the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第34章

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g　at　a　most　astonishing　rate　towards　the　sun；　while　the　company　on　every　side　set　up　one　general　acclamation。　But　Gog　in　his　balloon　soon　stopped　Wauwau　in　the　midst　of　her　career；　and　snared　her　in　a　net；　the　cords　of　which　he　continued　to　hold　in　his　hand。　Wauwau　did　not　totally　lose　her　presence　of　mind；　but　after　a　little　consideration；　made　several　violent　darts　against　the　volume　of　the　balloon；　so　fierce；　as　at　length　to　tear　open　a　great　space；　on　which　the　inflammable　air　rushing　out；　the　whole　apparatus　began　to　tumble　to　the　earth　with　amazing　rapidity。　Gog　himself　was　thrown　out　of　the　vehicle；　and　letting　go　the　reins　of　the　net；　Wauwau　got　liberty　again；　and　flew　out　of　sight　in　an　instant。

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



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXXII

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

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

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

In　short；　we　entered　the　castle。　The　governor　sat　with　all　our　company　to　table；　surrounded　by　his　friends；　of　a　very　fierce　and　warlike　appearance。　They　spoke　but　little；　and　seemed　very　austere　and　reserved；　until　the　first　course　was　served　up。　The　dishes　were　brought　in　by　a　number　of　bears　walking　on　their　hind…legs；　and　on　every　dish　was　a　fricassee　of　pistols；　pistol…bullets；　sauce　of　gunpowder；　and　aqua…vit？。　This　entertainment　seemed　rather　indigestible　by　even　an　ostrich's　stomach；　when　the　governor　addressed　us；　and　informed　me　that　it　was　ever　his　custom　to　strangers　to　offer　them　for　the　first　course　a　service　similar　to　that　before　us；　and　if　they　were　inclined　to　accept　the　invitation；　he　would　fight　them　as　much　as　they　pleased；　but　if　they　could　not　relish　the　pistol…bullets；　&c。；　he　would　conclude　them　peaceable；　and　try　what　better　politeness　he　could　show　them　in　his　castle。　In　short；　the　first　course　being　removed　untouched；　we　dined；　and　after　dinner　the　governor　forced　the　company　to　push　the　bottle　about　with　alacrity　and　to　excess。　He　informed　us　that　he　was　the　Nareskin　Rowskimowmowsky；　who　had　retired　amidst　these　wilds；　disgusted　with　the　court　of　Petersburgh。　I　was　rejoiced　to　meet　him；　I　recollected　my　old　friend；　whom　I　had　known　at　the　court　of　Russia；　when　I　rejected　the　hand　of　the　Empress。　The　Nareskin；　with　all　his　knights…companions；　drank　to　an　astonishing　degree；　and　we　all　set　off　upon　hobby　horses　in　full　cry　out　of　the　castle。　Never　was　there　seen　such　a　cavalcade　before。　In　front　galloped　a　hundred　knights　belonging　to　the　castle；　with　hunting　horns　and　a　pack　of　excellent　dogs；　and　then　came　the　Nareskin　Rowskimowmowsky；　Gog　and　Magog；　Hilaro　Frosticos；　and　your　humble　servant；　hallooing　and　shouting　like　so　many　demoniacs；　and　spurring　our　hobby　horses　at　an　infernal　rate　until　we　arrived　in　the　kingdom　of　Loggerheads。　The　kingdom　of　Loggerheads　was　wilder　than　any　part　of　Siberia；　and　the　Nareskin　had　here　built　a　romantic　summer…house　in　a　Gothic　taste；　to　which　he　would　frequently　retire　with　his　company　after　dinner。