the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第25章

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Mediterranean；　I　at　once　rejected　the　proposal；　and　had　afterwards　the　thanks　of　the　Honourable　the　House　of　Commons　for　my　propriety　and　political　discernment。

Having　been　properly　refreshed　at　Candia；　I　again　proceeded；　and　in　a　short　time　arrived　in　the　land　of　Egypt。　The　land　of　this　country；　at　least　that　part　of　it　near　the　sea；　is　very　low；　so　that　I　came　upon　it　ere　I　was　aware；　and　the　Pillar　of　Pompey　got　entangled　in　the　various　wheels　of　the　machine；　and　damaged　the　whole　considerably。　Still　I　drove　on　through　thick　and　thin；　till；　passing　over　that　great　obelisk；　the　Needle　of　Cleopatra；　the　work　got　entangled　again；　and　jolted　at　a　miserable　rate　over　the　mud　and　swampy　ground　of　all　that　country；　yet　my　poor　bulls　trotted　on　with　astonishing　labour　across　the　Isthmus　of　Suez　into　the　Red　Sea；　and　left　a　track；　an　obscure　channel；　which　has　since　been　taken　by　De　Tott　for　the　remains　of　a　canal　cut　by　some　of　the　Ptolemies　from　the　Red　Sea　to　the　Mediterranean；　but；　as　you　perceive；　was　in　reality　no　more　than　the　track　of　my　chariot；　the　car　of　Queen　Mab。

As　the　artists　at　present　in　that　country　are　nothing　wonderful；　though　the　ancient　Egyptians；　'tis　said；　were　most　astonishing　fellows；　I　could　not　procure　any　new　coach…springs；　or　have　a　possibility　of　setting　my　machine　to　rights　in　the　kingdom　of　Egypt；　and　as　I　could　not　presume　to　attempt　another　journey　overland；　and　the　great　mountains　of　marble　beyond　the　source　of　the　Nile；　I　thought　it　most　eligible　to　make　the　best　way　I　could；　by　sea；　to　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope；　where　I　supposed　I　should　get　some　Dutch　smiths　and　carpenters；　or　perhaps　some　English　artists；　and　my　vehicle　being　properly　repaired；　it　was　my　intention　thence　to　proceed；　overland；　through　the　heart　of　Africa。　The　surface　of　the　water；　I　well　knew；　afforded　less　resistance　to　the　wheels　of　the　machineit　passed　along　the　waves　like　the　chariot　of　Neptune；　and　in　short；　having　gotten　upon　the　Red　Sea；　we　scudded　away　to　admiration　through　the　pass　of　Babelmandeb　to　the　great　Western　coast　of　Africa；　where　Alexander　had　not　the　courage　to　venture。

And　really；　my　friends；　if　Alexander　had　ventured　toward　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope　he　most　probably　would　have　never　returned。　It　is　difficult　to　determine　whether　there　were　then　any　inhabitants　in　the　more　southern　parts　of　Africa　or　not；　yet；　at　any　rate；　this　conqueror　of　the　world　would　have　made　but　a　nonsensical　adventure；　his　miserable　ships；　not　contrived　for　a　long　voyage；　would　have　become　leaky；　and　foundered；　before　he　could　have　doubled　the　Cape；　and　left　his　Majesty　fairly　beyond　the　limits　of　the　then　known　world。　Yet　it　would　have　been　an　august　exit　for　an　Alexander；　after　having　subdued　Persia　and　India；　to　be　wandering　the　Lord　knows　where；　to　Jup　or　Ammon；　perhaps；　or　on　a　voyage　to　the　moon；　as　an　Indian　chief　once　said　to　Captain　Cook。

But；　for　my　part；　I　was　far　more　successful　than　Alexander；　I　drove　on　with　the　most　amazing　rapidity；　and　thinking　to　halt　on　shore　at　the　Cape；　I　unfortunately　drove　too　close；　and　shattered　the　right　side　wheels　of　my　vehicle　against　the　rock；　now　called　the　Table　Mountain。　The　machine　went　against　it　with　such　impetuosity　as　completely　shivered　the　rock　in　a　horizontal　direction；　so　that　the　summit　of　the　mountain；　in　the　form　of　a　semi…sphere；　was　knocked　into　the　sea；　and　the　steep　mountain　becoming　thereby　flattened　at　the　top；　has　since　received　the　name　of　the　Table　Mountain；　from　its　similarity　to　that　piece　of　furniture。

Just　as　this　part　of　the　mountain　was　knocked　off；　the　ghost　of　the　Cape；　that　tremendous　sprite　which　cuts　such　a　figure　in　the　Lusiad；　was　discovered　sitting　squat　in　an　excavation　formed　for　him　in　the　centre　of　the　mountain。　He　seemed　just　like　a　young　bee　in　his　little　cell　before　he　comes　forth；　or　like　a　bean　in　a　bean…pod；　and　when　the　upper　part　of　the　mountain　was　split　across　and　knocked　off；　the　superior　half　of　his　person　was　discovered。　He　appeared　of　a　bottle…　blue　colour；　and　started；　dazzled　with　the　unexpected　glare　of　the　light：　hearing　the　dreadful　rattle　of　the　wheels；　and　the　loud　chirping　of　the　crickets；　he　was　thunder…struck；　and　instantly　giving　a　shriek；　sunk　down　ten　thousand　fathoms　into　the　earth；　while　the　mountain；　vomiting　out　some　smoke；　silently　closed　up；　and　left　not　a　trace　behind！



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXIV

　　/The　Baron　secures　his　chariot；　&c。；　at　the　Cape　and　takes　his　　　passage　for　England　in　a　homeward…bound　IndiamanWrecked　upon　an　　　island　of　ice；　near　the　coast　of　GuineaEscapes　from　the　wreck；　　　and　rears　a　variety　of　vegetables　upon　the　islandMeets　some　　　vessels　belonging　to　the　negroes　bringing　white　slaves　from　　　Europe；　in　retaliation；　to　work　upon　their　plantations　in　a　cold　　　climate　near　the　South　PoleArrives　in　England；　and　lays　an　　　account　of　his　expedition　before　the　Privy　CouncilGreat　　　preparations　for　a　new　expeditionThe　Sphinx；　Gog　and　Magog；　and　　　a　great　company　attend　himThe　ideas　of　Hilaro　Frosticos　　　respecting　the　interior　parts　of　Africa。/

I　perceived　with　grief　and　consternation　the　miscarriage　of　all　my　apparatus；　yet　I　was　not　absolutely　dejected：　a　great　mind　is　never　known　but　in　adversity。　With　permission　of　the　Dutch　governor　the　chariot　was　properly　laid　up　in　a　great　storehouse；　erected　at　the　water's　edge；　and　the　bulls　received　every　refreshment　possible　after　so　terrible　a　voyage。　Well；　you　may　be　sure　they　deserved　it；　and　therefore　every　attendance　was　engaged　for　them；　until　I　should　return。

As　it　was　not　possible　to　do　anything　more　I　took　my　passage　in　a　homeward…bound　Indiaman；　to　return　to　London；　and　lay　the　matter　before　the　Privy　Council。

We　met　with　nothing　particular　until　we　arrived　upon　the　coast　of　Guinea；　where；　to　our　utter　astonishment；　we　perceived　a　great　hill；　seemingly　of　glass；　advancing　against　us　in　the　open　sea；　the　rays　of　the　sun　were　reflected　upon　it　with　such　splendour；　that　it　was　extremely　difficult　to　gaze　at　the　phenomenon。　I　immediately　knew　it　to　be　an　island　of　ice；　and　though　in　so　very　warm　a　latitude；　determined　to　make　all　possible　sail　from　such　horrible　danger。　We　did　so；　but　all　in　vain；　for　about　eleven　o'clock　at　night；　blowing　a　very　hard　gale；　and　exceedingly　dark；　we　struck　upon　the　island。　Nothing　could　equal　the　distraction；　the　shrieks；　and　despair　of　the　whole　crew；　until　I；　knowing　there　was　not　a　moment　to　be　lost；　cheered　up　their　spirits；　and　bade　them　not　despond；　but　do　as　I　should　request　them。　In　a　few　minutes　the　vessel　was　half　full　of　water；　and　the　enormous　castle　of　ice　that　seemed　to　hem　us　in　on　every　side；　in　some　places　falling　in　hideous　fragments　upon　the　deck；　killed　one　half　of　the　crew；　upon　which；　getting　upon　the　summit　of　the　mast；　I　contrived　to　make　it　fast　to　a　great　promontory　of　the　ice；　and　calling　to　the　remainder　of　the　crew　to　follow　me；　we　all　escaped　from　the　wreck；　and　got　upon　the　summit　of　the　island。

The　rising　sun　soon　gave　us　a　dreadful　prospect　of　our　situation；　and　the　loss；　or　rather　iceification；　of　the　vessel；　for　being　closed　in　on　every　side　with　castles　of　ice　during　the　night；　she　was　absolutely　frozen　over　and　buried　in　such　a　manner　that　we　could　behold　her　under　our　feet；　even　in　the　central　solidity　of　the　island。　Having　debated　what　was　best　to　be　done；　we　immediately　cut　down　through　the　ice；　and　got　up　some　of　the　cables　of　the　vessel；　and　the　boats；　which；　making　fast　to　the　island；　we　towed　it　with　all　our　might；　determined　to　bring　home　island　and　all；　or　perish　in　the　attempt。　On　the　summit　of　the　island　we　placed　what　oakum　and　dregs　of　every　kind　of　matter　we　could　get　from　the　vessel；　which；　in　the　space　of　a　very　few　hours；　on　account　of　the　liquefying　of　the　ice；　and　the　warmth　of　the　sun；　were　transformed　into　a　very　fine　manure；　and　as　I　had　some　seeds　of　exotic　vegetables　in　my　pocket；　we　shortly　had　a　sufficiency　of　fruits　and　roots　growing　upon　the　island　to　supply　the　whole　crew；　especially　the　bread…fruit　tree；　a　few　plants　of　which　had　been　in　the　vessel；　and　another　tree；　which　bore　plum…puddings　so　very　hot；　and　with　such　exquisite　proportion　of　sugar；　fruit；　&c。；　that　we　all　acknowledged　it　was　not　possible　to　taste　a