemed to apprehend my meaning; +for, lifting up the lappet of his coat, he put me gently into it, and +immediately ran along with me to his master, who was a substantial +farmer, and the same person I had first seen in the field. + +The farmer having (as I supposed by their talk) received such an account +of me as his servant could give him, took a piece of a small straw, +about the size of a walking-staff, and therewith lifted up the lappets +of my coat; which, it seems, he thought to be some kind of covering that +nature had given me. He blew my hairs aside to take a better view of my +face. He called his hinds about him, and asked them, as I afterward +learned, whether they had ever seen in the fields any little creature +that resembled me. He then placed me softly on the ground upon all four, +but I got immediately up, and walked slowly backward and forward, to let +those people see I had no intent to run away. + +They all sate down in a circle about me, the better to observe my +motions. I pulled off my hat, and made a low bow toward the farmer. I +fell on my knees, and lifted up my hands and eyes, and spoke several +words as loud as I could; I took a purse of gold out of my pocket, and +humbly presented it to him. He received it on the palm of his hand, then +applied it close to his eye to see what it was, and afterward turned it +several times with the point of a pin (which he took out of his sleeve), +but could make nothing of it. Whereupon I made a sign that he should +place his hand on the ground. I then took the purse, and opening it, +poured all the gold into his palm. There were six Spanish pieces of four +pistoles[18] each, besides twenty or thirty smaller coins. I saw him wet +the tip of his little finger upon his tongue, and take up one of my +largest pieces, and then another; but he seemed to be wholly ignorant +what they were. He made me a sign to put them again into my purse, and +the purse again into my pocket, which, after offering to him several +times, I thought it best to do. + +[Footnote 18: A _pistole_ is equivalent to about four dollars.] + +The farmer, by this time, was convinced I must be a rational creature. +He spoke often to me; but the sound of his voice pierced my ears like +that of a water-mill, yet his words were articulate enough. I answered +as loud as I could in several languages, and he often laid his ear +within two yards of me; but all in vain, for we were wholly +unintelligible to each other. He then sent his servants to their work, +and taking his handkerchief out of his pocket, he that I desired his son +might be pardoned. The father complied, and the lad took his seat again, +whereupon I went to him, and kissed his hand, which my master took, and +made him stroke me gently with it. + +In the midst of dinner my mistress' favorite cat leaped into her lap. I +heard a noise behind me like that of a dozen stocking-weavers at work; +and turning my head I found it proceeded from the purring of this +animal, who seemed to be three times larger than an ox, as I computed by +the view of her head and one of her paws, while her mistress was feeding +and stroking her. The fierceness of this creature's countenance +altogether discomposed me though I stood at the further end of the +table, above fifty foot off; and although my mistress held her fast, for +fear she might give a spring, and seize me in her talons. But it +happened there was no danger; for the cat took not the least notice of +me when my master placed me within three yards of her. And, as I have +been always told, and found true by experience in my travels, that +flying or discovering fear before a fierce animal is a certain way to +make it pursue or attack you, so I resolved, in this dangerous juncture, +to show no manner of concern. I walked with intrepidity five or six +times before the very head of the cat, and came within half a yard of +her; whereupon she draw herself back, as if she were more afraid of me. + +I had less apprehension concerning the dogs, whereof three or four came +into the room as it is usual in farmers' houses; one of which was a +mastiff, equal in bulk to four elephants, and a greyhound, somewhat +taller than the mastiff, but not so large. + +When dinner was almost done the nurse came in with a child of a year old +in her arms, who immediately spied me, and began a squall that you might +have heard from London Bridge to Chelsea, after the usual oratory of +infants, to get me for a plaything. + +The mother, out of pure indulgence, took me up, and put me toward the +child, who presently seized me by the middle and got my head in his +mouth, where I roared so loud that the urchin was frighted, and let me +drop, and I should infallibly have broke my neck, if the mother had not +held her apron under me. The nurse, to quiet her babe, made use of a +rattle, which was a kind of hollow vessel filled with great stones, and +fastened by a cable to the child's waist. + +The vast creatures are not deformed: for I must do them justice to say +they are a comely race of people; and particularly the features of my +master's countenance, although he was but a farmer, when I beheld him +from the height of sixty foot, appeared very well-proportioned. + +When dinner was done my master went out to his laborers, and, as I could +discover by his voice and gesture, gave his wife a strict charge to take +care of me. I was very much tired, and disposed to sleep, which my +mistress perceiving she put me on her own bed, and covered me with a +clean white handkerchief, but larger and coarser than the mainsail of a +man-of-war. + +I slept about two hours, and dreamed I was at home with my wife and +children, which aggravated my sorrows when I awaked and found myself +alone in a vast room, between two and three hundred foot wide, and above +two hundred high, lying in a bed twenty yards wide. My mistress was gone +about her household affairs, and had locked me in. The bed was eight +yards from the floor. I wished to get down, but durst not presume to +call; and if I had it would have been in vain, with such a voice as +mine, at so great a distance as from the room where I lay to the kitchen +where the family kept. + +[Illustration: THE BABY SEIZED GULLIVER] + +While I was under these circumstances two rats crept up the curtains, +and ran smelling backward and forward on the bed. One of them came up +almost to my face, whereupon I rose in a fright, and drew out my +hanger[19] to defend myself. These horrible animals had the boldness to +attack me on both sides, and one of them held his forefeet at my collar; +but I had the good fortune to rip up his belly before he could do me any +mischief. He fell down at my feet; and the other, seeing the fate of his +comrade, made his escape, but not without one good wound on the back, +which I gave him as he fled, and made the blood run trickling from him. +After this exploit I walked gently to and fro on the bed, to recover my +breath and loss of spirits. These creatures were of the size of a large +mastiff, but infinitely more nimble and fierce; so that, if I had taken +off my belt before I went to sleep, I must have infallibly been torn to +pieces and devoured. I measured the tail of the dead rat, and found it +to be two yards long, wanting an inch; but it went against my stomach to +drag the carcass off the bed, where it lay still bleeding; I observed it +had yet some life, but with a strong slash across the neck I thoroughly +despatched it.[20] + +[Footnote 19: _Hanger_ is the name given to a kind of short, broad +sword which was formerly carried.] + +[Footnote 20: Gulliver told how, as he was returning from Lilliput, an +ordinary rat carried off a Lilliputian sheep; here he tells of rats +large enough to kill and eat a man. It is by such violent contrasts as +these that Swift impresses on us the difference in size between the +Lilliputians and the giants.] + +Soon after my mistress came into the room, who, seeing me all bloody, +ran and took me up in her hand. I pointed to the dead rat, smiling, and +making other signs to show I was not hurt; whereat she was extremely +rejoiced, calling the maid to take up the dead rat with a pair of tongs, +and throw it out of the window. Then she set me on a table, where I +showed her my hanger all bloody, and wiping it on the lappet of my coat, +returned it to the scabbard. + +I hope the gentle reader will excuse me for dwelling on these and the +like particulars, which, however insignificant they may appear to +groveling vulgar minds, yet will certainly help a philosopher to enlarge +his thoughts and imagination, and apply them to the benefit of public as +well as private life, which was my sole design in presenting this and +other accounts of my travels to the world; wherein I have been chiefly +studious of truth, without affecting any ornaments of learning or of +style. But the whole scene of this voyage made so strong an impression +on my mind, and is so deeply fixed in my memory, that, in committing it +to paper, I did not omit one material circumstance: however, upon a +strict review, I blotted out several passages of less moment, which were +in my first copy, for fear of being censured as tedious and trifling, +whereof travelers are often, perhaps not without justice, accused. + +My mistress had a daughter of nine years old, a child of towardly parts +for her age, very dexterous at her needle, and skillful in dressing her +baby.[21] Her mother and she contrived to fit up the baby's cradle for +me against night; the cradle was put into a small drawer of a cabinet, +and the drawer placed upon a hanging shelf for fear of the rats. This +was my bed all the time I stayed with those people, though made more +convenient by degrees, as I began to learn their language, and make my +wants known. She made me seven shirts and some other linen, of as fine +cloth as could be got, which indeed was coarser than sackcloth; and +these she constantly washed for me with her own hands. She was likewise +my schoolmistress, to teach me the language; when I pointed to anything +she told me the name of it in her own tongue, so that in a few days I +was able to call for whatever I had a mind to. She was very +good-natured, and not above forty foot high, being little for her age. I +called her my _Glumdalclitch,_ or little nurse, and I should be guilty +of great ingratitude if I omitted this honorable mention of her care and +affection toward me, which I heartily wish it lay in my power to requite +as she deserves. + +[Footnote 21: That is, her doll.] + +A most ingenious artist, according to my directions, in three weeks +finished for me a wooden chamber, of sixteen foot square, and twelve +high, with sash windows, a door, and two closets, like a London +bedchamber. The board that made the ceiling was to be lifted up and down +by two hinges, to put in a bed, ready furnished by her majesty's +upholsterer, which Glumdalclitch took out every day to air, made it with +her own hands, and letting it down at night, locked up the roof over me. +A workman, who was famous for little curiosities, undertook to make me +two chairs, with backs and frames, of a substance not unlike ivory, and +two tables, with a cabinet to put my things in. The room was quilted on +all sides, as well as the floor and the ceiling, to prevent any accident +from the carelessness of those who carried me, and to break the force of +a jolt when I went in a coach. I desired a lock for my door, to prevent +rats and mice from coming in. The smith made the smallest that ever was +seen among them, for I have known a larger at the gate of a gentleman's +house in England. I made a shift to keep the key in a pocket of my own, +fearing Glumdalclitch might lose it. + + + + +_III. Adventures at the Royal Court_ + + +I should have lived happily enough in that country if my littleness had +not exposed me to several ridiculous and troublesome accidents; some of +which I shall venture to relate. Glumdalclitch often carried me into the +gardens of the court in a smaller box, and would sometimes take me out +of it, and hold me in her hand, or set me down to walk. I remember the +queen's dwarf followed us one day into those gardens, and my nurse +having set me down, he and I being close together, near some dwarf apple +trees, I must needs show my wit, by a silly allusion between him and the +trees, which happens to hold in their language as it does in ours. +Whereupon, the malicious rogue, watching his opportunity when I was +walking under one of them, shook it directly over my head, by which a +dozen apples, each of them near as large as a Bristol barrel, came +tumbling about my ears; one of them hit me on the back as I chanced to +stoop, and knocked me down flat on my face; but I received no other +hurt, and the dwarf was pardoned at my desire, because I had given the +provocation. + +Another day Glumdalclitch left me on a smooth grassplot to divert +myself, while she walked at some distance with her governess. In the +meantime there suddenly fell such a violent shower of hail that I was +immediately, by the force of it, struck to the ground; and when I was +down the hailstones gave me such cruel bangs all over the body, as if I +had been pelted with tennis balls; however, I made a shift to creep on +all four, and shelter myself, by lying flat on my face, on the lee-side +of a border of lemon-thyme; but so bruised from head to foot that I +could not go abroad in ten days. Neither is this at all to be wondered +at, because nature in that country, observing the same proportion +through all her operations, a hailstone is near eighteen hundred times +as large as one in Europe; which I can assert upon experience, having +been so curious as to weigh and measure them. + +But a more dangerous accident happened to me in the same garden, where +my little nurse, believing she had put me in a secure place (which I +often entreated her to do, that I might enjoy my own thoughts), and +having left my box at home to avoid the trouble of carrying it, went to +another part of the gardens, with her governess and some ladies of her +acquaintance. While she was absent, and out of hearing, a small white +spaniel, belonging to one of the chief gardeners, having got by accident +into the garden, happened to range near the place where I lay; the dog +following the scent came directly up, and taking me in his mouth, ran +straight to his master, wagging his tail, and set me gently on the +ground. By good fortune he had been so well taught that I was carried +between his teeth without the least hurt, or even tearing my clothes. +But the poor gardener, who knew me well, and had a great kindness for +me, was in a terrible fright; he gently took me up in both his hands, +and asked me how I did, but I was so amazed and out of breath that I +could not speak a word. In a few minutes I came to myself, and he +carried me safe to my little nurse, who by this time had returned to the +place where she left me, and was in cruel agonies when I did not appear +nor answer when she called. She severely reprimanded the gardener on +account of his dog. + +This accident absolutely determined Glumdalclitch never to trust me +abroad for the future out of her sight. I had been long afraid of this +resolution, and therefore concealed from her some little unlucky +adventures that happened in those times when I was left by myself. Once +a kite hovering over the garden made a stoop at me, and if I had not +resolutely drawn my hanger, and run under a thick espalier, he would +have certainly carried me away in his talons. + +Another time, walking to the top of a fresh molehill, I fell to my neck +in the hole through which that animal had cast up the earth, and coined +some lie, not worth remembering, to excuse myself for spoiling my +clothes. I likewise broke my right shin against the shell of a snail, +which I happened to stumble over, as I was walking alone, and thinking +on poor England. + +I cannot tell whether I were more pleased or mortified to observe, in +those solitary walks, that the smaller birds did not appear to be at all +afraid of me, but would hop about within a yard distance, looking for +worms and other food, with as much indifference and security as if no +creature at all were near them. I remember, a thrush had the confidence +to snatch out of my hand, with his bill, a piece of cake that +Glumdalclitch had just given me for my breakfast. When I attempted to +catch any of these birds they would boldly turn against me, endeavoring +to peck my fingers, which I durst not venture within their reach; and +then they would turn back unconcerned, to hunt for worms or snails, as +they did before. But one day I took a thick cudgel, and threw it with +all my strength so luckily at a linnet that I knocked him down, and +seizing him by the neck with both my hands, ran with him in triumph to +my nurse. However, the bird, who had only been stunned, recovering +himself, gave me so many boxes with his wings on both sides of my head +and body, though I held him at arm's length, and was out of the reach of +his claws, that I was twenty times thinking to let him go. But I was +soon relieved by one of our servants, who wrung off the bird's neck, and +I had him next day for dinner. This linnet, as near as I can remember, +seemed to be somewhat larger than an English swan. + +The queen, who often used to hear me talk of my sea voyages, and took +all occasions to divert me when I was melancholy, asked me whether I +understood how to handle a sail or an oar, and whether a little exercise +of rowing might not be convenient for my health. I answered that I +understood both very well; for although my proper employment had been to +be surgeon or doctor to the ship, yet often upon a pinch I was forced to +work like a common mariner. But I could not see how this could be done +in their country, where the smallest wherry was equal to a first-rate +man-of-war among us; and such a boat as I could manage would never live +in any of their rivers. Her majesty said, if I would contrive a boat, +her own joiner should make it, and she would provide a place for me to +sail in. The fellow was an ingenious workman, and by my instructions, in +ten days finished a pleasure-boat, with all its tackling, able +conveniently to hold eight Europeans. When it was finished the queen was +so delighted that she ran with it in her lap to the king, who ordered it +to be put into a cistern full of water, with me in it, by way of trial, +where I could not manage my two sculls, or little oars, for want of +room. + +But the queen had before contrived another project. She ordered the +joiner to make a wooden trough of three hundred foot long, fifty broad, +and eight deep; which, being well pitched, to prevent leaking, was +placed on the floor, along the wall, in an outer room of the palace. It +had a cock near the bottom to let out the water, when it began to grow +stale; and two servants could easily fill it in half an hour. Here I +often used to row for my own diversion, as well as that of the queen and +her ladies, who thought themselves well entertained with my skill and +agility. Sometimes I would put up my sails, and then my business was +only to steer, while the ladies gave me a gale with their fans; and, +when they were weary, some of their pages would blow my sail forward +with their breath, while I showed my art by steering starboard or +larboard as I pleased. When I had done, Glumdalclitch always carried +back my boat into her closet, and hung it on a nail to dry. + +One time, one of the servants, whose office it was to fill my trough +every third day with fresh water, was so careless as to let a huge frog +(not perceiving it) slip out of his pail. The frog lay concealed till I +was put into my boat, but then, seeing a resting place, climbed up, and +made it lean so much on one side that I was forced to balance it with +all my weight on the other, to prevent overturning. When the frog was +got in it hopped at once half the length of the boat; and then over my +head, backward and forward, daubing my face and clothes with odious +slime. The largeness of its features made it appear the most deformed +animal that can be conceived. However, I desired Glumdalclitch to let me +deal with it alone. I banged it a good while with one of my sculls, and +at last forced it to leap out of the boat. + +[Illustration: A GALE WITH THEIR FANS] + +But the greatest danger I ever underwent in that kingdom was from a +monkey, who belonged to one of the clerks of the kitchen. Glumdalclitch +had locked me up in her closet, while she went somewhere upon business +or a visit. The weather being very warm, the closet window was left +open, as well as the windows and the door of my bigger box, in which I +usually lived, because of its largeness and conveniency. As I sat +quietly meditating at my table I heard Something bounce in at the closet +window, and skip about from one side to the other: whereat, although I +was much alarmed, yet I ventured to look out, but not stirring from my +seat; and then I saw this frolicsome animal frisking and leaping up and +down, till at last he came to my box, which he seemed to view with great +pleasure and curiosity, peeping in at the door and every window. I +retreated to the further corner of my room or box; but the monkey, +looking in at every side, put me into such a fright that I wanted +presence of mind to conceal myself under the bed, as I might easily have +done. After some time spent in peeping, grinning, and chattering, he at +last espied me; and, reaching one of his paws in at the door, as a cat +does when she plays with a mouse, although I often shifted place to +avoid him, he at length caught hold of the lappet of my coat (which, +being made of that country cloth, was very thick and strong), and +dragged me out. He took me up in his right forefoot, and held me, just +as I have seen the same sort of creature do with a kitten in Europe; and +when I offered to struggle he squeezed me so hard that I thought it more +prudent to submit. I have good reason to believe that he took me for a +young one of his own species, by his often stroking my face very gently +with his other paw. In these diversions he was interrupted by a noise at +the closet door, as if somebody were opening it, whereupon he suddenly +leaped up to the window at which he had come in, and thence upon the +leads and gutters, walking upon three legs, and holding me in the +fourth, till he clambered up to a roof that was next to ours. I heard +Glumdalclitch give a shriek at the moment he was carrying me out. The +poor girl was almost distracted; that quarter of the palace was all in +an uproar; the servants ran for ladders; the monkey was seen by hundreds +in the court sitting upon the ridge of a building, holding me like a +baby in one of his forepaws, and feeding me with the other, by cramming +into my mouth some victuals he had squeezed out of the bag on one side +of his chaps, and patting me when I would not eat; whereat the rabble +below could not forbear laughing; neither do I think they justly ought +to be blamed, for without question the sight was ridiculous enough to +everybody but myself. + +Some of the people threw up stones, hoping to drive the monkey down; but +this was strictly forbidden, or else, very probably, my brains had been +dashed out. + +The ladders were now applied, and mounted by several men, which the +monkey observing, and finding himself almost encompassed, not being able +to make speed enough with his three legs, let me drop on a ridge tile, +and made his escape. Here I sat for some time, three hundred yards from +the ground, expecting every moment to be blown down by the wind, or to +fall by my own giddiness, and come tumbling over and over from the ridge +to the eaves; but an honest lad, one of my nurse's footmen, climbed up, +and, putting me into his breeches pocket, brought me down safe. + +I was so weak and bruised in the sides by the squeezes given me by this +odious animal that I was forced to keep my bed a fortnight. The king, +queen, and all the court, sent every day to inquire after my health; and +her majesty made me several visits during my sickness. The monkey was +killed, and an order made that no such animal should be kept about the +palace. + +When I attended the king after my recovery, to return him thanks for his +favors, he was pleased to rally me a good deal upon this adventure. He +asked me what my thoughts and speculations were while I lay in the +monkey's paw; how I liked the victuals he gave me; his manner of +feeding; and whether the fresh air on the roof had sharpened my stomach. +He desired to know what I would have done upon such an occasion in my +own country. + +I told his majesty that in Europe we had no monkeys, except such as were +brought for curiosities from other places, and so small that I could +deal with a dozen of them together, if they presumed to attack me. And +as for that monstrous animal with whom I was so lately engaged (it was +indeed as large as an elephant), if my fear had suffered me to think so +far as to make use of my hanger (looking fiercely, and clapping my hand +upon the hilt as I spoke), when he poked his paw into my chamber, +perhaps I should have given him such a wound as would have made him glad +to withdraw it with more haste than he put it in. This I delivered in a +firm tone, like a person who was jealous lest his courage should be +called in question. However, my speech produced nothing else besides a +loud laughter, which all the respect due to his majesty from those about +him could not make them contain. This made me reflect how vain an +attempt it is for a man to endeavor doing himself honor among those who +are out of all degree of equality or comparison with him. And yet I have +seen the moral of my own behavior very frequent in England since my +return; where a little, contemptible varlet, without the least title to +birth, person, wit, or common sense, shall presume to look with +importance, and put himself upon a foot with the greatest persons of the +kingdom.[22] + +[Footnote 22: Gulliver's hatred of mankind betrays him, even in the +midst of his mildest satire, into such sharp, biting remarks as +this.] + + +[Illustration: GULLIVER AND THE KING] + + + +_IV. A Wonderful Escape_ + + +I had always a strong impulse that I should some time recover my +liberty, though it was impossible to conjecture by what means, or to +form any project with the least hope of succeeding. The ship in which I +sailed was the first ever known to be driven within sight of that coast, +and the king had given strict orders that if at any time another +appeared it should be taken ashore, and, with all its crew and +passengers, brought in a tumbrel to the capital. I was indeed treated +with much kindness; I was the favorite of a great king and queen, and +the delight of the whole court; but it was upon such a foot as ill +became the dignity of human kind. I could never forget those domestic +pledges I had left behind me. I wanted to be among people with whom I +could, converse upon even terms, and walk about the streets and fields +without fear of being trod to death like a frog or a young puppy. But my +deliverance came sooner than I expected, and in a manner not very +common; the whole story and circumstances of which I shall faithfully +relate. + +I had now been two years in the country; and about the beginning of the +third Glumdalclitch and I attended the king and queen in a progress to +the south coast of the kingdom. I was carried, as usual, in my +traveling-box, a very convenient closet of twelve foot wide. + +And I had ordered a hammock to be fixed, by silken ropes, from the four +corners at the top, to break the jolts when a servant carried me before +him on horseback, as I sometimes desired; and would often sleep in my +hammock while we were upon the road. On the roof of my closet, not +directly over the middle of the hammock, I ordered the joiner to cut out +a hole of a foot square, to give me air in hot weather, as I slept; +which hole I shut at pleasure with a board that drew backward and +forward through a groove. + +When we came to our journey's end, the king thought proper to pass a few +days at a palace he hath near Flanflasnic, a city within eighteen +English miles of the seaside. Glumdalclitch and I were much fatigued: I +had gotten a small cold, but the poor girl was so ill as to be confined +to her chamber. I longed to see the ocean, which must be the only scene +of my escape, if ever it should happen. I pretended to be worse than I +really was, and desired leave to take the fresh air of the sea, with a +page whom I was very fond of, and who had sometimes been trusted with +me. I shall never forget with what unwillingness Glumdalclitch +consented, nor the strict charge she gave the page to be careful of me, +bursting at the same time into a flood of tears, as if she had some +foreboding of what was to happen. + +The boy took me out in my box, about half an hour's walk from the +palace, toward the rocks on the seashore.[23] I ordered him to set me +down, and lifting up one of my sashes, cast many a wistful, melancholy +look toward the sea. I found myself not very well, and told the page +that I had a mind to take a nap in my hammock, which I hoped would do me +good. I got in, and the boy shut the window close down, to keep out the +cold. I soon fell asleep, and all I can conjecture is, that while I +slept the page, thinking no danger could happen, went among the rocks to +look for bird's eggs, having before observed him from my window +searching about, and picking up one or two in the clefts. + +[Footnote 23: Here again we have a striking contrast--the "half an +hour's walk" of eighteen miles set over against the day and a +half's ride of one-half mile in Lilliput.] + +Be that as it will, I found myself suddenly awaked with a violent pull +upon the ring, which was fastened at the top of my box for the +conveniency of carriage. I felt my box raised very high in the air, and +then borne forward with prodigious speed. The first jolt had like to +have shaken me out of my hammock, but afterward the motion was easy +enough. I called out several times as loud as I could raise my voice, +but all to no purpose. + +I looked toward my windows, and could see nothing but the clouds and +sky. I heard a noise just over my head, like the clapping of wings, and +then began to perceive the woeful condition I was in; that some eagle +had got the ring of my box in his beak, with an intent to let it fall on +a rock, like a tortoise in a shell, and then pick out my body, and +devour it: for the sagacity and smell of this bird enable him to +discover his quarry at a great distance, though better concealed than I +could be within a two-inch board. + +In a little time I observed the noise and flutter of wings to increase +very fast, and my box was tossed up and down, like a sign in a windy +day. I heard several bangs or buffets, as I thought, given to the eagle +(for such, I am certain, it must have been that held the ring of my box +in his beak), and then, all on a sudden, felt myself falling +perpendicularly down for above a minute, but with such incredible +swiftness that I almost lost my breath. My fall was stopped by a +terrible squash, that sounded louder to my ears than the cataract of +Niagara; after which I was quite in the dark for another minute, and +then my box began to rise so high that I could see light from the tops +of my windows. I now perceived that I was fallen into the sea. My box, +by the weight of my body, the goods that were in it, and the broad +plates of iron fixed for strength at the four corners of the top and +bottom, floated above five foot deep in water. I did then, and do now, +suppose that the eagle, which flew away with my box, was pursued by two +or three others, and forced to let me drop, while he was defending +himself against the rest, who hoped to share in the prey. The plates of +iron fastened at the bottom of the box (for those were the strongest) +preserved the balance while it fell, and hindered it from being broken +on the surface of the water. Every joint of it was well grooved; and the +door did not move on hinges, but up and down like a sash, which kept my +closet so tight that very little water came in. I got, with much +difficulty, out of my hammock, having first ventured to draw back the +slip-board on the roof, already mentioned, contrived on purpose to let +in air, for want of which I found myself almost stifled. + +How often did I then wish myself with my dear Glumdalclitch, from whom +one single hour had so far divided me! And I may say with truth, that, +in the midst of my own misfortunes, I could not forbear lamenting my +poor nurse, the grief she would suffer for my loss, the displeasure of +the queen, and the ruin of her fortune. Perhaps many travelers have not +been under greater difficulties and distress than I was at this +juncture, expecting every moment to see my box dashed in pieces, or, at +least, overset by the first violent blast, or a rising wave. A breach in +one single pane of glass would have been immediate death: nor could +anything have preserved the windows, but the strong lattice wires, +placed on the outside, against accidents in traveling. I saw water ooze +in at several crannies, although the leaks were not considerable, and I +endeavored to stop them as well as I could. I was not able to lift up +the roof of my closet, which otherwise I certainly should have done, and +sat on top of it; where I might at least preserve myself some hours +longer, than by being shut up (as I may call it) in the hold. Or, if I +escaped these dangers for a day or two, what could I expect but a +miserable death of cold and hunger? I was four hours under these +circumstances, expecting, and indeed wishing, every moment to be my +last. + +There were two strong staples fixed upon that side of my box which had +no window, and into which the servant, who used to carry me on +horseback, would put a leathern belt, and buckle it about his waist. +Being in this disconsolate state, I heard, or at least thought I heard, +some kind of grating noise on that side of my box where the staples were +fixed; and soon after I began to fancy that the box was pulled or towed +along in the sea; for I now and then felt a sort of tugging, which made +the waves rise near the tops of my windows, leaving me almost in the +dark. This gave me some faint hopes of relief, although I was not able +to imagine how it could be brought about. I ventured to unscrew one of +my chairs, which were always fastened to the floor; and having made a +hard shift to screw it down again, directly under the slipping-board +that I had lately opened, I mounted on the chair, and, putting my mouth +as near as I could to the hole, I called for help in a loud voice, and +in all the languages I understood. I then fastened my handkerchief to a +stick I usually carried, and, thrusting it up the hole waved it several +times in the air, that, if any boat or ship were near, the seamen might +conjecture some unhappy mortal to be shut up in this box. + +I found no effect from all I could do, but plainly perceived my closet +to be moved along; and in the space of an hour, or better, that side of +the box where the staples were, and had no windows, struck against +something that was hard. I apprehended it to be a rock, and found myself +tossed more than ever. I plainly heard a noise upon the cover of my +closet like that of a cable, and the grating of it as it passed through +the ring. I then found myself hoisted up, by degrees, at least three +foot higher than I was before. Whereupon I again thrust up my stick and +handkerchief, calling for help till I was almost hoarse. In return to +which I heard a great shout repeated three times, giving me such +transports of joy as are not to be conceived but by those who feel them. +I now heard a trampling over my head, and somebody calling through the +hole with a loud voice, in the English tongue, if there be anybody +below, let them speak. + +I answered, I was an Englishman, drawn, by ill fortune, into the +greatest calamity that ever any creature underwent, and begged, by all +that was moving, to be delivered out of the dungeon I was in. The voice +replied, I was safe, for my box was fastened to their ship, and the +carpenter should immediately come and saw a hole in the cover, large +enough to pull me out. I answered, that was needless, and would take up +too much time; for there was no more to be done, but let one of the crew +put his finger into the ring, and take the box out of the sea into the +ship, and so into the captain's cabin. Some of them, upon hearing me +talk so wildly, thought I was mad; others laughed; for indeed it never +came into my head that I was now got among people of my own stature and +strength. The carpenter came, and, in a few minutes, sawed a passage +about four foot square, then let down a small ladder, upon which I +mounted, and from thence was taken into the ship in a very weak +condition. + +The sailors were all in amazement, and asked me a thousand questions, +which I had no inclination to answer. I was equally confounded at the +sight of so many pigmies, for such I took them to be, after having so +long accustomed mine eyes to the monstrous objects I had left. But the +captain, Mr. Thomas Wilcocks, an honest, worthy Shropshireman, observing +I was ready to faint, took me into his cabin, gave me a cordial to +comfort me, and made me turn in upon his own bed, advising me to take a +little rest, of which I had great need. + +Before I went to sleep I gave him to understand that I had some valuable +furniture in my box, too good to be lost; a fine hammock--an handsome +field bed--two chairs--a table--and a cabinet. That my closet was hung +on all sides, or rather quilted with silk and cotton; that, if he would +let one of the crew bring my closet into his cabin, I would open it +there before him, and show him my goods. The captain, hearing me utter +these absurdities, concluded I was raving; however (I suppose to pacify +me), he promised to give order as I desired, and going upon deck, sent +some of his men down into my closet, from whence (as I afterward found) +they drew up all my goods, and stripped off the quilting; but the +chairs, cabinet, and bedstead, being screwed to the floor, were much +damaged by the ignorance of the seamen, who tore them up by force. Then +they knocked off some of the boards for the use of the ship, and when +they had got all they had a mind for, let the hull drop into the sea, +which, by reason of many breaches made in the bottom and sides, sunk to +rights.[24] And, indeed, I was glad not to have been a spectator of the +havoc they made, because I am confident it would have sensibly touched +me, by bringing former passages into my mind, which I had rather forget. + +[Footnote 24: _To rights_ means _directly_.] + +I slept some hours, but perpetually disturbed with dreams of the place I +had left, and the dangers I had escaped. However, upon waking, I found +myself much recovered. It was now about eight o'clock at night, and the +captain ordered supper immediately, thinking I had already fasted too +long. He entertained me with great kindness, observing me not to look +wildly, or talk inconsistently; and, when we were left alone, desired I +would give him a relation of my travels, and by what accident I came to +be set adrift in that monstrous wooden chest. He said that about twelve +o'clock at noon, as he was looking through his glass, he spied it at a +distance, and thought it was a sail, which he had a mind to make, being +not much out of his course, in hopes of buying some biscuit, his own +beginning to fall short; that, upon coming nearer, and finding his +error, he sent out his longboat to discover what it was; that his men +came back in a fright, swearing that they had seen a swimming house; +that he laughed at their folly, and went himself in the boat, ordering +his men to take a strong cable along with them; that the weather being +calm, he rowed round me several times, observed my windows, and the wire +lattice that defended them; that he discovered two staples upon one +side, which was all of boards, without any passage for light. He then +commanded his men to row up to that side, and fastening a cable to one +of the staples, ordered them to tow my chest, as they called it, toward +the ship. When it was there, he gave directions to fasten another cable +to the ring fixed in the cover, and to raise up my chest with pulleys, +which all the sailors were not able to do above two or three foot. He +said they saw my stick and handkerchief thrust out of the hole, and +concluded that some unhappy man must be shut up in the cavity. + +I asked whether he or the crew had seen any prodigious birds in the air +about the time he first discovered me. To which he answered, that +discoursing this matter with the sailors while I was asleep, one of them +said he had observed three eagles flying toward the north, but remarked +nothing of their being larger than the usual size; which, I suppose, +must be imputed to the great height they were at; and he could not guess +the reason of my question. I then asked the captain how far he reckoned +we might be from land. He said by the best computation he could make, we +were, at least, an hundred leagues. I assured him that he must be +mistaken by almost half, for I had not left the country from whence I +came above two hours before I dropped into the sea. Whereupon, he began +again to think that my brain was disturbed, of which he gave me a hint, +and advised me to go to bed in a cabin he had provided. + +I assured him I was well refreshed with his good entertainment and +company, and as much in my senses as ever I was in my life. He then grew +serious, and desired to ask me freely, whether I were not troubled in +mind by the consciousness of some enormous crime, for which I was +punished, at the command of some prince, by exposing me in that chest; +as great criminals, in other countries, have been forced to sea in a +leaky vessel, without provisions; for although he should be sorry to +have taken so ill a man into his ship, yet he would engage his word to +set me safe on shore at the first port where we arrived. He added that +his suspicions were much increased by some very absurd speeches I had +delivered at first to the sailors, and afterward to himself, in relation +to my closet or chest, as well as by my odd looks and behavior while I +was at supper. + +I begged his patience to hear me tell my story, which I faithfully did, +from the last time I left England to the moment he first discovered me. +And as truth always forceth its way into rational minds, so this honest, +worthy gentleman, who had some tincture of learning and very good sense, +was immediately convinced of my candor and veracity. + +But further to confirm all I had said, I entreated him to give order +that my cabinet should be brought, of which I had the key in my pocket; +for he had already informed me how the seamen disposed of my closet. I +opened it in his own presence, and showed him the small collection of +rarities I made in the country from whence I had been so strangely +delivered. There was a comb I had contrived out of the stumps of the +king's beard, and another of the same materials, but fixed into a paring +of her majesty's thumb-nail, which served for the back. There was a +collection of needles and pins, from a foot to half a yard long; four +wasp's stings, like joiner's tacks; a gold ring, which one day she made +me a present of, in a most obliging manner, taking it from her little +finger, and throwing it over my head like a collar. I desired the +captain would please to accept this ring in return of his civilities, +which he absolutely refused. I showed him a corn that I had cut off, +with my own hand, from a maid of honor's toe; it was the bigness of a +Kentish pippin, and grown so hard that, when I returned to England, I +got it hollowed into a cup, and set in silver. Lastly, I desired him to +see the breeches I had then on, which were made of a mouse's skin. + +I could force nothing on him but a footman's tooth, which I observed him +to examine with great curiosity, and found he had a fancy for it. He +received it with abundance of thanks, more than such a trifle could +deserve. It was drawn by an unskillful surgeon in a mistake, from one of +Glumdalclitch's men, who was afflicted with the toothache, but it was as +sound as any in his head. I got it cleaned, and put it in my cabinet. It +was about a foot long and four inches in diameter. + +The captain wondered at one thing very much, which was, to hear me speak +so loud; asking me whether the king or queen of that country were thick +of hearing. I told him it was what I had been used to for above two +years past, and that I wondered as much at the voices of him and his +men, who seemed to me only to whisper, and yet I could hear them well +enough. But when I spoke in that country it was like a man talking in +the street to another looking out from the top of a steeple, unless when +I was placed on a table, or held in any person's hand. + +I told him I had likewise observed another thing, that, when I first got +into the ship, and the sailors stood all about me, I thought they were +the most contemptible little creatures I had ever beheld. For, indeed, +while I was in that prince's country I could never endure to look in a +glass after mine eyes had been accustomed to such prodigious objects, +because the comparison gave me so despicable a conceit of myself. + +The captain said that while we were at supper he observed me to look at +everything with a sort of wonder, and that I often seemed hardly able to +contain my laughter, which he knew not well how to take, but imputed it +to some disorder in my brain. + +I answered, it was very true: and I wondered how I could forbear when I +saw his dishes of the size of a silver threepence, a leg of pork hardly +a mouthful, a cup not so big as a nutshell; and so I went on, describing +the rest of his household stuff and provisions, after the same manner. +For, although the queen had ordered a little equipage of all things +necessary for me, while I was in her service, yet my ideas were wholly +taken up with what I saw on every side of me, and I winked at my own +littleness as people do at their own faults. + +The captain understood my raillery very well, and merrily replied with +the old English proverb, that he doubted mine eyes were bigger than my +belly, for he did not observe my stomach so good, although I had fasted +all day; and continuing in his mirth, protested, that he would have +gladly given a hundred pounds to have seen my closet in the eagle's +bill, and afterward in its fall from so great a height into the sea, +which would certainly have been a most astonishing object, worthy to +have the description of it transmitted to future ages; and the +comparison of Phaethon[25] was so obvious that he could not forbear +applying it, although I did not much admire the conceit. + +[Footnote 25: _Phaethon_ was, according to Greek mythology, the son +of Apollo, the sun god. One day he prevailed upon his father to allow +him to mount the chariot of the sun and drive the white cloud-horses +across the heavens. He was unable to guide his steeds, however, and they +worked great havoc by dragging the sun up and down and from one side of +the sky to the other. Finally, Jupiter hurled the youth into a river.] + +The captain having been at Tonquin was in his return to England driven +north-eastward to the latitude of 44 degrees, and of longitude 143. But +meeting a trade-wind two days after I came on board him, we sailed +southward a long time, and coasting New Holland kept our course +west-southwest, and then south-south-west till we doubled the Cape of +Good Hope. Our voyage was very prosperous, but I shall not trouble the +reader with a journal of it. The captain called in at one or two ports, +and sent in his long boat for provisions and fresh water, but I never +went out of the ship, till we came into the Downs which was on the third +day of June, 1706, about nine months after my escape. I offered to leave +my goods in security for payment of my freight; but the captain +protested he would not receive one farthing. We took kind leave of each +other, and I made him promise he would come to see me at my house. I +hired a horse and guide for five shillings, which I borrowed of the +captain. + +As I was on the road, observing the littleness of the horses, the trees, +the cattle, and the people, I began to think myself in Lilliput. I was +afraid of trampling on every traveler I met, and often called aloud to +have them stand out of the way, so that I had like to have gotten one or +two broken heads for my impertinence. + +When I came to my own house, for which I was forced to inquire, one of +the servants opening the door, I bent down to go in (like a goose under +a gate), for fear of striking my head. My wife ran out to embrace me, +but I stooped lower than her knees, thinking she could otherwise never +be able to reach my mouth. My daughter kneeled to ask my blessing, but I +could not see her till she arose, having been so long used to stand with +my head and eyes erect to above sixty feet; and then I went to take her +up with one hand by the waist. I looked down upon the servants, and one +or two friends who were in the house, as if they had been pigmies, and I +a giant. I told my wife, "she had been too thrifty, for I found she had +starved herself and her daughter to nothing." In short, I behaved myself +so unaccountably that they were all of the captain's opinion when he +first saw me, and concluded I had lost my wits. This I mention as an +instance of the great power of habit and prejudice. + +In a little time, I and my family and friends came to a right +understanding; but my wife protested I should never go to sea any more; +although my evil destiny so ordered, that she had not power to hinder +me. + + + + +THE BALLAD OF AGINCOURT + +_By_ MICHAEL DRAYTON[1] + +[Footnote 1: Michael Drayton was an English poet who lived from 1563 to +1631. Little is known of his life beyond the fact that he served as a +page in the household of some nobleman, and that he tried in vain to +gain the patronage of King James I. This _Ballad of Agincourt_ is +one of the finest of the English martial ballads.] + + Fair stood the wind for France,[2] + When we our sails advance, + Nor now to prove our chance + Longer will tarry; + But putting to the main, + At Kaux, the mouth of Seine, + With all his martial train, + Landed King Harry.[3] + +[Footnote 2: From 1337 to 1453 the French and the English were engaged +in a series of struggles to which the name of _The Hundred Years' +War_ has been given. The cause of the conflict was the attempt of the +English kings to establish their rule over France.] + +[Footnote 3: This was Henry V, king of England from 1413 to 1422. He was +a general of great ability, and the battle described in this ballad was +one of his chief victories.] + + And taking many a fort, + Furnished in warlike sort, + Marched towards Agincourt[4] + In happy hour,-- + Skirmishing day by day. + +[Footnote 4: The English army numbered but 14,000, while the French were +about 50,000 strong. Henry, to save his men, was willing to make terms +with the French, who, however, demanded unconditional surrender. The two +armies met for battle near the little village of Agincourt.] + + With those that stopped his way, + Where the French general lay + With all his power, + + Which in his height of pride, + King Henry to deride, + His ransom to provide + To the king sending; + Which he neglects the while, + As from a nation vile, + Yet, with an angry smile, + Their fall portending. + + And turning to his men, + Quoth our brave Henry then: + "Though they to one be ten, + Be not amazed; + Yet have we well begun,-- + Battles so bravely won + Have ever to the sun + By fame been raised. + + "And for myself," quoth he, + "This my full rest shall be; + England ne'er mourn for me, + Nor more esteem me. + Victor I will remain, + Or on this earth lie slain; + Never shall she sustain + Loss to redeem me. + + "Poitiers[5] and Cressy[6] tell, + When most their pride did swell, + Under our swords they fell; + No less our skill is + Than when our grandsire[7] great, + Claiming the regal seat, + By many a warlike feat + Lopped the French lilies." [8] + +[Footnote 5: The Battle of Poitiers was fought in 1356. The English +under the Black Prince, son of Edward III of England, defeated the +French under King John, though the French outnumbered them more than +five to one.] + +[Footnote 6: In the Battle of Cressy, which was fought in 1346, 35,000 +English under King Edward III defeated 75,000 French under Philip VI. +About 30,000 of the French army were slain.] + +[Footnote 7: The great-grandfather of Henry V was Edward III, the hero +of the early part of the Hundred Years' War.] + +[Footnote 8: The lily, or fleur-de-lis, is the national flower of +France. _Lopped the French lilies_ is a poetical way of saying _defeated +the French._] + + +[Illustration: "VICTOR I WILL REMAIN"] + + The Duke of York so dread + The eager vaward[9] led; + With the main Henry sped, + Amongst his henchmen. + Excester had the rear,-- + A braver man not there: + O Lord! how hot they were + On the false Frenchmen! + +[Footnote 9: _Vaward_ is an old word for _vanward_, or _advance-guard._] + + + They now to fight are gone; + Armor on armor shone; + Drum now to drum did groan,-- + To hear was wonder; + That with the cries they make + The very earth did shake; + Trumpet to trumpet spake, + Thunder to thunder. + + Well it thine age became, + O noble Erpingham! + Which did the signal aim + To our hid forces; + When, from a meadow by, + Like a storm suddenly, + The English archery + Struck the French horses, + + With Spanish yew so strong, + Arrows a cloth-yard long, + That like to serpents stung, + Piercing the weather; + None from his fellow starts, + But playing manly parts, + And like true English hearts + Stuck close together. + + When down their bows they threw, + And forth their bilboes[10] drew, + And on the French they flew, + Not one was tardy; + Arms were from shoulders sent; + Scalps to the teeth were rent; + Down the French peasants went; + Our men were hardy. + +[Footnote 10: _Bilboes_ is a poetical word for _swords_.] + + This while our noble king, + His broadsword brandishing, + Down the French host did ding,[11] + As to o'erwhelm it; + And many a deep wound lent, + His arms with blood besprent, + And many a cruel dent + Bruised his helmet. + +[Footnote 11: To _ding_ is to _strike_.] + + Glo'ster, that duke so good, + Next of the royal blood, + For famous England stood, + With his brave brother,-- + Clarence, in steel so bright, + Though but a maiden knight, + Yet in that furious fight + Scarce such another. + + Warwick in blood did wade; + Oxford the foe invade, + And cruel slaughter made, + Still as they ran up. + Suffolk his axe did ply; + Beaumont and Willoughby + Bare them right doughtily, + Ferrers and Fanhope. + + Upon Saint Crispin's[12] day + Fought was this noble fray, + Which fame did not delay + To England to carry; + O, when shall Englishmen + With such acts fill a pen, + Or England breed again + Such a King Harry! + +[Footnote 12: Crispin was a Christian saint who suffered martyrdom in +the third century. The 25th of October was made sacred to him. +It was on Saint Crispin's day, 1415, that the Battle of Agincourt +was fought.] + + + + +SOME CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF +THE PAST + + +_By_ GRACE E. SELLON + + +Probably somewhere about your home, put away so far from sight that you +never think of them any more, are some of the ABC books and the alphabet +blocks and the brightly colored story books about horses, dogs and other +familiar animals that used to amuse you when you were just learning to +say the alphabet and to spell a few three-letter words. Perhaps you can +remember how much you liked to have the stories read to you and how much +fun there was in repeating your A B C's when you could point out the +big, colored letters in your book or on your blocks. But have you ever +thought that you were any more fortunate than other children of other +ages in having these interesting things to help you? Have you ever +wondered whether, far back in history before our country was discovered +and settled by white men, boys and girls had the same kinds of picture +books and drawing-slates, alphabet games and other playthings that used +to delight you in the days when you were going to kindergarten or +learning your first simple lessons from your mother? + +If you have never thought enough about this matter to ask some older +person about it, you will find the lesson books and story books used by +children of even a hundred years ago very curious. Suppose we go farther +back, to 1620, the year of the Mayflower, let us say. You could never +imagine what a child then living in England was given to learn his +letters from. As soon as he was able to remember the first little things +that children are taught, his mother would fasten to his belt a string +from which was suspended what she would call his _hornbook_. This was +not at all what we think of to-day as a book, for it was made of a piece +of cardboard covered on one side with a thin sheet of horn, and +surrounded by a frame with a handle. Through the covering of horn the +little boy could see the alphabet written on the cardboard in both large +and small letters. After these would come rows of syllables to help him +in learning to pronounce simple combinations of sounds. Probably last on +the sheet there would be the Lord's Prayer, which he must be taught to +say without a mistake. As he went about he could easily take up his +hornbook once in a while and say over to himself the letters and the +rows of syllables. Sometimes--especially if he had been obedient and had +studied well--he was given a hornbook made of gingerbread; and then, of +course, he would find that the tiresome lines of letters had all at once +become very attractive. + +The hornbook must have done its work well, or at least no better way of +teaching the alphabet had been found when the Puritans came to America, +for it was not many years before little folks in the New World were +being taught from the famous _New England Primer_, which joined to what +had been in the hornbook a catechism and various moral teachings. With +its rude illustrations and its dry contents, this little book would +probably be laughed at by school-children of to-day, if they did not +stop to think how very many of the writers, statesmen and soldiers who +have made our country great learned their first lessons from its pages. +Somewhere between 1687 and 1690 it was first published, and for a +hundred years from that time it was the schoolbook found in almost every +New England home and classroom. + +[Illustration: CHILDREN WITH HORNBOOKS] + +Can you imagine what kind of reading lessons were in this primer? If you +think they were like the lively little stories and the pleasing verses +printed in your readers, you will he a good deal surprised to find that +they are stern and gloomy tales that were meant to frighten children +into being good, rather than to entertain them. + +First of all in the little book came the alphabet and the lists of +syllables, as in the hornbook. There was this difference, however. At +the beginning of the first line of letters in the hornbooks was placed a +cross, as the symbol of Christianity, and from this fact the first line +was called the _Christ-cross_, or _criss-cross row_. But the Puritans +strictly kept the cross out of the _Primer_, for to them it stood in a +disagreeable way for the older churches from which they had separated +themselves. + +Then came a series of sentences from the Bible teaching moral lessons +and illustrating the use of the letters of the alphabet, one being made +prominent in each verse. The Lord's Prayer and the Apostle's Creed might +appear next, followed by twenty-four alphabet rhymes with accompanying +pictures. Most of these verses were upon Bible subjects, as in the case +of the letter _R_, for example, illustrated by the lines: + + "Young pious Ruth + Left all for Truth." + +One of the best-loved rhymes was one put into the series after the +Revolution to stir the pride of every young American by reminding him +that + + "Great Washington brave + His country did save." + +In the pages that followed were to be found an illustrated poem telling +of the awful fate of John Rogers, burned at the stake while his wife and +their ten children looked on, and a dialogue between Christ, a youth and +the devil, in which the youth was finally overcome by Satan's +temptations. + +This story of the terrifying fate of the youth was placed after the +shorter Westminster catechism, possibly as a warning to all children who +would not obey their religious teachings. The one hundred seven +questions of the catechism must be answered correctly, even though the +five-syllable words were even harder to understand than to pronounce. + +Religious songs and pictures and descriptions of good and of bad +children were also scattered through the book, and in some copies is to +be found the little prayer beginning: "Now I lay me down to sleep," +which was probably published for the first time in the _Primer_. + +As the years went on, pictures and verses and little articles about the +objects of nature and the everyday things that children are interested +in began to take the place of the Bible verses and subjects; and at +length when people saw how well children liked this new way of teaching, +better books than the _Primer_ took its place. + +While the young folks in New England families were thus being warned in +story and verse against the awful temptations that lay all around them, +the children in old England were being entertained by popular +penny-books that treated of all kinds of subjects, from the _History of +Joseph and his Brother_ to _The Old Egyptian Fortune Teller's Last +Legacy_. These books were of a size scarcely larger than that of the +letter-paper made for little folks, and they contained usually from +sixteen to twenty-four pages. Illustrations that looked a good deal like +the pictures made by a small boy in his schoolbooks adorned the rough +little volumes. + +In every city and town and even in the villages peddlers went along the +streets selling these chapbooks, as they were called. Imagine how the +children, and the grown people too, must have flocked around the peddler +as he began taking out one after another of his queer little books, for +he had something to please every one. The boys might choose stories like +_The Mad Pranks of Tom Tram_, _A Wonderful and Strange Relation of a +Sailor_ or _The True Tale of Robin Hood_, and we can see them almost +getting into a brawl over the possession of _The Merry Life and Mad +Exploits of Captain James Hind, the Great Robber of England_. Probably +the girls would choose _Patient Grissel_, _The History of Mother Bunch_ +or _Cinderella_. For the small children there were, for example, the +_History of Two Children in the Wood_, _The Pleasant History of Jack +Horner_ and _Tom Thumb_. Most likely it was only the pennies of +much-tried mothers and fathers that were spent for _A Timely Warning to +Rash and Disobedient Children_. + +The chapman or peddler we may well believe did not stand silently +looking on as he disposed of his stock. He had at the tip of his tongue +such a fair-sounding advertisement for every book that everybody, young +and old, came under the spell of his words and bought of his wares. + +After he had departed with his traveling library, we can picture the +children taking themselves off to quiet places with their new chapbooks. +Perhaps you are wondering why it was that they were so eager to read +them. If so, you may like to look into a few of these rare old story +books. As you read, notice how quaint the wording seems when compared +with that of the stories of to-day. + +(Extract from _The History of Tom Long the Carrier._) + +As Tom Long the Carrier was travelling between Dover and Westchester, he +fortuned to pass something near a House, where was kept a great Mastiff +Dog, who, as soon as he espied Tom, came running open-mouthed at him, +and so furiously assaulted him, as if he meant to devour him at a bite. +But Tom, having in his Hand a good Pikestaff, most valiantly defended +himself like a Man, and to withstand the danger he thrust the Pike-end +of his Staff into his Throat and so killed him. Whereupon the Owner +thereof, seeing the Dog lost, comes earnestly unto Tom, and between +threatening and chiding, asking him why he struck him not with the great +End of the staff. 'Marry,' quoth he, 'because your Dog runs not at me +with his tail.' + +(Extract from _The Kentish Miracle, or, A Seasonable Warning to all +Sinners_.) Shewn in the Wonderful Relation of one Mary Moore whose +Husband died some time ago, and left her with two children, and who was +reduced to great want. How she wandered about the Country asking relief +and went two Days without any Food--How the Devil appeared to her and +the many great offers he made her to deny Christ and enter into his +service, and how she confounded Satan by powerful Argument. How she came +to a well of water when she fell down on her knees to pray to God that +He would give that Vertue to the Water that it might refresh and satisfy +her Children's Hunger, with an Account how an Angel appeared to her, and +relieved her, also declared many Things that shall happen in the Month +of March next. Shewing likewise what strange and surprising Accidents +shall happen by means of the present War, and concerning a dreadful +Earthquake, etc. + +(Extract from _A Timely Warning to Rash and Disobedient Children_.) + + As this Child went to School one Day + Through the Churchyard she took her Way + When lo, the Devil came and said + Where are you going to, my pretty Maid + To School I am going Sir, said she + Pish, Child, don't mind the same saith he, + But haste to your Companions dear + And learn to lie and curse and swear. + They bravely spend their Time in Play + God they don't value--no, not they. + It is a Fable, Child, he cry'd + At which his cloven Foot she spy'd. + I'm sure there is a God, saith she + Who from your Power will keep me free, + And if you should this Thing deny + Your cloven Foot gives you the Lie. + Satan, avaunt, hence, out of hand, + In Name of Jesus I command. + At which the Devil instantly + In Flames of Fire away did fly. + +(Extract from _Wonder of Wonders_, being a strange and wonderful +Relation of a Mermaid that was seen and spoke with by one John Robinson, +Mariner, who was tossed on the Ocean for 6 Days and Nights. All the +other Mariners perished.) + +He was in great Fear and dreadful Fright in the main Ocean ...... but to +his great Amazement he espy'd a beautiful young Lady combing her Head +and toss'd on the Billows, cloathed all in green (but by chance he got +the first Word from her). Then She with a Smile came on Board and asked +how he did. The young Man, being Something Smart and a Scholar +reply'd--Madam, I am the better to see you in good Health, in great +hopes trusting you will be a Comfort and Assistance to me in this my low +Condition: and so caught hold of her Comb and Green Girdle that was +about her Waist. To which she reply'd, Sir, you ought not to rob a young +Woman of her Riches and then expect a Favour at her Hands, but if you +will give me my Comb and Girdle again, what lies in my Power, I will do +for you. She presents him with a Compass, told him to steer S.W., made +an Appointment for following Friday, and jumped in the sea. He arrives +safely home, and while musing on his promise She appeared to him with a +smiling Countenance, and (by his Misfortune) she got the first Word of +him, so that he could not speak one Word and was quite Dumb, and she +began to sing, after which she departed, taking from him the Compass. +She took a Ring from her Finger and gave him. (The young man went home, +fell ill and died 5 days after), to the wonderful Admiration of all +People who saw the young Man. + + * * * * * + +After the eighteenth century the chapbooks gradually went out of favor, +and since then in England, as in America, more and more careful +attention has been given to writing good stories for children and +printing these attractively. These better books could not have come, +however, had it not been that for generation after generation crude +little primers and storybooks, such as the interesting kinds that have +been described, helped to point out to people, little by little, how to +make children's reading both instructive and pleasing. + + + + +LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT + + +_By_ CARDINAL NEWMAN + +Of this poem, Newman has written: "I was aching to get home; yet for +want of a vessel, I was kept at Palermo for three weeks. At last I got +off on an orange boat, bound for Marseilles. Then it was that I wrote +the lines, _Lead, Kindly Light_, which have since become well known." + +Again, he has said: "This is one full of light, rejoicing in suffering +with our Lord. This is what those who like _Lead, Kindly Light_ must +come to--they have to learn it." + + Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling gloom, + Lead thou me on; + The night is dark and I am far from home; + Lead thou me on; + Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see + The distant scene; one step enough for me. + + I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou + Shouldst lead me on; + I loved to choose and see my path; but now + Lead thou me on; + I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, + Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years. + + So long thy power has blest me, sure it still + Will lead me on + O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent till + The night is gone, + And with the morn those angel faces smile + Which I have loved long since, and lost the while. + + + +LET SOMETHING GOOD BE SAID[A] + +[Footnote A: From _Home-Folks,_ by James Whitcomb Riley. Used by +special permission of the publishers, _The Bobbs-Merrill Company_.] + +_By_ JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY + + When over the fair fame of friend or foe + The shadows of disgrace shall fall; instead + Of words of blame, or proof of so and so, + Let something good be said. + Forget not that no fellow-being yet + May fall so low but love may lift his head; + Even the cheek of shame with tears is wet, + If something good be said. + No generous heart may vainly turn aside + In ways of sympathy; no soul so dead + But may awaken strong and glorified, + If something good be said. + And so I charge ye, by the thorny crown, + And by the cross on which the Saviour bled, + And by your own soul's hope for fair renown, + Let something good be said! + + + +POLONIUS' ADVICE + + + Give thy thoughts no tongue, + Nor any unproportion'd thought his act. + Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar. + Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, + Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel; + But do not dull thy palm with entertainment + Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade. Beware + Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in, + Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee. + Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice; + Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgement. + Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, + But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy; + For the apparel oft proclaims the man, + And they in France of the best rank and station + Are of a most select and generous choice in that. + Neither a borrower nor a lender be; + For loan oft loses both itself and friend, + And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry. + This above all: to thine own self be true, + And it must follow, as the night the day, + Thou canst not then be false to any man. + +SHAKESPEARE _(Hamlet, Act I, Scene 3)_. + + + + +KING ARTHUR + +I. ARTHUR MADE KING + + +Uther Pendragon was one of the kings who ruled in Britain so long ago +that many marvelous legends have sprung up about him and his more famous +son, Arthur. They lived in the days when magicians and witches were +believed to be common, and the stories of the time are filled with deeds +of magic and with miraculous events. + +Merlin was the greatest of magicians, and it was only by his power that +King Uther won the wife he wanted and that his son was protected and +nurtured during his childhood and youth. Many of the knights of King +Uther aspired to his throne, and so to protect the baby Arthur, Merlin +carried him to the good knight Sir Ector, who brought him up with his +own son Kay; but none knew that the boy was Uther's son. + +When Arthur had grown to be a tall, manly youth and was skilled in the +use of arms, the Archbishop of Canterbury called together all the +men-at-arms and the great ladies of the land, for Merlin had declared +that at Christmas-tide great wonders should be done. King Uther had been +long dead, and there was much wrangling over his successor, although he +had declared on his death bed that his son Arthur was living and should +reign in his stead. + +From all sides, barons, knights and ladies, with long retinues of +servants, crowded into London and gathered into the greatest church. +When the people came forth from the service there was seen in the +churchyard a great marble stone, four square, and having in the midst of +it a steel anvil a foot high. Through the middle of this anvil a +beautiful sword was sticking, with the point projecting beyond. Around +the sword in letters of gold was written, + + "WHOSO PULLETH THIS SWORD + OUT OF THIS STONE AND ANVIL IS + THE TRUE-BORN KING OF BRITAIN." + +The excitement was great and for some time difficult to quell, for every +man who hoped to be king wished to be the first to try to draw the +sword; but the Archbishop arranged the men in order, and one after +another they made their attempts. Not even the strongest man in the +kingdom could move the sword the fraction of a single inch. + +When it became certain that no one could draw the sword, the Archbishop +set ten knights to guard it and decreed that on New Year's Day the +people should meet for other attempts; in the meantime, word should be +sent abroad that all in the kingdom might know of the marvelous sword +and the reward that awaited the successful knight. A great tournament +was called and many rich prizes were offered. + +Among those who came to the jousts were Sir Ector and his son, Sir Kay, +and the young man Arthur, not yet a knight. In the morning when they +rode to the field where the multitude were gathered to watch the +jousting, Sir Kay discovered that he had left his sword at his lodgings. + +"Arthur, I beg you to ride back and bring me my sword," said Sir Kay. + +[Illustration: ARTHUR DRAWS THE SWORD] + +Arthur willingly rode back, but when he came to the lodging he could not +enter, because every one had gone out to see the jousting. Arthur loved +Sir Kay dearly, and could not bear to think of his brother being kept +out of the tourney because he had no sword. And so, as he rode by the +churchyard and saw the magic sword unguarded in the stone, he thought +how fine a weapon it would be for Sir Kay. + +"How fortunate that the guards have gone to see the tourney. I'll take +this sword to Kay," he said. + +When Arthur laid his hand on the jewelled hilt the sword came free from +its resting place, and the boy bore it joyously to his brother. + +As soon as Sir Kay saw the sword he knew it was the one that had been in +the magic stone. Hastily riding to Sir Ector he said, "See, here is the +sword of the stone. It must be that I am to be king." + +Sir Ector answered, "Give me the weapon and come with me to the church." + +Together with Arthur they rode to the church, and all three alighted +from their horses and saw that the sword was gone from the stone. + +"Now, my son, swear by the holy book to tell me honestly how you got the +sword." + +"My brother Arthur brought it to me--this I swear," said Sir Kay. + +"How did you get this sword?" said Sir Ector, turning to Arthur. + +"Sir," said Arthur, "when I could not find my brother's sword and +returned by this place I saw the sword sticking in the stone. So I came +and pulled at it and it yielded easily, and I took it to Sir Kay, for I +would not have my brother sword-less." + +"Were there any knights about the stone?" asked Sir Ector. + +"None," said Arthur. + +"Now I understand," said Sir Ector; "you, Arthur, are to be king of +Britain." + +[Illustration: KING ARTHUR +_Statue by Peter Vischer, in the Hofkirche, Innsbruck_] + +"Why should I be king of Britain?" asked the boy. + +"I know not why, except that God wills it so, for it has been ordained +that the man who should draw the sword from the stone is the true-born +king of Britain. Now let me see whether you can put the sword where it +was and draw it forth again." + +"That is not difficult," said Arthur, as he thrust the sword back into +the stone. + +Sir Ector tried to pull it out again, but he could not move it. + +"Now you try," he said to Sir Kay. + +Although Sir Kay pulled with all his might the sword remained immovable. + +"Now you try it," said Sir Ector to Arthur. + +"I will," said Arthur, as he grasped the hilt and drew the sword out +without any difficulty. + +Then Sir Ector and Sir Kay knelt down before Arthur and said, "Now we +know you for our king and swear allegiance to you." + +"Now my own dear father, and Kay, my brother, do not kneel to me." + +"Arthur," said Sir Ector, "I must now tell you that you are not my son, +nor is Sir Kay your brother. I do not know who you are, but I did not +think you were of kingly lineage." + +Then Arthur wept, for he loved Ector and Kay as though they were father +and brother to him. + +"When you are king," asked Sir Ector, "will you be kind to me and my +family?" + +"Indeed I will," said Arthur, "or I shall be much to blame, for I am +more deeply in debt to you than to any other man in all the world, and +to your wife, whom I have always thought my mother and who has cared for +me as for her own son. If it ever is the will of God that I be king of +Britain, ask what you desire and it will be my pleasure to accord it." + +The three then went to the Archbishop and told him all that had +happened. He counseled them to remain quiet till after the tournament, +when Arthur should make the trial in public. At that time, after all had +struggled madly to pull out the sword and had failed, Arthur drew it out +easily before the astonished eyes of the onlookers. + +The barons and knights laughed in derision and said, "Shall Britain be +ruled over by a boy? Let us have another trial at Twelfth Day." + +At Twelfth Day and at Easter were the trials again held with the same +results, but the fierce barons would not recognize Arthur until the +people grew angry and shouted, "Arthur is our king. We will have no one +but Arthur for our king." + +Even the fierce knights who aspired to the throne could not resist the +call of the people combined with that of the many barons who sided with +Sir Ector. When the Archbishop placed the crown upon the head of the +young king all there did homage to Arthur though many scowled and +threatened the life of the new ruler. Arthur did not forget his +promises, but made Sir Kay his seneschal and gave broad lands and rich +presents to his foster parents. + + + + +II. ARTHUR WEDS GUINEVERE. THE ROUND TABLE + + +Arthur's reign began with savage wars with his neighbors and with +sedition and rebellion in his kingdom. In every conflict he was +successful, and every victory made him friends, for he was a noble man +and administered his affairs with justice to all. Moreover, he cut roads +through the forests and made it possible for his husbandmen to cultivate +the lands without danger from wild beasts or fear of marauders. He +established justice everywhere so that even the poor felt sure of his +protection. If treachery or oppression appeared among his nobles he +punished them severely, but he forgave personal injuries freely. + +Many of the rulers of petty kingdoms near Arthur had occasion to bless +him for brave assistance, and among them was Leodegrance, king of +Cameliard, whom Arthur, in a fierce battle in which ten thousand men +were slain, freed from the tyranny of King Rience. After the battle, +Leodegrance entertained Arthur and his friends at a great feast, at +which Guinevere, the beautiful young daughter of the host, served the +table. At the sight of the fair maid Arthur's heart was won, and ever +after he loved her faithfully. + +Merlin, the great magician, had always been the friend and counselor of +Arthur, and to his sound advice and wonderful enchantments the king was +indebted for much of his power and renown. Before Arthur proposed to +marry Guinevere, he took counsel of Merlin, who looked sorrowful and +dismayed at the young king's words. + +"If indeed your heart is set on the fair Guinevere, you may not change +it. Yet it had been better for you to have loved another." + +Delighted at even this guarded advice Arthur went at once to Leodegrance +and asked for the hand of his young daughter. Leodegrance consented with +joy, for he loved Arthur greatly, and welcomed him as a son-in-law. + +In the great cathedral of Canterbury the two were married by the +Archbishop, while without, the people reflected in wild celebrations the +joys of the king and his fair bride. + +Among the gifts which King Arthur received was one from King Leodegrance +which pleased him most. "This gift," said Leodegrance, "is the Table +Round which King Uther Pendragon gave to me and around which can sit a +hundred and fifty knights. This table the great Merlin made, as he made +also the hundred and fifty sieges which surround it." + +The day of his marriage Arthur chose one hundred and twenty-eight +knights to found his famous Order of the Round Table, and to each he +gave one of the sieges or carved chairs, upon the back of which, as each +knight took his seat, appeared his name in magical letters of gold. Soon +all the seats were filled excepting one, the Siege Perilous, in which no +man might sit under peril of his life, unless he were blameless and free +from all sin. When by death or otherwise any of the other sieges became +vacant, a new knight was chosen to occupy it, and the magic letters +changed to spell his name. + +[Illustration: THE WEDDING OF ARTHUR AND GUINEVERE] + +Camelot, the lordly castle of Arthur, with its vast halls and beautiful +grounds, was all raised by Merlin's magic power without the aid of human +hands. Here at Christmas, at Easter and at Pentecost great festivals +were held, and Arthur's knights would gather to feast, to joust in +tournament and to tell the stories of the wonderful adventures which had +befallen them since the last meeting; and great was their knightly +pleasure in these gatherings. + + + + +III. ARTHUR AND PELLINORE + + +One day Arthur dressed himself in his best armor, mounted his best horse +and rode forth alone to seek adventure. He had started before dawn and +had ridden slowly along. + +Just at day-break he saw Merlin running toward him in deadly peril, for +three fierce vagabonds brandishing huge clubs were close at his heels. +Arthur rode toward the robbers, and they turned and fled at the sight of +an armed knight. + +"O, Merlin," said Arthur, "this time certainly you would have been +killed in spite of your magic if I had not appeared to rescue you." + +"No," said Merlin, "I could have saved myself if I had wished; but you +are nearer death than I am, for now you are certainly traveling toward +death unless God befriend you." + +Arthur asked the magician what he meant, but the wily man would give no +explanation. However, he turned and accompanied Arthur. + +As they rode along they came across a beautiful wayside spring, near +which, under a wide-spreading tree, a rich tent was set. In front of it +sat a sturdy knight full armed for battle. + +"Sir Knight," said Arthur, "why do you sit here in full armor thus +watching the road?" + +"It is my custom," said the knight, "and no man may pass by unless he +fight with me." + +"That is a vile custom," said the king, "and I bid you give it up." + +"That will I not do," said the knight. "If any man does not like my +custom, let him change it." + +"I will change it," said Arthur. + +"I will defend myself," answered the knight. + +Then the knight arose, took shield and spear, mounted the war-horse +tethered near and rode at Arthur, who spurred his horse to meet the +shock. They came together with such force that their horses were thrown +back upon their haunches and their spears were shivered against their +shields. Arthur recovered himself and pulled out his sword. + +"No, no," said the knight, "I pray you let us fight again with spears. +It is the fairer way." + +"I would be very willing," assented Arthur, "if I had another spear." + +"But I have spears for both," declared the knight, as he called to a +squire to bring him two good spears. + +When the weapons were brought Arthur selected one and the knight took +the other. Drawing apart they again charged together, and again their +spears were both broken at the hand. Again Arthur put his hand to his +sword, but the knight protested a second time. + +"Nay, not so," he said, "for the honor of our knighthood let us joust +once more. You are the strongest knight and the best jouster I have ever +met." + +"I am willing," said Arthur, "if you will let me have another spear." + +Two more spears were brought--heavy ones such as only the best of +knights could handle. Again Arthur chose the one he liked, and again +they drew apart. + +This time they ran together with greater force than ever, and once more +Arthur shivered his spear on the shield of his opponent. But this time +the spear of the unknown knight struck Arthur's shield full in the +center and drove both horse and rider to the earth. + +The king sprang free from his horse, recovered his shield, drew his +sword and cried, "Now will I fight you on foot, for I have lost the +honor on horseback." + +"No, I will fight only on horseback," said the knight. + +Then Arthur grew very angry and rushed afoot at the knight. Seeing how +determined the king was, and thinking it dishonorable to keep his seat +while Arthur fought on foot, the knight alighted and dressed his shield +against his foe. + +Long and fierce was the battle, for both were full of anger and +resentment. They charged and fell back; they hacked and hewed until +shields and armor were bent and broken in many places. Both were sorely +wounded, and the blood ran until the trampled ground was stained with +it. Then, out of breath and weary from the terrible exertion, they both +rested for a few moments, but they soon began the duel again, rushing +together like two fierce wild animals and striking such blows that both +were many times brought to their knees. Every time, however, they +recovered themselves and renewed the terrific struggle. At last the +swords met full in the air, and Arthur's was broken at the hilt. + +[Illustration: MERLIN SAVES ARTHUR] + +"Now yield," said the strange knight, "for you are wholly in my power +and I can slay or release you as I will. Yield now to me as a recreant +knight or I will slay you as you stand." + +"As for death," said Arthur, "let it come when it will. I would rather +die than shame my manhood by yielding." + +And then like lightning Arthur leaped upon the knight, clasped him round +the middle and threw him to the ground. But the knight was a powerful +man, and throwing Arthur off he hurled him to the ground, struck off his +helm and raised his sword to behead the king. + +All the time Merlin had stood and watched the fray, but when he saw the +deadly peril in which Arthur lay, he called out, "Knight, hold your +hand! If you slay this knight you put this kingdom in the greatest +peril, for this is a more worshipful knight than you dream of." + +"Why, who is he?" asked the knight. + +"It is King Arthur," Merlin replied. + +Then was the knight fearful of the vengeance of the King, if he should +survive the encounter. He raised his sword again and would have killed +Arthur as he lay, but Merlin cast an enchantment over him and he fell +into a deep sleep. + +The magician caught up the king and rode forth on the knight's horse. + +"Alas!" said Arthur, "what have you done, Merlin? Have you slain this +good knight by your crafts? There is no braver knight in the world than +he was. I would give half my kingdom if he were alive again." + +"Do not trouble yourself," replied Merlin. "He is in less danger than +you are, for he lies asleep and will awake whole and refreshed in three +hours. I told you how powerful a knight he was, and you would have +certainly been slain here if I had not been by to help. This same knight +shall live to do you great service." + +"Who is the knight?" asked Arthur. + +"It is King Pellinore; and he shall have two sons, both of whom shall be +good men; and one shall have no equal in strength, courage and +goodness." + + + + +IV. ARTHUR GETS EXCALIBUR + + +After his battle with King Pellinore, Arthur was three days with a +hermit, who by magic salves healed him of his wounds and set him again +upon his way. + +As they rode along, Arthur turned to Merlin and said, "Behold, I have no +sword." + +"That does not matter," replied Merlin; "there is a good sword near here +that shall be yours if I can get it for you." + +They turned aside and rode till they came to a beautiful little lake, +now quiet in the afternoon light. As Arthur looked he saw in the middle +of the lake an arm clothed in white samite, "mystic, wonderful," +stretched up and holding in its hand a flashing sword. + +"Lo!" said Merlin. "Yonder is the sword of which I spoke." + +As Arthur looked he saw a fair maid coming toward him over the water. + +"What damsel is that?" he inquired of Merlin. "That is the Lady of the +Lake," answered the magician. "Speak kindly to her and ask her to give +you the sword." + +As the beautiful maid came nearer she saluted Arthur and he returned the +courtesy. + +"Damsel," said Arthur, "what rich sword is that which yonder hand holds +above the water? I would it were mine, for I have no sword." + +[Illustration: ARTHUR RECEIVES EXCALIBUR] + +"That is my sword, Excalibur," answered the maid, "and I will give it to +you if you will give me a gift when I ask it." + +"Right willingly will I give you what you ask, so that I may have the +sword." + +"Well, take the boat and row yourself out to the sword. When the time +comes I will ask the gift." + +So Arthur got down from his horse, tied it to a tree and entered the +boat. When he had come to the arm Arthur reached up and grasped the +sword and scabbard. Immediately both were released, and the +white-clothed arm sank back into the waters. + +When he returned to the land the maiden had disappeared, and the two +rode on their way. Arthur kept looking at his sword, for he admired it +very much. + +"Which do you prefer," asked Merlin, "the sword or the scabbard?" + +"I like the sword the better," replied Arthur. + +"That is not wise," rejoined the magician. "The scabbard is worth ten of +the swords, because while you have the scabbard on you, you cannot lose +a drop of blood no matter how severe your wound. Therefore keep the +scabbard always by you." + +The number of King Arthur's Knights varies from twelve to several +hundred, according to the different poets or romancers. Here is one +account: + + "The fellowship of the Table Round, + Soe famous in those dayes; + Whereatt a hundred noble knights + And thirty sat alwayes; + Who for their deeds and martiall feates, + As bookes done yett record, + Amongst all other nations + Wer feared through the world." + + _Legend of King Arthur_ (Old Ballad) + + + + +BALIN AND BALAN + + +When Arthur was at one time in Camelot with his knights, a messenger +came to him from Rience, king of North Wales and Ireland, saying, "My +Lord, the king Rience has conquered eleven kings, and all of them do +homage to him. + +"Moreover, each gave to the king his heard, shaved clean from his face, +and my master has used the eleven beards to trim his mantle. One place +on the mantle is still vacant, and Rience demands that you send your +beard at once to fill the vacant place or he will come with sword and +spear, lay waste your land and take your beard and your head with it." + +Then was Arthur terribly enraged, and would have killed the messenger on +the spot, but that he remembered the knightly usage and spared the +herald. + +"Now this is the most insulting message ever sent from one man to +another. Return to your king and tell him that my beard is yet too young +to trim a mantle with, and that, moreover, neither I nor any of my +lieges owe him homage. On the other hand I demand homage from him, and +unless he render it, I will assemble my knights and take both his head +and his kingdom." + +The messenger departed, and soon Arthur heard that Rience had invaded +the kingdom with a great host, and had slain large numbers of people. +Arthur then hurriedly summoned his barons, knights and men-at-arms to +meet him at Camelot for council. + +When Arthur and his followers had gathered at Camelot a damsel richly +clothed in a robe of fur rode among them, and as she came before the +king she let fall the mantle from her shoulders, and lo! there was girt +at her side a noble sword. + +Arthur wondered, and said, "Why do you come before me in this unseemly +manner, girt with a great sword?" + +The damsel answered, "I am girt with this great sword against my will +and may not remove it until it is drawn from its scabbard, a thing that +can be done only by a knight, and that a passing good one, without +treachery or villainy of any sort. I have been with King Rience, and +many of his knights have tried to draw the sword from its scabbard, but +no one succeeded. I have heard that here you have many good knights, and +perchance one may be found who can pull the blade." + +"This is marvelous," said Arthur. "I will myself make the first attempt, +not because I think myself the best knight, but to give my knights an +example." + +Then Arthur seized the sword by the scabbard and the hilt and pulled at +it eagerly, but it would not move. + +"Sir," said the damsel, "you need not pull the half so hard, for he who +is fit can pull it with little strength." + +Then one after another the knights all tried, but none could draw the +sword. + +"Alas," said the maiden, "I had thought that in this court there would +be found at least one man of gentle blood on both his father's and his +mother's side, himself without treason or guile." + +There was then at the court a poor knight born in Northumberland who had +been in prison for slaying the king's cousin, but who had been released +at the request of the barons, for he was known to be a good man and well +born. + +Balin, for that was the knight's name, wished to try the sword, but was +afraid to come forward because of his appearance. As the damsel was +departing from the court, Balin called to her and said: + +"Fair maid, I beg you to let me try to draw the sword, for though I am +poorly clad I feel in my heart that I am as good as many who have tried, +and I think I can succeed." + +The damsel looked at Balin, and though she saw that he was a strong and +handsome man, yet she looked at his poor raiment and thought that he +could not be a noble knight without treachery and villainy. So she said +to him, "Sir, put me to no more trouble, for I cannot think you will +succeed where so many others have failed." + +"Ah, fair damsel," said Balin, "perchance good deeds are not in a man's +clothing, but manliness and bravery are hid within the person, and many +a worshipful knight is not known to all the people. Therefore honor and +greatness are not in raiment." + +"By the Lord," said the damsel, "you speak well and say the truth. +Therefore shall you try the sword." + +And Balin grasped the scabbard and drew the sword out easily, and when +he saw the sword he was greatly pleased, for it was a marvelous weapon +of finest steel. + +[Illustration: THE DAMSEL LET FALL HER MANTLE] + +"Certainly," said the damsel, "this is a good knight, the best I have +ever found, without treason, treachery or villainy; and many noble deeds +shall he do. Now, gentle and gracious knight, give back the sword to +me." + +"No," said Balin, "this sword will I keep unless it be taken from me by +force." + +"Well," said the damsel, "you are unwise to hold the sword from me, for +with it you shall slay the best friend that you have, the man you best +love in all the world; and the sword shall also be your destruction." + +"Nevertheless," replied Balin, "I shall take the event as God gives it +me. But the sword you shall not have." + +"Within a very short time," said the damsel, "you shall repent it. I ask +the sword more on your account than mine, for I am sad for your sake. It +is a great pity that you will not believe that the sword will be your +destruction." + +Speaking thus the damsel departed from the court, sorrowing as she went. +As soon as the damsel had gone, Balin sent for his horse and his armor +and made ready to depart from the court. + +"Do not leave us so lightly," said King Arthur, "for though I have in +ignorance misused thee, I know now that thou art a noble knight, and if +thou wilt stay, I will advance thee much to thy liking." + +"God bless your highness," said Balin. "Though no man may ever value +your kindness and bounty more, yet at the present time I must thank you +for your kindness and beseech your good grace." + +"If you must go," said Arthur, "I pray you not to tarry long, for right +welcome will you be on your return, and then I shall take pains to make +right what I did amiss before." + +"God reward your lordship," said Balin, as he made ready to depart. + +Ere he could leave, however, there came riding into the court the Lady +of the Lake, from whom King Arthur had received his sword. She was +richly clothed, and as she entered she saluted Arthur royally and said, +"I come now to ask the gift you promised me when I gave you the sword." + +"That is right," said Arthur; "a gift I certainly promised you, but I +have forgotten the name of the sword you gave me." + +"The name of the sword is Excalibur. That is to say, 'Cut Steel.'" + +"That is right," said the king. "Now ask what you will and you shall +have it if it lies in my power to give it." + +"I ask," returned the Lady, "the head of the knight that to-day has won +the other sword, or else the head of the damsel who brought the sword. +By right I should have the heads of both, for he slew my brother, a good +and true knight, and that woman caused my father's death." + +"Indeed," said Arthur, "I cannot grant such a request as that with any +justice to myself. Therefore, ask what else you will and I will grant +it." + +"I want nothing else," said the Lady; "I will ask no other thing." + +Now when Balin was leaving the court he saw this Lady of the Lake. Three +years before she had slain Balin's mother, and all this time he had been +searching for the wicked woman. Then some one told him that she had +asked his head of Arthur. + +On hearing this, Balin went straight to the woman and said, "It is +unlucky for you that I have found you to-day. You asked my head of King +Arthur, and therefore you shall lose yours." + +With these words Balin drew his sword, and before any one could +interfere struck off her head, even before the face of King Arthur. + +"Alas," said Arthur, "why have you done this deed? You have shamed me +and all my court, for this was a lady to whom I was indebted, and she +came here under my safe conduct. I shall never forgive you this vile +deed." + +"Sire," said Balin, "withdraw your displeasure, for this same lady was +the falsest lady living, and by enchantment and sorcery she has +destroyed many good knights. She it was who through falsehood and +treachery caused my mother to be burned." + +"No matter what cause you had," replied the king, "you should have +waited till she left my presence. You shall certainly repent this deed, +for such another insult I never had in my court. Therefore, withdraw +from my presence with all the haste you may." + +Balin took up the head of the Lady and carried it to his hostelry, where +he met his squire. + +"Now," said Balin, as the two rode out of the town, "much I regret to +have displeased King Arthur. You must, however, take this head and carry +it to my friends in Northumberland, and tell them that my most bitter +enemy is dead. Tell them, too, that I am out of prison, and how I came +to get this sword." + +"Alas," said the squire, "you were greatly to blame for so displeasing +King Arthur." + +"As for that," said Balin, "I will go with all the haste I can to meet +King Rience that I may destroy him or die myself. If perchance I may +happen to overthrow him, then Arthur will forgive me and be my gracious +lord." + +"Where shall I meet you?" said the squire. + +"In King Arthur's court," answered Balin. + +When Balin left King Arthur's court, Lanceor, a proud and arrogant +knight who counted himself the best of Arthur's followers, went and +offered to ride after Balin and bring him back dead or alive. + +"Go," said King Arthur, "for I am wroth with Balin and would have +revenge for the insult he has shown me." + +So Lanceor departed to arm himself, and in the meantime, Merlin arrived, +and hearing of the death of the Lady of the Lake, by the sword of Balin, +went in to King Arthur. + +"Now," said Merlin, "you should know that this damsel who brought the +sword to the court is the falsest woman living. She has a brother whom +she hates beyond measure, and it was to compass his death that she came +hither, for it had been decreed that whoso drew the sword should slay +her brother. This I know to be true. Would to God she had never come to +this court, for the knight that drew the sword shall die by that sword, +and this shall be a great reproach to you and your court; for no man +liveth of greater ability and prowess than this same knight Balin, and +much good will he do you. It is a great pity he may not live to serve +you with his strength and hardiness." + +In the meantime Lanceor, armed at all points, rode at full speed after +Balin, and when he caught sight of him he called in a loud voice, "Stop, +you false knight, for you shall return with me whether you will or not, +and your shield and your sword shall not help you." + +When Balin heard the voice he turned his horse fiercely and said, "What +is it you will with me? Will you joust with me?" + +"Yes," said the Irish knight. "For that reason have I followed you." + +"Perchance," said Balin, "it would have been better if you had remained +at home, for many a man who strives to overthrow his enemy falls himself +in the struggle. From what court do you come?" + +"I am from the court of King Arthur," said Lanceor, "and I came to seek +revenge for the insult you showed Arthur and his court this day." + +"I see," said Balin, "that I must fight with you, but I much regret that +I have done wrong before King Arthur and his court. Your quarrel with me +is foolish, for the lady that I slew did me, through falsehood and +treachery, the greatest harm on earth, else would I have been as loath +as any knight that lives to slay a lady." + +"Cease talking," said Lanceor, "and face me, for only one of us shall +remain alive." + +Then they levelled their spears and clashed together as hard as their +horses could. The spear of the Irish knight struck Balin on the shield +and broke all in pieces, but Balin's spear pierced the shield of +Lanceor, passed through his hauberk and body and even into his horse, so +that Lanceor fell, a dead man. + +Regretting much that he had slain one of Arthur's knights, Balin buried +Lanceor and proceeded on his way. + +He had not ridden far into the forest when he saw a knight coming +towards him whom by his arms he recognized as his brother Balan. When +they met they dismounted and kissed each other and wept for pure joy. + +When they had calmed themselves a little, Balan said, "I had no thought +of meeting you here; I had supposed you were still in prison, for a +knight that I met at the castle of Four Stones told me how you had been +imprisoned by the king. I came this way hoping to serve you." + +Balin in reply told him of his adventures until the time they met, and +added, "Truly I am very sad that King Arthur is displeased with me, for +he is the most worshipful knight that reigneth on this earth. Now I mean +to regain his love or perish in the attempt. King Rience is even now +besieging the Castle Terrabil, and thither do I ride to see what I can +do against him." + +"I will go with you," said Balan, "and we will help each other as true +knights and good brethren ought to do." + +As they talked they saw coming toward them a misshapen old man. This was +Merlin in a strange disguise, though the brothers did not know him. + +"Ah, Balin," said the old dwarf, "too ready are you to strike in anger, +for here you have slain one of the noblest knights of Arthur's court, +and his kinsmen will follow you through the world till they have slain +you." + +"As for that," said Balin, "I have little fear, but I regret beyond +words that I have displeased my lord, King Arthur." + +"Be that as it may," answered Merlin, "you have given the saddest blow +ever struck; and yet worse is to come, for with that same sword will you +slay your brother." + +"If I believed that," the sad knight replied, "I should kill myself now +to prove you a liar." + +At that moment the crippled old man vanished suddenly, and the brothers +saw Merlin in his own person riding toward them. + +"Where are you going?" inquired Merlin. + +"At present we have little to do and ride as we please." + +"I can tell you where you are going," said the magician. "You go to meet +King Rience, but your journey will be a failure unless you are guided by +my counsel." + +"Ah, Merlin," said Balin, "we will be ruled by you." + +"Come on then; but see that you fight manfully, for you will need all +your strength and valor." + +"Fear not," they both exclaimed. "We will do all that men can do." + +"Then," said the magician, "conceal yourselves here in the woods behind +the leaves. Hide your horses and rest in patience, for soon will Rience +with sixty of his best knights come this way. You can fall upon them +from ambush and easily destroy them." + +It happened just as Merlin had predicted, and the brothers soon saw the +sixty knights riding down the lane. + +"Which is Rience?" asked Balin. + +"There," said he, "the knight that rides in the midst--that is Rience." + +The brothers waited till Rience was opposite them, and then they rushed +upon him and bore him down, wounding him severely. Wheeling from the +charge they fell upon the followers of Rience and smote them to right +and left, so that many fell dead or wounded and the remainder broke into +flight. + +Returning to King Rience the brothers would have killed him, but he +cried, "Slay me not. By my death you will win nothing, but by my life +you may win." + +"That is so," the two agreed: and they made a litter, and Balan bore +Rience to King Arthur, but Balin would not go to the court till he had +done more for Arthur. + +The tale of Balin's deeds is too long for recital here, but it may be +read in the book of King Arthur's knights. At last, after many days of +wandering and many exciting combats, Balin saw by the roadside a cross +upon which in letters of gold was written, "No man must ride to this +castle alone." + +Then, too, an old man came toward him and said, "Balin le Savage, turn +now before it is too late. You have already passed the bounds of +prudence." With these words the old man vanished, and Balin heard the +blast of a horn, like that blown when a huntsman kills an animal. + +"That blast," said Balin to himself, "is for me, for I am the prize, yet +am I not dead." + +As the echoes of the horn died away, Balin saw coming toward him a +hundred knights and ladies: who rode up to him and smilingly greeted +him. + +"Come with us to the castle," said they, "and there shall be music and +dancing and feasting and much joy." + +Balin followed them to the castle and was surprised at the good cheer +that awaited him. In the midst of the feast, when joy was at its height, +the chief lady of the feast looked at Balin and said, "Knight with the +two swords, no man may pass this way unless he fight with a knight who +keeps an island near by. Now must you joust with him." + +"That is an unhappy custom," said Balin, "that a knight may not pass +this way unless he fight." + +"You need to fight with but one man," said the lady. + +"Well," said Balin, "if I must fight, then must I fight, but a traveling +man and his horse are oft-times weary. However, though my horse and my +body are weary, my heart is not weary, and I will go where danger awaits +me." + +"Sir," said one of the knights to Balin, "it seems to me that your +shield is not in good condition. Take mine; it is a larger one, and you +are quite welcome to it." + +So Balin took the strange shield and left his own, with his arms +blazoned on it, at the castle, and rode forth to the island. On his way +he met a maid who called to him, "O Balin, why have you left your own +shield behind? You have now put yourself in the gravest danger, for by +the arms upon your shield all men might know you. It is a great pity, +indeed, that evil should befall you, for you are the peer of any knight +now living." + +"I repent exceedingly," said Balin, "that I ever came into this country, +but now that I have set foot upon this adventure I may not turn back +without shame to myself. Be it life or death, now will I take whatsoever +God willeth." + +Then he looked carefully at his armor and saw that it was all in good +condition and that his shield and spear were in good trim, and then, +blessing himself, he mounted his horse. Out of the castle there now came +riding toward him a knight on a powerful charger. Red was the armor of +the knight, red his shield, without any arms or device, and red were the +trappings on his horse. Now this knight in red was Balan, and when he +saw coming toward him a knight with two swords he thought it must be his +brother Balin, but when he looked at the shield it was strange, and +thus, neither brother knowing the other, they levelled their spears and +dashed together at full speed. + +The spear of each struck fair in the center of the shield of the other, +and their spears were so strong and their charge so fierce that both +horses were thrown to the ground and the men lay on the ground +unconscious. Balin was sadly bruised by the fall of his horse, and +besides he was weary of travel, so that Balan was the first to get up +and draw his sword. Balin, however, was little behind him, and was ready +with his weapon to meet the onset. Balan was first to strike, and though +Balin put up his shield the sword passed through it and cut through his +helm. Balin returned the blow with that unhappy sword that carried so +much misery with it, and well-nigh killed his brother, but both +recovered themselves and fought together, charging back and forth until +their breath failed them. + +As they rested for a moment Balin looked up to the castle walls and saw +that the towers were filled with ladies. Inspired by the sight, both +went into battle again, and both were wounded many times. Often they +rested and often renewed the combat, until the ground around them was +red with blood. Both had been wounded seven times or more, and each +wound so serious that it would have been the death of any less mighty +man. Both were weary and weak from their exertions, but still they +fought on. Their helmets were hewed off and their armor fell to pieces +till they were almost naked and defenseless. + +At last Balan withdrew a little and lay down in utter exhaustion. + +"What knight art thou?" said Balin le Savage. "Never have I found a +knight that so well matched me." + +"My name," he said, "is Balan, brother of the great knight Balin." + +"Alas," said Balin, "that ever I should see this day." And with these +words he fell back unconscious. + +Balan, on his hands and knees, crept to his brother and took the helm +from off his head, but even then he did not know him, so bloody and +wounded was his face. + +When a few minutes later Balin recovered consciousness, he cried, "Oh +Balan, my brother, thou hast slain me and I thee. On this account all +the world shall speak of us." + +"Alas," said Balan, "that I ever saw this day, and shame on me that I +knew you not, for I saw your two swords; but because you had a strange +shield I thought you were some strange knight." + +"There is a false knight in the castle," said Balin, "that got me to +leave my own shield and gave me his, and for this reason are we both to +die. Would that I might live to destroy the castle and prevent the foul +customs that pertain here." + +"That, indeed, were the right thing to do," said Balan, "for on the day +that I came hither I happened to kill the knight that kept the island, +and since then never have I been able to depart but have been compelled +to keep this island against all comers. If you had slain me, then must +you have kept the island, for no man may leave because of an +enchantment." + +[Illustration: THE FIGHT] + +While they were still talking, the chief lady of the castle, with four +knights and six ladies and six yeomen, came to them and listened to +their complaining. + +"We are two brothers," said they, "born from one mother, and in one +grave must we lie, so we pray you to bury us here where the battle was +fought." + +Weeping at the sad spectacle the lady granted their request and promised +that they should be interred with great ceremonies. + +"Now," said Balin, "will you send us a priest that we may receive our +sacrament, the blessed body of our Lord Jesus Christ?" + +"Yes," said the lady, "I will send at once." + +When the priest had come and administered the last rite, Balin said, +"When we are buried in a single tomb, and when the inscription upon it +reads that two brothers in ignorance slew each other, then will every +good knight who comes this way see our tomb and pray for the peace of +our souls." + +Amidst the weeping of the ladies and the gentlewomen there, Balan died, +but Balin lingered on until after midnight. The lady kept her promise +and buried both in one tomb, and placed before it the inscription: + + HERE LIE TWO BRETHREN, + EACH SLAIN BY + HIS BROTHER'S HAND. + +She knew not their names, but in the morning Merlin came that way, and +in letters of gold wrote on the tomb, "Here lieth Balin le Savage, the +knight with two swords, and Balan his brother." Then Merlin took the +famous sword, unfastened the pommel, and offered the sword to a knight +to try; but the knight could not handle it, and Merlin laughed in his +face. + +"Why do you laugh?" said the knight, angrily. + +"For this reason," said Merlin. "No man shall ever handle this sword +except Sir Launcelot or else Galahad, his son." + +All this Merlin wrote in letters of gold on the pommel of the sword. The +scabbard of Balin's sword he left on the side of the island where Sir +Galahad would find it. + + + + +GERAINT AND ENID[1] + +[Footnote 1: Tennyson, in his collection of poems known as the _Idyls of +the King_ worked up in beautiful form many of the legends which had +grown up around the names of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round +Table _Geraint and Enid_ is one of the most popular of these.] + +_By_ ALFRED TENNYSON + + +[Illustration: ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON 1809-1892] + + + I + + The brave Geraint, a knight of Arthur's court, + A tributary prince of Devon, one + Of that great order of the Table Round, + Had married Enid, Yniol's only child, + And loved her, as he loved the light of Heaven. + And as the light of Heaven varies, now + At sunrise, now at sunset, now by night + With moon and trembling stars, so loved Geraint + To make her beauty vary day by day, + In crimsons and in purples and in gems. + And Enid, but to please her husband's eye, + Who first had found and loved her in a state + Of broken fortunes, daily fronted him + In some fresh splendor; and the Queen herself, + Loved her, and often with her own white hands + Array'd and deck'd her, as the loveliest, + Next after her own self, in all the court. + And Enid loved the Queen, and with true heart + Adored her, as the stateliest and the best + And loveliest of all women upon earth. + At last, forsooth, because his princedom lay + Close on the borders of a territory, + Wherein were bandit earls, and caitiff knights, + Assassins, and all flyers from the hand + Of Justice, and whatever loathes a law: + He craved a fair permission to depart, + And there defend his marches; and the King + Mused for a little on his plea, but, last, + Allowing it, the Prince and Enid rode, + And fifty knights rode with them, to the shores + Of Severn, and they past to their own land; + Where, thinking, that if ever yet was wife + True to her lord, mine shall be so to me, + He compass'd her with sweet observances + And worship, never leaving her, and grew + Forgetful of his promise to the King, + Forgetful of the falcon and the hunt, + Forgetful of the tilt and tournament, + Forgetful of his glory and his name, + Forgetful of his princedom and its cares. + And this forgetfulness was hateful to her. + And by and by the people, when they met + In twos and threes, or fuller companies, + Began to scoff and jeer and babble of him + As of a prince whose manhood was all gone, + And molten down in mere uxoriousness. + And this she gather'd from the people's eyes: + This too the women who attired her head, + To please her, dwelling on his boundless love, + Told Enid, and they sadden'd her the more: + And day by day she thought to tell Geraint, + But could not out of bashful delicacy; + While he that watch'd her sadden, was the more + Suspicious that her nature had a taint. + + At last, it chanced that on a summer morn + (They sleeping each by either) the new sun + Beat thro the blindless casement of the room, + And heated the strong warrior in his dreams; + Who, moving, cast the coverlet aside, + And bared the knotted column of his throat, + The massive square of his heroic breast, + And arms on which the standing muscle sloped, + As slopes a wild brook o'er a little stone, + Running too vehemently to break upon it. + And Enid woke and sat beside the couch, + Admiring him, and thought within herself, + Was ever man so grandly made as he? + Then, like a shadow, past the people's talk + And accusation of uxoriousness + Across her mind, and bowing over him, + Low to her own heart piteously she said: + + "O noble breast and all-puissant arms, + Am I the cause, I the poor cause that men + Reproach you, saying all your force is gone? + I _am_ the cause, because I dare not speak + And tell him what I think and what they say. + And yet I hate that he should linger here; + I cannot love my lord and not his name. + Far liefer had I gird his harness on him, + And ride with him to battle and stand by, + And watch his mightful hand striking great blows + At caitiffs and at wrongers of the world. + Far better were I laid in the dark earth, + Not hearing any more his noble voice, + Not to be folded more in these dear arms, + And darken'd from the high light in his eyes, + Than that my lord thro' me should suffer shame. + Am I so bold, and could I so stand by, + And see my dear lord wounded in the strife, + Or maybe pierced to death before mine eyes, + And yet not dare to tell him what I think, + And how men slur him, saying all his force + Is melted into mere effeminacy? + O me, I fear that I am no true wife." + + Half inwardly, half audibly she spoke, + And the strong passion in her made her weep + True tears upon his broad and naked breast, + And these awoke him, and by great mischance + He heard but fragments of her later words, + And that she fear'd she was not a true wife. + And then he thought, "In spite of all my care, + For all my pains, poor man, for all my pains, + She is not faithful to me, and I see her + Weeping for some gay knight in Arthur's hall." + Right thro' his manful breast darted the pang + That makes a man, in the sweet face of her + Whom he loves most, lonely and miserable. + At this he hurl'd his huge limbs out of bed, + And shook his drowsy squire awake and cried, + "My charger and her palfrey;" then to her + "I will ride forth into the wilderness, + For tho' it seems my spurs are yet to win, + I have not fall'n so low as some would wish. + And thou, put on thy worst and meanest dress + And ride with me." And Enid ask'd, amazed, + "If Enid errs, let Enid learn her fault." + But he, "I charge thee, ask not, but obey." + + Then she bethought her of a faded silk, + A faded mantle and a faded veil, + And moving toward a cedarn cabinet, + Wherein she kept them folded reverently + With sprigs of summer laid between the folds, + She took them, and array'd herself therein, + Remembering when first he came on her + Drest in that dress, and how he loved her in it, + And all her foolish fears about the dress, + And all his journey to her, as himself + Had told her, and their coming to the court. + + For Arthur on the Whitsuntide before + Held court at old Caerleon upon Usk. + There on a day, he sitting high in hall, + Before him came a forester of Dean, + Wet from the woods, with notice of a hart + Taller than all his fellows, milky-white, + First seen that day: these things he told the King. + Then the good King gave order to let blow + His horns for hunting on the morrow morn. + And when the Queen petition'd for his leave + To see the hunt, allow'd it easily. + So with the morning all the court were gone. + But Guinevere lay late into the morn, + But rose at last, a single maiden with her, + Took horse, and forded Usk, and gain'd the wood; + There, on a little knoll beside it, stay'd + Waiting to hear the hounds; but heard instead + A sudden sound of hoofs, for Prince Geraint, + Late also, wearing neither hunting-dress + Nor weapon, save a golden-hilted brand, + Came quickly flashing thro' the shallow ford + Behind them, and so gallop'd up the knoll. + + A purple scarf, at either end whereof + There swung an apple of the purest gold, + Sway'd round about him, as he gallop'd up + To join them, glancing like a dragon-fly + In summer suit and silks of holiday. + Low bow'd the tributary Prince, and she, + Sweetly and statelily, and with all grace + Of womanhood and queenhood, answer'd him: + "Late, late, Sir Prince," she said, "later than we!" + "Yea, noble Queen," he answer'd, "and so late + That I but come like you to see the hunt, + Not join it." "Therefore wait with me," she said; + "For on this little knoll, if anywhere, + There is good chance that we shall hear the hounds: + Here often they break covert at our feet." + And while they listen'd for the distant hunt, + And chiefly for the baying of Cavall, + King Arthur's hound of deepest mouth, there rode + Full slowly by a knight, lady, and dwarf; + Whereof the dwarf lagg'd latest, and the knight + Had vizor up, and show'd a youthful face, + Imperious and of haughtiest lineaments. + And Guinevere, not mindful of his face + In the King's hall, desired his name, and sent + Her maiden to demand it of the dwarf; + Who being vicious, old and irritable, + And doubling all his master's vice of pride, + Made answer sharply that she should not know. + "Then will I ask it of himself," she said. + "Nay, by my faith, thou shalt not," cried the dwarf; + "Thou art not worthy ev'n to speak of him;" + And when she put her horse toward the knight, + Struck at her with his whip, and she return'd + Indignant to the Queen; whereat Geraint + Exclaiming, "Surely I will learn the name," + Made sharply to the dwarf, and ask'd it of him, + Who answer'd as before; and when the Prince + Had put his horse in motion toward the knight, + Struck at him with his whip, and cut his cheek. + The Prince's blood spurted upon the scarf, + Dyeing it; and his quick, instinctive hand + Caught at the hilt, as to abolish him: + But he, from his exceeding manfulness + And pure nobility of temperament, + Wroth to be wroth at such a worm, refrain'd + From ev'n a word, and so returning said: + + "I will avenge this insult, noble Queen, + Done in your maiden's person to yourself: + And I will track this vermin to their earths; + For tho' I ride unarm'd, I do not doubt + To find, at some place I shall come at, arms + On loan, or else for pledge; and, being found, + Then will I fight him, and will break his pride, + And on the third day will again be here, + So that I be not fall'n in fight. Farewell." + + "Farewell, fair Prince," answer'd the stately Queen. + "Be prosperous in this journey, as in all; + And may you light on all things that you love, + And live to wed with her whom first you love: + But ere you wed with any, bring your bride, + And I, were she the daughter of a king, + Yea, tho' she were a beggar from the hedge, + Will clothe her for her bridals like the sun." + + Geraint, now thinking that he heard + [Transcriber's note: Illegible]t at bay, now the far horn, + A little vext at losing of the hunt, + A little at the vile occasion, rode, + By ups and downs, thro' many a grassy glade + And valley, with fixt eye following the three. + At last they issued from the world of wood, + And climb'd upon a fair and even ridge, + And show'd themselves against the sky, and sank. + And thither came Geraint, and underneath + Beheld the long street of a little town + In a long valley, on one side whereof, + White from the mason's hand, a fortress rose; + And on one side a castle in decay, + Beyond a bridge that spann'd a dry ravine: + And out of town and valley came a noise + As of a broad brook o'er a shingly bed + Brawling, or like a clamor of the rooks + At distance, ere they settle for the night. + + And onward to the fortress rode the three, + And enter'd, and were lost behind the walls. + "So," thought Geraint, "I have track'd him to his earth." + And down the long street riding wearily, + Found every hostel full, and everywhere + Was hammer laid to hoof, and the hot hiss + And bustling whistle of the youth who scour'd + His master's armor; and of such a one + He ask'd, "What means the tumult in the town?" + Who told him, scouring still, "The sparrow-hawk!" + Then riding close behind an ancient churl, + Who, smitten by the dusty sloping beam, + Went sweating underneath a sack of corn, + Ask'd yet once more what meant the hubbub here? + Who answer'd gruffly, "Ugh! the sparrow-hawk." + + Then riding further past an armorer's, + Who, with back turn'd, and bow'd above his work, + Sat riveting a helmet on his knee, + He put the self-same query, but the man + Not turning round, nor looking at him, said: + "Friend, he that labors for the sparrow-hawk + Has little time for idle questioners." + Whereat Geraint flash'd into sudden spleen: + "A thousand pips eat up your sparrow-hawk! + Tits, wrens, and all wing'd nothings peck him dead! + Ye think the rustic cackle of your bourg + The murmur of the world! What is it to me? + O wretched set of sparrows, one and all, + Who pipe of nothing but of sparrow-hawks! + Speak, if ye be not like the rest, hawk-mad, + Where can I get me harborage for the night? + And arms, arms, arms to fight the enemy? Speak!" + Whereat the armorer turning all amazed + And seeing one so gay in purple silks, + Came forward with the helmet yet in hand + And answer'd, "Pardon me, O stranger knight; + We hold a tourney here to-morrow morn, + And there is scantly time for half the work. + Arms? truth! I know not: all are wanted here. + Harborage? truth, good truth, I know not, save, + It may be, at Earl Yniol's, o'er the bridge + Yonder." He spoke and fell to work again. + + Then rode Geraint, a little spleenful yet, + Across the bridge that spann'd the dry ravine. + There musing sat the hoary-headed Earl, + (His dress a suit of fray'd magnificence, + Once fit for feasts of ceremony) and said: + "Whither, fair son?" to whom Geraint replied, + "O friend, I seek a harborage for the night." + Then Yniol, "Enter therefore and partake + The slender entertainment of a house + Once rich, now poor, but ever open-door'd." + "Thanks, venerable friend," replied Geraint; + "So that you do not serve me sparrow-hawks + For supper, I will enter, I will eat + With all the passion of a twelve hours' fast." + Then sigh'd and smiled the hoary-headed Earl, + And answer'd, "Graver cause than yours is mine + To curse this hedgerow thief, the sparrow-hawk: + But in, go in; for save yourself desire it, + We will not touch upon him ev'n in jest." + + Then rode Geraint into the castle court, + His charger trampling many a prickly star + Of sprouted thistle on the broken stones. + He look'd and saw that all was ruinous. + Here stood a shatter'd archway plumed with fern; + And here had fall'n a great part of a tower, + Whole, like a crag that tumbles from the cliff, + And like a crag was gay with wilding flowers: + And high above a piece of turret stair, + Worn by the feet that now were silent, wound + Bare to the sun, and monstrous ivy-stems + Claspt the gray walls with hairy-fibred arms, + And suck'd the joining of the stones, and look'd + A knot, beneath, of snakes, aloft, a grove. + + And while he waited in the castle court, + The voice of Enid, Yniol's daughter, rang + Clear thro' the open casement of the hall, + Singing; and as the sweet voice of a bird, + Heard by the lander in a lonely isle, + Moves him to think what kind of bird it is + That sings so delicately clear, and make + Conjecture of the plumage and the form; + So the sweet voice of Enid moved Geraint; + And made him like a man abroad at morn + When first the liquid note beloved of men + Comes flying over many a windy wave + To Britain, and in April suddenly + Breaks from a coppice gemm'd with green and red, + And he suspends his converse with a friend, + Or it may be the labor of his hands, + To think or say, "There is the nightingale;" + So fared it with Geraint, who thought and said, + "Here, by God's grace, is the one voice for me." + + It chanced the song that Enid sang was one + Of Fortune and her wheel, and Enid sang: + + "Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel and lower the proud; + Turn thy wild wheel thro' sunshine, storm, and cloud; + Thy wheel and thee we neither love nor hate. + + "Turn, Fortune, turn thy wheel with smile or frown; + With that wild wheel we go not up or down; + Our hoard is little, but our hearts are great. + + "Smile and we smile, the lords of many lands; + Frown and we smile, the lords of our own hands; + For man is man and master of his fate. + + "Turn, turn thy wheel above the staring crowd; + Thy wheel and thou are shadows in the cloud; + Thy wheel and thee we neither love nor hate." + +[Illustration: GERAINT HEARS ENID SINGING] + + "Hark, by the bird's song ye may learn the nest," + Said Yniol; "enter quickly." Entering then, + Right o'er a mount of newly-fallen stones, + The dusky-rafter'd many-cobweb'd hall, + He found an ancient dame in dim brocade; + And near her, like a blossom vermeil-white,[2] + That lightly breaks a faded flower-sheath, + Moved the fair Enid, all in faded silk, + Her daughter. In a moment thought Geraint, + "Here by God's rood is the one maid for me." + But none spake word except the hoary Earl: + "Enid, the good knight's horse stands in the court; + Take him to stall, and give him corn, and then + Go to the town and buy us flesh and wine; + And we will make us merry as we may. + Our hoard is little, but our hearts are great." + +[Footnote 2: _Vermeil-white_ means _red and white_, or _reddish white_.] + + He spake: the Prince, as Enid past him, fain + To follow, strode a stride, but Yniol caught + His purple scarf, and held, and said, "Forbear! + Rest! the good house, tho' ruin'd, O my son, + Endures not that her guest should serve himself." + And reverencing the custom of the house + Geraint, from utter courtesy, forbore. + + So Enid took his charger to the stall; + And after went her way across the bridge, + And reach'd the town, and while the Prince and Earl + Yet spoke together, came again with one, + A youth, that following with a costrel[3] bore + +[Footnote 3: A _costrel_ was a leather, wooden or earthenware bottle, +provided with ears, by which it might be hung at the side.] + + The means of goodly welcome, flesh and wine. + And Enid brought sweet cakes to make them cheer, + And in her veil unfolded, manchet[4] bread. + +[Footnote 4: _Manchet bread_ is fine white bread.] + + And then, because their hall must also serve + For kitchen, boil'd the flesh, and spread the board, + And stood behind, and waited on the three. + And seeing her so sweet and serviceable, + Geraint had longing in him evermore + To stoop and kiss the tender little thumb, + That crost the trencher as she laid it down: + But after all had eaten, then Geraint, + For now the wine made summer in his veins, + Let his eye rove in following, or rest + On Enid at her lowly handmaid-work, + Now here, now there, about the dusky hall; + Then suddenly addrest the hoary Earl: + + "Fair Host and Earl, I pray your courtesy; + This sparrow-hawk, what is he? tell me of him. + His name? but no, good faith, I will not have it: + For if he be the knight whom late I saw + Ride into that new fortress by your town, + White from the mason's hand, then have I sworn + From his own lips to have it--I am Geraint + Of Devon--for this morning when the Queen + Sent her own maiden to demand the name, + His dwarf, a vicious under-shapen thing, + Struck at her with his whip, and she return'd + Indignant to the Queen; and then I swore + That I would track this caitiff to his hold, + And fight and break his pride, and have it of him. + And all unarm'd I rode, and thought to find + Arms in your town, where all the men are mad; + They take the rustic murmur of their bourg + For the great wave that echoes round the world; + They would not hear me speak: but if ye know + Where I can light on arms, or if yourself + Should have them, tell me, seeing I have sworn + That I will break his pride and learn his name, + Avenging this great insult done the Queen." + + Then cried Earl Yniol, "Art thou he indeed, + Geraint, a name far-sounded among men + For noble deeds? and truly I, when first + I saw you moving by me on the bridge, + Felt ye were somewhat, yea, and by your state + And presence might have guess'd you one of those + That eat in Arthur's hall at Camelot. + Nor speak I now from foolish flattery; + For this dear child hath often heard me praise + Your feats of arms, and often when I paused + Hath ask'd again, and ever loved to hear; + So grateful is the noise of noble deeds + To noble hearts who see but acts of wrong: + O never yet had woman such a pair + Of suitors as this maiden; first Limours, + A creature wholly given to brawls and wine, + Drunk even when he woo'd; and be he dead + I know not, but he passed to the wild land. + The second was your foe, the sparrow-hawk, + My curse, my nephew--I will not let his name + Slip from my lips if I can help it--he, + When I that knew him fierce and turbulent + Refused her to him, then his pride awoke; + And since the proud man often is the mean, + He sow'd a slander in the common ear, + Affirming that his father left him gold, + And in my charge, which was not render'd to him; + Bribed with large promises the men who served + About my person, the more easily + Because my means were somewhat broken into + Thro' open doors and hospitality; + Raised my own town against me in the night + Before my Enid's birthday, sack'd my house; + From mine own earldom foully ousted me; + Built that new fort to overawe my friends, + For truly there are those who love me yet; + And keeps me in this ruinous castle here, + Where doubtless he would put me soon to death, + But that his pride too much despises me: + And I myself sometimes despise myself; + For I have let men be, and have their way; + Am much too gentle, have not used my power: + Nor know I whether I be very base + Or very manful, whether very wise + Or very foolish; only this I know, + That whatsoever evil happen to me, + I seem to suffer nothing heart or limb, + But can endure it all most patiently." + + "Well said, true heart," replied Geraint, "but arms, + That if the sparrow-hawk, this nephew, fight + In next day's tourney I may break his pride." + + And Yniol answer'd, "Arms, indeed, but old + And rusty, old and rusty, Prince Geraint, + Are mine, and therefore at thine asking, thine. + But in this tournament can no man tilt, + Except the lady he loves best be there. + Two forks are fixt into the meadow ground, + And over these is placed a silver wand. + And over that a golden sparrow-hawk, + The prize of beauty for the fairest there. + And this what knight soever be in field + Lays claim to for the lady at his side, + And tilts with my good nephew thereupon, + Who being apt at arms and big of bone + Has ever won it for the lady with him, + And toppling over all antagonism + Has earn'd himself the name of sparrow-hawk. + But thou, that hast no lady, canst not fight." + + To whom Geraint with eyes all bright replied, + Leaning a little toward him, "Thy leave! + Let _me_ lay lance in rest, O noble host, + For this dear child, because I never saw, + Tho' having seen all beauties of our time, + Nor can see elsewhere, anything so fair. + And if I fall her name will yet remain + Untarnish'd as before; but if I live, + So aid me Heaven when at mine uttermost, + As I will make her truly my true wife." + + Then, howsoever patient, Yniol's heart + Danced in his bosom, seeing better days, + And looking round he saw not Enid there, + (Who hearing her own name had stol'n away) + But that old dame, to whom full tenderly + And fondling all her hand in his he said, + "Mother, a maiden is a tender thing, + And best by her that bore her understood. + Go thou to rest, but ere thou go to rest + Tell her, and prove her heart toward the Prince." + + So spake the kindly-hearted Earl, and she + With frequent smile and nod departing found, + Half disarray'd as to her rest, the girl; + Whom first she kiss'd on either cheek, and then + On either shining shoulder laid a hand, + And kept her off and gazed upon her face, + And told her all their converse in the hall, + Proving her heart: but never light and shade + Coursed one another more on open ground + Beneath a troubled heaven, than red and pale + Across the face of Enid hearing her; + While slowly falling as a scale that falls, + When weight is added only grain by grain, + Sank her sweet head upon her gentle breast; + Nor did she lift an eye nor speak a word, + Rapt in the fear and in the wonder of it; + So moving without answer to her rest + She found no rest, and ever fail'd to draw + The quiet night into her blood, but lay + Contemplating her own unworthiness; + And when the pale and bloodless east began + To quicken to the sun, arose, and raised + Her mother too, and hand in hand they moved + Down to the meadow where the; ousts were held, + And waited there for Yniol and Geraint. + + And thither came the twain, and when Geraint + Beheld her first in field, awaiting him, + He felt, were she the prize of bodily force, + Himself beyond the rest pushing could move + The chair of Idris. Yniol's rusted arms + Were on his princely person, but thro' these + Princelike his bearing shone; and errant knights + And ladies came, and by and by the town + Flow'd in, and settling circled all the lists. + And there they fixt the forks into the ground, + And over these they placed the silver wand, + And over that the golden sparrow-hawk + Then Yniol's nephew, after trumpet blown, + Spake to the lady with him and proclaim'd + "Advance and take as fairest of the fair. + For I these two years past have won it for thee, + The prize of beauty." Loudly spake the Prince, + "Forbear: there is a worthier," and the knight + With some surprise and thrice as much disdain + Turn'd, and beheld the four, and all his face + Glow'd like the heart of a great fire at Yule + So burnt he was with passion, crying out + "Do battle for it then," no more; and thrice + They clash'd together, and thrice they brake their spears. + Then each, dishorsed and drawing, lash'd at each + So often and with such blows, that all the crowd + Wonder'd, and now and then from distant walls + There came a clapping as of phantom hands. + So twice they fought, and twice they brathed, and still + The dew of their great labor, and the blood + Of their strong bodies, flowing, drain'd their force. + But either's force was match'd till Yniol's cry + "Remember that great insult done the Queen," + Increased Geraint's, who heaved his blade aloft, + And crack'd the helmet thro', and bit the bone + And fell'd him, and set foot upon his breast + And said, "Thy name?" To whom the fallen man + Made answer, groaning, "Edyrn, son of Nudd! + Ashamed am I that I should tell it them. + My pride is broken: men have seen my fall." + + "Then, Edyrn, son of Nudd," replied Geraint, + "These two things shalt thou do, or else thou diest. + First, thou thyself, with damsel and with dwarf, + Shalt ride to Arthur's court, and coming there, + Crave pardon for that insult done the Queen, + And shalt abide her judgment on it; next, + Thou shalt give back their earldom to thy kin. + These two things shalt thou do, or thou shalt die." + And Edyrn answered, "These things will I do, + For I have never yet been overthrown, + And thou hast overthrown me, and my pride + Is broken down, for Enid sees my fall!" + And rising up, he rode to Arthur's court, + And there the Queen forgave him easily. + And being young, he changed and came to loathe + His crime of traitor, slowly drew himself + Bright from his old dark life, and fell at last + In the great battle fighting for the King. + + But when the third day from the hunting-morn + Made a low splendor in the world, and wings + Moved in her ivy, Enid, for she lay + With her fair head in the dim-yellow light, + Among the dancing shadows of the birds, + Woke and bethought her of her promise given + No later than last eve to Prince Geraint-- + So bent he seem'd on going the third day, + He would not leave her, till her promise given-- + To ride with him this morning to the court, + And there be made known to the stately Queen, + And there be wedded with all ceremony. + At this she cast her eyes upon her dress, + And thought it never yet had look'd so mean. + For as a leaf in mid-November is + To what it was in mid-October, seem'd + The dress that now she look'd on to the dress + She look'd on ere the coming of Geraint. + And still she look'd, and still the terror grew + Of that strange, bright and dreadful thing, a court, + All staring at her in her faded silk: + And softly to her own sweet heart she said: + + "This noble prince who won our earldom back, + So splendid in his acts and his attire, + Sweet heaven, how much I shall discredit him! + Would he could tarry with us here awhile, + But being so beholden to the Prince, + It were but little grace in any of us, + Bent as he seem'd on going this third day, + To seek a second favor at his hands. + Yet if he could but tarry a day or two, + Myself would work eye dim, and finger lame, + Far liefer than so much discredit him." + + And Enid fell in longing for a dress + All branch'd and flower'd with gold, a costly gift + Of her good mother, given her on the night + Before her birthday, three sad years ago. + That night of fire, when Edyrn sack'd their house, + And scatter'd all they had to all the winds: + For while the mother show'd it, and the two + Were turning and admiring it, the work + To both appear'd so costly, rose a cry + That Edyrn's men were on them, and they fled + With little save the jewels they had on, + Which being sold and sold had bought them bread: + And Edyrn's men had caught them in their flight, + And placed them in this ruin; and she wish'd + The Prince had found her in her ancient home; + Then let her fancy flit across the past, + And roam the goodly places that she knew; + And last bethought her how she used to watch, + Near that old home, a pool of golden carp; + And one was patch'd and blurr'd and lustreless + Among his burnish'd brethren of the pool; + And half asleep she made comparison + Of that and these to her own faded self + And the gay court, and fell asleep again; + And dreamt herself was such a faded form + Among her burnish'd sisters of the pool; + But this was in the garden of a king; + And tho' she lay dark in the pool, she knew + That all was bright; that all about were birds + Of sunny plume in gilded trellis-work; + That all the turf was rich in plots that look'd + Each like a garnet or a turkis in it; + And lords and ladies of the high court went + In silver tissue talking things of state; + And children of the King in cloth of gold + Glanced at the doors or gambol'd down the walks; + And while she thought "They will not see me," came + A stately queen whose name was Guinevere, + And all the children in their cloth of gold + Ran to her, crying, "If we have fish at all + Let them be gold; and charge the gardeners now + To pick the faded creature from the pool, + And cast it on the mixen[5] that it die." + And therewithal one came and seized on her, + And Enid started waking, with her heart + All overshadow'd by the foolish dream, + And lo! it was her mother grasping her + To get her well awake; and in her hand + A suit of bright apparel, which she laid + Flat on the couch, and spoke exultingly: + +[Footnote 5: _Mixen_ is an old word for _dunghill_] + + "See here, my child, how fresh the colors look, + How fast they hold like colors of a shell + That keeps the wear and polish of the wave. + Why not? It never yet was worn, I trow: + Look on it, child, and tell me if ye know it." + + And Enid look'd, but all confused at first, + Could scarce divide it from her foolish dream: + Then suddenly she knew it and rejoiced, + And answer'd, "Yea, I know it; your good gift, + So sadly lost on that unhappy night; + Your own good gift!" "Yea, surely," said the dame, + "And gladly given again this happy morn. + For when the jousts were ended yesterday, + Went Yniol thro' the town, and everywhere + He found the sack and plunder of our house + All scatter'd thro' the houses of the town; + And gave command that all which once was ours + Should now be ours again; and yester-eve, + While ye were talking sweetly with your Prince, + Came one with this and laid it in my hand, + For love or fear, or seeking favor of us, + Because we have our earldom back again. + And yester-eve I would not tell you of it, + But kept it for a sweet surprise at morn. + Yea, truly is it not a sweet surprise? + For I myself unwillingly have worn + My faded suit, as you, my child, have yours, + And howsoever patient, Yniol his. + Ah, dear, he took me from a goodly house, + With store of rich apparel, sumptuous fare, + And page, and maid, and squire, and seneschal, + And pastime both of hawk and hound, and all + That appertains to noble maintenance. + Yea, and he brought me to a goodly house; + But since our fortune swerved from sun to shade, + And all thro' that young traitor, cruel need + Constrain'd us, but a better time has come; + So clothe yourself in this, that better fits + Our mended fortunes and a Prince's bride: + For tho' ye won the prize of fairest fair, + And tho' I heard him call you fairest fair, + Let never maiden think, however fair, + She is not fairer in new clothes than old. + And should some great court-lady say, the Prince + Hath pick'd a ragged-robin from the hedge, + And like a madman brought her to the court, + Then were ye shamed, and, worse, might shame the Prince + To whom we are beholden; but I know, + When my dear child is set forth at her best, + That neither court nor country, tho' they sought + Thro' all the provinces like those of old + That lighted on Queen Esther, has her match." + + Here ceased the kindly mother out of breath; + And Enid listen'd brightening as she lay; + Then, as the white and glittering star of morn + Parts from a bank of snow, and by and by + Slips into golden cloud, the maiden rose, + And left her maiden couch, and robed herself, + Help'd by the mother's careful hand and eye, + Without a mirror, in the gorgeous gown; + Who, after, turn'd her daughter round, and said, + She never yet had seen her half so fair. * * * + + + "And I can scarcely ride with you to court, + For old am I, and rough the ways and wild; + But Yniol goes, and I full oft shall dream + I see my princess as I see her now, + Clothed with my gift, and gay among the gay.'" + + But while the women thus rejoiced, Geraint + Woke where he slept in the high hall, and call'd + For Enid, and when Yniol made report + Of that good mother making Enid gay + In such apparel as might well beseem + His princess, or indeed the stately Queen, + He answer'd: "Earl, entreat her by my love, + Albeit I give no reason but my wish, + That she ride with me in her faded silk." + Yniol with that hard message went; it fell + Like flaws in summer laying lusty corn: + For Enid, all abash'd she knew not why, + Dared not to glance at her good mother's face, + But silently, in all obedience, + Her mother silent too, nor helping her, + Laid from her limbs the costly-broider'd gift, + And robed them in her ancient suit again, + And so descended. Never man rejoiced + More than Geraint to greet her thus attired; + And glancing all at once as keenly at her + As careful robins eye the delver's toil, + Made her cheek burn and either eyelid fall, + But rested with her sweet face satisfied; + Then seeing cloud upon the mother's brow, + Her by both hands he caught, and sweetly said, + + "O my new mother, be not wroth or grieved + At thy new son, for my petition to her. + When late I left Caerleon, our great Queen, + In words whose echo lasts, they were so sweet, + Made promise, that whatever bride I brought, + Herself would clothe her like the sun in Heaven. + Thereafter, when I reach'd this ruin'd hall, + Beholding one so bright in dark estate, + I vow'd that could I gain her, our fair Queen, + No hand but hers, should make your Enid burst + Sunlike from cloud--and likewise thought perhaps, + That service done so graciously would bind + The two together; fain I would the two + Should love each other: how can Enid find + A nobler friend? Another thought was mine; + I came among you here so suddenly, + That tho' her gentle presence at the lists + Might well have served for proof that I was loved, + I doubted whether daughter's tenderness, + Or easy nature, might not let itself + Be moulded by your wishes for her weal; + Or whether some false sense in her own self + Of my contrasting brightness, overbore + Her fancy dwelling in this dusky hall; + And such a sense might make her long for court + And all its perilous glories: and I thought, + That could I someway prove such force in her + Link'd with such love for me, that at a word + (No reason given her) she could cast aside + A splendor dear to women, new to her, + And therefore dearer; or if not so new, + Yet therefore tenfold dearer by the power + Of intermitted usage; then I felt + That I could rest, a rock in ebbs and flows, + Fixt on her faith. Now, therefore, I do rest, + A prophet certain of my prophecy, + That never shadow of mistrust can cross + Between us. Grant me pardon for my thoughts: + And for my strange petition I will make + Amends hereafter by some gaudy-day, + When your fair child shall wear your costly gift + Beside your own warm hearth, with, on her knees, + Who knows? another gift of the high God, + Which, maybe, shall have learn'd to lisp you thanks." + + He spoke: the mother smiled, but half in tears, + Then brought a mantle down and wrapt her in it, + And claspt and kiss'd her, and they rode away. + + Now thrice that morning Guinevere had climb'd + The giant tower, from whose high crest, they say, + Men saw the goodly hills of Somerset, + And white sails flying on the yellow sea; + But not to goodly hill or yellow sea + Look'd the fair Queen, but up the vale of Usk, + By the flat meadow, till she saw them come; + And then descending met them at the gates, + Embraced her with all welcome as a friend, + And did her honor as the Prince's bride, + And clothed her for her bridals like the sun; + And all that week was old Caerleon gay, + For by the hands of Dubric, the high saint, + They twain were wedded with all ceremony. + + And this was on the last year's Whitsuntide. + But Enid ever kept the faded silk, + Remembering how first he came on her, + Drest in that dress, and how he loved her in it, + And all her foolish fears about the dress, + all his journey toward her, as himself + Had told her, and their coming to the court. + + And now this morning when he said to her, + "Put on your worst and meanest dress," she found + And took it, and array'd herself therein. + + + + + II + + + O purblind race of miserable men, + How many among us at this very hour + Do forge a life-long trouble for ourselves, + By taking true for false, or false for true; + Here, thro' the feeble twilight of this world + Groping, how many, until we pass and reach + That other, where we see as we are seen! + + So fared it with Geraint, who issuing forth + That morning, when they both had got to horse, + Perhaps because he loved her passionately, + And felt that tempest brooding round his heart, + Which, if he spoke at all, would break perforce + Upon a head so dear in thunder, said: + "Not at my side. I charge thee ride before, + Ever a good way on before; and this + I charge thee, on thy duty as a wife, + Whatever happens, not to speak to me, + No, not a word!" and Enid was aghast; + And forth they rode, but scarce three paces on, + When crying out, "Effeminate as I am, + I will not fight my way with gilded arms + All shall be iron;" he loosed a mighty purse, + Hung at his belt, and hurl'd it toward the squire. + So the last sight that Enid had of home + Was all the marble threshold flashing, strown + With gold and scatter'd coinage, and the squire + Chafing his shoulder: then he cried again, + "To the wilds!" and Enid leading down the tracks + Thro' which he bade her lead him on, they past + The marches, and by bandit-haunted holds, + Gray swamps and pools, waste places of the hern, + And wildernesses, perilous paths, they rode: + Round was their pace at first, but slacken'd soon: + A stranger meeting them had surely thought + They rode so slowly and they look'd so pale, + That each had suffered some exceeding wrong. + For he was ever saying to himself, + "O I that wasted time to tend upon her, + To compass her with sweet observances, + To dress her beautifully and keep her true"-- + And there he broke the sentence in his heart + Abruptly, as a man upon his tongue + May break it, when his passion masters him, + And she was ever praying the sweet heavens + To save her dear lord whole from any wound. + And ever in her mind she cast about + For that unnoticed failing in herself, + Which made him look so cloudy and so cold; + Till the great plover's human whistle amazed + Her heart, and glancing round the waste she fear'd + In every wavering brake an ambuscade. + Then thought again, "If there be such in me, + I might amend it by the grace of Heaven, + If he would only speak and tell me of it." + + But when the fourth part of the day was gone, + Then Enid was aware of three tall knights + On horseback, wholly arm d, behind a rock + In shadow, waiting for them, caitiffs all; + And heard one crying to his fellow, "Look, + Here comes a laggard hanging down his head, + Who seems no bolder than a beaten hound; + Come, we will slay him and will have his horse + And armor, and his damsel shall be ours." + +[Illustration: ENID LEADS THE WAY] + + Then Enid ponder'd in her heart, and said: + "I will go back a little to my lord, + And I will tell him all their caitiff talk; + For, be he wroth even to slaying me, + Far liefer by his dear hand had I die, + Than that my lord should suffer loss or shame." + + Then she went back some paces of return, + Met his full frown timidly firm, and said: + "My lord, I saw three bandits by the rock + Waiting to fall on you, and heard them boast + That they would slay you, and possess your horse + And armor, and your damsel should be theirs." + + He made a wrathful answer: "Did I wish + Your warning or your silence? one command + I laid upon you, not to speak to me, + And thus ye keep it! Well then, look--for now, + Whether ye wish me victory or defeat, + Long for my life, or hunger for my death, + Yourself shall see my vigor is not lost." + + Then Enid waited pale and sorrowful, + And down upon him bare the bandit three. + And at the midmost charging, Prince Geraint + Drave the long spear a cubit thro' his breast + And out beyond; and then against his brace + Of comrades, each of whom had broken on him + A lance that splinter'd like an icicle, + Swung from his brand a windy buffet out + Once, twice, to right, to left, and stunn'd the twain + Or slew them, and dismounting like a man + That skins the wild beast after slaying him, + Stript from the three dead wolves of woman born + The three gay suits of armor which they wore, + And let the bodies lie, but bound the suits + Of armor on their horses, each on each, + And tied the bridle-reins of all the three + Together, and said to her, "Drive them on + Before you;" and she drove them thro' the waste. + He follow'd nearer: ruth began to work + Against his anger in him, while he watch'd + The being he loved best in all the world, + With difficulty in mild obedience + Driving them on: he fain had spoken to her, + And loosed in words of sudden fire the wrath + And smoulder'd wrong that burnt him all within; + But evermore it seem'd an easier thing + At once without remorse to strike her dead, + Than to cry "Halt," and to her own bright face + Accuse her of the least immodesty: + And thus tongue-tied, it made him wroth the more + That she _could_ speak whom his own ear had heard + Call herself false: and suffering thus he made + Minutes an age: but in scarce longer time + Than at Caerleon the full-tided Usk, + Before he turn to fall seaward again, + Pauses, did Enid, keeping watch, behold + In the first shallow shade of a deep wood, + Before a gloom of stubborn-shafted oaks, + Three other horsemen waiting, wholly arm'd, + Whereof one seem'd far larger than her lord, + And shook her pulses, crying, "Look, a prize! + Three horses and three goodly suits of arms, + And all in charge of whom? a girl: set on." + "Nay," said the second, "yonder comes a knight." + The third, "A craven; how he hangs his head." + The giant answer'd merrily, "Yea, but one? + Wait here, and when he passes fall upon him." + + And Enid ponder'd in her heart and said, + "I will abide the coming of my lord, + And I will tell him all their villany. + My lord is weary with the fight before, + And they will fall upon him unawares. + I needs must disobey him for his good; + How should I dare obey him to his harm? + Needs must I speak, and tho' he kill me for it, + I save a life dearer to me than mine." + + And she abode his coming, and said to him + With timid firmness, "Have I leave to speak?" + He said, "Ye take it, speaking," and she spoke. + + "There lurk three villains yonder in the wood, + And each of them is wholly arm'd, and one + Is larger-limb'd than you are, and they say + That they will fall upon you while ye pass." + + To which he flung a wrathful answer back: + "And if there were an hundred in the wood, + And every man were larger-limb'd than I, + And all at once should sally upon me, + I swear it would not ruffle me so much + As you that not obey me. Stand aside, + And if I fall, cleave to the better man." + + And Enid stood aside to wait the event, + Not dare to watch the combat, only breathe + Short fits of prayer, at every stroke a breath. + And he, she dreaded most, bare down upon him. + Aim'd at the helm, his lance err'd; but Geraint's, + A little in the late encounter strain'd, + Struck thro' the bulky bandit's corselet home, + And then brake short, and down his enemy roll'd, + And there lay still; as he that tells the tale + Saw once a great piece of a promontory, + That had a sapling growing on it, slide + From the long shore-cliff's windy walls to the beach, + And there lie still, and yet the sapling grew: + So lay the man transfixt. His craven pair + Of comrades making slowlier at the Prince, + When now they saw their bulwark fallen, stood; + On whom the victor, to confound them more, + Spurr'd with his terrible war-cry; for as one, + That listens near a torrent mountain-brook, + All thro' the crash of the near cataract hears + The drumming thunder of the huger fall + At distance, were the soldiers wont to hear + His voice in battle, and be kindled by it, + And foemen scared, like that false pair who turn'd + Flying, but, overtaken, died the death + Themselves had wrought on many an innocent. + + Thereon Geraint, dismounting, pick'd the lance + That pleased him best, and drew from those dead wolves + Their three gay suits of armor, each from each, + And bound them on their horses, each on each. + And tied the bridle-reins of all the three + Together, and said to her, "Drive them on + Before you," and she drove them thro' the wood. + + He follow'd nearer still: the pain she had + To keep them in the wild ways of the wood, + Two sets of three laden with jingling arms, + Together, served a little to disedge + The sharpness of that pain about her heart: + And they themselves, like creatures gently born + But into bad hands fall'n, and now so long + By bandits groom'd, prick'd their light ears, and felt + Her low firm voice and tender government. + + So thro' the green gloom of the wood they past, + And issuing under open heavens beheld + A little town with towers, upon a rock, + And close beneath, a meadow gemlike chased + In the brown wild, and mowers mowing in it: + And down a rocky pathway from the place + There came a fair-hair'd youth, that in his hand + Bare victual for the mowers: and Geraint + Had ruth again on Enid looking pale: + Then, moving downward to the meadow ground, + He, when the fair-hair'd youth came by him, said, + "Friend, let her eat; the damsel is so faint." + "Yea, willingly," replied the youth; "and thou, + My lord, eat also, tho' the fare is coarse, + And only meet for mowers;" then set down + His basket, and dismounting on the sward + They let the horses graze, and ate themselves. + And Enid took a little delicately, + Less having stomach for it than desire + To close with her lord's pleasure; but Geraint + Ate all the mowers' victuals unawares, + And when he found all empty, was amazed; + And, "Boy," said he, "I have eaten all, but take + A horse and arms for guerdon; choose the best." + He, reddening in extremity of delight, + "My lord, you overpay me fifty-fold." + "Ye will be all the wealthier," cried the Prince. + "I take it as free gift, then," said the boy, + "Not guerdon; for myself can easily, + While your good damsel rests, return, and fetch + Fresh victual for these mowers of our Earl; + For these are his, and all the field is his, + And I myself am his; and I will tell him + How great a man thou art: he loves to know + When men of mark are in his territory: + And he will have thee to his palace here, + And serve thee costlier than with mowers' fare." + + Then said Geraint, "I wish no better fare: + I never ate with angrier appetite + Than-when I left your mowers dinnerless. + And into no Earl's palace will I go. + I know, God knows, too much of palaces! + And if he want me, let him come to me. + But hire us some fair chamber for the night, + And stalling for the horses, and return + With victual for these men, and let us know." + + "Yea, my kind lord," said the glad youth, and went, + Held his head high, and thought himself a knight, + And up the rocky pathway disappear'd, + Leading the horse, and they were left alone. + + But when the Prince had brought his errant eyes + Home from the rock, sideways he let them glance + At Enid, where she droopt: his own false doom, + That shadow of mistrust should never cross + Betwixt them, came upon him, and he sigh'd; + Then with another humorous ruth remark'd + The lusty mowers laboring dinnerless, + And watched the sun blaze on the turning scythe, + + And after nodded sleepily in the heat. + But she, remembering her old ruin'd hall, + And all the windy clamor of the daws + About her hollow turret, pluck'd the grass + There growing longest by the meadow's edge, + And into many a listless annulet, + Now over, now beneath her marriage ring, + Wove and unwove it, till the boy return'd + And told them of a chamber, and they went; + Where, after saying to her, "if ye will, + Call for the woman of the house," to which + She answer'd, "Thanks, my lord;" the two remain'd + Apart by all the chamber's width, and mute + As creatures voiceless thro' the fault of birth, + Or two wild men supporters of a shield, + Painted, who stare at open space, nor glance + The one at other, parted by the shield. + + On a sudden, many a voice along the street, + And heel against the pavement echoing, burst + Their drowse; and either started while the door, + Push'd from without, drave backward to the wall, + And midmost of a rout of roisterers, + Femininely fair and dissolutely pale, + Her suitor in old years before Geraint, + Enter'd, the wild lord of the place, Limours. + He moving up with pliant courtliness, + Greeted Geraint full face, but stealthily, + In the mid-warmth of welcome and graspt hand, + Found Enid with the corner of his eye, + And knew her sitting sad and solitary. + Then cried Geraint for wine and goodly cheer + To feed the sudden guest, and sumptuously + According to his fashion, bade the host + Call in what men soever were his friends, + And feast with these in honor of their Earl; + "And care not for the cost; the cost is mine." + And wine and food were brought, and Earl Limours + Drank till he jested with all ease, and told + Free tales, and took the word and play'd upon it, + And made it of two colors; for his talk, + When wine and free companions kindled him, + Was wont to glance and sparkle like a gem + Of fifty facets; thus he moved the Prince + To laughter and his comrades to applause. + Then, when the Prince was merry, ask'd Limours + "Your leave, my lord, to cross the room, and speak + To your good damsel there who sits apart, + And seems so lonely?" "My free leave," he said; + "Get her to speak: she doth not speak to me." + Then rose Limours, and looking at his feet, + Like him who tries the bridge he fears may fail, + Crost and came near, lifted adoring eyes, + Bow'd at her side and utter'd whisperingly: + + "Enid, the pilot star of my lone life, + Enid, my early and my only love, + Enid, the loss of whom hath turn'd me wild-- + What chance is this? how is it I see you here? + Ye are in my power at last, are in my power. + Yet fear me not: I call mine own self wild, + But keep a touch of sweet civility + Here in the heart of waste and wilderness. + I thought, but that your father came between, + In former days you saw me favorably. + And if it were so do not keep it back: + Make me a little happier: let me know it: + Owe you me nothing for a life half-lost? + Yea, yea, the whole dear debt of all you are. + And, Enid, you and he, I see with joy, + Ye sit apart, you do not speak to him, + You come with no attendance, page or maid, + To serve you--doth he love you as of old? + For, call it lovers' quarrels, yet I know + Tho' men may bicker with the things they love, + They would not make them laughable in all eyes, + Not while they loved them; and your wretched dress, + A wretched insult on you, dumbly speaks + Your story, that this man loves you no more. + Your beauty is no beauty to him now: + A common chance--right well I know it--pall'd-- + For I know men: nor will ye win him back, + For the man's love once gone never returns. + But here is one who loves you as of old; + With more exceeding passion than of old: + Good, speak the word: my followers ring him round: + He sits unarm'd; I hold a finger up; + They understand: nay; I do not mean blood: + Nor need ye look so scared at what I say: + My malice is no deeper than a moat, + No stronger than a wall: there is the keep; + He shall not cross us more; speak but the word: + Or speak it not; but then by him that made me + The one true lover whom you ever own'd, + I will make use of all the power I have. + O pardon me! the madness of that hour, + When first I parted from thee, moves me yet." + + At this the tender sound of his own voice + And sweet self-pity, or the fancy of it + Made his eye moist; but Enid fear'd his eyes, + Moist as they were, wine-heated from the feast; + And answered with such craft as women use, + Guilty or guiltless, to stave off a chance + That breaks upon them perilously, and said: + + "Earl, if you love me as in former years, + And do not practice on me, come with morn, + And snatch me from him as by violence; + Leave me to-night: I am weary to the death." + + Low at leave-taking, with his brandish'd plume + Brushing his instep, bow'd the all-amorous Earl. + And the stout Prince bade him a loud good-night. + He moving homeward babbled to his men, + How Enid never loved a man but him, + Nor cared a broken egg-shell for her lord. + + But Enid left alone with Prince Geraint, + Debating his command of silence given, + And that she now perforce must violate it, + Held commune with herself, and while she held + He fell asleep, and Enid had no heart + To wake him, but hung o'er him, wholly pleased + To find him yet unwounded after fight, + And hear him breathing low and equally. + Anon she rose, and stepping lightly, heap'd + The pieces of his armor in one place, + All to be there against a sudden need; + Then dozed awhile herself, but over-toil'd + By that day's grief and travel, evermore + Seem'd catching at a rootless thorn, and then + Went slipping down horrible precipices, + And strongly striking out her limbs awoke; + Then thought she heard the wild Earl at the door, + With all his rout of random followers, + Sound on a dreadful trumpet, summoning her; + Which was the red cock shouting to the light, + As the gray dawn stole o'er the dewy world, + And glimmer'd on his armor in the room. + And once again she rose to look at it, + But touch'd it unawares: jangling, the casque + Fell, and he started up and stared at her. + Then breaking his command of silence given, + She told him all that Earl Limours had said, + Except the passage that he loved her not; + Nor left unto the craft herself had used; + But ended with apology so sweet, + Low-spoken, and of so few words, and seem'd + So justified by that necessity, + That tho' he thought "was it for him she wept + In Devon?" he but gave a wrathful groan, + Saying, "Your sweet faces make good fellows fools + And traitors. Call the host and bid him bring + Charger and palfrey." So she glided out + Among the heavy breathings of the house, + And like a household Spirit at the walls + Beat, till she woke the sleepers, and return'd. + Then tending her rough lord, tho' all unask'd, + In silence, did him service as a squire; + Till issuing arm'd he found the host and cried, + "Thy reckoning, friend?" and ere he learnt it, "Take + Five horses and their armors;" and the host + Suddenly honest, answer'd in amaze, + "My lord, I scarce have spent the worth of one!" + "Ye will be all the wealthier," said the Prince, + And then to Enid, "Forward! and to-day + I charge you, Enid, more especially, + What thing soever ye may hear, or see, + Or fancy (tho' I count it of small use + To charge you) that ye speak not but obey." + + And Enid answer'd, "Yea, my lord, I know + Your wish, and would obey; but riding first, + I hear the violent threats you do not hear, + I see the danger which you cannot see: + Then not to give you warning, that seems hard; + Almost beyond me: yet I would obey." + + "Yea so," said he, "do it: be not too wise; + Seeing that ye are wedded to a man, + Not all mismated with a yawning clown, + But one with arms to guard his head and yours, + With eyes to find you out however far, + And ears to hear you even in his dreams." + + With that he turn'd and look'd as keenly at her + As careful robins eye the delver's toil; + And that within her, which a wanton fool, + Or hasty judger would have call'd her guilt, + Made her cheek burn and either eyelid fall. + And Geraint look'd and was not satisfied. + + Then forward by a way which, beaten broad, + Led from the territory of false Limours + To the waste earldom of another earl, + Doorm, whom his shaking vassals call'd the Bull, + Went Enid with her sullen follower on. + Once she look'd back, and when she saw him ride + More near by many a rood than yestermorn, + It wellnigh made her cheerful; till Geraint + Waving an angry hand as who should say + "Ye watch me," sadden'd all her heart again. + But while the sun yet beat a dewy blade, + The sound of many a heavily-galloping hoof + Smote on her ear, and turning round she saw + Dust, and the points of lances bicker in it. + Then not to disobey her lord's behest, + And yet to give him warning, for he rode + As if he heard not, moving back she held + Her finger up, and pointed to the dust. + At which the warrior in his obstinacy, + Because she kept the letter of his word, + Was in a manner pleased, and turning, stood. + And in the moment after, wild Limours, + Borne on a black horse, like a thunder-cloud + Whose skirts are loosen'd by the breaking storm, + Half ridden off with by the thing he rode, + And all in passion uttering a dry shriek, + Dash'd on Geraint, who closed with him, and bore + Down by the length of lance and arm beyond + The crupper, and so left him stunn'd or dead, + And overthrew the next that follow'd him, + And blindly rush'd on all the rout behind. + But at the flash and motion of the man + They vanish'd panic-stricken, like a shoal + Of darting fish, that on a summer morn + Adown the crystal dykes at Camelot + Come slipping o'er their shadows on the sand, + But if a man who stands upon the brink + But lift a shining hand against the sun, + There is not left the twinkle of a fin + Betwixt the cressy islets white in flower; + So, scared but at the motion of the man, + Fled all the boon companions of the Earl, + And left him lying in the public way; + So vanish friendships only made in wine. + + Then like a stormy sunlight smiled Geraint, + Who saw the chargers of the two that fell + Start from their fallen lords, and wildly fly, + Mixt with the flyers. "Horse and man," he said, + "All of one mind and all right-honest friends! + Not a hoof left: and I methinks till now + Was honest--paid with horses and with arms; + I cannot steal or plunder, no nor beg: + And so what say ye, shall we strip him there + Your lover? has your palfrey heart enough + To bear his armor? shall we fast, or dine? + No?--then do thou, being right honest, pray + That we may meet the horsemen of Earl Doorm. + I too would still be honest." Thus he said: + And sadly gazing on her bridle-reins, + And answering not a word, she led the way. + + But as a man to whom a dreadful loss + Falls in a far land and he knows it not, + But coming back he learns it, and the loss + So pains him that he sickens nigh to death; + So fared it with Geraint, who being prick'd + In combat with the follower of Limours, + Bled underneath his armor secretly, + And so rode on, nor told his gentle wife + What ail'd him, hardly knowing it himself, + Till his eye darken'd and his helmet wagg'd; + And at a sudden swerving of the road, + Tho' happily down on a bank of grass, + The Prince, without a word, from his horse fell. + + And Enid heard the clashing of his fall, + Suddenly came, and at his side all pale + Dismounting, loosed the fastenings of his arms, + Nor let her true hand falter, nor blue eye + Moisten, till she had lighted on his wound, + And tearing off her veil of faded silk + Had bared her forehead to the blistering sun, + And swathed the hurt that drain'd her dear lord's life. + Then after all was done that hand could do, + She rested, and her desolation came + Upon her, and she wept beside the way. + + And many past, but none regarded her, + For in that realm of lawless turbulence, + A woman weeping for her murder'd mate + Was cared as much for as a summer shower: + One took him for a victim of Earl Doorm, + Nor dared to waste a perilous pity on him: + Another hurrying past, a man-at-arms, + Rode on a mission to the bandit Earl; + Half whistling and half singing a coarse song, + He drove the dust against her veilless eyes: + Another, flying from the wrath of Doorm + Before an ever-fancied arrow, made + The long way smoke beneath him in his fear; + At which her palfrey whinnying lifted heel + And scour'd into the coppices and was lost, + While the great charger stood, grieved like a man. + + But at the point of noon the huge Earl Doorm, + Broad-faced with under-fringe of russet beard, + Bound on a foray, rolling eyes of prey, + Came riding with a hundred lances up; + But ere he came, like one that hails a ship, + Cried out with a big voice, "What, is he dead?" + "No, no, not dead!" she answer'd in all haste. + "Would some of your kind people take him up, + And bear him hence out of this cruel sun? + Most sure am I, quite sure, he is not dead." + + Then said Earl Doorm: "Well, if he be not dead, + Why wail ye for him thus? ye seem a child. + And be he dead, I count you for a fool; + Your wailing will not quicken him: dead or not, + Ye mar a comely face with idiot tears. + Yet, since the face is comely--some of you, + Here, take him up, and bear him to our hall: + An if he live, we will have him of our band; + And if he die, why earth has earth enough + To hide him. See ye take the charger too, + A noble one." + + He spake, and past away, + But left two brawny spearmen, who advanced, + Each growling like a dog, when his good bone + Seems to be pluck'd at by the village boys + Who love to vex him eating, and he fears + To lose his bone, and lays his foot upon it, + Gnawing and growling: so the ruffians growl'd, + Fearing to lose, and all for a dead man, + Their chance of booty from the morning's raid, + Yet raised and laid him on a litter-bier, + Such as they brought upon their forays out + For those that might be wounded; laid him on it + All in the hollow of his shield, and took + And bore him to the naked hall of Doorm, + (His gentle charger following him unled) + And cast him and the bier in which he lay + Down on an oaken settle in the hall, + And then departed, hot in haste to join + Their luckier mates, but growling as before, + And cursing their lost time, and the dead man, + And their own Earl, and their own souls, and her. + They might as well have blest her: she was deaf + To blessing or to cursing save from one. + + So for long hours sat Enid by her lord, + There in the naked hall, propping his head, + And chafing his pale hands, and calling to him. + Till at the last he waken'd from his swoon, + And found his own dear bride propping his head, + And chafing his faint hands, and calling to him; + And felt the warm tears falling on his face; + And said to his own heart, "She weeps for me:" + And yet lay still, and feign'd himself as dead, + That he might prove her to the uttermost, + And say to his own heart, "She weeps for me." + + But in the falling afternoon return'd + The huge Earl Doorm with plunder to the hall. + His lusty spearmen follow'd him with noise: + Each hurling down a heap of things that rang + Against the pavement, cast his lance aside, + And doff'd his helm: and then there flutter'd in, + Half-bold, half-frighted, with dilated eyes, + A tribe of women, dress'd in many hues, + And mingled with the spearmen: and Earl Doorm + Struck with a knife's haft hard against the board, + And call'd for flesh and wine to feed his spears. + And men brought in whole hogs and quarter beeves. + And all the hall was dim with steam of flesh: + +[Illustration: ENID WATCHING BY GERAINT] + + And none spake word, but all sat down at once, + And ate with tumult in the naked hall, + Feeding like horses when you hear them feed; + Till Enid shrank far back into herself, + To shun the wild ways of the lawless tribe. + But when Earl Doorm had eaten all he would, + He roll'd his eyes about the hall, and found + A damsel drooping in a corner of it. + Then he remember'd her, and how she wept; + And out of her there came a power upon him; + And rising on the sudden he said, "Eat! + I never yet beheld a thing so pale. + God's curse, it makes me mad to see you weep. + Eat! Look yourself. Good luck had your good man, + For were I dead who is it would weep for me? + Sweet lady, never since I first drew breath + Have I beheld a lily like yourself. + And so there lived some color in your cheek, + There is not one among my gentlewomen + Were fit to wear your slipper for a glove. + But listen to me, and by me be ruled, + And I will do the thing I have not done, + For ye shall share my earldom with me, girl, + And we will live like two birds in one nest, + And I will fetch you forage from all fields, + For I compel all creatures to my will." + + He spoke: the brawny spearman let his cheek + Bulge with the unswallowed piece, and turning stared; + While some, whose souls the old serpent long had drawn + Down, as the worm draws in the wither'd leaf + And makes it earth, hiss'd each at other's ear + What shall not be recorded--women they, + Women, or what had been those gracious things, + But now desired the humbling of their best, + Yea, would have help'd him to it: and all at once + They hated her, who took no thought of them, + But answer'd in low voice, her meek head yet + Drooping, "I pray you of your courtesy, + He being as he is, to let me be." + + She spake so low he hardly heard her speak, + But like a mighty patron, satisfied + With what himself had done so graciously, + Assumed that she had thank'd him, adding, "Yea, + Eat and be glad, for I account you mine." + + She answer'd meekly, "How should I be glad + Henceforth in all the world at anything, + Until my lord arise and look upon me?" + + Here the huge Earl cried out upon her talk, + As all but empty heart and weariness + And sickly nothing; suddenly seized on her, + And bare her by main violence to the board, + And thrust the dish before her, crying, "Eat." + "No, no," said Enid, vext, "I will not eat + Till yonder man upon the bier arise, + And eat with me." "Drink, then," he answer'd. "Here!" + (And fill'd a horn with wine and held it to her.) + "Lo! I, myself, when flush'd with fight, or hot, + God's curse, with anger--often I myself, + Before I well have drunken, scarce can eat: + Drink therefore and the wine will change your will." + + "Not so," she cried, "By Heaven, I will not drink + Till my dear lord arise and bid me do it, + And drink with me; and if he rise no more, + I will not look at wine until I die." + + At this he turned all red and paced his hall, + Now gnaw'd his under, now his upper lip, + And coming up close to her, said at last: + "Girl, for I see ye scorn my courtesies, + Take warning: yonder man is surely dead; + And I compel all creatures to my will. + Not eat nor drink? And wherefore wail for one, + Who put your beauty to this flout and scorn + By dressing it in rags? Amazed am I, + Beholding how ye butt against my wish, + That I forbear you thus: cross me no more. + At least put off to please me this poor gown, + This silken rag, this beggar-woman's weed: + I love that beauty should go beautifully: + For see ye not my gentlewomen here, + How gay, how suited to the house of one + Who loves that beauty should go beautifully? + Rise therefore; robe yourself in this: obey." + + He spoke, and one among his gentlewomen + Display'd a splendid silk of foreign loom, + Where like a shoaling sea the lovely blue + Play'd into green, and thicker down the front + With jewels than the sward with drops of dew, + When all night long a cloud clings to the hill, + And with the dawn ascending lets the day + Strike where it clung: so thickly shone the gems. + + But Enid answer'd, harder to be moved + Than hardest tyrants in their day of power, + With life-long injuries burning unavenged, + And now their hour has come: and Enid said: + + "In this poor gown my dear lord found me first, + And loved me serving in my father's hall: + In this poor gown I rode with him to court, + And there the Queen array'd me like the sun: + In this poor gown he bade me clothe myself, + When now we rode upon this fatal quest + Of honor, where no honor can be gain'd: + And this poor gown I will not cast aside + Until himself arise a living man, + And bid me cast it. I have griefs enough: + Pray you be gentle, pray you let me be: + I never loved, can never love but him: + Yea, God, I pray you of your gentleness, + He being as he is, to let me be." + + Then strode the brute Earl up and down his hall, + And took his russet beard between his teeth; + Last, coming up quite close, and in his mood + Crying, "I count it of no more avail, + Dame, to be gentle than ungentle with you; + Take my salute," unknightly with flat hand, + However, lightly, smote her on the cheek. + + Then Enid, in her utter helplessness, + And since she thought, "He had not dared to do it, + Except he surely knew my lord was dead," + Sent forth a sudden sharp and bitter cry, + As of a wild thing taken in the trap, + Which sees the trapper coming thro' the wood. + + This heard Geraint, and grasping at his sword, + (It lay beside him in the hollow shield), + Made but a single bound, and with a sweep of it + Shore thro' the swarthy neck, and like a ball + The russet-bearded head roll'd on the floor. + So died Earl Doorm by him he counted dead. + And all the men and women in the hall + Rose when they saw the dead man rise, and fled + Yelling as from a spectre, and the two + Were left alone together, and he said: + "Enid, I have used you worse than that dead man; + Done you more wrong: we both have undergone + That trouble which has left me thrice your own: + Henceforward I will rather die than doubt. + And here I lay this penance on myself, + Not, tho' mine own ears heard you yestermorn-- + You thought me sleeping, but I heard you say, + I heard you say, that you were no true wife: + I swear I will not ask your meaning in it: + I do believe yourself against yourself, + And will henceforward rather die than doubt." + + And Enid could not say one tender word, + She felt so blunt and stupid at the heart: + She only pray'd him, "Fly, they will return + And slay you; fly, your charger is without, + My palfrey lost." "Then, Enid, shall you ride + Behind me." "Yea," said Enid, "let us go." + And moving out they found the stately horse, + Who now no more a vassal to the thief, + But free to stretch his limbs in lawful fight, + Neigh'd with all gladness as they came, and stoop'd + With a low whinny toward the pair: and she + Kiss'd the white star upon his noble front, + Glad also; then Geraint upon the horse + Mounted, and reach'd a hand, and on his foot + She set her own and climb'd; he turn'd his face + And kiss'd her climbing, and she cast her arms + About him, and at once they rode away. + + And never yet, since high in Paradise + O'er the four rivers the first roses blew, + Came purer pleasure unto mortal kind + Than lived thro' her, who in that perilous hour + Put hand to hand beneath her husband's heart, + And felt him hers again: she did not weep, + But o'er her meek eyes came a happy mist + Like that which kept the heart of Eden green + Before the useful trouble of the rain: + Yet not so misty were her meek blue eyes + As not to see before them on the path, + Right in the gateway of the bandit hold, + A knight of Arthur's court, who laid his lance + In rest, and made as if to fall upon him. + Then, fearing for his hurt and loss of blood, + She, with her mind all full of what had chanced, + Shriek'd to the stranger "Slay not a dead man!" + "The voice of Enid," said the knight; but she, + Beholding it was Edyrn, son of Nudd, + Was moved so much the more, and shriek'd again, + "O cousin, slay not him who gave you life." + And Edyrn moving frankly forward spake: + "My lord Geraint, I greet you with all love; + I took you for a bandit knight of Doorm; + And fear not, Enid, I should fall upon him, + Who love you, Prince, with something of the love + Wherewith we love the Heaven that chastens us. + For once, when I was up so high in pride + That I was half-way down the slope to Hell, + By overthrowing me you threw me higher. + Now, made a knight of Arthur's Table Round, + And since I knew this Earl, when I myself + Was half a bandit in my lawless hour, + I come the mouthpiece of our King to Doorm + (The King is close behind me) bidding him + Disband himself, and scatter all his powers, + Submit, and hear the judgment of the King." + + "He hears the judgment of the King of kings," + Cried the wan Prince; "and lo, the powers of Doorm + Are scatter'd," and he pointed to the field, + Where, huddled here and there on mound and knoll, + Were men and women staring and aghast, + While some yet fled; and then he plainlier told + How the huge Earl lay slain within his hall. + But when the knight besought him, "Follow me, + Prince, to the camp, and in the King's own ear + Speak what has chanced; ye surely have endured + Strange chances here alone;" that other flush'd, + And hung his head, and halted in reply, + Fearing the mild face of the blameless King, + And after madness acted question ask'd: + Till Edyrn crying, "If ye will not go + To Arthur, then will Arthur come to you." + "Enough," he said, "I follow," and they went. + But Enid in their going had two fears, + One from the bandit scatter'd in the field, + And one from Edyrn. Every now and then, + When Edyrn rein'd his charger at her side, + She shrank a little. In a hollow land, + From which old fires have broken, men may fear + Fresh fire and ruin. He, perceiving, said: + + "Fair and dear cousin, you that most had cause + To fear me, fear no longer, I am changed. + Once, but for my main purpose in these jousts, + I should have slain your father, seized yourself. + I lived in hope that sometime you would come + To these my lists with him whom best you loved; + And there, poor cousin, with your meek blue eyes, + The truest eyes that ever answer'd Heaven, + Behold me overturn and trample on him. + + Then, had you cried, or knelt, or pray'd to me, + I should not less have kill'd him. And you came,-- + But once you came,--and with your own true eyes + Beheld the man you loved (I speak as one + Speaks of a service done him) overthrow + My proud self, and my purpose three years old, + And set his foot upon me, and give me life. + There was I broken down; there was I saved: + Tho' thence I rode all-shamed, hating the life + He gave me, meaning to be rid of it. + And all the penance the Queen laid upon me + Was but to rest awhile within her court; + Where first as sullen as a beast new-caged, + And waiting to be treated like a wolf, + Because I knew my deeds were known, I found, + Instead of scornful pity or pure scorn, + Such fine reserve and noble reticence, + Manners so kind, yet stately, such a grace + Of tenderest courtesy, that I began + To glance behind me at my former life, + And find that it had been the wolf's indeed: + And oft I talk'd with Dubric, the high saint, + Who, with mild heat of holy oratory, + Subdued me somewhat to that gentleness, + Which, when it weds with manhood, makes a man. + And you were often there about the Queen, + But saw me not, or mark'd not if you saw; + Nor did I care or dare to speak with you, + But kept myself aloof till I was changed; + And fear not, cousin; I am changed indeed." + + He spoke, and Enid easily believed, + Like simple noble natures, credulous + Of what they long for, good in friend or foe, + There most in those who most have done them ill. + And when they reach'd the camp the King himself + Advanced to greet them, and beholding her + Tho' pale, yet happy, ask'd her not a word, + But went apart with Edyrn, whom he held + In converse for a little, and return'd, + And, gravely smiling, lifted her from horse, + And kiss'd her with all pureness, brother-like, + And show'd an empty tent allotted her, + And glancing for a minute, till he saw her + Pass into it, turn'd to the Prince, and said: + + "Prince, when of late ye pray'd me for my leave + To move to your own land, and there defend + Your marches, I was prick'd with some reproof, + As one that let foul wrong stagnate and be, + By having look'd too much thro' alien eyes, + And wrought too long with delegated hands, + Not used mine own: but now behold me come + To cleanse this common sewer of all my realm, + With Edyrn and with others: have ye look'd + At Edyrn? have ye seen how nobly changed? + This work of his is great and wonderful. + His very face with change of heart is changed, + The world will not believe a man repents: + And this wise world of ours is mainly right. + Full seldom doth a man repent, or use + Both grace and will to pick the vicious quitch[6] + Of blood and custom wholly out of him, + And make all clean, and plant himself afresh. + Edyrn has done it, weeding all his heart + As I will weed this land before I go. + I, therefore, made him of our Table Round, + Not rashly, but have proved him everyway + One of our noblest, our most valorous, + Sanest and most obedient: and indeed + This work of Edyrn wrought upon himself + After a life of violence, seems to me + A thousand-fold more great and wonderful + Than if some knight of mine, risking his life, + My subject with my subjects under him, + Should make an onslaught single on a realm + Of robbers, tho' he slew them one by one, + And were himself nigh wounded to the death." + +[Footnote: 6. _Quitch_ is another name for couch-grass, a troublesome +weed which spreads rapidly and is eradicated only with the greatest +difficulty.] + + So spake the King; low bow'd the Prince, and felt + His work was neither great nor wonderful, + And past to Enid's tent; and thither came + The King's own leech to look into his hurt; + And Enid tended on him there; and there + Her constant motion round him, and the breath + Of her sweet tendance hovering over him, + Fill'd all the genial courses of his blood + With deeper and with ever deeper love, + As the south-west that blowing Bala lake + Fills all the sacred Dee. So past the days. + + Then, when Geraint was whole again, they past + With Arthur to Caerleon upon Usk. + There the great Queen once more embraced her friend, + And clothed her in apparel like the day. + Thence after tarrying for a space they rode, + And fifty knights rode with them to the shores + Of Severn, and they past to their own land. + And there he kept the justice of the King + So vigorously yet mildly, that all hearts + Applauded, and the spiteful whisper died: + And being ever foremost in the chase, + And victor at the tilt and tournament, + They called him the great Prince and man of men. + But Enid, whom the ladies loved to call + Enid the Fair, a grateful people named + Enid the Good; and in their halls arose + The cry of children, Enids and Geraints + Of times to be; nor did he doubt her more, + But rested in her fealty, till he crown'd + A happy life with a fair death, and fell + Against the heathen of the Northern Sea + In battle, fighting for the blameless King. + + + +THE HOLY GRAIL + + +NOTE.--Thomas Malory completed his quaint history of King Arthur in +1469, and sixteen years later the book was printed from the famous old +Caxton press. Only one perfect copy of that work is now in existence; +but several editions have since been issued with the text modernized, so +as to make it easier for us to read, yet with the quaintness and +originality of Malory's tale preserved. So charming is it, that the +following incidents in the story of the search for the Holy Grail are +told nearly as they are now in the Aldine edition of _Le Morte +d'Arthur_. + +Some rearrangement has been necessary, and a few changes have been made +in phraseology. Omissions have been made and paragraphs are indicated +and quotation marks used as is now the custom in printing. + +Many of the knights joined in the quest for the Grail, and their +adventures are told by Malory. Even Launcelot himself failed. We tell +the story of the one who succeeded. + + + + +THE KNIGHTING OF SIR GALAHAD + + +At the vigil of Pentecost, when all the fellowship of the Round Table +were come unto Camelot and there heard their service, and the tables +were set ready to the meat, right so, entered into the hall a full fair +gentlewoman on horseback, that had ridden full fast, for her horse was +all besweated. Then she there alit and came before the King and saluted +him and he said, "Damosel, God thee bless." + +"Sir," said she, "for God's sake say me where Sir Launcelot is." + +"Yonder ye may see him," said the King. + +Then she went unto Launcelot and said, "Sir Launcelot, I require you to +come along with me hereby into a forest." + +"What will ye with me?" said Sir Launcelot. + +"Ye shall know," said she, "when ye come thither." + +"Well," said he, "I will gladly go with you." + +So Sir Launcelot bade him his squire saddle his horse and bring his +arms. + +Right so departed Sir Launcelot with the gentlewoman and rode until he +came into a forest, and into a great valley, where they saw an abbey of +nuns; and there was a squire ready and opened the gates, and so they +entered and descended off their horses; and there came a fair fellowship +about Sir Launcelot, and welcomed him and were passing glad of his +coming. + +And they led him into the Abbess's chamber and unarmed him; and therein +came twelve nuns that brought with them Galahad, the which was passing +fair and well made, that unnethe[1] in the world men might not find his +match: and all those ladies wept. + +[Footnote 1: This is an old word meaning _with difficulty_.] + +"Sir," said they all, "we bring you here this child the which we have +nourished, and we pray you to make him a knight, for of a worthier man's +hand may he not receive the order of knighthood." + +Then said Sir Launcelot, "Cometh this desire of himself?" + +He and all they said, "Yea." + +"Then shall he," said Sir Launcelot, "receive the high order of +knighthood as to-morn at the reverence of the high feast." + +That night Sir Launcelot had passing good cheer; and on the morn at +Galahad's desire, he made him knight and said, "God make him a good man, +for of beauty faileth you not as any that liveth." + + + + +THE MARVELOUS SWORD + + +"Fair sir," said Sir Launcelot, "will ye come with me unto the court of +King Arthur?" + +"Nay," said he, "I will not go with you at this time." + +Then he departed from them and came to Camelot by the hour of underne[2] +on Whitsunday. By that time the King and Queen were gone to the minster +to hear their service. + +[Footnote 2: _Underne_ meant, according to ancient reckoning, nine +o'clock in the morning.] + +So when the King and all the knights were come from service, the barons +espied in the sieges of the Round Table all about, written with golden +letters: "Here ought to sit he, and he ought to sit here."[3] And thus +they went so long till they came to the Siege Perilous where they found +letters newly written of gold which said: "Four hundred winters and four +and fifty accomplished after the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ ought +this siege to be fulfilled." + +[Footnote 3: That is, "Such a one should sit here, and such another one +here."] + +Then all they said, "This is a marvelous thing and an adventurous." + +"In the name of God," said Sir Launcelot; and then accounted the term of +the writing from the birth of our Lord unto that day. "It seemeth me," +said Sir Launcelot, "this siege ought to be fulfilled this same day, for +this is the feast of Pentecost after the four hundred and four and fifty +years; and if it would please all parties, I would none of these letters +were seen this day, till he be come that ought to achieve this +adventure." + +Then made they to ordain a cloth of silk, for to cover these letters on +the Siege Perilous. Then the King bade haste unto dinner. + +So as they stood, in came a squire and said unto the King, "Sir, I bring +unto you marvelous tidings." + +"What be they?" said the King. + +"Sir, there is here beneath at the river a great +stone which I saw fleet[4] above the water, and therein +I saw sticking a sword." + +[Footnote 4: _Fleet_ here means _float_.] + +The King said: "I will see that marvel." + +So all the knights went with him, and when they came to the river they +found there a stone fleeting, as it were of red marble, and therein +stuck a fair rich sword, and in the pommel thereof were precious stones +wrought with subtle letters of gold. Then the barons read the letters +which said in this wise: "Never shall man take me hence, but only he by +whose side I ought to hang, and he shall be the best knight in the +world." + +When the King had seen the letters he said unto Sir Launcelot: "Fair +sir, this sword ought to be yours, for I am sure ye be the best knight +of the world." + +Then Sir Launcelot answered full soberly: "Certes, sir, it is not my +sword; also, sir, wit ye well I have no hardiness to set my hand to it, +for it longed not to hang by my side. Also, who that assayeth to take +the sword and faileth of it, he shall receive a wound by that sword that +he shall not be whole long after. And I will that ye wit that this same +day shall the adventures of the Sangreal,[5] that is called the Holy +Vessel, begin." + +[Footnote 5: The Holy Grail (Graal) was the cup used by Christ at the +Last Supper. It is said to have been carved from an emerald, and +to have been used by Joseph of Arimathea to catch the last drops +of blood from the body of Christ when he was taken down from the +cross. The legend continues that Joseph carried the cup to Britain. +The grail would not stay in possession of any one unless he were +pure and unsullied in character. In the time of King Arthur, one +of the descendants of Joseph sinned, and the holy vessel disappeared +and was lost. Only the pure could look upon the holy chalice, and +so although many of the knights sought it, but one achieved it. +_Sangreal_ is the old French for _Holy Grail_.] + +"Now, fair nephew," said the King unto Sir Gawaine, "assay ye, for my +love." + +"Sir," said Gawaine, "your commandment will I obey." + +And therewith he took the sword up by the handles, but he might not stir +it. + +"I thank you," said the King to Sir Gawaine. + +"My lord, Sir Gawaine," said Sir Launcelot, "now wit ye well this sword +shall touch you so sore that ye shall will ye had never set your hand +thereto for the best castle of this realm." + +"Sir," he said, "I might not withsay mine uncle's will and commandment." + +But when the King heard this he repented it much, and said unto Sir +Percivale, that he should assay for his love. + +And he said, "Gladly, for to bear Sir Gawaine fellowship." + +And therewith he set his hand on the sword and drew it strongly, but he +might not move it. Then there were more that durst be so hardy to set +their hands thereto. + +So the King and all went unto the court, and every knight knew his own +place, and set him therein, and young men that were knights served them. + + * * * * * + +GALAHAD IN THE SIEGE PERILOUS + +So when they were served and all the sieges fulfilled, save only the +Siege Perilous, anon there came in a good old man, and an ancient, +clothed all in white, and there was no knight knew from whence he came. +And with him he brought a young knight, both on foot, in red arms, +without sword or shield, save a scabbard hanging by his side. + +And these words he said: "Peace be with you fair lords." Then the old +man said unto Arthur: "Sir, I bring here a young knight, the which is of +king's lineage, and of the kindred of Joseph of Arimathie, whereby the +marvels of this court, and of strange realms, shall be fully +accomplished." + +The King was right glad of his words, and said unto the good man: "Sir, +ye be right welcome, and the young knight with you." + +Then the old man made the young knight to unarm him, and he was in a +coat of red sandal, and bare a mantle upon his shoulder that was furred +with ermine, and put that upon him. And the old knight said unto the +young knight: "Sir, follow me." + +And anon he led him unto the Siege Perilous, where beside sat Sir +Launcelot; and the good man lift up the cloth, and found these letters +that said thus: "This is the siege of Sir Galahad, the haut[6] prince." + +[Footnote 6: _Haut_ is an old form of _haughty_] + +"Sir," said the old knight, "wit ye well that place is yours." And then +he set him down surely in that siege. + +And then he said to the old man: "Sir, ye may now go your way, for well +have ye done that ye were commanded to do." + +So the good man departed. Then all the knights of the Round Table +marveled greatly of Sir Galahad, that he durst sit there in that Siege +Perilous, and was so tender of age; and wist not from whence he came, +but all only by God; and said, "This is he by whom the Sangreal shall be +achieved, for there never sat none but he, but he were mischieved."[7] + +[Footnote 7: That is, _harmed_.] + +Then came King Arthur unto Galahad and said: +"Sir, ye be welcome, for ye shall move many good +knights to the quest of the Sangreal, and ye shall +achieve that never knights might bring to an end." + + * * * * * + +GALAHAD DRAWS THE SWORD OF BALIN LE SAVAGE + +Then the King took him by the hand, and went down from the palace to +shew Galahad the adventures of the stone. + +"Sir," said the King unto Sir Galahad, "here is a great marvel as I ever +saw, and right good knights have assayed and failed." + +"Sir," said Galahad, "that is no marvel, for this adventure is not +theirs but mine; and for the surety of this sword I brought none with +me, for here by my side hangeth the scabbard." + +And anon he laid his hand on the sword, and lightly drew it out of the +stone, and put it in the sheath, and said unto the King, "Now it goeth +better than it did aforehand." + +"Sir," said the King, "a shield God shall send you." + +"Now have I that sword that was sometime the good knight's, Balin le +Savage, and he was a passing good man of his hands; and with this sword +he slew his brother Balan, and that was great pity, for he was a good +knight, and either slew other through a dolorous stroke." + + * * * * * + + +THE HOLY GRAIL APPEARS + +"I am sure," said the King, "at this quest of the Sangreal shall all ye +of the Table Round depart, and never shall I see you whole together; +therefore, I will see you all whole together in the meadow of Camelot to +joust and to tourney, that after your death men may speak of it that +such good knights were wholly together such a day." + +As unto that counsel and at the King's request they accorded all, and +took on their harness that longed unto jousting. But all this moving of +the King was for this intent, for to see Galahad proved; for the King +deemed he should not lightly come again unto the court after his +departing. So were they assembled into the meadow both more and less.[8] + +[Footnote 8: That is, the greater and the lesser knights.] + +Then Sir Galahad began to break spears marvelously, that all men had +wonder of him; for he there surmounted all other knights, for within a +while he had defouled many good knights of the Table Round save twain, +that was Sir Launcelot and Sir Percivale. + +And then the King and all estates[9] went home unto Camelot, and so went +to evensong to the great minster, and so after upon that to supper, and +every knight sat in his own place as they were toforehand. Then anon +they heard cracking and crying of thunder, that them thought the place +should all to-drive.[10] + +[Footnote 9: _Estate_ formerly meant _a person of high rank_.] + +[Footnote 10: _To-drive_ is an old expression meaning _break apart_.] + +In the midst of this blast entered a sunbeam more clearer by seven times +than ever they saw day, and all they were alighted of[11] the grace of +the Holy Ghost. Then began every knight to behold other, and either saw +other, by their seeming, fairer than ever they saw afore. Not for then +there was no knight might speak one word a great while, and so they +looked every man on other as they had been dumb. + +[Footnote 11: _Alighted of_ means _lighted by_.] + +Then there entered into the hall the Holy Grail covered with white +samite, but there was none might see it, nor who bare it. And there was +all the hall fulfilled[12] with good odours, and every knight had such +meats and drinks as he best loved in this world. And when the Holy Grail +had been borne through the hall, then the Holy Vessel departed suddenly, +that they wist not where it became: then had they all breath to speak. +And then the King yielded thankings to God, of His good grace that he +had sent them. + +[Footnote 12: _Fulfilled_ is here used with its original meaning of +_filled full_.] + +"Now," said Sir Gawaine, "we have been served this day of what meats and +drinks we thought on; but one thing beguiled us, we might not see the +Holy Grail, it was so preciously covered. Wherefore I will make here +avow, that to-morn,[13] without longer abiding, I shall labour in the +quest of the Sangreal, that I shall hold me out a twelvemonth and a day, +or more if need be, and never shall I return again unto the court till I +have seen it more openly than it hath been seen here; and if I may not +speed I shall return again as he that may not be against the will of our +Lord Jesu Christ." + +[Footnote 13: _To-morn_ is an old expression for _to morrow_] + +When they of the Table Round heard Sir Gawaine say so, they arose up the +most part and made such avows as Sir Gawaine had made. + +And then they went to rest them, and in honor of the highness of Sir +Galahad he was led into King Arthur's chamber, and there rested in his +own bed. And as soon as it was day the King arose, for he had no rest of +all that night for sorrow. + +And anon Launcelot and Gawaine commanded their men to bring their arms. +And when they all were armed save their shields and their helms, then +they came to their fellowship, which were all ready in the same wise, +for to go to the minster to hear their service. + +Then after the service was done the King would wit how many had +undertaken the quest of the Holy Grail; and to account them he prayed +them all. Then found they by tale an hundred and fifty, and all were +knights of the Round Table. And then they put on their helms and +departed, and recommended them all wholly unto the Queen; and there was +weeping and great sorrow. + +And so they mounted upon their horses and rode through the streets of +Camelot; and there was weeping of the rich and poor, and the King turned +away and might not speak for weeping. + +And on the morrow they were all accorded that they should depart each +from other; and then they departed on the morrow with weeping and +mourning cheer, and every knight took the way that him best liked. + + * * * * * + +GALAHAD GETS HIS SHIELD + +Rideth Sir Galahad yet without shield, and so he rode four days without +any adventure. And at the fourth day after evensong he came to a White +Abbey, and there he was received with great reverence, and led to a +chamber, and there he was unarmed; and then was he ware of two knights +of the Round Table, one was King Bagdemagus, and that other was Sir +Uwaine. And when they saw him they went unto him and made of him great +solace, and so they went to supper. + +"Sirs," said Sir Galahad, "what adventure brought you hither?" + +"Sir," said they, "it is told us that within this place is a shield that +no man may bear about his neck but if that he be mischieved or dead +within three days, or else maimed for ever." + +"Ah, sir," said King Bagdemagus, "I shall it bear to-morrow for to assay +this strange adventure." + +"In the name of God," said Sir Galahad. + +"Sir," said Bagdemagus, "an I may not achieve the adventure of this +shield ye shall take it upon you, for I am sure ye shall not fail." + +"Sir," said Galahad, "I agree right well thereto, for I have no shield." + +So on the morn they arose and heard mass. Anon a monk led them behind an +altar where the shield hung as white as any snow, but in the middes[14] +was a red cross. + +[Footnote 14: _Middes_ is an old word for _midst_] + +"Sir," said the monk, "this shield ought not to be hanged about no +knight's neck but he be the worthiest knight of the world, and therefore +I counsel you knights to be well advised." + +"Well," said King Bagdemagus, "I wot well that I am not the best knight +of the world, but yet shall I assay to bear it." + +And so he bare it out of the monastery; and then he said unto Sir +Galahad: "If it will please you I pray you abide here still, till ye +know how I shall speed." + +"I shall abide you here," said Galahad. Then King Bagdemagus took with +him a squire, the which should bring tidings unto Sir Galahad how he +sped. + +Then when they had ridden a two mile and came in a fair valley afore an +hermitage, then they saw a goodly knight come from that part in white +armour, horse and all; and he came as fast as his horse might run, with +his spear in the rest, and King Bagdemagus dressed his spear against him +and brake it upon the white knight. But the other struck him so hard +that he brake the mails, and thrust him through the right shoulder, for +the shield covered him not at that time; and so he bare him from his +horse. + +[Illustration: SIR GALAHAD] + +And therewith he alighted and took the white shield from him, saying: +"Knight, thou hast done thyself great folly, for this shield ought not +to be borne but by him that shall have no peer that liveth." And then he +came to King Bagdemagus' squire and said: "Bear this shield unto the +good knight Sir Galahad, that thou left in the abbey, and greet him well +from me, for this shield behoveth[15] unto no man but unto Galahad." + +[Footnote 15: That is, _belongeth_.] + +"Sir Galahad," said the squire, when he had come to the White Abbey, +"that knight that wounded Bagdemagus sendeth you greeting, and bade that +ye should bear this shield, where through great adventures should +befall." + +"Now blessed be God and fortune," said Galahad. And then he asked his +arms, and mounted upon his horse, and hung the white shield about his +neck, and commended them unto God. + +Then within a while came Galahad thereas[16] the White knight abode him +by the hermitage, and every each saluted other courteously. + +[Footnote 16: _Thereas_ is an old word meaning _where_.] + +"Sir," said Galahad, "by this shield be many marvels fallen?" + +"Sir," said the knight, "it befell after the passion of our Lord Jesu +Christ thirty-two year, that Joseph of Arimathie, the gentle knight, the +which took down our Lord off the holy Cross, at that time he departed +from Jerusalem with a great party of his kindred with him. And so he +laboured till that they came to a city that hight[17] Sarras. + +[Footnote 17: _Hight_ means _was called_.] + +"And at that same hour that Joseph came to Sarras there was a King that +hight Evelake, that had great war against the Saracens, and in especial +against one Saracen, the which was King Evelake's cousin, a rich king +and a mighty, which marched nigh this land. So on a day these two met to +do battle. Then Joseph, the son of Joseph of Arimathie, went to King +Evelake and told him he should be discomfit and slain, but if he left +his belief of the old law and believed upon the new law. And then there +he shewed him the right belief of the Holy Trinity, to the which he +agreed unto with all his heart; and there this shield was made for King +Evelake, in the name of Him that died upon the Cross. + +"And when Evelake was in the battle there was a cloth set afore the +shield, and when he was in the greatest peril he let put away the cloth, +and then his enemies saw a figure of a man on the Cross, wherethrough +they all were discomfit. + +"Then soon after there fell a great marvel, that the cross of the shield +at one time vanished away that no man wist where it became. + +"Not long after that Joseph was laid in his deadly bed. And when King +Evelake saw that he made much sorrow, and said: 'For thy love I have +left my country, and sith ye shall depart out of this world, leave me +some token of yours that I may think on you.' Joseph said: 'That will I +do full gladly; now bring me your shield that I took you.' Then Joseph +bled sore at the nose, so that he might not by no mean be staunched. And +there upon that shield he made a cross of his own blood. + +"'Now may ye see a remembrance that I love you, for ye shall never see +this shield but ye shall think on me, and it shall always be as fresh as +it is now. And never shall man bear this shield about his neck but he +shall repent it, unto the time that Galahad, the good knight, bear it; +and he last of my lineage shall have it about his neck, that shall do +many marvelous deeds.'" + + +THE GRAIL ACHIEVED + +So departed Galahad from thence, and he rode five days till that he came +to the maimed king. And ever followed Percivale the five days, asking +where he had been. + +So on a day it befell that they came out of a great forest, and there +they met at traverse with Sir Bors, the which rode alone. It is none +need to tell if they were glad; and them he saluted, and they yielded +him honour and good adventure, and every each told other. + +Then rode they a great while till that they came to the castle of +Carbonek. And when they entered within the castle King Pelles[18] knew +them; then there was great joy, for they wist well by their coming that +they had fulfilled the quest of the Sangreal. + +[Footnote 18: King Pelles was the grandfather of Galahad.] + +Then Eliazar, King Pelles' son, brought tofore them the broken sword +wherewith Joseph was stricken through the thigh. Then Bors set his hand +thereto, if that he might have soldered it again; but it would not be. +Then he took it to Percivale, but he had no more power thereto than he. + +"Now have ye it again," said Percivale to Galahad, "for an it be ever +achieved by any bodily man ye must do it." + +And then he took the pieces and set them together, and they seemed that +they had never been broken, and as well as it had been first forged. And +when they within espied that the adventure of the sword was achieved, +then they gave the sword to Bors; for he was a good knight and a worthy +man. And anon alit a voice among them, and said: "They that ought not to +sit at the table of Jesu Christ arise, for now shall very knights be +fed." So they went thence, all save King Pelles and Eliazar, his son, +the which were holy men, and a maid which was his niece; and so these +three fellows[19] and they three were there, no more. + +[Footnote 19: _Fellows_ had not formerly the rather contemptuous meaning +that it has now; it meant simply _comrades_.] + +Anon they saw knights all armed come in at the hall door, and did off +their helms and their arms, and said unto Galahad: "Sir, we have hied +right much for to be with you at this table where the holy meat shall be +departed." + +Then said he: "Ye be welcome, but of whence be ye?" + +So three of them said they were of Gaul, and other three said they were +of Ireland, and the other three said they were of Denmark. + +Therewith a voice said: "There be two among you that be not in the quest +of the Sangreal, and therefore depart ye." + +Then King Pelles and his son departed. And therewithal beseemed them +that there came a man, and four angels from heaven, clothed in likeness +of a bishop, and had a cross in his hand; and these four angels bare him +in a chair, and set him down before the table of silver whereupon the +Sangreal was; and it seemed that he had in middes of his forehead +letters the which said: "See ye here Joseph, the first bishop of +Christendom, the same which Our Lord succoured in the city of Sarras in +the spiritual place." + +Then the knights marveled, for that bishop was dead more than three +hundred year tofore. "O knights," said he, "marvel not, for I was +sometime an earthly man." + +With that they heard the chamber door open, and there they saw angels; +and two bare candles of wax, and the third a towel, and the fourth a +spear which bled marvelously, that three drops fell within a box which +he held with his other hand. And they set the candles upon the table, +and the third the towel upon the vessel, and the fourth the holy spear +even upright upon the vessel. And then the bishop made semblaunt[20] as +though he would have gone to the sacring[21] of the mass. And then he +did that longed[22] to a priest to do a mass. And then he went to +Galahad and kissed him, and bade him go and kiss his fellows: and so he +did anon. + +[Footnote 20: _Semblaunt_ meant _show, appearance_.] + +[Footnote 21: _Sacring_ is from _sacre_, an old word meaning +_consecrate_.] + +[Footnote 22: That is, _belonged_.] + +"Now," said he, "servants of Jesu Christ, ye shall be fed afore this +table with sweetmeats that never knights tasted." + +And when he had said, he vanished away. And they set them at the table +in great dread, and made their prayers. + +Then looked they and saw a man come out of the Holy Vessel, that had all +the signs of the passion of Jesu Christ, bleeding all openly, and said: +"My knights, and my servants, and my true children, which be come out of +deadly life into spiritual life, I will now no longer hide me from you, +but ye shall see now a part of my secrets and of my hidden things: now +hold and receive the high meat which ye have so much desired." Then took +he himself the Holy Vessel and came to Galahad; and he kneeled down, and +there he received his Saviour, and after him so received all his +fellows; and they thought it so sweet that it was marvelous to tell. + +Then said he to Galahad: "Son, wottest thou what I hold betwixt my +hands?" + +"Nay," said he, "but if ye will tell me." "This is," said he, "the holy +dish wherein I ate the lamb on Sher-Thursday.[23] And now hast thou seen +that thou most desire to see, but yet hast thou not seen it so openly as +thou shalt see it in the city of Sarras in the spiritual place. +Therefore thou must go hence and bear with thee this Holy Vessel; for +this night it shall depart from the realm of Logris, that it shall never +be seen more here. And wottest thou wherefor? For he is not served nor +worshipped to his right by them of this land, for they be turned to evil +living; therefore I shall disinherit them of the honour which I have +done them. And therefore go ye three to-morrow unto the sea, where ye +shall find your ship ready, and with you take no more but Sir Percivale +and Sir Bors." Then gave he them his blessing and vanished away. + +[Footnote 23: _Sher-Thursday_ or _Maundy Thursday_ is the name given to +Thursday of the Holy Week, the day on which the Last Supper was +celebrated.] + +That same night about midnight came a voice among them which said: "My +sons and not my chief sons, my friends and not my warriors, go ye hence +where ye hope best to do and as I bade you." + +"Ah, thanked be Thou, Lord, that Thou wilt vouchsafe to call us, Thy +sinners. Now may we well prove that we have not lost our pains." + +And anon in all haste they took their harness and departed. But the +three knights of Gaul, one of them hight Claudine, King Claudas' son, +and the other two were great gentlemen. Then prayed Galahad to every +each of them, that if they come to King Arthur's court that they should +salute Sir Launcelot, his father, and of them of the Round Table; and +prayed them if that they came on that part that they should not forget +it. + +Right so departed Galahad, Percivale and Bors with him; and so they rode +three days, and then they came to a rivage,[24] and found a ship. And +when they came to the board they found in the middes the table of silver +and the Sangreal which was covered with red samite. + +[Footnote 24: _Rivage_ is an old word meaning _bank_.] + +Then were they glad to have such things in their fellowship; and so they +entered and made great reverence thereto; and Galahad fell in his prayer +long time to Our Lord, that at what time he asked, that he should pass +out of this world. So much he prayed till a voice said to him: "Galahad, +thou shalt have thy request; and when thou askest the death of thy body +thou shalt have it, and then shalt thou find the life of the soul." + +Percivale heard this, and prayed him to tell him wherefore he asked such +things. + +"That shall I tell you," said Galahad; "the other day when we saw a part +of the adventures of the Sangreal I was in such joy of heart, that I +trow never man was that was earthly. And therefore I wot well, when my +body is dead my soul shall be in great joy to see the blessed Trinity +every day, and the Majesty of Our Lord, Jesu Christ." + +So long were they in the ship that they said to Galahad: "Sir, in this +bed ought ye to lie, for so sayeth the scripture." + +[Illustration: THE SHIP APPROACHES THE CITY OF SARRAS] + +And so he laid him down and slept a great while; and when he awaked he +looked afore him and saw the city of Sarras. Then took they out of the +ship the table of silver, and he took it to Percivale and to Bors, to go +tofore, and Galahad came behind. And right so they went to the city, and +at the gate of the city they saw an old man crooked. Then Galahad called +him and bade him help to bear this heavy thing. + +"Truly," said the old man, "it is ten years ago that I might not go but +with crutches." + +"Care thou not," said Galahad, "and arise up and shew thy good will." +And so he assayed, and found himself as whole as ever he was. Then ran +he to the table, and took one part against Galahad. + +And anon arose there great noise in the city, that a cripple was made +whole by knights marvelous that entered into the city. And when the king +of the city, which was cleped[25] Estorause, saw the fellowship, he +asked them of whence they were, and what thing it was that they had +brought upon the table of silver. And they told him the truth of the +Sangreal, and the power which that God had set there. Then the king was +a tyrant, and was come of the line of paynims,[26] and took them and put +them in prison in a deep hole. + +[Footnote 25: _Cleped_ meant _named_] + +[Footnote 26: A _paynim_ is an infidel.] + +But as soon as they were there Our Lord sent them the Sangreal, through +whose grace they were alway fulfilled while that they were in prison. + +So at the year's end it befell that this King Estorause lay sick, and +felt that he should die. Then he sent for the three knights, and they +came afore him; and he cried them mercy of that he had done to them, and +they forgave it him goodly; and he died anon. + +When the king was dead all the city was dismayed, and wist not who might +be their king. Right so as they were in counsel there came a voice among +them, and bade them choose the youngest knight of them three to be their +king: "For he shall well maintain you and all yours." So they made +Galahad king by all the assent of the holy city. + +[Illustration: THE LAST APPEARANCE OF THE SANGREAL] + +Now at the year's end, and the self day after Galahad had borne the +crown of gold, he arose up early and his fellows, and came to the +palace, and saw tofore them the Holy Vessel, and a man kneeling on his +knees in likeness of a bishop, that had about him a great fellowship of +angels as it had been Jesu Christ himself; and then he arose and began a +mass of Our Lady. And when he came to the sacrament of the mass, and had +done, anon he called Galahad, and said to him: "Come forth the servant +of Jesu Christ, and thou shalt see that thou hast much desired to see." + +Then Galahad held up his hands toward heaven and said: "Lord, I thank +thee, for now I see that that hath been my desire many a day. Now, +blessed Lord, would I not longer live, if it might please thee, Lord." + +And therewith the good man took Our Lord's body betwixt his hands, and +proffered it to Galahad, and he received it right gladly and meekly. +"Now wottest thou what I am?" said the good man. + +"Nay," said Galahad. "I am Joseph of Arimathie, the which Our Lord hath +sent here to thee to bear thee fellowship; and wottest thou wherefore +that he hath sent me more than any other? For thou hast resembled me in +two things; in that thou hast seen the marvels of the Sangreal, in that +thou hast been a clean maiden, as I have been and am." + +And when he had said these words Galahad went to Percivale and kissed +him, and commended him to God; and so he went to Sir Bors and kissed +him, and commended him to God, and said: "Fair lord, salute me to my +lord, Sir Launcelot, my father, and as soon as ye see him, bid him +remember of this unstable world." + +And therewith he kneeled down tofore the table and made his prayers, and +then suddenly his soul departed to Jesu Christ, and a great multitude of +angels bare his soul up to heaven, that the two fellows might well +behold it. Also the two fellows saw come from heaven an hand, but they +saw not the body. And then it came right to the Vessel, and took it and +the spear, and so bare it up to heaven. Sithen[27] was there never man +so hardy to say that he had seen the Sangreal. + +[Footnote 27: _Sithen_ is another form of _sith_, and means _since_.] + + + + +DISSENSIONS AT KING ARTHUR'S COURT + + +The quest of the Holy Grail cost King Arthur many of his best knights, +and the new ones who joined him by no means took the place of those +tried and trusty men who had made his Round Table famous. Moreover, +quarrels and dissensions broke out among them, and many of them forgot +their vows and lost the high character they held in the days of Galahad. + +The queen and Sir Launcelot incurred the hatred of some of the knights, +and there were many complaints made to discredit the queen with Arthur. +Finally she was accused of treason, and Arthur, broken-hearted, was +compelled to sit in judgment upon his wife as upon any other of his +subjects. The punishment for treason in those days was burning at the +stake, and the queen was condemned to death in this horrible manner. + +In those times all great questions might be settled by trial of battle. +There was a possibility of saving the queen's life if some knight would +volunteer to fight her accusers. For some time she was unable to find +any volunteer, and it was only under certain trying conditions that at +last Sir Bors agreed to enter the lists. He bore himself manfully in the +fray, but would not have succeeded had not Sir Launcelot appeared in +disguise and taken the battle upon himself. By his mighty prowess, +however, Launcelot established the queen's innocence of treason and +restored her to the king. + +This was only temporary relief, however, for in the combat some of the +best remaining knights were slain; among them were Sir Gareth and Sir +Gaheris, both among the closest of Launcelot's friends and both killed +by his own hand. Gawaine, their brother, one of the most powerful +knights in the court, vowed vengeance for their death and swore to +follow Launcelot to the ends of the earth. Launcelot protested that he +should never cease to mourn for Sir Gareth and that he would as soon +have slain his own nephew as to harm the man whom he made knight and +whom he loved as a brother. + +"Liar and traitor," cried Sir Gawaine, "you are a traitor both to the +king and to me." + +Launcelot replied, "I see that never again shall I have your love, +though I pray you remember that at one time we were friends, and that +once you were indebted to me for your life." + +"I care not," said Sir Gawaine, fiercely; "nor do I care for the +friendship of the king. As for you, in open combat or by stealth, your +life will I have; and as for the king, if he will not aid me now I shall +leave his kingdom and fight even against him." + +"Cease this brawling before me," said the king. "It is better for us all +that Launcelot should depart." Thus was Arthur's greatest knight +banished from the kingdom. + +This, however, did not terminate the difficulty. Arthur and Gawaine +followed Launcelot to France, where in a terrible battle Gawaine was +unhorsed and borne to the ground by Sir Launcelot, who, however, +declined to kill the valiant knight, although Gawaine still accused him +of being a traitor and declared that his enmity should never cease while +life lasted. Launcelot had gathered a large following in France, and +while Gawaine was being healed of his wounds there was peace between the +armies. + +In the meantime, Sir Mordred, the traitorous nephew of King Arthur, +remained in England and instigated a rebellion against the king. He +summoned a parliament and caused himself to be elected king. Queen +Guinevere hid herself in the tower of London and could not be induced to +leave by threat or entreaty, for she knew that Mordred's purpose was to +make her his wife. + +This news came to Arthur while he was encamped at Benwick where the +battle between his forces and Launcelot's had taken place. Arthur +immediately gathered his forces together and set sail for Britain. +Mordred learned of his approach and gathered a great army at Dover, +where he expected Sir Arthur to arrive, and where he lay in wait in the +harbor with a great array of ships of all kinds. + +Nothing daunted King Arthur, however, and in a fierce naval battle the +forces of Mordred were defeated, while the traitor fled westward, where +he gathered his scattered hosts. There were among his men many of King +Arthur's favorite knights, men whom he had showed every favor and who +were indebted to him for all that they possessed. The desertion of these +men made Arthur sorry at heart and left him little joy in his successful +battle. As soon as he could he landed and went about among the wounded +of his own army and of his enemies, binding up their wounds and giving +comfort to those who were dying. The dead he buried with honors of war +whether they were his opponents or his friends. + +As he went about among the boats he espied Sir Gawaine lying more dead +than alive, for in the battle he had received a blow which had reopened +the wound Launcelot had given him. When Arthur saw Gawaine he cried to +the stricken knight, "My sister's son, here you lie at the point of +death, the one man in the world I love most. Now is my joy all gone. Sir +Launcelot had all my friendship and you all my love, both of which are +gone utterly from me. Now indeed is my earthly joy all departed." + +"My uncle, King Arthur," said Gawaine, "you know that this is my death +day, and that all has come through my own hastiness; for now am I +smitten on an old wound which Sir Launcelot gave me, and I know well I +must die. If Sir Launcelot had been with you, this unhappy war had never +begun. Now am I the cause of all this, for now I know it was Sir +Launcelot that kept his enemies in subjection. I could not join in +friendship with him while I lived, but now as I die I pray you give me +paper, pen and ink that I may write to Launcelot with mine own hand." + +When the writing materials were brought Gawaine sat weakly up and wrote +this, "Unto Sir Launcelot, flower of all noble knights that I have heard +or saw by my days; I, Sir Gawaine, nephew of King Arthur, send you +greeting and let you know that I have been smitten upon the wound that +you gave me before the city of Benwick and that I have come to my death +day. I wish all the world to know that I, Sir Gawaine, knight of the +Round Table, came by my death by my own seeking and not through your +fault. So I beseech you, Sir Launcelot, return again to England and +sometime see my tomb and say a prayer or two for my soul. Alas, Sir +Launcelot, I beseech you by all the love that ever was between us, lose +no time but cross the sea in all haste that you may rescue the noble +king that made you knight, for he is in peril from that false traitor, +my half-brother, Sir Mordred. + +"This letter was written but two hours and a half before my death with +my own hand and sealed with my heart's blood." + +Then King Arthur wept, and sadness fell upon all who stood about. At the +hour of noon, after Sir Gawaine had received the sacrament and had +begged King Arthur to send for Launcelot, he yielded up the spirit. + +After the burial of Sir Gawaine, King Arthur, old before his time, with +all his sorrows fresh upon him, made ready to go against Sir Mordred, +who had gathered a great army in the west. + + + +THE PASSING OF ARTHUR[*] + +[Footnote *: Note.--_The Passing of Arthur_ gives us the story of King +Arthur from the time of Sir Gawaine's death.] + +_By_ ALFRED TENNYSON + + + That story which the bold Sir Bedivere, + First made and latest left of all the knights, + Told, when the man was no more than a voice + In the white winter of his age, to those + With whom he dwelt, new faces, other minds. + + For on their march to westward, Bedivere, + Who slowly paced among the slumbering host, + Heard in his tent the moanings of the King: + + "I found Him in the shining of the stars, + I mark'd Him in the flowering of His fields, + But in His ways with men I find Him not. + I waged His wars, and now I pass and die. + O me! for why is all around us here + As if some lesser god had made the world, + But had not force to shape it as he would, + Till the High God behold it from beyond, + And enter it, and make it beautiful? + Or else as if the world were wholly fair, + But that these eyes of men are dense and dim, + And have not power to see it as it is: + Perchance, because we see not to the close;-- + For I, being simple, thought to work His will, + And have but stricken with the sword in vain; + And all whereon I lean'd in wife and friend + Is traitor to my peace, and all my realm + Reels back into the beast, and is no more. + My God, thou hast forgotten me in my death: + Nay--God my Christ--I pass but shall not die." + + Then, ere that last weird battle in the west, + There came on Arthur sleeping, Gawain kill'd + In Lancelot's war, the ghost of Gawain blown + Along a wandering wind, and past his ear + Went shrilling, "Hollow, hollow all delight! + Hail, King! to-morrow thou shalt pass away. + Farewell! there is an isle of rest for thee. + And I am blown along a wandering wind, + And hollow, hollow, hollow all delight." + And fainter onward, like wild birds that change + Their season in the night and wail their way + From cloud to cloud, down the long wind the dream + Shrill'd; but in going mingled with dim cries + Far in the moonlit haze among the hills, + As of some lonely city sack'd by night, + When all is lost, and wife and child with wail + Pass to new lords; and Arthur woke and call'd, + "Who spake? A dream. O light upon the wind, + Thine, Gawain, was the voice--are these dim cries + Thine? or doth all that haunts the waste and wild + Mourn, knowing it will go along with me?" + + This heard the bold Sir Bedivere and spake: + "O me, my King, let pass whatever will, + Elves, and the harmless glamour of the field; + But in their stead thy name and glory cling + To all high places like a golden cloud + For ever: but as yet thou shalt not pass. + Light was Gawain in life, and light in death + Is Gawain, for the ghost is as the man; + And care not thou for dreams from him, but rise-- + I hear the steps of Modred in the west, + And with him many of thy people, and knights + Once thine, whom thou has loved, but grosser grown + Than heathen, spitting at their vows and thee. + Right well in heart they know thee for the King. + Arise, go forth and conquer as of old." + + Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere: + "Far other is this battle in the west + Whereto we move, than when we strove in youth, + And brake the petty kings, and fought with Rome, + Or thrust the heathen from the Roman wall,[1] + And shook him thro' the north. Ill doom is mine + To war against my people and my knights. + The king who fights his people fights himself. + And they my knights, who loved me once, the stroke + That strikes them dead is as my death to me. + Yet let us hence, and find or feel a way + Thro' this blind haze, which ever since I saw + One lying in the dust at Almesbury,[2] + Hath folded in the passes of the world." + +[Footnote 1: Shortly after his accession to the throne, according to the +legend, Arthur was called upon to send tribute to Rome. He refused, +however, and was successful in the battle against Rome which his refusal +caused. The heathen in his own country he also defeated, driving them +beyond the "Roman wall"--the wall which had been set up by the Romans at +the time of their occupancy of Britain to mark the northern boundary of +their territory.] + +[Footnote 2: Queen Guinevere, after her falseness to Arthur had been +proved, had withdrawn to a nunnery at Almesbury. Here Arthur had had an +interview with her before setting out on his last campaign.] + + Then rose the King and moved his host by night, + And ever push'd Sir Modred, league by league, + Back to the sunset bound of Lyonnesse-- + A land of old upheaven from the abyss + By fire, to sink into the abyss again; + Where fragments of forgotten peoples dwelt, + And the long mountains ended in a coast + Of ever-shifting sand, and far away + The phantom circle of a moaning sea. + There the pursuer could pursue no more, + And he that fled no further fly the King; + And there, that day when the great light of heaven + Burn'd at his lowest in the rolling year,[3] + On the waste sand by the waste sea they closed. + Nor ever yet had Arthur fought a fight + Like this last, dim, weird battle of the west. + A deathwhite mist slept over sand and sea: + Whereof the chill, to him who breathed it, drew + Down with his blood, till all his heart was cold + With formless fear; and ev'n on Arthur fell + Confusion, since he saw not whom he fought. + For friend and foe were shadows in the mist, + And friend slew friend not knowing whom he slew; + And some had visions out of golden youth, + And some beheld the faces of old ghosts + Look in upon the battle; and in the mist + Was many a noble deed, many a base, + And chance and craft and strength in single fights, + And ever and anon with host to host + Shocks, and the splintering spear, the hard mail hewn, + Shield-breakings, and the clash of brands, the crash + Of battle-axes on shatter'd helms, and shrieks + After the Christ, of those who falling down + Look'd up for heaven, and only saw the mist; + And shouts of heathen and the traitor knights, + Sweat, writhings, anguish, laboring of the lungs + In that close mist, and cryings for the light, + Moans of the dying, and voices of the dead. + +[Footnote 3: Can you tell from this on about what day Arthur fought this +last battle?] + + Last, as by some one deathbed after wail + Of suffering, silence follows, or thro' death + Or deathlike swoon, thus over all that shore, + Save for some whisper of the seething seas, + A dead hush fell; but when the dolorous day + Grew drearier toward twilight falling, came + A bitter wind, clear from the North, and blew + The mist aside, and with that wind the tide + Rose, and the pale King glanced across the field + Of battle: but no man was moving there; + Nor any cry of Christian heard thereon, + Nor yet of heathen; only the wan wave + Brake in among dead faces, to and fro + Swaying the helpless hands, and up and down + Tumbling the hollow helmets of the fallen, + And shiver'd brands that once had fought with Rome, + And rolling far along the gloomy shores + The voice of days of old and days to be. + + Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere, + And whiter than the mist that all day long + Had held the field of battle was the King: + + "Hearest thou this great voice that shakes the world, + And wastes the narrow realm whereon we move, + And beats upon the faces of the dead, + My dead, as tho' they had not died for me?-- + O Bedivere, for on my heart hath fall'n + Confusion, till I know not what I am, + Nor whence I am, nor whether I be King. + Behold, I seem but King among the dead." + + Then spake the bold Sir Bedivere: "My King, + King everywhere! and so the dead have kings, + There also will I worship thee as King. + Yet still thy life is whole, and still I live + Who love thee; but who hates thee, he that brought + The heathen back among us, yonder stands, + Modred, unharm'd, the traitor of thine house." + + Then spake the King: "My house hath been my doom. + But call not thou this traitor of my house + Who hath but dwelt beneath one roof with me. + My house are rather they who sware my vows, + Yea, even while they break them, own'd me King. + And well for thee, saying in my dark hour, + When all the purport of my throne hath failed, + That quick or dead thou holdest me for King. + King am I, whatsoever be their cry; + And one last act of kinghood shalt thou see + Yet, ere I pass." And uttering this the King + Made at the man: then Modred smote his liege + Hard on that helm which many a heathen sword + Had beaten thin; while Arthur at one blow, + Striking the last stroke with Excalibur, + Slew him, and all but slain himself, he fell. + + So all day long the noise of battle roll'd + Among the mountains by the winter sea; + Until King Arthur's Table, man by man, + Had fall'n in Lyonnesse about their lord, + King Arthur. Then, because his wound was deep, + The bold Sir Bedivere uplifted him, + And bore him to a chapel nigh the field, + A broken chancel with a broken cross, + That stood on a dark strait of barren land: + On one side lay the Ocean, and on one + Lay a great water, and the moon was full. + + Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere: + "The sequel of to-day unsolders all + The goodliest fellowship of famous knights + Whereof this world holds record. Such a sleep + They sleep--the men I loved. I think that we + Shall never more, at any future time, + Delight our souls with talk of knightly deeds, + Walking about the gardens and the halls + Of Camelot, as in the days that were. + I perish by this people which I made,-- + Tho' Merlin sware that I should come again + To rule once more; but, let what will be, be, + I am so deeply smitten thro' the helm + That without help I cannot last till morn. + Thou therefore take my brand Excalibur, + Which was my pride: for thou rememberest how + In those old days, one summer noon, an arm + Rose up from out the bosom of the lake, + Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful, + Holding the sword--and how I row'd across + And took it, and have worn it, like a king; + And, wheresoever I am sung or told + In aftertime, this also shall be known: + But now delay not: take Excalibur, + And fling him far into the middle mere:[4] + Watch what thou seest, and lightly bring me word." + +[Footnote 4: _Mere_ is a poetic word for _lake_.] + + To him replied the bold Sir Bedivere: + "It is not meet, Sir King, to leave thee thus, + Aidless, alone, and smitten thro' the helm-- + A little thing may harm a wounded man; + Yet I thy best will all perform at full, + Watch what I see, and lightly bring thee word." + + So saying, from the ruin'd shrine he stept, + And in the moon athwart the place of tombs, + Where lay the mighty bones of ancient men, + Old knights, and over them the sea-wind sang + Shrill, chill, with flakes of foam. He, stepping down + By zigzag paths, and juts of pointed rock, + Came on the shining levels of the lake. + + There drew he forth the brand Excalibur, + And o'er him, drawing it, the winter moon, + Brightening the skirts of a long cloud, ran forth + And sparkled keen with frost against the hilt: + For all-the haft twinkled with diamond sparks, + Myriads of topaz-lights, and jacinth-work + Of subtlest jewelry. He gazed so long + That both his eyes were dazzled as he stood, + This way and that dividing the swift mind, + In act to throw: but at the last it seem'd + Better to leave Excalibur conceal'd + There in the many-knotted waterflags + That whistled stiff and dry about the marge. + So strode he back slow to the wounded King. + + Then spake King Arthur to Sir Bedivere: + "Hast thou perform'd my mission which I gave? + What is it thou hast seen? or what hast heard?" + + And answer made the bold Sir Bedivere: + "I heard the ripple washing in the reeds, + And the wild water lapping on the crag." + + To whom replied King Arthur, faint and pale: + "Thou hast betray'd thy nature and thy name, + Not rendering true answer, as beseem'd + Thy fealty, nor like a noble knight: + For surer sign had follow'd, either hand, + Or voice, or else a motion of the mere. + This is a shameful thing for men to lie. + Yet now, I charge thee, quickly go again, + As thou art lief[5] and dear, and do the thing + I bade thee, watch, and lightly bring me word." + +[Footnote 5: _Lief_ is an old word meaning _beloved._] + + Then went Sir Bedivere the second time + Across the bridge, and paced beside the mere, + Counting the dewy pebbles, fix'd in thought; + But when he saw the wonder of the hilt, + How curiously and strangely chased, he smote + His palms together, and he cried aloud: + + "And if indeed I cast the brand away, + Surely a precious thing, one worthy note, + Should thus be lost for ever from the earth, + Which might have pleased the eyes of many men. + What good should follow this, if this were done? + What harm, undone? Deep harm to disobey, + Seeing obedience is the bond of rule. + Were it well to obey then, if a king demand + An act unprofitable, against himself? + The King is sick, and knows not what he does. + What record, or what relic of my lord + Should be to aftertime, but empty breath + And rumors of a doubt? But were this kept, + Stored in some treasure-house of mighty kings, + Some one might show it at a joust of arms, + Saying, 'King Arthur's sword, Excalibur, + Wrought by the lonely maiden of the Lake. + Nine years she wrought it, sitting in the deeps + Upon the hidden bases of the hills.' + So might some old man speak in the aftertime + To all the people, winning reverence. + But now much honor and much fame were lost." + + So spake he, clouded with his own conceit,[6] + And hid Excalibur the second time, + And so strode back slow to the wounded King. + +[Footnote 6: _Conceit_ here means _fancy_.] + + Then spoke King Arthur, breathing heavily: + "What is it thou hast seen? or what hast heard?" + + And answer made the bold Sir Bedivere: + "I heard the water lapping on the crag, + And the long ripple washing in the reeds." + + To whom replied King Arthur, much in wrath: + "Ah, miserable and unkind, untrue, + Unknightly, traitor-hearted! Woe is me! + Authority forgets a dying king, + Laid widow'd of the power in his eye + That bowed the will. I see thee what thou art, + For thou, the latest-left of all my knights, + In whom should meet the offices of all, + Thou wouldst betray me for the precious hilt; + Either from lust of gold, or like a girl + Valuing the giddy pleasure of the eyes. + Yet, for a man may fail in duty twice, + And the third time may prosper, get thee hence: + But, if thou spare to fling Excalibur, + I will arise and slay thee with my hands." + + Then quickly rose Sir Bedivere, and ran, + And, leaping down the ridges lightly, plunged + Among the bulrush beds, and clutch'd the sword, + And strongly wheel'd and threw it. The great brand + Made lightnings in the splendor of the moon, + And flashing round and round, and whirl'd in an arch, + Shot like a streamer of the northern morn, + Seen where the moving isles of winter shock + By night, with noises of the Northern Sea. + So flash'd and fell the brand Excalibur: + But ere he dipt the surface, rose an arm + Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful, + And caught him by the hilt, and brandish'd him + Three times, and drew him under in the mere. + And lightly went the other to the King. + + Then spoke King Arthur, drawing thicker breath: + "Now see I by thine eyes that this is done. + Speak out: what is it thou hast heard, or seen?" + + And answer made the bold Sir Bedivere: + "Sir King, I closed mine eyelids, lest the gems + Should blind my purpose, for I never saw, + Nor shall see, here or elsewhere, till I die, + Not tho' I live three lives of mortal men, + So great a miracle as yonder hilt. + Then with both hands I flung him, wheeling him; + But when I looked again, behold an arm, + Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful, + That caught him by the hilt, and brandish'd him + Three times, and drew him under in the mere." + + And answer made King Arthur, breathing hard: + "My end draws nigh; 'tis time that I were gone + Make broad thy shoulders to receive my weight. + And bear me to the margin; yet I fear + My wound hath taken cold, and I shall die." + + So saying, from the pavement he half rose, + Slowly, with pain, reclining on his arm, + And looking wistfully with wide blue eyes + As in a picture. Him Sir Bedivere + Remorsefully regarded thro' his tears, + And would have spoken, but he found not words: + Then took with care, and kneeling on one knee, + O'er both his shoulders drew the languid hands, + And rising bore him thro' the place of tombs. + + But, as he walk'd, King Arthur panted hard, + Like one that feels a nightmare on his bed + When all the house is mute. So sigh'd the King, + Muttering and murmuring at his ear, "Quick, quick! + I fear it is too late, and I shall die." + + But the other swiftly strode from ridge to ridge, + Clothed, with his breath, and looking, as he walk'd, + Larger than human on the frozen hills. + He heard the deep behind him, and a cry + Before. His own thought drove him like a goad. + Dry clash'd his harness in the icy caves + And barren chasms, and all to left and right + The bare black cliff clang'd round him, as he based + His feet on juts of slippery crag that rang + Sharp-smitten with the dint of armed heels-- + And on a sudden, lo! the level lake, + And the long glories of the winter moon.[7] + +[Footnote 7: This sentence is a striking example of Tennyson's ability +to make the sound of a passage help in conveying the sense. The harsh +_e_ and short _a_ sounds in the earlier part are intended to imitate the +clash of armor and the ring of "armed heels" on the rock; while the +smooth _l_ and _o_ sounds in the last two lines bring to us the quiet +and peacefulness of the scene upon which Bedivere came forth.] + + Then saw they how there hove a dusky barge, + Dark as a funeral scarf from stem to stern, + Beneath them; and descending they were ware + That all the decks were dense with stately forms, + Black-stoled, black-hooded, like a dream--by these + Three Queens with crowns of gold: and from them rose + A cry that shiver'd to the tingling stars, + And, as it were one voice, an agony + Of lamentation, like a wind that shrills + All night in a waste land, where no one comes, + Or hath come, since the making of the world. + + Then murmur'd Arthur, "Place me in the barge." + So to the barge they came. There those three Queens + Put forth their hands, and took the King, and wept. + But she, that rose the tallest of them all + And fairest, laid his head upon her lap, + And loosed the shatter'd casque, and chafed his hands, + And call'd him by his name, complaining loud, + And dropping bitter tears against a brow + Striped with dark blood: for all his face was white + And colorless, and like the wither'd moon + Smote by the fresh beam of the springing east; + And all his greaves and cuisses dash'd with drops + Of onset; and the light and lustrous curls-- + That made his forehead like a rising sun + High from the dais-throne--were parch'd with dust, + Or, clotted into points and hanging loose, + Mix'd with the knightly growth that fringed his lips. + So like a shatter'd column lay the King; + Not like that Arthur who, with lance in rest, + From spur to plume a star of tournament, + Shot thro' the lists at Camelot, and charged + Before the eyes of ladies and of kings. + + Then loudly cried the bold Sir Bedivere: + "Ah! my Lord Arthur, whither shall I go? + Where shall I hide my forehead and my eyes? + For now I see the true old times are dead, + When every morning brought a noble chance, + And every chance brought out a noble knight. + Such times have been not since the light that led + The holy Elders[8] with the gift of myrrh. + +[Footnote 8: The Elders are the wise men who, with their gifts of myrrh. +came to worship Christ in the manger.] + + But now the whole Round Table is dissolved + Which was an image of the mighty world, + And I, the last, go forth companionless, + And the days darken round me, and the years, + Among new men, strange faces, other minds." + + And slowly answer'd Arthur from the barge: + "The old order changeth, yielding place to new, + And God fulfils himself in many ways, + Lest one good custom should corrupt the world. + Comfort thyself: what comfort is in me? + I have lived my life, and that which I have done + May He within himself make pure! but thou, + If thou shouldst never see my face again, + Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer + Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice + Rise like a fountain for me night and day. + For what are men better than sheep or goats + That nourish a blind life within the brain, + If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer + Both for themselves and those who call them friend? + For so the whole round earth is every way + Bound by gold chains about the feet of God. + But now farewell. I am going a long way + With these thou seest--if indeed I go + (For all my mind is clouded with a doubt)-- + To the island-valley of Avilion; + Where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow, + Nor ever wind blows loudly; but it lies + Deep-meadow'd, happy, fair with orchard lawns + And bowery hollows crown'd with summer sea, + Where I will heal me of my grievous wound." + + So said he, and the barge with oar and sail + Moved from the brink, like some full-breasted swan + That, fluting a wild carol ere her death, + Ruffles her pure cold plume, and takes the flood + With swarthy webs. Long stood Sir Bedivere + Revolving many memories, till the hull + Look'd one black dot against the verge of dawn, + And on the mere the wailing died away. + But when that moan had past for evermore, + The stillness of the dead world's winter dawn + Amazed him, and he groan'd, "The King is gone." + And therewithal came on him the weird rhyme, + "From the great deep to the great deep he goes." + +Whereat he slowly turn'd and slowly clomb +The last hard footstep of that iron crag; +Thence mark'd the black hull moving yet, and cried, +"He passes to be King among the dead, +And after healing of his grievous wound +He comes again; but--if he come no more-- +O me, be yon dark Queens in yon black boat, +Who shriek'd and wail'd, the three whereat we gazed +On that high day, when, clothed with living light, +They stood before his throne in silence, friends +Of Arthur, who should help him at his need?" + +Then from the dawn it seem'd there came, but faint +As from beyond the limit of the world, +Like the last echo born of a great cry, +Sounds, as if some fair city were one voice +Around a king returning from his wars. + +Thereat once more he moved about, and clomb +Ev'n to the highest he could climb, and saw, +Straining his eyes beneath an arch of hand, +Or thought he saw, the speck that bare the King, + +[Illustration: THE BARGE MOVED FROM THE BRINK] + +Down that long water opening on the deep +Somewhere far off, pass on and on, and go +From less to less and vanish into light. +And the new sun rose bringing the new year. + + + + +HENRY HUDSON'S FOURTH VOYAGE[1] + +[Footnote 1: This sketch of Henry Hudson's fourth voyage is taken from +the _Life of Henry Hudson_ by Henry R. Cleveland, which appears in Jared +Sparks's series of books on American biography.] + +_By_ HENRY R. CLEVELAND + +Note.--It should be remembered that Hudson had already made three +voyages in search of the Northwestern Passage. On his first voyage he +tried to sail around the northern part of Greenland, but was driven back +by the ice and returned to England, whence he had sailed. + +On his second voyage he attempted to find a northeastern passage around +the North Cape and north of Europe. He reached Nova Zembla but was +unable to get any farther. + +On his third voyage he sailed under the management of the Dutch East +India Company and left the port of Amsterdam, expecting to go north +around the continent of America. In this he was disappointed; but he +proceeded west to the Banks of Newfoundland and thence south along the +coast of the United States. He visited Penobscot Bay in Maine, sailed +around Cape Cod and southward at some distance from the coast, to +Virginia, deciding by this time that he could not find a passage +westward in that direction. As he knew of the discoveries along the +coast of Virginia he returned north, and on his way discovered Delaware +Bay and the outlet of the Hudson River. After some delay he explored the +river to the present site of Albany, where he again found that his +Northwestern Passage was barred by the shallowing waters of the river. +This was the extent of the explorations of this voyage, from which he +finally returned in safety to London. + +China was well known to the people of Hudson's time, but had been +reached always by water around the Cape of Good Hope and along the +southern shore of Asia, or by the long and perilous land journey across +Europe and Asia. It was the dream of all these early navigators to find +a water passage much shorter than the one around the Cape, and for this +they naturally looked to the northwest, where they knew the distance +must be much shorter. They little knew that this search was to continue +for hundreds of years--so long, in fact, that no practicable passage of +that sort is even now known. + +The success of Hudson's last voyage probably stimulated the London +Company to take him again into their employment, and to fit out another +vessel in search of that great object of discovery, the northwest +passage. We find him setting out on a voyage, under their auspices, +early in the spring of 1610. His crew numbered several persons, who were +destined to act a conspicuous part in the melancholy events of this +expedition. Among these were Robert Juet, who had already sailed with +him as mate in two of his voyages; Habakuk Pricket, a man of some +intelligence and education, who had been in the service of Sir Dudley +Digges, one of the London Company, and from whose Journal we learn +chiefly the events of the voyage; and Henry Greene, of whose character +and circumstances it is necessary here to give a brief account. + +It appears from the Journal, that Greene was a young man of good +abilities, and education, born of highly respectable parents, but of +such abandoned character, that he had forced his family to cast him off. +Hudson found him in this condition, took pity upon him, and received him +into his house in London. When it was determined that he should command +this expedition, Hudson resolved to take Greene with him, in the hope, +that, by exciting his ambition, and by withdrawing him from his +accustomed haunts, he might reclaim him. Greene was also a good penman, +and would be useful to Hudson in that capacity. With much difficulty +Greene's mother was persuaded to advance four pounds, to buy clothes for +him; and, at last, the money was placed in the hands of an agent, for +fear that it would be wasted if given directly to him. He was not +registered in the Company's books, nor did he sail in their pay, but +Hudson, to stimulate him to reform, promised to give him wages, and on +his return to get him appointed one of the Prince's guards, provided he +should behave well on the voyage. + +Hudson was also accompanied, as usual, by his son. The crew consisted of +twenty-three men, and the vessel was named the _Discovery_. The London +Company had insisted upon Hudson's taking in the ship a person, who was +to aid him by his knowledge and experience, and in whom they felt great +confidence. This arrangement seems to have been very disagreeable to +Hudson, as he put the man into another vessel before he reached the +mouth of the Thames, and sent him back to London, with a letter to his +employers stating his reasons for so doing. What these reasons were, we +can form no conjecture, as there is no hint given in the Journal. + +He sailed from London on the 17th of April, 1610. Steering north from +the mouth of the Thames, and passing in sight of the northern part of +Scotland, the Orkney, Shetland, and Faroe Isles, and having, in a little +more than a month, sailed along the southern coast of Iceland, where he +could see the flames ascending from Mount Hecla, he anchored in a bay on +the western side of that island. Here they found a spring so hot, that +"it would scald a fowl," in which the crew bathed freely. At this place, +Hudson discovered signs of a turbulent and mutinous disposition in his +crew. The chief plotter seems to have been Robert Juet, the mate. Before +reaching Iceland, Juet had remarked to one of the crew, that there would +be bloodshed before the voyage was over; and he was evidently at that +time contriving some mischief. While the ship was at anchor in this bay, +a circumstance occurred, which gave Juet an opportunity to commence his +intrigues. It is thus narrated by Pricket. + +"At Iceland, the surgeon and he (Henry Greene) fell out in Dutch, and he +beat him ashore in English, which set all the company in a rage, so that +we had much ado to get the surgeon aboard. I told the master of it, but +he bade me let it alone; for, said he, the surgeon had a tongue that +would wrong the best friend he had. But Robert Juet, the master's mate, +would needs burn his finger in the embers, and told the carpenter a long +tale, when he was drunk, that our master had brought in Greene to crack +his credit that should displease him; which words came to the master's +ears, who, when he understood it, would have gone back to Iceland, when +he was forty leagues from thence, to have sent home his mate, Robert +Juet, in a fisherman. But, being otherwise persuaded, all was well. So +Henry Greene stood upright, and very inward with the master, and was a +serviceable man every way for manhood; but for religion, he would say, +he was clean paper, whereon he might write what he would." + +He sailed from Iceland on the 1st of June, and for several days Juet +continued to instigate the crew to mutiny, persuading them to put the +ship about and return to England. This, as we have seen, came to the +knowledge of Hudson, and he threatened to send Juet back, but was +finally pacified. In a few days he made the coast of Greenland, which +appeared very mountainous, the hills rising like sugar loaves, and +covered with snow. But the ice was so thick all along the shore, that it +was found impossible to land. He therefore steered for the south of +Greenland, where he encountered great numbers of whales. Two of these +monsters passed under the ship, but did no harm; for which the +journalist was devoutly thankful. Having doubled the southern point of +Greenland, he steered northwest, passed in sight of Desolation Island, +in the neighborhood of which he saw a huge island or mountain of ice, +and continued northwest till the latter part of June, when he came in +sight of land bearing north, which he supposed to be an island set down +in his chart in the northerly part of Davis's Strait. His wish was to +sail along the western coast of this island, and thus get to the north +of it; but adverse winds and the quantities of ice which he encountered +every day, prevented him. + +Being south of this land, he fell into a current setting westwardly, +which he followed, but was in constant danger from the ice. One day, an +enormous mountain of ice turned over near the ship, but fortunately +without touching it. This served as a warning to keep at a distance from +these masses, to prevent the ship from being crushed by them. He +encountered a severe storm, which brought the ice so thick about the +ship, that he judged it best to run her among the largest masses, and +there let her lie. In this situation, says the journalist, "some of our +men fell sick; I will not say it was of fear, although I saw small sign +of other grief." As soon as the storm abated, Hudson endeavoured to +extricate himself from the ice. Wherever any open space appeared, he +directed his course, sailing in almost every direction; but the longer +he contended with the ice, the more completely did he seem to be +enclosed, till at last he could go no further. The ship seemed to be +hemmed in on every side, and in danger of being soon closely wedged, so +as to be immovable. In this perilous situation, even the stout heart of +Hudson almost yielded to the feeling of despair; and, as he afterwards +confessed to one of the men, he thought he should never escape from the +ice, but that he was doomed to perish there. + +He did not, however, allow his crew, at the time, to be aware what his +apprehensions really were; but, assembling them all around him, he +brought out his chart, and showed them that they had advanced in this +direction a hundred leagues further than any Englishman had done before; +and gave them their choice whether to proceed, or to return home. The +men could come to no agreement; some were in favor of returning, others +were for pushing forward. This was probably what Hudson expected; the +men were mutinous, and yet knew not what they wanted themselves. Having +fairly convinced them of this, it was easier to set them at work to +extricate the ship from her immediate danger. After much time and labor, +they made room to turn the ship round, and then by little and little +they worked their way along for a league or two, when they found a clear +sea. + +The scene which has just been described, seems indeed a subject worthy +of the talents of a skilful painter. The fancy of the artist would +represent the dreary and frightful appearance of the ice-covered sea, +stretching away as far as the eye could reach, a bleak and boundless +waste; the dark and broken clouds driving across the fitful sky; the +ship motionless amidst the islands and mountains of ice, her shrouds and +sails being fringed and stiffened with the frozen spray. On the deck +would appear the form of Hudson himself, displaying the chart to his +men; his countenance careworn and sad, but still concealing, under the +appearance of calmness and indifference, the apprehensions and +forebodings, which harrowed his mind. About him would be seen the rude +and ruffian-like men; some examining the chart with eager curiosity, +some glaring on their commander with eyes of hatred and vengeance, and +expressing in their looks those murderous intentions, which they at last +so fatally executed. + +Having reached a clear sea, Hudson pursued his course northwest, and in +a short time saw land bearing southwest, which appeared very mountainous +and covered with snow. This he named _Desire Provokes_. He had now +entered the Strait which bears his name, and, steering west, he occupied +nearly the whole month of July in passing through it. To the various +capes, islands, and promontories which he saw, he gave names, either in +commemoration of some circumstance, which happened at the time, or in +honor of persons and places at home, or else for the reward of the +discoverer. + +Some islands, near which he anchored, and where his ship was but just +saved from the rocks, he called the _Isles of God's Mercies_. On the +19th, he passed a point of land, which he named _Hold with Hope_. To the +main land, which he soon after discovered, he gave the name of _Magna +Britannia_. On the 2d of September, he saw a headland on the northern +shore, which he named _Salisbury's Foreland_; and, running southwest +from this point about fourteen leagues, he entered a passage not more +than five miles in width, the southern cape at the entrance of which he +named _Cape Worsenholme_, and that on the north side, _Cape Digges_. + +He now hoped that the passage to the western sea was open before him, +and that the great discovery was at length achieved. He therefore sent a +number of the men on shore at Cape Digges, to ascend the hills, in the +hope that they would see the great ocean open to them beyond the Strait. +The exploring party, however, were prevented from making any discovery, +by a violent thunder storm, which soon drove them back to the ship. They +saw plenty of deer, and soon after espied a number of small piles of +stones, which they at first supposed must be the work of some civilized +person. On approaching them, and lifting up one of the stones, they +found them to be hollow, and filled with fowls, hung by the neck. They +endeavored to persuade their commander to wait here, till they could +provision the ship from the stores, which were thus remarkably provided +for them. But his ardor was so great to find his way into the ocean, +which he felt convinced was immediately in the vicinity, that he could +suffer no delay, but ordered his men to weigh anchor at once; a +precipitancy which he had afterwards reason bitterly to regret. Having +advanced about ten leagues through the Strait, he came into the great +open Bay or sea which bears his name. + +Having entered the Bay, he pursued a southerly course for nearly a +month, till he arrived at the bottom of the Bay; when, finding that he +was disappointed in his expectation of thus reaching the western seas, +he changed his course to the north, in order to retrace his steps. On +the 10th of September, he found it necessary to inquire into the conduct +of some of the men, whose mutinous disposition had manifested itself a +good deal of late. Upon investigation, it appeared, that the mate, +Robert Juet, and Francis Clement, the boatswain, had been the most +forward in exciting a spirit of insubordination. The conduct of Juet at +Iceland was again brought up, and, as it appeared that both he and +Clement had been lately plotting against the commander, they were both +deposed, and Robert Billet was appointed mate, and William Wilson +boatswain. + +The remaining part of September and all October were passed in exploring +the great Bay. At times the weather was so bad, that they were compelled +to run into some bay and anchor; and in one of the storms they were +obliged to cut away the cable, and so lost their anchor. At another time +they ran upon a sunken ledge of rocks, where the ship stuck fast for +twelve hours, but was at last got off without being much injured. The +last of October having now arrived, and winter beginning to set in, +Hudson ran the vessel into a small bay, and sent a party in search of a +good place to intrench themselves till the spring. They soon found a +convenient station; and, bringing the ship thither, they hauled her +aground. This was on the 1st of November. In ten days they were +completely frozen in, and the ship firmly fixed in the sea. + +The prospect for Hudson and his men was now dreary and disheartening. In +addition to the rigors of a long winter, in a high northern latitude, +they had to apprehend the suffering which would arise from a scarcity of +provisions. The vessel had been victualled for six months, and that time +having now expired, and their stores falling short, while, at the same +time, the chance of obtaining supplies from hunting and fishing was very +precarious, it was found necessary to put the crew upon an allowance. In +order, however, to stimulate the men to greater exertions, Hudson +offered a reward or bounty for every beast, fish, or fowl, which they +should kill; hoping, that in this way the scanty stock of provisions +might be made to hold out till the breaking up of the ice in the spring. + +About the middle of November, John Williams, the gunner, died. We are +not informed what was his disease, but we are led to suppose from the +Journal, that his death was hastened, if not caused, by the unkind +treatment he experienced from Hudson. It appears very evident from the +simple narration by Pricket, that "the master," as he calls him, had +become hasty and irritable in his temper. This is more to be regretted, +than wondered at. The continual hardships and disappointments, to which +he had been exposed, and especially the last unhappy failure in +discovering the northwest passage, when he had believed himself actually +within sight of it, must have operated powerfully upon an ardent and +enthusiastic mind like his, in which the feeling of regret at failure is +always proportionate to the strength and confidence of hope when first +formed. In addition to this, the troublesome disposition of the crew, +which must have caused ceaseless anxiety, undoubtedly contributed much +to disturb his calmness and self-possession, and render him precipitate +and irritable in his conduct. Many proofs of this soon occurred.[2] + +[Footnote 2: In reading the account of this Arctic expedition, we must +remember that the author has followed very closely the journal of +Pricket and has not tried to determine the truth or falseness of +that man's statements. It does not seem probable that a man of +Hudson's character should so suddenly become peevish and irritable, +nor that his judgment should so suddenly become weak. The journal +was probably written to defend Pricket's share in the disgraceful +transaction, and so events were colored to suit himself.] + +The death of the gunner was followed by consequences which may be +regarded as the beginning of troubles that in the end proved fatal. It +appears that it was the custom in those times, when a man died at sea, +to sell his clothes to the crew by auction. In one respect, Hudson +violated this custom, and probably gained no little ill will thereby. +The gunner had a gray cloth gown or wrapper, which Henry Greene had set +his heart upon possessing; and Hudson, wishing to gratify his favorite, +refused to put it up to public sale, and gave Greene the sole choice of +purchasing it. + +Not long after this, Hudson ordered the carpenter to go on shore, and +build a house, or hut, for the accommodation of the crew. The man +replied, that it would now be impossible to do such a piece of work, +from the severity of the weather, and the quantity of snow. The house +ought to have been erected when they had first fixed their station +there, but now it was too late, and Hudson had refused to have it done +at first. The carpenter's refusal to perform the work excited the anger +of the master to such a degree, that he drove him violently from the +cabin, using the most opprobrious language, and finally threatening to +hang him. + +Greene appeared to take sides with the carpenter, which made Hudson so +angry, that he gave the gown, which Greene had coveted so much, to +Billet, the mate; telling Greene, with much abusive language, that, as +not one of his friends at home would trust him to the value of twenty +shillings, he could not be expected to trust him for the value of the +gown; and that, as for wages, he should have none if he did not behave +better. These bitter taunts sunk deep into Greene's heart, and no doubt +incited him to further mutinous conduct. + +The sufferings of the men were not less, during the winter, than they +had had reason to apprehend. Many of them were made lame, probably from +chilblains and freezing their feet; and Pricket complains in the +Journal, written after the close of the voyage, that he was still +suffering from the effects of this winter. They were, however, much +better supplied with provisions than they had anticipated. For three +months they had such an abundance of white partridges about the ship, +that they killed a hundred dozen of them; and, on the departure of +these, when spring came, they found a great plenty of swans, geese, +ducks, and other waterfowl. + +Hudson was in hopes, when he saw these wild fowl, that they had come to +breed in these regions, which would have rendered it much easier to +catch them; but he found that they went still further north for this +purpose. Before the ice had broken up, these birds too had disappeared, +and the horror of starvation began to stare them in the face. They were +forced to search the hills, woods, and valleys, for anything that might +afford them subsistence; even the moss growing on the ground, and +disgusting reptiles, were not spared. Their sufferings were somewhat +relieved at last, by the use of a bud, which is described as "full of +turpentine matter." Of these buds the surgeon made a decoction, which he +gave the men to drink, and also applied them hot to their bodies, +wherever any part was affected. This was undoubtedly very effectual in +curing the scurvy. + +About the time that the ice began to break up, they were visited by a +savage, whom Hudson treated so well, that he returned the day after to +the ship, bringing several skins, some of which he gave in return for +presents he had received the day before. For others Hudson traded with +him, but made such hard bargains, that he never visited them again. As +soon as the ice would allow of it, some of the men were sent out to +fish. The first day they were very successful, catching about five +hundred fish; but after this, they never succeeded in taking a quarter +part of this number in one day. Being greatly distressed by want of +provisions, Hudson took the boat and coasted along the bay to the +southwest, in the hope of meeting some of the natives, from whom he +might obtain supplies. He saw the woods blazing at a distance, where +they had been set on fire by the natives; but he was not able at any +time to come within sight of the people themselves. After an absence of +several days, he returned unsuccessful to the ship. + +The only effect of this little expedition was defeating a conspiracy, +formed by Greene, Wilson, and some others, to seize the boat and make +off with her. They were prevented from putting this scheme in execution +by Hudson's unexpected determination to use the boat himself. Well would +it have been for him, if they had been allowed to follow their wishes. + +Having returned to the ship, and finding everything now prepared for +their departure according to his directions, before weighing anchor he +went through the mournful task of distributing to his crew the small +remnant of the provisions, about a pound of bread to each man; which he +did with tears in his eyes. He also gave them a bill of return, as a +sort of certificate for any who might live to reach home. Some of the +men were so ravenous, that they devoured in a day or two the whole of +their allowance of bread. + +They sailed from the bay, in which they had passed the winter, about the +middle of June, and, in three or four days, being surrounded with ice, +were obliged to anchor. The bread he had given the men, and a few pounds +of cheese, which had remained, were consumed. Hudson now intimated to +one of the crew, that the chests of all the men would be searched, to +find any provisions that might have been concealed there; and ordered +him at the same time to bring all that was in his. The man obeyed, and +produced thirty cakes in a bag. This indiscretion on the part of Hudson +appears to have greatly exasperated his crew, and to have been the +immediate cause of open mutiny. + +They had been detained at anchor in the ice about a week, when the first +signs of this mutiny appeared. Greene, and Wilson, the boatswain, came +in the night to Pricket, who was lying in his berth very lame, and told +him, that they and several of the crew had resolved to seize Hudson, and +set him adrift in the boat, with all on board who were disabled by +sickness; that there were but few days' provisions left, and the master +appeared entirely irresolute which way to go; that for themselves they +had eaten nothing for three days; their only hope, therefore, was in +taking command of the ship, and escaping from these regions as quickly +as possible; and that they would carry their plot unto execution, or +perish in the attempt. + +Pricket remonstrated with them in the most earnest manner, entreating +them to abandon such a wicked intention, and reminding them of their +wives and children, from whom they would be banished forever, if they +stained themselves with so great a crime. But all he could say had no +effect. He then besought them to delay the execution for three days, for +two days, for only twelve hours; but they sternly refused. Pricket then +told them, that it was not their safety for which they were anxious, but +that they were bent upon shedding blood and revenging themselves, which +made them so hasty. Upon this, Greene took up the Bible which lay there, +and swore upon it, that he would do no man harm, and that what he did +was for the good of the voyage, and for nothing else. Wilson took the +same oath, and after him came Juet and the other conspirators +separately, and swore in the same words. The words of the oath are +recorded by Pricket, because, after his return to England, he was much +blamed for administering any oath, as he seemed by so doing to side with +the mutineers. The oath, as administered by him, ran as follows: + +"You shall swear truth to God, your Prince, and Country; you shall do +nothing but to the glory of God and the good of the action in hand, and +harm to no man." How little regard was paid to this oath by the +mutineers, will shortly appear. + +It was decided, that the plot should be put in execution at daylight; +and, in the meantime, Greene went into Hudson's cabin to keep him +company and prevent his suspicions from being excited. They had +determined to put the carpenter and John King into the boat with Hudson +and the sick, having some grudge against them for their attachment to +the master. King and the carpenter had slept upon deck this night. But +about daybreak, King was observed to go down into the hold with the +cook, who was going for water. Some of the mutineers ran and shut down +the hatch over them, while Greene and another engaged the attention of +the carpenter, so that he did not observe what was going on. + +Hudson now came up from the cabin, and was immediately seized by Thomas, +and Bennet, the cook, who had come up from the hold, while Wilson ran +behind and bound his arms. He asked them what they meant, and they told +him he would know when he was in the shallop. Hudson called on the +carpenter to help him, telling him that he was bound; but he could +render him no assistance, being surrounded by mutineers. In the +meantime, Juet had gone down into the hold, where King was; but the +latter, having armed himself with a sword, attacked Juet, and would have +killed him, if the noise had not been heard upon deck by the +conspirators, some of whom ran down and overpowered him. While this was +done, two of the sick men, Lodlo and Bute, boldly reproached their +shipmates for their wickedness, telling them, that their knavery would +show itself, and that their actions were prompted by mere vengeance, not +the wish to preserve their lives. But their words had no effect. + +The boat was now hauled alongside, and the sick and lame were called up +from their berths. Pricket crawled upon deck as well as he could, and +Hudson, seeing him, called to him to come to the hatchway to speak with +him. Pricket entreated the men, on his knees, for the love of God to +remember their duty, and do as they would be done by; but they only told +him to go back to his berth, and would not allow him to have any +communication with Hudson. When Hudson was in the boat, he called again +to Pricket, who was at the horn window, which lighted his cabin, and +told him that Juet would "overthrow" them all. "Nay," said Pricket, "it +is that villain, Henry Greene;" and this he said as loud as he could. + +After Hudson was put into the boat, the carpenter was set at liberty, +but he refused to remain in the ship unless they forced him; so they +told him he might go in the boat, and allowed him to take his chest with +him. Before he got into the boat, he went down to take leave of Pricket, +who entreated him to remain in the ship; but the carpenter said he +believed that they would soon be taken on board again, as there was no +one left who knew enough to bring the ship home; and that he was +determined not to desert the master. He thought the boat would be kept +in tow; but, if they should be parted, he begged Pricket to leave some +token for them if he should reach Digges's Cape first. They then took +leave of each other with tears in their eyes, and the carpenter went +into the boat, taking a musket and some powder and shot, an iron pot, a +small quantity of meal, and other provisions. Hudson's son and six of +the men were also put into the boat. The sails were now hoisted, and +they stood eastward with a fair wind, dragging the shallop from the +stern; and in a few hours, being clear of the ice, they cut the rope by +which the boat was dragged, and soon after lost sight of her forever. + +[Illustration: CUT ADRIFT IN HUDSON'S BAY] + +The account here given of the mutiny, is nearly in the words of Pricket, +an eyewitness of the event. It is difficult at first to perceive the +whole enormity of the crime. The more we reflect upon it, the blacker it +appears. Scarcely a circumstance is wanting, that could add to the +baseness of the villainy, or the horror of the suffering inflicted. The +principal conspirators were men who were bound to Hudson by long +friendship, by lasting obligations, and by common interests, adventures +and sufferings. Juet had sailed with him on two of his former voyages, +and had shared in the glory of his discoveries. Greene had been received +into his house, when abandoned even by his own mother; had been kindly +and hospitably entertained, encouraged to reform, and taken, on Hudson's +private responsibility, into a service in which he might gain celebrity +and wealth. Wilson had been selected from among the crew, by the +approving eye of the commander, and appointed to a place of trust and +honor. Yet these men conspired to murder their benefactor, and +instigated the crew to join in their execrable scheme. + +Not contented with the destruction of their commander, that nothing +might be wanting to fill up the measure of their wickedness, they formed +the horrible plan of destroying, at the same time, all of their +companions whom sickness and suffering had rendered a helpless and +unresisting prey to their cruelty. The manner of effecting this massacre +was worthy of the authors of such a plot. To have killed their unhappy +victims outright would have been comparatively merciful; but a long, +lingering, and painful death was chosen for them. The imagination turns +with intense and fearful interest to the scene. The form of the +commander is before us, bound hand and foot, condescending to no +supplication to the mutineers, but calling in vain for assistance from +those who would gladly have helped him, but who were overpowered by +numbers, or disabled by sickness. The cry of the suffering and dying +rings in our ears, as they are dragged from their beds, to be exposed to +the inclemencies of the ice-covered sea in an open boat. Among them +appears the young son of Hudson, whose tender years can wake no +compassion in the cold-blooded murderers.[3] + +[Footnote 3: It is impossible to tell very much about this young son of +Henry Hudson. In some accounts he is said to be but a lad of seven +years old, but as he appears in the journal of the voyage as a sailor, +it is probable that he was much older. He had accompanied his +father on two of his earlier voyages and possibly on the third.] + +We refrain from following them, even in fancy, through their sufferings +after they are separated from the ship; their days and nights of agony, +their cry of distress, and the frenzy of starvation, their hopes of +relief defeated, their despair, and their raving as death comes on. Over +these awful scenes the hand of God has hung a veil, which hides them +from us forever. Let us not seek to penetrate, even in imagination, the +terrors which it conceals. + +How far Pricket's account, in regard to the course pursued by Hudson, is +worthy of confidence, must be left to conjecture. It should be +remembered, however, that Pricket was not free from the suspicion of +having been in some degree implicated in the conspiracy, and that his +narrative was designed in part as a vindication of himself. The +indiscreet severity charged upon Hudson, and the hasty temper he is +represented to have shown, in embroiling himself with his men, for +apparently trifling reasons, are not consistent with the moderation, +good sense, and equanimity, with which his conduct had been marked in +all his preceding voyages. It is moreover hardly credible, that, knowing +as he did the mutinous spirit of some of the crew he should so rashly +inflame this spirit, at a time when he was surrounded by imminent +dangers, and when his safety depended on the united support of all the +men under his command. Hence, whatever reliance may be placed on the +veracity of Pricket, it is due to the memory of Hudson not to overlook +the circumstances by which his pen may have been biased. + +When Hudson and the men were deposited in the boat, the mutineers busied +themselves with breaking open chests and pillaging the ship. They found +in the cabin a considerable quantity of biscuit, and a butt of beer; and +there were a few pieces of pork, some meal, and a half bushel of peas in +the hold. These supplies were enough to save them from immediate +starvation; and they expected to find plenty of game at Digges's Cape. + +Henry Greene was appointed commander, though evidently too ignorant for +the place. It was a full month before they could find their way to the +Strait, which leads out of the great Bay in which _they_ had wintered. +Part of this time they were detained by the ice; but several days were +spent in searching for the passage into Davis's Strait. During this time +they landed often, and sometimes succeeded in catching a few fish or +wild fowl; but supplied their wants principally by gathering the +cockle-grass, which was growing in abundance on every part of the shore. +They arrived within sight of Digges's Cape about the last of July, and +immediately sent the boat on shore for provisions. The men who landed +found considerable quantities of game, as it was a place where the wild +fowl breed. There were great numbers of savages about the shore, who +appeared very friendly, and testified their joy by lively gestures. + +The next day Henry Greene went ashore, accompanied by Wilson, Thomas, +Perse, Moter, and Pricket. The last was left in the boat, which was made +fast to a large rock, and the others went on shore in search of +provisions. While some of the men were busy in gathering sorrel from the +rocks, and Greene was surrounded by the natives, with whom he was +trading, Pricket, who was lying in the stern of the boat, observed one +of the savages coming in at the bows. Pricket made signs to him to keep +off; and while he was thus occupied, another savage stole round behind +him. Pricket suddenly saw the leg and foot of a man by him, and looking +up, perceived a savage with a knife in his hand, aiming a blow at him. +He prevented the wound from being fatal, by raising his arm and warding +off the blow; but was still severely cut. Springing up, he grappled with +the savage, and drawing his dagger, at length put him to death. + +[Illustration: SAVAGES ON THE SHORE] + +In the meantime, Greene and the others were assaulted by the savages on +shore, and with difficulty reached the boat, all of them wounded except +Perse and Moter. The latter saved his life by plunging into the water, +and catching hold of the stern of the boat. No sooner had they pushed +off, than the savages let fly a shower of arrows, which killed Greene +outright, and mortally wounded some of the others, among them Perse, who +had hitherto escaped. Perse and Moter began to row toward the ship, but +Perse soon fainted, and Moter was left to manage the boat alone, as he +had escaped unwounded. The body of Greene was thrown immediately into +the sea. Wilson and Thomas died that day in great torture, and Perse two +days afterwards. + +The remainder of the crew were glad to depart from the scene of this +fatal combat, and immediately set sail, with the intention of reaching +Ireland as soon as possible. While they were in the Strait, they managed +to kill a few wild fowl occasionally; but the supply was so small, that +they were obliged to limit the crew to half a fowl a day, which they +cooked with meal; but this soon failed, and they were forced to devour +the candles. The cook fried the bones of the fowls in tallow, and mixed +this mess with vinegar, which, says Pricket, was "a great daintie." + +Before they reached Ireland, they were so weakened, that they were +forced to sit at the helm to steer, as no one among them was able to +stand. Just before they came in sight of land, Juet died of want, thus +meeting the very fate, to avoid which he had murdered his commander and +friend. The men were now in utter despair. Only one fowl was left for +the subsistence, and another day would be their last. They abandoned all +care of the vessel, and prepared to meet their fate, when the joyful cry +of "a sail," was heard. It proved to be a fishing vessel, which took +them into a harbor in Ireland, from which they hired a pilot to take +them to England; where they all arrived in safety, after an absence of a +year and five months. + + + +THE RISE OF ROBERT BRUCE[1] + +[Footnote 1: Robert Bruce was born in July, 1274. During the early part +of his life he was sometimes to be found on the side of the English and +sometimes on the side of the Scotch, but as he grew older his patriotic +spirit was roused, and he threw himself heart and soul into the cause of +his native land. As late as the year 1299, after the Scotch patriot +Wallace had been defeated, Bruce was in favor with the English King +Edward, but in February, 1306, occurred the event with which Scott's +narrative opens.] + +_By_ SIR WALTER SCOTT[2] + +[Footnote 2: The following interesting account of some of the incidents +in the life of Bruce is abridged from Scott's _Tales of a Grandfather_, +a series of historical stories which Scott wrote for his little +grandson.] + +Robert the Bruce was a remarkably brave and strong man; there was no man +in Scotland that was thought a match for him. He was very wise and +prudent, and an excellent general; that is, he knew how to conduct an +army, and place them in order for battle, as well or better than any +great man of his time. He was generous, too, and courteous by nature; +but he had some faults, which perhaps belonged as much to the fierce +period in which he lived as to his own character. He was rash and +passionate, and in his passion he was sometimes relentless and cruel. + +Robert the Bruce had fixed his purpose to attempt once again to drive +the English out of Scotland, and he desired to prevail upon Sir John the +Red Comyn, who was his rival in his pretensions to the throne, to join +with him in expelling the foreign enemy by their common efforts. With +this purpose, Bruce posted down from London to Dumfries, on the borders +of Scotland, and requested an interview with John Comyn. They met in the +church of the Minorites in that town, before the high altar. What passed +between them is not known with certainty; but they quarrelled, either +concerning their mutual pretensions to the crown, or because Comyn +refused to join Bruce in the proposed insurrection against the English; +or, as many writers say, because Bruce charged Comyn with having +betrayed to the English his purpose of rising up against King Edward. It +is, however, certain that these two haughty barons came to high and +abusive words, until at length Bruce, who I told you was extremely +passionate, forgot the sacred character of the place in which they +stood, and struck Comyn a blow with his dagger. Having done this rash +deed, he instantly ran out of the church and called for his horse. Two +gentlemen of the country, Lindesay and Kirkpatrick, friends of Bruce, +were then in attendance on him. Seeing him pale, bloody, and in much +agitation, they eagerly inquired what was the matter. + +"I doubt," said Bruce, "that I have slain the Red Comyn." + +"Do you leave such a matter in doubt?" said Kirkpatrick. "I will make +sicker!"--that is, I will make certain. + +Accordingly, he and his companion Lindesay rushed into the church, and +made the matter certain with a vengeance, by despatching the wounded +Comyn with their daggers. His uncle, Sir Robert Comyn, was slain at the +same time. + +This slaughter of Comyn was a rash and cruel action; and the historian +of Bruce observes that it was followed by the displeasure of Heaven; for +no man ever went through more misfortunes than Robert Bruce, although he +at length rose to great honor. + +After the deed was done, Bruce might be called desperate. He had +committed an action which was sure to bring down upon him the vengeance +of all Comyn's relations, the resentment of the King of England, and the +displeasure of the Church, on account of having slain his enemy within +consecrated ground. He determined, therefore, to bid them all defiance +at once, and to assert his pretensions to the throne of Scotland. He +drew his own followers together, summoned to meet him such barons as +still entertained hopes of the freedom of the country, and was crowned +king at the Abbey of Scone, the usual place where the kings of Scotland +assumed their authority. + +The commencement of Bruce's undertaking was most disastrous. He was +crowned on the twenty-ninth of March, 1306. On the eighteenth of May he +was excommunicated by the Pope, on account of the murder of Comyn within +consecrated ground, a sentence which excluded him from all benefits of +religion, and authorized any one to kill him. Finally, on the nineteenth +of June, the new king was completely defeated near Methven by the +English Earl of Pembroke. Robert's horse was killed under him in the +action, and he was for a moment a prisoner. + +But he had fallen into the power of a Scottish knight, who, though he +served in the English army, did not choose to be the instrument of +putting Bruce into their hands, and allowed him to escape. The +conquerors executed their prisoners with their usual cruelty. + +[Illustration: BRUCE KILLS COMYN] + +Bruce, with a few brave adherents, among whom was the young Lord of +Douglas, who was afterward called the Good Lord James, retired into the +Highland mountains, where they were chased from one place of refuge to +another, often in great danger, and suffering many hardships. The +Bruce's wife, now Queen of Scotland, with several other ladies, +accompanied her husband and his few followers during their wanderings. +There was no other way of providing for them save by hunting and +fishing. It was remarked that Douglas was the most active and successful +in procuring for the unfortunate ladies such supplies as his dexterity +in fishing or in killing deer could furnish to them. + +Driven from one place in the Highlands to another, starved out of some +districts, and forced from others by the opposition of the inhabitants, +Bruce attempted to force his way into Lorn; but he was again defeated, +through force of numbers, at a place called Dalry. He directed his men +to retreat through a narrow pass, and placing himself last of the party, +he fought with and slew such of the enemy as attempted to press hard on +them. A father and two sons, called M'Androsser, all very strong men, +when they saw Bruce thus protecting the retreat of his followers, made a +vow that they would either kill this redoubted champion, or make him +prisoner. The whole three rushed on the king at once. Bruce was on +horseback, in the strait pass we have described, between a precipitous +rock and a deep lake. He struck the first man who came up and seized his +horse's rein such a blow with his sword, as cut off his hand and freed +the bridle. The man bled to death. The other brother had grasped Bruce +in the meantime by the leg, and was attempting to throw him from +horseback. The king, setting spurs to his horse, made the animal +suddenly spring forward, so that the Highlander fell under the horse's +feet, and, as he was endeavoring to rise again, Bruce cleft his head in +two with his sword. The father, seeing his two sons thus slain, flew +desperately at the king, and grasped him by the mantle so close to his +body that he could not have room to wield his long sword. But with the +heavy pommel of that weapon, or, as others say, with an iron hammer +which hung at his saddle-bow, the king struck his third assailant so +dreadful a blow, that he dashed out his brains. Still, however, the +Highlander kept his dying grasp on the king's mantle; so that, to be +freed of the dead body, Bruce was obliged to undo the brooch, or clasp, +by which it was fastened, and leave that, and the mantle itself, behind +him. + +At last dangers increased so much around the brave King Robert, that he +was obliged to separate himself from his queen and her ladies; for the +winter was coming on, and it would be impossible for the women to endure +this wandering life when the frost and snow should set in. So Bruce left +his queen, with the Countess of Buchan and others, in the only castle +which remained to him, which was called Kildrummie. The king also left +his youngest brother, Nigel Bruce, to defend the castle against the +English; and he himself, with his second brother Edward, who was a very +brave man, but still more rash and passionate than Robert himself, went +over to an island on the coast of Ireland, where Bruce and the few men +who followed his fortunes passed the winter of 1306. In the meantime, +ill luck seemed to pursue all his friends in Scotland. The castle of +Kildrummie was taken by the English, and Nigel Bruce, a beautiful and +brave youth, was cruelly put to death by the victors. The ladies who had +attended on Robert's queen, as well as the queen herself, and the +Countess of Buchan, were thrown into strict confinement, and treated +with the utmost severity. + +It was about this time that an incident took place, which, although it +rests only on tradition in families of the name of Bruce, is rendered +probable by the manners of the times. After receiving the last +unpleasing intelligence from Scotland, Bruce was lying one morning on +his wretched bed, and deliberating with himself whether he had not +better resign all thoughts of again attempting to make good his right to +the Scottish crown, and, dismissing his followers, transport himself and +his brothers to the Holy Land, and spend the rest of his life in +fighting against the Saracens; by which he thought, perhaps, he might +deserve the forgiveness of Heaven for the great sin of stabbing Comyn in +the church at Dumfries. But then, on the other hand, he thought it would +be both criminal and cowardly to give up his attempts to restore freedom +to Scotland while there yet remained the least chance of his being +successful in an undertaking, which, rightly considered, was much more +his duty than to drive the infidels out of Palestine, though the +superstition of his age might think otherwise. + +While he was divided between these reflections, and doubtful of what he +should do, Bruce was looking upward to the roof of the cabin in which he +lay; and his eye was attracted by a spider, which, hanging at the end of +a long thread of its own spinning, was endeavoring, as is the fashion of +that creature, to swing itself from one beam in the roof to another, for +the purpose of fixing the line on which it meant to stretch its web. The +insect made the attempt again and again without success; at length Bruce +counted that it had tried to carry its point six times, and been as +often unable to do so. It came into his-head that he had himself fought +just six battles against the English and their allies, and that the poor +persevering spider was exactly in the same situation with himself, +having made as many trials and been so often disappointed in what it +aimed at. "Now," thought Bruce, "as I have no means of knowing what is +best to be done, I will be guided by the luck which shall attend this +spider. If the insect shall make another effort to fix its thread, and +shall be successful, I will venture a seventh time to try my fortune in +Scotland; but if the spider shall fail, I will go to the wars in +Palestine, and never return to my native country more." + +While Bruce was forming this resolution the spider made another exertion +with all the force it could muster, and fairly succeeded in fastening +its thread to the beam which it had so often in vain attempted to reach. +Bruce, seeing the success of the spider, resolved to try his own +fortune; and as he had never before gained a victory, so he never +afterward sustained any considerable or decisive check or defeat. I have +often met with people of the name of Bruce, so completely persuaded of +the truth of this story, that they would not on any account kill a +spider, because it was that insect which had shown the example of +perseverance, and given a signal of good luck, to their great namesake. + +Having determined to renew his efforts to obtain possession of Scotland, +notwithstanding the smallness of the means which he had for +accomplishing so great a purpose, the Bruce removed himself and his +followers from Rachrin to the island of Arran, which lies in the mouth +of the Clyde. The king landed and inquired of the first woman he met +what armed men were in the island. She returned for answer that there +had arrived there very lately a body of armed strangers, who had +defeated an English officer, the governor of the castle of Brathwick, +had killed him and most of his men, and were now amusing themselves with +hunting about the island. The king, having caused himself to be guided +to the woods which these strangers most frequented, there blew his horn +repeatedly. + +Now, the chief of the strangers who had taken the castle was James +Douglas, one of the best of Bruce's friends, and he was accompanied by +some of the bravest of that patriotic band. When he heard Robert Bruce's +horn he knew the sound well, and cried out, that yonder was the king, he +knew by his manner of blowing. So he and his companions hastened to meet +King Robert, and there was great joy on both sides; while at the same +time they could not help weeping when they considered their own forlorn +condition, and the great loss that had taken place among their friends +since they had last parted. But they were stout-hearted men, and looked +forward to freeing their country in spite of all that had yet happened. + +The Bruce was now within sight of Scotland, and not distant from his own +family possessions, where the people were most likely to be attached to +him. He began immediately to form plans with Douglas how they might best +renew their enterprise against the English. The Douglas resolved to go +disguised to his own country, and raise his followers in order to begin +their enterprise by taking revenge on an English nobleman called Lord +Clifford, upon whom Edward had conferred his estates, and who had taken +up his residence in the castle of Douglas. + +Bruce, on his part, opened a communication with the opposite coast of +Carrick, by means of one of his followers called Cuthbert. This person +had directions, that if he should find the countrymen in Carrick +disposed to take up arms against the English he was to make a fire on a +headland, or lofty cape, called Turnberry, on the coast of Ayrshire, +opposite to the island of Arran. The appearance of a fire on this place +was to be a signal for Bruce to put to sea with such men as he had, who +were not more than three hundred in number, for the purpose of landing +in Carrick and joining the insurgents. + +Bruce and his men watched eagerly for the signal, but for some time in +vain. At length a fire on Turnberry-head became visible, and the king +and his followers merrily betook themselves to their ships and galleys, +concluding their Carrick friends were all in arms and ready to join with +them. They landed on the beach at midnight, where they found their spy +Cuthbert alone in waiting for them with very bad news. Lord Percy, he +said, was in the country with two or three hundred Englishmen, and had +terrified the people so much, both by actions and threats, that none of +them dared to think of rebelling against King Edward. + +"Traitor!" said Bruce, "why, then, did you make the signal?" + +"Alas," replied Cuthbert, "the fire was not made by me, but by some +other person, for what purpose I know not; but as soon as I saw it +burning, I knew that you would come over, thinking it my signal, and +therefore I came down to wait for you on the beach to tell you how the +matter stood." + +King Robert's first idea was to return to Arran after this +disappointment; but his brother Edward refused to go back. He was, as I +have told you, a man daring even to rashness. "I will not leave my +native land," he said, "now that I am so unexpectedly restored to it. I +will give freedom to Scotland, or leave my carcass on the surface of the +land which gave me birth." + +Bruce, also, after some hesitation, determined that since he had been +thus brought to the mainland of Scotland, he would remain there, and +take such adventure and fortune as Heaven should send him. + +Accordingly, he began to skirmish with the English so successfully, as +obliged the Lord Percy to quit Carrick. Bruce then dispersed his men +upon various adventures against the enemy, in which they were generally +successful. But then, on the other hand, the king, being left with small +attendance, or sometimes almost alone, ran great risk of losing his life +by treachery or by open violence. + +At one time, a near relation of Bruce's, in whom he entirely confided, +was induced by the bribes of the English to attempt to put him to death. +This villain, with his two sons, watched the king one morning, till he +saw him separated from all his men, excepting a little boy, who waited +on him as a page. The father had a sword in his hand, one of the sons +had a sword and a spear, and the other had a sword and a battle-axe. +Now, when the king saw them so well armed, when there were no enemies +near, he began to call to mind some hints which had been given to him, +that these men intended to murder him. He had no weapons excepting his +sword; but his page had a bow and arrow. He took them both from the +little boy, and bade him stand at a distance; "for," said the king, "if +I overcome these traitors, thou shalt have enough of weapons; but if I +am slain by them, you may make your escape, and tell Douglas and my +brother to revenge my death." The boy was very sorry, for he loved his +master; but he was obliged to do as he was bidden. + +In the meantime the traitors came forward upon Bruce, that they might +assault him at once. The king called out to them, and commanded them to +come no nearer, upon peril of their lives; but the father answered with +flattering words, pretending great kindness, and still continuing to +approach his person. Then the king again called to them to stand. +"Traitors," said he, "ye have sold my life for English gold; but you +shall die if you come one foot nearer to me." With that he bent the +page's bow, and as the old conspirator continued to advance, he let the +arrow fly at him. Bruce was an excellent archer; he aimed his arrow so +well that it hit the father in the eye, and penetrated from that into +his brain, so that he fell down dead. Then the two sons rushed on the +king. One of them fetched a blow at him with an axe, but missed his +stroke and stumbled, so that the king with his great sword cut him down +before he could recover his feet. The remaining traitor ran on Bruce +with his spear; but the king, with a sweep of his sword, cut the steel +head off the villain's weapon, and then killed him before he had time to +draw his sword. Then the little page came running, very joyful of his +master's victory; and the king wiped his bloody sword, and, looking upon +the dead bodies, said, "These might have been reputed three gallant men, +if they could have resisted the temptation of covetousness." + +After the death of these three traitors, Robert the Bruce continued to +keep himself concealed in his own earldom of Carrick, and in the +neighboring country of Galloway, until he should have matters ready for +a general attack upon the English. He was obliged, in the meantime, to +keep very few men with him, both for the sake of secrecy, and from the +difficulty of finding provisions. Now, many of the people of Galloway +were unfriendly to Bruce. They had heard that he was in their country, +having no more than sixty men with him; so they resolved to attack him +by surprise, and for this purpose they got two hundred men together, and +brought with them two or three bloodhounds. These animals were trained +to chase a man by the scent of his footsteps, as foxhounds chase a fox, +or as beagles and harriers chase a hare. Although the dog does not see +the person whose trace he is put upon, he follows him over every step he +has taken. At that time these bloodhounds, or sleuthhounds (so called +from _slot_, or _sleut_, a word which signifies the scent left by an +animal of chase), were used for the purpose of pursuing great criminals. +The men of Galloway thought themselves secure, that if they missed +taking Bruce, or killing him at the first onset, and if he should escape +into the woods, they would find him out by means of these bloodhounds. + +The good King Robert Bruce, who was always watchful and vigilant, had +received some information of the intention of this party to come upon +him suddenly and by night. Accordingly, he quartered his little troop of +sixty men on the side of a deep and swift-running river, that had very +steep and rocky banks. There was but one ford by which this river could +be crossed in that neighborhood, and that ford was deep and narrow, so +that two men could scarcely get through abreast; the ground on which +they were to land on the side where the king was, was steep, and the +path which led upward from the water's edge to the top of the bank, +extremely narrow and difficult. + +Bruce caused his men to lie down to take some sleep, at a place about +half a mile distant from the river, while he himself, with two +attendants, went down to watch the ford, through which the enemy must +needs pass before they could come to the place where King Robert's men +were lying. He stood for some time looking at the ford, and thinking how +easily the enemy might be kept from passing there, provided it was +bravely defended, when he heard at a distance the baying of a hound, +which was always coming nearer and nearer. This was the bloodhound which +was tracing the king's steps to the ford where he had crossed, and the +two hundred Galloway men were along with the animal, and guided by it. +Bruce at first thought of going back to awaken his men; but then he +reflected that it might be only some shepherd's dog. "My men," said he, +"are sorely tired; I will not disturb their sleep for the yelping of a +cur, till I know something more of the matter." + +So he stood and listened; and by and by, as the cry of the hound came +nearer, he began to hear a trampling of horses, and the voices of men, +and the ringing and clattering of armor, and then he was sure the enemy +were coming to the river side. Then the king thought, "If I go back to +give my men the alarm, these Galloway men will get through the ford +without opposition; and that would be a pity, since it is a place so +advantageous to make defence against them." So he looked again at the +steep path, and the deep river, and he thought that they gave him so +much advantage, that he himself could defend the passage with his own +hand, until his men came to assist him. His armor was so good and +strong, that he had no fear of arrows, and therefore the combat was not +so very unequal as it must have otherwise been. He therefore sent his +followers to waken his men, and remained alone by the bank of the river. + +In the meanwhile, the noise and trampling of the horses increased; and +the moon being bright, Bruce beheld the glancing arms of about two +hundred men, who came down to the opposite bank of the river. The men of +Galloway, on their part, saw but one solitary figure guarding the ford, +and the foremost of them plunged into the river without minding him. But +as they could only pass the ford one by one, the Bruce, who stood high +above them on the bank where they were to land, killed the foremost man +with a thrust of his long spear, and with a second thrust stabbed the +horse, which fell down, kicking and plunging in his agonies, on the +narrow path, and so prevented the others who were following from getting +out of the river. Bruce had thus an opportunity of dealing his blows at +pleasure among them, while they could not strike at him again. In the +confusion, five or six of the enemy were slain, or, having been borne +down the current, were drowned in the river. The rest were terrified, +and drew back. + +But when the Galloway men looked again, and saw they were opposed by +only one man, they themselves being so many, they cried out that their +honor would be lost forever if they did not force their way; and +encouraged each other, with loud cries, to plunge through and assault +him. But by this time the king's soldiers came up to his assistance, and +the Galloway men retreated, and gave up their enterprise. + +At another time King Robert and his foster brother were walking through +a wood extremely weary and hungry. As they proceeded, however, in the +hopes of coming to some habitation, they met in the midst of the forest +with three men who looked like thieves or ruffians. They were well +armed, and one of them bore a sheep on his back, which it seemed as if +they had just stolen. They saluted the king civilly; and he, replying to +their salutation, asked them where they were going. The men answered, +they were seeking for Robert Bruce, for that they intended to join with +him. The king answered, that if they would go with him he would conduct +them where they would find the Scottish king. Then the man who had +spoken changed countenance, and Bruce, who looked sharply at him, began +to suspect that the ruffian guessed who he was, and that he and his +companions had some design against his person, in order to gain the +reward which had been offered for his life. + +So he said to them, "My good friends, as we are not well acquainted with +each other, you must go before us, and we will follow near to you." + +"You have no occasion to suspect any harm from us," answered the man. + +"Neither do I suspect any," said Bruce; "but this is the way in which I +choose to travel." + +The men did as he commanded, and thus they traveled till they came +together to a waste and ruinous cottage, where the men proposed to dress +some part of the sheep, which their companion was carrying. The king was +glad to hear of food; but he insisted that there should be two fires +kindled, one for himself and his foster brother at one end of the house, +the other at the other end for their three companions. The men did as he +desired. They broiled a quarter of mutton for themselves, and gave +another to the king and his attendant. They were obliged to eat it +without bread or salt; but as they were very hungry, they were glad to +get food in any shape, and partook of it very heartily. + +Then so heavy a drowsiness fell on King Robert, that, for all the danger +he was in, he could not resist an inclination to sleep. But first, he +desired his foster brother to watch while he slept, for he had great +suspicion of their new acquaintances. His foster brother promised to +keep awake, and did his best to keep his word. But the king had not long +been asleep ere his foster brother fell into a deep slumber also, for he +had undergone as much fatigue as the king. When the three villains saw +the king and his attendant asleep, they made signs to each other, and +rising up at once, drew their swords with the purpose to kill them both. +But the king slept but lightly, and little noise as the traitors made in +rising, he was awakened by it, and starting up, drew his sword, and went +to meet them. At the same moment he pushed his foster brother with his +foot, to awaken him, and he got on his feet; but ere he got his eyes to +see clearly, one of the ruffians that were advancing to slay the king, +killed him with a stroke of his sword. The king was now alone, one man +against three, and in the greatest danger of his life; but his amazing +strength, and the good armor which he wore, freed him once more from +this great peril, and he killed the three men, one after another. He +then left the cottage, very sorrowful for the death of his faithful +foster brother, and took his direction toward the place where he had +appointed his men to assemble. It was now near night, and the place of +meeting being a farmhouse, he went boldly into it, where he found the +mistress, an old true-hearted Scotswoman, sitting alone. Upon seeing a +stranger enter, she asked him who and what he was. The king answered +that he was a traveler journeying through the country. + +"All travelers," answered the good woman, "are welcome here, for the +sake of one." + +"And who is that one," said the king, "for whose sake you make all +travelers welcome?" + +"It is our rightful king, Robert the Bruce," answered the mistress, "who +is the lawful lord of this country; and although he is now pursued and +hunted after with hounds and horns, I hope to live to see him king over +all Scotland." + +"Since you love him so well, dame," said the king, "know that you see +him before you. I am Robert the Bruce." + +[ILLUSTRATION: SHE BROUGHT HER TWO SONS] + +"You!" said the good woman, in great surprise; "and wherefore are you +thus alone?--where are all your men?" + +"I have none with me at this moment," answered Bruce, "and therefore I +must travel alone." + +"But that shall not be," said the brave old dame, "for I have two stout +sons, gallant and trusty men, who shall be your servants for life and +death." + +So she brought her two sons, and though she well knew the dangers to +which she exposed them, she made them swear fidelity to the king; and +they afterward became high officers in his service. + +Now, the loyal old woman was getting everything ready for the king's +supper, when suddenly there was a great trampling of horses heard round +the house. They thought it must be some of the English, and the good +wife called upon her sons to fight to the last for King Robert. But +shortly after, they heard the voice of the good Lord James of Douglas, +and of Edward Bruce, the king's brother, who had come with a hundred and +fifty horsemen to this farmhouse, according to the instructions that the +king had left with them at parting. + +Robert the Bruce was right joyful to meet his brother, and his faithful +friend Lord James, and had no sooner found himself once more at the head +of such a considerable body of followers, than forgetting hunger and +weariness, he began to inquire where the enemy who had pursued them so +long had taken up their abode for the night; "For," said he, "as they +must suppose us totally scattered and fled, it is likely that they will +think themselves quite secure, and disperse themselves into distant +quarters, and keep careless watch." + +"That is very true," answered James of Douglas, "for I passed a village +where there are two hundred of them quartered, who had placed no +sentinels; and if you have a mind to make haste, we may surprise them +this very night, and do them more mischief than they have been able to +do us during all this day's chase." + +Then there was nothing but mount and ride; and as the Scots came by +surprise on the body of English whom Douglas had mentioned, and rushed +suddenly into the village where they were quartered, they easily +dispersed and cut them to pieces; thus, as Douglas had said, doing their +pursuers more injury than they themselves had received during the long +and severe pursuit of the preceding day. + +The consequence of these successes of King Robert was, that soldiers +came to join him on all sides, and that he obtained several victories, +until at length the English were afraid to venture into the open country +as formerly, unless when they could assemble themselves in considerable +bodies. They thought it safer to lie still in the towns and castles +which they had garrisoned, and wait till the King of England should once +more come to their assistance with a powerful army. + +When King Edward the First heard that Scotland was again in arms against +him, he marched down to the Borders, with many threats of what he would +do to avenge himself on Bruce and his party, whom he called rebels. But +he was now old and feeble, and while he was making his preparations, he +was taken very ill, and after lingering a long time, at length died on +the sixth of July, 1307, at a place in Cumberland called Burgh upon the +Sands, in full sight of Scotland, and not three miles from its frontier. + +His hatred to that country was so inveterate that his thoughts of +revenge seemed to occupy his mind on his death-bed. He made his son +promise never to make peace with Scotland until the nation was subdued. +He gave also very singular directions concerning the disposal of his +dead body. He ordered that it should be boiled in a caldron till the +flesh parted from the bones, and that then the bones should be wrapped +up in a bull's hide, and carried at the head of the English army, as +often as the Scots attempted to recover their freedom. He thought that +he had inflicted such distresses on the Scots, and invaded and defeated +them so often, that his very dead bones would terrify them. His son, +Edward the Second, did not choose to execute this strange injunction, +but caused his father to be buried in Westminster Abbey, where his tomb +is still to be seen, bearing for an inscription, _Here Lies the Hammer +of the Scottish Nation_. + +Edward the Second was neither so brave nor so wise as his father; on the +contrary, he was a weak prince, fond of idle amusements and worthless +favorites. It was lucky for Scotland that such was his disposition. He +marched a little way into Scotland with the large army which Edward the +First had collected, and went back again without fighting, which gave +great encouragement to Bruce's party. + +Several of the Scottish nobility now took arms in different parts of the +country, declared for King Robert, and fought against the English troops +and garrisons. The most distinguished of these was the good Lord James +of Douglas. Other great lords also were now exerting themselves to +destroy the English. Among them was Sir Thomas Randolph, whose mother +was a sister of King Robert. + +While Robert Bruce was gradually getting possession of the country, and +driving out the English, Edinburgh, the principal town of Scotland, +remained, with its strong castle, in possession of the invaders. Sir +Thomas Randolph was extremely desirous to gain this important place; but +the castle is situated on a very steep and lofty rock, so that it is +difficult or almost impossible even to get up to the foot of the walls, +much more to climb over them. + +So while Randolph was considering what was to be done, there came to him +a Scottish gentleman named Francis, who had joined Bruce's standard, and +asked to speak with him in private. He then told Randolph that in his +youth he had lived in the Castle of Edinburgh, and that his father had +then been keeper of the fortress. It happened at that time that Francis +was much in love with a lady who lived in a part of the town beneath the +castle, which is called the Grassmarket. Now, as he could not get out of +the castle by day to see his mistress, he had practiced a way of +clambering by night down the castle rock on the south side, and +returning at his pleasure; when he came to the foot of the wall, he made +use of a ladder to get over it, as it was not very high at that point, +those who built it having trusted to the steepness of the crag; and for +the same reason, no watch was placed there. Francis had gone and come so +frequently in this dangerous manner, that, though it was now long ago, +he told Randolph he knew the road so well that he would undertake to +guide a small party of men by night to the bottom of the wall; and as +they might bring ladders with them, there would be no difficulty in +scaling it. The great risk was, that of their being discovered by the +watchmen while in the act of ascending the cliff, in which case every +man of them must have perished. + +Nevertheless, Randolph did not hesitate to attempt the adventure. He +took with him only thirty men (you may be sure they were chosen for +activity and courage), and came one dark night to the foot of the rock, +which they began to ascend under the guidance of Francis, who went +before them, upon his hands and feet, up one cliff, down another, and +round another, where there was scarce room to support themselves. All +the while, these thirty men were obliged to follow in a line, one after +the other, by a path that was fitter for a cat than a man. The noise of +a stone falling, or a word spoken from one to another, would have +alarmed the watchmen. They were obliged, therefore, to move with the +greatest precaution. When they were far up the crag, and near the +foundation of the wall, they heard the guards going their rounds, to see +that all was safe in and about the castle. Randolph and his party had +nothing for it but to lie close and quiet, each man under the crag, as +he happened to be placed, and trust that the guards would pass by +without noticing them. And while they were waiting in breathless alarm +they got a new cause of fright. One of the soldiers of the castle, +willing to startle his comrades, suddenly threw a stone from the wall, +and cried out, "Aha, I see you well!" The stone came thundering down +over the heads of Randolph and his men, who naturally thought themselves +discovered. If they had stirred, or made the slightest noise, they would +have been entirely destroyed; for the soldiers above might have killed +every man of them, merely by rolling down stones. But being courageous +and chosen men, they remained quiet, and the English soldiers, who +thought their comrade was merely playing them a trick (as, indeed, he +had no other meaning in what he said) passed on without further +examination. + +Then Randolph and his men got up and came in haste to the foot of the +wall, which was not above twice a man's height in that place. They +planted the ladders they had brought, and Francis mounted first to show +them the way; Sir Andrew Grey, a brave knight, followed him, and +Randolph himself was the third man who got over. Then the rest followed. +When once they were within the walls, there was not so much to do, for +the garrison were asleep and unarmed, excepting the watch, who were +speedily destroyed. Thus was Edinburgh Castle taken in March, 1312. + +It was not, however, only by the exertions of great and powerful barons, +like Randolph and Douglas, that the freedom of Scotland was to be +accomplished. The stout yeomanry and the bold peasantry of the land, who +were as desirous to enjoy their cottages in honorable independence as +the nobles were to reclaim their castles and estates from the English, +contributed their full share in the efforts which were made to deliver +the country from the invaders. + +While Douglas, Randolph, and other true-hearted patriots, were taking +castles and strongholds from the English, King Robert, who now had a +considerable army under his command, marched through the country, +dispersing such bodies of English as he met on the way. + +Now when Sir Philip Mowbray, the governor of Stirling, came to London to +tell the king that Stirling, the last Scottish town of importance which +remained in possession of the English, was to be surrendered if it were +not relieved by force of arms before midsummer, then all the English +nobles called out it would be a sin and shame to permit the fair +conquest which Edward the First had made to be forfeited to the Scots +for want of fighting. It was, therefore, resolved, that the king should +go himself to Scotland, with as great forces as he could possibly +muster. + +[ILLUSTRATION: THE ASCENT TO THE CASTLE OF EDINBURGH] + +King Edward the Second, therefore, assembled one of the greatest armies +which a King of England ever commanded. There were troops brought from +all his dominions. Many brave soldiers from the French provinces which +the King of England possessed in France--many Irish, many Welsh--and all +the great English nobles and barons, with their followers, were +assembled in one great army. The number was not less than one hundred +thousand men. + +King Robert the Bruce summoned all his nobles and barons to join him, +when he heard of the great preparations which the King of England was +making. They were not so numerous as the English by many thousand men. +In fact, his whole army did not very much exceed thirty thousand, and +they were much worse armed than the wealthy Englishmen; but then, +Robert, who was at their head, was one of the most expert generals of +the time; and the officers he had under him were his brother Edward, his +nephew Randolph, his faithful follower the Douglas, and other brave and +experienced leaders, who commanded the same men that had been accustomed +to fight and gain victories under every disadvantage of situation and +numbers. + +The king, on his part, studied how he might supply, by address and +stratagem, what he wanted in numbers and strength. He knew the +superiority of the English, both in their heavy-armed cavalry, which +were much better mounted and armed than that of the Scots, and in their +archers, who were better trained than any others in the world. Both +these advantages he resolved to provide against. With this purpose, he +led his army down into a plain near Stirling, called the Park, near +which, and beneath it, the English army must needs pass through a boggy +country, broken with water courses, while the Scots occupied hard, dry +ground. He then caused all the ground upon the front of his line of +battle, where cavalry were likely to act, to be dug full of holes, about +as deep as a man's knee. They were filled with light brushwood, and the +turf was laid on the top, so that it appeared a plain field, while in +reality it was all full of these pits as a honeycomb is of holes. He +also, it is said, caused steel spikes, called caltrops, to be scattered +up and down in the plain, where the English cavalry were most likely to +advance, trusting in that manner to lame and destroy their horses. + +When the Scottish army was drawn up, the line stretched north and south. +On the south, it was terminated by the banks of the brook called +Bannockburn, which are so rocky, that no troops could attack them there. +On the left, the Scottish line extended near to the town of Stirling. +Bruce reviewed his troops very carefully; all the useless servants, +drivers of carts, and such like, of whom there were very many, he +ordered to go behind a great height, afterward, in memory of the event, +called the Gillies' hill, that is, the Servants' hill. He then spoke to +the soldiers, and expressed his determination to gain the victory, or to +lose his life on the field of battle. He desired that all those who did +not propose to fight to the last, should leave the field before the +battle began, and that none should remain except those who were +determined to take the issue of victory or death, as God should send it. + +When the main body of his army was thus placed in order, the king posted +Randolph, with a body of horse, near to the Church of Saint Ninian's, +commanding him to use the utmost diligence to prevent any succors from +being thrown into Stirling Castle. He then despatched James of Douglas, +and Sir Robert Keith, the Mareschal of the Scottish army, in order that +they might survey, as nearly as they could, the English force, which was +now approaching from Falkirk. They returned with information, that the +approach of that vast host was one of the most beautiful and terrible +sights which could be seen--that the whole country seemed covered with +men-at-arms on horse and foot, that the number of standards, banners, +and pennons (all flags of different kinds) made so gallant a show, that +the bravest and most numerous host in Christendom might be alarmed to +see King Edward moving against them. + +It was upon the twenty-third of June (1314) the King of Scotland heard +the news, that the English army were approaching Stirling. He drew out +his army, therefore, in the order which he had before resolved on. After +a short time, Bruce, who was looking out anxiously for the enemy, saw a +body of English cavalry trying to get into Stirling from the eastward. +This was the Lord Clifford, who, with a chosen body of eight hundred +horse, had been detached to relieve the castle. + +"See, Randolph," said the king to his nephew, "there is a rose fallen +from your chaplet." By this he meant, that Randolph had lost some honor, +by suffering the enemy to pass where he had been stationed to hinder +them. Randolph made no reply, but rushed against Clifford with little +more than half his number. The Scots were on foot. The English turned to +charge them with their lances, and Randolph drew up his men in close +order to receive the onset. He seemed to be in so much danger, that +Douglas asked leave of the king to go and assist him. The king refused +him permission. + +"Let Randolph," he said, "redeem his own fault; I cannot break the order +of battle for his sake." Still the danger appeared greater, and the +English horse seemed entirely to encompass the small handful of Scottish +infantry. "So please you," said Douglas to the king, "my heart will not +suffer me to stand idle and see Randolph perish--I must go to his +assistance." He rode off accordingly; but long before they had reached +the place of combat, they saw the English horses galloping off, many +with empty saddles. + +"Halt!" said Douglas to his men, "Randolph has gained the day; since we +were not soon enough to help him in the battle, do not let us lessen his +glory by approaching the field." Now, that was nobly done; especially as +Douglas and Randolph were always contending which should rise highest in +the good opinion of the king and the nation. + +The van of the English army now came in sight, and a number of their +bravest knights drew near to see what the Scots were doing. They saw +King Robert dressed in his armor, and distinguished by a gold crown, +which he wore over his helmet. He was not mounted on his great +war-horse, because he did not expect to fight that evening. But he rode +on a little pony up and down the ranks of his army, putting his men in +order, and carried in his hand a sort of battle-axe made of steel. When +the king saw the English horsemen draw near, he advanced a little before +his own men, that he might look at them more nearly. + +There was a knight among the English, called Sir Henry de Bohun, who +thought this would be a good opportunity to gain great fame to himself, +and put an end to the war, by killing King Robert. The king being poorly +mounted, and having no lance, Bohun galloped on him suddenly and +furiously, thinking, with his long spear, and his tall powerful horse, +easily to bear him down to the ground. King Robert saw him, and +permitted him to come very near, then suddenly turned his pony a little +to one side, so that Sir Henry missed him with the lance-point, and was +in the act of being carried past him by the career of his horse. But as +he passed, King Robert rose up in his stirrups, and struck Sir Henry on +the head with his battle-axe so terrible a blow, that it broke to pieces +his iron helmet as if it had been a nutshell, and hurled him from his +saddle. He was dead before he reached the ground. This gallant action +was blamed by the Scottish leaders, who thought Bruce ought not to have +exposed himself to so much danger, when the safety of the whole army +depended on him. The king only kept looking at his weapon, which was +injured by the force of the blow, and said, "I have broken my good +battle-axe." + +The next morning, being the twenty-fourth of June, at break of day, the +battle began in terrible earnest. The English as they advanced saw the +Scots getting into line. The Abbot of Inchaffray walked through their +ranks bare-footed, and exhorted them to fight for their freedom. They +kneeled down as he passed, and prayed to Heaven for victory. King +Edward, who saw this, called out, "They kneel down--they are asking +forgiveness." + +[Illustration: BRUCE SLAYS SIR HENRY DE BOHUN] + +"Yes," said a celebrated English baron, called Ingelram de Umphraville, +"but they ask it from God, not from us--these men will conquer, or die +upon the field." + +The English king ordered his men to begin the battle. The archers then +bent their bows, and began to shoot so closely together, that the arrows +fell like flakes of snow on a Christmas day. They killed many of the +Scots, and might, as at Falkirk, and other places, have decided the +victory; but Bruce was prepared for them. He had in readiness a body of +men-at-arms, well mounted, who rode at full gallop among the archers, +and as they had no weapons save their bows and arrows, which they could +not use when they were attacked hand to hand, they were cut down in +great numbers by the Scottish horsemen and thrown into total confusion. + +The fine English cavalry then advanced to support their archers, and to +attack the Scottish line. But coming over the ground which was dug full +of pits, the horses fell into these holes, and the riders lay tumbling +about, without any means of defence, and unable to rise, from the weight +of their armor. The Englishmen began to fall into general disorder; and +the Scottish king, bringing up more of his forces, attacked and pressed +them still more closely. + +On a sudden, while the battle was obstinately maintained on both sides, +an event happened which decided the victory. The servants and attendants +on the Scottish camp had, as I told you, been sent behind the army to a +place afterward called the Gillies' hill. But when they saw that their +masters were likely to gain the day, they rushed from their place of +concealment with such weapons as they could get, that they might have +their share in the victory and in the spoil. The English, seeing them +come suddenly over the hill, mistook this disorderly rabble for a new +army coming up to sustain the Scots, and, losing all heart, began to +shift every man for himself. Edward himself left the field as fast as he +could ride. A valiant knight, Sir Giles de Argentine, much renowned in +the wars of Palestine, attended the king till he got him out of the +press of the combat. But he would retreat no further. "It is not my +custom," he said, "to fly." With that he took leave of the king, set +spurs to his horse, and calling out his war-cry of Argentine! Argentine! +he rushed into the thickest of the Scottish ranks, and was killed. + +Edward first fled to Stirling Castle, and entreated admittance; but Sir +Philip Mowbray, the governor, reminded the fugitive sovereign that he +was obliged to surrender the castle next day, so Edward was fain to fly +through the Torwood, closely pursued by Douglas with a body of cavalry. +An odd circumstance happened during the chase, which showed how loosely +some of the Scottish barons of that day held their political opinions: +As Douglas was riding furiously after Edward, he met a Scottish knight, +Sir Laurence Abernethy, with twenty horse. Sir Laurence had hitherto +owned the English interest, and was bringing this band of followers to +serve King Edward's army. But learning from Douglas that the English +king was entirely defeated, he changed sides on the spot, and was easily +prevailed upon to join Douglas in pursuing the unfortunate Edward, with +the very followers whom he had been leading to join his standard. + +Douglas and Abernethy continued the chase, not giving King Edward time +to alight from horseback even for an instant, and followed him as far as +Dunbar, where the English had still a friend in the governor, Patrick, +Earl of March. The earl received Edward in his forlorn condition, and +furnished him with a fishing skiff, or small ship, in which he escaped +to England, having entirely lost his fine army, and a great number of +his bravest nobles. + +The English never before or afterward, whether in France or Scotland, +lost so dreadful a battle as that of Bannockburn, nor did the Scots ever +gain one of the same importance. Many of the best and bravest of the +English nobility and gentry lay dead on the field; a great many more +were made prisoners; and the whole of King Edward's immense army was +dispersed or destroyed. + +The English, after this great defeat, were no longer in a condition to +support their pretensions to be masters of Scotland, or to continue, as +they had done for nearly twenty years, to send armies into that country +to overcome it. On the contrary, they became for a time scarce able to +defend their own frontiers against King Robert and his soldiers. + +Thus did Robert Bruce arise from the condition of an exile, hunted with +bloodhounds like a stag or beast of prey, to the rank of an independent +sovereign, universally acknowledged to be one of the wisest and bravest +kings who then lived. The nation of Scotland was also raised once more +from the situation of a distressed and conquered province to that of a +free and independent state, governed by its own laws, and subject to its +own princes; and although the country was after the Bruce's death often +subjected to great loss and distress, both by the hostility of the +English, and by the unhappy civil wars among the Scots themselves, yet +they never afterward lost the freedom for which Wallace had laid down +his life, and which King Robert had recovered, not less by his wisdom +than by his weapons. And therefore most just it is, that while the +country of Scotland retains any recollection of its history, the memory +of those brave warriors and faithful patriots should be remembered with +honor and gratitude.[3] + +[Footnote 3: Three years after the Battle of Bannockburn, Bruce went +over into Ireland to assist in establishing his brother Edward as king +of the island. The Irish defended themselves so vigorously that the +Scotch were compelled to retire, leaving Edward dead upon the field. For +a number of years, Robert the Bruce reigned gloriously over Scotland, +but toward the end of his life he fell a victim to leprosy and was +compelled to live for two years in his castle at Cardross on the +beautiful banks of the River Clyde. During this illness, Edward the +Second of England died, and his son Edward the Third, a mere youth, came +to the throne. The boy king determined to retrieve the losses that his +father had sustained, but was prevented by Douglas, Randolph, and other +loyal Scotch leaders, who distinguished themselves by almost incredible +deeds of valor. When the king was dying, he ordered that his heart +should be taken from his body, embalmed and given to Douglas to be by +him carried to Palestine and buried in Jerusalem. Douglas caused the +heart to be enclosed in a silver case, and proud of the distinction the +king had shown him, started with a number of followers for Palestine. +When he arrived in Spain, however, he was diverted from his original +purpose and led to join with King Alphonso in an attempt to drive the +Saracens from Granada. In a bitter fight with the Moors, Douglas was +killed, and after the battle, his body was found lying across the silver +case, as if his last object had been to defend the heart of Bruce. No +further attempt was made to carry Robert's heart to Jerusalem, but it +was returned to Scotland and buried in the monastery of Melrose.] + + +BRUCE AND THE SPIDER + + +_By_ BERNARD ARTON + + For Scotland's and for freedom's right + The Bruce his part had played, + In five successive fields of fight + Been conquered and dismayed; + Once more against the English host + His band he led, and once more lost + The meed for which he fought; + And now from battle, faint and worn, + The homeless fugitive forlorn + A hut's lone shelter sought. + + And cheerless was that resting place + For him who claimed a throne: + His canopy, devoid of grace, + The rude, rough beams alone; + The heather couch his only bed,-- + Yet well I ween had slumber fled + From couch of eider down! + Through darksome night till dawn of day, + Absorbed in wakeful thought he lay + Of Scotland and her crown. + + The sun rose brightly, and its gleam + Fell on that hapless bed, + And tinged with light each shapeless beam + Which roofed the lowly shed; + When, looking up with wistful eye, + The Bruce beheld a spider try + His filmy thread to fling + From beam to beam of that rude cot: + And well the insect's toilsome lot + Taught Scotland's future king. + + Six times his gossamery thread + The wary spider threw; + +[Illustration: BRUCE BEHELD A SPIDER] + + In vain that filmy line was sped, + For powerless or untrue + Each aim appeared, and back recoiled + The patient insect, six times foiled, + And yet unconquered still; + And soon the Bruce, with eager eye, + Saw him prepare once more to try + His courage, strength, and skill. + + One effort more, his seventh and last! + The hero hailed the sign! + And on the wished-for beam hung fast + That slender, silken line; + Slight as it was, his spirit caught + The more than omen, for his thought + The lesson well could trace, + Which even "he who runs may read," + That Perseverance gains its meed, + And Patience wins the race. + + + * * * * * + + +THE HEART OF BRUCE + +_By_ WILLIAM L. AYTOUN + + It was upon an April morn, + While yet the frost lay hoar, + We heard Lord James's bugle horn + Sound by the rocky shore. + + Then down we went, a hundred + knights, + All in our dark array, + And flung our armor in the ships + That rode within the bay. + + We spoke not as the shore grew less, + But gazed in silence back, + Where the long billows swept away + The foam behind our track. + + And aye the purple hues decayed + Upon the fading hill, + And but one heart in all that ship + Was tranquil, cold, and still. + + The good Lord Douglas paced the deck, + And O, his face was wan! + Unlike the flush it used to wear + When in the battle-van. + + "Come hither, come hither, my trusty knight, + Sir Simon of the Lee; + There is a freit lies near my soul + I fain would tell to thee. + + "Thou know'st the words King Robert spoke + Upon his dying day: + How he bade take his noble heart + And carry it far away; + + "And lay it in the holy soil + Where once the Saviour trod, + Since he might not bear the blessed Cross, + Nor strike one blow for God. + + "Last night as in my bed I lay, + I dreamed a dreary dream:-- + Methought I saw a Pilgrim stand + In the moonlight's quivering beam. + + "His robe was of the azure dye, + Snow-white his scattered hairs, + And even such a cross he bore + As good Saint Andrew bears. + + "'Why go ye forth, Lord James,' he said, + 'With spear and belted brand? + Why do you take its dearest pledge + From this our Scottish land? + + "'The sultry breeze of Galilee + Creeps through its groves of palm, + The olives on the Holy Mount + Stand glittering in the calm. + + "'But 'tis not there that Scotland's heart + Shall rest by God's decree, + Till the great angel calls the dead + To rise from earth and sea! + + "'Lord James of Douglas, mark my rede! + That heart shall pass once more + In fiery fight against the foe, + As it was wont of yore. + + "'And it shall pass beneath the Cross, + And save King Robert's vow; + But other hands shall bear it back, + Not, James of Douglas, thou!' + + "Now, by thy knightly faith, I pray, + Sir Simon of the Lee,-- + For truer friend had never man + Than thou hast been to me,-- + + "If ne'er upon the Holy Land + 'Tis mine in life to tread, + Bear thou to Scotland's kindly earth + The relics of her dead." + + The tear was in Sir Simon's eye + As he wrung the warrior's hand,-- + "Betide me weal, betide me woe, + I'll hold by thy command. + + "But if in battle-front, Lord James, + 'Tis ours once more to ride, + Nor force of man, nor craft of fiend, + Shall cleave me from thy side!" + +[Illustration: I SAW A PILGRIM STAND] + + And aye we sailed and aye we sailed + Across the weary sea, + Until one morn the coast of Spain + Rose grimly on our lee. + + And as we rounded to the port, + Beneath the watchtower's wall, + We heard the clash of the atabals, + And the trumpet's wavering call. + + "Why sounds yon Eastern music here + So wantonly and long, + And whose the crowd of armed men + That round yon standard throng?" + + "The Moors have come from Africa + To spoil and waste and slay, + And King Alonzo of Castile + Must fight with them to-day." + + "Now shame it were," cried good Lord James, + "Shall never be said of me + That I and mine have turned aside + From the Cross in jeopardie! + + "Have down, have down, my merry men all,-- + Have down unto the plain; + We'll let the Scottish lion loose + Within the fields of Spain!" + + "Now welcome to me, noble lord, + Thou and thy stalwart power; + Dear is the sight of a Christian knight, + Who comes in such an hour! + + "Is it for bond or faith you come, + Or yet for golden fee? + Or bring ye France's lilies here, + Or the flower of Burgundie?" + + "God greet thee well, thou valiant king, + Thee and thy belted peers,-- + Sir James of Douglas am I called, + And these are Scottish spears. + + "We do not fight for bond or plight, + Nor yet for golden fee; + But for the sake of our blessed Lord, + Who died upon the tree. + + "We bring our great King Robert's heart + Across the weltering wave. + To lay it in the holy soil + Hard by the Saviour's grave. + + "True pilgrims we, by land and sea, + Where danger bars the way; + And therefore are we here, Lord King, + To ride with thee this day!" + + The king has bent his stately head, + And the tears were in his eyne,-- + "God's blessing on thee, noble knight, + For this brave thought of thine!" + + "I know thy name full well, Lord James; + And honored may I be, + That those who fought beside the Bruce + Should fight this day for me! + + "Take thou the leading of the van, + And charge the Moors amain; + There is not such a lance as thine + In all the host of Spain!" + + The Douglas turned towards us then, + O, but his glance was high!-- + "There is not one of all my men + But is as bold as I. + + "There is not one of my knights + But bears as true a spear,-- + Then onward, Scottish gentlemen, + And think King Robert's here!" + + The trumpets blew, the cross-bolts flew, + The arrows flashed like flame, + As spur in side, and spear in rest, + Against the foe we came. + + And many a bearded Saracen + Went down, both horse and man; + For through their ranks we rode like corn, + So furiously we ran! + + But in behind our path they closed, + Though fain to let us through, + For they were forty thousand men, + And we were wondrous few. + + We might not see a lance's length, + So dense was their array, + But the long fell sweep of the Scottish blade + Still held them hard at bay. + + "Make in! make in!" Lord Douglas cried,-- + "Make in, my brethren dear! + Sir William of Saint Clair is down; + We may not leave him here!" + + But thicker, thicker grew the swarm, + And sharper shot the rain, + And the horses reared amid the press, + But they would not charge again. + + "Now Jesu help thee," said Lord James, + "Thou kind and true Saint Clair! + An' if I may not bring thee off, + I'll die beside thee there!" + + Then in his stirrups up he stood, + So lionlike and bold, + And held the precious heart aloft + All in its case of gold. + + He flung it from him, far ahead, + And never spake he more, + But--"Pass thou first, thou dauntless heart, + As thou wert wont of yore!" + + The roar of fight rose fiercer yet, + And heavier still the stour, + Till the spears of Spain came shivering in, + And swept away the Moor. + + "Now praised be God, the day is won! + They fly o'er flood and fell,-- + Why dost thou draw the rein so hard, + Good knight, that fought so well?" + + "O, ride ye on, Lord King!" he said, + "And leave the dead to me, + For I must keep the dreariest watch + That ever I shall dree! + + "There lies, above his master's heart, + The Douglas, stark and grim; + And woe is me I should be here, + Not side by side with him! + + "The world grows cold, my arm is old, + And thin my lyart hair, + And all that I loved best on earth + Is stretched before me there. + + "O Bothwell banks! that bloom so bright + Beneath the sun of May, + The heaviest cloud that ever blew + Is bound for you this day. + + "And Scotland! thou mayst veil thy head + In sorrow and in pain: + The sorest stroke upon thy brow + Hath fallen this day in Spain! + + "We'll bear them back unto our ship, + We'll bear them o'er the sea, + And lay them in the hallowed earth + Within our own countrie. + +[Illustration: HELD THE HEART ALOFT] + + "And be thou strong of heart, Lord King, + For this I tell thee sure, + The sod that drank the Douglas' blood + Shall never bear the Moor!" + + The King he lighted from his horse, + He flung his brand away, + And took the Douglas by the hand, + So stately as he lay. + + "God give thee rest, thou valiant soul! + That fought so well for Spain; + I'd rather half my land were gone, + So that thou wert here again!" + + We bore the good Lord James away, + And the priceless heart we bore, + And heavily we steered our ship + Towards the Scottish shore. + + No welcome greeted our return, + Nor clang of martial tread, + But all were dumb and hushed as death + Before the mighty dead. + + We laid our chief in Douglas Kirk, + The heart in fair Melrose; + And woful men were we that day,-- + God grant their souls repose! + + +THE SKELETON IN ARMOR + +_By_ HENRY W. LONGFELLOW + + "Speak! speak! thou fearful guest! + Who with thy hollow breast + Still in rude armor drest, + Comest to daunt me! + Wrapt not in Eastern balms, + But with thy fleshless palms + Stretched, as if asking alms, + Why dost thou haunt me?" + + Then, from those cavernous eyes + Pale flashes seemed to rise, + As when the northern skies + Gleam in December; + And, like the water's flow + Under December's snow, + Came a dull voice of woe + From the heart's chamber. + + "I was a Viking[1] old! + My deeds, though manifold, + No Skald[2] in song has told, + No Saga[3] taught thee! + +[Footnote 1: _Vikings_ was the name given to the bold Norse seamen who +in the eighth, ninth, and tenth centuries infested the northern seas. +Tradition maintains that a band of these rovers discovered America +centuries before Columbus.] + +[Footnote 2: A skald was a Norse poet who celebrated in song the deeds +of warriors.] + +[Footnote 3: A saga is an ancient Scandinavian legend or tradition, +relating mythical or historical events.] + + "Take heed, that in thy verse + Thou dost the tale rehearse, + Else dread a dead man's curse; + For this I sought thee. + + "Far in the Northern Land, + By the wild Baltic's strand, + I, with my childish hand, + Tamed the gerfalcon;[4] + And, with my skates fast-bound, + Skimmed the half-frozen Sound, + That the poor whimpering hound + Trembled to walk on. + +[Footnote 4: A gerfalcon is a large falcon of Northern Europe.] + + "Oft to his frozen lair + Tracked I the grisly bear, + While from my path the hare + Fled like a shadow; + Oft through the forest dark + Followed the werewolf's[5] bark, + Until the soaring lark + Sang from the meadow. + +[Footnote 5: According to a popular superstition, a werewolf is a man, +who, at times, is transformed into a wolf. Such a wolf is much more +savage than a real wolf, and is especially fond of human flesh. This +superstition has at some time existed among almost all peoples.] + + "But when I older grew, + Joining a corsair's[6] crew, + O'er the dark sea I flew + With the marauders. + Wild was the life we led; + Many the souls that sped, + +[Footnote 6: _Corsair_ is but another name for a pirate.] + +[Illustration: I WAS A VIKING OLD] + + Many the hearts that bled, + By our stern orders. + + "Many a wassail-bout[7] + Wore the long Winter out; + Often our midnight shout + Set the cocks crowing, + As we the Berserk's[8] tale + Measured in cups of ale, + Draining the oaken pail, + Filled to o'erflowing. + + +[Footnote 7: A wassail-bout is a drinking bout, or carouse.] + +[Footnote 8: _Berserk_, or _Berserker_, was the name given in heathen +times in Scandinavia to a wild warrior or champion. The Berserkers, it +is said, had fits of madness, when they foamed at the mouth and howled +like beasts, rushing into battle naked and defenseless. It was believed +that at such times they were proof against wounds either from fire or +from steel.] + + "Once as I told in glee + Tales of the stormy sea, + Soft eyes did gaze on me, + Burning yet tender; + And as the white stars shine + On the dark Norway pine, + On that dark heart of mine + Fell their soft splendor. + + "I wooed the blue-eyed maid, + Yielding, yet half afraid, + And in the forest's shade + Our vows were plighted. + Under its loosened vest + Fluttered her little breast, + Like birds within their nest + By the hawk frighted. + + "Bright in her father's hall + Shields gleamed upon the wall, + Loud sang the minstrels all, + Chaunting his glory; + When of old Hildebrand + I asked his daughter's hand, + Mute did the minstrels stand + To hear my story. + + "While the brown ale he quaffed, + Loud then the champion laughed. + And as the wind-gusts waft + The sea-foam brightly, + So the loud laugh of scorn, + Out of those lips unshorn, + From the deep drinking-horn + Blew the foam lightly. + + "She was a Prince's child, + I but a Viking wild, + And though she blushed and smiled, + I was discarded! + Should not the dove so white + Follow the sea-mew's flight, + Why did they leave that night + Her nest unguarded? + + "Scarce had I put to sea, + Bearing the maid with me,-- + Fairest of all was she + Among the Norsemen!-- + When on the white sea-strand, + Waving his armed hand, + Saw we old Hildebrand, + With twenty horsemen. + + "Then launched they to the blast, + Bent like a reed each mast, + Yet we were gaining fast, + When the wind failed us; + And with a sudden flaw + Came round the gusty Skaw,[9] + So that our foe we saw + Laugh as he hailed us. + +[Footnote 9: The Skaw is the most northerly point of Denmark.] + + "And as to catch the gale + Round veered the flapping sail, + Death! was the helmsman's hail, + Death without quarter! + Mid-ships with iron keel + Struck we her ribs of steel; + Down her black hulk did reel + Through the black water! + + "As with his wings aslant, + Sails the fierce cormorant, + Seeking some rocky haunt, + With his prey laden, + So toward the open main, + Beating to sea again, + Through the wild hurricane + Bore I the maiden. + + "Three weeks we westward bore, + And when the storm was o'er, + Cloud-like we saw the shore + Stretching to lee-ward; + There for my lady's bower + Built I the lofty tower,[10] + Which, to this very hour, + Stands looking seaward. + +[Footnote: 10. At Newport in Rhode Island is an old stone tower, which +tradition says was built by the Norsemen when they visited this country. +That is the tower to which Longfellow refers here.] + +[Illustration: THREE WEEKS WE WESTWARD BORE] + + "There lived we many years; + Time dried the maiden's tears; + She had forgot her fears, + She was a mother; + Death closed her mild blue eyes, + Under that tower she lies; + Ne'er shall the sun arise + On such another! + + "Still grew my bosom then, + Still as a stagnant fen! + Hateful to me were men, + The sunlight hateful! + In the vast forest here, + Clad in my warlike gear, + Fell I upon my spear, + O, death was grateful! + + "Thus, seamed with many scars + Bursting these prison bars, + Up to its native stars + My soul ascended! + There from the flowing bowl + Deep drinks the warrior's soul, + _Skoal_![11] the Northland! _skoal_!" + --Thus the tale ended. + +[Footnote 11: _Skoal_ is the customary salutation in Scandinavia when a +health is drunk.] + +[Illustration: Round Tower at Newport] + + + + +HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX + +_By_ ROBERT BROWNING + + I sprang to the stirrup, and Joris and he; + I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three; + "Good speed!" cried the watch as the gate-bolts undrew, + "Speed!" echoed the wall to us galloping through. + Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest, + And into the midnight we galloped abreast. + + Not a word to each other; we kept the great pace,-- + Neck by neck, stride by stride, never changing our place; + I turned in my saddle and made its girths tight, + Then shortened each stirrup and set the pique right, + Rebuckled the check-strap, chained slacker the bit, + Nor galloped less steadily Roland a whit. + + 'T was a moonset at starting; but while we drew near + Lokerem, the cocks crew and twilight dawned clear; + At Boom a great yellow star came out to see; + At Duffeld 't was morning as plain as could be; + And from Mecheln church-steeple we heard the half-chime,-- + So Joris broke silence with "Yet there is time!" + At Aerschot up leaped of a sudden the sun, + And against him the cattle stood black every one. + To stare through the midst at us galloping past; + And I saw my stout galloper Roland at last, + With resolute shoulders, each butting away + The haze, as some blind river headland its spray; + And his low head and crest, just one sharp ear bent back + For my voice, and the other pricked out on his track; + And one eye's black intelligence,--ever that glance + O'er its white edge at me, his own master, askance; + And the thick heavy spume-flakes, which aye and anon + His fierce lips shook upward in galloping on. + + By Hasselt Dirck groaned; and cried Joris, "Stay spur! + Your Roos galloped bravely, the fault's not in her; + We'll remember at Aix,"--for one heard the quick wheeze + Of her chest, saw the stretched neck, and staggering knees, + And sunk tail, and horrible heave of the flank, + As down on her haunches she shuddered and sank. + + So we were left galloping, Joris and I, + Past Looz and past Tongres, no cloud in the sky; + The broad sun above laughed a pitiless laugh; + 'Neath our feet broke the brittle, bright stubble like chaff; + Till over by Dalhem a dome-spire sprang white, + And "Gallop," gasped Joris, "for Aix is in sight!" + + "How they'll greet us!"--and all in a moment his roan + Rolled neck and croup over, lay dead as a stone; + And there was my Roland to bear the whole weight + Of the news which alone could save Aix from her fate, + With his nostrils like pits full of blood to the brim, + And with circles of red for his eye-sockets' rim. + +[Illustration: I CAST LOOSE MY BUFF-COAT] + + Then I cast loose my buff-coat, each holster let fall, + Shook off both my jack-boots, let go belt and all, + Stood up in the stirrup, leaned, patted his ear, + Called my Roland his pet name, my horse without peer,-- + Clapped my hands, laughed and sang, an noise, bad or good, + Till at length into Aix Roland galloped and stood. + + And all I remember is friends flocking round. + As I sate with his head 'twixt my knees on the ground; + And no voice but was praising this Roland of mine, + As I poured down his throat our last measure of wine, + Which (the burgesses voted by common consent) + Was no more than his due who brought good news from Ghent. + +When we read this poem, the first question that comes to us is "What +_was_ the 'good news from Ghent?'" But we find on looking up the matter +that the whole incident is a fanciful one; Browning simply imagined a +very dramatic situation, and then wrote this stirring poem about it. And +surely he has made it all seem very real to us. We feel the intense +anxiety of the riders to reach Aix on time--for we are given to +understand in the last line of the third stanza that Aix must learn the +news by a certain hour; we feel the despair of the two who are forced to +give up the attempt, and the increased sense of responsibility of the +only remaining rider; and we fairly hold our breath in our fear that the +gallant Roland will not stand the strain. + +The towns mentioned are real places, all of them in Belgium. + +Does the poem seem to you somewhat rough and jerky? It is a ballad, and +that fact accounts in part for its style, for ballads are not usually +smooth and perfect in structure. + +But there is another reason for the jerkiness, if we may call it by so +strong a name. Read the first two lines aloud, giving them plenty of +swing. Do they not remind you of the galloping of a horse, with their +regular rise and fall? A little poet might have attempted to write about +this wild midnight ride in the same smooth, flowing style in which he +would describe a lazy river slipping over the stones; but Browning was a +great poet, and knew how to fit sound to sense. Other poets may excel +him in writing of quiet, peaceful scenes, but no one who has ever +written could put more dash and vigor into a poem than could Browning. + +[Illustration: GHENT] + + + +REMINISCENCES OF A PIONEER[1] + +_By_ EDWIN D. COE + +My father left his old home in Oneida County, New York, in June, 1839, a +young man in his twenty-fourth year. The beauty and fertility of the +Rock River valley, in Wisconsin, had been widely proclaimed by +participants in the Black Hawk War and in the glowing reports of +Government engineers. In fact, the latter declared it to be a very +Canaan of promise. As a consequence, hundreds of young people, restless +and ambitious, and very many older ones whom the panic of the late 30's +had separated from their business moorings, turned their thoughts and +then their steps toward the new promised land. + +When my father was rowed ashore from the steamer at Milwaukee, he could +have taken up "government land" within the present limits of that city, +but the bluffs and swamps of the future metropolis had no charms for him +compared with the vision he had in mind of the Rock River country. So he +crossed Milwaukee River on a ferry at the foot of Wisconsin Street, +walked out on a sidewalk quavering on stilts until solid ground was +reached at Third Street, and then struck the trail for the west. + +[Footnote 1: From the Proceedings of the State Historical Society of +Wisconsin, 1907.] + +Along the shore of Pewaukee Lake, the traveler met a wolf which bristled +and snarled but at last surrendered the right of way before the superior +bluff, which was put up against him, backed by a "big stick." That night +he stayed with a friend named Terry, who had come West the year before, +and preempted a piece of land on the east shore rock, about seven miles +above Watertown. The next morning he saw on the opposite bank a gently +rising slope covered with stately maples and oaks; beneath were the +grass and flowers of mid June, and the swift flowing river, clear as a +spring brook, was in front, making the scene one of entrancing beauty. +It was fully equal to his highest expectations, and he never rested +until he had secured title to that particular block of land. + +He at once prepared to build a log house, and, after a few days, the +neighborhood was invited to the raising. Some men came eight and ten +miles, and a big laugh went around when it was found that logs a foot +and a half and two feet in diameter had been cut for the house. Four +large ones were rolled together for a foundation, and then the +inexperienced young man was told that for a house he needed to cut logs +half as large, and they would return in a week and raise them. This they +did, showing the kindly, helpful spirit of the early settlers. + +In August my mother came and brought the household furniture from their +Oneida County home, together with a year's provisions. The trip from +Milwaukee to their log house, nearly forty miles, took nearly three days +by ox team. She was delighted and happy with the building and its +surroundings, and never faltered in her love for that first home in the +West. A barrel of pork was among the supplies she had brought, and +people came as far as twenty miles to beg a little of it, so tired were +they of fresh meat from the woods, and fish from the river; and they +never went away empty-handed, as long as it lasted. + +They came, as I have said, in 1839, and I the year following. There is a +vague, misty period at the beginning of every life, as memory rises from +mere nothingness to full strength, when it is not easy to say whether +the things remembered may not have been heard from the lips of others. +But I distinctly recall some very early events, and particularly the +disturbance created by my year-old brother, two years younger than +myself, when he screamed with pain one evening and held his bare foot +up, twisted to one side. + +My mother was ill in bed, and the terrified maid summoned my father from +outside, with the story that the baby's ankle was out of joint. He +hurried in, gave it one look, and, being a hasty, impetuous man, he +declared, "Yes, the child's ankle is out of joint; I must go for a +doctor;" and in another moment he would have been off on a seven-mile +tramp through the dark to Watertown. But the mother, a level-headed +woman, experienced in emergencies, called out from her bed, "Wait a +minute; bring me the child and a candle;" and a minute later she had +discovered a little sliver which pricked him when he set his foot down, +and extricated it between thumb and finger. "There," said she; "I don't +think you need walk to Water-town to-night." + +Indians were so numerous that I don't remember when they first came out +of the haze into my consciousness, but probably in my third year. They +were Winnebago and Pottawatomi, the river being a common inheritance of +both tribes. In the winter of 1839-40, about thirty families of the +former tribe camped for several weeks opposite our home and were very +sociable and friendly. Diligent hunters and trappers, they accumulated +fully a hundred dollars worth of otter, beaver, bear, deer, and other +skins. But a trader came up from Watertown in the spring and got the +whole lot in exchange for a four-gallon keg of whisky. That was a wild +night that followed. Some of the noisiest came over to our house, and +when denied admittance threatened to knock the door down, but my father +told them he had two guns ready for them, and they finally left. He +afterwards said that he depended more on a heavy hickory club which he +had on hand than on the guns--it could be fired faster. + +An ugly squaw whose nose had been bitten off years before in a fight, +stabbed her brother that night, because he refused her more whisky. He +had, according to custom, been left on guard, and was entirely sober. +The next day the Indians horrified my mother by declaring that they +should cut the squaw into inch pieces if her brother died. They went +down to Lake Koshkonong two days later, but he died the first day out. +The squaw escaped and lived a lonely life for years after, being known +up and down the river as "Old Mag." + +At any time of the year we were liable to receive visits from Indians +passing to and fro between Lakes Horicon and Koshkonong. They would come +into the house without ceremony further than staring into the windows +before entering. Being used only to town life in the East, my mother was +afraid of them, but she always carried a bold face and would never give +them bread, which they always demanded, unless she could readily spare +it. + +One summer afternoon, when she had finished her housework and had sat +down to sew, half a dozen Indians, male and female, suddenly bolted in +and clamored for bread. She shook her head and told them she had none +for them. When she came West she had brought yeast cakes which, by +careful renewal, she kept in succession until the family home was broken +up in 1880. Upon the afternoon referred to, she had a large pan of yeast +cakes drying before the fireplace. Seeing them, the Indians scowled at +her, called her a lying woman, and made a rush for the cakes, each one +taking a huge bite. Those familiar with the article know how bitter is +the mixture of raw meal, hops, and yeast, and so will not wonder that +presently a look of horror came over the Indians' faces and that then +they sputtered the unsavory stuff out all over the newly scrubbed floor. +My mother used to say that if they had killed her she could not have +kept from laughing. They looked very angry at first, but finally +concluded that they had not been poisoned and had only "sold" +themselves, they huddled together and went out chattering and laughing, +leaving my mother a good share of her day's work to do over again. + +[Illustration: HALF A DOZEN INDIANS BOLTED IN] + +One day I saw a big Indian shake her by the shoulder because she +wouldn't give him bread. She was ironing at the time, and threatened him +with a hot flat iron till he hurried out. Another came in one warm +summer afternoon, shut the door behind him, and leaned against it, +glowering at her. For once she was thoroughly frightened. He had with +him a tomahawk, having a hollow handle and head, that could be used as a +pipe. However, her wits did not desert her. Seeing the cat sleeping +peacefully in the corner, she cried, "How did that cat get in here!" and +catching up the broom she chased pussy around till she reached the door, +when seizing the heavy iron latch she pulled it wide open, sending Mr. +Indian into the middle of the room; she then pushed the door back +against the wall and set a chair against it. The Indian stood still for +a minute, then uttered a grunt and took himself off, probably thinking +she was too dangerous a person for him to attempt to bully. + +The Indians used to offer for sale venison, fish, and maple sugar, but +the line was always drawn on the latter, for it was commonly reported +that they strained the sap through their blankets. And you should have +seen their blankets! About 1846 a company of civilized Oneidas, some of +whom my father had known in the East, camped near by and manufactured a +large number of handsome and serviceable baskets. From wild berries they +would make dyes that never faded, and print them on the baskets with +stamps cut from potatoes. Some of their designs were quite artistic. A +small basket and a rattle which they gave my year-old sister showed +their good will. + +I soon learned to have no fear of the tribesmen, although sometimes a +fleet of fifty canoes would be in sight at once, passing down the river +to Koshkonong; but the first Germans who came to our parts nearly scared +the life out of me. Their heavy beards, long coats, broad-visored caps, +and arm-long pipes, made me certain that nothing less than a fat boy of +five would satisfy their appetites; and whenever they appeared I would +hunt my mother. They had bought a considerable tract of land about five +miles from our place, and always wanted to know of us the road thither. +The result was just such a "jabber match" as could be expected where +neither side knew the other's tongue; but by pointing and motioning my +mother was always able to direct them. Sometimes they wished to come in +and make tea or coffee on our stove, and eat the luncheon of bread and +meat that they had brought across the water. They would then always urge +their food upon me, so I came to like their black bread very much and +soon revised my first estimate of their character. All those people cut +fine farms out of the heavy timber and died rich. + +The first settlers were mostly Americans, from New York and New England; +but before leaving the old farm we used to hear of English, Irish, +Dutch, Norwegian, and Welsh settlements. The latter people enveloped and +overflowed our own particular community and came to form a good portion +of the population. + +Besides the numerous nationalities on this front edge of advancing +settlement, there were people of many and diverse individualities--the +uneasy, the unlucky, the adventurous, the men without money but full of +hope, the natural hunters, the trappers, the lovers of woods and +solitudes, and occasionally one who had left his country for his +country's good; all these classes were represented. But on the whole the +frontier's people were an honest, kindly, generous class, ready to help +in trouble or need of any kind. + +If there was sickness, watchers by the bedside and harvesters in the +field were promptly forthcoming. If a new house or barn was to be +raised, every available man came. If a cow was mired, and such was often +the case, her owner easily got all the help he wanted. Husking and +logging and quilting bees were common, and in the autumn there were bees +for candle-dipping, when the family supply of candles would be made for +a year; and all such events would of course be followed by a supper, and +perhaps a frolic. Visits among the women folk were all-day affairs; if +the husbands were invited, it would be of an evening, and the call then +would last till midnight with a supper at ten. There was a word of +comfort and good cheer in those forest homes. I doubt if any child in +modern palaces enjoys happier hours than were mine on winter evenings, +when I rested on the broad stone hearth in front of the big fireplace, +with its blazing four-foot log, the dog on one side and the cat on the +other, while my father told stories that had to be repeated as the stock +ran out, and I was gradually lulled to sleep by the soft thunder of my +mother's spinning wheel. What could be more luxurious for any youngster? + +I remember that when I was about six I saw my first apple. Half of it +came to me, and I absorbed it as if to the manor born. What a revelation +it was to a lad who could be satisfied with choke-cherries and crab +apples! In those times, when a visitor called it was common to bring out +a dish of well-washed turnips, with plate and case knife, and he could +slice them up or scrape them as he chose. + +The woods abounded in wild fruits, which the women made the most of for +the winter season. Berries, grapes, plums, and crab apples were all +utilized. The latter were especially delicious for preserves. The boy +who ate them raw off the tree could not get his face back into line the +same day; but he would eat them. However, pumpkins were our main +reliance for present and future pies and sauce; such pumpkins do not +grow now in these latter days. There were two sugar bushes on our place, +and a good supply of maple sugar was put up every spring. Many other +dainties were added to our regular menu, and a boy with such a cook for +a mother as I had, needed no sympathy from any one the whole world +round. + +The river was three hundred feet wide opposite our house, and about two +feet deep, so teams could be driven across at ordinary stages, but foot +passengers depended on our boat, a large "dugout." I remember how +beautiful it was, when first scooped out from a huge basswood log, +clean, white, and sweet-smelling. Strangers and neighbors alike would +call across, "Bring over the boat;" and if they were going from our side +they would take it over and leave the job of hollering to us. At five +years of age I could pole it around very nicely. + +One day, when I was first trusted to go in the boat alone, a stranger +called over, and as my father was busy, he told me to go after him. The +man expressed much wonderment, and some hesitancy to trusting himself to +the skill and strength of a bare-footed boy of five; but I assured him I +was a veteran at the business. He finally got in very gingerly, and sat +down flat on the bottom. All the way over he kept wondering at and +praising my work until I was ready to melt with mingled embarrassment +and delight. At the shore he asked me unctuously how much he should pay. +"Oh, nothing," I said. "But let me pay you. I'd be glad to," said he. +"Oh, no, we never take pay," I replied, and dug my toes into the sand, +not knowing how to get out of the scrape, yet well pleased at his high +estimate of my service. All the time he was plunging down first into one +pocket of his barn-door trousers and then the other, till at last he +fished out an old "bungtown" cent, which with much graciousness and +pomposity he pressed upon me, until my feeble refusals were overcome. I +took the coin and scampered away so fast that I must have been invisible +in the dust I raised. Showing it to my father, I was told that I ought +not to have taken it; but I explained how helpless I had been, and +repeated word for word what the man had said, and, unintentionally, +somewhat copied his tone and manner. The twinkle in my father's eye +showed that he understood. That copper was my first-earned money; if it +had only been put out at compound interest, I ought, if the +mathematicians are right, to be now living in _otium cum dignitate_,[2] +perhaps. + +[Footnote 2: _Otium cum dignitate_ is a Latin expression meaning _ease +with dignity_.] + +[Illustration: HE FISHED OUT AN OLD BUNGTOWN CENT] + +Steve Peck was one of the most notable of the marked characters above +hinted at. He was a roistering blade, who captained all the harumscarums +of the section. Peck was a surveyor and had helped at the laying out of +Milwaukee. Many were the stories told of his escapades, but space will +not permit of their rehearsal here. He had selected a choice piece of +land and built a good house; then he induced the daughter of an Aberdeen +ex-merchant of aristocratic family but broken fortune, who had sought a +new chance in the wilds of Wisconsin, to share them with him. But wife +and children could not hold him to a settled life, and he sold out one +day to a German immigrant, gave his wife a few dollars and disappeared, +not to be seen or heard of in those parts again. + +Another character was a man named Needham, who also was somewhat of a +mystery. The women considered that he had been "crossed in love." He +affected a sombre style, rather imitating the manners and habits of the +Indians. His cabin was near the river, and he was a constant hunter. +Many times when playing by the shore I would become conscious of a +strange, noiseless presence, and looking up would see Needham paddling +by, swift and silent. It always gave me the shudders and sent me to the +house. One day, on coming home from school, I saw a great platter of red +meat on the table. I asked who had killed the beef; it was a practice to +share the meat with the neighbors, whenever a large animal was killed, +taking pay in kind. I was told it was not beef, and being unable to +guess was at last informed that it was bear meat, which Mr. Needham had +left. As he had killed the animal near where I hunted the cows every +night, the news gave me a sensation. + +Uncle Ben Piper, the only gray-haired man in the community, kept tavern +and was an oracle on nearly all subjects. He was also postmaster, and a +wash-stand drawer served as post office. It cost twenty-five cents in +those times to pass a letter between Wisconsin and the East. Postage did +not have to be prepaid, and I have known my father to go several days +before he could raise the requisite cash to redeem a letter which he had +heard awaited him in the wash-stand drawer, for Uncle Ben was not +allowed to accept farm produce or even bank script for postage. + +An Englishman named Pease, who lived near us, had "wheels." He thought +the Free Masons and the women were in league to end his life. Every +night he ranged his gun and farm tools beside his bed, to help ward off +the attack that he constantly expected. Nothing could induce him to eat +any food that a woman had prepared. In changing "work" with my father, +which often occurred, he would bring his own luncheon and eat it by the +fire during mealtime. But after my sister was born, he refused to enter +the house; he told the neighbors that "women were getting too thick up +at Coe's." Pease had nicknames for all the settlers but one, and while +very polite to their faces, he always applied his nicknames in their +absence. + +A man named Rugg lost caste with his neighbors because he dug and used a +potato pit in an Indian mound from which he had thrown out a large +number of human bones. Some of the bones were of gigantic size. + +There were many good hunters among the settlers; the Smith brothers +scorned to shoot a bird or squirrel except through the head. If there +were sickness in the family of any neighbor, the Smiths saw that +partridges, quail, or pigeons, properly shot, were supplied. Another +Smith was a bee hunter, and a very successful one, too. Those were the +days when the beautiful passenger pigeons at times seemed to fill the +woods and the sky. Deer were very abundant; I have seen them eating hay +with my father's cows; and in the spring and fall seasons the river was +covered with wild ducks and geese. + +Two events in my seventh year left a strong impression upon me. The +first was an address by a colored man named Lewis Washington, a runaway +slave, who had a natural gift of oratory and made many speeches in this +state. I was so curious to see a genuine black man that I got too close +to him when he was in the convulsion of putting on his overcoat, and +caught a considerable thump. No harm was done, but he apologized very +earnestly. I have read that his campaigning of the state was quite +effective. + +The other occurrence was the visit to Watertown of Herr Dreisbach with +his famous menagerie. Our indulgent father took my brother and myself +and a neighbor's daughter to see the "great instructive exhibition." It +took our ox-team three hours to make the seven miles, and the elephant's +footprints by the bridges, and other impedimenta of the great show, +which we passed, carried our excitement, which had been cruelly growing +for three weeks, well-nigh up to an exploding climax. I was told not to +lose my ticket, or I could not get in; and when the ticket taker seized +hold of it, I held on until he finally yelled angrily, "Let go, you +little cuss!" whereupon my father came to his rescue. The show on the +whole was very satisfactory, except for the color of Columbus, the fine +old elephant, which for some reason, probably from the show bills on the +barns, I had expected to be of a greenish tint. I also had supposed that +the lion would drag his chariot at least half a mile, with the driver in +heroic pose, instead of merely two cars' length. Herr Dreisbach +afterwards showed on Rock Prairie, in the open country, a few miles east +of Janesville. People came from great distances to attend, even from as +far as Baraboo, sometimes camping out two nights each way. + +Our first public edifice was a log schoolhouse about twenty feet square. +It was on the opposite side of the river, nearly a mile distant, but I +began to attend school before I was fully five years old. One of the +things I remember of one of my early teachers most distinctly is, that +she used to hang a five-franc piece, tied with blue ribbon, around the +neck of the scholar who had "left off at the head." I was occasionally +favored, but my mother's satisfaction was greatly modified by her fear +that I would lose the coin while taking it back the next day. + +The teachers probably could not have passed a normal school examination, +but they could do what our graduates now cannot do--that is, make and +mend a quill pen. Those were all the pens we had, and many a time have I +chased our geese to get a new quill. The teachers patiently guided our +wobbling ideas from the alphabet to cube root. The lessons over, we were +told to "toe the crack," and "make obeisance," and were then put through +our paces in the field of general knowledge. I still remember, from +their drilling, the country, territory, county, and town in which we +lived; that James K. Polk was president, that George M. Dallas was +vice-president, and that Henry Dodge was governor. What ancient history +that now seems! + +[Illustration: CHASING THE GEESE TO GET A NEW QUILL] + +Near the school lived a family named Babcock, with four well-grown boys. +One of them used often to come over at noon to see one of the teachers. +One noon, on running to the schoolroom after something that I wanted, I +was horrified to see my loved teacher struggling to prevent the young +fellow from kissing her. I felt very sorry for her, and on going home +promptly reported the outrage to my mother. She evidently did not +approve, but did not make as much of a demonstration over it as I had +expected. I doubt now, if the teacher was as greatly in need of my +sympathy as I then thought. The Babcocks all went to the war, as I am +told, and one of them became colonel of his regiment. He came home to be +fatally and mysteriously shot one night on his way to his room in +Chicago; the why and how were never revealed. + +The winter after I was six years old I went to a school taught by a fine +young man named Martin Piper, a relative of Uncle Ben's. The next summer +he enlisted in the Mexican War with another of our young neighbors, John +Bradshaw. I saw the volunteers from Watertown filling two wagons that +carried them to Milwaukee, and I could not keep the tears back, for I +feared I should never see John and Martin again. And so it was; they +both perished at Vera Cruz. + +My last winter's school was taught by my father. I remember that we used +to cross the river, which only froze along the edges, on cakes of ice +which he would cut out and pole across. The school closed in the spring +with an "exhibition," consisting of declamations, dialogues, a little +"play," and a spelling contest. The whole countryside was there, and +about thirty of us youngsters were put up in the attic, which was +floored over with loose boards, to make room for our elders. The only +light we had was what percolated up through the cracks, and all that we +could see of the exhibition was through them. As we hustled around, +sampling them to see where we could see best, we made a good deal of +disturbance. + +The best place, next the chimney, we were driven back from, for repeated +burning had weakened the support. (The beam next to the chimney used to +catch fire nearly every day, and we younger ones used to watch it and +report to the teacher, who would calmly throw a dipper of water up and +put the fire out for the time being.) A fat woman sat under the +dangerous place that evening, and made a great outcry if we came near to +enjoy the desirable outlook--stout people always seem fearful that +something will fall on them. I remember also that her little girl, a +pretty creature in curls and a pink dress, spoke "Mary had a little +lamb," by having it "lined out" to her. + +Our schoolhouse was so set in a noble grove of oaks, elms and maples +with a heavy undergrowth, that we could not be seen from the road. +Nearly every day droves of cattle went by, and we used to run up through +the thicket to see them. It must have been an odd sight to the drovers +to see a dozen or more little half-scared faces peering out of the +brush, and no building in sight. They would often give us a noisy +salute, whereupon we would scamper back, telling of our narrow escape +from dangerous beasts and men. + +The presidential election in the fall of 1848 aroused a good deal of +interest, for Wisconsin had now become a state, and citizens could vote +for national candidates. I was in Jonathan Piper's store one evening, +with my father, when about a dozen men were present. A political +discussion sprang up and grew hot, and finally a division was called +for. Two or three voted for Zachary Taylor, the Whig candidate; one for +Lewis Cass, the Democrat; and the rest for Martin Van Buren, Free +Soiler. The State went with the lone voter, for Cass carried it by a +small plurality. + +Good health was the rule among the hardworking, plain-living pioneers, +but plowing up the soil released the poison which nature seemed to have +put there on guard, and every one at one time or another came down with +the "shakes." However, the potent influence of sunshine, quinine, and +cholagogue speedily won their way, and in a few years malaria had become +a mere reminiscence. + +In November, 1848, my parents moved to Beaver Dam, and thus our life in +the Rock River country came to an end. The splendid primeval forest has +now gone, and even before we left much of it had been converted into log +heaps and burned. Every night scores of fires would gleam out where the +finest hardwood logs, worth now a king's ransom, were turned into smoke +and ashes. Even the mills which that grand pioneer, Andrew Hardgrave, +had built in 1844, to the great rejoicing of all the people, are gone, +and the river flows on over its smooth limestone floor, unvexed as of +old. But fine brick buildings have taken the place of the old log +structures, and land brings at least twenty times as much per acre as +then. Who can argue against that? + + + + +THE BUCCANEERS + + +During the seventeenth century there were a great number of pirates who +committed serious ravages upon the settlements in the West Indies and +upon the mainland adjacent, and whose expeditions extended even to the +coasts of Chili and Peru. These men were called buccaneers; and the +meaning of the word gives some intimation of the origin of the +buccaneers themselves. + +At an earlier day, many of the settlers in the island of Hispaniola, or +Hayti, made their living by hunting cattle and preserving the meat by +the _boucan_ process. These hunters used to form parties of five or six +in number, and arming themselves with musket, bullet bag, powderhorn and +knife, they took their way on foot through the tangled forests of the +country. When they killed one of the wild cattle, its flesh was cut into +long strips and laid upon gratings, constructed of green sticks, where +it was exposed to the smoke of a wood fire, which was fed by the fat and +waste parts of the animals. The grating upon which the meat was laid was +called a _boucan_, and the hunters were called _boucaniers_. Later these +hunters were driven from Hayti by the Spaniards and took refuge in some +of the neighboring islands, where they revenged themselves for some of +the ill-treatment by preying upon the possessions of their oppressors +wherever they could find them. + +At the same time affairs in Europe brought France and England on the one +hand, and Spain on the other, into collision; and as a result, the +Spanish possessions in America became the object of French and English +attacks. Accordingly, those two nations were inclined to look with a +lenient eye upon the depredations committed by the buccaneers, so long +as the property of the English and French was respected. As a natural +consequence, many of the disreputable and daring characters of both +nations joined themselves with the original buccaneers, whom they soon +made as corrupt as themselves. Eventually these pirates increased so in +number, and grew so daring in their operations that it was necessary for +all nations to unite in putting them down; and by that time, the word +_buccaneer_ had come to mean _pirate_ in its worst sense. + +From time to time there arose among the buccaneers leaders whose success +brought a large following from men of other companies, and in one or two +instances a particularly strong man gathered about him almost all the +men who were willing to engage in such enterprises. At such times the +pirates formed a very powerful organization, and none of the smaller +cities were proof against their ravages. Whether the band was large or +small, however, the method of operation was always practically the same. + +Naturally there were preliminary meetings in which a few men discussed +plans and decided upon an expedition of some sort. Then a preliminary +meeting was held at which the object of attack was determined, funds +were raised, officers were elected, and the smaller details of the +expedition were determined. Then articles of agreement were drawn up, +signed by the buccaneers, and usually kept with remarkable exactness. In +conformity with these agreements, the spoils of the expeditions were +distributed among the individuals according to rank, each individual of +the ordinary class receiving one share of the plunder, while the +officers were given from two to eight, according to their position and +influence. + +It was customary, however, before any allotment was made to the +individuals, to set aside a certain portion of the spoils to be +distributed among those who had suffered some injury in the expeditions, +and in case any of the members died, that member's share was distributed +to his heirs. Besides this, there were special rewards given to the +first man who should sight a prize, to the first man to board a ship, +and to other men who were noticeably brave and successful. + +It was quite customary for two buccaneers to swear brotherhood each to +the other, to make written agreements to stand by each other during +life, to sign these agreements with their own blood; and then to keep +these curious partnerships to the end. There are numerous touching +accounts of the devotion with which a friend often followed the fortunes +of his sworn brother. In fact, the buccaneers usually dealt honestly and +fairly with one another, and in the same way with the Indians, +notwithstanding the fact that they were bloodthirsty, cruel and +heartless in their treatment of the captives they made on their +expeditions. + +The usual place of meeting for the buccaneers was upon the west end of +the island of Tortuga, which lies off the northern coast of Hayti, +although the English pirates after 1654 met on the island of Jamaica. +The traders and planters of these islands and of others in the vicinity +were not averse to having the buccaneers among them, for no sooner had +the latter returned from a successful expedition than they spent, with +lavish hand, the money which they had made. + +While it is true that between these forays the pirates were given to the +wildest excesses, and were anything but a desirable addition to a +community, yet there are always plenty of people who are willing to +profit by the wastefulness and dissipations of others. Many of the +buccaneers, accordingly, had homes which they visited in the intervals +of their cruises, where, although their business was well known, they +were in a certain sense respected. However, before the pirates were +wholly subdued, they had become less and less acceptable residents in +any community, and finally were at enmity with every soul not in their +own occupation. + +That these buccaneers had a large amount of physical bravery, goes +without saying; for only a man who feared nothing could undertake such +apparently hopeless tasks as these wild plunderers carried to a +successful conclusion. In fact many times they were successful for the +reason that the vessels or towns they attacked deemed themselves secure +from attack by so small a force as the pirates could muster. They were +inured to hardship and willing to undergo any amount of pain and +suffering, if they could but gather the riches for which they sought. +The accounts of their adventures are filled with description of daring +deeds, which if undertaken in a better cause would have made the men +famous for all time. + +The beginning of these expeditions may be placed at about 1625, and the +last important cruise of the pirates was made in 1688. After the latter +date they gradually dispersed, and the buccaneers appeared no more. In +1664, Mansveldt, who was one of the ablest of the pirate chiefs, +conceived the idea of forming an independent government with a flag of +its own, and locating his capital at Santa Katalina. His early death +prevented him from realizing his purpose; and though his successor, the +famous Henry Morgan, attempted to carry out the plan, it met with such +opposition from the Governor of Jamaica that it was definitely +abandoned. It was under the leadship of this same Morgan that the +buccaneers reached the height of their reputation, and executed their +most daring and successful raids. Among Morgan's performances was the +capture of the town of Puerto del Principe in Cuba, and the cities of +Porto Bello, Maracaibo and Gibraltar in South America. His greatest +exploit, however, occurred in 1670, when at the head of the fleet of +thirty-seven ships of all sizes manned by more than two thousand +pirates, he captured the forts on the Chagres River, marched across the +Isthmus of Panama, and after ten days of incredible hardship and +suffering, fighting against a force of twenty-five hundred men, captured +the city of Panama. After a stay of about three weeks he returned across +the Isthmus. + +So unsatisfactory in value were the spoils of this expedition, that +Morgan was accused of embezzling some portion, and in consequence became +very unpopular with his followers. + +However, as this expedition was made against the Spanish, it received +some approval from the English; and Morgan, abandoning his career as a +pirate, accepted the lieutenant-governorship of Jamaica, and was +subsequently made governor of that island, in which capacity he did much +toward suppressing piracy in the Caribbean Sea. + +We have two notable accounts of the deeds of the early buccaneers. One +was published in 1678 in Amsterdam by John Esquemeling, who wrote from +observation, as he was himself one of the pirates, and present at many +of the conflicts which he describes. The second account is the journal +of Basil Ringrose, who, as a pirate, took part in Sharp's voyage around +South America, and was finally killed in a plundering raid. + + + + +CAPTAIN MORGAN AT MARACAIBO[1] + +[Footnote 1: This account of Henry Morgan's deeds at Maracaibo is taken +from the narrative of John Esquemeling, but no attempt has been made to +give a literal translation of his words. Morgan had passed through the +Gulf of Venezuela, captured the town of Maracaibo and made his way +through the narrow passage into the lake of the same name, where he +captured and despoiled Gibraltar. At the opening of this sketch, he is +in Lake Maracaibo, seeking an opportunity to return to the open sea.] + +Captain Morgan had been so long absent from Maracaibo that he knew that +the Spaniards had had sufficient time to fortify themselves strongly, +and so hinder his departure from the lake. Without waiting to collect +the full sum he had required from the inhabitants of Gibraltar, he +demanded some of the townsmen as hostages, whom he might carry with him +on his return journey, and whom he would release upon the full payment +of the tribute he had levied. + +Four persons who had been agreed upon were delivered to him as hostages +for the sums demanded, and at last Morgan weighed anchor and set sail +with great haste, directing his course toward Maracaibo. Four days +later, he arrived in front of the town and found things very much in the +same condition as that in which they had been left, yet he was very much +disturbed when he learned from an old man, who had been left alone and +sick in the village, that three Spanish men-of-war were lying at anchor +in the entrance to the lake, waiting patiently for the return of the +pirates. Moreover, the great castle that stood at the opening of the +channel had been again repaired, provided with great guns and garrisoned +by a strong force which was well supplied with ammunition. + +Morgan was indeed in a dangerous predicament, for the passages leading +out of the lake were narrow and tortuous. In order to learn just what +force he had to meet, he sent his swiftest boat scouting through the +inlet, while his ships remained within the lake. + +The next day the boat came back, confirming what the old man had said +and assuring Morgan that it had been so close to the Spanish ships that +it was in great danger of being sunk by their shells. The biggest ship +carried forty guns, the second had thirty and the smallest twenty-four. +As Morgan's largest ship did not carry more than fourteen small guns, +the Spanish forces appeared much superior. In fact, every one thought +that Morgan must lose all hope, considering the difficulty of his +passing safely with his little fleet through these winding passages, +amidst the great ships and by the strong fort. Moreover, there appeared +no way of escape by land, and there was certainly no other outlet into +the sea. + +Captain Morgan, however, was not a man to be easily discouraged, and +these terrible dangers left him wholly undaunted. In a spirit of bravado +he boldly sent a Spanish prisoner to the admiral of the ships commanding +of him a considerable tribute or ransom, threatening, in case the ransom +was not promptly paid, to set the city of Maracaibo in flames and to +destroy the whole Spanish fleet. After two days the Spaniard returned, +bringing from the admiral a letter which read much as follows: + +"To Captain Morgan, Commander of the Pirate Fleet: + +"Having understood by all our friends and neighbors that you have dared +to attempt and commit hostilities in the countries, cities, towns and +villages belonging to the dominions of his Catholic Majesty, my +Sovereign Lord and Master, I let you understand by these lines that I +have come here and have put into a very good state of defense that +castle which you took out of the hands of a parcel of cowards; for I +have again mounted the artillery which you spiked and made useless. + +"My intent is to dispute with you your passage out of the lake and to +follow and pursue you everywhere. Notwithstanding, if you be content to +surrender with humility all that you have taken, together with the +slaves and all other prisoners, I will let you pass freely and without +trouble or molestation, providing you agree to return to your own +country at once. + +"But in case you make any resistance or opposition to my offers, I +assure you I will utterly destroy you and put every man of you to the +sword. This is my last absolute resolution. Be prudent, therefore, and +do not abuse my bounty. I have with me very good soldiers who desire +nothing more ardently than to revenge on you and your people all the +infamous cruelties and brutal acts that you have committed upon the +Spanish nation in America. + +"Dated on board the royal ship Magdalena, lying at anchor at the entry +of Lake Maracaibo, this twenty-fourth day of April, Sixteen Hundred +Sixty-nine. + +_Don Alonso del Campo y Espinosa_." + +As soon as Captain Morgan had received this letter, he called all his +men together in the market place at Maracaibo, and after reading the +contents both in French and in English, he requested the advice of his +companions upon the whole matter, and asked whether they preferred to +surrender all they had gained in order to obtain their liberty, or if +they wished to fight for their possessions. With one voice they cried: +"We will fight and spill the very last drop of blood in our veins rather +than surrender the booty which we have captured at the risk of our +lives." + +Among those who shouted most loudly was one who pushed his way forward +to Captain Morgan and said: "If you will take care of the rest, I, with +only twelve men, will agree to destroy the biggest of those ships. I +will take that vessel which we captured in the River of Gibraltar and +make of her a fire ship. However, to conceal our purpose from the enemy, +we will fill her decks with logs of wood standing erect and wearing hats +and caps. We will put more of these logs at the portholes where they can +be made to counterfeit cannon. At the stern we will hang out the English +colors, and so make the enemy think that she is one of our largest ships +well equipped for battle." + +Everybody agreed to the sailor's proposal, but after all they were not +fully satisfied nor fully relieved of their fears, and on the next day +they tried again to come to some agreement with Don Alonso. Morgan sent +him two messengers bearing the following propositions: + +First, that he would quit Maracaibo without doing any damage to the +town, or taking any ransoms. + +Second, that he would set at liberty half of his slaves and all the +other prisoners without ransom. + +Third, that he would send home freely those four chief inhabitants of +Gibraltar whom he held as hostages for the ransoms which had been +promised. + +Don Alonso rejected these propositions instantly, considering it +dishonorable to grant them. In return he sent back a message to the +effect that if the pirates did not surrender themselves voluntarily into +his hands within two days under the conditions of his letter, he would +immediately come and force them to do it. + +Deeply angered by this message, Captain Morgan put everything in order +for fighting, resolving to get out of the lake by main force without +surrendering anything. In the first place he commanded that all the +slaves and the prisoners should be tied and guarded very closely. After +this his men gathered all the pitch, tar and brimstone they could find +in the town, and with them stocked the fire ship, which we have spoken +of before. They mixed the powder, the brimstone and the tar with great +quantities of palm leaves, and arranged everything so that it would burn +quickly and furiously. They set their counterfeit cannon in proper +position at the portholes, and under each fastened heaps of powder so +that they would explode with great force and noise. In some of the +portholes they fastened little native drums, and upon the decks they +placed logs of wood dressed as men, wearing hats and coats and carrying +swords and muskets. + +When the fire ship was fully fitted out in this manner, they prepared to +enter the passageway into the lake. The prisoners were all put into the +great boat, and in another they placed all the plate, jewels and other +rich things which they had acquired. In the same ship were placed the +women and the wounded and suffering. The heavy goods and bulky +merchandise were distributed among other vessels, each of which was +manned by twelve well-armed sailors. + +The fire ship was ordered to go ahead of the rest of the vessels, and at +the earliest moment to grapple with the largest of the Spanish ships. +Before starting, Morgan had exacted from each of his comrades an oath in +which he vowed to defend himself and his comrades against the Spaniards, +even to the last drop of his blood, and never under any circumstances to +beg for quarter. In return for these pledges, Morgan promised his men +that all should be very well rewarded if they were successful. + +It was on the thirtieth day of April, 1669, that the buccaneers made +their courageous start to find the Spanish. It was growing dark when +Captain Morgan found the three ships riding at anchor in the middle of +the passageway into the lake, and fearing to attack in the darkness, he +ordered his vessels to come to anchor, resolved that if the Spanish +attacked he would fight them from that position. + +All that night the valiant captain and his men kept a careful and +vigilant watch, for the Spanish were almost within gunshot. No sooner +had daylight come, however, than the buccaneers weighed anchor and again +set sail, starting their course for the Spanish vessels. The latter, +seeing them come, themselves put on sail and moved to meet the attack. +The fire ship in its place at the head of the line soon met the largest +ship, and instantly grappled itself firmly to her side. Too late the +Spaniards discovered their terrible danger, and although they made +strenuous efforts to free themselves, they were unable to do so. The +flames from the burning vessel seized upon the timber and rigging of the +ship, and in a very short space of time consumed the stern of the +vessel, leaving the fore part to sink into the sea, carrying with it the +survivors. + +[Illustration: THE FIRE SHIP GRAPPLED THE SPANIARD] + +The second Spanish ship, seeing that the pirates were successful in +destroying the admiral's vessel, fled toward the castle, but being +unable to escape, they sunk their vessel, preferring to lose their ship +rather than fall into the hands of the bloodthirsty pirates. A portion +of the sunken ship extended above the shallow water and was set on fire. +The third vessel was captured by the pirates, all of whom now gave their +attention to the Spaniards who were swimming toward the shore from the +two wrecked vessels. Many were overtaken, but none would ask for +quarter, preferring to die rather than be given life by the pirates. + +Rejoicing at their wonderful and almost unexpected victory, the +buccaneers pushed rapidly to the shore and attacked the castle with +great vigor, but the walls were strong and were defended with such skill +that the assailants were driven back time and again. The pirates had +nothing but small guns with them, and although they advanced close to +the castle walls and kept up a constant fire, yet they were able to do +very little damage. On the other hand, the Spaniards were well armed, +and in the course of the day succeeded in killing and wounding no less +than sixty of the pirates. Toward evening the buccaneers retired +discouraged to their ships. + +All that night the Spaniards labored hard to strengthen their castle and +to put things in readiness for the renewal of the attack which they +expected on the morrow. However, Captain Morgan did not continue his +attack on the second day, but busied himself in taking prisoner such of +the sailors as he could find in the water or on the shore, and trying to +recover some of the riches that were lost in the two ships. + +Among those whom he captured was the pilot of the second vessel. This +man was a stranger among the Spanish, and from him Morgan gathered much +information. By this means he discovered that the Spanish Council of +State had sent six well-equipped men-of-war with instructions to drive +the English pirates out of the seas, and to destroy as many of them as +possible. This vigorous action was taken at the order of the Spanish +monarch, who had frequently complained to the English of the +depredations their subjects were committing on the Spanish possessions, +but had never been given the least satisfaction. When, however, the +ships arrived at Cartagena, two of the six were found to be too large +for cruising along the shallow waters of the coast, and were returned to +Spain. The remaining four sailed toward Campeche to seek out the +English, but in the port of that city one of the ships was lost in a +fierce gale, and only the three which Morgan had now captured remained +to act against the pirates. The night before Morgan arrived, the admiral +had given a banquet to all his people, and on that occasion he persuaded +them neither to take nor to give quarter; and this was the reason why +the sailors fought even in the presence of death by drowning. It seems +that Don Alonso had been warned by a deserting negro that the buccaneers +were building a fire ship, but he deemed it impossible that they should +construct one that would menace the safety of his vessels. + +More important information which the pilot gave, however, was that in +the vessel which had been sunk by the fire ship, was a great quantity of +gold and silver plate, together with other riches to the value of forty +thousand pieces of eight.[2] + +[Footnote 2: The piece of eight was equivalent to about $1.25 of our +money.] + +Morgan directed one of his ships to remain near the sunken vessel, drive +away the native boats which prowled around in that vicinity, and try to +recover the treasures. As for himself, the pirate returned to Gibraltar, +where he transferred himself and his sailors to the larger and stronger +ship which he had captured from the Spaniards. + +When he was well established in this new ship, he sent word to the +Spanish admiral, who had escaped on shore and who was assisting in the +defense of the castle, that a large ransom must be paid or the town +would be burned to the ground. The admiral flatly refused to pay a +single dollar to Morgan; but the garrison, remembering how successful +Morgan had always been and how fierce was his revenge, concluded to pay +the ransom freely. Accordingly, after some discussion, it was agreed +that the Spaniards should pay twenty thousand pieces of eight and +deliver five hundred beeves on the following day. This was done, and the +pirates salted the flesh of the cattle and stored it away for their +voyage. + +Notwithstanding Captain Morgan had promised to deliver the prisoners if +the ransom was paid, he was so much in fear of destruction by shells +from the castle as he was passing out of the lake that he told them he +would release none of them until he was entirely out of range and safe +in the open sea. In the meantime his men had recovered from the sunken +ship fifteen thousand pieces of eight, besides much plate and valuable +goods, such as the hilts of swords, and a great quantity of pieces of +eight that had melted and run together from the heat of the burning +vessel. + +After thinking the matter over more fully, Morgan decided that it would +not be safe even yet for him to attempt to pass the castle, and +accordingly he called before him his prisoners and told them that unless +the admiral and the garrison of the castle should promise him free +passage out of the lake, he would hang every prisoner on the yards of +his ship. Accordingly, the prisoners sent a deputation to Don Alonso +beseeching and supplicating him to have pity on the prisoners, who with +their wives and children were still on board the ship with Captain +Morgan, and to give his word of honor to permit the buccaneers to pass +freely; for if such a promise were not given, every one of those in +captivity would surely be killed by the sword or hanged. + +The reply of Don Alonso was characteristic of the brave leader: "If you +had been as loyal to your king in hindering the entry of these pirates +as I shall be in preventing their going out, you had never brought this +trouble upon yourselves nor upon our nation, which has now suffered so +much through your cowardice. In a word, I shall never grant your +request, but shall endeavor to maintain to its fullest the respect which +is due to my king." + +In deep despair over the result of their interview, the Spaniards +returned to their fellow-prisoners, and delivered to Captain Morgan the +admiral's answer. Morgan replied simply--"If Don Alonso will not give me +permission to pass, I must find a way of going without his consent." + +In preparation for his dangerous voyage, Morgan gathered his men on +shore, and required them to bring to him all the spoils, of whatever +nature, they had taken on the cruise. When these were assembled, it was +found that besides a huge quantity of merchandise and a large number of +slaves, the buccaneers had acquired plate, jewels and money to the value +of two hundred fifty thousand pieces of eight. All of this magnificent +prize was divided among the buccaneers according to the agreements which +had been made before they began the expedition. Each man was permitted +to take his share with him upon his own vessel. Morgan made the +distribution of his spoils at this time in order not to risk the loss of +the entire treasure by the sinking of one ship, and in order that no one +faction of his party might succeed in carrying off all the plunder. + +After everything was in readiness for the voyage, Morgan perfected a +little stratagem by which he hoped to make his escape more safely. He +announced to all his men that on a certain night they would sail through +the narrow channel, his own ship leading the way. On the day preceding +that night the Spaniards in the castle observed great activity in the +pirate fleet. Canoes and boats loaded with men left the ships and pulled +to the shore some distance away from the castle and on the side away +from the channel. Here, overhanging trees hid the boats from the +onlookers in the castle so that the latter were not aware that when the +boats returned from the shore the men, with the exception of one or two +who rowed, were lying concealed in the bottoms of the boats. Not a one +was landed on shore, although it appeared that Morgan was preparing to +attack the castle from the land side. + +All day long the boats plied back and forth, apparently leaving men and +returning empty to the ships. Expecting a heavy assault, the Spaniards +moved their best guns and a greater part of their garrison to that side +of the castle which faced the land, and thus left the water side +comparatively harmless. + +As soon as night came on, the pirates weighed anchor, and by the light +of the moon, without setting their sails, they glided slowly out with +the ebbing tide, which brought them down almost in sight of the castle. +They then spread their sails as quietly and with as great haste as +possible. The Spaniards saw them and opened fire, hastily moving their +guns back to the water side; but a favorable wind blew the vessels past +the danger point before the men in the castle could put their guns into +position to do any great damage. + +When Morgan was safely out of reach of the guns of the castle, he gave +his prisoners a boat and sent them ashore, retaining, however, the +hostages which he had demanded from the city of Gibraltar, because that +place had not yet paid its ransom. Just as he was sailing away, Morgan +fired seven great shells against the castle as a farewell message, but +the Spaniards did not reply even with so much as a musket shot. + +The day after their departure, the buccaneers were overtaken by a +terrible tempest which forced them at first to cast anchor, but as the +wind increased in force they were compelled to draw their anchor and to +put out to sea. Here they were indeed in great danger, for if they were +cast on shore, they certainly would receive no mercy from either the +Spaniards or the Indians. Once more, however, fortune smiled on Captain +Morgan, and after a day or two the wind ceased and the buccaneers went +on their way rejoicing. + +[Illustration] + + + + +BRADDOCK'S DEFEAT + + +_By_ BENJAMIN FRANKLIN + +NOTE.--When it became evident that the conflicting land-claims of the +French and English in America would admit of no peaceable settlement, a +convention of representatives from the colonies was called to consider a +union of the colonies and to find ways of establishing friendly +relations with the Indians, especially with the redoubtable Five +Nations. This convention met at Albany in 1754, and adopted a plan of +union which had been drawn up by Franklin. However, the plan, when +submitted to the colonies and to the British government, pleased no one. +The colonies rejected it because it gave too much power to the king, the +king because it gave too much power to the colonies. Franklin's own +account of what followed is here given: + +The British government, not choosing to permit the union of the colonies +as proposed at Albany, and to trust that union with their defence, lest +they should thereby grow too military and feel their own strength, +suspicions and jealousies at this time being entertained of them, sent +over General Braddock with two regiments of regular English troops for +that purpose. He landed at Alexandria, in Virginia, and thence marched +to Fredericktown, in Maryland, where he halted for carriages. Our +Assembly apprehending, from some information, that he had conceived +violent prejudices against them, as averse to the service, wished me to +wait upon him, not as from them, but as postmaster-general, under the +guise of proposing to settle with him the mode of conducting with most +celerity and certainty the despatches between him and the governors of +the several provinces, with whom he must necessarily have continual +correspondence, and of which they proposed to pay the expense. My son +accompanied me on this journey. + +We found the general at Fredericktown, waiting impatiently for the +return of those he had sent through the back parts of Maryland and +Virginia to collect wagons. I stayed with him several days, dined with +him daily, and had full opportunity of removing all his prejudices, by +the information of what the Assembly had before his arrival actually +done, and were still willing to do, to facilitate his operations. When I +was about to depart, the returns of wagons to be obtained were brought +in, by which it appeared that they amounted only to twenty-five, and not +all of those were in serviceable condition. The general and all the +officers were surprised, declared the expedition was then at an end, +being impossible, and exclaimed against the ministers for ignorantly +landing them in a country destitute of the means of conveying their +stores, baggage, etc., not less than one hundred and fifty wagons being +necessary. + +[Illustration: BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 1706-1790] + +I happened to say I thought it was a pity they had not been landed +rather in Pennsylvania, as in that country almost every farmer had his +wagon. The general eagerly laid hold of my words, and said, "Then you, +sir, who are a man of interest there, can probably procure them for us; +and I beg you will undertake it." I asked what terms were to be offered +the owners of the wagons; and I was desired to put on paper the terms +that appeared to me necessary. This I did, and they were agreed to, and +a commission and instructions accordingly prepared immediately. What +those terms were will appear in the advertisement I published as soon as +I arrived at Lancaster, which being, from the great and sudden effect it +produced, a piece of some curiosity, I shall insert it at length, as +follows: + +"ADVERTISEMENT + +"LANCASTER, April 26, 1755. + +"Whereas, one hundred and fifty wagons, with four horses to each wagon, +and fifteen hundred saddle or pack horses, are wanted for the service of +his Majesty's forces now about to rendezvous at Will's Creek, and his +excellency General Braddock having been pleased to empower me to +contract for the hire of the same, I hereby give notice that I shall +attend for that purpose at Lancaster from this day to next Wednesday +evening, and at York from next Thursday morning till Friday evening, +where I shall be ready to agree for wagons and teams, or single horses, +on the following terms, viz.: 1. That there shall be paid for each +wagon, with four good horses and a driver, fifteen shillings per diem; +and for each able horse with a pack-saddle or other saddle and +furniture, two shillings per diem; and for each able horse without a +saddle, eighteen pence per diem. 2. That pay commence from the time of +their joining the forces at Will's Creek, which must be on or before the +20th of May ensuing, and that a reasonable allowance be paid over and +above for the time necessary for their travelling to Will's Creek and +home again after their discharge. 3. Each wagon and team, and every +saddle or pack horse, is to be valued by indifferent persons chosen +between me and the owner; and in case of the loss of any wagon, team, or +other horse in the service, the price according to such valuation is to +be allowed and paid. 4. Seven days' pay is to be advanced and paid in +hand by me to the owner of each wagon and team or horse, at the time of +contracting, if required, and the remainder to be paid by General +Braddock, or by the paymaster of the army, at the time of their +discharge, or from time to time, as it shall be demanded. 5. No drivers +of wagons, or persons taking care of the hired horses, are on any +account to be called upon to do the duty of soldiers, or be otherwise +employed than in conducting or taking care of their carriages or horses. +6. All oats, Indian corn, or other forage that wagons or horses bring to +the camp, more than is necessary for the subsistence of the horses, is +to be taken for the use of the army, and a reasonable price paid for the +same. + +"Note.--My son, William Franklin, is empowered to enter into like +contracts with any person in Cumberland County. B. FRANKLIN." + +"_To the Inhabitants of the Counties of Lancaster, York, and Cumberland_ + +"FRIENDS AND COUNTRYMEN--Being occasionally at the camp at Frederick a +few days since, I found the general and officers extremely exasperated +on account of their not being supplied with horses and carriages, which +had been expected from this province, as most able to furnish them; but, +through the dissensions between our governor and Assembly, money had not +been provided, nor any steps taken for that purpose. + +"It was proposed to send an armed force immediately into these counties, +to seize as many of the best carriages and horses as should be wanted, +and compel as many persons into the service as would be necessary to +drive and take care of them. + +"I apprehend that the progress of British soldiers through these +counties on such an occasion, especially considering the temper they are +in, and their resentment against us, would be attended with many and +great inconveniences to the inhabitants, and therefore more willingly +took the trouble of trying first what might be done by fair and +equitable means. + +"The people of these back counties have lately complained to the Assembly +that a sufficient currency was wanting; you have an opportunity of +receiving and dividing among you a very considerable sum; for, if the +service of this expedition should continue, as it is more than probable +it will, for one hundred and twenty days, the hire of these wagons and +horses will amount to upward of thirty thousand pounds, which will be +paid you in silver and gold of the king's money. + +"The service will be light and easy, for the army will scarce march +above twelve miles per day, and the wagons and baggage horses, as they +carry those things that are absolutely necessary to the welfare of the +army, must march with the army, and no faster; and are, for the army's +sake, always placed where they can be most secure, whether in a march or +in a camp. + +"If you are really, as I believe you are, good and loyal subjects to his +majesty, you may now do a most acceptable service, and make it easy to +yourselves; for three or four of such as can not separately spare from +the business of their plantations a wagon and four horses and a driver, +may do it together, one furnishing the wagon, another one or two horses, +and another the driver, and divide the pay proportionately between you; +but if you do not this service to your king and country voluntarily, +when such good pay and reasonable terms are offered to you, your loyalty +will be strongly suspected. + +"The king's business must be done; so many brave troops, come so far for +your defence, must not stand idle through your backwardness to do what +may be reasonably expected from you; wagons and horses must be had; +violent measures will probably be used, and you will be left to seek a +recompense where you can find it, and your case, perhaps, be little +pitied or regarded. + +"I have no particular interest in this affair, as, except the +satisfaction of endeavoring to do good, I shall have only my labor for +my pains. + +"If this method of obtaining the wagons and horses is not likely to +succeed, I am obliged to send word to the general in fourteen days; and +I suppose Sir John St. Clair, the hussar, with a body of soldiers, will +immediately enter the province for the purpose, which I shall be sorry +to hear, because I am very sincerely and truly + +"Your friend and well-wisher, + +"B. FRANKLIN." + + +I received of the general about eight hundred pounds to be disbursed in +advance-money to the wagon owners, etc.; but that sum being +insufficient, I advanced upward of two hundred pounds more, and in two +weeks the one hundred and fifty wagons, with two hundred and fifty-nine +carrying horses, were on their march for the camp. The advertisement +promised payment according to the valuation, in case any wagon or horse +should be lost. The owners, however, alleging they did not know General +Braddock, or what dependence might be had on his promise, insisted on my +bond for the performance, which I accordingly gave them. + +While I was at the camp, supping one evening with the officers of +Colonel Dunbar's regiment, he represented to me his concern for the +subalterns, who, he said, were generally not in affluence, and could ill +afford, in this dear country, to lay in the stores that might be +necessary in so long a march, through a wilderness, where nothing was to +be purchased. + +I commiserated their case, and resolved to endeavor procuring them some +relief. I said nothing, however, to him of my intention, but wrote the +next morning to the committee of the Assembly, who had the disposition +of some public money, warmly recommending the case of these officers to +their consideration, and proposing that a present should be sent them of +necessaries and refreshments. My son, who had some experience of a camp +life, and of its wants, drew up a list for me, which I enclosed in my +letter. The committee approved, and used such diligence that, conducted +by my son, the stores arrived at the camp as soon as the wagons. They +consisted of twenty parcels, each containing-- + +6 lbs. loaf sugar. +6 lbs. good Muscovado ditto. +1 lb. good green tea. +1 lb. good bohea ditto. +6 lbs. good ground coffee. +6 lbs. chocolate. +1-2 lb. pepper. +1-2 cwt. best white biscuit. +1 quart best white wine vinegar. +1 Gloucester cheese. +1 keg containing 20 lbs. good butter. +2 doz. old Madeira wine. +2 gallons Jamaica spirits. +1 bottle flour of mustard. +2 well-cured hams. +1-2 dozen dried tongues. +6 lbs. rice. +6 lbs. raisins. + +These twenty parcels, well packed, were placed on as many horses, each +parcel, with the horse, being intended as a present for one officer. +They were very thankfully received, and the kindness acknowledged by +letters to me from the colonels of both regiments, in the most grateful +terms. The general, too, was highly satisfied with my conduct in +procuring him the wagons, etc., and readily paid my account of +disbursements, thanking me repeatedly, and requesting my further +assistance in sending provisions after him. I undertook this also, and +was busily employed in it till we heard of his defeat, advancing for the +service of my own money upward of one thousand pounds sterling, of which +I sent him an account. It came to his hands, luckily for me, a few days +before the battle, and he returned me immediately an order on the +paymaster for the round sum of one thousand pounds, leaving the +remainder to the next account. I consider this payment as good luck, +having never been able to obtain that remainder, of which more +hereafter. + +This general was, I think, a brave man, and might probably have made a +figure as a good officer in some European war. But he had too much +self-confidence, too high an opinion of the validity of regular troops, +and too mean a one of both Americans and Indians. George Croghan, our +Indian interpreter, joined him on his march with one hundred of those +people, who might have been of great use to his army as guides, scouts, +etc., if he had treated them kindly; but he slighted and neglected them, +and they gradually left him. + +In conversation with him one day, he was giving me some account of his +intended progress. "After taking Fort Duquesne," says he, "I am to +proceed to Niagara; and, having taken that, to Frontenac, if the season +will allow time; and I suppose it will, for Duquesne can hardly detain +me above three or four days; and then I see nothing that can obstruct my +march to Niagara." Having before resolved in my mind the long line his +army must make in their march by a very narrow road, to be cut for them +through the woods and bushes, and also what I had read of a former +defeat of fifteen hundred French, who invaded the Iroquois country, I +had conceived some doubts and some fears for the event of the campaign. +But I ventured only to say, "To be sure, sir, if you arrive well before +Duquesne, with these fine troops, so well provided with artillery, that +place not yet completely fortified, and as we hear with no very strong +garrison, can probably make but a short resistance. The only danger I +apprehend of obstruction to your march is from ambuscades of Indians, +who, by constant practice, are dexterous in laying and executing them; +and the slender line, near four miles long, which your army must make, +may expose it to be attacked by surprise in its flanks, and to be cut +like a thread into several pieces, which, from their distance, cannot +come up in time to support each other." + +[Illustration: ON THE MARCH] + +He smiled at my ignorance, and replied, "These savages may, indeed, be a +formidable enemy to your raw American militia, but upon the king's +regular and disciplined troops, sir, it is impossible they should make +any impression." I was conscious of an impropriety in my disputing with +a military man in matters of his profession, and said no more. The +enemy, however, did not take the advantage of his army which I +apprehended its long line of march exposed it to, but let it advance +without interruption till within nine miles of the place; and then, when +more in a body (for it had just passed a river, where the front had +halted till all were come over), and in a more open part of the woods +than any it had passed, attacked its advanced guard by a heavy fire from +behind trees and bushes, which was the first intelligence the general +had of an enemy's being near him. This guard being disordered, the +general hurried the troops up to their assistance, which was done in +great confusion, through wagons, baggage, and cattle; and presently the +fire came upon their flank: the officers, being on horseback, were more +easily distinguished, picked out as marks, and fell very fast; and the +soldiers were crowded together in a huddle, having or hearing no orders, +and standing to be shot at till two-thirds of them were killed; and +then, being seized with a panic, the whole fled with precipitation. + +[Illustration: THE AMBUSH] + + +The wagoners took each a horse out of his team and scampered; their +example was immediately followed by others; so that all the wagons, +provisions, artillery, and stores were left to the enemy. The general, +being wounded, was brought off with difficulty; his secretary, Mr. +Shirley, was killed by his side; and out of eighty-six officers, +sixty-three were killed or wounded, and seven hundred and fourteen men +killed out of eleven hundred. These eleven hundred had been picked men +from the whole army; the rest had been left behind with Colonel Dunbar, +who was to follow with the heavier part of the stores, provisions, and +baggage. The flyers, not being pursued, arrived at Dunbar's camp, and +the panic they brought with them instantly seized him and all his +people; and, though he had now above one thousand men, and the enemy who +had beaten Braddock did not at most exceed four hundred Indians and +French together, instead of proceeding, and endeavoring to recover some +of the lost honor, he ordered all the stores, ammunition, etc., to be +destroyed, that he might have more horses to assist his flight toward +the settlements, and less lumber to remove. He was there met with +requests from the governors of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, +that he would post his troops on the frontiers, so as to afford some +protection to the inhabitants; but he continued his hasty march through +all the country, not thinking himself safe till he arrived at +Philadelphia, where the inhabitants could protect him. This whole +transaction gave us Americans the first suspicion that our exalted ideas +of the prowess of British regulars had not been well founded. + +In their first march, too, from their landing till they got beyond the +settlements, they had plundered and stripped the inhabitants, totally +ruining some poor families, besides insulting, abusing, and confining +the people if they remonstrated. This was enough to put us out of +conceit of such defenders, if we had really wanted any. How different +was the conduct of our French friends in 1781, who, during a march +through the most inhabited part of our country from Rhode Island to +Virginia, near seven hundred miles, occasioned not the smallest +complaint for the loss of a pig, a chicken, or even an apple. + +Captain Orme, who was one of the general's aides-de-camp, and, being +grievously wounded, was brought off with him, and continued with him to +his death, which happened in a few days, told me that he was totally +silent all day, and at night only said, "_Who would have thought it_?" +That he was silent again the following day, saying only at last, "_We +shall better know how to deal with them another time_;" and died in a +few minutes after. + +The secretary's papers, with all the general's orders, instructions, and +correspondence, falling into the enemy's hands, they selected and +translated into French a number of the articles, which they printed, to +prove the hostile intentions of the British court before the declaration +of war. Among these I saw some letters of the general to the ministry, +speaking highly of the great service I had rendered the army, and +recommending me to their notice. David Hume, too, who was some years +after secretary to Lord Hertford, when minister in France, and afterward +to General Conway, when secretary of state, told me he had seen among +the papers in that office, letters from Braddock highly recommending me. +But the expedition having been unfortunate, my service, it seems, was +not thought of much value, for these recommendations were never of any +use to me. + +As to rewards from himself, I asked only one, which was that he would +give orders to his officers not to enlist any more of our bought +servants, and that he would discharge such as had been already enlisted. +This he readily granted, and several were accordingly returned to their +masters, on my application. Dunbar, when the command devolved on him, +was not so generous. He being at Philadelphia, on his retreat, or rather +flight, I applied to him for the discharge of the servants of three poor +farmers of Lancaster county that he had enlisted, reminding him of the +late general's orders on that head. He promised me that, if the masters +would come to him at Trenton, where he should be in a few days on his +march to New York, he would there deliver their men to them. They +accordingly were at the expense and trouble of going to Trenton, and +there he refused to perform his promise, to their great loss and +disappointment. + +As soon as the loss of the wagons and horses was generally known, all +the owners came upon me for the valuation which I had given bond to pay. +Their demands gave me a great deal of trouble, my acquainting them that +the money was ready in the paymaster's hands, but that orders for paying +it must first be obtained from General Shirley, and my assuring them +that I had applied to that general by letter, but he being at a +distance, an answer could not soon be received, and they must have +patience; all this was not sufficient to satisfy, and some began to sue +me. General Shirley at length relieved me from this terrible situation +by appointing commissioners to examine the claims, and ordering payment. +They amounted to nearly twenty thousand pounds, which to pay would have +ruined me. + +Before we had the news of this defeat, the two Doctors Bond came to me +with a subscription paper for raising money to defray the expense of a +grand firework, which it was intended to exhibit at a rejoicing on +receipt of the news of our taking Fort Duquesne. I looked grave, and +said it would, I thought, be time enough to prepare for the rejoicing +when we knew we should have occasion to rejoice. They seemed surprised +that I did not immediately comply with their proposal. "Why...!" says +one of them, "you surely don't suppose that the fort will not be taken?" +"I don't know that it will not be taken, but I know that the events of +war are subject to great uncertainty." I gave them the reasons of my +doubting; the subscription was dropped, and the projectors thereby +missed the mortification they would have undergone if the firework had +been prepared. Dr. Bond, on some other occasion afterward, said that he +did not like Franklin's forebodings. + + + + +READING HISTORY + + +Lively or exciting stories are so interesting that we are inclined to +read too many of them, and to read them too carelessly. By so doing, we +fail to get the highest pleasure reading can give, and never receive the +great benefit that is ours for the taking. If we let our arms rest idle +for a long time, they become weak and useless; if a boy takes no +exercise he cannot expect to be a strong man. So, if he reads nothing +that makes him exert his mind, he becomes a weakling in intellect and +never feels the pure delight that the man has who can read in a +masterful way a masterly selection. + +As a matter of fact, history when well written is as fascinating as any +story that ever was penned, and it has the merit of being true. +Sometimes it is a little harder to read than the light things that are +so numerously given us by magazines and story books, but no one shuns +hard work where it yields pleasure. A boy will play football or tramp +all day with a gun over his shoulder, and not think twice about the hard +work he is doing. Reading history bears about the same relation to +reading mild love stories and overdrawn adventures that football or +skating bears to stringing beads. + +Not all history is hard to read; in some of it the interest lies so +close to the surface that it grips us with the first glance. Such is the +kind we read in the beginning. The adventures of King Arthur, the Cid, +Robin Hood, and other half mythical heroes are history in the +making--the history that grew up when the world was young, and its great +men were something like overgrown boys. That is why we who have boyish +hearts like to read about them. Then Robert the Bruce, Caesar and +Alexander are more like the men of to-day and appeal a little more +strongly as we get more mature. And finally we have Washington, Lincoln, +Lee and Grant as men nearer our own time, whose lives and deeds require +our careful thought and our serious study, because they had to contend +with the same things and overcome the same obstacles that confront us. + +There is really no use in trying to tell just how and in what way +history becomes interesting, and nobody cares to read a long article +about history. What we older people would wish is merely this: that our +young friends should begin to read history and so find out for +themselves just how fascinating it is. We can perhaps give a word or two +of warning that may save much hard work and many discouragements. +Macaulay, Gibbon, Hume and others are great men, and in the tomes they +have written are pages of exciting, stimulating narrative; yet one must +read so many pages of heavy matter to find the interesting things that +it is not worth the time and exertion a young person would need to give. +On the other hand, there are writers like Parkman and Prescott who are +always readable and entertaining. + +The best way to learn to like history is to begin with such readable +things as are put into these volumes, and then follow any line of +interest that is discovered. + +Franklin's description of Braddock's defeat is interesting in itself, +and it calls attention to the French and Indian War and to the wonderful +career of Franklin himself. These are lines of interest that you may +follow out in histories or in works of reference. + + + + +THE AMERICAN FLAG + + +_By_ JOSEPH RODMAN DRAKE + + When Freedom, from her mountain height, + Unfurled her standard to the air, + She tore the azure robe of night, + And set the stars of glory there! + She mingled with its gorgeous dyes + The milky baldric of the skies, + And striped its pure, celestial white + With streakings of the morning light, + Then, from his mansion in the sun, + She called her eagle bearer down, + And gave into his mighty hand + The symbol of her chosen land! + + Majestic monarch of the cloud! + Who rear'st aloft thy regal form, + To hear the tempest-trumpings loud, + And see the lightning lances driven, + When strive the warriors of the storm, + And rolls the thunder-drum of heaven,-- + Child of the Sun! to thee 't is given + To guard the banner of the free, + To hover in the sulphur smoke, + To ward away the battle-stroke, + And bid its blendings shine afar, + Like rainbows on the cloud of war. + The harbingers of victory! + + Flag of the brave! thy folds shall fly, + The sign of hope and triumph high! + When speaks the signal-trumpet tone, + And the long line comes gleaming on, + Ere yet the life-blood; warm and wet, + Has dimmed the glistening bayonet, + Each soldier's eye shall brightly turn + To where thy sky-born glories burn, + And, as his springing steps advance, + Catch war and vengeance from the glance. + And when the cannon-mouthings loud + Heave in wild wreaths the battle shroud, + And gory sabres rise and fall + Like shoots of flame on midnight's pall, + Then shall thy meteor glances glow, + And cowering foes shall shrink beneath + Each gallant arm that strikes below + That lovely messenger of death. + + Flag of the seas! on ocean wave + Thy stars shall glitter o'er the brave; + When death, careering on the gale, + Sweeps darkly round the bellied sail, + And frighted waves rush wildly back + Before the broadside's reeling rack, + Each dying wanderer of the sea + Shall look at once to heaven and thee, + And smile to see thy splendors fly + In triumph o'er his closing eye. + + Flag of the free heart's hope and home, + By angel hands to valor given, + Thy stars have lit the welkin dome, + And all thy hues were born in heaven. + Forever float that standard sheet! + Where breathes the foe but falls before us + With Freedom's soil beneath our feet, + And Freedom's banner streaming o'er us? + +This is a poem that may need a little explanation if every one is to +appreciate it. + +How fancifully the poet tells of the origin of the flag in the first +stanza! The blue field and the stars are taken from the sky, and the +white from the milky way which stretches like a broad scarf or baldric +across the heavens. The red is from the first red streaks that in the +morning flash across the eastern skies to herald the rising sun. The +eagle, our national bird who supports the shield in our coat of arms, +had by the old legends the power to fly full in the face of the sun, and +to shield its eyes from the blaze was gifted with a third eyelid. In the +talons of this lordly bird Freedom placed our chosen banner. + +The second stanza continues the tribute to the eagle. To this regal bird +it is given to fling high among the clouds and smoke of battle our +brilliant banner, whose bright colors like the rainbow signify victory +and peace--the flag of victory, the bow of promise. + +The remainder of the lines are so clear in their meaning and so smooth +in their structure that they stir our blood with patriotic fire. + + + +BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC + + +_By_ JULIA WARD HOWE + + Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord: + He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; + He hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword. + His truth is marching on. + + I have seen him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps; + They have builded him an altar in the evening dews and damps; + I have read his righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps. + His day is marching on. + + I have read a fiery gospel, writ in burnished rows of steel: + "As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal; + Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel, + Since God is marching on." + + He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat; + He is sifting out the hearts of men before his judgment-seat: + O, be swift, my soul, to answer him! be jubilant, my feet! + Our God is marching on. + + In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea, + With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me; + As he died to make men holy, let us die to make men free, + While God is marching on. + +[Illustration] + + + + +"'STONEWALL' JACKSON'S WAY" + +_By_ J. W. PALMER + +NOTE.--Thomas J. Jackson, the great Confederate general, better known as +"Stonewall" Jackson, was loved and admired by his men not only for his +military ability, but for his personal virtues, and even for his +personal peculiarities as well. He was a deeply religious man, and never +began a battle without prayer or failed to give public thanks to God for +a victory. + +While he believed that the people through whose land he was passing, and +indeed all non-combatants, should be guarded as far as possible from the +evil results of war, he showed no compassion for the enemies sent +against him, and pushed the battle against them with all his might. His +death in 1863 was a great loss to the Confederate cause. + + + Come, stack arms, men! Pile on the rails, + Stir up the camp-fire bright; + No matter if the canteen fails, + We'll make a roaring night. + Here Shenandoah brawls along, + There burly Blue Ridge echoes strong, + To swell the brigade's rousing song + Of "'Stonewall' Jackson's way." + +[Illustration: Thomas J ("Stonewall") Jackson 1824-1863] + + We see him now--the old slouched hat + Cocked o'er his eye askew, + The shrewd, dry smile, the speech so pat, + So calm, so blunt, so true. + The "Blue-Light Elder" knows 'em well; + Says he, "That's Banks[1]--he's fond of shell, + Lord save his soul! We'll give him"--well, + That's "'Stonewall' Jackson's way." + +[Footnote 1: Nathaniel Prentiss Banks was a Federal general who was +pitted against Jackson in several engagements.] + + Silence! ground arms! kneel all! caps off! + "Old Blue-Light's" going to pray. + Strangle the fool that dares to scoff! + Attention! it's his way. + Appealing from his native sod, + "_In forma pauperis_"[2] to God-- + "Lay bare thine arm, stretch forth thy rod! + Amen!" That's "'Stonewall's way." + +[Footnote 2: _In forma pauperis_ is a Latin legal expression, meaning +_as a poor man_.] + + He's in the saddle now--Fall in! + Steady! the whole brigade! + Hill's[3] at the ford, cut off--we'll win + His way out, ball and blade! + What matter if our shoes are worn? + What matter if our feet are torn? + "Quick-step! we're with him before dawn!" + That's "'Stonewall' Jackson's way." + The sun's bright lances rout the mists + Of morning, and, by George! + Here's Longstreet[4] struggling in the lists, + Hemmed in an ugly gorge. + Pope[5] and his Yankees, whipped before,-- + "Bay'nets and grape!" hear "Stonewall" roar; + "Charge, Stuart![6] Pay off Ashby's[7] score!" + In "'Stonewall' Jackson's way." + +[Footnote 3: Ambrose P. Hill was a prominent Confederate general.] + +[Footnote 4: James Longstreet was one of the most distinguished of the +Confederate generals.] + +[Footnote 5: John Pope, the Federal general, was badly defeated by +Jackson and Robert E. Lee in the second battle of Bull Run, August 29 +and 30, 1862.] + +[Footnote 6: James E. B. Stuart, a cavalry leader in the Confederate +army, took a prominent part in the second battle of Bull Run, and was +with Jackson in other engagements.] + +[Footnote 7: Turner Ashby, a Confederate general, had greatly aided +Jackson by covering the latter's retreat before General Banks. He was +killed in a skirmish in June, 1862.] + +Ah! maiden, wait and watch and yearn + For news of "Stonewall's" band! + Ah! widow, read with eyes that burn + That ring upon thy hand. + Ah! wife, sew on, pray on, hope on! + Thy life shall not be all forlorn; + The foe had better ne'er been born + That gets in "'Stonewall's' way." + + + + + +BARON MUNCHAUSEN + + +INTRODUCTION + +Collected in a book called _The Travels of Baron Munchausen_ is a series +of the most extravagant stories imaginable. No one can possibly believe +them to be true, and yet when we are reading them they do not appear so +absurdly ridiculous as they seem afterward when we think of them. The +book is said to have been written by a German named Rudolph Erich Raspe, +but we cannot be sure of it, as there are no proofs. It is said, too, +that there was a German officer, a Baron Hieronymous Karl Friedrich +Munchausen who lived in the early part of the eighteenth century and who +told such marvelous stories that he was very popular among his fellow +officers and that his stories have been collected in a book. The book +appeared first in 1793, and some have believed that it was written to +ridicule the books of travel which had appeared from time to time, some +of which contained narratives not much less incredible than some of the +Baron's fanciful tales. It is probable, however, that the book is merely +a collection of very old stories with many newer ones included among +them, and that it was written solely for entertainment. + +The Baron always insists upon the strict truthfulness and accuracy of +his stories and grows quite indignant when his veracity is questioned. +To verify his words he printed the following notice at the beginning of +his book: + +_TO THE PUBLIC:_--Having heard, for the first time, that my adventures +have been doubted, and looked upon as jokes, I feel bound to come +forward, and vindicate my character _for veracity_, by paying three +shillings at the Mansion House of this great city for the affidavits +hereto appended. + +This I have been forced into in regard of my own honor, although I have +retired for many years from public and private life; and I hope that +this, my last edition, will place me in a proper light with my readers. + +AT THE CITY OF LONDON, ENGLAND + +We, the undersigned, as true believers in the _profit_, do most solemnly +affirm, that all the adventures of our friend Baron Munchausen, in +whatever country they may _lie_, are positive and simple facts. _And_, +as we have been believed, whose adventures are tenfold more wonderful, +_so_ do we hope all true believers will give him their full faith and +credence. + +GULLIVER. + +SINBAD. + +ALADDIN. + +_Sworn at the Mansion House 9th November last, in the absence of the +Lord Mayor_. + +JOHN (_the Porter_). + +In this volume a few of his most amusing stories are printed--all, +perhaps, that it is worth while to read. + + + +I + + +Some years before my beard announced approaching manhood, or, in other +words, when I was neither man nor boy, but between both, I expressed in +repeated conversations a strong desire of seeing the world, from which I +was discouraged by my parents, though my father had been no +inconsiderable traveler himself, as will appear before I have reached +the end of my singular, and, I may add, interesting adventures. A +cousin, by my mother's side, took a liking to me, often said I was a +fine, forward youth, and was much inclined to gratify my curiosity. His +eloquence had more effect than mine, for my father consented to my +accompanying him in a voyage to the island of Ceylon, where his uncle +had resided as governor many years. + +We sailed from Amsterdam with despatches from their High Mightinesses +the States of Holland. The only circumstance which happened on our +voyage worth relating was the wonderful effects of a storm, which had +torn up by the roots a great number of trees of enormous bulk and +height, in an island where we lay at anchor to take in wood and water; +some of these trees weighed many tons, yet they were carried by the wind +so amazingly high that they appeared like the feathers of small birds +floating in the air, for they were at least five miles above the earth: +however, as soon as the storm subsided they all fell perpendicularly +into their respective places, and took root again, except the largest, +which happened, when it was blown into the air, to have a man and his +wife, a very honest old couple, upon its branches, gathering cucumbers +(in this part of the globe that useful vegetable grows upon trees): the +weight of this couple, as the tree descended, overbalanced the trunk, +and brought it down in a horizontal position: it fell upon the chief man +of the island, and killed him on the spot; he had quitted his house in +the storm, under an apprehension of its falling upon him, and was +returning through his own garden when this fortunate accident happened. +The word fortunate here requires some explanation. This chief was a man +of a very avaricious and oppressive disposition, and though he had no +family, the natives of the island were half starved by his oppressive +and infamous impositions. + +The very goods which he had thus taken from them were spoiling in his +stores, while the poor wretches from whom they were plundered were +pining in poverty. Though the destruction of this tyrant was accidental, +the people chose the cucumber-gatherers for their governors, as a mark +of their gratitude for destroying, though accidentally, their late +tyrant. + +After we had repaired the damages we sustained in this remarkable storm, +and taken leave of the new governor and his lady, we sailed with a fair +wind for the object of our voyage. + +In about six weeks we arrived at Ceylon, where we were received with +great marks of friendship and true politeness. The following singular +adventures may not prove unentertaining. + +After we had resided at Ceylon about a fortnight I accompanied one of +the governor's brothers upon a shooting party. He was a strong, athletic +man, and being used to that climate (for he had resided there some +years), he bore the violent heat of the sun much better than I could; in +our excursion he had made a considerable progress through a thick wood +when I was only at the entrance. + +Near the banks of a large piece of water, which had engaged my +attention, I thought I heard a rustling noise behind; on turning about I +was almost petrified (as who would not be?) at the sight of a lion, +which was evidently approaching with the intention of satisfying his +appetite with my poor carcass, and that without asking my consent. What +was to be done in this horrible dilemma? I had not even a moment for +reflection; my piece was only charged with swan-shot, and I had no other +about me; however, though I could have no idea of killing such an animal +with that weak kind of ammunition, yet I had some hopes of frightening +him by the report, and perhaps of wounding him also. I immediately let +fly, without waiting till he was within reach, and the report did but +enrage him, for he now quickened his pace, and seemed to approach me +full speed: I attempted to escape, but that only added (if an addition +could be made) to my distress; for the moment I turned about, I found a +large crocodile, with his mouth extended almost ready to receive me. On +my right hand was the piece of water before mentioned, and on my left a +deep precipice, said to have, as I have since learned, a receptacle at +the bottom for venomous creatures; in short, I gave myself up as lost, +for the lion was now upon his hind legs, just in the act of seizing me; +I fell involuntarily to the ground with fear, and, as it afterwards +appeared, he sprang over me. I lay some time in a situation which no +language can describe, expecting to feel his teeth or talons in some +part of me every moment. After waiting in this prostrate situation a few +seconds I heard a violent but unusual noise, different from any sound +that had ever before assailed my ears; nor is it at all to be wondered +at, when I inform you from whence it proceeded: after listening for some +time I ventured to raise my head and look round, when, to my unspeakable +joy, I perceived the lion had, by the eagerness with which he sprung at +me, jumped forward as I fell, into the crocodile's mouth! which, as +before observed, was wide open; the head of the one stuck in the throat +of the other! and they were struggling to extricate themselves! I +fortunately recollected my hunting knife, which was by my side; with +this instrument I severed the lion's head at one blow, and the body fell +at my feet! I then, with the butt end of my fowling piece, rammed the +head farther into the throat of the crocodile, and destroyed him by +suffocation, for he could neither gorge nor eject it. + +[Illustration: THE LION HAD JUMPED INTO THE CROCODILE'S MOUTH] + +Soon after I had thus gained a complete victory over my two powerful +adversaries, my companion arrived in search of me; for finding I did not +follow him into the wood, he returned, apprehending I had lost my way, +or met with some accident. + +After mutual congratulations we measured the crocodile, which was just +forty feet in length. + +As soon as we had related this extraordinary adventure to the governor, +he sent a wagon and servants who brought home the two carcasses. The +lion's skin was properly preserved with the hair on, after which it was +made into tobacco pouches and presented by me, upon our return to +Holland, to the burgomasters, who in return requested my acceptance of a +thousand ducats. + +The skin of the crocodile was stuffed in the usual manner, and makes a +capital article in their public museum at Amsterdam, where the exhibitor +relates the whole story to each spectator, with such additions as he +thinks proper. + + + + +II + + +I set off from Rome on a journey to Russia, in the midst of winter, from +a just notion that frost and snow must of course mend the roads, which +every traveler had described as uncommonly bad through the northern +parts of Germany, Poland, Courland, and Livonia. I went on horseback, as +the most convenient manner of traveling: I was but lightly clothed, and +of this I felt the inconvenience the more I advanced northeast. What +must not a poor old man have suffered in that severe weather and +climate, whom I saw on a bleak common in Poland, lying on the road, +helpless, shivering and hardly having wherewithal to cover his +nakedness? I pitied the poor soul: though I felt the severity of the air +myself, I threw my mantle over him, and immediately I heard a voice from +the heavens blessing me for that piece of charity, saying, "You will be +rewarded, my son, for this in time." + +I went on: night and darkness overtook me. No village was to be seen. +The country was covered with snow, and I was unacquainted with the road. + +Tired, I alighted and fastened my horse to something like a pointed +stump of a tree, which appeared above the snow; for the sake of safety I +placed my pistols under my arm, and lay down on the snow, where I slept +so soundly that I did not open my eyes till full daylight. It is not +easy to conceive my astonishment to find myself in the midst of a +village, lying in a churchyard; nor was my horse to be seen, but I heard +him soon after neigh somewhere above me. On looking upwards I beheld him +hanging by his bridle to the weathercock of the steeple. Matters were +now very plain to me: the village had been covered with snow over night; +a sudden change of weather had taken place; I had sunk down to the +churchyard whilst asleep, gently, and in the same proportion as the snow +had melted away; and what in the dark I had taken to be a stump of a +little tree appearing above the snow, to which I had tied my horse, +proved to have been the cross or weathercock of the steeple! + +Without long consideration, I took one of my pistols, shot the bridle in +two, brought down the horse, and proceeded on my journey. + + + +III + + +For several months (as it was some time before I could obtain a +commission in the army) I was perfectly at liberty to sport away my time +and money in the most gentlemanlike manner. You may easily imagine that +I spent much of both out of town with such gallant fellows as knew how +to make the most of an open forest country. The very recollection of +those amusements gives me fresh spirits, and creates a warm wish for a +repetition of them. One morning I saw, through the windows of my +bedroom, that a large pond not far off was covered with wild ducks. In +an instant I took my gun from the corner, ran downstairs, and out of the +house in such a hurry that I imprudently struck my face against the +doorpost. Fire flew out of my eyes, but it did not prevent my intention; +I soon came within shot, when, leveling my piece, I observed to my +sorrow, that even the flint had sprung from the cock by the violence of +the shock I had just received. There was no time to be lost. I presently +remembered the effect it had on my eyes, therefore opened the pan, +leveled my piece against the wild fowls, and my fist against one of my +eyes. A hearty blow drew sparks again; the shot went off, and I killed +fifty brace of ducks, twenty widgeons, and three couple of teals. + + + + +IV + + +I dare say you have heard of the hunter and sportsman's saint and +protector, Saint Hubert, and of the noble stag which appeared to him in +the forest, with the holy cross between his antlers. I have paid my +homage to that saint every year in good fellowship, and seen this stag a +thousand times either painted in churches, or embroidered in the stars +of his knights; so that, upon the honor and conscience of a good +sportsman, I hardly know whether there may not have been formerly, or +whether there are not such crossed stags even at this present day. But +let me rather tell what I have seen myself. Having one day spent all my +shot, I found myself unexpectedly in presence of a stately stag, looking +at me as unconcernedly as if he had known of my empty pouches. I charged +immediately with powder, and upon it a good handful of cherrystones, for +I had sucked the fruit as far as the hurry would permit. Thus I let fly +at him, and hit him just on the middle of the forehead between his +antlers; it stunned him--he staggered--yet he made off. A year or two +after, being with a party in the same forest, I beheld a noble stag with +a fine full-grown cherry tree above ten feet high between his antlers. I +immediately recollected my former adventure, looked upon him as my +property, and brought him to the ground by one shot, which at once gave +me the haunch and cherry sauce; for the tree was covered with the +richest fruit, the like I had never tasted before. Who knows but some +passionate holy sportsman, or sporting abbot or bishop may have shot, +planted and fixed the cross between the antlers of Saint Hubert's stag, +in a manner similar to this? + +[Illustration: I BEHELD A NOBLE STAG] + + +V + + +I remember with pleasure and tenderness a superb Lithuanian horse, which +no money could have bought. He became mine by an accident, which gave me +an opportunity of showing my horsemanship to a great advantage. I was at +Count Przobossky's noble country seat in Lithuania, and remained with +the ladies at tea in the drawing-room, while the gentlemen were down in +the yard to see a young horse of blood which had just arrived from the +stud. We suddenly heard a noise of distress; I hastened downstairs, and +found the horse so unruly that nobody durst approach or mount him. The +most resolute horsemen stood dismayed and aghast; despondency was +expressed in every countenance, when, in one leap, I was on his back, +took him by surprise, and worked him quite into gentleness and +obedience, with the best display of horsemanship I was master of. Fully +to show this to the ladies, and save them unnecessary trouble, I forced +him to leap in at one of the open windows of the tea room, walk round +several times, pace, trot, and gallop, and at last made him mount the +tea table, there to repeat his lessons in a pretty style of miniature +which was exceedingly pleasing to the ladies, for he performed them +amazingly well, and did not break either cup or saucer. It placed me so +high in their opinion, and so well in that of the noble lord, that, with +his usual politeness, he begged I would accept of this young horse, and +ride him to conquest and honor in the campaign against the Turks, which +was soon to be opened, under the command of Count Munich. + +We had very hot work once in the van of the army, when we drove the +Turks into Oczakow. My spirited Lithuanian had almost brought me into a +scrape: I had an advanced forepost, and saw the enemy coming against me +in a cloud of dust, which left me rather uncertain about their actual +numbers and real intentions: to wrap myself up in a similar cloud was +common prudence, but would not have much advanced my knowledge, or +answered the end for which I had been sent out; therefore I let my +flankers on both wings spread to the right and left, and make what dust +they could, and I myself led on straight upon the enemy, to have a +nearer sight of them; in this I was gratified, for they stood and +fought, till, for fear of my flankers, they began to move off rather +disorderly. This was the moment to fall upon them with spirit; we broke +them entirely--made a terrible havoc amongst them, and drove them not +only back to a walled town in their rear, but even through it, contrary +to our most sanguine expectation. + +The swiftness of my Lithuanian enabled me to be foremost in the pursuit; +and seeing the enemy fairly flying through the opposite gate, I thought +it would be prudent to stop in the market place, to order the men to +rendezvous. I stopped, gentlemen; but judge of my astonishment when in +this market place I saw not one of my hussars about me! Are they +scouring the other streets? or what is become of them? They could not be +far off, and must, at all events, soon join me. In that expectation I +walked my panting Lithuanian to a spring in this market place, and let +him drink. He drank uncommonly, with an eagerness not to be satisfied, +but natural enough; for when I looked round for my men, what should I +see, gentlemen! the hind part of the poor creature--croup and legs--were +missing, as if he had been cut in two, and the water ran out as it came +in, without refreshing or doing him any good! How it could have happened +was quite a mystery to me, till I returned with him to the town gate. +There I saw that when I rushed in pell-mell with the flying enemy, they +had dropped the portcullis (a heavy falling door, with sharp spikes at +the bottom, let down suddenly to prevent the entrance of an enemy into a +fortified town) unperceived by me, which had totally cut off his hind +part, that still lay quivering on the outside of the gate. It would have +been an irreparable loss, had not our farrier contrived to bring both +parts together while hot. He sewed them up with sprigs and young shoots +of laurels that were at hand; the wound healed, and, what could not have +happened but to so glorious a horse, the sprigs took root in his body, +grew up, and formed a bower over me; so that afterwards I could go upon +many other expeditions in the shade of my own and my horse's laurels. + +[Illustration: THE HIND PART OF THE POOR CREATURE WAS MISSING] + + + +VI + + +Success was not always with me. I had the misfortune to be overpowered +by numbers, to be made prisoner of war; and, what is worse, but always +usual among the Turks, to be sold for a slave. In that state of +humiliation my daily task was not very hard and laborious, but rather +singular and irksome. It was to drive the Sultan's bees every morning to +their pasture grounds, to attend them all day long, and against night to +drive them back to their hives. One evening I missed a bee, and soon +observed that two bears had fallen upon her to tear her to pieces for +the honey she carried. I had nothing like an offensive weapon in my +hands but the silver hatchet, which is the badge of the Sultan's +gardeners and farmers. I threw it at the robbers, with an intention to +frighten them away, and set the poor bee at liberty; but, by an unlucky +turn of my arm, it flew upwards, and continued rising till it reached +the moon. How should I recover it? how fetch it down again? I +recollected that Turkey-beans grow very quick, and run up to an +astonishing height. I planted one immediately; it grew, and actually +fastened itself to one of the moon's horns. I had no more to do now but +to climb up by it into the moon, where I safely arrived, and had a +troublesome piece of business before I could find my silver hatchet, in +a place where everything has the brightness of silver; at last, however, +I found it in a heap of chaff and chopped straw. I was now for +returning: but, alas! the heat of the sun had dried up my bean; it was +totally useless for my descent; so I fell to work and twisted me a rope +of that chopped straw, as long and as well as I could make it. This I +fastened to one of the moon's horns, and slid down to the end of it. +Here I held myself fast with the left hand, and with the hatchet in my +right, I cut the long, now useless end of the upper part, which, when +tied to the lower end, brought me a good deal lower: this repeated +splicing and tying of the rope did not improve its quality, or bring me +down to the Sultan's farm. I was four or five miles from the earth at +least when it broke; I fell to the ground with such amazing violence +that I found myself stunned, and in a hole nine fathoms deep at least, +made by the weight of my body falling from so great a height: I +recovered, but knew not how to get out again; however, I dug slopes or +steps with my finger-nails, and easily accomplished it. + +Peace was soon after concluded with the Turks, and gaining my liberty I +left Saint Petersburg at the time of that singular revolution, when the +emperor in his cradle, his mother, the Duke of Brunswick, her father, +Field-Marshal Munich, and many others were sent to Siberia. The winter +was then so uncommonly severe all over Europe that ever since the sun +seems to be frost-bitten. At my return to this place I felt on the road +greater inconveniences than those I had experienced on my setting out. + +I traveled post, and finding myself in a narrow lane, bade the postilion +give a signal with his horn, that other travelers might not meet us in +the narrow passage. He blew with all his might; but his endeavors were +in vain; he could not make the horn sound, which was unaccountable, and +rather unfortunate, for soon after we found ourselves in the presence of +another coach coming the other way: there was no proceeding; however, I +got out of my carriage, and being pretty strong, placed it, wheels and +all, upon my head: I then jumped over a hedge about nine feet high +(which, considering the weight of the coach, was rather difficult) into +a field, and came out again by another jump into the road beyond the +other carriage: I then went back for the horses, and placing one upon my +head, and the other under my left arm, by the same means brought them to +my coach, put to, and proceeded to an inn at the end of our stage. I +should have told you that the horse under my arm was very spirited, and +not above four years old; in making my second spring over the hedge, he +expressed great dislike to that violent kind of motion by kicking and +snorting; however, I confined his hind legs by putting them into my coat +pocket. After we arrived at the inn my postilion and I refreshed +ourselves; he hung his horn on a peg near the kitchen fire; I sat on the +other side. + +Suddenly we heard a _tereng! tereng! teng! teng!_ We looked round, and +now found the reason why the postilion had not been able to sound his +horn; his tunes were frozen up in the horn, and came out now by thawing, +plain enough, and much to the credit of the driver; so that the honest +fellow entertained us for some time with a variety of tunes, without +putting his mouth to the horn--The King of Prussia's March--Over the +Hill and over the Dale--with many other favorite tunes; at length the +thawing entertainment concluded, as I shall this short account of my +Russian travels. + + + +VII + + +I embarked at Portsmouth, in a first-rate English man-of-war, of one +hundred guns, and fourteen hundred men, for North America. Nothing worth +relating happened till we arrived within three hundred leagues of the +river Saint Lawrence when the ship struck with amazing force against (as +we supposed) a rock; however, upon heaving the lead, we could find no +bottom, even with three hundred fathom. What made this circumstance the +more wonderful, and indeed beyond all comprehension, was, that the +violence of the shock was such that we lost our rudder, broke our +bow-sprit in the middle, and split all our masts from top to bottom, two +of which went by the board; a poor fellow, who was aloft, furling the +main-sheet, was flung at least three leagues from the ship; but he +fortunately saved his life by laying hold of the tail of a large +sea-gull, who brought him back, and lodged him on the very spot from +whence he was thrown. Another proof of the violence of the shock was the +force with which the people between decks were driven against the floors +above them; my head particularly was pressed into my stomach, where it +continued some months before it recovered its natural situation. Whilst +we were all in a state of astonishment at the general and unaccountable +confusion in which we were involved, the whole was suddenly explained by +the appearance of a large whale, who had been basking, asleep, within +sixteen feet of the surface of the water. This animal was so much +displeased with the disturbance which our ship had given him, for in our +passage we had with our rudder scratched his nose, that he beat in all +the gallery and part of the quarter deck with his tail, and almost at +the same instant took the main-sheet anchor, which was suspended, as it +usually is, from the head, between his teeth, and ran away with the +ship, at least sixty leagues, at the rate of twelve leagues an hour, +when fortunately the cable broke, and we lost both the whale and the +anchor. However, upon our return to Europe, some months after, we found +the same whale within a few leagues of the same spot, floating dead upon +the water; it measured above half a mile in length. As we could take but +a small quantity of such a monstrous animal on board, we got our boats +out, and with much difficulty cut off his head, where, to our great joy, +we found the anchor, and above forty fathom of the cable concealed on +the left side of his mouth, just under his tongue. (Perhaps this was the +cause of his death, as that side of his tongue was much swelled, with a +great degree of inflammation.) This was the only extraordinary +circumstance of this voyage. + + + + +VIII + + +We all remember Captain Phipp's (now Lord Mulgrave) last voyage of +discovery to the north. I accompanied the Captain, not as an officer, +but a private friend. When we arrived in a high northern latitude I was +viewing the objects around me with the telescope, when I thought I saw +two large white bears in violent action upon a body of ice considerably +above the masts, and about half a league distant. I immediately took my +carbine, slung it across my shoulder, and ascended the ice. When I +arrived at the top, the unevenness of the surface made my approach to +those animals troublesome and hazardous beyond expression: sometimes +hideous cavities opposed me, which I was obliged to spring over; in +other parts the surface was as smooth as a mirror, and I was continually +falling: as I approached near enough to reach them, I found they were +only at play. I immediately began to calculate the value of their skins, +for they were each as large as a well-fed ox: unfortunately the very +instant I was presenting my carbine my right foot slipped, and I fell +upon my back, and the violence of the blow deprived me totally of my +senses for nearly half an hour; however, when I recovered, judge of my +surprise at finding one of those large animals I have just been +describing had turned me upon my face, and was just laying hold of the +waistband of my breeches, which were then new and made of leather: he +was certainly going to carry me feet foremost, God knows where, when I +took this knife (showing a large clasp knife) out of my side pocket, +made a chop at one of his hind feet, and cut off three of his toes; he +immediately let me drop, and roared most horribly. I took up my carbine, +and fired at him as he ran off; he fell directly. The noise of the piece +roused several thousands of these white bears, who were asleep upon the +ice within half a mile of me; they came immediately to the spot. There +was no time to be lost. A most fortunate thought arrived in my +pericranium just at that instant. I took off the skin and head of the +dead bear in half the time that some people would be in skinning a +rabbit, and wrapped myself in it, placing my own head directly under +bruin's; the whole herd came round me immediately, and my apprehensions +threw me into a most piteous situation to be sure: however, my scheme +turned out a most admirable one for my own safety. They all came +smelling, and evidently took me for a brother bruin: I wanted nothing +but bulk to make an excellent counterfeit: however, I saw several cubs +amongst them not much larger than myself. After they had all smelt me, +and the body of their deceased companion, whose skin was now become my +protector, we seemed very sociable, and I found I could mimic all their +actions tolerably well; but at growling, roaring, and hugging, they were +quite my masters. I began now to think how I might turn the general +confidence which I had created amongst these animals to my advantage. + +I had heard an old army surgeon say a wound in the spine was instant +death. I now determined to try the experiment, and had again recourse to +my knife, with which I struck the largest in the back of the neck, near +the shoulders, but under great apprehensions, not doubting but the +creature would, if he survived the stab, tear me to pieces. However, I +was remarkably fortunate, for he fell dead at my feet without making the +least noise. I was now resolved to demolish them every one in the same +manner, which I accomplished without the least difficulty; for, although +they saw their companions fall, they had no suspicion of either the +cause or the effect. When they all lay dead before me, I felt myself a +second Samson, having slain my thousands. + +To make short of the story, I went back to the ship, and borrowed three +parts of the crew to assist me in skinning them, and carrying the hams +on board, which we did in a few hours, and loaded the ship with them. As +to the other parts of the animals, they were thrown into the sea, though +I doubt not but the whole would eat as well as the legs, were they +properly cured. + + * * * * * + +IX + +I have already informed you of one trip I have made to the moon in +search of my silver hatchet: I afterwards made another in a much +pleasanter manner, and stayed in it long enough to take notice of +several things, which I will endeavor to describe as accurately as my +memory will permit. + +I went on a voyage of discovery at the request of a distant relation, +who had a strange notion that there were people to be found equal in +magnitude to those described by Gulliver in the empire of Brobdingnag. +For my part I always treated that account as fabulous; however, to +oblige him, for he had made me his heir, I undertook it, and sailed for +the South Seas, where we arrived without meeting with anything +remarkable, except some flying men and women who were playing at +leapfrog, and dancing minuets in the air. + +On the eighteenth day, after we had passed the island of Otaheite, a +hurricane blew our ship at least one thousand leagues above the surface +of the water, and kept it at that height till a fresh gale arising +filled the sails in every part, and onwards we traveled at a prodigious +rate; thus we proceeded above the clouds for six weeks. At last we +discovered a great land in the sky, like a shining island, round and +bright, where, coming into a convenient harbor, we went on shore, and +soon found it was inhabited. Below us we saw another earth, containing +cities, trees, mountains, rivers, seas, etc., which we conjectured was +this world, which we had left. Here we saw huge figures riding upon +vultures of a prodigious size, and each of them having three heads. To +form some idea of the magnitude of these birds, I must inform you that +each of their wings is as wide and six times the length of the +main-sheet of our vessel, which was about six hundred tons burden. Thus, +instead of riding upon horses, as we do in this world, the inhabitants +of the moon (for we now found we were in Madam Luna) fly about on these +birds. The king, we found, was engaged in a war with the sun, and he +offered me a commission, but I declined the honor his majesty intended +me. Everything in _this_ world is of extraordinary magnitude! a common +flea being much larger than one of our sheep: in making war their +principal weapons are radishes, which are used as darts: those who are +wounded by them die immediately. Their shields are made of mushrooms, +and their darts (when radishes are out of season) of the tops of +asparagus. Some of the natives of the dog-star are to be seen here; +commerce tempts them to ramble; and their faces are like large +mastiffs', with their eyes near the lower end or tip of their noses: +they have no eyelids, but cover their eyes with the end of their tongues +when they go to sleep; they are generally twenty feet high. As to the +natives of the moon; none of them are less in stature than thirty-six +feet: they are not called the human species, but the cooking animals, +for they all dress their food by fire, as we do, but lose no time at +their meals, as they open their left side, and place the whole quantity +at once in their stomach, then shut it again till the same day in the +next month; for they never indulge themselves with food more than twelve +times a year, or once a month. All but gluttons and epicures must prefer +this method to ours. + +There is but one sex either of the cooking or any other animals in the +moon; they are all produced from trees of various sizes and foliage; +that which produces the cooking animal, or human species, is much more +beautiful than any of the others; it has large, straight boughs and +flesh-colored leaves, and the fruit it produces are nuts or pods, with +hard shells, at least two yards long; when they become ripe, which is +known from their changing color, they are gathered with great care, and +laid by as long as they think proper; when they choose to animate the +seed of these nuts, they throw them into a large cauldron of boiling +water, which opens the shells in a few hours, and out jumps the +creature. + +Nature forms their minds for different pursuits before they come into +the world; from one shell comes forth a warrior, from another a +philosopher, from a third a divine, from a fourth a lawyer, from a fifth +a farmer, from a sixth a clown, etc., etc., and all of them immediately +begin to perfect themselves by practicing what they before knew only in +theory. + +When they grown old they do not die, but turn into air and dissolve like +smoke! As for their drink, they need none. They have but one finger upon +each hand, with which they perform everything in as perfect a manner as +we do who have four besides the thumb. Their heads are placed under +their right arm, and when they are going to travel or about any violent +exercise, they generally leave them at home, for they can consult them +at any distance: this is a very common practice; and when those of rank +or quality among the Lunarians have an inclination to see what's going +forward among the common people, they stay at home, i.e., the body stays +at home and sends the head only, which is suffered to be present +_incog._, and return at pleasure with an account of what has passed. + +[Illustration: WARRIORS OF THE MOON] + +Their eyes they can take in and out of their places when they please, +and can see as well with them in their hand as in their heads! and if by +any accident they lose or damage one, they can borrow or purchase +another, and see as clearly with it as their own. Dealers in eyes are on +that account very numerous in most parts of the moon, and in this +article alone all the inhabitants are whimsical: sometimes green and +sometimes yellow eyes are the fashion. I know these things appear +strange; but if the shadow of a doubt can remain on any person's mind, I +say, let him take a voyage there himself, and then he will know I am a +traveler of veracity. + + * * * * * + +X + + +During the early part of his present Majesty's reign I had some business +with a distant relation who then lived on the Isle of Thanet; it was a +family dispute, and not likely to be finished soon. I made it a practice +during my residence there, the weather being fine, to walk out every +morning. After a few of these excursions, I observed an object upon a +great eminence about three miles distant: I extended my walk to it, and +found the ruins of an ancient temple: I approached it with admiration +and astonishment; the traces of grandeur and magnificence which yet +remained were evident proofs of its former splendor: here I could not +help lamenting the ravages and devastations of time, of which that once +noble structure exhibited such a melancholy proof. I walked round it +several times, meditating on the fleeting and transitory nature of all +terrestrial things; on the eastern end were the remains of a lofty +tower, near forty feet high, overgrown with ivy, the top apparently +flat; I surveyed it on every side very minutely, thinking that if I +could gain its summit I should enjoy the most delightful prospect of the +circumjacent country. Animated with this hope, I resolved, if possible, +to gain the summit, which I at length effected by means of the ivy, +though not without great difficulty and danger; the top I found covered +with this evergreen, except a large chasm in the middle. After I had +surveyed with pleasing wonder the beauties of art and nature that +conspired to enrich the scene, curiosity prompted me to sound the +opening in the middle, in order to ascertain its depth, as I entertained +a suspicion that it might probably communicate with some unexplored +subterranean cavern in the hill; but having no line, I was at a loss how +to proceed. After revolving the matter in my thoughts for some time, I +resolved to drop a stone down and listen to the echo; having found one +that answered my purpose, I placed myself over the hole, with one foot +on each side, and stooping down to listen, I dropped the stone, which I +had no sooner done than I heard a rustling below, and suddenly a +monstrous eagle put up its head right opposite my face, and rising up +with irresistible force, carried me away, seated on its shoulders: I +instantly grasped it around the neck, which was large enough to fill my +arms, and its wings, when extended, were ten yards from one extremity to +the other. As it rose with a regular ascent, my seat was perfectly easy, +and I enjoyed the prospect below with inexpressible pleasure. It hovered +over Margate for some time, was seen by several people, and many shots +were fired at it; one ball hit the heel of my shoe, but did me no +injury. It then directed its course to Dover Cliff, where it alighted, +and I thought of dismounting, but was prevented by a sudden discharge of +musketry from a party of marines that were exercising on the beach; the +balls flew about my head, and rattled on the feathers of the eagle like +hailstones, yet I could not perceive it had received any injury. It +instantly reascended and flew over the sea towards Calais, but so very +high that the Channel seemed to be no broader than the Thames at London +Bridge. In a quarter of an hour I found myself over a thick wood in +France, when the eagle descended very rapidly, which caused me to slip +down to the back part of its head; but as it alighted on a large tree, +and raised its head, I recovered my seat as before, but saw no +possibility of disengaging myself without the danger of being killed by +the fall; so I determined to sit fast, thinking it would carry me to the +Alps, or some other high mountain, where I could dismount without any +danger. After resting a few minutes it took wing, flew several times +round the wood, and screamed loud enough to be heard across the English +Channel. In a few minutes one of the same species arose out of the wood, +and flew directly towards us; it surveyed me with evident marks of +displeasure, and came very near me. After flying several times round, +they both directed their course to the southwest. I soon observed that +the one I rode upon could not keep pace with the other, but inclined +towards the earth, on account of my weight; its companion perceiving +this, turned round and placed itself in such a position that the other +could rest its head on its rump; in this manner they proceeded till +noon, when I saw the rock of Gibraltar very distinctly. The day being +clear, the earth's surface appeared just like a map, where land, sea, +lakes, rivers, mountains, and the like were perfectly distinguishable; +and having some knowledge of geography, I was at no loss to determine +what part of the globe I was in. + +While I was contemplating this wonderful prospect a dreadful howling +suddenly began all around me, and in a moment I was invested by +thousands of small black, deformed, frightful-looking creatures, who +pressed me on all sides in such a manner that I could neither move hand +nor foot; but I had not been in their possession more than ten minutes +when I heard the most delightful music that can possibly be imagined, +which was suddenly changed into a noise the most awful and tremendous, +to which the report of a cannon, or the loudest claps of thunder could +bear no more proportion than the gentle zephyrs of the evening to the +most dreadful hurricane; but the shortness of its duration prevented all +those fatal effects which a prolongation of it would certainly have been +attended with. + +The music commenced, and I saw a great number of the most beautiful +little creatures seize the other party, and throw them with great +violence into something like a snuffbox, which they shut down, and one +threw it away with incredible velocity; then turning to me, he said they +whom he had secured were a party of devils, who had wandered from their +proper habitation; and that the vehicle in which they were inclosed +would fly with unabating rapidity for ten thousand years, when it would +burst of its own accord, and the devils would recover their liberty and +faculties, as at the present moment. He had no sooner finished this +relation than the music ceased, and they all disappeared, leaving me in +a state of mind bordering on the confines of despair. + +When I had recomposed myself a little, I looked before me with +inexpressible pleasure, and observed that the eagles were preparing to +light on the peak of Teneriffe: they descended to the top of a rock, but +seeing no possible means of escape if I dismounted, I determined to +remain where I was. The eagles sat down seemingly fatigued, when the +heat of the sun soon caused them both to fall asleep, nor did I long +resist its fascinating power. In the cool of the evening, when the sun +had retired below the horizon, I was aroused from sleep by the eagle +moving under me; and have stretched myself along its back, I sat up, and +reassumed my traveling position, when they both took wing, and having +placed themselves as before, directed their course to South America. The +moon shining bright during the whole night, I had a fine view of all the +islands in those seas. + +About the break of day we reached the great continent of America, that +part called Terra-Firma, and descended on the top of a very high +mountain. At this time, the moon, far distant in the west, and obscured +by dark clouds, but just afforded light sufficient for me to discover a +kind of shrubbery all around bearing fruit something like cabbages, +which the eagles began to feed on very eagerly. I endeavored to discover +my situation, but fogs and passing clouds involved me in the thickest +darkness, and what rendered the scene still more shocking was the +tremendous howling of wild beasts, some of which appeared to be very +near: however, I determined to keep my seat, imagining that the eagle +would carry me away if any of them should make a hostile attempt. When +daylight began to appear I thought of examining the fruit which I had +seen the eagles eat, and as some was hanging which I could easily come +at, I took out my knife and cut a slice; but how great was my surprise +to see that it had all the appearance of roast beef regularly mixed, +both fat and lean! I tasted it, and found it well-flavored and +delicious, then cut several large slices, and put in my pocket, where I +found a crust of bread which I had brought from Margate; took it out, +and found three musket-balls that had been lodged in it on Dover Cliff. +I extracted them, and cutting a few slices more, made a hearty meal of +bread and cold beef fruit. I then cut down two of the largest that grew +near me, and tying them together with one of my garters, hung them over +the eagle's neck for another occasion, filling my pockets at the same +time. While I was settling these affairs, I observed a large fruit like +an inflated bladder which I wished to try an experiment upon; and when I +struck my knife into one of them, a fine pure liquor like Holland gin +rushed out, which the eagles observing, eagerly drank up from the +ground. I cut down the bladder as fast as I could, and saved about half +a pint in the bottom of it, which I tasted, and could not distinguish it +from the best mountain wine. I drank it all, and found myself greatly +refreshed. By this time the eagles began to stagger against the shrubs. +I endeavored to keep my seat, but was soon thrown to some distance among +the bushes. In attempting to rise, I put my hand upon a large hedgehog, +which happened to lie among the grass upon its back; it instantly closed +round my hand, so that I found it impossible to shake it off. I struck +it several times against the ground without effect; but while I was thus +employed I heard a rustling among the shrubbery, and looking up, I saw a +huge animal within three yards of me; I could make no defence, but held +out both my hands, when it rushed upon me and seized that on which the +hedgehog was fixed. My hand being soon released, I ran to some distance +where I saw the creature suddenly drop down and expire with the hedgehog +in its throat. When the danger was past, I went to view the eagles, and +found them lying on the grass fast asleep, being intoxicated with the +liquor they had drunk. Indeed, I found myself considerably elevated by +it, and seeing everything quiet, I began to search for some more, which +I soon found; and having cut down two large bladders, about a gallon +each, I tied them together, and hung them over the neck of the other +eagle, and the two smaller ones I tied with a cord round my own waist. +Having secured a good stock of provisions, and perceiving the eagles +begin to recover, I again took my seat. In half an hour they arose +majestically from the place, without taking the least notice of their +encumbrance. Each reassumed its former station; and directing their +course to the northward, they crossed the Gulf of Mexico, entered North +America, and steered directly for the Polar regions, which gave me the +finest opportunity of viewing this vast continent that can possibly be +imagined. + +Before we entered the frigid zone the cold began to affect me; but +piercing one of my bladders I took a draught, and found that it could +make no impression on me afterwards. Passing over Hudson's Bay, I saw +several of the company's ships lying at anchor, and many tribes of +Indians marching with their furs to market. + +By this time I was so reconciled to my seat, and become such an expert +rider, that I could sit up and look around me; but in general I lay +along the eagle's neck, grasping it in my arms, with my hands immersed +in its feathers, in order to keep them warm. + +In these cold climates I observed that the eagles flew with greater +rapidity, in order, I suppose, to keep their blood in circulation. In +passing Baffin's Bay I saw several large Greenlandmen to the eastward, +and many surprising mountains of ice in those seas. + +While I was surveying these wonders of nature it occurred to me that +this was a good opportunity to discover the northwest passage, if any +such thing existed, and not only obtain the reward offered by +government, but the honor of a discovery pregnant with so many +advantages to every European nation. But while my thoughts were absorbed +in this pleasing reverie I was alarmed by the first eagle striking its +head against a solid transparent substance, and in a moment that which I +rode experienced the same fate, and both fell down seemingly dead. + +Here our lives must inevitably have terminated, had not a sense of +danger and the singularity of my situation inspired me with a degree of +skill and dexterity which enabled us to fall near two miles +perpendicular with as little inconvenience as if we had been let down +with a rope; for no sooner did I perceive the eagles strike against a +frozen cloud, which is very common near the poles, than (they being +close together) I laid myself along the back of the foremost and took +hold of its wings to keep them extended, at the same time stretching out +my legs behind to support the wings of the other. This had the desired +effect, and we descended very safe on a mountain of ice, which I +supposed to be about three miles above the level of the sea. + +I dismounted, unloading the eagles, opened one of the bladders, and +administered some of the liquor to each of them, without once +considering that the horrors of destruction seemed to have conspired +against me. The roaring of waves, crashing of ice, and the howling of +bears, conspired to form a scene the most awful and tremendous; but, +notwithstanding this, my concern for the recovery of the eagles was so +great that I was insensible of the danger to which I was exposed. Having +rendered them every assistance in my power, I stood over them in painful +anxiety, fully sensible that it was only by means of them that I could +possibly be delivered from these abodes of despair. + +But suddenly a monstrous bear began to roar behind me, with a voice like +thunder. I turned round, and seeing the creature just ready to devour +me, having the bladder of liquor in my hands, through fear I squeezed it +so hard that it burst, and the liquor, flying in the eyes of the animal, +totally deprived it of sight. It instantly turned from me, ran away in a +state of distraction, and soon fell over a precipice of ice into the +sea, where I saw it no more. + +The danger being over, I again turned my attention to the eagles, whom I +found in a fair way of recovery, and suspecting that they were faint for +want of victuals, I took one of the beef fruit, cut it into small +slices, and presented them with it, which they devoured with avidity. + +Having given them plenty to eat and drink, and disposed of the remainder +of my provisions, I took possession of my seat as before. After +composing myself and adjusting everything in the best manner, I began to +eat and drink very heartily; and through the effects of the mountain, as +I called it, was very cheerful, and began to sing a few verses of a song +which I had learned when I was a boy: but the noise soon alarmed the +eagles, who had been asleep, through the quantity of liquor which they +had drunk, and they arose seemingly much terrified. + +[Illustration: WE DESCENDED SAFE ON A MOUNTAIN OF ICE] + +Happily for me, however, when I was feeding them I had accidentally +turned their heads towards the southeast, which course they pursued with +a rapid motion. In a few hours I saw the Western Isles, and soon after +had the inexpressible pleasure of seeing Old England. I took no notice +of the seas or islands over which I passed. + +The eagles descended gradually as they drew near the shore, intending, +as I supposed, to alight on one of the Welsh mountains; but when they +came to the distance of about sixty yards, two guns were fired at them, +loaded with balls, one of which penetrated a bladder of liquor that hung +to my waist; the other entered the breast of the foremost eagle, who +fell to the ground, while that which I rode, having received no injury, +flew away with amazing swiftness. + +This circumstance alarmed me exceedingly, and I began to think it was +impossible for me to escape with my life; but recovering a little, I +once more looked down upon the earth, when, to my inexpressible joy, I +saw Margate at a little distance, and the eagle descending on the old +tower whence it had carried me on the morning of the day before. It no +sooner came down than I threw myself off, happy to find that I was once +more restored to the world. The eagle flew away in a few minutes, and I +sat down to compose my fluttering spirits, which I did in a few hours. + +I soon paid a visit to my friends, and related these adventures. +Amazement stood in every countenance; their congratulations on my +returning in safety were repeated with an unaffected degree of pleasure, +and we passed the evening as we are doing now, every person present +paying the highest compliments to my COURAGE and VERACITY. + + + + +THE FIDDLING PARSON + + +ADAPTED FROM THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF DAVY CROCKETT + +Little Rock lay on my way to Texas, and as I left it several companions +accompanied me a short distance from the village. We were talking +briskly together as we drew near the Washita River, and imagined +ourselves the only travelers in that vicinity. In a lull in the +conversation we were somewhat startled by the sound of music, evidently +not far away. We checked our horses and listened, while the music +continued. + +"What can all that mean?" asked I. + +"Blast my old shoes if I know," said one of the party. + +We listened again and heard _Hail Columbia! Happy Land!_ played in +first-rate style. + +"That's fine," said I. + +"Fine as silk, Colonel, and a leetle finer," said another; "but hark! +the tune is changed." + +We listened again, and the musician struck up in a brisk and lively +manner, _Over the Water to Charlie_. + +"That's mighty mysterious," said one of my friends. + +"Can't cipher it out nohow," said another. + +"A notch beyant my measure," said a third. + +"Then let's see what it is," said I, and off we dashed at a rapid gait. + +As we approached the river, we saw to the right of the road a new +clearing on a hill, from which several men were running down toward the +river like wild Indians. There appeared no time to be lost, so we all +cut ahead for the crossing. All this time the music kept growing +stronger and stronger, every note distinctly saying, _Over the Water to +Charlie._ + +When we reached the crossing, we were astonished to see a man seated in +a sulky in the middle of the river and playing for his life on a fiddle. +The horse was up to his middle in water, and it seemed as if the flimsy +vehicle was ready to be swept away by the current. Still the fiddler +fiddled on composedly as if his life had been insured. We thought he was +mad, and shouted to him. He heard us and stopped the music. + +"You have missed the crossing," shouted one of the men. + +"I know I have," replied the fiddler. + +"If you go ten feet farther you will be drowned." + +"I know I shall." + +"Turn back," cried the man. + +"I can't," said the fiddler. + +"Then how the deuce will you get out?" + +"I'm sure I don't know; come and help me." + +The men from the clearing, who understood the river, took our horses, +rode up to the sulky, and after some difficulty succeeded in bringing +the traveler safe to shore. Then we recognized him as the worthy parson, +who had played for us at a puppet show in Little Rock. + +"You have had a narrow escape," said we. + +"I found that out an hour ago," he said. "I have been fiddling to the +fishes all the time, and played everything I can play without notes." + +[Illustration: THE PARSON FIDDLED] + +"What made you think of fiddling in the time of such peril?" he was +asked. + +"I have found in my progress through life," said he, "that there is +nothing so well calculated to draw people together as the sound of a +fiddle. I might bawl for help till I was hoarse, and no one would stir a +peg, but as soon as people hear the scraping of a fiddle, they will quit +all other business and come to the spot in flocks." + +We laughed heartily at the knowledge the parson showed of human nature; +and he was right. + + + +WE PLAN A RIVER TRIP[1] + +[Footnote 1: This selection, with _On Comic Songs_, which follows, is +taken from _Three Men in a Boat_, by Jerome K. Jerome The complete title +of the book is _Three Men in a Boat (To say nothing of the Dog_)] + +_By_ JEROME K. JEROME + + +There were four of us--George, and William Samuel Harris, and myself, +and Montmorency. We were sitting in my room, smoking and talking about +how bad we were--bad from a medical point of view I mean, of course. + +We were all feeling seedy, and we were getting quite nervous about it. +Harris said he felt such extraordinary fits of giddiness come over him +at times, that he hardly knew what he was doing; and then George said +that _he_ had fits of giddiness, too, and hardly knew what he was doing. +With me, it was my liver that was out of order. I knew it was my liver +that was out of order, because I had just been reading a patent +liver-pill circular, in which were detailed the various symptoms by +which a man could tell when his liver was out of order. I had them all. + +It is a most extraordinary thing, but I never read a patent medicine +advertisement without being impelled to the conclusion that I am +suffering from the particular disease therein dealt with, in its most +virulent form. The diagnosis seems in every case to correspond exactly +with all the sensations that I have ever felt. + +I remember going to the British Museum one day to read up the treatment +for some slight ailment of which I had a touch--hay fever, I fancy it +was. I got down the book, and read all I came to read; and then, in an +unthinking moment, I idly turned the leaves, and began indolently to +study diseases generally. I forget which was the first distemper I +plunged into--some fearful, devastating scourge, I know--and, before I +had glanced half down the list of "premonitory symptoms," it was borne +in upon me that I had fairly got it. + +I sat for a while, frozen with horror; and then, in the listlessness of +despair, I again turned over the pages. I came to typhoid fever--read +the symptoms--discovered that I had typhoid fever, must have had it for +months without knowing it--wondered what else I had got; turned up Saint +Vitus's Dance--found, as I had expected, that I had that, too--began to +get interested in my case, and determined to sift it to the bottom, and +so started alphabetically--read up ague, and learned that I was +sickening for it, and that the acute stage would commence in about +another fortnight. Bright's disease, I was relieved to find, I had only +in a modified form, and, so far as that was concerned, I might live for +years. Cholera I had, with severe complications; and diphtheria I seemed +to have been born with. I plodded conscientiously through the twenty-six +letters, and the only malady I could conclude I had not got was +housemaid's knee. + +I felt rather hurt about this at first; it seemed somehow to be a sort +of slight. Why hadn't I got housemaid's knee? Why this invidious +reservation? After a while, however, less grasping feelings prevailed. I +reflected that I had every other known malady in the pharmacology, and +grew less selfish, and determined to do without housemaid's knee. Gout, +in its most malignant stage, it would appear, had seized me without my +being aware of it; and zymosis I had evidently been suffering with from +boyhood. There were no more diseases after zymosis, so I concluded there +was nothing else the matter with me. I sat and pondered. I thought what +an interesting case I must be from a medical point of view, what an +acquisition I should be to a class! Students would have no need to "walk +the hospitals," if they had me. I was a hospital in myself. All they +need do would be to walk round me, and, after that, take their diplomas. + +Then I wondered how long I had to live. I tried to examine myself. I +felt my pulse. I could not at first feel any pulse at all. Then, all of +a sudden, it seemed to start off. I pulled out my watch and timed it. I +made a hundred and forty-seven to the minute. I tried to feel my heart. +I could not feel my heart. It had stopped beating. I have since been +induced to come to the opinion that it must have been there all the +time, and must have been beating, but I cannot account for it. I patted +myself all over my front, from what I call my waist up to my head, and I +went a bit round each side, and a little way up the back. But I could +not feel or hear anything. I tried to look at my tongue. I stuck it out +as far as ever it would go, and I shut one eye, and tried to examine it +with the other. I could only see the tip, and the only thing that I +could gain from that was to feel more certain than before that I had +scarlet fever. + +I had walked into that reading-room a happy, healthy man. I crawled out +a decrepit wreck. + +I went to my medical man. He was an old chum of mine, and feels my +pulse, and looks at my tongue, and talks about the weather, all for +nothing, when I fancy I'm ill; so I thought I would do him a good turn +by going to him now. "What a doctor wants," I said, "is practice. He +shall have me. He will get more practice out of me than out of seventeen +hundred of your ordinary, commonplace patients, with only one or two +diseases each." So I went straight up and saw him, and he said: + +"Well, what's the matter with you?" + +I said: + +"I will not take up your time, dear boy, with telling you what is the +matter with me. Life is brief, and you might pass away before I had +finished. But I will tell you what is not the matter with me. I have not +got housemaid's knee. Why I have not got housemaid's knee, I cannot tell +you; but the fact remains that I have not got it. Everything, else, +however, I _have_ got." + +And I told him how I came to discover it all. + +Then he opened me and looked down me, and clutched hold of my wrist, and +then hit me over the chest when I wasn't expecting it--a cowardly thing +to do, I call it--and immediately afterward butted me with the side of +his head. After that, he sat down and wrote out a prescription, and +folded it up and gave it to me, and I put it in my pocket and went out. + +I did not open it. I took it to the nearest chemist's, and handed it in. +The man read it, and then handed it back. + +He said he didn't keep it. + +I said: + +"You are a chemist?" + +"I am a chemist. If I were a co-operative store and family hotel +combined, I might be able to oblige you. Being only a chemist hampers +me." + +I read the prescription. It ran: + + "1 lb. beefsteak, with + 1 pt. bitter beer + every six hours. + 1 ten-mile walk every morning. + 1 bed at 11 sharp every night. + + And don't stuff up your head with things you don't understand." + +I followed the directions, with the happy result--speaking for +myself--that my life was preserved, and is still going on. + + * * * * * + +George said: + +"Let's go up the river." + +He said we should have fresh air, exercise and quiet; the constant +change of scene would occupy our minds (including what there was of +Harris's); and the hard work would give us an appetite, and make us +sleep well. + +Harris said he didn't think George ought to do anything that would have +a tendency to make him sleepier than he always was, as it might be +dangerous. He said he didn't very well understand how George was going +to sleep any more than he did now, seeing that there were only +twenty-four hours in each day, summer and winter, alike; but thought +that if he _did_ sleep any more, he might just as well be dead, and so +save his board and lodging. + +Harris said, however, that the river would suit him to a "T." It suited +me to a "T," too, and Harris and I both said it was a good idea of +George's; and we said in a tone that seemed to imply somehow that we +were surprised that George should have come out so sensible. + +The only one who was not struck with the suggestion was Montmorency. He +never did care for the river, did Montmorency. + +"It's all very well for you fellows," he says; "you like it, but _I_ +don't. There's nothing for me to do. Scenery is not in my line, and I +don't smoke. If I see a rat, you won't stop; and if I go to sleep, you +get fooling about with the boat, and slop me overboard. If you ask me, I +call the whole thing bally foolishness." + +We were three to one, however, and the motion was carried. + + * * * * * + +We made a list of the things to be taken, and a pretty lengthy one it +was, before we parted that evening. The next day, which was Friday, we +got them all together, and met in the evening to pack. We got a big +Gladstone for the clothes, and a couple of hampers for the victuals and +the cooking utensils. We moved the table up against the window, piled +everything in a heap in the middle of the floor, and sat round and +looked at it. I said I'd pack. + +I rather pride myself on my packing. Packing is one of those many things +that I feel I know more about than any other person living. (It +surprises me myself, sometimes, how many of these subjects there are.) I +impressed the fact upon George and Harris, and told them they had better +leave the whole matter entirely to me. They fell into the suggestion +with a readiness that had something uncanny about it. George put on a +pipe and spread himself over the easy-chair, and Harris cocked his legs +on the table and lit a cigar. + +This was hardly what I intended. What I meant, of course, was, that I +should boss the job, and that Harris and George should potter about +under my directions, I pushing them aside every now and then with, "Oh, +you--!" "Here, let me do it." "There you are, simple enough!"--really +teaching them, as you might say. Their taking it in the way they did +irritated me. There is nothing does irritate me more than seeing other +people sitting about doing nothing when I'm working. + +I lived with a man once who used to make me mad that way. He would loll +on the sofa and watch me doing things by the hour together, following me +round the room with his eyes, wherever I went. He said it did him real +good to look on at me, messing about. He said it made him feel that life +was not an idle dream to be gaped and yawned through, but a noble task, +full of duty and stern work. He said he often wondered now how he could +have gone on before he met me, never having anybody to look at while +they worked. + +Now, I'm not like that. I can't sit still and see another man slaving +and working. I want to get up and superintend, and walk round with my +hands in my pockets, and tell what to do. It is my energetic nature. I +can't help it. + +However, I did not say anything, but started the packing. It seemed a +longer job than I had thought it was going to be, but I got the bag +finished at last, and I sat on it and strapped it. + +"Ain't you going to put the boots in?" said Harris. + +And I looked round and found I had forgotten them. That's just like +Harris. He couldn't have said a word until I'd got the bag shut and +strapped, of course. And George laughed--one of those irritating, +senseless, chuckle-headed, crack-jawed laughs of his. They do make me so +wild. + +I opened the bag and packed the boots in; and then, just as I was going +to close it, a horrible idea occurred to me. Had I packed my toothbrush? +I don't know how it is, but I never do know whether I've packed my +toothbrush. + +My toothbrush is a thing that haunts me when I'm traveling, and makes my +life a misery. I dream that I haven't packed it, and wake up in a cold +perspiration, and get out of bed and hunt for it. And, in the morning, I +pack it before I have used it, and have to unpack again to get it, and +it is always the last thing I turn out of the bag; and then I repack and +forget it, and have to rush upstairs for it at the last moment and carry +it to the railway station, wrapped up in my pocket handkerchief. + +Of course I had to turn every mortal thing out now, and, of course, I +could not find it. I rummaged the things up into much the same state +that they must have been in before the world was created, and when chaos +reigned. Of course, I found George's and Harris's eighteen times over, +but I couldn't find my own. I put the things back one by one, and held +everything up and shook it. Then I found it inside a boot. I repacked +once more. When I had finished, George asked if the soap was in. I said +I didn't care a hang whether the soap was in or whether it wasn't; and I +slammed the bag to and strapped it, and found that I had packed my +tobacco pouch in it and had to reopen it. It got shut up finally at +10:05 p.m., and then there remained the hampers to do. Harris said that +we should be wanting to start in less than twelve hours' time, and +thought that he and George had better do the rest; and I agreed and sat +down, and they had a go. + +They began in a light-hearted spirit, evidently intending to show me how +to do it. I made no comment. I only waited. When George is hanged, +Harris will be the worst packer in this world; and I looked at the piles +of plates and cups, and kettles, and bottles and jars, and pies, and +stoves, and cakes, and tomatoes, etc., and felt that the thing would +soon become exciting. + +It did. They started with breaking a cup. That was the first thing they +did. They did that just to show you what they _could_ do, and to get you +interested. + +Then Harris packed the strawberry jam on top of a tomato and squashed +it, and they had to pick out the tomato with a teaspoon. + +And then it was George's turn, and he trod on the butter. I didn't say +anything, but I came over and sat on the edge of the table and watched +them. It irritated them more than anything I could have said. I felt +that. It made them nervous and excited, and they stepped on things, and +put things behind them, and then couldn't find them when they wanted +them; and they packed the pies at the bottom, and put heavy things on +top, and smashed the pies in. + +They upset salt over everything, and as for the butter! I never saw two +men do more with one-and-two pence worth of butter in my whole life than +they did. After George had got it off his slipper, they tried to put it +in the kettle. It wouldn't go in, and what _was_ in wouldn't come out. +They did scrape it out at last, and put it down on a chair, and Harris +sat on it, and it stuck to him, and they went looking for it all over +the room. + +"I'll take my oath I put it down on that chair," said George, staring at +the empty seat. + +"I saw you do it myself, not a minute ago," said Harris. + +Then they started round the room again looking for it; and then they met +again in the center, and stared at one another. + +"Most extraordinary thing I ever heard of," said George. + +"So mysterious!" said Harris. + +Then George got around at the back of Harris and saw it. "Why, here it +is all the time," he exclaimed indignantly. + +"Where?" cried Harris, spinning round. + +"Stand still, can't you!" roared George, flying after him. + +And they got it off, and packed it in the teapot. + +Montmorency was in it all, of course. Montmorency's ambition in life is +to get in the way and be sworn at. If he can squirm in anywhere where he +particularly is not wanted, and be a perfect nuisance, and make people +mad, and have things thrown at his head, then he feels his day has not +been wasted. + +[Illustration: "AIN'T YOU GOING TO PUT THE BOOTS IN?"] + +He came and sat down on things, just when they were wanted to be packed; +and he labored under the fixed belief that, whenever Harris or George +reached out a hand for anything, it was his cold, damp nose that they +wanted. He put his leg into the jam, and he worried the teaspoons, and +he pretended that the lemons were rats, and got into the hamper and +killed three of them before Harris could land him with the frying-pan. + +Harris said I encouraged him. I didn't encourage him. A dog like that +doesn't want any encouragement. It's the natural, original sin that is +born in him that makes him do things like that. + +The packing was done at 12:50; and Harris sat on the big hamper, and +said he hoped nothing would be found broken. George said that if +anything was broken it _was_ broken, which reflection seemed to comfort +him. He also said he was ready for bed. We were all ready for bed. + +[Illustration] + + + +ON COMIC SONGS + + +_By_ JEROME K. JEROME + +Harris has a fixed idea that he _can_ sing a comic song; the fixed idea, +on the contrary, among those of Harris's friends who have heard him try, +is that he _can't_, and never will be able to, and that he ought not to +be allowed to try. + +When Harris is at a party and is asked to sing, he replies: "Well, I can +only sing a _comic_ song, you know"; and he says it in a tone that +implies that his singing of _that_, however, is a thing that you ought +to hear once, and then die. + +"Oh, that _is_ nice," says the hostess. "Do sing one, Mr. Harris," and +Harris gets up and makes for the piano, with the beaming cheeriness of a +generous-minded man who is just about to give somebody something. + +"Now, silence, please, everybody," says the hostess, turning round; "Mr. +Harris is going to sing a comic song!" + +"Oh, how jolly!" they murmur; and they hurry in from the conservatory, +and come up from the stairs, and go and fetch each other from all over +the house, and crowd into the drawing-room, and sit round, all smirking +in anticipation. + +Then Harris begins. + +Well, you don't look for much of a voice in a comic song. You don't +expect correct phrasing or vocalization. You don't mind if a man does +find out, when in the middle of a note, that he is too high, and comes +down with a jerk. You don't bother about time. You don't mind a man +being two bars in front of the accompaniment, and easing up in the +middle of a line to argue it out with the pianist, and then starting the +verse afresh. But you do expect the words. + +You don't expect a man never to remember more than the first three lines +of the first verse, and to keep on repeating these until it is time to +begin the chorus. You don't expect a man to break off in the middle of a +line, and snigger, and say, it's very funny, but he's blest if he can +think of the rest of it, and then try and make it up for himself, and, +afterward, suddenly recollect it, when he has got to an entirely +different part of the song, and break off, without a word of warning, to +go back and let you have it then and there. You don't--well, I will just +give you an idea of Harris's comic singing, and then you can judge of it +for yourself. + +HARRIS (_standing up in front of piano and addressing the expectant +mob_): "I'm afraid it's a very old thing, you know. I expect you all +know it, you know. But it's the only thing I know. It's the Judge's song +out of _Pinafore_--no, I don't mean _Pinafore_--I mean--you know what I +mean--the other thing, you know. You must all join in the chorus, you +know." + +[_Murmurs of delight and anxiety to join in the chorus. Brilliant +performance of prelude to the Judge's song in "Trial by Jury" by nervous +pianist. Moment arrives for Harris to join in. Harris takes no notice of +it. Nervous pianist commences prelude over again, and Harris, commencing +singing at the same time, dashes off the first two lines of the First +Lord's song out of "Pinafore." Nervous pianist tries to push on with +prelude, gives it up, and tries to follow Harris with the accompaniment +to the Judge's song out of "Trial by Jury," finds that doesn't answer, +and tries to recollect what he is doing, and where he is, feels his mind +giving way, and stops short_.] + +HARRIS (_with kindly encouragement_): "It's all right. You're doing very +well, indeed--go on." + +NERVOUS PIANIST: "I'm afraid there's a mistake somewhere. What are you +singing?" + +HARRIS _(promptly):_ "Why, the Judge's song out of _Trial by Jury_. +Don't you know it?" + +SOME FRIEND OF HARRIS'S (_from the back of the room_): "No, you're not, +you chucklehead, you're singing the Admiral's song from _Pinafore_." + +[_Long argument between Harris and Harris's friend as to what Harris is +really singing. Friend finally suggests that it doesn't matter what +Harris is singing so long as Harris gets on and sings it, and Harris, +with an evident sense of injustice rankling inside him, requests pianist +to begin again. Pianist, thereupon, starts prelude to the Admiral's +song, and Harris, seizing what he considers to be a favorable opening in +the music, begins:_] + +HARRIS: + + "'When I was young and called to the Bar.'" + +[_General roar of laughter, taken by Harris as a compliment. Pianist, +thinking of his wife and family, gives up the unequal contest and +retires: his place being taken by a stronger-nerved man._] + +THE NEW PIANIST _(cheerily):_ "Now then, old man, you start off, and +I'll follow. We won't bother about any prelude." + +HARRIS (_upon whom the explanation of matters has slowly +dawned--laughing_): "By Jove! I beg your pardon. Of course--I've been +mixing up the two songs. It was Jenkins confused me, you know. Now +then." + +[_Singing; his voice appearing to come from the cellar, and suggesting +the first low warnings of an approaching earthquake_.] + + "'When I was young I served a term As office-boy to an attorney's + firm.'" + +_(Aside to pianist_): "It is too low, old man; we'll have that over +again, if you don't mind." + +[_Sings first two lines over again, in a high falsetto this time. Great +surprise on the part of the audience. Nervous old lady begins to cry, +and has to be led out_]. + +HARRIS _(continuing):_ + + "'I swept the windows and I swept the door, + And I--'" + +No--no, I cleaned the windows of the big front door. And I polished up +the floor--no, dash it--I beg your pardon--funny thing, I can't think of +that line. And I--and I--oh, well, we'll get on the chorus and chance it +_(sings):_ + + "'And I diddle-diddle-diddle-diddle-diddle-diddle-de, + Till now I am the ruler of the Queen's navee." + +[Illustration: "WHEN I WAS YOUNG"] + +"Now then chorus--it's the last two lines repeated, you know." + +GENERAL CHORUS: + + "'And he diddle-diddle-diddle-diddle-diddle-did-dle-dee'd, + Till now he is the ruler of the Queen's navee.'" + +And Harris never sees what an ass he is making of himself, and how he is +annoying a lot of people who never did him any harm. He honestly +imagines that he has given them a treat, and says he will sing another +comic song after supper. + +Speaking of comic songs and parties, reminds me of a rather curious +incident at which I once assisted; which, as it throws much light upon +the inner mental working of human nature in general, ought, I think, to +be recorded in these pages. + +We were a fashionable and highly cultured party. We had on our best +clothes, and we talked pretty, and were very happy--all except two young +fellows, students, just returned from Germany, commonplace young men, +who seemed restless and uncomfortable, as if they found the proceedings +slow. The truth was, we were too clever for them. Our brilliant but +polished conversation, and our high-class tastes, were beyond them. They +were out of place among us. They never ought to have been there at all. +Everybody agreed upon that, later on. + +We discussed philosophy and ethics. We flirted with graceful dignity. We +were even humorous--in a high-class way. + +Somebody recited a French poem after supper, and we said it was +beautiful; and then a lady sang a sentimental ballad in Spanish and it +made one or two of us weep--it was so pathetic. + +And then those two young men got up, and asked us if we had ever heard +Herr Slossenn Boschen (who had just arrived, and was then down in the +supper room) sing his great German comic song. + +None of us had heard it, that we could remember. + +The young men said it was the funniest song that had ever been written, +and that, if we liked, they would get Herr Slossenn Boschen, whom they +knew very well, to sing it. They said it was so funny that, when Herr +Slossenn Boschen had sung it once before the German Emperor, he (the +German Emperor) had had to be carried off to bed. + +They said nobody could sing it like Herr Slossenn Boschen; he was so +intensely serious all through it that you might fancy he was reciting a +tragedy, and that, of course, made it all the funnier. They said he +never once suggested by his tone or manner that he was singing anything +funny--that would spoil it. It was his air of seriousness, almost of +pathos, that made it so irresistibly amusing. + +We said we yearned to hear it, that we wanted a good laugh; and they +went downstairs, and fetched Herr Slossenn Boschen. + +He appeared to be quite pleased to sing it, for he came up at once, and +sat down to the piano without another word. + +"Oh, it will amuse you. You will laugh," whispered the two young men, as +they passed through the room and took up an unobtrusive position behind +the Professor's back. + +Herr Slossenn Boschen accompanied himself. The prelude did not suggest a +comic song exactly. It was a weird, soulful air. It quite made one's +flesh creep; but we murmured to one another that it was the German +method, and prepared to enjoy it. + +I don't understand German myself. I learned it at school, but forgot +every word of it two years after I had left, and have felt much better +ever since. Still, I did not want the people there to guess my +ignorance; so I hit upon what I thought to be rather a good idea. I kept +my eye on the two young students, and followed them. When they tittered, +I tittered; when they roared, I roared; and I also threw in a little +snigger all by myself now and then, as if I had seen a bit of humor that +had escaped the others. I considered this particularly artful on my +part. + +I noticed, as the song progressed, that a good many other people seemed +to have their eyes fixed on the two young men, as well as myself. These +other people also tittered when the young men tittered, and roared when +the young men roared; and, as the two young men tittered and roared and +exploded with laughter pretty continuously all through the song, it went +exceedingly well. + +And yet that German professor did not seem happy. At first, when we +began to laugh, the expression of his face was one of intense surprise, +as if laughter were the very last thing he had expected to be greeted +with. We thought this very funny: we said his earnest manner was half +the humor. The slightest hint on his part that he knew how funny he was +would have completely ruined it all. As we continued to laugh, his +surprise gave way to an air of annoyance and indignation, and he scowled +fiercely round upon us all (except the two young men, who, being behind +him, could not be seen). That sent us into convulsions. We told each +other it would be the death of us, this thing. The words alone, we said, +were enough to send us into fits, but added to his mock seriousness--oh, +it was too much! + +In the last verse, he surpassed himself. He glowered round upon us with +a look of such concentrated ferocity that, but for our being forewarned +as to the German method of comic singing, we should have been nervous; +and he threw such a wailing note of agony into the weird music that, if +we had not known it was a funny song, we might have wept. + +He finished amid a perfect shriek of laughter. We said it was the +funniest thing we had ever heard in all our lives. We said how strange +it was that, in the face of things like these, there should be a popular +notion that the Germans hadn't any sense of humor. And we asked the +Professor why he didn't translate the song into English, so that the +common people could understand it, and hear what a real comic song was +like. + +Then Herr Slossenn Boschen got up, and went on awful. He swore at us in +German (which I should judge to be a singularly effective language for +that purpose), and he danced, and shook his fists, and called us all the +English he knew. He said he had never been so insulted in all his life. + +It appeared that the song was not a comic song at all. It was about a +young girl who lived in the Harz Mountains, and who had given up her +life to save her lover's soul; and he died, and met her spirit in the +air; and then, in the last verse, he jilted her spirit, and went on with +another spirit--I'm not quite sure of the details, but it was something +very sad, I know. Herr Boschen said he had sung it once before the +German Emperor, and he (the German Emperor) had sobbed like a little +child. He (Herr Boschen) said it was generally acknowledged to be one of +the most tragic and pathetic songs in the German language. + +It was a trying situation for us--very trying. There seemed to be no +answer. We looked around for the two young men who had done this thing, +but they had left the house in an unostentatious manner immediately +after the end of the song. + +That was the end of that party. I never saw a party break up so quietly, +and with so little fuss. We never said good-night even to one another. +We came downstairs one at a time, walking softly, and keeping the shady +side. We asked the servant for our hats and coats in whispers, and +opened the door, and slipped out, and got round the corner quickly, +avoiding each other as much as possible. + +I have never taken much interest in German songs since then. + + + + +THE INCHCAPE ROCK + + +_By_ ROBERT SOUTHEY + +NOTE.--The Inchcape Rock, or Bell Rock, is a dangerous reef in the North +Sea, east of the Firth of Tay, in Scotland, and twelve miles from all +land. The story of the forethought of the abbot of Aberbrothok in +placing the bell on the buoy as a warning to sailors is an ancient one, +and one old writer thus gives the tradition made use of by Southey in +this poem: + +"In old times upon the said rocke there was a bell fixed upon a timber, +which rang continually, being moved by the sea, giving notice to saylers +of the danger. The bell was put there and maintained by the abbot of +Aberbrothok, but being taken down by a sea-pirate, a yeare thereafter he +perished upon the same rocke, with ship and goodes, in the righteous +judgment of God." + +A lighthouse, built with the greatest difficulty, has stood on the rock +since 1810. + + + No stir in the air, no stir in the sea,-- + The ship was still as she might be; + Her sails from heaven received no motion; + Her keel was steady in the ocean. + + Without either sign or sound of their shock, + The waves flowed over the Inchcape Rock; + So little they rose, so little they fell, + They did not move the Inchcape bell. + + The holy abbot of Aberbrothok + Had floated that bell on the Inchcape Rock; + On the waves of the storm it floated and swung, + And louder and louder its warning rung. + + When the rock was hid by the tempest's swell, + The mariners heard the warning bell; + And then they knew the perilous rock, + And blessed the priest of Aberbrothok. + + The sun in heaven shone so gay,-- + All things were joyful on that day; + The sea-birds screamed as they sported round, + And there was pleasure in their sound. + + The float of the Inchcape bell was seen, + A darker speck on the ocean green; + Sir Ralph, the rover, walked his deck, + And he fixed his eye on the darker speck. + + He felt the cheering power of spring,-- + It made him whistle, it made him sing; + His heart was mirthful to excess; + But the rover's mirth was wickedness. + + His eye was on the bell and float: + Quoth he, "My men, pull out the boat; + And row me to the Inchcape Rock, + And I'll plague the priest of Aberbrothok." + + The boat is lowered, the boatmen row, + And to the Inchcape Rock they go; + Sir Ralph bent over from the boat, + And cut the warning bell from the float. + + Down sank the bell with a gurgling sound; + The bubbles rose, and burst around. + Quoth Sir Ralph, "The next who comes to the rock + Will not bless the priest of Aberbrothok." + + Sir Ralph, the rover, sailed away,-- + He scoured the seas for many a day; + And now, grown rich with plundered store, + He steers his course to Scotland's shore. + + So thick a haze o'erspreads the sky + They could not see the sun on high; + The wind hath blown a gale all day; + At evening it hath died away. + + On the deck the rover takes his stand; + So dark it is they see no land. + Quoth Sir Ralph, "It will be lighter soon, + For there is the dawn of the rising moon." + + "Canst hear," said one, "the breakers roar? + For yonder, methinks, should be the shore. + Now where we are I cannot tell, + But I wish we could hear the Inchcape bell." + + They hear no sound; the swell is strong, + Though the wind hath fallen, they drift along; + Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock,-- + O Christ! it is the Inchcape Rock! + + Sir Ralph, the rover, tore his hair; + He beat himself in wild despair. + The waves rush in on every side; + The ship is sinking beneath the tide. + + But ever in his dying fear + One dreadful sound he seemed to hear,-- + A sound as if with the Inchcape bell + The evil spirit was ringing his knell. + +[Illustration: ONE DREADFUL SOUND HE SEEMED TO HEAR] + + + + + +TOM BROWN AT RUGBY[1] + +[Footnote 1: _Tom Brown's School Days_, a description of life at the +great English public school of Rugby, is one of the best known and +best-liked books ever written for boys. The author, Thomas Hughes, was +himself a Rugby boy, and many of the incidents of the story are drawn +from his own experience. One of the most interesting things about the +book is the picture it gives of Thomas Arnold, head-master of Rugby from +1828 to 1842. The influence for good of this famous scholar and +educator, called affectionately "the doctor," can scarcely be +overestimated. + +He held that fully as much attention should be paid to the development +of manly character in the boys as to mental training, and that the prime +object of a school was not to turn out scholars, but to turn out men. +This Doctor Arnold was the father of Matthew Arnold, the poet.] + +_By_ THOMAS HUGHES + +TOM AND ARTHUR + +It was a huge, high, airy room, with two large windows looking on to the +school close.[2] There were twelve beds in the room, the one in the +furthest corner by the fireplace occupied by the sixth-form[3] boy who +was responsible for the discipline of the room, and the rest by boys in +the lower-fifth and other junior forms, all fags[1] (for the fifth-form +boys, as has been said, slept in rooms by themselves). Being fags, the +eldest of them was not more than about sixteen years old, and all were +bound to be up and in bed by ten; the sixth-form boys came to bed from +ten to a quarter-past (at which time the old verger came round to put +the candles out), except when they sat up to read. + +[Footnote: 2: Tom Brown, an old Rugby boy, has come back after his +vacation, full of plans for the good times which he expects to have with +his chum East and other cronies. He is, however, called into the +housekeeper's room and introduced to a shy, frail boy, whom he is asked +to receive as his roommate and to look out for in the early days of his +life at Rugby. Although greatly disappointed, Tom sees no way to refuse +the request, and at the beginning of the selection here given we find +him with young Arthur in the boys' dormitory.] + +[Footnote 3: The word _form_ is used in English schools instead of +_class_.] + +[Footnote 1: In English schools the name _fag_ is applied to a boy who +does, under compulsion, menial work for a boy of a higher form. The +fagging system used to be greatly abused, the boys of the higher classes +treating their fags with the greatest cruelty; but the bad points of the +custom have been largely done away with.] + +Within a few minutes, therefore, of their entry, all the other boys who +slept in Number 4, had come up. The little fellows went quietly to their +own beds, and began undressing and talking to each other in whispers; +while the elder, among whom was Tom, sat chatting about on one another's +beds. Poor little Arthur was overwhelmed with the novelty of his +position. The idea of sleeping in the room with strange boys had clearly +never crossed his mind before, and was as painful as it was strange to +him. He could hardly bear to take his jacket off; however, presently, +with an effort, off it came, and then he paused and looked at Tom, who +was sitting at the bottom of his bed talking and laughing. + +"Please, Brown," he whispered, "may I wash my face and hands?" + +"Of course, if you like," said Tom, staring; "that's your +washhand-stand, under the window, second from your bed. You'll have to +go down for more water in the morning if you use it all." And on he went +with his talk, while Arthur stole timidly from between the beds out to +his washhand-stand, and began his ablutions, thereby drawing for a +moment on himself the attention of the room. + +[Illustration: THE BULLY CAUGHT IT ON HIS ELBOW] + +On went the talk and laughter. Arthur finished his washing and +undressing, and put on his nightgown. He then looked round more +nervously than ever. Two or three of the little boys were already in +bed, sitting up with their chins on their knees. The light burned clear, +the noise went on. It was a trying moment for the poor little lonely +boy; however, this time he didn't ask Tom what he might or might not do, +but dropped on his knees by his bedside, as he had done every day from +his childhood, to open his heart to Him who heareth the cry and beareth +the sorrows of the tender child, and the strong man in agony. + +Tom was sitting at the bottom of his bed unlacing his boots, so that his +back was toward Arthur, and he didn't see what had happened, and looked +up in wonder at the sudden silence. Then two or three boys laughed and +sneered, and a big brutal fellow, who was standing in the middle of the +room, picked up a slipper, and shied it at the kneeling boy, calling him +a sniveling young shaver. Then Tom saw the whole, and the next moment +the boot he had just pulled off flew straight at the head of the bully, +who had just time to throw up his arm and catch it on his elbow. + +"Confound you, Brown, what's that for?" roared he, stamping with pain. + +"Never mind what I mean," said Tom, stepping on to the floor, every drop +of blood in his body tingling; "if any fellow wants the other boot, he +knows how to get it." + +What would have been the result is doubtful, for at this moment the +sixth-form boy came in, and not another word could be said. Tom and the +rest rushed into bed and finished unrobing there, and the old verger, as +punctual as the clock, had put out the candle in another minute, and +toddled on to the next room, shutting the door with his usual "Good +night, genl'm'n." + +There were many boys in the room by whom that little scene was taken to +heart before they slept. But sleep seemed to have deserted the pillow of +poor Tom. For some time his excitement, and the flood of memories which +chased one another through his brain, kept him from thinking or +resolving. His head throbbed, his heart leaped, and he could hardly keep +himself from springing out of bed and rushing about the room. Then the +thought of his own mother came across him, and the promise he had made +at her knee, years ago, never to forget to kneel by his bedside, and +give himself up to his Father, before he laid his head on the pillow, +from which it might never rise; and he lay down gently and cried as if +his heart would break. He was only fourteen years old. + +[Illustration: Rugby School] + +It was no light act of courage in those days, my dear boys, for a little +fellow to say his prayers publicly even at Rugby. A few years later, +when Arnold's manly piety had begun to leaven the school, the tables +turned; before he died, in the schoolhouse at least, and I believe in +the other houses, the rule was the other way. But poor Tom had come to +school in other times. The first few nights after he came he did not +kneel down because of the noise, but sat up in bed till the candle was +out, and then stole out and said his prayers in fear, lest some one +should find him out. So did many another poor little fellow. Then he +began to think that he might just as well say his prayers in bed, and +then that it didn't matter whether he was kneeling, or sitting, or lying +down. And so it had come to pass with Tom as with all who will not +confess their Lord before men: and for the last year he had probably not +said his prayers in earnest a dozen times. + +Poor Tom! the first and bitterest feeling which was like to break his +heart was the sense of his own cowardice. The vice of all others which +he loathed was brought in and burned in on his own soul. He had lied to +his mother, to his conscience, to his God. How could he bear it? And +then the poor little weak boy, whom he had pitied and almost scorned for +his weakness, had done that which he, braggart as he was, dared not do. +The first dawn of comfort came to him in swearing to himself that he +would stand by that boy through thick and thin, and cheer him, and help +him, and bear his burdens, for the good deed done that night. Then he +resolved to write home next day and tell his mother all, and what a +coward her son had been. And then peace came to him as he resolved, +lastly, to bear his testimony next morning. The morning would be harder +than the night to begin with, but he felt that he could not afford to +let one chance slip. Several times he faltered, for the devil showed +him, first, all his old friends calling him "Saint" and "Square-toes," +and a dozen hard names, and whispered to him that his motives would be +misunderstood, and he would only be left alone with the new boy; whereas +it was his duty to keep all means of influence, that he might do good to +the largest number. And then came the more subtle temptation, "Shall I +not be showing myself braver than others by doing this? Have I any right +to begin it now? Ought I not rather to pray in my own study, letting +other boys know that I do so, and trying to lead them to it, while in +public at least I should go on as I have done?" However, his good angel +was too strong that night, and he turned on his side and slept, tired of +trying to reason, but resolved to follow the impulse which had been so +strong, and in which he had found peace. + +Next morning he was up and washed and dressed, all but his jacket and +waistcoat, just as the ten minute's bell began to ring, and then in the +face of the whole room knelt down to pray. Not five words could he +say--the bell mocked him; he was listening for every whisper in the +room--what were they all thinking of him? He was ashamed to go on +kneeling, ashamed to rise from his knees. At last, as it were from his +inmost heart, a still small voice seemed to breathe forth words of the +publican, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" He repeated them over and +over, clinging to them as for his life, and rose from his knees +comforted and humbled, and ready to face the whole world. It was not +needed: two other boys besides Arthur had already followed his example, +and he went down to the great school with a glimmering of another lesson +in his heart--the lesson that he who has conquered his own coward spirit +has conquered the whole outward world; and that other one which the old +prophet learned in the cave of Mount Horeb, when he hid his face, and +the still small voice asked, "What doest thou here, Elijah?" that +however we may fancy ourselves alone on the side of good, the King and +Lord of men is nowhere without His witnesses; for in every society, +however seemingly corrupt and godless, there are those who have not +bowed the knee to Baal. + +He found too how greatly he had exaggerated the effect to be produced by +his act. For a few nights there was a sneer or a laugh when he knelt +down, but this passed off soon and one by one all the other boys but +three or four followed the lead. I fear that this was in some measure +owing to the fact, that Tom could probably have thrashed any boy in the +room except the praepostor;[5] at any rate, every boy knew that he would +try upon very slight provocation, and didn't choose to run the risk of a +hard fight because Tom Brown had taken a fancy to say his prayers. + +[Footnote 5: A praepostor is a monitor, a scholar appointed to oversee +other scholars.] + + + +THE FIGHT + +There is a certain sort of fellow--we who are used to studying boys all +know him well enough--of whom you can predicate with almost positive +certainty, after he has been a month at school, that he is sure to have +a fight, and with almost equal certainty that he will have but one. Tom +Brown was one of these; and as it is our well-weighed intention to give +a full, true, and correct account of Tom's only single combat with a +school-fellow, let those young persons whose stomachs are not strong, or +who think a good set-to with the weapons which God has given to us all, +an uncivilized, unchristian, or ungentlemanly, affair, just skip this +chapter at once, for it won't be to their taste. + +It was not at all usual in those days for two school-house boys to have +a fight. Of course there were exceptions, when some cross-grained, +hard-headed fellow came up, who would never be happy unless he was +quarreling with his nearest neighbors, or when there was some +class-dispute between the fifth-form and the fags, for instance, which +required blood-letting; and a champion was picked out on each side +tacitly, who settled the matter by a good, hearty mill. But for the most +part the constant use of those surest keepers of the peace, the +boxing-gloves, kept the school-house boys from fighting one another. Two +or three nights in every week the gloves were brought out, either in the +hall or fifth-form room; and every boy who was ever likely to fight at +all, knew all his neighbors' prowess perfectly well, and could tell to a +nicety what chance he would have in a stand-up fight with any other boy +in the house. But of course no such experience could be gotten as +regarded boys in other houses; and as most of the other houses were more +or less jealous of the school-house, collisions were frequent. + +After all, what would life be without fighting, I should like to know? +From the cradle to the grave, fighting, rightly understood, is the +business, the real, highest, honestest business of every son of man. +Every one who is worth his salt has his enemies, who must be beaten, be +they evil thoughts and habits in himself, or spiritual wickedness in +high places, or Russians, or border-ruffians, or Bill, Tom, or Harry, +who will not let him live his life in quiet till he has thrashed them. + +It is no good for Quakers, or any other body of men to uplift their +voices against fighting. Human nature is too strong for them, and they +don't follow their own precepts. Every soul of them is doing his own +piece of fighting, somehow and somewhere. The world might be a better +world without fighting, for anything I know, but it wouldn't be our +world; and therefore I am dead against crying peace when there is no +peace, and isn't meant to be. I am as sorry as any man to see folk +fighting the wrong people and the wrong things, but I'd a deal sooner +see them doing that, than that they should have no fight in them. So +having recorded, and being about to record, my hero's fights of all +sorts, with all sorts of enemies, I shall now proceed to give an account +of his passage-at-arms with the only one of his school-fellows whom he +ever had to encounter in this manner. + +It was drawing toward the close of Arthur's first half-year, and the May +evenings were lengthening out. Locking-up was not till eight o'clock, +and everybody was beginning to talk about what he would do in the +holidays. The shell,[6] in which form all our _dramatis personae_ now +are, were reading among other things the last book of "Homer's Iliad," +and had worked through it as far as the speeches of the women over +Hector's body. It is a whole school-day, and four or five of the +school-house boys (among whom are Arthur, Tom and East) are preparing +third lesson together. They have finished the regulation forty lines, +and are for the most part getting very tired, notwithstanding the +exquisite pathos of Helen's lamentation. And now several long +four-syllabled words come together, and the boy with the dictionary +strikes work. + +[Footnote 6: _Shell_ is the name applied, in some public schools, to a +sort of intermediate class.] + +"I am not going to look out any more words," says he; "we've done the +quantity. Ten to one we shan't get so far. Let's go out into the close." + +"Come along, boys," cries East, always ready to leave the grind, as he +called it; "our old coach is laid up, you know, and we shall have one of +the new masters, who's sure to go slow and let us down easy." + +So an adjournment to the close was carried _nem. con._,[7] little +Arthur not daring to lift up his voice; but, being deeply interested in +what they were reading, he stayed quietly behind, and learned on for his +own pleasure. + +[Footnote 7: _Nemine contradicente_ is a Latin expression meaning _no +one speaking in opposition_.] + +As East had said, the regular master of the form was unwell, and they +were to be heard by one of the new masters, quite a young man, who had +only just left the university. Certainly it would be hard lines, if, by +dawdling as much as possible in coming in and taking their places, +entering into long-winded explanations of what was the usual course of +the regular master of the form, and others of the stock contrivances of +boys for wasting time in school, they could not spin out the lesson so +that he should not work them through more than the forty lines; as to +which quantity there was a perpetual fight going on between the master +and his form, the latter insisting, and enforcing by passive resistance, +that it was the prescribed quantity of Homer for a shell lesson, the +former that there was no fixed quantity, but that they must always be +ready to go on to fifty or sixty lines if there were time within the +hour. However, notwithstanding all their efforts, the new master got on +horribly quick; he seemed to have the bad taste to be really interested +in the lesson, and to be trying to work them up into something like +appreciation of it, giving them good spirited English words, instead of +the wretched bald stuff into which they rendered poor old Homer; and +construing over each piece himself to them, after each boy, to show them +how it should be done. + +Now the clock strikes the three quarters; there is only a quarter of an +hour more; but the forty lines are all but done. So the boys, one after +another, who are called up, stick more and more, and make balder and +ever more bald work of it. The poor young master is pretty near beat by +this time, and feels ready to knock his head against the wall, or his +fingers against somebody else's head. So he gives up altogether the +lower and middle parts of the form, and looks round in despair at the +boys on the top bench to see if there is one out of whom he can strike a +spark or two, and who will be too chivalrous to murder the most +beautiful utterances of the most beautiful woman of the old world. His +eye rests on Arthur, and he calls him up to finish construing Helen's +speech. Whereupon all the other boys draw long breaths, and begin to +stare about and take it easy. They are all safe; Arthur is the head of +the form, and sure to be able to construe, and that will tide on safely +till the hour strikes. + +Arthur proceeds to read out the passage in Greek before construing it, +as the custom is. Tom, who isn't paying much attention, is suddenly +caught by the falter in his voice as he reads the two lines: + + [Greek: alla su ton g' epeessi maraiphamenos katrukes, + Sae t' aganophrosunae kai sois aganois epeessin.][1] + +[Footnote 1: Pope's free rendering of these lines is as follows: + + If some proud brother eyed me with disdain, + Or scornful sister with her sweeping train, + Thy gentle accents softened all my pain.] + + +He looks up at Arthur. "Why, bless us," thinks he, "what can be the +matter with the young 'un? He's never going to get floored. He's sure to +have learned to the end." Next moment he is reassured by the spirited +tone in which Arthur begins construing, and betakes himself to drawing +dogs' heads in his notebook, while the master, evidently enjoying the +change, turns his back on the middle bench and stands before Arthur, +beating a sort of time with his hand and foot and saying "Yes, yes," +"very well," as Arthur goes on. + +But as he nears the fatal two lines, Tom catches that falter and again +looks up. He sees that there is something the matter--Arthur can hardly +get on at all. What can it be? + +Suddenly at this point Arthur breaks down altogether, and fairly bursts +out crying, and dashes the cuff of his jacket across his eyes, blushing +up to the roots of his hair, and feeling as if he should like to go down +suddenly through the floor. The whole form are taken aback; most of them +stare stupidly at him, while those who are gifted with presence of mind +find their places and look steadily at their books, in hopes of not +catching the master's eye and getting called up in Arthur's place. + +The master looks puzzled for a moment, and then seeing, as the fact is, +that the boy is really affected to tears by the most touching thing in +Homer, perhaps in all profane poetry put together, steps up to him and +lays his hand kindly on his shoulder, saying, "Never mind, my little +man, you've construed very well. Stop a minute, there's no hurry." + +Now, as luck would have it, there sat next above Tom that day, in the +middle bench of the form, a big boy, by name Williams, generally +supposed to be the cock of the shell, therefore, of all the school below +the fifths. The small boys, who are great speculators on the prowess of +their elders, used to hold forth to one another about Williams' great +strength, and to discuss whether East or Brown would take a licking from +him. He was called Slogger Williams, from the force with which it was +supposed he could hit. In the main, he was a rough, good-natured fellow +enough, but very much alive to his own dignity. He reckoned himself the +king of the form, and kept up his position with a strong hand, +especially in the matter of forcing boys not to construe more than the +legitimate forty lines. He had already grunted and grumbled to himself +when Arthur went on reading beyond the forty lines. But now that he had +broken down just in the middle of all the long words, the slogger's +wrath was fairly roused. + +"Sneaking little brute," muttered he, regardless of prudence, "clapping +on the waterworks just in the hardest place; see if I don't punch his +head after fourth lesson." + +"Whose?" said Tom, to whom the remark seemed to be addressed. + +"Why, that little sneak, Arthur's," replied Williams. + +"No, you shan't," said Tom. + +"Hullo!" exclaimed Williams, looking at Tom with great surprise for a +moment, and then giving him a sudden dig in the ribs with his elbow, +which sent Tom's books flying on the floor, and called the attention of +the master, who turned suddenly round, and seeing the state of things, +said: + +"Williams, go down three places, and then go on." + +The slogger found his legs very slowly, and proceeded to go below Tom +and two other boys with great disgust, and then turning round and facing +the master said: + +"I haven't learned any more, sir; our lesson is only forty lines." + +"Is that so?" said the master, appealing generally to the top bench. No +answer. + +"Who is the head boy of the form?" said he, waxing wroth. + +"Arthur, sir," answered three or four boys, indicating our friend. + +"Oh, your name's Arthur. Well now, what is the length of your regular +lesson?" + +Arthur hesitated a moment, and then said, "We call it only forty lines, +sir." + +"How do you mean, you call it?" + +"Well, sir, Mr. Graham says we ain't to stop there, when there's time to +construe more." + +"I understand," said the master. "Williams, go down three more places, +and write me out the lesson in Greek and English. And now, Arthur, +finish construing." + +"Oh! would I be in Arthur's shoes after fourth lesson?" said the little +boys to one another; but Arthur finished Helen's speech without any +further catastrophe, and the clock struck four, which ended third +lesson. Another hour was occupied in preparing and saying fourth lesson, +during which Williams was bottling up his wrath; and when five struck, +and the lessons for the day were over, he prepared to take summary +vengeance on the innocent cause of his misfortune. + +Tom was detained in school a few minutes after the rest, and on coming +out into the quadrangle, the first thing he saw was a small ring of +boys, applauding Williams, who was holding Arthur by the collar. + +"There, you young sneak," said he, giving Arthur a cuff on the head with +his other hand, "what made you say that--" + +"Hullo!" said Tom, shouldering into the crowd, "you drop that, Williams; +you shan't touch him." + +"Who'll stop me?" said the slogger, raising his hand again. + +"I," said Tom; and suiting the action to the word, struck the arm which +held Arthur's arm so sharply, that the slogger dropped it with a start, +and turned the full current of his wrath on Tom. + +"Will you fight?" + +"Yes, of course." + +"Huzza, there's going to be a fight between Slogger Williams and Tom +Brown!" + +The news ran like wild-fire about, and many boys were on their way to +tea at their several houses turned back, and sought the back of the +chapel, where the fights come off. + +"Just run and tell East to come and back me," said Tom to a small +school-house boy, who was off like a rocket to Harrowell's, just +stopping for a moment to poke his head into the school-house hall, where +the lower boys were already at tea, and sing out, "Fight! Tom Brown and +Slogger Williams." + +Up start half the boys at once, leaving bread, eggs, butter, sprats, and +all the rest to take care of themselves. The greater part of the +remainder follow in a minute, after swallowing their tea, carrying their +food in their hands to consume as they go. Three or four only remain, +who steal the butter of the more impetuous, and make to themselves an +unctuous feast. + +In another minute East and Martin tear through the quadrangle carrying a +sponge, and arrive at the scene of action just as the combatants are +beginning to strip. + +Tom felt he had got his work cut out for him, as he stripped off his +jacket, waistcoat, and braces. East tied his handkerchief round his +waist, and rolled up his shirt-sleeves for him: "Now, old boy, don't you +open your mouth to say a word, or try to help yourself a bit, we'll do +all that; you keep all your breath and strength for the slogger." Martin +meanwhile folded the clothes, and put them under the chapel rails; and +now Tom, with East to handle him and Martin to give him a knee, steps +out on the turf, and is ready for all that may come: and here is the +slogger too, all stripped, and thirsting for the fray. + +[Illustration: "A FIGHT!"] + +It doesn't look a fair match at first glance: Williams is nearly two +inches taller, and probably a long year older than his opponent, and he +is very strongly made about the arms and shoulders; "peels well," as the +little knot of big fifth-form boys, the amateurs, say; who stand outside +the ring of little boys, looking complacently on, but taking no active +part in the proceedings. But down below he is not so good by any means; +no spring from the loins, and feebleish, not to say shipwrecky, about +the knees. Tom, on the contrary, though not half so strong in the arms, +is good all over, straight, hard, and springy from neck to ankle, better +perhaps in his legs than anywhere. Besides, you can see by the clear +white of his eye and fresh bright look of his skin, that he is in +tip-top training, able to do all he knows; while the slogger looks +rather sodden, as if he didn't take much exercise and ate too much +tuck.[9] The time-keeper is chosen, a large ring made, and the two stand +up opposite one another for a moment, giving us time just to make our +little observations. + +[Footnote: 9. _Tuck_ is a slang name for pastry or sweetmeats.] + +"If Tom'll only condescend to fight with his head and heels," as East +mutters to Martin, "we shall do." + +But seemingly he won't for there he goes in, making play with both +hands. Hard all, is the word; the two stand to one another like men; +rally follows rally in quick succession, each fighting as if he thought +to finish the whole thing out of hand. "Can't last at this rate," say +the knowing ones, while the partisans of each make the air ring with +their shouts and counter-shouts, of encouragement, approval and +defiance. + +"Take it easy, take it easy--keep away, let him come after you," +implores East, as he wipes Tom's face after the first round with a wet +sponge, while he sits back on Martin's knee, supported by the Madman's +long arms, which tremble a little from excitement. + +"Time's up," calls the time-keeper. + +"There he goes again, hang it all!" growls East as his man is at it +again as hard as ever. A very severe round follows, in which Tom gets +out and out the worst of it, and is at last hit clean off his legs, and +deposited on the grass by a right-hander from the slogger. Loud shouts +rise from the boys of slogger's house, and the school-house are silent +and vicious, ready to pick quarrels anywhere. + +[Illustration: TOM SITS ON MARTIN'S KNEE] + +"Two to one in half-crowns on the big 'un," says Rattle, one of the +amateurs, a tall fellow, in thunder-and-lightning waistcoat, and puffy, +good-natured face. + +"Done!" says Groove, another amateur of quieter look, taking out his +note-book to enter it--for our friend Rattle sometimes forgets these +little things. + +Meantime East is freshening up Tom with the sponges for the next round, +and has set two other boys to rub his hands. + +"Tom, old boy," whispers he, "this may be fun for you, but it's death to +me. He'll hit all the fight out of you in another five minutes, and then +I shall go and drown myself in the island ditch. Feint him--use your +legs! draw him about! he'll lose his wind then in no time, and you can +go into him. Hit at his body too, we'll take care of his frontispiece by +and by." + +Tom felt the wisdom of the counsel, and saw already that he couldn't go +in and finish the slogger off at mere hammer and tongs, so changed his +tactics completely in the third round. He now fights cautious, getting +away from and parrying the slogger's lunging hits, instead of trying to +counter, and leading his enemy a dance all round the ring after him. +"He's funking; go in, Williams," "Catch him up," "Finish him off," +scream the small boys of the slogger party. + +"Just what we want," thinks East, chuckling to himself, as he sees +Williams, excited by these shouts and thinking the game in his own +hands, blowing himself in his exertions to get to close quarters again, +while Tom is keeping away with perfect ease. + +They quarter over the ground again and again, Tom always on the +defensive. + +The slogger pulls up at last for a moment, fairly blown. + +"Now then, Tom," sings out East dancing with delight. Tom goes in in a +twinkling, and hits two heavy body blows, and gets away again before the +slogger can catch his wind; which when he does he rushes with blind fury +at Tom, and being skillfully parried and avoided, over-reaches himself +and falls on his face, amid terrific cheers from the school-house boys. + +"Double your two to one?" says Groove to Rattle, note-book in hand. + +"Stop a bit," says the hero, looking uncomfortably at Williams, who is +puffing away on his second's knee, winded enough, but little the worse +in any other way. + +After another round the slogger too seems to see that he can't go in and +win right off, and has met his match or thereabouts. So he too begins to +use his head and tries to make Tom lose patience and come in before his +time. And so the fight sways on, now one, and now the other, getting a +trifling pull. + +Tom's face begins to look very one-sided--there are little queer bumps +on his forehead, and his mouth is bleeding; but East keeps the wet +sponge going so scientifically, that he comes up looking as fresh and +bright as ever. Williams is only slightly marked in the face, but by the +nervous movement of his elbows you can see that Tom's body blows are +telling. In fact, half the vice of the slogger's hitting is neutralized, +for he daren't lunge out freely for fear of exposing his sides. It is +too interesting by this time for much shouting, and the whole ring is +very quiet. + +"All right, Tommy," whispers East; "hold on's the horse that's to win. +We've got the last. Keep your head, old boy." + +But where is Arthur all this time? Words cannot paint the poor little +fellow's distress. He couldn't muster courage to come up to the ring, +but wandered up and down from the great fives'-court to the corner of +the chapel rails, now trying to make up his mind to throw himself +between them, and try to stop them; then thinking of running in and +telling Mary, the matron, who he knew would instantly report it to the +doctor. The stories he had heard of men being killed in prize-fights +rose up horribly before him. + +Once only, when the shouts of "Well done, Brown!" "Huzza for the +school-house!" rose higher than ever, he ventured up to the ring, +thinking the victory was won. Catching sight of Tom's face in the state +I have described, all fear of consequences vanishing out of his mind, he +rushed straight off to the matron's room, beseeching her to get the +fight stopped, or he should die. + +But it's time for us to get back to the close. What is this fierce +tumult and confusion? The ring is broken, and high and angry words are +being bandied about; "It's all fair,"--"It isn't"--"No hugging": the +fight is stopped. The combatants, however, sit there quietly, tended by +their seconds, while their adherents wrangle in the middle. East can't +help shouting challenges to two or three of the other side, though he +never leaves Tom for a moment, and plies the sponges as fast as ever. + +The fact is, that at the end of the last round, Tom seeing a good +opening, had closed with his opponent, and after a moment's struggle had +thrown him heavily, by the help of the fall he had learned from his +village rival in the vale of White Horse. Williams hadn't the ghost of a +chance with Tom at wrestling; and the conviction broke at once on the +slogger faction, that if this were allowed their man must be licked. +There was a strong feeling in the school against catching hold and +throwing, though it was generally ruled all fair within certain limits; +so the ring was broken and the fight stopped. + +The school-house are overruled--the fight is on again, but there is to +be no throwing; and East in high wrath threatens to take his man away +after the next round (which he don't mean to do, by the way), when +suddenly young Brooke comes through the small gate at the end of the +chapel. The school-house faction rush to him. "Oh, hurra! now we shall +get fair play." + +"Please, Brooke, come up, they won't let Tom Brown throw him." + +"Throw whom?" says Brooke, coming up to the ring. "Oh! Williams, I see. +Nonsense! of course he may throw him if he catches him fairly above the +waist." + +Now, young Brooke, you're in the sixth, you know, and you ought to stop +all fights. He looks hard at both boys. "Anything wrong?" says he to +East, nodding at Tom. + +"Not a bit." + +"Not beat at all?" + +"Bless you, no! heaps of fight in him. Ain't there, Tom?" + +Tom looks at Brooke and grins. + +"How's he?" nodding at Williams. + +"So, so; rather done, I think, since his last fall. He won't stand above +two more." + +"Time's up!" the boys rise again and face one another. Brooke can't find +it in his heart to stop them just yet, so the round goes on, the slogger +waiting for Tom, and reserving all his strength to hit him out should he +come in for the wrestling dodge again, for he feels that that must be +stopped, or his sponge will soon go up in the air. + +And now another newcomer appears on the field, to-wit, the under-porter, +with his long brush and great wooden receptacle for dust under his arm. +He has been sweeping out the schools. + +"You'd better stop, gentlemen," he says; "the doctor knows that Brown's +fighting--he'll be out in a minute." + +"You go to Bath, Bill," is all that that excellent servitor gets by his +advice. And being a man of his hands, and a stanch upholder of the +school-house, he can't help stopping to look on for a bit, and see Tom +Brown, their pet craftsman, fight a round. + +It is grim earnest now, and no mistake. Both boys feel this, and summon +every power of head, hand, and eye to their aid. A piece of luck on +either side, a foot slipping, a blow getting well home, or another fall, +may decide it. Tom works slowly round for an opening; he has all the +legs, and can choose his own time: the slogger waits for the attack, and +hopes to finish it by some heavy right-handed blow. As they quarter +slowly over the ground, the evening sun comes out from behind a cloud +and falls full on Williams' face. Tom starts in; the heavy right hand is +delivered, but only grazes his head. A short rally at close quarters, +and they close: in another moment the slogger is thrown again heavily +for the third time. + +"I'll give you three to two on the little one in half-crowns," said +Groove to Rattle. + +"No, thank 'ee," answers the other, diving his hands further into his +coat-tails. + +Just at this stage of the proceedings, the door of the doctor's library +suddenly opens, and he steps into the close, and makes straight for the +ring, in which Brown and the slogger are both seated on their seconds' +knees for the last time. + +"The doctor! the doctor!" shouts some small boy who catches sight of +him, and the ring melts away in a few seconds, the small boys tearing +off, Tom collaring his jacket and waistcoat, and slipping through the +little gate by the chapel, and round the corner to Harrowell's with his +backers, as lively as need be; Williams and his backers making off not +quite so fast across the close; Groove, Rattle and the other bigger +fellows trying to combine dignity and prudence in a comical manner, and +walking off fast enough, they hope, not to be recognized, and not fast +enough to look like running away. + +Young Brooke alone remains on the ground by the time the doctor gets +there, and touches his hat, not without a slight inward qualm. + +"Hah! Brooke. I am surprised to see you here. Don't you know that I +expect the sixth to stop fighting?" + +Brooke felt much more uncomfortable than he had expected, but he was +rather a favorite with the doctor for his openness and plainness of +speech; so blurted out, as he walked by the doctor's side, who had +already turned back: + +"Yes, sir, generally. But I thought you wished us to exercise a +discretion in the matter, too--not to interfere too soon." + +"But they have been fighting this half-hour and more," said the doctor. + +"Yes, sir, but neither was hurt. And they're the sort of boys who'll be +all the better friends now, which they wouldn't have been if they had +been stopped any earlier--before it was so equal." + +"Who was fighting with Brown?" said the doctor. + +"Williams, sir, of Thompson's. He is bigger than Brown, and had the best +of it at first, but not when you came up, sir. There's a good deal of +jealousy between our house and Thompson's, and there would have been +more fights if this hadn't been let go on, or if either of them had had +much the worst of it." + +"Well but, Brooke," said the doctor, "doesn't this look a little as if +you exercised your discretion by only stopping a fight when the +school-house boy is getting the worst of it?" + +Brooke, it must be confessed, felt rather graveled. + +"Remember," added the doctor, as he stopped at the turret-door, "this +fight is not to go on--you'll see to that. And I expect you to stop all +fights in future at once." + +"Very-well, sir," said young Brooke, touching his hat, and not sorry to +see the turret-door close, behind the doctor's back. + +Meantime Tom and the stanchest of his adherents had reached Harrowell's, +and Sally was bustling about to get them a late tea, while Stumps had +been sent off to Tew, the butcher, to get a piece of raw beef for Tom's +eye, so that he might show well in the morning. He was not a bit the +worse except a slight difficulty in his vision, a singing in his ears, +and a sprained thumb, which he kept in a cold-water bandage, while he +drank lots of tea, and listened to the babel of voices talking and +speculating of nothing but the fight, and how Williams would have given +in after another fall (which he didn't in the least believe), and how on +earth the doctor could have gotten to know of it--such bad luck! He +couldn't help thinking to himself that he was glad he hadn't won; he +liked it better as it was, and felt very friendly to the slogger. And +then poor little Arthur crept in and sat down quietly near him, and kept +looking at him and the raw beef with such plaintive looks, that Tom at +last burst out laughing. + +"Don't make such eyes, young 'un," said he, "there's nothing the +matter." + +"Oh, but Tom, are you much hurt? I can't bear thinking it was all for +me." + +"Not a bit of it, don't flatter yourself. We were sure to have had it +out sooner or later." + +"Well, but you won't go on, will you? You'll promise me you won't go +on." + +"Can't tell about that--all depends on the houses. We're in the hands of +our countrymen, you know. Must fight for the school-house flag, if so +be." + +And now, boys all, three words before we quit the subject. I have put in +this chapter on fighting of malice prepense, partly because I want to +give you a true picture of what every-day school life was in my time and +partly because of the cant and twaddle that's talked of boxing and +fighting with fists now-a-days. Even Thackeray has given in to it; and +only a few weeks ago there was some rampant stuff in the _Times_ on the +subject. + +Boys will quarrel, and when they quarrel will sometimes fight. Fighting +with fists is the natural English way for English boys to settle their +quarrels. What substitute for it is there, or ever was there, among any +nation under the sun? What would you like to see take its place? + +Learn to box, then, as you learn to play cricket and football. Not one +of you will be the worse, but very much the better for learning to box +well. Should you never have to use it in earnest, there's no exercise in +the world so good for the temper, and for the muscles of the back and +legs. + +As to fighting, keep out of it if you can, by all means. When the time +comes, if it ever should, that you have to say "Yes" or "No" to a +challenge to fight, say "No" if you can--only take care you make it +clear to yourselves why you say "No." It's a proof of the highest +courage, if done from true Christian motives. It's quite right and +justifiable, if done from a simple aversion to physical pain and danger. +But don't say "No" because you fear a licking, and say or think it's +because you fear God, for that's neither Christian nor honest. And if +you do fight, fight it out; and don't give in while you can stand and +see. + + + +PRONUNCIATION OF PROPER NAMES + +NOTE.--The pronunciation of difficult words is indicated by respelling +them phonetically. _N_ is used to indicate the French nasal sound; +_K_ the sound of _ch_ in German; _ue_ the sound of the +German _ue_, and French _u; oe_ the sound of _oe_ in foreign +languages. + +AGINCOURT, _aj' in kort_, or _ah zhaN koor'_ + +ATHELSTANE, _ath' el stane_ + +AYTOUN, (Wai. E.) _ay' toon_ + +CAERLEON, _kahr le' on_ + +CHEYENNE, _shi en'_ + +DUQUESNE, _du kayn'_ + +FROUDE, _frood_ + +GALAHAD, _gal' a had_ + +GHENT, _gent_ + +GRANTMESNIL, _groN ma neel'_ + +GUINEVERE, _gwin' e veer_ + +HOUYHNHNMS, _hoo' in 'ms_ + +LEIODES, _le o' deez_ + +MARACAIBO, _mahr ah ki' bo_ + +OTAHEITE, _o tah he' te_ + +POITIERS, _pwaht ya'_ + +SEINE, _sayn_ + +SIOUX, _soo_ + +SKALD, _skawld_ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 5 +by Charles Sylvester + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNEYS THROUGH BOOKLAND, VOL. 5 *** + +***** This file should be named 11250.txt or 11250.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/2/5/11250/ + +Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Andy Jewell and PG Distributed +Proofreaders + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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