The Blazing World and Other Writings (Penguin Classics) (12 page)

In this time of confusion, Travellia (for so now she called herself) followed close her old new father, who had as many care-full thoughts, and as great a regard for her safety, as she of herself; and giving order to the pilot that had lost his steerage, to cast over the cock-boat,
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which no sooner done, but a gust of wind drove them on a rock that split the ship; which as soon as he perceived, he took his beloved and supposed boy, and put him in with himself and the pilot into the boat, cutting that cable, and imploring the favour of the gods, committing themselves to the fates, setting up a little sail for the wind to carry them which way it pleased. No sooner put off, but the ship and all therein sunk: but the gods favouring the young Lady for her virtue, tied up the strong winds again into their several corners: after which they sailing six days, at last were thrust through a point into a large river, which for the greatness might be called a large sea; for though it was fresh water, yet it was of that
longitude and latitude, that they could not perceive land for four days together; but at the last they espied land, and coming nigh, they perceived a multitude of people, which when they came to the shore affrighted each other, for those on the land never saw any bark or the like swim upon the water, for they had that propriety to swim naturally like fishes[.] Nor they in the boat never saw such complexioned men; for they were not black like Negroes, nor tawny, nor olive, nor ash-coloured, as many are, but of a deep purple, their hair as white as milk, and like wool; their lips thin, their ears long, their noses flat, yet sharp, their teeth and nails as black as jet, and as shining; their stature tall, and their proportion big; their bodies were all naked, only from the waist down to their twist
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was there brought through their legs up to the waist again, and tied with a knot, a thin kind of stuff, which was made of the barks of trees, yet looked as fine as silk, and as soft; the men carried long darts in their hands, spear-fashion, so hard and smooth, as it seemed like metal, but made of whales’ bones. But when they landed, the people came so thick about them, as almost smothered them. But the grave and chief of them, which seemed like their priests, sent them straight to their chief governors of those parts, as their custom was, as it seemed to them afterwards; for all that was strange or rare was usually presented to their chiefs, so that they stayed not so long as to see the ceremony of that sacrifice they were offering, only they perceived it was a sacrifice of fish to some sea-god; and then [they] set them on a creature half fish, half flesh, for it was in shape like a calf, but a tail like a fish, a horn like a unicorn which lives in the river, but yet would lie upon the sands in great herds or shoals, as seals do, so as they might take [them] for their use at any time, without the trouble of keeping them up, for they were tame and gentle of themselves.

But thus riding along the sand two or three leagues to the governor’s house, for all along those sands[,] only upon a bank[,] were houses all in a row built with fishbones, which bones were laid with great art, and in fine works, and so close as stone or brick; the tops of these houses were scales of fish laid like tile or
flat; these scales glittered so in the sun, as they looked some ways like silver, other ways like rainbows, in all manner of colours.

When the governor had viewed diem, he sent them with other messengers, but on the same beasts, to the next governor; and thus [] riding upon the sands for some days, their food [was] broiled fish, but broiled upon the hot sands, for there was no other food but fish and water-fowls, whereof they had great store, but yet of strange kinds to those strangers’ view, for there was no pasture, nor anything like green.

At last they came to a place, which seemed like a forest, for there were a number of bodies of trees, but having neither branches nor leaves, and yet the bodies of those trees, if one may call them so, having no branches, were so big as to hold a family of twenty, or more of the governor’s house, for so they serve, for their house was as big as four other[s]; and the bark of those trees, or indeed the wood of the tree quite through, were as all manner of flowers both for colour, shape, and scent, painted and set by nature in the wood; as when the wood was cut one way, flowers were all perfect in shape, but cut another way and they seemed like flowers shed from the stalks; and this wood was so sweet as all the forest smelled thereof.

After the governor of this place had viewed them, he set them on other beasts, and sent them by other messengers; where leaving their fleshly fishy beasts which run back again to the place they were taken from: but those they rode after[wards], were like a stag in the body, which was as big as a horse, black as a coal, a tail like a dog, horns like a ram, tipped with green like buds of trees, as swift as a roe: and thus riding until they came to another forest, where all the trees were very high and broad, whose leaves were shadowed with several greens, lighter and darker, as if they were painted, and many birds of strange colours and shapes[.] Some birds had wings like flies, beaks, bodies and legs like other birds; some the bodies like squirrels, but had feathered wings: there was one, a very fine kind of bird in shape, both for beak, head, body and legs, like a parrot, but instead of feathers, it was covered with hair like
beasts, which hairs were of the colour of parrot’s feathers, and the wings like bat’s wings, streaked like a rainbow; the eyes looked as yellow as the sun, and sent forth a kind of a light like to small rays of the sun; in the midst of the forehead it had a small horn, which grew winding and sharp at the end like a needle: this bird did mount like a hawk in circle, and after would fly down at other birds as they do; but instead of talons, that horn struck them dead, for with its horn it would thrust them into their bodies, and so bear their bodies upon their horn, and fly some certain lengths as in triumphs, and then would light and eat it.

Some birds no bigger than the smallest flies there were, yet all feathered; besides, there were many sorts of beasts, for some had beaks like birds, and feathers instead of hair, but no wings, and their bodies like a sheep. There was one kind of beast in the shape of a camel, and the neck as white as a swan, and all the head and face white, only a lock of hair on the top of his crown of all manner of colours; the hair of his body was of a perfect gold yellow, his tail like his fore-top, but it would often turn up like a peacock’s tail, and spread it as broad; and the hairs being of all several colours, made a most glorious show, the legs and feet of the colour of the body, but the hooves as black as jet.

At last, they were carried to another governor who lived in a town, whose house was built with spices; the roof and beams as big as any house need to have, made of cinnamon, and the walls were plastered with the flakes of mace, which flakes were a foot square; the planches
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were cut thick, like bricks, or square marble pieces, out of nutmegs; the long planches out of ginger, for their nutmegs and races of ginger were as great as men could carry; the house was covered on the top, some with pomegranates’ rinds, others of oranges and citrons, but the pomegranates last the longer, but the other smelled the sweeter, and looked the more pleasanter to the eye[.] They never have rain there, nor in any part of the kingdom, for the air is always serene and clear; nor no higher winds than what fans the heat; their exercise was hunting, where the women hunted the females, the men the males.

But as they went to the governor, all the people run about to see them, wondering at them, viewing them round: but the governor seemed to admire the youth much, but durst not keep him, being against the custom, but sent them straight towards the chief city where their King was; where after some days riding, [they] came out of the forest into great plains and champains,
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which were covered with a sea green and willow-coloured grass, and some meadows were covered with perfect shadows of all manner of sorts of greens. But as they drew near the city, there were great quarries of crystal, as we have of stone. But when they came up to the city, all about without the walls were orchards, and root-gardens, where there grew roots as sweet, as if they were preserved, and some all juicy; most of their fruits grew in shells like nuts, but most delicious to the taste; but their shells were like a net or caul, that all the fruit was seen through, and some kind of fruits as big as one’s head, but some were no bigger than ours, others very small; there never fell rain, but dews to refresh them, which dews fell upon the earth, every night they fell like flakes of snow; and when they were upon the earth, they melted; and those flakes to the taste were like double-refined sugar.

At last, they entered the city, which city was walled about with crystal, and all their houses thereof, which houses were built both high and large, and before the houses were arched walks set upon great pillars of crystal; through the midst of the street run a stream of golden sands, and cross the stream were little silver bridges to pass and repass over to each side of the street; on each side of this stream grows rows of trees, which trees were about the height of cypress trees, but instead of green leaves, upon every stalk grew a several sweet flower, which smelled so sweet, that when Zephyrus
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blew, for they never had high winds, they gave so strong a scent, that to those that were not used to diem, did almost suffocate their spirits.

The King’s palace stood in the midst of the city, higher than all the other houses; the outward wall was crystal, cut all in triangulars, which presented millions of forms from one object; and all the ridge of the wall was all pointed crystals, which
points cutting and dividing the beams of the sun so small, as the wall did not only look sparkling, but like a flaming hoop or ring of fire, by reason the wall went round. To this wall were four open passages, arched like gates; from those passages went walks, and on each side of these walks were trees, the barks thereof shadowed with hair colour, and as smooth as glass, the leaves of a perfect grass-green, for that is very rare to have in that country, Nature hath there so intermixed several colours made by light on several grounds or bodies of things; and on those trees birds do so delight therein, that they are always full of birds, every tree having a several choir by itself, which birds do sing such perfect notes, and keep so just a time, that they do make a most ravishing melody, besides, the variety of their tunes are such, that one would think Nature did set them new every day. These walks lead to another court, which was walled about with agates, carved with all imagery, and upon the ridge of the wall were such agates chose[n] out as most resemble the eyes, for in some agates their colours are naturally mixed, and lie in such circles as eyes, these seem as if so many sentinels lay looking and watching round about. From this wall went a walk, where on each side were beasts cut artificially to the life out of several coloured stones, according as those beasts were they were to resemble. This walk leads to another court which was not walled, but rather railed with white and red cornelians; these rails were cut spear-fashion. From the rails went only a plain walk paved with gold, which went straight to the palace; this palace standing on a little mount, whereto went up a pair of stairs; the stairs went round about the house, ascending by degrees on steps, which steps were of amber, leading up to a large and wide door; the frontispiece thereof was Turkey stones curiously carved in so small works, as if it had been engraven; the palace walls were all pure porcelain, and very thick and strong, yet very clear; it was all roofed or covered with jet, and also paved with the same, so that the black jet was set forth by the white porcelain, and the white porcelain seemed whiter by the blackness of the jet; their windows were only arched holes to let in air. Then in the midst of the palace was a large room
like a little enclosed meadow, where in the midst of that room ran a spring of clear water, where the King bathed himself therein. Also, there were brave gardens of all sorts of flowers, where in the midst was a rock of amethyst, and artificial nymphs cut out to the life of mother [of] pearl, and little brooks winding and streaming about of golden sands; the wonder was, that although there were many mines in that kingdom, yet it was very fertile.

At last, they were brought to the King’s presence, who was laid upon a carpet made of thistledown, with great attendance about him: but he, and all those of the royal blood, were of a different colour from the rest of the people, they were of a perfect orange colour, their hair coal black, their teeth and nails as white as milk, of a very great height, yet well shaped.

But when the King saw diem, he wondered at diem; first, at the old man’s beard, for they have none; the next, at their habit, which were seamen’s clothes; but above all, at the youth, who looked handsome in despite of his poor and dirty garments[.] At last, he would have their clothes pulled off: but no sooner did they come to execute their command[,] but Travellia was so affrighted, that he fell down in a swound[.] Those that touched him started back when they saw him dead; but the old man bending him forward, brought him to life again: whereupon they straight thought that their touching him killed him, and that the old man had power to restore life, which made them afraid to touch them anymore; for that disease of swounding
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was not known to diem; then were their priests and wizards called for, to know from whence they came, and what should be done with diem, which priests were only known from the rest of the people, by a tuft of hair growing just upon the crown of the head, and all the head else had no hair, where other priests are only bald upon the crown []; the King and they fell into a great dispute.

The King pleaded hard to keep the youth, but at last the priest had the better, as most commonly they have in all religions, and so carried them away, and kept them a twelve month, but never dared touch diem, for fear they should die,
because Travellia swounded, but they beckoned and pointed to them, they gave them ease, not employing them to any labour, and fed them daintily of what they could eat: for some meats they could not eat, as man’s flesh, for they had a custom in that country, to keep great store of slaves, both males and females, to breed on, as we do breed flocks of sheep, and other cattle[.] The children were eaten as we do lambs or veal, for young and tender meat; the elder for beef and mutton, as stronger meats; they kill five males for one female, for fear of destroying the breed, although they were so fruitful: they never bear less than two at a birth[,] and many times three, and they seldom leave child-bearing, until they are threescore years old, for they usually live there until they are eight score, and sometimes two hundred years, but the ordinary age is a hundred, unless plagues come; but not out of sluttery, or evil, or corrupt air, but with too much nourishment, by reason of their delicious diet, which breeds such a superfluity of humours, that it corrupts their blood[.] As for their houses, they are kept very cleanly, by reason they never eat in diem, for their custom was to eat all together in common halls, as the Lacedemonians
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did, only they had better cheer and more liberty; likewise their women were common to everyone’s use, unless it were those women of the royal blood, which is a sort by themselves, as was described before, and therefore never mixed with the rest; but if they did, and were known, it was death; these of the royal blood all their skins were wrought, like the Britons. As for their government, it was tyrannical, for all the common people were slaves to the royal.