the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第20章

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We　left　the　two　masts　in　his　mouth；　to　prevent　others　being　confined　in　the　same　horrid　gulf　of　darkness　and　filth。　Our　first　object　was　to　learn　what　part　of　the　world　we　were　in；　this　we　were　for　some　time　at　a　loss　to　ascertain：　at　last　I　found；　from　former　observations；　that　we　were　in　the　Caspian　Sea！　which　washes　part　of　the　country　of　the　Calmuck　Tartars。　How　we　came　here　is　was　impossible　to　conceive；　as　this　sea　has　no　communication　with　any　other。　One　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　Cheese　Island；　whom　I　had　brought　with　me；　accounted　for　it　thus：that　the　monster　in　whose　stomach　we　had　been　so　long　confined　had　carried　us　here　through　some　subterraneous　passage；　however；　we　pushed　to　shore；　and　I　was　the　first　who　landed。　Just　as　I　put　my　foot　upon　the　ground　a　large　bear　leaped　upon　me　with　its　fore…paws；　I　caught　one　in　each　hand；　and　squeezed　him　till　he　cried　out　most　lustily；　however；　in　this　position　I　held　him　till　I　starved　him　to　death。　You　may　laugh；　gentlemen；　but　this　was　soon　accomplished；　as　I　prevented　him　licking　his　paws。　From　hence　I　travelled　up　to　St。　Petersburg　a　second　time：　here　an　old　friend　gave　me　a　most　excellent　pointer；　descended　from　the　famous　bitch　before…mentioned；　that　littered　while　she　was　hunting　a　hare。　I　had　the　misfortune　to　have　him　shot　soon　after　by　a　blundering　sportsman；　who　fired　at　him　instead　of　a　covey　of　partridges　which　he　had　just　set。　Of　this　creature's　skin　I　have　had　this　waistcoat　made　（showing　his　waistcoat）；　which　always　leads　me　involuntarily　to　game　if　I　walk　in　the　fields　in　the　proper　season；　and　when　I　come　within　shot；　/one　of　the　buttons　constantly　flies　off；　and　lodges　upon　the　spot　where　the　sport　is/；　and　as　the　birds　rise；　being　always　primed　and　cocked；　I　never　miss　them。　Here　are　now　but　three　buttons　left。　I　shall　have　a　new　set　sewed　on　against　the　shooting　season　commences。

When　a　covey　of　partridges　is　disturbed　in　this　manner；　by　the　button　falling　amongst　them；　they　always　rise　from　the　ground　in　a　direct　line　before　each　other。　I　one　day；　by　forgetting　to　take　my　ramrod　out　of　my　gun；　shot　it　straight　through　a　leash；　as　regularly　as　if　the　cook　had　spitted　them。　I　had　forgot　to　put　in　any　shot；　and　the　rod　had　been　made　so　hot　with　the　powder；　that　the　birds　were　completely　roasted　by　the　time　I　reached　home。

Since　my　arrival　in　England　I　have　accomplished　what　I　had　very　much　at　heart；　viz。；　providing　for　the　inhabitant　of　the　Cheese　Island；　whom　I　had　brought　with　me。　My　old　friend；　Sir　William　Chambers；　who　is　entirely　indebted　to　me　for　all　his　ideas　of　Chinese　gardening；　by　a　description　of　which　he　has　gained　such　high　reputation；　I　say；　gentlemen；　in　a　discourse　which　I　had　with　this　gentlemen；　he　seemed　much　distressed　for　a　contrivance　to　light　the　lamps　at　the　new　buildings；　Somerset　House；　the　common　mode　with　ladders；　he　observed；　was　both　dirty　and　inconvenient。　My　native　of　the　Cheese　Island　popped　into　my　head；　he　was　only　nine　feet　high　when　I　first　brought　him　from　his　own　country；　but　was　now　increased　to　ten　and　a　half：　I　introduced　him　to　Sir　William；　and　he　is　appointed　to　that　honourable　office。　He　is　also　to　carry；　under　a　large　cloak；　a　utensil　in　each　coat　pocket；　instead　of　those　four　which　Sir　William　has　/very　properly/　fixed　for　private　purposes　in　so　conspicuous　a　situation；　the　great　quadrangle。

He　has　also　obtained　from　Mr。　PITT　the　situation　of　messenger　to　his　Majesty's　lords　of　the　bed…chamber；　whose　principal　employment　will　/now/　be；　divulging　the　secrets　of　the　Royal　household　to　their　/worthy/　Patron。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SUPPLEMENT

　　/Extraordinary　flight　on　the　back　of　an　eagle；　over　France　to　　　Gibraltar；　South　and　North　America；　the　Polar　Regions；　and　back　to　　　England；　within　six…and…thirty　hours。/

About　the　beginning　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　splendour：　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　round　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　hail…stones；　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；　where　the　eagle　descended　very　rapidly；　which　caused　me　to　slip　down　to　the　back　part　of　its　head；　but　alighting　on　a　large　tree；　and　raising　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　south…west。　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；　notwithstanding　my　degree　of　elevation；　t