The adventures of Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. Being the substance of his examination before the fathers of the Inquisition at Bologna, in Italy: giving an account of an unknown country, in the midst of the deserts of Africa, the origin and antiquity of the people, their religion, customs, and laws. / Copied from the original manuscripts in St. Mark's Library at Venice; with critical notes of the learned Signor Rhedi. ; To which is prefixed, a letter of the secretary of the Inquisition, shewing the reasons of Signor Gaudentio's being apprehended, and the manner of it. ; Translated from the Italian.

Author: Berington, Simon, 1680-1755.2005-10

[Page]

THE ADVENTURES OF Sig. Gaudentio Di Lucca.

Being the substance of his Examination before the Fathers of the Inquisition at Bologna, in Italy: GIVING AN ACCOUNT OF AN UNKNOWN COUNTRY, IN THE MIDST OF THE DESERTS OF AFRICA, THE ORIGIN AND ANTIQUITY OF THE PEOPLE, THEIR RELIGION, CUSTOMS, AND LAWS.

Copied from the original manuscript in St. Mark's Library at Venice; with critical notes of the learned Signor RHEDI.

To which is prefixed, A letter of the Secretary of the Inquisition, shewing the reasons of Signor GAUDENTIO'S being apprehended, and the manner of it.

TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN.

PHILADELPHIA: RE-PRINTED BY WILLIAM CONOVER, No. 71, WALNUT STREET.

1799.

[Page]

THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER.

IT is very natural to think the reader would willingly be apprised of two things relating to these Memoirs: First, how this curious manuscript came to light, considering the dark and deep secrecy with which all things are transacted in the inquisition. Secondly, how it came into the translator's hands. To satisfy such a commendable curiosity, he is to be informed. That the manuscript was sent by the secretary of the inquisition at Bologna to the learned Sig. Rhedi, keeper of the library of S. Mark at Venice, his intimate friend and correspondent, with the whole account how the author was taken up, and secured in the inquisition, as the letter of the secretary to the same Signor Rhedi will shew: which letter, as it contains a great many curious particulars in the examination of the criminal, (for he was taken up as such, though nothing very material was proved against him; for which reason, he [Page 4] received a more favorable treatment than is generally believed to be customary in that dreadful tribunal); so it discovers no indirect practices of the inquisition, but, on the contrary, shews they proceed with a great deal of circumspection within their walls, though all things are involved in impenetrable darkness to those without. Beside, the succession of new popes, and, generally speaking, the change of other officers attending it, might make them be less upon their guard, as the secretary seems to hint in his letter. Neither is there any thing that might do him any harm, in case he were discovered; especially writing to a friend of his own communion, and a priest, as Signor Rhedi was; which is likewise seen by the letter.

As to the second quaere, the manuscript came into the publisher's hands, by the means of the same Signor Rhedi, who is an honor to his church, profession, and country, and one of the most learned and polite men in the world. He is not so bigotted to his religion or profession, as to shun the company of the heretical tramon [...]ani, a title the Indians generally give us; but loves and esteems a learned man, though of a different persuasion. One reason for this may be, that he breathes a freer air at Venice, than they do in the other parts of Italy. The inquisition has [Page 5] nothing to do in the Venetian territories. Though they are Roman Catholics, the state admits of no tribunal independant of itself. Besides, as they are a trading people, their commerce obliges them to be civil to persons of all persuasions, especially strangers. But of all others they seem to have the greatest respect for the English; whether it be on account of their power at sea, or their frankness in spending their money, so many of the English nobility and gentry travelling that way; or from the candour and sincerity of our nature, so opposite to the Italians, and therefore the more valued by them: be that as it will, the publisher, who had several times made the tour of Italy, was not only intimately acquainted, but had contracted a particular friendship with Signor Rhedi, as well on account of their mutual inclinations for learning and antiquity, as for several reciprocal obligations passing between them. The last time he was at Venice, which was in company of a person of the first rank, who liked the place as well as he did, he staid there upwards of fifteen months; during which time he had the opportunity of enjoying the conversation of his learned friend, with as much liberty, as if he had been of the same persuasion. But the present of a gold repeating watch, with some other of [Page 6] our English curiosities, so won his heart, that one day being together in the great library, he unlocks a little grate where he kept his rarities, and turning to me with a smile, Signor Inglese, says he, holding a manuscript in his hand, here is such a curiosity, as I am sure, you never saw, and perhaps never heard of: it is the life of a person who is now in the inquisition at Bologna, taken from his own confession before the inquisitors; with the account of a country in the heart of the vast deserts of Africa, whose inhabitants have lived unknown to all the world upwards of 3000 years, and inaccessible to all the world, but by the way he was carried thither. The inquisitors are so far persuaded of the truth of it, that they have promised him his liberty, if he will undertake to conduct some missionaries the same way, to preach the gospel to a numerous people, who by his account have the greatest knowledge of natural religion and polity of any Heathen nation yet known, even beyond the Chinese. For my own part, I could scarce have believed it, had not the secretary of the same inquisition, who, you may be sure, by his post, is not a man to be imposed upon, assured me of the truth of it: nay, that he himself was present at his seizure and examination, and sent me a copy of his life, which he was [Page 7] ordered to give in by the inquisitors; with the whole account of the occasion and manner of his seizure. It seems he had lived some time in Bologna in quality of a physician, under the name of Signor Gaudentio di Lucca, which he says is his true name, and confirms it by the place of his birth, the names of his parents, time of his captivity, &c. He had dropped some words of several strange secrets he was master of, with mutterings of an unknown nation, religion, and customs, quite new to the Italian ears, for which reason the inquisition thought sit to seize him, and, by ways and means made use of in that tribunal, obliged him to give an account of his whole life, which is the most surprising I ever read. Here is the secretary's letter, giving a succinct account of the whole affair. I have added, continued he, some critical remarks in proper places, to shew that this account is not so incredible as it may appear at first sight, and that it agrees with some hints left us in the remains of ancient history. Besides, the man stands to the truth of it with a stedfastness that is surprising. He is a person of a very handsome presence, well read, good sense, and, as it appears to the inquisitors, (who are nice judges), of seemingly good morals. He professes himself a zealous Roman Catholic, and that he always was so; for [Page 8] which reason, the inquisitors are more civil to him than ordinary. He gives such a rational and circumstantial account of his adventures, that I am of the secretary's opinion, as to the truth of it. But, added he, I wont forestal the satisfaction you will find in the perusal: so delivered the manuscript and the secretary's letter into the publisher's hands, who running his eyes over it for some time, was so struck with the novelty of the thing, that he asked Sig. Rhedi, whether he might not take a copy of it. He was answered, he could not permit the manuscript to be taken out of the library; nor could he, with safety to himself, allow a stranger, and of a different religion too, the liberty of staying so long in the library by himself, as the transcribing would take up. The publisher said, he might put what guards upon him he pleased, provided he might but transcribe it. No, says he, that is inconvenient too; but I will order one of my under librarians I can conside in, to write you out an exact copy, with the secretary's letter, and my own remarks, if you think them worth your notice; which he did most faithfu [...]ly; generously commanding the transcriber, at the same time, not to take any thing of me for his pains. Thus this curious manuscript came to hand, to the infinite satisfaction of the publisher, and he hopes it will prove no [Page 9] less to the readers, in the perusal of it. The character of Signor Gaudentio cannot be called in question; nor is the publisher a person so little versed in the nature and ways of the Italians, as to be imposed upon. The translation from the Italian is as exact as possible. This is the previous account the publisher thought proper to give of this affair.

N. B. Great part of the matters treated of in these memoirs, being transmitted in a Roman-Catholic country, and among Roman Catholics, the reader must not wonder, if they speak of their religion, as if it were the only true one in the world.

It will not be improper to admonish the reader, not to discredit immediately some of the relations contained in these Memoirs; but to suspend his judgement, 'till he has read Signor Rhedi's remarks; particularly when he comes to the origin and antiquity of the people the author speaks of. The learned will find in them such a vast knowledge in history, and the most intricate remains of antiquity, as will render them very well worth their notice. The same Signor Rhedi told the publisher, he had inquired into what happened at Venice; particularly what the author mentions of Monsieur Godart, one of the most improbable parts of his adventures, and found the whole to be just as he relates it.

[Page 10]The publisher is satisfied the reader will be extremely sorry, as well as himself, for the loss of some sheets belonging to the middle part of this history. How they came to be lost, he cannot tell; but he supposes, by the incivility of the customhouse-officers at Marseilles; for they tumbled over his effects at a very rude rate, and while he had an eye on other matters, they either took some of the loose sheets, or they dropped out in the tumbling; he was very much troubled, when he came to miss them in the course of the translation.

[Page]

INTRODUCTION.
Giving an account of the causes and manner of the seizure of Signor GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA, and the first part of his examination.
In a letter from the Secretary of the INQUISITION, to Signor RHEDI.

^* SIR,

THE present turn of ^† affairs which fills the heads of other people with intrigues of state, gives me an opportunity of returning my best thanks, for the rich present you were pleased to send to a person who was yours before by the strictest ties of gratitude —The cabinet, with the other curiosities, came safe to hand, and shews, that whoever is so happy, as to oblige Signor Rhedi, sows a seed which returns a hundred fold.—The poverty of our ^‡ profession hinders me from being capable [Page 12] of making a suitable return for your magnificent present; but nothing ought to take from me the desire of expressing my acknowledgements. In testimony of it, and to shew that poverty itself may be grateful, I send you, by the bearer, the account of a man whose life has filled our inquisitors with wonder and astonishment. He has been in the inquisition at this place about two years: we have employed all our engines to find out the truth of what he is, and can find nothing material against him, unless it be the unheard-of account he gives of himself. Our first inquisitor has obliged him to write his own life, with all the particulars, as succinctly as possible, adding threats withal, that, if we find him in a false story, it shall be worse with him. He tells us strange stories of one of the most beautiful countries in the world, in the very heart of the vast deserts of Africa, inaccessible to all the world but by one way, which seems as extraordinary as the country it leads to. As you are a person of universal knowledge in antiquity, and an admirer of curiosities of this nature, I send you a copy of the manuscript to have your opinion of it; and to give you as clear a notion of the man as I can, you must know, that about three years before he was taken up by the inquisition, he took a nea [...] house at Bologna in quality of a physician, passing [Page 13] through some slight examination for form's sake, and paying his fee as is customary with strangers. His name, as he says, is Gaudentio di Lucca, originally of Lucca ^*, but born in Ragusa ^†; he is a tall, handsome, clean-built man, as you shall see in a thousand, of a very polite address, and something so very engaging in his aspect▪ as bespeaks your favor at first sight▪ He seems to be near fifty; he is a man of good sense and fine discourse, though his accent is not pure Italian, from his living, as he says, so long in foreign countries. He speaks almost all the oriental languages, and has a very competent share of other parts of learning, as well as that of his profession. We sent to Ragusa and Lucca to inquire about him, but could not get the least information of his being known in those places. The reason of which he has given in his life, as you will see; only at Ragusa, some people remembered there had been a merchant of that name, about five and twenty or thirty years ago, who was either lost, or taken by pirates, and never heard of more.

The inquisition, as you know, sir, has eyes every where, especially on strangers; we kept an eye upon him from his first settling [...] [...]t Bologna: but as we proceed with [Page 14] justice as well as caution, we could not discover any sufficient reason to take him up. His life was as regular as that of others of his profession, which he did not follow very closely, but only for form's sake, being chiefly consulted at his own house, on account of some extraordinary secrets he pretended to be master of, without making any visits but to ladies, with whom he grew in prodigious request. They said he had a sweetness and ease in conversation, that was almost bewitching. This unaccountable fondness of the ladies gave us the first suspicion, least he should instill some ill notions into that sex, so credulous where they are fond, and so incredulous where they dislike. He professed himself a Roman Catholic; seemed to have a competent knowledge, and even veneration, considering he was a physician, for our holy mysteries: so we had nothing against him on that account. We could not find that he wanted for money, though he lived rather genteelly than magnificently: we found on several occasions, that money, the idol of other people, was the least of his care; and that he had some secret springs we could not fathom. His house was but decently, though completely, furnished for one of his rank; he kept two servants in livery and a valet de chambre; who, being of his town, knew no more of him than we did. There was an elderly lady [Page 15] we thought had been his wife, but it proved she was not; a foreigner, for whom he seemed to have a great respect, and her maid a foreigner also; and an elderly maid servant of the town. We have them all secured in the inquisition, though he does not know it. The lady has the remains of a wonderful fine face, and an air of quality; she speaks a broken Italian, so that we can get very little out of her, but what agrees with his account. I am confident you will rather be pleased with these particulars than think them tedious. There is something so extraordinary in the man, I ought not to omit the least circumstance. We had several consultations about him in our inquisition, as well as our Leiger intelligences, but could discover nothing of moment. We examined what intercourse he had in other parts, by ordering the postmaster to send us all his letters, which we could easily open, and seal up again with the greatest nicety. But we found he had only two correspondents, one possessed of a moderate income of about four thousand crowns in the bank of Genoa; the other a lady of your city of Venice, whom we discovered to be a celebrated courtezan, who subscribes herself Favilla. We find by her last letter, that he had given her very good advice, and persuaded her to become a penitent: you will oblige us if you will inquire what she is. Amorous [Page 16] intrigues not falling under our cognisance, we let him alone for some time, having a person under our examination on suspicion of being a Jew in masquerade, and a spy from the Grand Signor, who kept us employed for some time. Besides▪ the good advice he gave the courtezan, and he being past his prime, made us less suspicious of the ladies; we supposed they had recourse to him, on account of some female infirmities. Though the young ladies were most fond of him, his behaviour to them was more an endearing sweetness and courtesy, than love, with very little signs, at least he had the address to conceal them, of more kindness for one than another. In fine, persons of the best rank, of both sexes, began to have a prodigious liking for his company; he stole upon them insensibly. As he increased in this good opinion, he opened himself with greater freedom; he made no shew at all at first, more than a fine presence and a polite address: but, after further acquaintance, they discovered he was master of most sciences, and shewed a superior genius in any thing they could discourse of. We employed proper persons to insinuate themselves into his good liking, and consult him as a friend on several nice points; but he had such a presence of mind, yet appeared so unconstrained in his discourse, that they owned themselves novices [Page 17] in comparison to him. If they talked of politics, he said very judiciously, it was not for men of his rank, to meddle with affairs of state, or examine what persons did in the cabinet. If of religion, he seemed to understand it very well for one of his profession; so that nothing came from him but what was consonant to the Catholic faith; expressing on all occasions a great deference for the authority of the church. But still the more sagacious were persuaded, something more than ordinary lay hid under that specious cover. At length, talking one day with some of our spies about the customs of foreign countries, he said, he had met with a nation in one of the remotest parts of the world, who, though they were Heathens, had more knowledge of the law of nature, and common morality, than the most civilised Christians. This was immediately carried to us, and explained as a reflection on the Christian religion. Another time, as he had a great knowledge in phylosophy, he dropt some words as if he had some skill in judiciary astrology; which you know, sir, is a capital crime with us. We were as good as resolved to seize him, when we were determined to it by the following accident. Two of the most beautiful women in all Bologna had fallen in love with him, either on account of the handsomeness of his person, or, by [Page 18] a whimsicalness peculiar to some women, because he was a stranger, or thinking he might keep their secrets better under the cloak of being a physician; or, in fine, drawn in by some love-potion or other, we cannot tell; but the matter grew to such a height, that on his shewing more distinguishing favor to one of them, as it is natural for our women to be violent in their jealousy, as well as love, the other, to be revenged, said he had bewitched her; which she was sure of for that, since the very first time she saw him, she thought there was something more in him, than ever she saw in any man in her life. Besides, she said, she had often found him drawing circles and figures on paper, which to her looked like conjuration. Her friends immediately informed our fathers of it; so we resolved to seize him, if it were but to find out his secrets, and see what the man was. There was another reason induced us to it, which the world will hardly believe, though it is matter of fact: that is, we were afraid, the man would be assassinated by some secret means or other, for being so great with our ladies; so, to save his life, and not lose the discoveries we expect from him, it was determined he should be seized immediately. Accordingly, I was deputed, with three under-officers, to do the business, but with all [Page 19] the caution and secrecy usual in such cases. It was done about midnight, when we had watched one of the two ladies he favored most, into his house. We went in a close coach, and myself and one of the officers stopping at the door, as soon as the servant opened it, stepped in, telling him what we were, and charging him, at his peril, not to make the least noise. The servants being Italians, and knowing the consequence of the least resistance, stood as mute as fishes. We immediately went into the inner parlour, and; contrary to our expectation, found our gentleman, the young lady with her governante, and the elderly lady that belonged to him, sitting very decently at an elegant collation of fruits and sweetmeats, brought, as we supposed, by the fair lady as a present. At our first appearance, he seemed more surprised than terrified; as we make no ceremonies in those cases, we told him our errand, and commanded him to come along with us without the least resistance, or else it should be worse for him. Then we turned to the young lady, whose friends and person we knew, and told her we wondered to find her in such company at such unseasonable hours; but, on account of her friends, would not meddle with her, but bid her for her own sake, as she tendered her life and honor, never to take the least notice of the affair. She trembling, [Page 20] and ready to faint away, after some hesitation, was able to say, that she was come to consult about her health; that she brought her governante along with her to take off all suspicion, and as she was mistress of herself and fortune, it was not unusal for persons of her rank to be out at that time, considering the heat of the season. She had scarce pronounced these words, when she fell directly into a swoon. Her governante having things proper for such occasions, revived and comforted her as well as she could. But when we were going to take the gentleman along with us, the elderly lady, to whom we suppose he had told his misfortune, instead of falling into fits, flew at us like a tygress, with a fury I never saw in any human creature in my life, tearing at us with her nails and teeth, as if she had been in the most raging madness. We, not accustomed to resistance, considering our character and cloth, and she a woman, were almost motionless, when the servants at the noise came up. We commanded them, in the name of the inquisition, to seize her: the gentleman interposed in our favour, saying some words to her in an unknown language, which he assured us, were to beg her to be pacified, as she tendered his life as well as her own; then the violence of her passion turned another way, and threw her into the strongest convulsions [Page 21] I ever saw. By this time the other two officers were come up, wondering at our delay, and to find resistance against the officers of the inquisition. The gentleman, with a becoming submission, rather than fear, yielded himself a prisoner, and begged us to pardon the sudden transports' of a person unacquainted with our customs, whose life in some manner depended on his. That she was a Persian lady of quality, brought into this country by great misfortunes, who had once saved his life, as he had been afterwards instrumental in saving hers. That she was disposed to turn Christian, with intention after some time to end her days in a convent. That for his own part, relying on his innocence, he readily submitted to our authority, and offered himself to be carried where ever we pleased▪ he uttered all this with an air of constancy that was surprising▪ We immediately took him into the coach, leaving two of the officers with the elderly lady, and commanding them and the gentleman's servants not to stir out of the room till further orders. As soon as we arrived at the inquisition, we lodged him in a handsome strong room; not so much like a criminal, as like a person for whom we had some respect. There we left him to his own thoughts, and returned to his house to seize the elderly lady and his papers, [Page 22] having dismissed the young lady and her governante before. I forgot to tell you, that Signor Gaudentio, by our permission, had spoke to the elderly lady coming out of her fits in Italian, (for we would not let him speak to her in the unknown language, for fear of a combination), and with much pains made her understand, that he begged her, by all that was dear, to submit to whatever we should injoin her; assuring her by that means all would be well for her safety and his own: which last words seemed to give some calm to her tempestuous spirits. You may believe, sir, we were much surprised at the novelty of the thing, and the account he gave of her quality. But as we often meet with false stories in our employment, that did not hinder us from doing our duty. So I took her by the hand with a great deal of respect, and put her into the coach between myself and my companion; not without apprehensions of some extravagant follies, considering the violence of her temper. But she continued pretty sedate, only seemed to be overwhelmed with grief; we brought her to the inquisition, and lodged her in a very handsome apartment separate from the convent, on account of her sex; with two waiting women to attend her with all respect, till we were better apprised of the truth of her quality. This obliged me to [Page 23] take another journey to Signor Gaudentio's house, to secure his papers, with whatever else might contribute to further our discovery. I found all things in the same order I left them; but being extremely fatigued, I sat down to the elegant collation that was left, and, after a small repast, went to bed in his house, to have the morning before us for securing his effects. I sealed up all the papers I could find, to examine them at more leisure, took an inventory of all the moveables, that they might be restored to him in case he were found innocent; and sent for a proper officer to remain in the house, who was to be responsible for every thing. There were two little cabinets of curious workmanship; one of them, as it appeared, belonged to him, the other to the strange lady; but being full of intricate drawers or tills, we took them both along with us. These and the papers we delivered to the head inquisitors, not being willing to proceed in either of their examinations, till we had got all the light we could, to find out the truth, for that was all our aim; then we could tell what course to take with them. We placed two cunning lay brothers, in the nature of servants, for Signor Gaudentio, who were to insinuate themselves into his favour by their kind offices, compassionating his misfortunes, [Page 24] and advising him to discover the whole truth, in the account of his life, quality, profession, opinions, and, in fine, whatever articles he was to be interrogated on, to confess ingeniously what he knew: as that was the only way to find favour at the hands of the inquisitors; that they pardoned almost all faults on a sincere confession, and an assurance of amendment. I visited him myself several times before his examination, and gave him the same advice and assurance; he promised me faithfully he would, and seemed so steady and confirmed in his own innocence, with such an agreeable, yet sincere way in his discourse, as really surprised me, and caused me already to be prejudiced in his favour; adding with a smile, that the history of his life would administer more cause of wonder than indignation. Not to be too particular, the chief of the inquisition, with myself along with them, set to the scrutiny of his papers. We examined them with all the care imaginable, but could find nothing to ground any material accusation, except some imperfect memoirs of the customs of a country and people unheard of to us, and I believe to all the world beside, with some odd characters, or words, which had no affinity with any language or characters, we ever saw. We discovered he had a great knowledge in natural philosophy, [Page 25] with some remarks that were very curious. There was a rough draught of a map of a country, with towns, rivers, lakes, &c. but no climate marked down. In short, all his papers contained nothing but some small sketches of philosophy and physic, with some pieces of poetry of an uncommon taste. Neither could we find any footsteps of judiciary astrology, or calculations of nativities, of which we had the greatest suspicion; only a pair of globes, a set of mathematical instruments, charts of navigation, forms of unknown trees and plants, and such like things, as all gentlemen who delight in travelling are curious to have. There were indeed some lines, circles, segments of circles, which we supposed the informing lady meant; but looked like an attempt to find out the longitude, rather than any magical schemes. His books were of the same nature; nothing of heresy that we could see, but such as belonged to a man of learning. There were several common books of devotion, such as are approved by our church, and seemed pretty well used; by which we judged him to be really a Catholic, and a person of no bad morals. But as nothing looks so like an honest man as a knave, this did not take away all our suspicion. —When we came to open the cabinets, in the first of them, which belonged to [Page 26] him, we found in one of the drawers about four hundred and fifty Roman crowns, with other small money, and some foreign coin along with it, as Turkish sequins and some we knew nothing of. The sum not being very extraordinary, we could conclude nothing from thence. In another drawer we found several precious stones, some set, some unset, of a very great value, so far from being counterfeit, that we never saw any so brilliant. Besides, several pieces of native gold, of such fineness, as nothing with us can come up to it. In a third, we found a small heap of medals, most of gold, but of an unknown stamp and antiquity. There were outlandish stones of odd figures enough, which to others might look like talismans, but we took them for some out-of-the-way curiosities. In a private drawer in the centre of the cabinet, there was something wrapt up in a piece of green silk of wonderful fineness, all embroidered with hearts and hands joined together, wrought in gold with prodigious art, and intermixed with different flowers, unknown in our part of the world; in the midst of it was an azure stone, as large as the palm of one's hand, set round with rubies of very great value, on which was most artfully painted in miniature, a woman at length, holding a little boy in her left hand, the most beautiful [Page 27] creature that ever eyes beheld; clad likewise in green silk spangled with golden suns: their complexion was something darker than that of our Italian ladies; but the features, especially the woman's, so uncommonly beautiful as if she had been of another species. Underneath was ingraved with a diamond in a modern hand, Questo solo. You may be sure, sir, this raised our ideas of the man; at first, we thought he had the secret of the philosopher's stone: but in all his inventory we could find no implements of that art. Then we thought he must have been some famous pirate; or one who had robbed the cabinet of some great prince, and was come to live at Bologna in that private manner, under the disguise of a physician. But having been three years in town, if it had been any European prince, the world would have had an account of it before now: so we concluded that either what he said of that unknown country was true, or that he had robbed some of the eastern princes, and got off clear with his prize. But the picture of the woman made us incline to think, he had married some outlandish queen, and on her death had retired with his effects. The rest of the drawers were full of natural curiosities of foreign plants, roots, bones of animals, birds, insects, &c. from whence very likely [Page 28] he took his physical secrets. The other cabinet, which belonged to the elderly lady, was very rich, but nothing equal to the first; there were a great many small jewels, and some very fine pearls, with bracelets, pendants, and other curious ornaments belonging to women; and a little picture of a very handsome man about thirty, nothing like our gentleman, in a warlike dress, with a Turkish scymitar by his side, who by his mien seemed to be a man of note. But we could find nothing that could give us any knowledge what they were: so that we were at a loss with all our sagacity what to think of the matter, or to find any just cause to keep them in the inquisition: for though we don't discover our motives to other people, we never proceed against any one but on very strong suspicions. On which account we were resolved to make his confinement as easy as possible, till we could see further into the affair. We had thoughts of examining the woman first, to get what we could from her for to interrogate him upon; but she not understanding Italian enough, we sent to Venice with our accustomed privacy, for some of your people, that trade to the levant, to be our interpreters. In the mean time we resolved to try what we could get out of him by his own confession; so we sent for him before us. [Page 29] He came into the room with a modest unconcernedness, that rather argued wonder than fear: we had the cabinet and jewels all before us, shewed them to him all together, with the inventory of his goods, assuring him they should be forthcoming, in case we were apprised of his innocence; but withal advising him, as well as commanding him to confess the truth, and then not a hair of his head should be touched. But if ever we caught him in a false story, all should be confiscated, and he never see sun or moon more. He assured us with great respect, he would own the truth to every thing we should interrogate him about, in an accent that would have persuaded any one of his sincerity, humbly desiring to know what accusations we had against him. We answered, that was n [...]t the method of the inquisition; but that he should answer directly to our interrogatories. As the holy office chiefly concerns itself about religion, we asked him first, what religion he was of. The reason of this was, because, though he professed himself a Catholic, we were to keep up the forms: neither did we know but that he might be some Jew or Turkish spy in masquerade: then his name; place of his birth; where he was educated; how he came by those jewels; what was the occasion of his settling at Bologna; who that elderly lady was; in sine, [Page 30] every thing in general and particular we could think of at first, the better to compare his answers afterwards. He told us, he was a Catholic bred and born; always professed himself such; and in that faith would live and die, let what would happen to him. He explained himself on the chief heads, to shew that he was well instructed in his religion: he appealed to all the inquiries we could make, whether he had not behaved as a Catholic on all occasions; naming a Capuchin in the town, who was his father confessor; to whom, he said, he gave leave to declare all he knew on that head. As to his name, he said, his true name was Gaudentio di Lucca, though born at Ragusa. That his father was a merchant trading to the Levant; which employment he designed to follow himself; but in his first voyage was taken by an Algerine pirate, who carried him a slave to Grand Cairo, and sold him to a merchant, of what country nobody knew; which merchant took him along with him, through the vast deserts of Africa, by a way he would describe to us if we required it, till he came to a country, perhaps the most civilized and polite in the whole universe. In that country he lived near five and twenty years, till on the death of his wife, and his only surviving son, whose pictures were in that cabinet, the melancholy disaster made [Page 31] him induce his father-in-law, who was the merchant that had first bought him, to take another journey to Grand Cairo, from whence he might be able to return to his native country. This the merchant (for he passed for such, though he was a great ruler in his own country) complied with: but happening to come thither when the plague raged in the city, his father-in-law and several of his attendants died of it; leaving him heir to most of his effects, and part of the jewels we saw before us. That being now entirely at liberty, he returned in a French ship trading from Marseilles to the Levant, the master's name Francois Xavier Godart, who by agreement was to land him at Venice; but touching at Candy, they accidentally saved the life of that elderly lady, and brought her off along with them, for which they were persued by two Turkish vessels, and carried prisoners to Constantinople, but released by the order of the Sultaness mother. That Monsieur Godart was well known at Venice; particularly by Signor Corridani, an eminent merchant there, who could assure us of the truth of what he said. That, in fine, having staid some time at Venice▪ to see the curiosities and the carnival, an affair relating to the young lady we saw with him, when he was seized, and the love he had for learning, Bologna being a famous university, [Page 32] induced him to settle there, where he presumed we had been very well informed of his behaviour ever since. This, said he, is the most succinct account I can give to your Reverences, on the interrogatories you have proposed to me; though my life has been chequered with such a variety of incidents, as would take a great deal of time to descend to particulars. We looked at one another with some surprise at this strange account, which he delivered with such an air of steadiness, as scarce left any room to doubt of the truth of it. However, our superior turning to him, said, Signor Gaudentio, we neither believe nor disbelieve what you tell us; as we condemn no man without a full conviction of his crime, so we are not to be imposed upon by the accounts people may give of themselves. What is here before us▪ shews there is something extraordinary in the case. If we find you to be an impostor, you shall suffer as such; in the mean time, till we can be better informed, we injoin you to give in your whole life, with all occurrences, except your private sins, if you have any, in writing; which you shall read to us, and be cross-examined, as we think proper. It will concern you therefore to be very exact, for nothing will pass here but innocence, or a sincere repentance.

[Page 33]This, sir, is the manuscript I send you, given in by himself as ordered; with the inquisitors interrogatories as we examined it, article by article. Which interrogatories I have inserted as they were proposed, with a further account at the end, for the better clearing of the whole. We beg you to inform yourself of the facts, which his memoirs say happened to him at Venice, particularly about Monsieur Godart. Besides, sir, you that can trace all the branches of ancient history to the fountainhead, are able to form a better judgment of the probability of his relation. He is still in the inquisition, and offers himself to conduct some of our missionaries, to preach the gospel to those unknown people. The length of this only gives me leave to assure you, that I am, with the greatest esteem imaginable.

SIR, &c.

F. ALISIO DE ST IVORIO.

Bologna, July 29, 1721.

[Page]

THE ADVENTURES OF SIG. GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA.

I Should be insensible, Reverend Fathers, if I were not highly concerned to find myself under any accusation before this holy tribunal, which I revere with all the powers of my soul: but especially if your Reverences should harbour any sinister opinion of my religion; for I was born and bred up in the bosom of the most holy Catholic church, as well as my parents before me; in the defence of which my ancestors spent part of their blood, against the infidels, and enemies of our faith; and for which faith I am ready to lay down my life. But I am as yet a stranger to your Reverences, and on several accounts may be liable to suspicion. Wherefore I blame not the justice of your proceedings, but rather extol your goodness in allowing me the liberty to clear myself, by a true and sincere declaration of my whole life, wherein, I own, have happened several [Page 35] astonishing and almost incredible occurrences; all which I shall lay before your Reverences, acording to the commands imposed on me, with the utmost candour and sincerity.

My name is Gaudentio di Lucca: I was so called, because my ancesters were said to be originally of that place; though they had been settled for some time at Ragusa, where I was born: both which places are not so far off, but they may be very well known to your Reverences. My father's name was Gasparino di Lucca, heretofore a merchant of some note in those parts; my mother was a Corsican lady, reported to be descended from those who had been the chief personages in that island. My grandfather was likewise a merchant: but my great-grandfather, Bernandino di Lucca, was a soldier, and captain of the great Venerio's own galley ^*, who was general for the Venetians in the famous battle of [...] against the Turks. We had a tradition in our family, that he was Venerio's son by a Grecian lady of great quality, some say descended from the Paleologi, who had been emperors of Constantinople. But she dying in childbed, and they having been only privately married, Venerio bred him up as the son of a friend of his who was [Page 36] killed in the wars. That famous battle, in which the Christians and Venerio got so great renown against the Turks, instead of raising my great-grandfather's fortune, was the occasion of his retiring from the wars, and turning merchant. The reason was this: Venerio the Venetian admiral had caused a Spanish captain to be hung up at the yard-arm for mutiny ^*; which severe discipline so displeased Don John of Austria, generalissimo of the whole fleet, that, after the battle, the Venetians, to appease Don John, and not to be deprived of the succours of the Spaniards against the Turks, were forced to sacrifice Venerio's honour to the resentment of the Spaniards, and put him out of commission ^†. After this [Page 37] [...]sgrace, Venerio retired; and my great-grandfather, whose fortune depended on his having been bred up to the sea, turned merchant, or rather privateer against the Moors; and, with the knights of Malta, not only did great service against them, but made a considerable fortune in the world.

But to return to myself: My father, having a plentiful fortune, took particular care of the education of his children: he had only two sons, of whom I was the youngest, and a daughter, who died young. Finding I had a great inclination to learning, he promoted it, by providing me with the best masters, till I was fit to go to the university. The knowledge of languages being of great use as well as ornament to young gentlemen, he himself, by way of recreation, taught me that mixed language called Lingua Franca, so necessary in eastern countries. It is made up of Italian, ⁴ [Page 38] Turkish, Persian, and Arabian, or rather a jargon of all languages together. He scarce ever spoke to us but in that language, saying, we might learn Latin from our masters, and our mother-tongue from our playfellows. The same reason induced him to send me to the famous university of Paris, to learn French at the same time with my other studies. I lived in the college des Quatre Nations, and maintained my theses of universal philosophy under the celebrated Monsieur Du Hamel, who was one of the first in the university, who decried Aristotle's philosophy, and leaned towards the opinions of Descartes.

[ Secretary.

Here the inquisitors muttered a little, fearing he was inclined to the Copernican system, which has been condemned at Rome. But, since it regarded philosophical matters only, they passed it over.]

I was entering into my nineteenth year, and had some thoughts of taking to the church, when my brother wrote me the melancholy account of my father and mother's death, and the unfortunate occasion of it; which in short was, that having lost his richest ship, with all his effects, by pirates, and his chief factor at Smyrna being gone off, his other correspondents came upon him thick; and not being in a condition to answer their calls▪ it threw him [Page 39] and my mother into a deep melancholy, which shortened their days, both dying in three weeks of one another. My bother told me he was not able to maintain me longer at the university, as before; but acquainted me, he had made a shift to fit out a small vessel, wherein he had put his all; and invited me to join the small portion that fell to my share along with him, with which, he said, we could make a pretty good bottom; and so retrieve the shattered fortune of our family. Not to be too prolix, I followed his advice: he sold his house and gardens to pay his father's creditors, and put what was left, together with my little stock, into that unfortunate bottom. We set sail from Ragusa the 3d of March, anno Dom. 1688, very inauspiciously for my dear brother, as will appear by the sequel. We touched at Smyrna, to see if we could hear any thing of my father's factor: and were told, that he was turned Turk, and gone off, very magnificently dressed up in borrowed feathers, to settle at Constantinople; however we picked up something of some honest Christian merchants, with whom he had lodged a part of his effects. This encouraged us to proceed to Cyprus and Alexandria; but, as we were pursuing our voyage one morning, in a prodigious fog as if the sea was fatal to our family, we spied on a sudden two Algerine rovers bearing [Page 40] down upon us, one on each side. We had scarce time to clear our little vessel, when they fired upon us, and called to us to strike, or we were dead men. My brother and I, considering that our all was at stake, and that we had better die honorably than be made slaves by those unbelieving miscreants, called up our men, who were but twenty-three in all, of whom five were young gentlemen who had engaged to try their fortune along with us. We were armed only with swords, and pistols under our girdles. After a short consultation, it was agreed to fight it out to the last man; and we turned back to back to make head against both sides, my brother in the middle of one rank, and myself in the other. The enemy boarded us in great numbers, looking on us as madmen to pretend to make any resistance; but they were soon made to leap back, at least all that were able; for being close up with them, and they crouded together, we fired our pistols so luckily, that scarce one missed doing execution. Seeing them in this confusion we made a push at them on each side, still keeping our ranks, and drove the remainder headlong off the deck. This we did twice before any of our men dropt. We were grappled so close, they had no use of their cannon or muskets, and scarce thought of firing their pistols at us, expecting we should yield immediately, [Page 41] or to have borne us down with their weight. I am more particular in describing this petty fight, since there are but few examples, where a handful of men made such a long resistance. The arch-pirate, who was a stout, well-built young man, raged like a lion, calling his men a thousand cowards, so loud that his voice was heard above all the cries of the soldiers. The edge of their fury was a little abated after the dropping of so many men; and they began to fire at some distance; which did us more harm than their most furious attacks. My brother, seeing his men begin to drop in their turn, ordered me to face the one ship, while he with his rank leaped in amongst the enemies in the other. He did it with such a noble intrepidity, that he made a gap among the thickest of them immediately. But their numbers closing together, their very weight drove him back in spite of all he could do, and he lost several of his men before he could recover his post. The enemy would neither board us, nor leave us; but firing at us continually, still killed some of our men. There were now only eleven of us left; and no hopes of victory, or of quarter after such obstinate resistance. They durst not come to a close engagement with us for all this; when my brother, to die as honorably as he could, once more leaped into the [Page 42] pirate's ship, and seeing their captain in the midst of them, made at him with all his might, calling on the few he had left to second him. He soon cut his way through; but just as he was coming up to him, a cowardly Turk clapt a pistol just below his two shoulder-blades, and, I believe, shot him quite through the heart, for he dropped down dead on the spot. The Turk that shot him was run through the body by one of our men, and he himself with the others that were left, being quite overpowered, were all cut in pieces. I had yet four men left on my side against the less ship, and had till then kept off the enemy from boarding; but the pirates giving a great shout at my brother's fall, the captain of the ship I was engaged with, who was the arch-pirate's brother, cried out to his crew, that it was a shame to stand all day firing at five men; and leaping on my deck, made at me like a man of honor, with his pistol steadily poised in his hand: I met him with equal resolution. He came boldly up within sword's length, and firing his pistol directly at my face; he aimed his shot so well, that one of the balls went through my hair, and the other grazed the side of my neck. But before he could second his shot, I gave him such a stroke with my broad sword, between the temple and the left ear, that it cut through part of his scull, his cheek-bone, [Page 43] and going cross his mouth, almost severed the lower part of his face from the upper. I had just the satisfaction to see him fall, when a musket-ball went through the brawny part of my right arm, and, at the same time, a Turk hit me just in the nape of the neck with the butt end of his musket, that I fell down flat on my face, on the body of my slain enemy. My companions, all but one, who died of his wounds soon after, fell honorably by my side. The Turks poured in from both ships like wolves upon their prey. After their barbarous shouts and yelling for the victory, they fell to stripping the dead bodies, and threw them into the sea without any further ceremony. All our crew, beside myself, were slain, or gasping, with threescore and fifteen of the enemy. The reason why we fought so desperately was, that we knew very well, having killed so many at the first attacks, we were to expect no quarter; so we were resolved to sell our lives as dear as we could. When they came to strip me like the rest, I was just come to myself, being only stunned by the stroke of the musket. They found by my cloaths, that I was one of the most considerable persons of the crew. I was got upon my knees, endeavouring to rise, and reaching for my sword to defend myself to the last gasp; I found I could not hold it in my hand, by reason of the wound [Page 44] in my arm, though if I could, it had been needless; for three of them fell down upon me; and pressed me to the deck, while others brought cords and tied my hands, to carry me to the captain. He was dressing a slight wound he had in his leg with a pistol-shot; and four women in Persian habits were standing by; three of whom seemed to be attendants to the fourth, who was a person of the largest size, about five or six and twenty, a most exquisite beauty, except that she had an Amazonian kind of fierceness in her looks. When I was brought thus bound to the captain, they assured him I was the man that had slain his brother, and done the most harm of any. Upon which, starting up in the greatest fury a barbarian was capable of, and calling for a new scymitar he had in his cabin, he said, ‘Let me cleave, if I can the head of this Christian dog, as he did my poor brother's; and then do you chop him into a thousand pieces.’ With that he drew the scymitar, and was going to strike, when, to the astonishment of the very barbarians, the strange lady cried out, ‘O save the brave young man!’ and immediately falling on her knees by me, catched me in her arms, and clasping me close to her bosom, covered my body with hers, and cried out, ‘Strike, cruel man, but strike through me, for otherwise a hair [Page 45] of his head shall not be hurt.’ The barbarians that stood round us were struck dumb with amazement; and the pirate himself lifting up his eyes towards heaven, said, with a groan enough to break his heart, ‘How, cruel woman! shall this stranger in a moment obtain more than I can with all my sighs and tears! Is this your paramour that robs me of what I have sought for with the danger of life? No, this Christian dog shall be no longer my cursed rival;’ and lifting up his hand, was again going to strike, when, covering me more closely with her delicate body, she cried out again, ‘Hold, Hamet! this is no rival; I never saw his face before, nor ever will again, if you will but spare his life: grant me this, and you shall obtain more from me, than all your services could ever do.’ Here he began to pause a little. For my part, I was as much in amaze as he was. After a little pause, "Cruel woman," said he, ‘what is the meaning of this?’ Says she, ‘There is something in this young man (for I was but turned of nineteen) that he must not die. But if you will engage and swear by the most holy Alcoran, that you will do him no harm, I not only promise to be your wife, but, to take off all umbrage of jealousy, I give you leave to sell him to some honorable person for a slave; and [Page 46] will never see him more.’ Nor would she part from me, till he had sworn in that solemn manner, never to do me any hurt directly or indirectly; and, for greater security, she ordered one of her own servants to attend me constantly. So I was unbound; and the lady, without so much as looking at me, or staying to receive my thanks, retired with her woman into the cabin. The pirate, who had something very noble in his looks for a Turk, confirmed again to me in the hearing of her officer, that I should receive no harm; and then ordered me to be carried under deck to the other end of the ship; commanding his men to steer back for Alexandria, in order, as I supposed, to dispose of me the first opportunity, that he might be rid as he thought, of so formidable a rival ^*.

[ Secretary.

Here the superior of the inquisition receiving a message on some other business, we told him we would consider further of the account he had given us, which, we said, might be true, though the adventure was extraordinary; and that we would hear the remaining narrative of his life another time. He assured us with the most natural [Page 47] air, that the whole, let it seem never so extraordinary, was real fact. Whether it were true or false, it did not much concern the holy office, only so far as we might catch him tripping in his story: however, some of the inquisitors asked him the following questions.

1 st inquisitor.

Why did you not yield at first, considering the prodigious inequality of your strength and numbers, when you might have been ransomed afterwards; and not, like madmen, expose yourselves to be cut in pieces, as they all really were, except yourself?

Gaudentio.

I told your Reverences, we had put our all in that bottom; which once lost, we had nothing to ransom ourselves with, but in all likelihood must have remained in miserable slavery all our life. We were most of us rash young men, of more courage than prudence; we did not doubt but we could keep them off from boarding us, as we did; and thought, by their warm reception, they would have been forced to sheer off; besides, fighting against Turks and infidels, though for our lives and fortunes, we judged meritorious at the same time, and that it might be looked upon as laying down our lives for our holy religion.

2 d inquisitor.

[Page 48]

You said that the strange lady cried out, ‘There is something in that young man, that tells me he must not die:’ I hope you do not pretend to the science of physiognomy; which is one of the branches of divination; or that an infidel or Heathen woman could have the spirit of prophecy?

Gaudentio.

I cannot tell what was her motive for saying so; I only relate matter of fact. As for physiognomy, I do not think there can be any certainty in it. Not but that a person of penetration, who has observed the humours and passions of men, and considering the little care the generality of the world take to conceal them; I say, such a person may give a great guess, a posteriori, how they are inclined; though reason and virtue may indeed overcome the most violent. But I entirely submit my opinion to your better judgments.

Secretary.

I cannot say, we were dissatisfied with these answers: we saw he has a very noble presence; and must have been extremely handsome in his youth: therefore no wonder a Barbarian woman should fall in love with him, and make use o [...] that turn to save his life. However, for the present, we remanded him back to his apartment.

[Page 49]Some days after he was called again to prosecute his story.]

While I was under deck in confinement with the pirates, several of them were tolerably civil to me; knowing the ascendant the lady had over their captain, and being witnesses, how she had saved my life. But yet she would not consent to marry him, till she was assured I was safe out of his hands. The arch-pirate never came to see me himself, not being willing to trust his passion; or else to watch all favourable opportunities of waiting on his mistress. One day, being indisposed for want of air, I begged to be carried upon deck to breathe a little; when I came up, I saw the lady, with her women, standing at the other end of the ship on the same account. I made her a very respectful bow at a distance; but as soon as ever she cast her eye on me, she went down into the cabin, I suppose, to keep her promise with the captain, and not to administer any cause of jealousy. I desired to be carried down again, not to hinder my ben [...]factress from taking her diversion. I cannot say I found in myself the least inclination or emotion of love, only a sense of gratitude for so great a benefit; not without some admiration of the oddness of the adventure. When I was below, I asked the most sensible and civilized of the pirates, who their captain was, and who [Page 50] was my fair deliverer. How long, and by what means she came to be among them; because she seemed to be a person of much higher rank. He told me his captain's name was Hamet, son to the De [...] of Algiers; who had forsaken his father's house on account of his young mother-in-law's falling in love with him. For which reason his father had contrived [...]o have him assassinated, believing him to be in the sault. But his younger brother by the same mother, discovered the design. So gathering together a band of stout young men like themselves, they seized two of their father's best ships, and resolved to follow the profession they were now of, till they heard of their father's death. That as for the lady who had saved his life, she was the late wife of a petty prince of the Curdi ^*, tributary to the king of Persia, whose husband had been lately killed by treachery, or in an ambuscade of the wild Arabs. That, as far as he had been informed, the prince her husband had been sent by the king his master to Alexandria ^†; who, apprehending [Page 51] an insurrection among his subjects ^*, had ordered him to treat for some troops of Arabian horse ^†. That he went there with a very handsome equipage, and took his beautiful wife along with him. Our captain, continued he, happened to be there at the same time to sell his prizes, and had not only sold several things of great value to the Curdish lord and lady, but had contracted a particular friendship with him, though, as we found since, it was more on account of his fair wife than any thing else. Nothing in the world could be more obsequious than our captain. He attended them, and offered his service on all occasions: you see, he is a very handsome man, and daring by his profession. We could not imagine of a long while, why he made such a stay at that town, contrary to his custom; living at a very high rate, as men of our calling generally do. At length the Curdish lord having executed his commission, was upon the return, when we perceived our captain to grow extremely pensive [Page 52] and melancholy, but could not tell what was the cause of it. He called his brother, who lost his life by your hand, and me to him, and told us in private, he had observed some of the Arabian strangers muttering together, as if they were hatching some plot or other, whether against himself, or the Curd, he could not tell; but bid us be sure to attend him well armed where ever he went. The event proved he had reason for his suspicions; for one evening, as the Curd and his wife were taking the air, with our captain, who was always of the party, passing through a little grove about a league out of town, six Arabian horsemen, exceedingly well mounted, came full gallop up to us; and without saying a word, two of them fired their pistols directly at the Curdish lord, who was the foremost, but by good fortune missed us all. The Curd, as all that nation are naturally brave, drew his scymitar, and rushing in among them, cut off the foremost man's head, as clean as if it had been a poppy; but advancing too far unarmed as he was, one of them turned short, and shot him in the slank, that he dropped down dead immediately. Our captain seeing him fall, rushed in like lightning, his brother and myself falling on them at the same time: but the assassins, as if they wanted nothing but the death of the Curd, [Page 53] or saw by our countenance their staying would cost them dear, immediately turned their horses, and fled so swiftly on their jennets, that they were out of sight in an instant. We conducted the poor disconsolate lady and her dead husband back to the town, where those people made no more of it (being accustomed to such things) than if it had been a common accident. When her grief was a little abated, our captain told the lady, that it was not safe for her to return home the same way she came; that, in all probability, those who killed her husband were in confederacy with the disaffected party, and would way lay her, either for his papers, or her goods. That he had two ships well-manned at her service, and would conduct her safe by sea to some part of the Persian empire, from whence she might get into her own country. She consented at last, having seen how gallantly my master had behaved in her defence. So she came aboard with her attendants and effects, in order to be transported into her own country. Our captain, you may be sure, was in no haste to carry her home, being fallen most desperately in love with her: so that instead of carrying her to any of the Persian dominions, he directed his course for Algiers, hearing his father was dead; but meeting with you, it has made him alter his measures for the present. He has [Page 54] tried all ways to gain her love, but she would not give him the least encouragement, till this late accident, by which she saved your life.—When he had ended his relation, I reflected on it a good while, and considering the natue of those pirates, I thought I saw a piece of treachery in the affair, much more black than what he described, and could not forbear compassionating the poor lady, both for her disaster, and the company she was fallen into. However, I kept my thoughts to myself. Not long after we arrived at Alexandria, where the pirate sold all our effects, that is, the merchandise he had taken aboard our ship, except some particular things that belonged to my brother and myself, as books, papers, maps and sea-charts, pictures, and the like. He determined to carry me to Grand Cairo ^*, the first opportunity, to sell me, or even give me away to a strange merchant he had an acquaintance with, where I should never be heard of more.

Nothing remarkable happened during our stay at Alexandaia; they told me the captain had been in an extraordinary good humour, ever since the lady's promise to marry him. But she, to be sure he should not deceive her by doing me any injury when I was out of the ship, ordered her officer [Page 55] to attend me where-ever I was carried, till I was put in safe hands, and entirely out of the pirates power. When we were arrived at Grand Cairo, I was carried to the place where the merchants meet to exchange their commodities; there were persons of almost all the Eastern and Indian nations. The lady's officer, according to his mistress's order, never stirred an inch from me to witness the performance of the articles. At length, the pirate and a strange merchant spied one another almost at the instant, and advancing the same way, saluted each other in the Turkish language, which I understood tolerably well. After some mutual compliments, the pirate told him he had met with such a person he had promised to procure for him two years before, meaning myself; only I was not an eunuch, but that it was in his power to make me so, if he pleased. Your Reverences cannot doubt but I was a little startled at such a speech, and was going to reply, that I would lose my life a thousand times, before I would suffer such an injury. But the lady's officer turned to the pirate, and said, he had engaged to his lady I should receive no harm; and that he must never expect to obtain her for his wife, if she had the least suspicion of such a thing. But the merchant soon put us out of doubt, by assuring us, that it was against their laws to do such an injury to [Page 56] any one of their own species; but if it were done before, they could not help it. Then turning to me, he said in very good Lingua Franca, "Young man, if I buy you, I shall soon convince you, you need not apprehend any such usage from me." He eyed me from top to toe, with the most penetrating look I ever saw in my life; yet seemed pleased at the same time. He was very richly clad, attended with two young men in the same kind of dress, though not rich, who seemed rather sons than servants. His age did not appear to me to be above forty, yet he had the most serene and almost venerable look imaginable. His complexion was rather browner than that of the Egyptians, but it seemed to be more the effect of travelling, than natural. In short, he had an air so uncommon, that I was amazed, and began to have as great an opinion of him, as he seemed to have of me. He asked the pirate, what he must give for me; he told him, I had cost him very dear, and with that recounted to him all the circumstances of the sight wherein I was taken; and, to give him his due, represented it nowise to my disadvantage. However, these were not the qualifications the merchant desired; what he wanted was a person who was a scholar, and could give him an account of the arts and sciences, laws, customs, &c. of the Christians. This [Page 57] the pirate assured him I could do: that I was an European Christian, and a scholar, as he guessed by my books and writings; that I understood navigation, geography, astronomy, and several other sciences. I was out of countenance to hear him talk so; for though I had as much knowledge of those sciences, as could be expected from one of my years, yet my age would not permit me to be master of them, but only to have the first principles, by which I might improve myself afterwards.

[ Secretary.

The inquisitors demurred a little at this, fearing he might be addicted to judicial astrology; but considering he had gone through a course of philosophy, and was designed for the sea, they knew he was obliged to have some knowledge in those sciences.]

The pirate told him, I had some skill in music and painting, having seen some instruments and books of those arts among my effects, and asked me if it were not so. I told him, all young gentlemen of liberal education in my country learned these arts, and that I had a competent knowledge and genius that way. This determined the merchant to purchase me. When they came to the price, the pirate demanded forty ounces of native gold, and three of those silk carpets he saw there with him, to [Page 58] make a present to the Grand Signor. The merchant agreed with him at the first word; only demanded all the books globes, mathematical instruments, and, in fine, whatever remained of my effects, into the bargain. The pirate agreed to this, as easily as the other did to the price; so, upon performance of articles on both sides, I was delivered to him. As soon as I was put into his power, he embraced me with a great deal of tenderness, saying, I should not repent my change of life. His attendants came up to me, and embraced me in the same manner, calling me brother, and expressing a great deal of joy for having me of their company. The merchant bid them take me down to the caravansera or inn, that I might refresh myself, and change my habit to the same as they wore. I was very much surprised at such unexpected civilities from strangers. But, before I went, I turned to the pirate, and said to him with an air that made the merchant put on a very thoughtful look, that I thanked him for keeping his promise in saving my life; but added, that though the fortune of war had put it in his power to sell me like a beast in the market, it might be in mine some time or other to render the like kindness. Then turning to the lady's officer, who had been my guardian so faithfully, and embracing him with all imaginable tenderness, I begged [Page 59] him to pay my best respects to my fair deliverer; and assure her, that I should esteem it the greatest happiness to be one day able to make a return for so unparallelled a favour, though it were at the expense of that life she had so generously saved. So we parted, the pirate grumbling a little within himself; and I in an amazing suspense, to know what was likely to become of me. As they were conducting me to the caravansera where they lodged, I was full of the sorrowful reflection, that I was still a slave, though I had changed my master: but my companions, who were some of the handsomest young men I ever saw in life, comforted me with the most endearing words, telling me that I need fear nothing; that I should esteem myself one of the happiest men in the world, when they were arrived safe in their own country, which they hoped would be before long; that I should then be as free as they were, and follow what employment of life my inclinations led me to, without any restraint whatsoever. In fine, their discourse filled me with fresh amazement, and gave me at the same time an eager longing to see the event. I perceived they did not keep any strict guard on me; that I verily believed I could easily have given them the slip; and might have gotten some Armenian Christian to conceal me, till I should find an opportunity [Page 60] of returning into my own country. But, having lost all my effects, I thought I could scarce be in a worse condition, and was resolved to run all hazards. When I came to the house, I was struck with wonder at the magnificence of it, especially at the richness of the furniture. It was one of the best in all Grand Cairo, though built low according to the custom of the country. It seems they always staid a year before they returned into their own country, and spared no cost to make their banishment, as they called it, as easy as they could. I was entertained with all the rarities of Egypt; the most delicious fruits, and the richest Greek and Asiatic wines that could be tasted; by which I saw they were not Mahometants. Not knowing what to make of them, I asked them who they were; of what country, what sect and profession, and the like. They smiled at my questions, and told me they were children of the Sun, and were called Mezoranians; which was as unintelligible to me as all the rest. But their country, they told me, I should see in a few months, and bid me ask no further questions. Presently my master came in, and embracing me, once more bid me welcome, with such an engaging affability, as removed almost all my fears. But what followed, filled me with the utmost surprise. "Young man," [Page 61] said he, "by the laws of this country you are mine; I have bought you at a very high price, and would give twice as much for you, if it were to be done again: but (continued he, with a more serious air) I know no just laws in the universe, that can make a free-born man become a slave to one of his own species. If you will voluntarily go along with us, you shall enjoy as much freedom as I do myself: you shall be exempt from all the barbarous laws of these inhuman countries, whose brutal customs are a reproach to the dignity of a rational creature, and with whom we have no commerce, but to inquire after arts and sciences, which may contribute to the common benefit of our people. We are blessed with the most opulent country in the world; we leave it to your choice to go along with us, or not; if the latter, I here give you your liberty, and restore to you all that remains of your effects, with what assistance you want to carry you back again into your own country. Only, this I must tell you, if you go with us, it is likely you will never come back again, or perhaps desire it." Here he stopped, and observed my countenance with a great deal of attention. I was struck with such admiration of his generosity, together with the sentiments of joy for my unexpected liberty, and gratitude to my benefactor, coming into my [Page 62] mind all at once, that I had as much difficulty to believe what I heard, as your Reverences may now have at the relation of it, till the sequel informs you of the reasons for such unheard of proceedings. On the one hand, the natural desire of liberty prompted me to accept my freedom; on the other, I considerrd my shattered fortune; that I was left in a strange country so far from home, among Turks and infidels; the ardour of youth excited me to push my fortune. The account of so glorious, though unknown country, stirred up my curiosity; I saw gold was the least part of the riches of these people, who appeared to me the most civilized I ever saw in my life; but, above all, the sense of what I owed to so noble a benefactor, who I saw desired it, and had me as much in his power now, as he could have afterwards. These considerations almost determined me to go along with him. I had continued longer thus irresolute, and fluctuating between so many different thoughts, if he had not brought me to myself, by saying, what say you, young man, to my proposal? I started out of my reveries, as if I had awaked from a real dream; and making a most profound reverence, My Lord, said I, or rather my father and deliverer, I am yours by all the ties of gratitude a human heart is capable of; I resign myself to your conduct: [Page 63] and will follow you to the end of the world. This I said with such emotion of spirit, that I believe he saw into my very soul; for embracing me once more with a most inexpressible tenderness, I adopt you, said he, for my son; and these are your brothers, pointing to his two young companions; all I require of you is, that you live as such. Here, Reverend Fathers, I must confess one of the greatest faults I ever did in my life: I never considered whether these men were Christians or Heathens: I engaged myself with a people, where I could never have the exercise of my religion, although I always preserved it in my heart. But what could be expected from a daring young man, just in the heat of his youth, who had lost all his fortune, and had such a glorious prospect offered him for retrieving it?— Soon after this, he gave orders to his attendants to withdraw, as if he intended to say something to me in private; they obeyed immediately with a filial respect, as if they had indeed been his sons, but they were not; I only mention it to shew the nature of the people I was engaged with: then taking me by the hand he made me sit down by him, and asked me if it were really true, as the pirate informed him, that I was an European Christian? though, added he, be what you will, I do not repent my buying of you. I told him I was, [Page 64] and in that belief would live and die. So you may, said he, (seeming pleased at my answer). But I have not yet met with any of that part of the world, who seemed to have the dispositions of mind I think I see in you, looking at the lineaments of my face with a great deal of earnestness. I have been informed, continued he, that your laws are not like barbarous Turks, whose government is made up of tyranny and force, and making slaves of all who fall under their power. Whereas the European Christians, as I am told, are governed by a divine law, that teaches them to do good to all, injury to none; particularly not to kill and destroy their own species: nor to steal, cheat, over-reach, or defraud any one of their just due; but to do in all things just as they would be done by; looking on all men as common brothers of the same stock, and behaving with justice and equity in all their actions public and private, as if they were to give an account to the universal Lord and Father of all. I told him our law did really teach and command us to do so; but that very few lived up to this law; that we were obliged to have recourse to coercive laws and penalties, to enforce what we acknowledged otherwise to be a duty: that if it were not for the fear of such punishments, the greatest part of them would be worse than the very [Page 65] Turks he mentioned. He seemed strangely surprised at this. What, says he, can any one do in private, what his own reason and solemn profession condemns? Then addressing himself to me in a more particular manner: Do you profess this just and holy law you mentioned? I told him, I did: then, said he, do but live up to your own law, and we require no more of you ^*. Here he made a little noise with his staff, at which two of his attendants came in: he asked them if my effects were come from the pirate. Being answered, they were; he ordered them to be brought in, and examined them very nicely. There were among [Page 66] them some pictures of my own drawing, a repeating watch, two compass boxes, one of them very curiously wrought in ivory and gold, which had been my great-grandfather's, given him by Venerio; a set of mathematical instruments, draughts of statuary and architecture by the best masters; with all which he seemed extremely pleased. After he had examined them with a great deal of admiration, he ordered one of his attendants to reach him a cabinet full of gold; he opened it to me, and said, young man, I not only restore all your effects here present, having no right to any thing that belongs to another man, but once more offer you your liberty, and as much of this gold, as you think sufficient to carry you home, and make you live [...] all your life. I was a little out of count [...] nance, imagining what I said of the ill mo [...] als of the Christians, had made him afraid to take me along with him. I told him, I valued nothing now so much as his camp [...] ny, and begged him not only to let me go along with him, but that he would be pleased to accept whatever he saw of mine there b [...]fore him: adding, that I esteemed it the greatest happiness, to be able to make some small recompense for the obligations I owed him. I do accept of it, says he; and take you solemnly into my care: go along with these young men, and enjoy your [...]iberty [Page 67] in effect, which I have hitherto only given you in words. Here some of his elder companions coming in, as if they were to consult about business; the young men and myself went to walk the town for our diversion. Your Reverences may be sure, I observed all the actions of these new people, with the greatest attention my age was capable of. They seemed not only to have a horror of the barbarous manners and vices of the Turks, but even a contempt of all the pleasures and diversions of the country. Their whole business was to inform themselves of what they thought might be an improvement in their own country, particularly in arts and trades, and whatever curiosities were brought from foreign parts; setting down their observations of every thing of moment. They had masters of the country at set hours to teach them the Turkish and Persian languages, in which I endeavoured to perfect myself along with them. Though they seemed to be the most moral men in the world, I could observe no signs of religion in them, till a certain occasion that happened to us in our voyage, of which I shall speak to your Reverences in its proper place. This was the only point they were shy in; they gave me the reasons for it afterwards; but their behaviour was the most candid and sincere in other matters that can be imagined. We [Page 68] lived thus in the most perfect union all the time we staid at Grand Cairo; and I enjoyed the same liberty that I could have had in Italy. All I remarked in them was an uneasiness they expressed to be so long out of their own country; but they comforted themselves with the thought it would not be long. I cannot omit one observation I made of these young mens conduct while we staid in Egypt. They were all about my own age, strong and vigorous, and the handsomest race of people, perhaps, the world ever produced: we were in the most voluptuous and lewd town in the whole eastern empire; the young women seemed ready to devour us as we passed along the streets. Yet I never could perceive in the young men the least propensity to lewdness. I imputed it at first to the apprehension of my being in their company, and a stranger; but I soon found they acted by principle. As young men are apt to encourage, or rather corrupt one another, I own I could not forbear expressing my wonder at it. They seemed surprised at the thought; but the reasons they gave were as much out of our common way of thinking, as their behaviour. They told me, for the first reason, that all the women they saw were either married; or particular mens daughters; or common. As to married women, they said, it was such a heinous piece of [Page 69] injustice to violate the marriage bed, that every man living would look upon it as the greatest injury done to himself: how could they therefore in reason do it to another? If they were daughters of particular men, bred up with so much care and solicitude of their parents, what a terrible affliction must it be to them, or to ourselves, to see our daughters or sisters violated and corrupted, after all our care to the contrary; and this too, perhaps, by those we had cherished in our own bosoms? If common strumpets, what rational man could look on them otherwise than brute beasts, to prostitute themselves to every stranger for hire? Besides, their abandoned lewdness generally defeats the great design of nature to propagate the species; or, by their impure embraces, such disorders may be contracted, as to make us hereafter, at best, but fathers of a weak and sickly offspring. And if we should have children by them, what would become of our fathers grandchildren? But what man who had the least sense of the dignity of his own birth, would stain his race, and give birth to such a wretched breed, and then leave them exposed to want and infamy? This they said chiefly with reference to the vast ideas they had of their own nation, valuing themselves above all other people; though the consideration holds good with all men. I [Page 70] own, I was mute at these reasons, and could not say but they were very just, though the warmth of my youth had hindered me from reflecting on them before. These reflections appeared so extraordinary in young men, and even Heathens, that I shall never forget them.—Sometime after, I found by ther diligence in settling their affairs, and the chearfullness of their countenances, that they expected to leave Egypt very soon; they seemed to wait for nothing but orders from their governor. In the mean time there happened an accident to me, scarce fit indeed for your Reverences to hear; nor should I ever have tho't of relating it, had you not laid your commands on me to give an exact account of my whole life. Besides, that it is interwoven with some of the chief occurrences of my life in the latter part of it. Our governor whom they called Pophar, which in their language signifies Father of his people, and by which name I shall always call him hereafter, looking at his ephemeris, which he did very frequently, found by computation, that he had still some time left to stay in the country, and resolved to go down once more to Alexandria, to see if he could meet with any more European curiosities, brought by the merchant-ships that are perpetually coming at that season into the port. He took only two of the [Page 71] young men and me along with him, to shew me, as he said, that I was entirely at my liberty, since I might easily find some ship or other to carry me into my own country; and I, on the other hand, to convince him of the sincerity of my intentions, generally kept in his company. The affair I am going to speak of, soon gave him full proof of my sincerity.

While we were walking in the public places to view the several goods and curiosities, that were brought from different parts of the world, it happened that the Bassa of Grand Cairo, with all his family, was come to Alexandria on the same account, as well as to buy some young female slaves. His wife and daughter were then both with him: the wife was one of the Grand Signior's sisters, seemingly about thirty, and a wonderful fine woman. The daughter was about sixteen, of such exquisite beauty, and lovely features, as were sufficient to charm the greatest prince in the world ^*. When he perceived them, the Pophar, who naturally abhorred the Turks, kept off, as if he were treating privately with some merchants. But I, being young and inconsiderate, stood gazing, though at a respectful distance, at the Bassa's beautiful [Page 72] daughter, from no other motive but mere curiosity. She had her eyes fixed on my companions and me at the same time, and, as I supposed, on the same account. Her dress was so magnificent, and her person so charming, that I thought her the most beautiful creature I had ever seen in my life. If I could have foreseen the troubles which that short interview was to cost both the Pophar and myself, I should have chosen rather to have looked on the most hideous monster. I observed, that the young lady, with a particular sort of emotion, wispered something to an elderly woman that attended her, and that this last did the same to a page, who immediately went to two natives of the place, whom the Pophar used to hire to carry his things: this was to enquire of them who we were. They, as appeared by the event, told them, that I was a young slave lately bought by the Pophar. After a while, the Bassa with his train went away, and I, for my part, thought no more of the matter. The next day, as the Pophar and we were walking in one of the public gardens; a little elderly man, like an [...]unuch, with a most beautiful youth along with him, having dogged us to a private part of the walks, came up to us, and addressing themselves to the Pophar, asked him what he would take for his young slave, pointing at me, because the Bassa desired [Page 73] to buy him. The Pophar seemed to be more surprised at this unexpected question, than I ever observed him at any thing before, which confirmed me more and more in the opinion of the kindness he had for me. But soon coming to himself, as he was a man of great presence of mind, he said very calmly, that I was no slave; nor a person to be sold for any price, since I was as free as he was. Taking this for a pretext to enhance the price, they produced some oriental pearls with other jewels of immense value; and bid him name what he would have, and it should be paid immediately: adding, that I was to be the companion of the Bassa's son, where I might make my fortune for ever, if I would go along with them. The Pophar persisted in his first answer, and said he had no power over me: they alledged, I had been bought as a slave, but a little before, in the Grand Signior's dominions, and they would have me. Here I interposed, and answered briskly, that though I had been taken prisoner by the chance of war, I was no slave, nor would I part with my liberty but at the price of my life, The Bassa's son, for so he now declared himself to be, instead of being angery at my resolute answer, replied with a most agreeable smile, that I should be as free as he was; making at the same time the most solemn protestations by his [Page 74] holy Alcoran, that our lives and deaths should be inseparable. Though there was something in his words the most persuasive I ever felt; yet considering the obligations I owed to the Pophar, I was resolved not to go; but answered with a most respectful bow, that though I was free by nature, I had indispensable obligations not to go with him, and hoped he would take it for a determinate answer. I pronounced this with such a resolute air, as made him see there was no hopes. Whether his desire was more inflamed by my denial, or whether they took us for persons of greater note than we appeared to be I cannot tell; but I observed he put on a very languishing air, with tears stealing down his cheeks, which moved me to a degree I cannot express. I was scarce capable of speaking, but cast down my eyes, and stood as immoveable as a statue. This seemed to revive his hopes; and recovering himself a little, with a trembling voice he replied; Suppose it be the Bassa's daughter, you saw yesterday, that desires to have you for her attendant, what will you say then? I started at this, and casting my eyes on him more attentively, I saw him swimming in tears, with a tenderness enough to pierce the hardest heart. I looked at the Pophar, who I saw was trembling for me; and feared it was the daughter herself that asked me the question. [Page 75] I was soon put out of doubt; for she, finding she had gone too far to go back, discovered herself, and said, I must go along with her, or one of us must die ^*. [Page 76] —I hope your Reverences will excuse this account I give of myself, which nothing should have drawn from me, though it is literally true, but your express commands to tell the whole history of my life. The perplexity I was in cannot be imagined. I considered she was a Turk, and I a Christian; that my death must certainly be the consequence of such a rash affair, were I to engage in it; that whether she concealed me in her father's court, or attempted to go off with me, it was ten thousand to one, we should both be sacrificed: neither could the violence of such a sudden passion ever be concealed from the Bassa's spies. In a word, I was resolved not to go: but how to get off, was the difficulty. I saw the most beautiful creature in the world all in tears before me, after a declaration of love, that exceeded the most romantic tales; youth, love, and beauty, and even an inclination on my side, pleaded her cause. But at length the consideration of the endless miseries I was likely to draw on the young lady, should I comply with what she desired, prevailed above all other. I was resolved to refuse, for her sake more than my own, and was just going to tell her so on my knees, with all the arguments my reason could suggest to appease her; when an attendant came running in haste to the other person, who was also a woman, and [Page 77] told her the Bassa was coming that way. She was roused out of her lethargy at this. The other woman immediately snatched her away, as the Pophar did me; and she had only time to call out with a threat. Think better on it, or die. I was no sooner out of her sight, but I found a thousand reasons for what I did, more than I could think of before, while the inchanting object was before my eyes. I saw the madness of that passion which forced the most charming person of the Ottoman empire, capable by her beauty to conquer the Grand Signior himself, to make a declaration of love, so contrary to the nature and modesty of her sex, as well as her quality and dignity, and ready to sacrifice her reputation, the duty she owed▪ her parents, her liberty, perhaps her life, for an unknown person who had been a slave but some time before. I saw on the other hand, that had I complied with the fair charmers proposal, I must have run the risk of loosing my religion or life, or rather both, with a dreadful chain of hidden misfortunes, likely to accompany such a rash adventure. While I was taken up with these thoughts, the wise Pophar, after reflecting a little upon what had happened, told me, this unfortunate affair would not end so, but that it might cost us both our lives, and something else that was more dear to [Page 78] him. He feared so violent a passion would draw on other extremes: especially considering the wickedness of the people, and the brutal tyranny of their government: however, he was resolved not to give me up but with his life, if I would but stand to it myself: adding, that we must make off as fast as we could; and having so many spies upon us, use policy as well as expedition. Accordingly he went down directly to the port, and hired a ship in the most public manner to go for Cyprus, paid the whole freight on the spot, and told them they must necessarily sail that evening. We should actually have done so, had not our companions and effects obliged us to return to Grand Cairo; but instead of imbarking for Cyprus, he called aside the master of the vessel, who was of his acquaintance, and, for a good round sum privately agreed with him to sail out of the port, as if we were really on board, while the Pophar hired a boat for us at the other end of the town, in which we went that night directly for Grand Cairo. As soon as we were arrived there, we inquired how long it would be before the Bassa returned to that city. They told us it would be about a fortnight at soonest; this gave the Pophar time to pay off his house, pack up his effects, and get all things ready for his great voyage; but he still had greater [Page 79] apprehensions in his looks than ever I remarked in him. However, he hoped the affair would end well. In five days time all things were in readiness for our departure. We set out a little before sunset, as is customary in those countries, and marched but a slow pace whilst we were near the town, to avoid any suspicion of flight. After we had travelled thus about a league up by the side of the river Nile, the Pophar leading the van, and the rest following in a pretty long string after him, we met five or six men coming down the river-side on horseback, whose fine turbans and habits shewed they were pages, or attendants of some great person. The Pophar turned off from the river, as if it were to give them way: and they passed on very civilly without seeming to take any further notice of us. I was the hindmost but one of our train, having staid to give our dromedaries some water. Soon after these, came two ladies riding on little Arabian jennets, with prodigious rich furniture, by which I guessed them to be persons of quality, and the others gone before to be their attendants. They were not quite over-against where I was, when the jennet of the younger of the two ladies began to snort and start at our dromedaries, and became so unruly, that I apprehended she could scarce fit him. At that instant, one of the led [Page 80] dromedaries coming pretty near, that and the rustling of its loading so frighted the jennet, that he gave a bound all on a sudden, and being on the inside of us towards the river, he ran full speed towards the edge of the bank, where not being able to stop his career, he flew directly off the precipice into the river, with the lady still sitting him; but the violence of the leap threw her off two or three yards into the water. It happened very luckily that there was a little island just by where she fell, and her cloaths keeping her up for some minutes, the stream carried her against some stakes that stood just above the water, which catched hold of her clothes, and held her there. The shrieks of the other lady bro't the nighest attendants up to us; but those fearful wretches durst not venture into the river to her assistance. I jumped off my dromedary with indignation, and throwing off my loose garment and sandals, swam to her, and with much difficulty getting hold of her hand, and loosing her garments from the stakes, I made a shift to draw her across the stream, till I brought her to land. She was quite senseless for some time; I held down her head, which I had not yet looked at, to make her disgorge the water she had swallowed; but I was soon struck with a double surprise, when I looked at her face, to find it was the Bassa's daughter, and to [Page 81] see her in that place, whom I thought I had left at Alexandria. After some time, she came to herself, and looking fixed on me a good while, her senses not being entirely recovered, at last she cried out, "O Mahomet, must I owe my life to this man!" and fainted away. The other lady, who was her confident, with a great deal of pains brought her to herself again; we raised her up, and endeavoured to comfort her as well as we could: No, says she, throw me into the river once more; let me not be obliged to a barbarian for whom I have done too much already. I told her in the most respectful terms I could think of, that providence had ordered it so, that I might make some recompense for the undeserved obligations she had laid on me; that I had two great value for her merit, ever to make her miserable, by loving a slave, such as I was, a stranger, a Christian, and one who had indispensable, obligations to act as I did. She startled a little at what I said; but after a short recollection answered, whether you are a slave, an infidel, or whatever you please, you are one of the most generous men in the world. I suppose your obligations are on account of some more happy woman than myself; but since I owe my life to you, I am resolved not to make you unhappy, any more than you do me. I not only pardon you, but [Page 82] am convinced my pretensions are both unjust, and against my own honor. She said this with an air becoming her quality: she was much more at ease, when I assured her I was engaged to no woman in the world; but that her memory should be ever dear to me, and imprinted in my heart till my last breath. Here ten or a dozen armed Turks came upon us full speed from the town, and seeing the Pophar and his companions, they cried out, Stop villains, we arrest you in the name of the Bassa. At this we started up to see what was the matter, when the lady who knew them, bid me not be afraid: that she had ordered these men [...]o pursue me, when she left Alexandria. That hearing we were fled off by sea, she pretended sickness, and asked leave of her father to return to Cairo, there to bemoan her misfortune with her confident: and was in those melancholy sentiments, when the late accident happened to her. That she supposed these men had discovered the trick we had played them in not going by sea, and on better information had pursued us this way. So she dismissed them immediately. I was all this while in one of the greatest agonies that can be expressed, both for fear of my own resolutions and hers: so I begged her to retire, lest her wet cloaths should endangar her health. I should not have been able to pronounce [Page 83] these words, if the Pophar had not cast a look at me, which pierced me through and made me see the danger I was in by my delay. Her resolutions now seemed to be stronger than mine. She pulled off this jewel your Reverences see on my finger, and just said, with tears trickling down her beautiful cheeks, take this, and adieu! She then pulled her companion away, and never looked at me more. I stood amazed, almost without life or motion in me; and cannot tell how long I might have continued so, if the Pophar had not come and congratulated me for my deliverance. I told him▪ I did not know what he meant by deliverance, for I did not know whether I was alive or dead, and that I was afraid he would repent his buying of me, if I procured him any more of these adventures. If we meet with no worse than these, says he, we are well enough; no victory can be gained without some loss. So he awa [...]ed me out of my lethargy, and commanded us to make the best of our way.

Though the Pophar was uneasy to be out of the reach of the fair lady and her faithless Turks, yet he was not in any great haste in the main, the proper time for his great voyage not being yet come. There appeared a gaiety in his countenance, that seemed to promise us a prosperous journey. [Page 84] For my own part, though I was glad I had escaped my dangerous inchantress, there was a heaviness lay on my spirits, which I could give no account of; but the thoughts of such an unknown voyage, and variety of places, dissipated it by degrees. We were eleven in number, five elderly men, and five young ones, myself being a supernumerary person. We were all mounted upon dromedaries, which were very fine for that sort of creature: they are something like camels, but less, and much swifter; they live a great while without water, as the camels do, which was the reason they made use of them, for the barren sands they were to pass over; though they have the finest horses that can be seen in their own country. They had five spare ones to carry provisions, or to change, in case any one of their own should tire by the way. It was upon one of these five that I rode. We went up the Nile, leaving it on our left hand all the way, steering our course directly for the Upper Egypt. I presume your Reverences know, that the river Nile divides Egypt into two parts lengthwise, descending from Abyssinia with such an immense course, that the Ethiopians said it had no head, and running through the hither Ethiopa, pours down upon Egypt, as the Rhine does through the Spanish Netherlands, making it one of the richest [Page 85] countries in the universe. We visited all the towns on that famous river upwards, under pretence of merchandising; but the true reason of our delay was, because the Pophar's critical time for his great voyage was not yet come. He looked at his ephemeris and notes almost every hour, the rest of them attending his nod in the most minute circumstances. As we approached the upper parts of Egypt, as nigh as I could guess, over against the deserts of Barca, they began to buy provisions, proper for their purpose: but particularly rice, dried fruits, and a sort of dried paste that served us for bread. They bought their provisions at different places, to avoid suspicion; and I observed they laid up a considerable quantity, both for their dromedaries and themselves: by which I found we had a long journey to make. When we came over-against the middle coast of the vast desert of Barca, we met with a delicate clear rivulet, breaking out of a rising part of the sands, and making towards the Nile. Here we alighted, drank ourselves, and gave our dromedaries to drink as much as they would; then we filled all our vessels, made on purpose for carriage, and took in a much greater proportion of water than we had done provisions.—I forgot to tell your Reverences, that, at several places as we passed, they dismounted, and kissed the [Page 86] ground with a very superstitious devotion, and scraped some of the dust, which they put into golden urns▪ which they had brought with them on purpose, letting me do what I pleased all the while. This sort of devotion I then only guessed, but found to be true afterwards, was the chief occasion of their coming into those parts, though carried on under the pretence of merchandising. They did the same in this place; and when all were ready, the Pophar looking on his papers and needle, cried Gaulbenim, which, I was informed, was as much as to say, Now children for our lives; and immediately as he had steered south all along before, he turned short on his right hand due west, cross the vast desert of Barca, as fast as his dromedary could well go. We had nothing but sands and sky before us, and in a few hours were almost out of danger of any one's attempting to follow us.

Being thus imbarked, if I may say so, on this vast ocean of sand, a thousand perplexing thoughts came into my mind, which I did not reflect on before. Behold me in the midst of the inhospitable deserts of Africa, where whole armies ^* had often perished. [Page 87] The further we advanced, the more our danger increased. I was with men, who were not only strangers to myself, but to all the world beside: ten against one; but this was not all; I was persuaded now they were Heathens and idolaters: for, beside their superstitious kissing the earth in several places, I observed they looked up towards the sun, and seemed to address their oraisons to that planet, glorious indeed, but a planet and a creature nevertheless: then I reflected on what the Pophar said when he bought me, that I was not likely to return. It is possible, thought I, I am destined for a human sacrifice to some Heathen god in the midst of this vast desert. But not seeing any arms they had, either offensive or defensive, except their short go [...]ds to prick on their dromedaries, I was a little easy: I had privately provided myself with two pocket-pistols, and was resolved to defend myself till the last gasp. But when I considered that unparallelled justice and humanity I had experienced in their treatment of me, I was a little comforted. As for the difficulty of passing the deserts, I reflected that their own lives [Page 88] were as much in danger as mine; that they must have some unknown ways of passing them over, otherwise they would never expose themselves to such evident danger.

I should have told your Reverences, that we set out a little before sun-set to avoid the heats, June the 9th, 1688; the moon was about the first quarter, and carried on the light till nigh dawn of day; the glittering of the sands, or rather pebbly gravel, in which there were abundance of shining stones like jewels or crystal, increased the light, that we could see to steer our course by the needle very well, We went on at a vast rate, the dromedaries being very swift creatures; their pace is more running than gallopping, much like that of a mule; that I verily believe, from six o'clock in the evening till about ten the next day, we ran almost a hundred and twenty Italian miles: we had neither stop nor let, but steered our course in a direct line, like a ship under sail. The heats were not nigh so insufferable as I expected; for though we saw nothing we could call a mountain in those immense Bares, yet the sands, or at least the way we steered, was very high ground: that as soon as we were out of the breath of the habitable countries, we had a perpetual breeze blowing full in our [...]aces; yet so uniform, that it scarce raised [Page 89] any dust; partly because, where we passed▪ the sands were not of that small dusty kind, as in some parts of Africa, which fly in clouds with the wind overwhelming all before them, but of a more gravelly kind; & partly from an imperceptible dew, which, though not so thick as a fog, moistened the surface of the ground pretty much. A little after nine next morning we came to some clumps of shrubby trees, with a little moss on the ground instead of grass: here the wind fell, and the heats became very violent. The Pophar ordered us to alight, and pitch our tents, to shelter both ourselves and dromedaries from the heats. Their tents were made of the finest sort of oiled cloth I ever saw, prodigious light and portable, yet capable of keeping out both rain and sun. Here we refreshed ourselves and beasts till a little after six; when we set out again, steering still directly west as nigh as I could guess. We went on thus for three days and nights without any conconsiderable accident; only I observed the ground seemed to rise insensibly higher, and the breezes not only stronger, but the air itself much cooler. About ten, the third day, we saw some more clumps of trees on our right hand, which looked greener and thicker than the former, as if they were the beginning of some habitable vale, as in effect they were. The Pophar [Page 90] ordered us to turn that way, which was the only turning out of our way we had yet made. By the chearfulness of their countenances, I thought this might be the beginning of their country; but I was very much mistaken; we had a far longer and more dangerous way to go, than what we had passed hitherto. However, this was a very remarkable station of our voyage, as your Reverences will find by the sequel. As we advanced, we found it to open and descend gradually; till at length we saw a most beautiful vale, full of palms, dates, oranges, and other fruit-trees, entirely unknown in these parts, with such a refreshing smell from the odoriferous shrubs, as filled the whole air with perfumes ^*. We rode into the thickest of it as fast as we could to enjoy the inviting▪ shade. We eased our dromedaries, and took the first care of them; for on them all our safeties depended. After we had refreshed ourselves, the Pophar ordered every one to go to sleep as soon as he could, since we were like to have but little the three following days. I should have told your Reverences, that as soon as they alighted, they fell down flat on their faces, and kissed the earth, with a great deal of [Page 91] seeming joy and ardour, which I took to be a congratulation for their happy arrival at so hospitable a place, but it was on a quite different account. I was the first who awoke after our refreshment; my thoughts and fears, though much calmer than they had been, would not suffer me to be so sedate as the rest. Finding the hour for departing was not yet come, I got up, and walked in that delicious grove, which was so much the more delightful, as the deserts we had passed on, descending towards the centre of the vale, not doubting but, by the greenness and fragrancy of the place, I should find a spring of water. I had not gone far, before I saw a most delicate rill▪ bubbling out from under a rock, forming a little natural bason, from whence it ran gliding down the centre of the vale, increasing as it went, till in all appearance it might form a considerable rivulet, unless it were swallow up again in the sands. At that place the vale ran upon a pretty deep descent, so that I could see over the trees and shrubs below me, almost as far as my eyes could reach; increasing or decreasing in breadth as the hills of sands, for now they appeared to be hills, would give it leave. Here I had the most delightful prospect that the most lively imagination can form to itself; the sun-burnt hills of sand on each side, made the greens look still [Page 92] more charming; but the singing of innumerable unknown bids, with the different fruits and perfumes exhaling from the aromatic shrubs, rendered the place delicious beyond expression. After I had drank my fill, and delighted myself with those native rarieties, I saw a large lion come out of the grove, about two hundred paces below me, going very quietly to the spring to lap. When he had drank, he wis [...]ed his tail two or three times, and began to tumble on the green grass. I took the opportunity to slip away back to my companions, very glad I had escaped so: they were all awake when I came up, and had been in great concern for my absence. The Pophar seemed more displeased that I had left them, than ever I saw him; he mildly chid me for exposing myself to be devoured by wild beasts: but when I told them of the [...]ater and the lion, they were in a greater surprise, looking at one another with a sort of fear in their looks, which I interpreted to be for the danger I had escaped; but it was on another account. After some words in their own language, the Pophar spoke aloud in lingu [...] Franca, I think, says he, we may let this young man see all our ceremonies, especially since he will soon be out of danger of discovering them, if he should have a mind to do it. At this they pulled out of their stores, some of their choicest [Page 93] fruits, a cruise of rich wine, some bread, a burning glass, a thurible ^*, perfumes, and other instruments commonly used in the Heathen sacrifices. I looked aghast at this strange sight; which was such as I had never observed in them before, and began to apprehend that I was now really designed for a human sacrifice ^† to some infernal god or other; but when I compared the Pophar's late words with what I saw, I scarce doubted of it, and was contriving with myself to sell my life as dear as I could. The Pophar ordered us to bring the dromedaries, and every thing along with us, for fear, as he said, they should be devoured by wild beasts. We descended towards the centre of the vale, where I saw the fountain. They went on a great way lower into the vale, till it began to be very steep; but we found a narrow way made by art, and not seeming to have been very long unfrequented, which was more surprising, because I took the place to be uninhabited, and even inaccessible to all but these people. We were forced to descend one by [Page 94] one, leading our dromedaries in our hands: I took particular care to be the hindmost, keeping at a little distance from the rest, for fear of a surprise. They marched down in a mournful kind of procession, observing a most profound silence all the while. At length we came into the finest natural amphitheatre that is possible to describe. There was nothing but odoriferous greens and sky to be seen; except downwards right before us, where we had a most delicious prospect over that glorious vale, winding a little to the right, till it was intercepted by the collateral hills. At the upper part of the amphitheatre, where the break of the hill made that agreeable esplanade, there stood an ancient pyramid, just after the manner of those in Egypt, but nothing near so big as the least of them. In the front of it that faced the vale, the steps were cut out in the form of an altar, on which was erected a statue of a venerable old man, done to the life, of the finest polished marble, or rather some unknown stone of infinite more value. Here I had not the least doubt, but that I was to be sacrificed to this idol. The Pophar seeing me at a distance called to me, to come and see their ceremonies. Then I thought it was time to speak or never. Father, said I, since you give me leave to call you so, I am willing to perform all your commands, [Page 95] where the honor of the supreme God is not called in question; but I am ready to die a thousand deaths, rather than give his honor to another. I am a Christian, and believe one only God, the supreme being of all beings, and Lord of the universe; for which reason I cannot join with you in your idolatrous worship. If you are resolved to put me to death on that account, I here offer my life freely! if I am to be made a part of your infernal sacrifice, I will defend myself to the last drop of my blood, before I will submit to it. He answered me with a smile, rather than with any indignation, and told me, when I came to be better acquainted with them, I should find they were not so inhuman as to put people to death, because they were of a different opinion from their own. That this was only a religious ceremony they performed to their deceased ancestors ^*, and if I had not a mind to assist at it, I might sit down at what distance I pleased.

[ Secretary.

The inquisitors were extremely pleased with the first part of [Page 96] his discourse, wherein he shewed such courage in defence of his religion, and resolution to die rather than join in their idolatrous worship; but all had liked to have been dashed again by the second part, which made one of the inquisitors interrupt his narration, and ask him the following question.

Inquisitor.

I hope you do not think it unlawful to persecute, or even to put to death, obstinate heretics, who would destroy the religion of our forefathers, and lead others into the same damnation with themselves. If treason against one's prince may be punished with death, why may not treason against the king of heaven be punished with the like penalty? Have a care you do not cast reflections on the holy inquisition.

Gaudentio.

Reverend Fathers! I only relate bare matter of fact, as it was spoke by the mouth of a Heathen, ignorant of our holy mysteries. I have all the reason in the world, to extol the justice of the holy inquisition: nor do I think, but, in such cases mentioned by your Reverences, it may be lawful to use the utmost severities to prevent greater evils. But it argued a wonderful moderation in the Pophar, which I found to [Page 97] be his real sentiments, not unbecoming a Christian in such circumstances, where it did not tend to the destruction of the whole.—But in this, as in all other matters, I submit to your decisions.

Secretary.

I interposed in his favour, and put the inquisitors in mind, that there was nothing but what was just in his answers: and we ourselves only used those rigours in the last extremity, to prevent greater mischiefs. So they bid him read on.

When the Pophar had said this, he and the rest of them fell down on their faces, and kissed the earth: then with the burning-glass they kindled some odoriferous woods; put the coals in the thurible with the incense, and incensed the idol or statue: that done, they poured the wine on the altar; set bread on the one side, and fruits on the other: and having lighted two little pyramids of most delicious perfumes at each end of the great pyramid, they sat them down round the fountain, which I suppose was conveyed by art under the pyramid ^*, and issued out in the middle of [Page 98] the amphitheatre. There they refreshed themselves, and gathered the fruits which hung round us in the grove, eating of them very heartily, and inviting me to do the like. I made some difficulty at first, fearing it might be part of the sacrifice; but they assuring me all was but a civil ceremony, I joined them, and did as they did. The Pophar turned to me, and said, My son, we worship one most high God, as you do: what we did just now, was not that we believe any deity in that statue, or adored [...] a God; but only respect it as a memorial, and in remembrance of our great ancestor, who heretofore conducted our forefathers to this place, and was buried in this pyramid ^*. The rest of our forefathers, who died before they were forced to leave this valley, are buried all around us. That is the reason we kissed the ground, not thinking it lawful to stir the bones of the dead. We did the same in Egypt, because we were originally of that land: our particular ancestors lived in that part, which was afterwards called Thebes ^†. The time [Page 99] will not permit me to acquaint you at present, how we were driven out of our native country to this place, and afterwards from this place to the land we are now going to, but you shall know all hereafter. The bread, fruits, and wine we laid on the alter ^*, as they are the chief support of our being; so we leave them there as a testimony, that the venerable old man, whose statue you see, was, under God, the author and father of our nation. This said, he told us it was time to make the best of our way; so they all got up, and having kissed the ground once more, the five elderly men scraped a little of the earth, and put it in fine golden vessels, with a great deal of care and respect. After refreshing ourselves again, we made our provision of fruits and water, and leading our dromedaries up the way we came down, mounted, and set out for the remainder of our journey.

We were now past the tropic of Cancer ^†, as I found by our shadows going [Page 100] southward; and went on thus a little, bending towards the west again, almost parallel to the tropic, the breezes increasing rather stronger than before, so that about midnight it was really cold. We gave our dromedaries water about sun-rising, and refreshed ourselves a little: then set out with new vigour at a prodigious rate: still the breezes fell between nine and ten; however we made shift to go on, because they came again about noon: between three and four was the hottest time of all. Besides, going now parallel to the tropic, we travelled on the hot sands, a very little descending; whereas, when we pointed southwards towards the line, we found the ground to be insensibly rising upon us ^*; but as we went on these almost flats, if it had not been that we were almost on the ridge of Africa, which made it cooler than one can well believe, it had been impossible to bear the heats. When we rested, we not only pitched our tents for ourselves and dromedaries, but the sands were so hot, that we were [Page 101] forced to lay things under our feet to preserve them from burning. Thus we travelled through those dismal deserts for four days, without sight of any living creature but ourselves. Sands and sky were all that presented itself to our view. The fatigue was the greatest I ever underwent in my life. The fourth day about eight in the morning, by good fortune for us, or else by the prudent forecast of the Pophar, who knew all his stations, we saw another vale towards the right hand, with some straggling trees here and there, but not seeming nigh so pleasant as the first, we made to it with all our speed, and had much ado to bear the heats till we came to it. We alighted immediately, and led our dromedaries down the gentle descent, till we could find a thicker part of it. The first trees were thin and old, as if they had just moisture enough to keep them alive: the ground was but just covered over with a little sun burnt moss, without any sign of water, but our stock was not yet gone. At length, as we descended, the grove increased every way, the trees were large, with some dates here and there, but not so good as in the other. We rested a little, and then continued to descent for some time, till we came into a very cool and thick shade. Here, the Pophar told us, we must stay two or three days, perhaps [Page 102] longer, till he saw his usual signs for proceeding on his journey; and bid us be sparing of our water, for fear of accidents. We settled our dromedaries as before: for ourselves, we could scarce take any thing, we were so fatigued, wanting rest more than meat and drink. The Pophar, ordering us some cordial wines they had along with them for that purpose, told us, we might sleep as long as we would▪ only bid us be sure to cover ourselves well; for the nights were long, and even cold about midnight. We were all soon asleep, and did not wake till four the next morning. The Pophar, solicitous for all our safeties as well as his own, (for this was the critical time of our journey), was a wake the first of us. When we were up, and had refreshed ourselves, which we did with a very good appetite, he told us we must go up on the sands again to observe the signs. We took our dromedaries along with us, for fear of wild beasts, though we saw none, walking gently up the sands, till we came to a very high ground. We had but a dreary prospect, as far as our eyes could carry us, of sun-burnt plains, without grass, stick, or shrub, except when we turned our backs to look at the vale below us, which running lower became a rivulet; but that, either by an earthquake, or some flood of sand, it was quite choaked up, [Page 103] running under ground, without any one's knowing whether it broke out again, or was entirely swallowed up ^*. He said also; that, by the most ancient accounts of his forefathers, the sands were not in their times so dangerous to pass as they are now, or of such vast extent ^†, but had fruitful vales much nearer one another than at present. He added, that he wished earnestly to see the signs he wanted for proceeding on our way; since there was no stirring till they appeared: and that, according to his ephemeris and notes, they should appear about this time, unless something very extraordinary happened. This was about eight in the morning, the 9th day after we set out for the deserts. He was every now and then looking southward, or southwest, with great solicitude in his looks, as if he wondered he saw nothing. At length he cried out with great emotions of joy, it is coming! Look yonder, says he, towards [Page 104] the southwest, as far as your eyes can carry you, and see what you can discover. We told him, we saw nothing but some clouds of sand, carried round here and there like whirlwinds. That is the sign I want, continued he; but mark well which way it drives. We said it drove directly eastward, as nigh as we could guess. It does, says he; then turning his face westwards, with a little point of the south. All those vast deserts, says he, are now in such a commotion of storms and whirlwinds, that man and beast will soon be overwhelmed in the rolling waves of sands. He had scarce said this, but we saw, at a vast distance, ten thousand little whirl-spouts of sand, rising and falling with a prodigious tumult and velocity ^* eastward, with vast thick clouds of sand and dust following them. Come, says he, let us return to our resting-place; for there we must stay, till we see further how matters go. As this appeared newer to me than any of the rest, and being possessed with a great idea of the [Page 105] knowledge of the man, I made bold to ask him, what was the cause of this sudden phaenomenon: he told me, that, about that full moon, there always fell prodigious rains ^*, coming from the western part of Africa, on this side the equator, and driving a little south-west for some time at first, but afterwards turning almost south, and crossing the line till they came to the source of the Nile; in which parts they fell for three weeks or a month together, which was the occasion of the overflowing of that river ^†: but that, on this side the equator, it only rained about fifteen days, preceded by those whirlwinds and clouds of sand, which rendered all that tract impassable, till the rains had laid them again.—By this time we were come down to our resting-place, and though we did not want sleep or refreshment, yet we took both; to have the cool of the evening to recreate ourselves after so [Page 106] much fatigue, not being likely to move till the next evening at soonest.

At five in the evening, the pophar called us up to go with him once more to the highest part of the desert, saying he wanted one sign yet, which he hoped to have that evening, or else it would go hard with us for want of water, our provision of it being almost spent; and there were no springs in the deserts that we were to pass over, till we came within a long days journey of the end of our voyage. However, he scarce doubted but we should see the certain sign he wanted this evening; on which account, there did not appear such a solicitude in his countenance as before: for though he was our governor, or captain, and had the respectful deference paid to him; yet he governed us in all respects, as if we were his children, with all the tenderness of a father, as his name imported; though none of the company were his real children. If there were any signs of partiality, it was in my favour, always expressing the most endearing tenderness for me, which the other young men, instead of taking any dislike at, were really pleased with. No brothers in the world could be more loving to one another than we were. The elderly men took delight in seeing our youthful gambols with one another: it is true their nature is, of the two, a little more inclined to gravity [Page 107] than that of the Italians, who are no light nation; yet their gravity is accompanied with all the serenity and cheerfulness imaginable, and I then thought at our first acquaintance, than I had never seen such an air of a free-born people in my life; as if they knew no other subjection but what was merely filial. When we came to the high ground, we could see the hurricanes play still; but, what was more wonderful, very few effects of that aerial tumult came our way, but drove on almost parallel to the equator: the air looked like a brown dirty fog, towards the east and south-east; all the whirlwinds tending towards those parts; it began after some time to look a little more lightsome towards the west; but so, as if it were occasioned by a more strong and settled wind. At length we perceived, at the farthest horrizon, the edge of a prodigious black cloud, extending itself to the south-west and western points, rising with a discernable motion, though not very fast. We saw plain enough, by the blackness and thickness of it, that it prognosticated a great deal of rain.—Here they all fell prostrate on the earth: then raising up their hands and eyes towards the sun, they seemed to pay their adorations to that great luminary. The Pophar, with an audible voice, pronounced some unknown words, as if he were returning thanks to that planet for [Page 108] what he saw. At this I stepped back, and kept myself at a distance; not so much for fear of my life, as before, as not to join with them in their idolatrous worship. For I could not be ignorant now, that they had a wrong notion of God, and if they acknowledged any, it was the sun: which in effect is the least irrational idolatry people can be guilty of ^*. When they had done their oraisons, the Pophar turned to me, and said, I see you won't join with us in any of our religious ceremonies; but I must tell you, continued he, that cloud is the saving of all our lives: and as that great sun, pointing to the luminary, is the instrument that draws it up, as indeed he is the preserver of all our beings, we think ourselves obliged to return our thanks to [Page 109] him. Here he stopped, as if he had a mind to hear what I could say for myself. I was not willing to enter into disputes, well knowing that religious quarrels are the most provoking of any: yet I thought myself obliged to make profession of my belief in the supreme God, now I was called upon to the professed worship of a false deity. I answered with the most modest respect I was capable of, that that glorious planet was one of the physical causes of the preservation of our beings, and of the production of all things; but that he was produced himself by the most high God, the first cause and author of all things in heaven and earth; the sun only moving by his order, as an inanimate being, incapable of hearing our prayers, and only operating by his direction. However, I offered to join with him, in returning my best thanks to the most high God, for creating the sun, capable by his heat to raise that cloud for the saving our lives. Thus I adapted my answer as nigh to his discourse as I could, yet not so as to deny my faith. For I could not entirely tell what to make of them as yet; since I observed, they were more mysterious in their religious ceremonies, than in any thing else ^*; or rather, this was the only [Page 110] thing they were reserved in. He pondered a good while on what I said, but at length he added, You are not much out of the way: you and I will talk this matter over another time; so turned off the discourse; I supposed it to be because of the young men standing by us, whom he had not a mind should receive any other notions of religion, but what they had been taught. It was sun-set by the time we came down to the grove. We had some small flights of sand, caused by an odd commotion in the air, attended with little whirlwinds, which put us in some small apprehensions of a sand-shower; but he bid us take courage, since he could not find in all his accounts, that the hurricanes or rains ever came, in any great quantity, as far as we were, the nature of them being to drive more parellel to the equator: but he was sure we should have some: and ordered us to pitch our tents as firm as we could, and draw out all our water-vessels, to catch the rain against all accidents. When this was done, and we had eat our suppers, we recreated ourselves in the grove, wandering about here and there, and discoursing of the nature of these phaenomena. We did not care to go to rest so soon, having [Page 111] reposed ourselves so well that day, and having all the following night and the next day to stay in that place. The grove grew much pleasanter as we advanced into it; there were a great many dates and other fruits, the natural produce of Africa; but not quite so rich as in the first grove. I made bold to ask the Pophar, how far that grove extended, or whether there were any inhabitants. He told me, he could not tell any thing of either. That it was possible the grove might enlarge itself different ways, among the winding hills: since his accounts told him, there had been a rivulet of water, though now swallowed up; but he believed there were no inhabitants, since there was no mention made of them in his papers. Nor did he believe any other people in the world, beside themselves, knew the way, or would venture so far into those horrid inhospitable deserts. Having a mind to learn whether he had any certain knowledge of the longitude, which creates such difficulties to the Europeans, I asked how he was sure that was the place; or by what rule he could know how far he was come, or where he was to turn to right or left. He stopped a little at my questions; then, without any apparent hesitation, Why, said he, we know by the needle, how far we vary from the north or south point, at least till we come to the [Page 112] tropic ^*; if not, we can take the meridian and height of the sun, and knowing the time of the year, we can tell how near we approach to, or are off the equator. Yes, said I: but as there are different meridians every step you take, how can you tell how far you go east or west, when you run either way in parallel lines ^† to the tropics, or the equator? Here he stopped again, and either could not make any certain discovery, or had not a mind to let me into the secret. The first was most likely; however, he answered readily enough, and said, You please me with your curious questions, since I find you are sensible of the difficulty. Why, continued he, all the method we have, is, to observe exactly how far our dromedaries go in an hour, or any other space of time: you see we go much about the same pace: we have no stops in our way, but what we know of, to refresh ourselves or so, for which we generally allow [Page 113] so much time ^*. When we set out from Egypt, we went due west; our beasts gain so many miles an hour; we know by that, how far we are more west than we were ^†. If we decline to the north or the south, we know likewise, how many miles we have advanced in so many hours, and compute how much the declination takes off from our going due west. And though we cannot tell to a demonstrative exactness, we can tell pretty nigh. This was all I could get out of him at that time, which did not satisfy the difficulty. I afterwards asked him, how they came to find out this way, or to venture to seek out a habitation unknown to all the world beside. He answered. "For liberty, and the preservation of our laws." I was afraid of asking any further, seeing he gave such general answers. By this time it was prodigious dark, though full moon ^‡. We had some sudden gusts of wind that startled us a little; and it lightened at such a rate, as I never saw in my life. And although it was towards the horizon, and drove sidewise of [Page 114] us, yet it was really terrible to see; the flashes were so thick, that the sky was almost in a light fire. We made up to our tents as fast as we could; and though we had only the skirts of the clouds over us, it rained so very hard, that we had our vessels soon supplied with water, and got safe into our shelter. The thunder was at a vast distance, but just audible, and, for our comfort, drove still to the eastward. I do not know in what dispositions the elderly men might be, being accustomed to the nature of it; but I am sure I was in some apprehension, fully persuaded, if it had come directly over us, nothing could withstand its impetuosity. I had very little inclination to rest, whatever my companions had; but pondering with myself, both the nature of the thing, and the prodigious skill these men must have in the laws of the universe, I staid▪ with impatience waiting the event.

I was musing with myself on what I had heard and seen, not being able yet to guess with any satisfaction what these people were, when an unexpected accident was the cause of a discovery, which made me see they were not greater strangers to me, than I was to myself. The weather was stifling hot, so that we had thrown off our garments to our shirts, and bared our breasts for coolness sake; when there came [Page 115] a prodigious flash, or rather blaze of lightning, which struck full against the breast of one of the young men opposite to me, and discovered a bright gold medal hanging down from his neck, with the figure of the sun engraved on it, surrounded with unknown characters; the very same in all appearance I had seen my deceased mother always wear about her neck, and since her death I carried with me for her sake. I asked the meaning of that medal, since I had one about me, as it appeared, of the very same make. If the Pophar had been struck with lightning, he could not have been in a greater surprise, than he was at these words: You one of these medals! said he; how, in the name of wonder, did you come by it? I told him my mother wore it about her neck, from a little child; and with that pulled it out of my pocket. He snatched it out of my hands with a prodigious eagerness, and held it against the lightning perpetually [...]lashing in upon us. As soon as he saw it was the same with the other, he cried out, Great sun, what can this mean? Then asked me again, where I had it? how my mother came by it? who my mother was? what age she was of when she died? As soon as the vio [...]ence of his ecstasy would give me leave, I told him my mother had it ever since she was a little child: that she was the adopted daughter [Page 116] of a noble merchant in Corsica, who had given her all his affects when my father married her: tha [...] she was married at thirteen; and I being nineteen, and the second son, I guessed she was towards forty when she died. It must be Isiphena, cried he, with the utmost ecstasy, it must be she. Then he caught me in his arms, and said, You are now really one of us, being the son of my father's daughter, my dear sister Isiphena. The remembrance of whom made the tears run down the old man's cheeks very plentifully. She was lost at Grand Cairo about the time you mention, together with a twin-sister who I fear is never to be heard of. Then I reflected I had heard mother say, she had been informed, the gentleman who adopted her for his daughter, had bought her when she was a little girl of a Turkish woman of that place; that being charmed with the early signs of beauty in her, and having no children, he adopted her for his own. Yes, said the Pophar, it must be she; but what is become of the other sister? For, said he, my dear sister brought two at one unfortunate birth, which cost her her life. I told him I never heard any thing of the other. Then he acquainted me that his sister's husband was the person who conducted the rest to visit the tombs of their ancestors, as he did now: that the last voyage, [Page 117] he took his wife with him, who out of her great fondness had teased him and importuned him so much to go along with him, that, though it was contrary to their laws, he contrived to carry her disguised in man's cloths, like one of the young men he chose to accompany him in the expedition: that staying at Grand Cairo till the next season for his return, she proved with child of twins; and, to his unspeakable grief, died in childbed. That when they carried her up to Thebes to be interred with her ancestors, of which I should have a more exact information by and by, they were obliged to leave the children with a nurse of the country, with some Egyptian servants to take care of the house and effects; but before they came back, the nurse with her accomplices ran away with the children, and, as was supposed, murdered them, rifled the house of all the jewels and other valuable things, and were never heard of afterwards. But it seems they thought it more for their advantage to sell the children, as we find they did, by your mother; but what part of the world the other sister is in, or whether she be at all, is known only to the great author of our being. However, continued he, we rejoice in finding these hopeful remains of your dear mother, whose resemblance you carry along with you. It was that gave me such a kindness [Page 118] for your person the first time I saw you, methought, perceiving something I had never observed in any other race of people, But, said he, I deprive my companions and children here of the happiness of embracing their own flesh and blood, since we all sprung from one common father, the author of our nation, with whom you are going to be incorporated once more. Here we embraced one another with a joy that is inexpressible. Now all my former fears were entirely vanished: though I had lost the country where I was born, I had found another, of which I could nowise be ashamed, where the people were the most humane and civilized I ever saw, and the soil the finest, as I had reason to hope, in the world. The only check to my happiness was, that they were infidels. However, I was resolved not to let any consideration blot out of my mind that I was a Christian. On which account, when the Pophar would have tied the medal about my neck, as a badge of my race, I had some difficulty in that point, for fear it should be an emblem of idolatry, seeing them to be extremely superstitious. So I asked him, what was the meaning of the figure of the sun, with those unknown characters round about it? He told me the characters were to be pronounced Omabim, i. e. The sun is the author of our being, or [Page 119] more literally, The sun is our father. Om or On signifies the sun [This will be explained in another place]. Ab signifie [...] [...]ther, Im or Mim, Us. This made me remember, they had told me in Egypt that they were children of the sun; and gave me some uneasiness at their idolatrous notions. I therefore told him, I would keep it as a cognisance of my country; but could not acknowledge any but God to be the supreme author of my being. As to the supreme author, said he, your opinion is little different from ours ^*. But let us leave these religious matters till another time: we'll close this happy day with thanksgiving to the supreme being for this discovery: to [...]morrow morning, since you are now really one of us, I will acquaint you with your origin, and how we came to hide ourselves in these inhospitable deserts.—

[ The reader is desired not to censure or dis [...]elieve the following account of the origin and transmigration of these people, till he has perused the learned remarks of Signor Rhedi.]

The next morning the Pophar calling me to him, Son, said he, to fulfil my promise [Page 120] which I made you last night, and that you may not be like the rest of the ignorant world, [...] know not who their forefathers and ancestors were ^*; whether they sprung from brutes or barbarians, is all alike to them, provided they can but grovel on the earth, as they do: you must know therefore, as I suppose you remember what I told you at our first station, that we came originally from Egypt. When you asked me, how we came to venture through these inhospitable deserts, I told you, it was for liberty, and the preservation of our laws; but as you are now found to be one of us, I design to give you a more particular account of your origin. Our ancestors did originally come from Egypt, once the happiest place in the world; though the name of Egypt, and Egyptians, has been given to that country, long since we came out of it: the original [Page 121] name of it was Mezzoraim ^*, from the first man that peopled it, the father of our nation; and we call ourselves Mezzoranians from him. We have a tradition delivered down to us from our first ancestors, that when the earth first rose out of the water ^†, six persons, three men and three women, rose along with it: either sent by the supreme deity to inhabit it, or produced by the sun ^‡. That Mezzoraim our first founder was one of those six: who increasing in number, made choice of the country [Page 122] now called Egypt ^*, for the place of his habitation, where he settled with sixty of his children and grandchildren, all of whom he brought along with him, governing them as a real father and instructing them to live with one another, as brothers of one and the same family ^†. He was a peaceable man, abhorring the shedding of blood ^‡, which he said would be punished by the supreme ruler of the world; extremely given to the search of sciences, and contemplation [Page 123] of the heavens ^*. It was he who was the first inventor of all our arts, and whatever is useful for the government of life, sprung from him. Though his grandson Thaoth ^† rather excelled him, particularly in the more sublime sciences. Thus our ancestors lived four hundred years, increasing and spreading over all the land of Egypt, and abounding with the blessings of peace and knowledge; without guile or deceit, neither doing or fearing harm from any; till the wicked descendents of the other men, called Hicksoes ^‡, envying their [Page 124] happiness and the richness of their country, broke in upon them like a torrent, destroying all before them, and taking possession of that happy place our ancestors had rendered so flourishing. The poor innocent Mezzoranians abhorring, as I said, the shedding of blood, and ignorant of all violence, were slaughtered like sheep all over the country; and their wives and daughters violated before their eyes. Those whom their merciless enemy spared, were made slaves to work and till the earth for their new lords.

Secretary.

Here the inquisitors interupted him, and asked him, whether he thought it unlawful in all casas to resist [Page 125] force by force, or whether the law of nature did not allow the Mezzoranians to resist those cruel invaders even to the shedding of blood; as also to punish public malefactors with death for the preservation of the whole. Their intent was, as they are cautious of any new opinions, to know whether he might not be a dogmatizer, and advance some erroneous notions, either by holding that to be lawful, which was not so; or denying things to be lawful, which really may be allowable by the light of nature.

Gaudentio.

Doubtless they might lawfully have resisted even to the shedding of blood in that case, as public criminals may be put to death. I only acquaint your Reverences with the notions peculiar to these people; as for the punishment of their criminals, your Reverences will see, when I come to their laws and customs, that they have other ways and means of punishing crimes as effectual as putting to death; though living entirely within themselves, free from all mixture and commerce with other people, they have preserved their primitive innocence in that respect to a very great degree. Inquis [...]or. Go on.

[Page 126]The Pophar continuing his relation, added: But what was most intolerable was, that these impious Hicksoes forced them to adore men and beasts, and even insects, for gods; nay, and some to see their children offered in sacrifice to those inhuman deities ^*. This dreadful inundation fell at first only on the lower parts of Egypt, which was then the most flourishing. As many of the distressed inhabitants as could escape their cruel hands, fled to the upper parts of the country, in hopes to find there some little respite from their misfortunes. But alas! what could they do? they knew no use of arms: neither would their laws suffer them to destroy their own species; so that they expected every hour to be devoured by their cruel enemies. The heads of the families in such distress were divided in their counsels, or rather they had no counsel to follow: some of them fled into the neighbouring deserts, which you have seen are very dismal, on both sides the upper part of that kingdom; they were dispersed like a flock of sheep scattered by the ravenous wolves. The consternation was so great, they were resolved to fly to the farthest parts of the earth, rather than fall into [Page 127] the hands of those unhuman monsters. The greatest part of them agreed to build ships, and try their fortune by sea. Our great father Mezzoraim had taught them the art of making boats ^*, to cross the branches of the great river [Nile]; which some, said he, had learned by being preserved in such a thing from a terrible flood that overflowed all the land ^†. Which instrument of their preservation they so improved afterwards, that they could cross the lesser sea ^‡ without any difficulty. This being resolved on, they could not agree where to go: some being resolved to go by one sea, some by the other. However they set all hands to work; so that in a year's time they had built a vast number of vessels; trying them backwards and forwards along the coasts, mending what was deficient, and improving what they imagined might be for their greater security. They [Page 128] thought now, or at least their eagerness to avoid their enemies made them think, they could go with safety all over the main sea. As our ancestors had chiefly given themselves to the study of arts and sciences, and the knowledge of nature, they were the most capable of such enterprises of any people in the world. But the apprehension of all that was miserable being just fresh before their eyes, quickened their industry to such a degree, as none but men in the like circumstances can have a just idea of. Most of these men were those who had fled in clouds from lower Egypt. The natural inhabitants of the upper parts, though they were in very great consternation, and built ships as fast as they could, yet their fears were not so immediate, especially seeing the Hicksoes remained yet quiet in their new possessions. But news being brought them, that the Hicksoes began to stir again, more swarms of their cruel brood still flocking into that rich country, they resolved now to delay the time no longer, but to commit themselves, wives, and children, with all that was most dear and precious, to the mercy of that inconstant element, rather than trust to the barbarity of their own species. They who came out of the Lower Egypt, were resolved to cross [Page 129] the great sea ^*, and with immense labour were forced to carry their materials partly by land, till they came to the outermost branch of the Nile, since their enemies coming over the isthmus, though they hindered them from going out of their country by land, unless by the deserts, yet had not taken possession of that part of the country. It is needless to recount their cries and lamentations at their leaving their dear country. I shall only tell you, that they ventured into the great sea, which they crossed, and never stopped till they came to another sea ^†, on the sides of which they [Page 130] fixed their habitation, that they might go off again in case they were pursued. This we learned from the account of our ancestors who met with some of them that came to visit the tombs of their deceased parents, as we do; but it is an immense time since, and we never heard any more of them.— The other part, who were much the greater number, went down the lesser sea ^*, having built their ships on the sea; they never stopped or touched on either side, till they came to a narrow part of it ^†, which led them into the vast ocean; there they turned of to the left into the eastern sea. But whether they were swallowed up in the merciless abyss, or carried into some unknown regions, we cannot tell, for they were never heard of more. Only of late years, we have heard talk at Grand Cairo, of a very numerous and civilized nation in the eastern parts of the world, whose laws [Page 131] and customs have some resemblance to ours; but who, and what they are, we cannot tell, since we have never met with any of them.

The father of our nation, since we separated ourselves from the rest of the world▪ who was priest of the sun at No-om ^*, called afterwards by those miscreants No-Ammon ^†, because of the temple of Hammon), was not asleep in this general consternation; but did not as yet think they would come up so high into the land. However, he thought proper to look out for a place to [Page 132] secure himself and family in case of need. He was the descendent, in a direct line from the great Tha-oth; and was perfectly versed in all the learned sciences of his ancestors. He guessed there must certainly be some habitable country, beyond those dreadful sands that surrounded him, if he could but find a way to it, where he might secure himself and family; at least, till those troubles were over: for he did not at that time think of leaving his native country for good and all. But, like a true father of his people, which the name of Pophar implies, he was resolved to venture his own life, rather than expose his whole family to be lost in those dismal deserts. He had five sons, and five daughters married to as many sons and daughters of his deceased brother. His two eldest sons had even grandchildren, but his two youngest sons as then had no children. He left the government and care of all to his eldest son, in case he himself should miscarry; and took his two youngest sons, who might best be spared along with him. Having provided themselves with water for ten days, with bread and dried fruits, just enough to subsist on, he was resolved to try five days journey endwise through these sands; and if he saw no hopes of making a discovery that time, to return again before his provisions were spent, and then try the [Page 133] same method towards another quarter. In short, he set out with all secrecy, and pointing his course directly westward, the better to guide himself, he came to the first grove that we arrived at, in a little more time than we took up in coming thither. Having now time enough before him, and seeing there was water and fruits in abundance, he examined the extent of that delicious vale: he found it was large enough to subsist a great many thousands, in case they should increase, and be forced to stay there some generations, as in effect they did. After this they laid in provisions as before, with dates and fruits of the natural produce of the earth, finer than ever were seen in Egypt, to encourage them in their transmigration, and so set out again for his native country. The time prefixed for his return was elapsed by his stay in viewing the country; so that his people had entirely given him up for lost. But the joy for his unexpected return, with the promising hopes of such a safe and happy retreat, made them unanimously resolve to follow him. Wherefore, on the first news of the Hicksoes being in motion again, they packed up all their effects and provisions as privately as they could; but particularly all the monuments of arts and sciences left by their ancestors, with notes and observations of [Page 134] every part of their dear country, which they were going to leave, but hoped to see again when the storm was over. They arrived without any considerable disaster, and resolved only to live in tents till they could return to their native homes. As they increased in number, they descended further into the vale, which there began to spread itself different ways, and supplied them with all the necessaries of life; so that they lived in the happiest banishment they could wish; never stirring out of the vale for several years, for fear of being discovered. The Pophar finding himself grow old, (having attained almost two hundred years of age ^*), though he was hale and strong for his years, resolved to visite his native [...]country once more before he died, and get what intelligence he could for▪ the common interest. Accordingly, he and two more disguised themselves, and repassed the deserts again. They just ventured at first into the borders of [Page 135] the country: but, alas! when he came there, he found it all over run by the barbarous Hicksoes. All the poor remains of the Mezzoranians were made slaves; and those barbarians had begun to build habitations, and establish themselves, as if they designed never more to depart the country▪ They had made No-om one of the [...]r chief towns ^*, where they erected a temple to their ram-god ^†, calling it No-Hammon ^‡, with such inhuman laws and cruelties, as drew a flood of tears from his aged eyes ^§. However, being a man of great prudence and foresight, he easily imagined, by their tyrannical way of living, they could not continue long in that state without some new revolution. After making what observations he could, and visiting the tombs of his forefathers, he returned to the vale, and died in that place where you saw the pyramid built to his memory. Not many generations after, according as he had foreseen, [Page 136] the natives, made desperate by the tyrannical oppressions of the Hicksoes, were forced to break in upon their primitive laws, which forbade them to shed blood; made a general insurrection, and, calling in their neighbours around them. fell upon the Hicksoes when they least expected it, and drove them out of the country. They were headed by a brave man of a mixed race, his mother being a beautiful Mezzoranian, and his father a Sabaean ^*. After this young conqueror had driven out the Hicksoes, he established a new form of government, making himself king over his brethren, but not after the tyrannical manner of the Hicksoes [...], and grew very powerful. Our ancestors sent persons from time to time to inform themselves how matters went. They found the kingdom in a flourishing condition, indeed, under the conquering So [...]s ^†, for so he was called. [Page 137] He and his successors made it one of the most powerful kingdoms of the earth; but the laws were different from what they had been in the time of our ancestors, or even from those the great Sos [...] had established. Some of his successors began to be very tyrannical; they made slaves of their brothers, and invented a new religion; some adoring the sun, some the gods of the Hicksoes; so that our ancestors, as they could not think of altering their laws, though they might have returned again, chose rather to continue still unknown in that vale, under their patriarchal government. Nevertheless, in process of time, they increased so much, that the country was not capable of maintaining them; so that they had been obliged to return, had not another revolution in Egypt forced them to seek out a new habitation. This change was made by a race of people called C [...]anim ^*, as wicked and barbarous in effect, but more politic, than the Hicksoes; [Page 138] though some said they were originally the same people, who being driven out of their own country by others more powerful than themselves, came pouring in, not only over all the land of Mezzoraim, but all along the coasts of both seas, destroying all before them, with greater abominations than the Hicksoes had ever been guilty of: in short, a faithless and most perfidious race of men, that corrupted the innocent manners ^* of the whole earth. Our forefathers were in the most dreadful consternation imaginable. There was now no prospect of ever returning into their ancient country. They were surrounded with deserts on all sides. The place they were in began to be too narrow for so many thousands as they were increased to: nay, they did not know but the wicked Cnanim, who were at the same time the boldest and most enterprising nation under the sun ^†, might find them out some time or [Page 139] other. Being in this distress, they resolved to seek out a new habitation; and, to that end, compared all the notes and observations on the heavens, the course of the sun, the seasons, and nature of the climate, and whatever else might direct them what course to steer. They did not doubt but that there might be some habitable countries in the midst of those vast deserts, perhaps as delicious as the vale they lived in, if they could but come at them. Several persons were sent out to make discoveries, but without success. The sands were too vast to travel over without water, and they could find no springs nor rivers. At length the most sagacious of them began to reflect, that the annual overflowing of the great river Nile, whose head could never be found out, must proceed from some prodigious rains which fell somewhere southward of them about that time of the year; which rains, if they could but luckily time and meet with, might not only supply them with water, but also render the country fertile where they fell. Accordingly the chief Pophar, assisted by some of the wisest men, generously resolved to run all risks to save his [Page 140] people. They computed the precise time when the Nile overflowed, and allowed for the time the waters must take in descending so far as Egypt. They thought therefore, if they could but carry water enough to supply them till they met with these rains, they would help them to go on further. At length, five of them set out, with ten dromedaries, carrying as much water and provisions as might serve them for fifteen days, to bring them back again in case there was no hopes. They steered their course as we did, though not quite so exact the first time, till they came to the place, where we are now. Finding here, as their notes tell us ^*, a little rivulet, which is since swallowed up by the sands, they filled their vessels, and went up to take an observation; as we did: but seeing the signs of the great hurricanes, which was our greatest encouragement, it had like to have driven them into despair; for the Pophar knowing the danger of being overwhelmed in the sands, thought of nothing but flying back as fast as he could, fearing to be swallowed up in those stifling whirlpools. This apprehension made him lay aside all thoughts of succeeding towards [Page 141] that climate; and now his chief care was how to get back again with safety for himself and his people. But finding all continue tolerably serene where they were, they made a halt in order to make some farther observations. In the mean time, they reflected that those hurricanes must be forerunners of tempests and rain. Then they recollected, that no rain, or what was very inconsiderable, ever fell in Egypt ^*, or for a great way south of it, till they came within the tropics, and thence concluded, that the rains must run parallel with the equator, both under it, and for some breadth on both sides, till they met the rise of the river Nile, and there caused those vast inundations so hard to be accounted for by other people. That, in fine, those rains must last a considerable while, and probably, though beginning with tempests, might continue in settled rain, capable of being passed through. Then he at first resolved to venture back again to the first vale: but being a man of great prudence, he presently [Page 142] considered, that as he could not proceed on his way without rains, so he could not come back again but by the same help, which coming only at one season, must take up a whole year before he could return. However, he was resolved to venture on, not doubting but if he could find a habitable country, he should also find fruits enough to subsist on, till the next season. Therefore he ordered two of his companions to return the same way they came, to tell his people not to expect him till the next year, if Providence should bring him back at all; but if he did not return by the time of the overflowing of the Nile, or thereabouts, they might give him over for lost, and must never attempt that way any more. They took their leaves of one another as if it were the last adieu, and set out at the same time; two of them, for their homes in the first vale, and the other three for those unknown regions; being destitute of all other helps but those of a courageous mind. The three came back to this place, where it thundered and lightened as it does now; but the Pophar observed it still tended sidewise, and guessed, when the first violence was over, the rains might be more settled. The next day it fell out as he foresaw; whereupon, recommending himself to the great author of our being, he launched [Page 143] boldly out into that vast ocean of sands and rain, steering his course south-west, rather inclining towards the south. They went as far as the heavy sands and rains would let them, till their dromedaries could hardly go any further. Then they pitched their tents and refreshed themselves just enough to undergo new labour, well knowing all their lives depended on their expedition. They observed the sands to be of a different kind from what they had seen hitherto, so fine, that any gust of wind must overwhelm man and beast, only the rains had clogged and laid them.

Not to prolong your expectation too much: they went on thus for ten days, till the rains began to abate; then they saw their lives or deaths would soon be determined. The 11th day the ground began to grow harder in patches, with here and there a little moss on the surface, and now and then a small withered shrub. This revived their hopes, that they should find good land in a short time, and in effect, the soil changed for the better every step they took; and now they began to see little hills covered with grass, and the valleys sink down as if there might be brooks and rivers. The twelfth and thirteenth day cleared all their doubts, and brought them into a country, which, [Page 144] though not very fertile, had both water and fruits, with a hopeful prospect further on, of hills and dales, all habitable and flourishing. Here they fell prostrate on the earth, adoring the creator of all things, who had conducted them safe through so many dangers, and kissing the ground, which was to be the common nurse for them, and, as they hoped, for all their posterity: when they had reposed themselves for some days, they proceeded further into the country, which they found to mend upon them the more they advanced into it. Not intending to return till next year, they sought the most proper place for their habitation; and setting up marks at every moderate distance not to lose their way back again, they made for the highest hills they could see, from whence they perceived an immense and delicious country every way; but to their greater satisfaction, no inhabitants. They wandered thus at pleasure through those natural gardens, where there was a perpetual spring i [...] some kinds of the produce of the earth, and the ripeness of autumn with the most exquisite fruits in others. They kept the most exact observations possible. Whichever way they went, there were not only springs and fountains in abundance, but, as they guessed, (for they kept the higher ground, the heads of great [Page 145] rivers and lakes, some of which they could perceive; so that they were satisfied there was room enough for whole nations, without any danger, as they could find, of being disturbed. . By their observation of the sun, they were nigher the equator than they had imagined ^*, so that they there passed the middle space between the tropic and the line. Being come back to their first station, they there waited the proper season for their return. The rains came something sooner than the year before, because they were further westward. The hurricanes were nothing like what they were in the vast sands. As soon as they began to fix in settled rains, they set out again as before, and in twenty days time from their last setting out▪ happily arrived at the place where they left their dear friends and relations, whose joy for their safe and happy arrival was greater than I can pretend to describe. Thus this immortal hero accomplished his great undertaking, so much more glorious than all the victories of the greatest conquerors, as it [Page 146] was projected, formed, and executed by his own wisdom and courage; not by exposing and sacrificing the lives of thousands of his subjects, perhaps greater men than himself, but by exposing his own life for the safety of those that depended on him.

It were too tedious to recount to you all the difficulties and troubles they had, both in resolving to undertake such a hazardous transmigration, as well as those of transporting such a multitude, with their wives and children, and all their most precious effects, over those merciless sands, which they could only pass at one season of the year. But the voyage being at length resolved on, and the good Pophar wisely considering the difficulties, and necessity, the mother of invention, urging him, at the same time, to gain as much time as he could, since the vale where they were at present was sufficient to maintain them till the rains came; got all his people hither in the mean time, to be ready for the season. The new-born children were left with their mothers, and people to take care of them, till they were able to bear the fatigue. Thus, in seven years time going backwards and forwards every season, they all arrived safe, where we ourselves hope to be in ten or twelve days time. This great hero we deservedly honour, as another Misraim, the second founder of our nation, from [Page 147] whose loins you yourself sprung by the surer side, and are going to be incorporated again with the offspring of your first ancestors.

Here he ended his relation, and your Reverences may easily believe, I was in the greatest admiration at this unheard-of account. As it raised the ideas I had of the people, so I could not be sorry to find myself, young and forlorn as I was before, incorporated with, and allied to such a flourishing and civilized nation. My expectation was not disproportionable to my ideas: I was persuaded I was going into a very fine country; but the thoughts of their being Pagans left some little damp on my spirits, and was a drawback to my expected happiness. However, I was resolved to preserve my religion, at the expense of all that was dear to me, and even of life itself.

By this time, the Pophar ordered us to refresh ourselves, and prepare all things for our departure, though the storm of thunder and lightning did not cease till towards morning. At len [...]th, all things being ready for our moving, we marched on slowly till we came into the course of the rains. It was the most settled and downright rain (as the saying is) that ever I saw; every thing seemed to [...] as calm, as the tempest was violent before [...] Being accustomed [Page 148] to it, they had provided open vessels on each side of the dromedaries, to catch enough for their use as it fell, and they covered themselves and their beasts with that fine oiled cloth I mentioned before. All the sands were laid, and even beaten hard by the rains, though heavy and cloggy at the same time. We made as much way as possible, for five days, just resting and refreshing ourselves when absolutely necessary. I must own, nothing could be more dismal than those dreary solitary deserts, where we could neither see sun nor moon, but had only a gloomy, malignant light, just sufficient to look at the needle, and take our observations. On the sixth day we thought we saw something move sidewise of us, on our right hand, but seemingly passing by us; when one of the young men cried, There they are, and immediately crossed down to them. Then we perceived them to be persons travelling like ourselves, crossing in the same manner up towards us. I was extremely surprised to find, that those deserts were known to any but ourselves. But the Pophar soon put me out of pain, by telling me, they were some of their own people▪ taking the same season to go for Egypt, and on the same account. By this time we were come up to one another▪ The leader of the other caravan, with all his company, immediately [Page 149] got off their dromedaries, and fell prostrate on the earth before our Pophar; at which he stept back; and cried, Alas! is our father dead? They told him, Yes; and that he being the first of the second line, was to be regent of the kingdom, till the young Pophar, who was born when his father was an old man, should come to the age of fifty. Then our people got off, and prostrated themselves before him ^*, all but myself. They took no notice of my neglect, seeing me a supernumerary person, and by consequence a stranger; but as soon as the ceremonies were over, came and embraced me, and welcomed me into their brotherhood with the most sincere cordiality, as if I had been one of their nation. The Pophar soon told them what I was, which made them repeat their caresses with new ecstasies of joy peculiar to these people. After reiterated inquiries concerning their friends, and assurances that all was well, except what they had just told him, the Pophar [...]sked them, how they came to direct their course so much on the left hand, expecting to have met them the day before; and they seeming to point as if they were going out of their way. They told us, they were now sensible of it, and [Page 150] were making up for the true road as fast as they could: but that the day before, they had like to have lost themselves by the darkness of the weather, and their too great security; for beating too much on the left hand, one of their dromedaries foundered, as if he were got into a quicksand ^*. The rider thinking it had been nothing but some looser part of the sand, thought to go on, but [...]ell [...]e [...]per the further he went, till the comman [...]er ordered him to get off immediately, which he did with so much haste, that not [...] his dromedary, the poor beast going on further into the quicksands, was lost. Then the Pophar told them, there was such a place marked down in their ancient charts, which, being so well acquainted with the roads, they had never minded of late years: that he supposed those quicksands to be either the rains, which had sunk through the sands, and meeting with some strata of clay, stagnated, and were forming a lake; or [Page 151] more probably, it was the course of some distant river, rising perhaps out of a habitable country, at an unknown distance, but had lost itself in those immense sands. However, he congratulated them on their escape, and, like a tender father, gently chid them for their too great security in that boundless ocean. Our time not permitting us to stay long, each caravan set out again for their destined course, having but five or six days journey to make, that is, as far as we could travel in so many days and so many nights; for we never stopped but to refresh ourselves. The rains had so tempered the air, that it was rather cold than hot, especially the nights, which grew longer, as we appro [...]ched the line. Here we steered our course more to the west again, but not so as to leave the ridge of the world. I observed the more we kept to the west, the more moderate the rains were, as indeed they slackened in proportion as we came nigher our journey's end; because coming from the west, or at least with a little point of the south, they began sooner than where we set out. The tenth day of our journey, I mean from the last grove or resting-place, one of our dromedaries failed. We had changed them several times before, to make their labour more equal. They would not let it die, for the good it had done; but too of the [Page 152] company having water enough, and knowing where they were, staid behind, to bring it along with them. We now found the nature of the sands and soil to begin to change, as the Pophar had informed me: the ground began to be covered with a little moss, tending towards a green sward, more like barren downs than sands; and I unexpectedly perceived in some places, instead of those barren gravelly sands, large spaces of tolerable good soil ^*. At length, to our expressible joy and comfort, at least for myself, who could not but be in some [Page 153] suspense in such an unknown world, we came to patches of trees, and grass, with slanting falls and heads of vales, which seemed to enlarge themselves beyond our view ^*. The rains were come to their period; only it looked a little foggy at a great distance before us, which was partly from the exhalations of the country after the rains ^†; partly from the trees and hills stopping the clouds, by which we found that the weather did not clear up in the habitable countries so soon as in the barren deserts. The Pophar told me, that, if it were not for the haziness of the air, he would shew me the most beautiful prospect that ever my eyes beheld. I was sensibly convinced of it by the perfumes of the spicy shrubs and flowers, which struck our senses with such a reviving fragrancy, as made us almost forget our past fatigue, especially me, who had not felt the like even in the first vale: neither do I believe all the odours of the Happy Arabia could ever come up to it. I was just as if I had risen out of the most delicious repose. Here the Pophar ordered us to stop for refreshment, [Page 154] and added, that we must stay there till next day. We pitched our tents on the last descent of those immense Bares, by the side of a little rill that issued out of the small break of the downs, expecting further orders.

The cause of our stay here, where we were out of danger, was not only for our companions we had left behind us, but on a ceremonious account, as your Reverences will see by and by: they were also to change their habits, that they might appear in the colours of their respective tribe or name, which were five, according to the number of the sons of the first Pophar, who brought them out of Egypt, whose statue we saw at the pyramid. By their laws all the tribes are to be distinguished by their colours; that where-ever they go, they may be known what name they belong to; with particular marks of their posts and dignities; as I shall describe to your Reverences afterwards. The grand Pophar's colour, who was descended from the eldest son of the ancient Pophar, was a flame colour, or approaching nigh the rays of the sun, because he was chief priest of the sun. Our new regent's colour was green, spangled with suns of gold, as your Reverences saw in the picture; the green representing the spring, which is the chief season with them. The third colour is a fiery red, for [Page 155] the summer. The fourth is yellow, for autumn; and the fifth purple, representing the gloominess of winter; for these people, acknowledging the sun for the immediate governor of the universe, mimic the nature of his influence as nigh as they can. The women observe the colours of their respective tribes, but have moons of silver intermixed with the suns, to shew that they are influenced in a great measure by that variable planet. The young virgins have the new moon; in the strength of their age the full moon; as they grow old, the moon is in the decrease proportionably. The widows have the moon expressed just as it is in the change; the descendents of the daughters of the first Pophar were incorporated with the rest. Those of the eldest daughter took the eldest son's colour, with a mark of distinction, to shew they were never to succeed to the popharship, or regency, till there should be no male issue of the others at age to govern. This right of eldership, as these people understand it, is a little intricate; but I shall explain it to your Reverences more at large, when I come to speak more particularly of their government. When they are sent out into foreign countries, they take what habit or colour they please, and generally go all alike, to be known to each other; but they must not appear in their [Page 156] own country but in their proper colours, it being criminal to do otherwise. They carry marks also of their families, that in case any misdemeanor should be committed, they may know where to trace it out; for which reason, now they drew near their own country, they were to appear in the colours of their respective n [...]mes; all but myself, who had the same garment I wore at Grand Cairo, to shew I was a stranger, though I wore the Pophar's colour afterwards, as being his relation, and incorporated in his family. When they were all arrayed in their silken colours, spangled with suns of gold, with white fillets round their temples, studded with precious stones, they made a very delightful shew, being the handsomest race of people this day in the universe, and all resembling each other, as having no mixture of other nations in their blood.

The sun had now broke through the clouds, and discovered to us the prospect of the country, but such a one as I am not able to describe; it looked rather like an immense garden than a country: at that distance I could see nothing but trees and groves; whether I looked towards the hills or vales, all seemed to be one continued wood, though with some seemingly regular intervals of squares and plains, with the glittering of golden globes or [Page 157] suns through the tops of the trees, that it looked like a green mantle spangled with gold. I asked the Pophar, if they lived all in woods, or whether the country was only one continued immense forest. He smiled and said, when we come thither, you shall see something else besides woods; and then bid me look back, and compare the dreary sands we had lately passed with that glorious prospect we saw before us: I did so, and found the dismal barrenness of the one enhanced the beautiful delight of the other. The reason, says he, why it looks like a wood, is, that, besides innumerable kinds of fruits, all our towns, squares, and streets, as well as fields and gardens, are planted with trees, both for delight and conveniency, though you will find spare ground enough for the produce of all things sufficient to make the life of man easy and happy. The glittering of gold through the tops of the trees, are golden suns on the tops of the temples and buildings: we build our houses flat and low on account of hurricanes, with gardens of perfumed ever-greens on the top of them; which is the reason you see nothing but groves.

We descended gradually from off the deserts through the scattered shrubs, and were saluted every now and then with a gale of perfumes quite different from what [Page 158] are brought to the Europeans from foreign parts. The fresh air of the morning, together with their being exaled from the living stocks, gave them such a fragrancy as cannot be expressed. At length we came to a spacious plain a little shelving, and covered with a greenish coat, between moss and grass, which was the utmost borde [...] of the desert; and beyond it a small river, collected from the hills, as it were weeping out of the sands in different places; which river was the boundary of the kingdom that way. Halting here, we discovered a small company of ten persons, the same number, excluding me, with ours, advancing gravely towards us: they were in the proper colours of the Nomes, with spangled suns of gold, as my companions wore, only the tops of their heads were sprinkled with dust, in token of mourning. As soon as they came at a due distance, they fell flat on their faces before the Pophar, without saying a word, and received the golden urns with the earth which we bro't along with us. Then they turned, and m [...]rched directly before us, holding the urns in their hands as high as they could, but all in a deep and mournful silence. These were deputies of the five Nomes sent to meet the urns. We advanced in this silent manner without saying one word, till we came to the river, over which was a [Page 159] stately bridge with a triumphal arch on the top of it, beautified with suns of gold, most magnificent to behold. Beyond the bridge, we immediately passed through a kind of circular grove, which led us into a most delightful plain, like an amphitheatre, our silence was broke with shouts of joy that rended the very skies; then the whole multitude falling flat on their faces, adoring the urns, and thrice repeating their shouts and adorations, there advanced ten triumphant chariots, according to the colours of the Nomes with suns as before; nine of the chariots were drawn with six horses each, and the tenth with eight for the Pophar regent, The five deputies, who were the chief of each Nome, with the urns and companions, mounted five of the chariots, the other five were for us, two in a chariot; only being a supernumerary, I was placed backwards in the Pophars chariot, which he told me was the only mark of humiliation and inequality I would receive. We were conducted with five squadrons of horse, of fifty men each, in their proper colours, with streamers of the same, having the sun in the centre, though the opposite avenue, till we came into another amphitheatre of a vast extent, where we saw an infinite number of tents of silk of the colour of the Nomes, all of them spangled with golden suns: [Page 160] here we were to rest and refresh ourselves. The Pophar's tent was in the centre of his own colour, which was green, the second Nome in dignity, in whose dominions and government we now were.

I have been longer in this description, because it was more a religious ceremony than any thing else, these people being extremely mysterious in all they do ^*. I shall explain the meaning to your Reverences as briefly as I can. The stopping before we came to the bridge on the borders of those in hospitable deserts, and walking in that mournful silent manner, not only expressed their mourning for their deceased ancestors, but also signified the various calamities and labours incident to man in this life, where he is not only looked upon to be, but really is, in a state of banishment and mourning; wandering in sun-burnt deserts, and tossed with storms of innumerable lawless desires, still sighing after a better country. The passage over the [Page 161] bridge, they would have to betoken man's entrance into rest by death. Their shouts of joy, when the sacred urns arrived in that glorious country, not only signified the happiness of the next life, (for these people universally believe the immortality of the soul, and think none but brutes can be ignorant of it), but also that their ancestors, whose burial-dust they brought along with them, were now in a place of everlasting rest.

[ Inquisitor.

I hope you don't believe so of Heathens, let them be ever so moral men, since we have no assurance of happiness in the next life mentioned in the Holy Scripture, without faith in Christ.

Gaudentio.

No, Reverend Fathers, I only mention the sense in which these men understand the mysteries of their religion. As I believe in Christ, I know there is no other name under heaven by which men can be saved.

Inquisitor.

Go. on.]

Every ceremony of these people has some mystery or other included in it; but there appeared no harm in any of them, except their falling prostrate before the dust, which looked like rank idolatry: but they said still, they meant no more than what [Page 162] was merely civil, to signify their respect for their deceased parents ^*.

I shall not as yet detain your Reverences with the description of the beauties of the country through which we passed, having so much to say of the more substantial part; that is, of their form of government, laws, and customs, both religious and civil; nor describe their prodigious magnificence, though joined with a great deal of natural simplicity, in their towns, temples, schools, colleges, &c. Because, being built mostly alike, except for particular uses, manufactures, and the like; I shall describe them all in one, when I come to the great city of Phor, otherwise called, in their sacred language, No-om ^†: for if I should stay to describe the immense riches, fertility, and beauties of the country, this relation, which is designed as a real account of a place wherein I lived so many years, would rather look like a romance than a true relation. I shall only tell your Reverences at present, that after having taken a most magnificent repast, [Page 163] consisting of all the heart of man can conceive delicious, both of fruits and wines, while we staid in those refreshing tabernacles, we passed on by an easy evening's journey to one of their towns, always conducted and lodged in the same triumphant manner, till we came to the head of that Nome, which I told your Reverences was the green Nome, belonging to the Pophar regent, second in dignity of the whole empire. Here the urn of dust belonging to that Nome was reposited in a kind of golden tabernacle, set with precious stones of immense value, in the centre of a spacious temple, which I shall describe afterwards. After a week's feasting and rejoicing, both for the reception of the dust, and the safe return of the Pophar and his companions, together with his exaltation to the regency, we set out in the same manner for the other Nomes, to reposit all the urns in their respective temples. These are five, as I informed your Reverences before. The country is something mountainous, particularly under the line, and not very uniform, though every thing else is; containing valleys, or rather whole regions running out between the deserts; besides vast ridges of mountains in the heart of the country, which inclose immense riches in their bowels. The chief town is situated as nigh [...]s possible in the middle of the [Page 164] Nomes, and about the centre of the country, bating those irregularities I mentioned. The four inferior Nomes were like the four corners, with the flame-coloured Nome, where the grand Pophar, or regent pro tempore resided, in the centre of the square. Their method was to go to the four inferior. Nomes first, and reposit the urns, and then to complete all at the chief town of the first Nome. These Nomes were each about eight days very easy journey over. Thus we went the round of all, which I think, as I then remarked, was a kind of political visitation at the same time. At length we came to the great city of Phor, or No-om, there to reposit the last urn, and for all the people to pay their respects to the grand Pophar, if in being, or else to the regent. By that time, what with those who accompanied the procession of the urns, and the inhabitants of that immense town, more people were gathered together, than one would have almost thought had been in the whole world; but in such order and decency, distinguished in their ranks, tribes, and colours, as is not easy to be comprehended. The glittering tents spread themselves over the face of the earth.

I shall here give your Reverences a description of the town, because all other great towns or heads of the Nomes are [Page 165] built after that model, as indeed the lesser towns come as nigh it as they can, except, as I said, places for arts or trades, which are generally built on rivers or brooks, for conveniency; such is the nature of the people, that they affect an exact uniformity and equality in all they do, as being brothers of the same stock.

The town of Phor, that is, the Glory or No-om, which signifies the house of the sun, is built circular, in imitation of the sun and its rays, It is situated in the largest plain of all the kingdom, and upon the largest river, which is about as big as our Po, rising from a ridge of mountains under the line, and running towards the north, where it forms a great lake, almost like a sea, whose waters are exhaled by the heat of the sun, having no outlet, or sink under ground in the sands of the vast deserts encompassing it. This river is cut into a most magnificent canal, running directly through the middle of the town. Before it enters the town, to prevent inundations, and for other conveniencies, there are prodigious basons, and locks, and sluices, with collateral canals, to divert and let out the water, if need be. The middle stream forms the grand canal, which runs through the town, till it comes to the grand place; then there is another lock and sluice which dividing it into two semicircles or wings, [Page 166] and carrying it round the grand place, forms an island with the temple of the sun in the centre, and meeting again opposite to where it divided, so goes on in a canal again. There are twelve bridges with one great arch over each, ten over the circular canals, and two where they divide and meet again. There are also bridges over the strait canals, at proper distances. Before the river enters the town, it is divided by the first great lock into two prodigious semicircles encompassing the whole town. All the canals are planted with double rows of cedars, and walks the most delightful that can be imagined. The grand place is in the centre of the town, a prodigious round, or immense theatre, encompassed with the branches of the canal, and, in the centre of that, the temple of the sun. This temple consists of three hundred and sixty-five double marble pillars. according to the number of the days of the year ^*, repeated with the stories one above another, and on the top a cupola open to the sky for the sun to be seen through. The pillars are all of the Corinthian order ^†, of a marble as white as snow, [Page 167] and fluted. The edges of the flutes, with the capitals cornished, are all gilt. The inner roofs of the vast galleries on these pillars, are painted with the sun, moon▪ and stars, expressing their different motions; with hierogliphics known only to some few of the chief elders or rulers. The outsides of all are doubly gilt, as is the dome or grand concave on the top, open in the middle to the sky. In the middle of this concave is a golden sun, hanging in the void, and supported by golden lines or rods from the edges of the dome. The artificial sun looks down, as if it were shining on a globe of earth, erected on a pedestal altar-wise, opposite to the sun, according to the situation of their climate to that glorious planet; in which globe or earth are inclosed the urns of their deceased ancestors, On the inside of the pillars, are the seats of the grandees or elders, to hold their councils, which are all public. Opposite to the twelve great streets, are so many entrances into the temple, with as many magnificent stair-cases between the [Page 168] entrances, to go into the galleries or places where they keep the registers of their laws, &c. with gilt balustrades looking down into the temple. On the pedestals of all the pillars were ingraven hieroglyphics and characters known to none but the five chief Pophars, and communicated under the greatest secrecy to the successor of any one of them, in case of death, loss of senses, and the like. I presume, the grand secrets, and arcana of state, and, it may be, of their religion, arts, and sciences, are contained therein. The most improper decorations of the temple, in my opinion, are the flutings of the pillars, which rather look too sinical for the august and majestic simplicity affected by these people in other respects.

The fronts of the houses round the grand place are all concave, or segments of circles, except where the great streets meet, which are twelve in number, according to the twelve signs of the zodiac, pointing to the temple in strait lines like rays to the centre, This vast round is set with double rows and circles of stately cedars before the houses, at an exact distance; as are all the streets on each side, like so many beautiful avenues, which produce a most delightful effect to the eye, as well as conveniency of shade. The cross streets are so many parallel circles round the grand [Page 169] place and temple, as the centre, making greater circles as the town enlarges itself. They build always circular-wise till the circle is complete; then another, and so on. All the streets, as I said, both straight and circular, are planted with double rows of cedars. The middle of the areas between the cuttings of the streets are left for gardens and other conveniences, enlarging themselves as they proceed from the centre or grand place. At every cutting of the streets, is a lesser circular space set round with trees, adorned with fountains, or statues of famous men; that, in effect, the whole town is like a prodigious garden, distinguished with temples, pavilions, avenues, and circles of greens; so that it is difficult to give your Reverences a just idea of the beauty of it. I forgot to tell your Reverences, that the twelve great streets open themselves as they lengthen, like the radii of a wheel, so that at the first coming into the town, you have the prospect of the temple and grand place directly before you; and from the temple a direct view of one of the finest avenues and countries in the world. Their principal towns are built after this form. After they have taken a plan of the place, they first build a temple; then leave the great area, or circular market-place, round which they build a circle of [Page 170] houses, and add others as they increase, according to the foregoing description; ridiculing and contemning other countries, whose towns are generally built in a confused number of houses and streets, without any regular figure. In all the spaces or cuttings of the streets, there are either public fountains brought by pipes from a mountain at a considerable distance from the town; or, as I said before, statues of great men holding something in their hands to declare their merit; which, having no wars, is taken, either from the invention of arts and sciences, or some memorable action done by them for the improvement and good of their country. These they look upon as more laudable motives, and greater spurs to glory, than all the trophies erected by other nations, to the destroyers of their own species. Their houses are built all alike, and low, as I observed before, on account of storms and hurricanes, to which the country is subject; they are all exactly of a height, flat-roofed▪ with artificial gardens on the top of each ^*, full of flowers and aromatic shrubs; so that when you look from any eminence down into the streets, you see all the circles and [Page 171] avenues like another world under you; and if on the level, along the tops of the houses, you are charmed with the prospect of ten thousand different gardens meeting your sight where-ever you turn; insomuch, that I believe the whole world besides cannot afford such a prospect. There are a great many other beauties and conveniences according to the genius of the people; which, were I to mention, would make up a whole volume. I only say, that the riches of the country are immense, which in some measure are all in common, as I shall shew when I come to the nature of their government; the people are the most ingenious and industrious in the world; the governors aiming at nothing but the grandeur and good of the public, having all the affluence the heart of man can desire, in a place where there has been no war for near three thousand years; there being indeed no enemies but the inhospitable sands around them, and they all consider themselves as brothers of the same stock, living under one common father; so that it is not so much to be wondered at, if they are arrived to such grandeur and magnificence, as persons in our world can scarce believe or conceive.

When the ceremonies for the reception of the urns were over, religious ceremonies with these people always taking place [Page 172] of the civil, ^*, they proceeded to the inauguration of the Pophar regent; which was performed with no other ceremony, for reasons I shall tell your Reverences afterwards, [...]ut placing him in a chair of state with his face towards the east, on the top of the highest hill in the Nome, to shew that he was to inspect, or overlook all, looking towards the temple of the sun, which stood directly eastward of him, to put him in mind that he was to take care of the religion of his ancestors in the first place. When he was thus placed, three hundred six [...]y-five of the chief of the Nome, as representatives of all the rest, came up to him, and making a respectful bow, said, Eli Pophar, which is as much as to say, Hail father of our nation; and he embracing them as a father does his children▪ answered them with Ca [...]i B [...]nim, that is, My dear children. As many of the women did the same. This was all the homage they paid him, which was esteemed so sacred as never to be violated. All the distinction of his habit was one great sun [Page 173] on his breast, much bigger than that of any of the rest. The precious stones also, which were set in the white fillet binding his forehead, were larger than ordinary, as were those of the cross circles over his head, terminated on the summit with a large tuft of gold, and a thin plate of gold in the shape of the sun, fastened to the top of it horizontally; all of them, both men and women, wore those fillet-crowns with a tuft of gold, but no sun on the top, except the Pophar.

As soon as the ceremonies and rejoicings were over, which were performed in tents at the public expense, he was conducted, with the cheerful acclamations of the people, and the sound of musical instruments, to a magnificent tent in the front of the whole camp, facing the east, which is looked upon as the most honourable, as first seeing the rising sun; and so on, by easy journeys, till he came to the chief town of that Nome. The reason why these ceremonies were performed in the different Nomes, was to shew that they all depended on him, and because the empire was so very populous, it was impossible they could meet at one place. I cannot express the caresses I received from them, especially when they found I was descended from the same race by the mother's side, and so nearly related to the Pophar. When I [Page 174] came first into their company, they all embraced me, men and women, with the most endearing tenderness; the young beautiful women did the same, calling me brother, and catching me in their arms with such an innocent assurance, as if I had been their real brother lost and found again. I cannot say but some of them expressed a fondness for me that seemed to be of another sort, and which afterwards gave me a great deal of trouble; but I imputed it to the nature of the sex who are unaccountably more fond of strangers, whom they know nothing of, than of persons of much greater merit, who converse with them every day. Whether it proceeds from the want of a sufficient solidity in their judgment, or from a l [...]vity and fickleness in their nature, or from the spirit of contradiction, which makes them fond of what they mostly should avoid; or thinking that strangers are not acquainted with their defects, or, in the fine, are more likely to keep their counsel; be that as it will, their mutual jealousies gave me much uneasiness afterwards▪ But to say a word or two more of the nature of the people▪ before I proceed in my relation; as I told your Reverences, they are the handsomest race of people I believe nature ever produced, with this only difference, which some may think a defect, that they all are too much [Page 175] like one another: but if it be a defect, it proceeds from a very laudable cause; that is, from their springing from one family, without any mixture of different nations in their blood ^*; they have neither wars, nor traffic with other people, to adulterate their race, for which reason they know nothing of the vices such a commerce often brings along with it. Their eyes are something too small, but not so little as those of the Chinese; their hair is generally black, and inclined to be a little cropped or frizzled ^†, and their complexion brown, but their features are the most exact and regular imaginable; and in the mountainous parts towards the line, where the air is cooler, they are rather fairer than our Italians ^‡; the men are universally well shaped, tall and slender, except through some accidental deformity, ⁸⁷ ^† which is very [Page 176] rare; but the women, who keep themselves much within doors, are the most beautiful creatures, and the finest shaped in the world, except, as I said, being too much alike. There is such an innocent sweetness in their beauty, and such a native modesty in their countenance, as cannot be described. A bold forwardness in a woman is what they dislike; and to give them their due, even the women are the most chaste I ever knew, which is partly owing to the early and provident care of their governors. But as I design to make a separate article of the education of their young people, I shall say no more at present on that head.

The visitations which we made to carry the urns, gave me an opportunity of seeing the greatest part of their country as soon as I came there; though the Pophar, with a less retinue, and with whom I always was, visited them more particularly afterwards. The country is generally more hilly than plain, and in some parts even mountainous; there are, as I said, vast ridges of mountains, which run several hundred miles, either under, or parallel to the equator. These are very cold, and contribute very much to render the climate more temperate than might otherwise be expected, both by refrigerating the air with cooling breezes, which are wafted from thence [Page 177] over the rest of the country, and by supplying the plains with innumerable rivers running both north and south, but chiefly towards the north ^*. These hills, and the great woods they are generally covered with, are the occasion of the country's being subject to rain [...] ^†; there are vast forests and places, which they cut down and destroy as they want room, leaving less groves for beauty and variety, as well as use and conveniency. The rains and hilliness of the country make travelling a little incommodious, but then they afford numberless springs and rivulets, with such delicious vales, that, adding this to the honesty and innocence of the inhabitants, one would think it a perpetual paradise. The soil is so prodigious fertile, not only in different sorts of grain and rice, with a sort of wheat much larger and richer in flower than any Indian wheat I ever saw; but particularly in an inexaustible variety of fruits, legumes, and eatable herbs of such nourishing juice, and delicious taste, that to provide fruit for such numbers of people [Page 178] is the least of their care. One would think the curse of Adam had scarce reached that part of the wor [...]d or that Providence had proportioned the fertility of the country to the innocence of the inhabitants; not but the industry and ingenuity of the people, joined with their perpetual peace and rest from external and almost internal broils, contribute very much to their riches and fertility. Their villages being most of them built on the rivulets for manufactures and trades, are not to be numbered. Their hills are full of metallic mines of all sorts, with materials sufficient to work them; silver is the scarcest, and none more plentiful than gold; it comes out oftentimes in great lumps from the mineral rocks, as if it wept out from between the joints, and was thrown off by the natural heat of the earth, or other unknown causes: this gold is more ductile, easier to work, and better for all uses, than that which is drawn from the ore. Their inventions not only for common conveniences, but even the magnificence of life, are astonishing. When I spoke of their fruits, I should have mentioned a small sort of grape that grows there naturally, of which they make a wine, sharp at first, but which will keep a great many years, mellowing and improving as it is kept; but the choicest grapes, which are chiefly for drying, are [Page 179] cultivated among them, and a very little pains does it. Their wines are more co [...] dial than inebriating; but a smaller sort, diluted with water, makes their constant drink. I don't remember I ever saw any horned beasts in the country, except goats of a very large size, which serve them for milk, though it is rather too rich: deer there are innumerable, of more different kinds than are in Europe. There is a little beast seemingly of a species between a roe and a sheep, whose flesh is the most nourishing and delicious that can be tasted; these make a dish in all their feasts, and are chiefly reserved for that end. Their fowl, wild and tame, make the greatest part of their food, as to flesh-meat, of which they don't eat much, it being, as they think, too gross a food. The rivers and lakes are stored with vast quantities of most exquisite fish, particularly a golden trout, whose belly is of a bright scarlet colour, as delectable to the palate as to the eye. They suppose fish to be more nourishing and easier of digestion than flesh, for which reason they eat much more of it▪ but having no rivers that run into the sea, they want all of that kind.

Their horses, as I observed before, are but small, but full of mettle and life, and extremely swift; they have a wild ass longer than the horse, of all the colours of the [Page 180] rainbow, very strong and profitable for burden and drudgery; but their great carriages are drawn by elks; the dromedaries are for travelling over the sands. The rivers, at least in the plain and low countries, are [...]ut into canals, by which they carry most of their provision and effects all over the country. This is only a small sketch of the nature of the country, because I know these matters don't fall under the cognisance of your Reverences, so much as the account of their religion, morals, customs, laws, and government. Yet I must say that for riches, plenty of all delicacies of life, manufactories, inventions of arts, and every thing that conduces to make this mortal state as happy as is possible, no country in the known world can parallel it; though there are some inconveniences, as your Reverences will observe as I go on with my relation.

Before I come to the remaining occurrences of my own life, in which nothing very extraordinary happened till I came away, unless I reckon the extraordinary happiness I was placed in, as to all things of this life, in one of the most delicious regions of the universe, married to the regent's daughter, whose picture is there before you, and the deplorable loss of her with my only remaining son. [Here he could not refrain from weeping for some [Page 181] time], as well as the present state to which I am reduced; though I must own I have received more favourable treatment than could well be expected: I shall give your Reverences a succinct account of their religion, laws, and customs, which are almost as far out of the common way of thinking of the rest of the world, as their country.

Of their Religion.

The religion of these people is really idolatry in the main; though as simple and natural as possible for Heathens. They indeed will not acknowledge themselve [...] to be Heathens, in the sense we take the word; that is, worshippers of false gods ^*, for they have an abhorrence of idolatry in words as well as the Chinese, but are idolaters in effect, worshipping the material [...]un, and paying those superstitious rites to their deceased ancestors; of which part of their religion your Reverences have had a f [...]ll account already. These people however acknowledge one supreme God, maker of all things, whom they call [...]l ^†, or the [Page 182] most high of all. This they say natural reason teaches them from an argument, though good in itself, yet formed after a different way of arguing from other people: they say all their own wisdom, or that of all the wisest men in the world put together, could never for [...] [...] glorious world in all its causes and effects, so justly adapted to its respective ends, as it is with respect to every individual species. Therefore the author of it must be a being infinitely wiser than all intellectual beings. As for the notion of any thing producing itself without a prior cause, they laugh at it, and ask why we don't see such [...]ffects produced without a cause? hence they hold one only independent cause, and that there [...] one, or nothing could ever be produced. Though they make a god of the sun, they don't say he is independent as to his own being: but that he received it from this El. Some of the wiser sort, when I argued with them, seemed to acknowledge the sun to be a material being created by God; but others think him to be a sort of vicegerent, by whom the El performs every thing, as the chief instrumental cause of all productions. This is the reason that they address all their prayers to the sun, though they allow all power is to be referred originally to the El. The men look upon the moon to be a material [Page 183] being, dependent on the sun; but the women seem to make a goddess of her, by reason of the influence she has over that sex; and foolishly think she brings forth every month when she is at the full, and that the stars are hers and the sun's children. They all of them, both men and women, rest satisfied in their belief, without any disputes or studied notions about a being so infinitely above them, thinking it much better to adore him in the inscrutability of his essence, in an humble silence, than to be disputing about what they cannot comprehend; all their search is employed in second causes, and the knowledge [...]ature as far as it may be useful to men.

[ Inquisitor.

I hope you [...]on't [...] that some men may hav [...] [...] [...]otions of the Deity, in which they ought to be set right by wiser and more learned men than themselves; by consequence all searches and disputes about the being and nature of God are not to be condemned.

Gaudentio.

No, may it please your Reverences, for I presume you only understand me now as representing other people's opinions, not my own, which is entirely conformable to what the Catholic church teaches. I often told the Pophar, to whom I could speak [Page 184] my mind with all the freedom in the world, that as no mortal man could pretend to tell what belonged to the incomprehensibility of God's essence, yet our reason obliging us to believe his being; it was necessary, by the same reason, that we should be instructed by himself, or some lawgiver immediately commissioned by him; lest we should err in so material a point. This lawgiver we Christians believe he did send, by giving us his only Son, who was capable of instructing us in what belonged to the eternal [...]ead: that he did [...] only give us the justest notion [...] [...] could [...]wor [...] have, but confirmed [...] truth [...] what he said, by such signs and [...]onders as none but one sent from God could perform.

Inquisitor.

Go on.]

When I said, they address all their prayer [...], and most of the external actions of their worship to the sun, it is on account of their believing him to be the physical cause of the production of all things by his natural influence; which, though the wiser sort of th [...]m, when you came to reason more closely, will grant to be derived from the El, and some of them will own him to be a mere material being, moved by a prior cause, yet the generality of them [Page 185] don't reflect on this; but are really guilty of idolatry in worshipping a mere creature. Nevertheless, as to the moral effects of the universe, or the free actions of men with respect to equity, justice, goodness, uprightness, and the like, which they allow to be proper [...] [...] duty of rational creatures, and of much greater consequence th [...]n the physical part of the world: this, I say, they all refer to the supreme being, whose will it is they should be merciful, good, just, and equitable to all, agreeable to the just notions of the all wise author of their existence, whose supreme reason being incapable of any irreg [...]r bias, ought to [...] rule of his creatures that depend on [...] and are in some measure partakers of his perfections. They [...] notion by a very proper compariso [...] [...] for example, to act contrary to the [...] of nature in physical productions, is to produce monstrous births, &c. so to act contrary to the ideas of the supreme reason in moral cases, must be a great deformity in his sight.

I own I was charmed with this natural way of reasoning, and asked them further, whether they believed the supreme being troubled himself about the moral part of the world, or the free actions of men▪ They seemed surprised at the question, and asked me, whether I thought it was possible [Page 186] he should leave the noblest part out of his care, when he took the pains (that was their expression) to create the least insect according to the most exact rules of art and knowledge, beyond all that the art of man can come up to? I asked them again; what were the rules, which it was his will that free agents, such as man▪ for instance, should follow in the direction of their lives? They told me, [...], justice, and equity, in imitation of the supreme reason in him; for, said they, can you think the supreme being can approve of the enormous actions committed by men; or that any vile practices can be according to the just ideas of his reason; if not, they must be contrary to the best light of reason, not only in God, but man, and therefore liable to be punished by the just governor of all.

I submit these notions to your Reverences better judgment, but I thought them very extraordinary for persons who had nothing but the light of nature to direct them; it is pity but they had been a [...] right in their more remote inferences as they were in these principles. The sum therefore of the theoretical part of their religion, is,

First, that the El is the supreme intellectual, rational, and most noble of all beings; that it is the duty of all intellectual beings [Page 187] to imitate the just laws of reason in him, otherwise they depart from the supreme rule of all their actions, since what is contrary to the most perfect reason in God, must be contrary to our own, and by c [...] sequence of a deformity highly blameable in his sight; all their prayers, and whatever they ask of this supreme being, is, that they may be just and good as he is.

Secondly, that the sun is the chief, at least instrumental cause of their bodies, and all other physical effects. Your Reverences know better than I can inform you, that this is wrong: to him they address their prayers for the preservation of their lives, the fruits of the earth, &c.

Thirdly, that their parents are the more immediate instrumental cause of their natural being, which they derive partly from the El, and partly from the sun, and they reverence them the more on this account, as being the vicegerents of both, and believe them to be immortal, as to the spiritual or intellectual part, and consequently able and ready to assist them according to the respect they shew them by reverencing their tombs and honouring their memories. Though, upon a nicer examination, I found that the superstitious worship they pay to their deceased ancestors, was as much a politic as a religious institution, because their government being patriarchal, this [Page 188] inviolable respect they shew to their parents makes them obey their elders or governors, not only with the most dutiful observance, but even with a filial love and alacrity.

There are some other points of less consequence, and reducible to these three heads, which your Reverences will observe in the course of my relation▪ [...] for the immortality of the soul, rewards and punishments in another life▪ they believe both, though they have an odd way of explaining them. They suppose, without any hesitation, that the soul is a being independent of matter, as to its essence, having faculties of thinking, willing, and chusing, which mere matter, let it be spun ever so fine, and actuated by the quickest and the most subtile motion, can ever be capable of; but their notion of their pre-existence with the El, before they were sent into bodies, is very confused. The rewards and punishments in the next life they believe will chiefly consist in this; that in proportion as their actions have been conformable to the just ideas of the supreme being in this life, partak [...]ng still more and more of his infinite wisdom, so their souls will approach still nearer to the beautiful intelligence of their divine model in the next. But if their actions in this life have been inconsistent with the supreme reason [Page 189] in God, they shall be permitted to go on for ever in that inconsistency and disagreement, till they become so monstrously wicked and enormous, as to become abominable even to themselves.

T [...]i [...] opinion was very ancient▪ and came o [...]iginally from Egypt▪ where Pythagoras learned it: though perhaps [...] way of employing it, he altered it qu [...]te from what these [...], which [...] the le [...] irrational of the two. Th [...]gh, [...] I can never be [...]eve, the [...]e wise men [...] held [...] opinion, but [...] unders [...]ood it a [...]egorical [...]y▪ I must own, at the same time, some of the ancient▪ did ho [...]d the other [...].

↵

†

The old Arabians [...] A [...], or perhaps El, mean something very gra [...] or high Alchymy, for Grand Ca [...], [...] for the highest [...], [...] I wonder Signor Rhedi took to notice of this [...].

↵

Of their opinion concerning the transmigration of souls, and the science of physiognomy.

I found the wisest of them held the metempsychosis, or the transmigration of souls ^*, not as a punishment in the next life, as some of the ancient Heathen philosophers did, but as a punishment in this; the chief punishment in the next was explained above. This transmigration of souls is quite different from the received notion of the word. Instead of believing, as the [...] did, that the souls of wicked and voluptuous, men, after their deaths, transmigrated into beasts according to the similitude of their vitious inclinations, till, passing through one animal into another, they were permitted to commence men again; I say, these people, instead of believing this, hold a metempsychosis of quite a different nature; not that the souls of men enter into brutes, but that the souls [Page 190] of brutes enter into the bodies of men, even in this life. They say, for example, that the bodies of men and women are such delicate habitations, that the souls of brutes are perpetually envying them, and contriving to get into them; that, unless the divine light of reason be perpetually attended to, these brutal souls steal in upon them, and cha [...] up the rational soul, so that it shall not be able to govern the body, unless it be to carry on the designs of the brutal soul, or at best only make some faint efforts to get out of its slavery. I took it at first, that this system was merely allegorical, to shew the similit [...] between the passions of men when no [...] directed by reason, and those of brutes. But, upon examination, I found it was their opinion, that this [...] did really happen; insomuch [...] last journey with the Pophar into [...] when he saw the Turks, or other strange nations, nay several Armenian and European Christians, he would say to me in his own language, there goes a hog, there goes a lion, a wolf, a fox, a dog, and the like; that is, they believe the body [...]f a voluptuous man is possessed by the soul of a hog, of a lustful man by that of a goat, a treacherous man by that of a fox, a tyrannical man by that of a wolf, and so of the rest. This belief is instilled into them so early, and [Page 191] with so much care, that it is of very great benefit to keep them within the bounds of reason. If a young man finds himself inclined to any of these passions, he addresses himself immediately to some person whom he thinks of superior wisdom, who assures him that the soul of some certain brute is endeavouring to surprise and captivate his rational soul, and take possession of its place. This makes them always wa [...]chful, and upon their guard against their own passions, not to be surprised by such [...] merciless enemy. Their immediate remedy is, to look stedfastly at the divine light that shines within them, and compare it with its original, till by the force of its rays they drive [...]ay those brutal souls, which, as soon as [...] discovered in their treacherous [...] (for they come on, say they, by [...] daring to attack that divine light [...]), are easily repulsed, before they have obtained possession, though it costs a great deal of pains to dislodge them, when once they are got in. The fear of being abandoned to the slavery of these brutal souls is so deeply imprinted in them from their infancy, that they look upon the temperance and regularity of their lives to be in a great measure owing to this doctrine. The same notions hold with their women; into whom their mothers and governesses instil them, as the wise men [Page 192] do to the men; only they believe the brutal souls that enter into women, are of a different species from those that enter into men. They say, for instance, that of a cameleon makes them false and inconstant; that of a peacock, coquettish and vain; that of a tygress, cruel and ill-natured; and so of the rest. They add another difference between men and women, that when these brutal souls are entered into them, they are much harder to be driven out from them, than from the men; besides that these brutal souls will lurk undiscovered in women a great while, and are often scarce discernible, till the age of five and twenty or thirty; whereas in most men they discover themselves presently after their entrance.

It was on account of this [...], as I found by repeated observat [...] [...] they were so addicted to the study [...] [...]ognomy, laying down rules to know by the countenance, the lines of the face, and unguarded looks of men, whether the brutal soul has got possession or not, in order to apply proper remedies. This science, however uncertain and doubtful among Christians, (who have greater assistance of grace and virtue to resist their passions, those treacherous invaders), is brought to greater perfection and certitude than one would imagine, among such of these people, who, [Page 193] having no such assistance, take little care to cultivate and moderate their vitious inclinations, unless they are apprised and forewarned of the danger. Therefore their wise men, whenever they come in company of the younger sort, consider attentively with themselves all the lineaments of the countenance, complexions, motions, habit of body, constitution, tone of the voice, make and turn of the face, nose, ears, &c. but particularly they observe the structure and glances of the eye, with innumerable signs proceeding from it, by which they pretend to discover those passions. I say, they pretend to know by these what brutal soul lays siege to the rational soul, or whether it has already taken possession of its post. If they are strangers, they pru [...]ly take care to avoid their [...] least are on their guard not to hav [...] [...] dealings with them in matters obnox [...]s to the brutal soul they think them possessed by. But if the person attacked by these brutal souls be of their own nation, they immediately forewarn such to be on his guard, by which, and the dread they have entertained from their youth of these brutal enemies, they are kept in such order, that, as I said, I never saw such moral people in my life. The worst is, they are extremely inclined to be proud, and have too great a value for [Page 194] themselves, despising in their hearts all other nations as if they were nothing but brutes in human shape ^*. However, their wise-men take as much care as possible to correct this fault, as far as the ignorance of the law of grace will allow; by putting them often in mind of the miseries and infirmities of human life, which being real evils, must be in punishment of some fault; that the most perfect are liable to death, which makes no distinction between them and the rest of the world. Besides, humility, and a commiseration for the defects of others, is one of the rays of the divine light that is to guide them. From such documents and instructions of the wiser sort, though they do not care to have any correspondence with other people, seeing them so possessed with [...] brutal souls, yet they are a most [...] and compassionate people in all the [...] [...]viour.

This notion of the transmigration of the souls of brutes into men and women in this life, particularly into the latter, was not unknown to the ancients, though explained something after a different way: witness a remaining fragment of Simonides, a very ancient Greek poet, to that [...].

↵

The Chinese, whom I have proved to be descended from the first Egyptians, are subject to the like pride and contempt of other people; saying that all other nations have but one eye, whereas nature has given them two: signifying thereby, how much wiser they think themselves [...] other men.

↵

Of their laws and customs.

Over and above what has been said already of the nature and customs of these people, I shall here observe that their laws are very few in number; but then they are [Page 195] prodigious exact in the observance of them. I have often heard the Pophar, contrary to his custom, make very severe reflections on▪ the lawyers of other countries, who make laws upon laws, and add precepts upon precepts, till the endless number of them makes the fundamental part to be forgotten; leaving nothing but a confused heap of explanations; which may cause ignorant people to doubt, whether there is really any thing meant by the laws, or not. If I forbid my son, says he, to do any wrong to any one, what need is there of reckoning up all the particulars by which a person may be wronged? Shew but the fact on both sides, any man of sense and equity can tell, if there be any wrong done. For if you multiply an infinity of circumstances, it will be much more difficult to decide what is right, or what is wrong, than if you precisely and absolutely forbid all injury whatsoever. It is almost incredible, with what nicety and equity, and how soon, their judges determine the few disputes they have among them. To weigh the merits of the cause by the weight of the purse, would be counted by them one of the greatest enormities. There are no courts for disputes of this nature; all is done by laying the case before their public assemblies, or before any one or two prudent and just men; and the affair is [Page 196] finally decided at once. All the law for meum and tuum among them is, Thou shalt do no wrong to any one, without entering into any further niceties. Such explanatory suppositions, say they, oftener shew people how they may ingeniously contrive to do an injury, than how to avoid it.

Their laws therefore are nothing but the first principles of natural justice, explained and applied by the elders, in the public hearing of all who have a mind to come in when the fasts are brought into dispute.

The worship of the Deity, and that excessive and even superstitious reverence they pay to their parents, both alive and dead, is so carefully inculcated to them from their infancy, that there is no need of any written law to inforce it. They look on a man to be possessed with some brutal soul, who should pretend to call in question or neglect this duty.

There is a positive law among them, not to shed human blood voluntarily ^*. They [Page 197] carry this fundamental law of nature to such a height, that they never put any one to death, even for murder, which very rarely happens; that is, once in several ages. If it appears that a person has really murdered another, a thing they think almost impossible, the person convicted is shut up from all commerce of men, with provisions to keep him alive as long as nature allows. After his death the fact is proclaimed, as it was when they shut him up, over all the Nomes. His name is blotted out of their genealogies; then his dead body is mangled just in the same manner as he killed the innocent, and afterwards burnt to ashes, which are carried up to the highest part of the deserts, and then tossed up into the air, to be carried away by the winds blowing from their own country: nor is he ever more to be reckoned as one of their race, and there is a general mourning observed throughout the kingdom for nine days.

There is also an express law against adultery and whoredom, which are likewise punished after death. If persons are caught in adultery, they are shut up apart till death; then they are exposed naked as they were surprised, and the body of the women treated after the most ignominious manner for three days. After which, they are burnt, and their ashes dispersed [Page 198] as before ^*. Whoredom is only punished, in the man, by chaining him to a he goat, and the women to a salt bitch, and leading thus round the Nome. All in the respective Nome, men and women, are to be present at the more signal punishments; and parents are obliged to explain to their children the wickedness and horror of the crime, for a warning for the future. I forgot to tell your Reverences, that if the woman brings forth by adultery, the child is preserved, till able to be carried with them when they go into Egypt, and there given to some stranger, with ample provision for its maintenance, but never to be heard of more ^†.

There is also one particular I should have mentioned, relating to injustice. If, for example, the elders find there has been any considerable injustice done, the criminal is obliged to restore nine times the value. If any one be convicted to have imposed upon the judges, he is to be sent out to the skirts of the country, to live by himself for a time proportionable to his guilt, with a mark on his forehead, for all [Page 199] persons to avoid him, lest he should instil his principles into others. All other matters are regulated rather by custom, than by laws, which will be seen; when I come to the form of their government, and other particular institutions.

These people descending from Misraim, who might know the patriarch Noah, and might have learned by tradition the punishment of Cain for the murder of his brother Abel, carried that opinion to an excess. Be these people who they will, or not be at all, I cannot but observe, how inexcusable the wickedness of men was from the beginning▪ without blaming God, as some libertines do, for leaving them in ignorance.

The wicked Ham, or Cham, was in the ark with Noah, and lived many years before the deluge, (the truth of which is attested by ancient history as well as by sacred scripture,) and saw the dreadful punishment inflicted on the world for sin; could not he have learned godliness, and the reward for it, of his father Noah? Could not Ham have taught his own children, they theirs; and so on? But they corrupted their own ways, and thereby shewed the necessity of a revelation.

↵

See the learned Bishop of Menux's universal history, concerning the Egyptians, par. 3. and of their punishments after death.

↵

†

With our author's [...]ave, this is not such a [...]ust and compassionate part▪ to turn innocent children out among people whose customs they had such a horror of, only for their parents faults. For though the maxim be good. Beware a breed yet the care they took of their youth, and the moral instruction they gave them, might make them abhor the crimes of their parents.

↵

Of their form of Government.

Their form of government, as I had the honour to acquaint your Reverences before, is patriarchal, which they preserve inviolably, being the most tenacious people in the world of their primitive institutions. But the order of the succession is extremely particular, in order to keep up the equality of brotherhood and dignity as exact as they can. Your Reverences, I presume, remember that they all sprung from one family, (and lived as such when they were driven out of Egypt), the head of which was priest of the sun. This government they had observed ever since misraim took possession of that land for his habitation. But when they were secured from all the world in the first vale, as was mentioned before, they established that form of government after a particular manner. The first Pophar settling in that vale with his five sons, and as many daughters with their husbands, governed them during life, as father or patriarch of them all. Their prodigious veneration [Page 200] for their parents, and separation from all other people, render this form infinitely more practicable than can well be imagined. As they were children of one man, the interest of the whole was the interest of every particular. All the nation of the first transmigration were children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren of the good old man who conducted them thither. Having no wars, or voyages at sea, nor commerce with the distempers as well as vices of other nations, who generally differ in their way of living as well as their climate; having nothing of this, I say, to destroy their people, they not only increased prodigiously, without plurality of wives, but by that and their almost primitive way of living, they preserved their lives to a great old age, most of them living above hundred and fifty years. The first Pophar (say their memoirs lived till an hundred and fifty-five, and his eldest son his successor, more robust still, to a hundred and sixty. Presently after his establishment in the first vale, he divided his small dominions into five Nomes, or governments, under his five sons, as was observed before. All were to be subordinate to the eldest; but it was only a patriarchal subordination, relating to the whole. The other governors, and indeed all fathers of families, were entire ministers of the laws in their respective [Page 201] families; but these last were liable to the inspection of the more immediate superiors, and all to that of the Grand Pophar, assisted with such a number of counsellors as were established afterwards. To give your Reverences a more distinct idea of this wonderful government, it will come much to the same, whether we descend from the chief Pophar to every respective family, or from these upwards. The particularities of the succession I shall consider afterwards. However, it will be easier seen if we take them when their numbers were not so great, at the first beginning of their establishment.

The Pophar, then, having distinguished the bounds of every Nome, I mean in their first transmigration, each son took possession of it for himself and posterity. While each son's children were unmarried, they continued under the government of their father, who made use of as much land as was sufficient for the conveniencies and pleasures, as well as the necessaries of life. But as soon as any son was married, or at least when he could be called a father of a family, the father, with consent of the Pophar, alloted him likewise a sufficient quantity for the same end: so they spread and enlarged themselves as it were from the centre to a father extent, much in the same manner as they build their towns, till they [Page 202] had occupied the whole Nome. Here you will say, these people must in process of time increase ad infinitum, without lands sufficient to maintain them. This was really the case in the first plantation, which was so entirely occupied by them, that if the famous Pophar, who brought them into the vast continent they now enjoy, had not made that glorious discovery with the danger of his life, they must have returned into Egypt, or ate up one another; but where they are at present, they have room enough, notwithstanding their numbers, for several ages. However, I often represented to the Pophar, that it must come to that at last: the thought made him uneasy at first, and at length put him on a further discovery, as your Reverences will see in the sequel. But such vast numbers of them betaking themselves to arts and manufactures, and the country being so prodigiously fertile, there does not appear any great difficulty in that respect. Of all arts they look upon agriculture as the first in dignity next to the liberal sciences, since that nourishes all the rest; but it comes so easily, and the fruits and legumes are so rich and delicious, that they have little more trouble than to gather them: besides, having two summers, and two springs, each different season produces its peculiar fruits. But to return to the idea of their [Page 203] government, each father of a family governs all his descendents, married or unmarried, as long as he lives. If his sons are fathers, they have a subordinate power under him; if he dies before he comes to such an age, the eldest son, or the eldest uncle, takes care of them, till they are sufficient to set up a family of themselves. The father, on extraordinary occasions, is liable to be inspected by five of the most prudent heads of that district; these by five of the five adjacent districts chosen by common consent; these last, by the heads of the five Nomes, and all the Nomes by the Grand Pophar, assisted with three hundred sixty-five elders, or senators, chosen out of every Nome. What is most particular in this government is, that they are all absolute in some manner, and independent, as looking on themselves as all equal in birth; yet in an entire dependency of natural subordination or eldership, which runs through the whole oeconomy, as your Reverences will see when I come to the succession. They are in the same manner lords and proprietors of their own possessions, yet the Pophar and governors can allot and dispose of all for the public emolument, because they look on him to be as much the father of all, as the immediate natural father is of his proper children, and even in some sense their natural father [Page 204] by right of eldership, because they sprung originally from one man, whom the Grand Pophar represents. To this, that natural, or politic, or even superstitious respect they shew to their parents, contributes so much, that they never dispute, but, on the contrary, revere, the regulations made by their superiors; being satisfied that they are not only just and good, but that it is their own act, since it is done by virtue of a subordination to which they all belong.

The succession of, eldership has something very particular, and even intricate in it. To express at the same time the superiority of the elder son and the equality of independence, I shall endeavour to explain to your Reverences, as well as I can, the right thereof. The eldest son of the first Pophar is always Grand Pophar, when he is of age to govern, which, as I said, is at fifty at soonest; but if the direct line fails, not the uncle's son, nor any one in that Nome, but the right heir of the next Nome; and so of all the five Nomes. If they should fail in all the Nomes, the right heir of the second son of the first Nome, and so of all the rest. This, they say, has happened several times since their first establishment, which is not much to be wondered at, if they are so ancient as they pretend. Thus, though the grand popharship be confined to the eldest in some sense, in effect it belongs [Page 205] to them all; but if the next heir be a minor, as he is always judged to be till he is fifty years of age, the eldest of that age of the second son of the next Nome, is regent till the heir be out of his minority, and so on: insomuch that, in order to divide the superiority among them as equally as possible, he who has the next right to be Grand Pophar, is never to be regent. All other public officers, teachers of arts and sciences, overseers of all the public employments, &c. are constituted by the Grand Pophar, and sanhedrim, with associates of every Nome.

More particulars of their public oeconomy.

Though, as I said, the Pophar is in some sense the proprietor of the whole country, as head of the government and chief patriarch; yet the paradox of this government consists in this, that they are joint lords, acknowledging no inequality, but merely eldership, and the respect due to dignitaries, which they esteem as their own, or redounding to themselves, because they all give their consent to their election for the public good: In a word, the whole country is only one great family governed by the laws of nature, with proper officers, constituted by the whole, for order and common pr [...]servation [...]. Every individual [Page 206] looks on himself as a part of that great family. The Grand Pophar is the common father, esteeming all the rest as children and brothers, calling them universally by that name, as they all call one another brothers, bartering and exchanging their commodities as one brother would do with another; and not only so, but they all join in building their towns, public places, schools, &c. laying up all the stores and provisions, over and above the present consumption, in public places, for the use of the whole, with overseers and inspectors, constituted by the common consent, who are to take care chiefly, that no disorder be committed. Thus every one contributes to all public expenses, feasts, and the like, which on some occasions are extremely magnificent; affecting external grandeur in all respects. Thus also every man, where-ever he goes, enters into what house he pleases, as if it were his own home; this they are doing perpetually throughout the whole country, rather visiting than merchandising: exchanging the rarities of each respective place with those of other parts, just like friends making presents to one another; so that all the roads are like streets of great towns, with people going backward and forward perpetually. They do this the more frequently to keep up a correspondence between the Nomes, lest [Page 207] distance of place should cause any forgetfulness of their being of one family. The plenty of the country affords them every thing that nature can call delightful, and that with such ease, that infinite numbers are employed in trades and arts, according to their genius, or inclinations; which, by their continual peace and plenty, their long establishment in one country, and under one form of government, the natural ingenuity of the people, the early knowledge of arts, which they brought with them out of Egypt; by the improvements their wise men make in them from time to time; and from what they learn when they pay their visits to their deceased ancestors, they have brought to prodigious perfection. One may say of them, that they are all masters, and all servants; every one has his employment; generally speaking, the younger sort wait on the elders▪ changing their offices as is thought proper by their superiors, as in a well-regulated community. All their children universally are taught at the public expense, as children of the government, without any distinction but that of personal merit. As the persons deputed for that end, judge of their genius, or any particular inclination, they are disposed afterwards to those arts and callings for which they seem most proper; the most sublime sciences are the [Page 208] most in respect with them, and are chiefly the employment of their great men and governors, contrary to the custom of other countries; the reason of which is, because these being never chosen till they are fifty years of age, they have had more time to improve themselves, and generally are persons of more extensive capacities. They rightly suppose, that persons who excel others in the most rational sciences, are not only fittest to govern a rational people, but also most capable of making themselves masters of what they undertake; not but such men, knowing the governors are chosen out of that rank, have an eye in their studies to the rules and arts of governing, which are communicated at a distance by them, according to the talents they remark in the subjects. They do not do this out of any spirit of ambition, employments being rather an honorary trouble than an advantage, but for the real good of the whole. Agriculture, as I said, has the next place in honour after the liberal arts; and next to that, those arts are most esteemed which are most necessary; the last of all are those which are of least use, though perhaps the most delightful.

Since every one is employed for the common good more than for themselves, perhaps persons may apprehend that this gives a check to industry, not having that [Page 209] spur of private interest, hoarding up riches, or aggrandizing their families, as is to be found in other nations. I was apprehensive of this myself, when I came to understand their government; but so far from it, that possibly there is not such an industrious race of people in the universe. They place their great ambition in the grandeur of the country, looking on those as narrow and mercenary spirits, who can prefer a part to the whole: they pride themselves over other nations on that account; each man having a proportionable share in the public grandeur, the love of glory and praise seems to be their greatest passion. Besides, their wise governors have such ways of stirring up their emulation by public honours, harangues, and panegyrics in their assemblies, with a thousand other ways of shew and peagantry, and this for the most minute arts, that were it not for that fraternal love ingrafted in them from their infancy, they would be in danger of raising their emulation to too great a height. Those who give indications of greater wisdom and prudence in their conduct than others, are marked out for governors, and gradually raised according to their merit. Whoever invents a new art has a statue erected according to the usefulness of it, with his name and family inserted in public records. Whoever distinguishes [Page 210] himself by any particular excellency; has suitable marks of distinction paid him on public occasions, as garlands, crowns, acclamations, songs, or hymns in his praise, &c. It is incredible how such rewards as these encourage industry and arts in minds so affected with glory as these people are: on the other hand, their greatest punishments, except for capital crimes, which are punished as above, are by public disgraces.

But now I am speaking of their youth; as they look upon them as seeds of the commonwealth, which if corrupted in the bud will never bring forth fruit, so their particular care is laid out in their education, in which I believe they excel all nations. One cannot say there is one in the whole nation who may be called an idle person, though they indulge their youth very much in proper recreations, endeavouring to keep them as gay as they can, because they are naturally inclined to gravity. Besides daily recreations, they have set times and seasons for public exercises, as riding, vaulting, running, but particularly hunting wild beasts, and fishing for crocodiles and alligators, in their great lakes, which I shall describe to your Reverences on another occasion; yet they are never suffered to go alone, that is, a company of young men together without grave men and persons [Page 211] in authority along with them, who are a guard to them in all their actions: nay, they are never suffered to sleep togegether, each lying in a single bed, though in a public room, with some grave person in the same room with them. Their women are kept much in the same manner, to prevent inconveniences which I shall touch upon when I come to the education of their women: and this so universally, that as there are no idle companions to lead them into extravagancies, so there are no idle and loose women to be found to corrupt their minds. Their whole time, both for men and women, is taken up in employments, or public recreations, which, with the early care to instruct them in the fundamental principles of the morality of the country, prevents all those disorders of youth we see elsewhere. Hence too comes that strength of body and mind in their men, and modest blooming beauty in their women; so that among this people nature seems to have kept up to its primitive and original perfection. Besides, that universal likeness in them, proceeding from their conjugal fidelity and exclusion of all foreign mixture in their breed, (where all the lineaments of their ancestors, direct and collateral, meet at last in their offspring), gives the parents the comfort of seeing their own bloom and youth renewed in [Page 212] their children; though in my opinion this universal likeness is rather a defect; not but the treasures of nature are so inexhaustible, that there are some distinguishing beauties in every face. Their young men and women meet frequently, but then it is in their public assemblies, with grave people mixed along with them. At all public exercises the women are placed in view to see and be seen, in order to inspire the young men with emulation in their performances. They are permitted to be decently familier on those public occasions, and can chuse their lovers respectively, according to their liking, there being no such thing as doweries, or interest, but mere personal merit in the case; but more of this afterwards when I shall speak more particularly of the education of their women and marriages. This is a short sketch of the government and oeconomy of a people, who are as much distinguished from the customs of others, as they are separated by their habitation and country.

Inquisitor.

You seem, Sir, to have a very high idea of this patriarchal government, and look upon it according to the law of nature; I hope you don't deny but persons may be obliged by the law of nature to obey their forms of government, as well as a patriarchal one?

Gaudentio.

[Page 213]

No, Reverend Fathers, by no means, I don't enter into comparisons, but relate matter of fact. It is not to be doubted, but different forms of government may be proper for different nations; and where once a form of government is lawfully established, persons are obliged to obey, to avoid anarchy and confusion; as for example, whoever should endeavour to subvert a monarchical government once lawfully established, must break in upon the laws of right and justice, which are obligations of the law of nature.

Inquisitor.

Read on.

Second Inquisitor.

Under favour, I must ask him a question or two first. I think Signor Gaudentio, you make the Grand Pophar to be both prince and priest; that is, to be vested both with temporal and spiritual power. Is it your opinion that the spiritual power is subject to the temporal?

Gaudentio.

I speak of Heathens, Reverend Fathers, and a Heathenish worship, where the Grand Pophar was both prince of the people, and chief priest of the sun by his place. I acknowledge no head of the church but his Holiness, as most agreeable to the primitive institution of our religion.

[Page 214] Here he went on in his exalted notions of the sovereign Pontiff, partly being a Roman Catholic, but chiefly, in all appearance, because he was before the Inquisition; for which reason the publisher thought fit to leave it out.

Gaudentio.

Is it your Reverences pleasure that I go on with my history?

Inquisitor.

Ay, ay, read on.]

The education of their women, and marriages.

As for their women, the Pophar told me it was what gave them the most trouble of any thing in their whole government; that by their records their ancestors had held frequent consultations after what manner they were to be managed, there being great difficulties to be feared either from allowing them liberty, or keeping them under restraint. If you allow them liberty, you must depend on their honour, or rather caprice, for your own; if you keep them under confinement, they will be sure to revenge themselves the first opportunity; which they will find in spite of all you can do. The rules, said he, by which men are governed, will not hold with women; solid reason, if you can make them sensible of it, will some time or other have an influence on most men; whereas humour is what predominates in [Page 215] women. Hit that, you have them; miss it, you do nothing: and yet they are so far from being an indifferent thing in the commonwealth, that much more depends on the right management of them than people imagine. Licentiousness of youth draws innumerable misfoutunes on any government, and what greater incentives for licentiousness than lewd women, whether common prostitutes, wanton ladies, or adulteresses? For all loose women belong to one of these classes. Our women, continued he, are extremely beautiful, as you see; our men strong and vigorous; conjugal fidelity therefore and chastity must be the strongest bonds to keep them in their duty. As for our young men, we steep them in perpetual employment, and animate them to glory by every thing that can move generous minds; with our women, we endeavour the same by ways adapted to their genius. But our greatest care of all is, to make marriage esteemed by both parties the happiest state that can be wished for in this life. This we believe to depend on making the woman, rather than the man, happy and fixed in her choice; because, if the person be imposed upon her, contrary to her own inward inclination, dislike, or revenge, or perhaps a more shameful passion, will make her seek for relief elsewhere; and where women [Page 216] are not virtuous, men will be lewd. We therefore permit the woman to chuse entirely for herself, and the men to make their addresses where they please: but the woman is to distinguish her choice by some signal occasion or other, and that too not without great difficulties on both sides, which being surmounted, they esteem themselves arrived at the happy part of all their wishes. The most ardent and tried love determines the choice: this endears the man to her on the one hand, and the difficulty of finding any woman who has not the same inducements to love her husband, leaves him no encouragement for his lawless desires among married women; and the single women are either so early engaged with their lovers, or so possessed with the notion that a married man cannot belong to her, that his suit would be entirely vain. In a word, we do not allow the least temporal interest to interfere in the choice, but rather wish our young people should be mutually attracted by esteem and affection. The whole business of courtship is to prove their constancy, and to make them so: when we are well assured of this, all obstacles are removed. We found this method to have the least inconveniencies of any, and the best▪ means to preserve conjugal fidelity, on which the good of families so much depends.

[Page 217]When our nation, continued he, began to grow very populous, and the country full of riches and plenty; the promiscuous conversation of our young men and women, with some neglect on the part of the governors, was the occasion that the bounds of our innocent ancestors were not sufficient to keep them in their duty; strange disorders were crept in among our youth of both sexes; our men grew enervated and effeminate, our women wanton and inflamed; unnatural abuses wasted their constitution; so that we lost thousands of our young men and women, without knowing what was the cause; even in the married state, the women began not to be contented with one man: on which account our ancestors had almost resolved to keep all our women from the sight of men till they were married, and then to deliver them up to their husbands, who should have a despotic right over them, as I am informed they have in other nations. They imagined this to be a certain means to ascertain the legitimacy of their child [...]en, and to prevent jealousy, the first cause, however dissembled, of the man's dislike to his wi [...]e. Others objected against this severe disciple, and said it was making the most beautiful part of the creation mere slaves, or at least mere properties; that it was to give a fatal check to the glory of a [Page 218] free people, to deprive the husband of the voluntary love of his moiety, and take away the most endearing part of conjugal happiness. To this the severer side answered, that their abuses of liberty shewed they were scarce capable of making a proper use of it. However a medium betwixt both carried it for that time. The injuries of the married state, and the corruption of youth, which was the occasion of it, were judged to be of such consequence to the commonwealth, that, resolved to put a stop to it at any rate, all the wise men and governors consulted together, and resolved unanimously to put the laws I mentioned against adultery and whoredom in execution, causing proclamations to be made for that intent throughout the whole empire. All corruptors of youth of both sexes were shut up immediately, with the regulations I related above, of having grave persons always in the company of young people, whether men or women. They married off all that were of age for it, as fast as they could; but quickly found the number of inhabitants did not increase as usual, their native vigour being exhausted or debelitated by their unnatural abuses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

[ Some paragraphs seem wanting in this part of Gaudentio's narrative which doubtless were very curious.]

[Page 219]There is one peculiar method allowed by them, in which they differ from all other nations; for whereas this last endeavor to preserve their young people from love, lest they should throw themselves away, or make disadvantageous matches; the former, having no interested views in that respect, encourage a generous and honourable love, and make it their care to fix them in the strictest bonds they can, as soon as they judge, by their age and constitution, of their inclinations: this they do sometimes by applauding their choice, but mostly by raising vast difficulties, contrived on purpose, both to try and inhance their constancy. They have histories and stories of heroic examples of fidelity and constancy in both sexes; but particularly for the young women, by which they are taught rather to suffer ten thousand deaths, than violate their plighted faith. One may say they are a nation of faithful lovers; the longer they live together, the more their friendship increases, and infidelity in either sex is looked upon as a capital crime. Add to this, that being all of the same rank and quality, except the regard paid to eldership, and public employments; nothing but personal merit, and a liking of each other, determines the choice; there must be signal proofs produced, that the woman prefers the man before all others, [Page 220] as the service must be distinguished in the same manner. Where this is approved of by the governors or elders, if the woman insists on her demands, it is an inviolable law that that man must be her husband. Their hands are firs [...] joined together in public, then they claspe each other in the closest embrace, in which posture the elder of the place, to shew that this union is never to be dissolved, takes a circle of the finest tempered steel, woven with flowers, and first lays it over their necks, as they are thus clasping each other, then round their breasts, or hearts, to signify that the ardency of their love must terminate in an indissoluble friendship; which is followed by infinite acclamations and congratulations of the whole assembly. I believe the world cannot furnish such examples of conjugal chastity as are preserved between them by these means. Widowers and widows never marry single persons, and but rarely at all, except left young; when they are to gain each other as before. By such prudent precautions infinite disorders and misfortunes to the commonwealth are prevented, proceeding not only from disproportionate and forced marriages, but from the licentiousness of idle persons, who either marry for money, or live on the spoil of other people, till they can get an advantageous match. This is a short sketch of [Page 221] their government and customs, which I thought would not be unacceptable to your Reverences, though a great many other customs of less moment will occur in the sequel of my life, to which I now return.

The Pophar regent made choice of me for one of his attending companions, with the other young men who came home with us; he had a great many other attendants and officers, deputed by common consent to wait his orders as regent; these were changed every five years, as were those attending the governors of the other Nomes, on account of improvement; for, being all of equal quality, they endeavour to give them as equal an education as is possible, changing their employments, and waiting on one another in their turns, by the appointment of their respective governors, except those whose genius or choice determines them to arts and sciences, according to their oeconomy described before. I must only add, that having such a high value for their race, no one thinks it a disgrace to perform the meanest offices, being all to be attended in like manner themselves when it comes to their turns, each looking on the honours done to every branch of their government, as their own. Hence all their public ranks and ceremonies are the most magnificent that can be imagined; [Page 222] there is scarce any thing done even in entertainments between the private tribes, but there are proper officers deputed for it, and all expenses paid out of the common stock, with deputies and overseers for every thing. Their houses are all open to one another with a long gallery, which runs from the end of one range of building to the other. The women's apartments join together; with the men of each family joining to their own women, that is, their wives, sisters, and daughters. The women have their subaltern officers like the men. The first apartment of every break of a street belongs to the men, then the womens belonging to them, then the women of the next family joining to them, and their men beyond them, and so on, with large public halls at proper distances for public assemblies; so that every thing they do is a sort of paradox to us, for they are the freest and yet strictest people in the world; the whole nation, as I observed before being more like one universal regular college, or community, than any thing else. The women are perpetually employed as well as the men; it is their business to work all the fine garments for themselves and the men, which being much the same except devices and flowers for their friends and lovers, are made with less difficulty; the chief difference is in the [Page 223] wearing them. But the chief distinction of sexes is in the ornaments of their necks, and hair. Crowns and fillets are worn by all, just after the model of the little picture your Reverences saw in the cabinet; all their tapestry, embroidery, and the like, with infinite other curiosities, are the works of their women, so that the chief qualification of their women or ladies, for they are all such, is to excel at the loom, needle, or distaff. Since I came there, by the Pophar's desire, they have added that of painting, in which I believe, the vivacity of their genius will make them excel all the rest of the world. Not teaching for hire, I thought it no disgrace in me to instruct such amiable scholars in an art no man ought to be ashamed of. It is a thing unknown with these people for young ladies of any degree, or even young men, to have nothing else to mind or think of but visits and dress▪ When I gave them an account of the lives of our quality and gentry, they cried out, What barbarians! Can any thing become beauty more than knowledge and ingenuity? They seemed to have such a contempt, and even a horror for a life of that nature, that the young ladies asked me with great concern, if our ladies had any lovers? as if it were impossible to love a woman who had nothing to recommend her, but what nature gave her. In fine, [Page 224] by the description I gave of the idle life of our ladies, they judged them to be no more than beautiful brutes. They asked me also, if I did not think myself fortunate by my captivity, where I met with ladies, who thought the ornaments of the mind more desirable than those of the body, and told me they imputed what they saw in me, to my good fortune of being borne of their race by the mother's side; nay, could scarce believe but my father had a mixture of their blood some way or other. I assured them, I esteemed myself very happy to be in the midst of so many charms of body and mind; and added, that though they had the inestimable happiness of being born all of one race, without any mixture of fo [...]eign vices, yet, in effect, all the world were originally brothers and sisters, as springing from one pair, since men and women did not rise out of the ground like mushrooms. This I said, to give them a little hint of natural and revealed religion, which are inseparably linked together. But to return to myself: The Pophar being my nearest relation, took me into his own fafamily, as his constant companion and attendant, when he was not on the public concerns: where I likewise accompanied sometimes, and received most distinguishing marks of his favour. He would often con [...]er with me, and instruct me in their [Page 225] ways and customs, and the polity of their government, inquiring frequently into the particularities of our governments, both civil and religious. He never endeavoured to persuade me to conform to their religious ceremonies, and my own good sense told me it was prudence not to meddle with them. I rather thought he seemed inclined to have more favourable sentiments of our religion, as such, than his own, though he was prodigiously bigotted to their civil customs; saying, it was impossible ever to preserve a commonwealth, when they did not live up to their laws; which would be as few, and as simple as possible. For when once people come to break in upon fundamentals, all subsequent laws would not have half the strength as primary ones. To these he added many other reflections, that shewed him a man of consummate wisdom, and worthy the high post he bore. He had had two sons, both dead, and two daughters living; the one was about ten years old, when I arrived there, (it is we your Reverences saw in that picture), the other born the year before the Pophar set out for Grand Cairo. His lady, much younger than himself, shewed such fresh remains of beauty, as demonstrated that nothing but what sprung from herself, could equal her; both the Pophar and his consort looked on me as [Page 226] their own son, nor could I expect greater favour had I really been so. I took all the care imaginable not to render myself unworthy of it, and both revered and loved them beyond what I am able to express; though indeed, as I observed, the whole race of them was nothing but a kingdom of brothers and friends; no man having the least suspicion or fear of one another. They were so habituated to the observance of their laws, by their natural dispositions and the never-ceasing vigilancy of their governors, that they seemed to have a greater horror for the breach of their laws, than the punishments attending it; saying, that infinite disorders might be committed by the malicious inventions of men, if there was nothing but fear to keep them in their duty. Such force has education and the light of nature rightly cultivated; for myself I was left to follow what liberal employment I had a mind to. Philosophy, music, and painting had been the chief part of my study and diversion, till my unhappy captivity and the loss of my brother; but as I was fallen among a nation of philosophers, that noble science, the mistress of all others, made up the more serious part of my employment; though at sometimes, by the Pophar regent's earnest desire, I applied myself to the other two, particularly painting. They had a great many [Page 227] old. fashioned musical instruments, and an infinite number of performers in their way, who attended their feasts and public rejoicings; but their music, both vocal and instrumental, was not near so perfect as one might have expected of so polite a people, and did not come up to the elevated genius of our Italians. Their philosophy chiefly turned on the more useful part of it, that is, the mathematics and direction of nature: in the moral part of it they have a system, or rather notion, of which I forgot to acqaint your Reverences before; it is a too high and exalted notion of providence, if that expression may be allowed, by which they imagine all things to be so governed in this world, that whatever injury a man does to another, it will be returned upon him or his posterity, even in this world, in the same manner, or even in a greater degree, than what he did to others.

[ Iquisitor.

You will be pleased to explain your own sentiments in this particular, since we hope you don't deny that fundamental law of nature and religion, viz. That the divine providence presides over all things; and as for sublunary things, we presume you believe that providence does not only shew itself in the wonderful production and harmony conspicuous in all natural causes and effects, beyond all [Page 228] the wit and art of men; but also over the moral part, that is, the free actions of men, by suitable rewards and punishments in this world or the next, to make an equal and just compensation for all the good and evil of this life, as God is the just and equal father of all. So pray explain yourself, that we may know your real sentiments on that head.

Gaudentio.

I hope, Reverend Fathers, I shall convince you, my sentiments are really orthodox in this point▪ no man has more reason to magnify Providence than myself; but Heathenish people may carry a just belief to superstition. That there is a providence over the physical part of the world, no man who has any just knowledge in nature can be ignorant, since he may be convinced by the least insect, every thing being adapted to its peculiar ends, with such art and knowledge in the author of it, that all art and knowledge of men cannot do the like; and by consequence not being able to make itself, it must be produced by a cause infinitely knowing and foreseeing. Then, as to the moral part of the world, the same reason shews, that since the great creator descends so low as to take care [Page 229] of the least insect, it is incredible to think that the noblest part of the world, that is, the free actions of men should be without his care. But as he has given them the glorious endowments of free will, the same providence knows how to adapt the direction of them by ways and means suitable to their beings; that is, by leting them know his will, and proposing suitable rewards and punishments for their good and bad actions; which rewards and punishments, it is evident, are not always seen in this life, since the wicked often prosper, and the good suffer, but by consequence must be reserved for another state.

But these people not having a just notion of the next life, though they believe a future state, carry matters so far, that they think every injury done to another, will be some way or other retaliated upon the aggressor, or his posterity, in this life; only they say, the punishment always falls the heavier the longer it is deferred. In this manner do they account for all the revolutions of the earth, that one wicked action is punished by another; that the descendents of the greatest monarchs have been lost in beggary [Page 230] for almost endless generations, and th [...] persons that dispossessed them treate [...] after the same manner by some of th [...] descendents of the former; and so on [...] which notion, in my opinion, is no [...] just, since a sincere repentance ma [...] wipe off the most grievous offences▪ But as persons, generally speaking are more sensibly touched with th [...] punishments of this life, it is not t [...] be doubted but there are often mo [...] signal marks of avenging providenc [...] in this life, in order to deter th [...] wicked.

Inquisitor.

Go on.]

Finding the Pophar had a prodigiou [...] fancy for painting, by some indifferen [...] pieces he had picked up, I applied myself with extraordinary diligence, to that art particularly since he would have me teac [...] his daughter, whose unparalleled charms though but in the bud, made me insensibl [...] to all others. By frequent drawing, I no [...] only pleased him and others, but almos [...] myself; every one there men and women were to follow some art or science; th [...] Pophar desired me to impart my art t [...] some of the young people of both sexes saying there were very great encourage [...]ments for the inventors of any new arts which I might justly claim a title to. I did so, and before I left the place, I had th [...] [Page 231] pleasure to see some of them equal, or even excelling their master.

These were the chief employments of me leisure-hours; though I was forced to leav [...] them for considerable intervals, to attend the Regent in the private visitations of his charge, which he did frequently from time to time, sometimes to one Nome, sometimes to another, having an eye over all, both officers and people. These visitations were rather preservatives against, than remedies for, any disorders. He used to say, that the commonwealth was like a great machine with different movements, which if frequently visited by the artist, the least flaw being taken notice of in time, was not only soon remedied, but was a means of preserving all the rest in a constant and regular motion; but if neglected, would soon disorder the motions of the other parts, and either cost a great deal to repair or bring the whole machine to destruction. Unless on public solemnities, which were always very magnificent, the Pophar (not to burden his people) went about without any great train, accompanied by only an assisting elder or two, the young Pophar, and myself. He had frequent conversations with the subalterns, and even with the meanest artisans, calling them his children; and they having recourse to him as their common father. For the first five years of [Page 232] his regency, the only difficulty we had of any moment to determine was an affair of the most delicate nature I ever heard: though it does not concern myself, I shall relate it to your Reverences for the peculiar circumstances of it, being a case entirely new, as well as unprovided for by the laws of their constitution.

The case was this: Two twin-brothers had fallen in love with the same woman, and she with them. The men and the woman lived in different parts of the same Nome, and met accidentally at one of their great solemnities; it was at the feast of the sun, which is kept twice a year, because, as I informed your Reverences, their kingdom lies betwean the tropics, but more on this side the line than the other. This situation is the occasion that they have two springs and two summers. At the beginning of each spring there are great feasts in every Nome, in honour of the sun; they are held in the open fields, in testimony of his being the immediate cause (in their opinion) of the production of all things. All the sacrifice they offer to him are five little pyramids of incense, according to the number of their Nomes, placed on the altar in plates of gold till they take sire of themselves. Five young men and as many women are deputed by the governors to perform the office of placing the pyramids [Page 233] of incense on the altar: they are clad in their spangled robes of the colour of the Nome, with crowns on their heads, marching up two by two, a man and a woman, between two rows of young men and women, placed theatre-wise one above another; and make the most beautiful show that eyes can behold. It happened that one of the twin. brothers was deputed, with the young lady I am speaking of, to make the first couple for the placing the incense on the altar▪ They marched up on different sides till they came to the altar: when they have placed the incense, they salute each other, and cross down, the men by the ranks of the women, and the women by the men, which they do with a wonderful grace becoming such an august assembly. The design of this is to encourage a decorum in the carriage of the young people, and to give them a sight of each other in their greatest lustre. When the five couple have performed their ceremony, the other ranks come two by two to the altar, saluting each other, and crossing as before: by which means the young people have an opportunity of seeing every man and woman of the whole company, though the placing of them is done by lot. If they have not any engagement before, they generally take the first liking to one another at such interviews, and the woman's leen [Page 234] and choice being what determines the marriage, without any view of interest, being, as I said, all equal in quality, the young gallants make it their bu [...]iness to gain the affection of the person they like by their future services. To prevent inconveniencies of rivalship at the beginning, if the man be the person the woman likes, he presents her with a flower just in the bud, which she takes and puts in her breast. If she is engaged before, she shews him one, to signify her engagement; which if in the bud only, shews the courtship is gone no further than the first proposal and liking; if half blown, or the like, it is an emblem of further progress; if full blown, it signifies that her choice is determined, from whence they can never recede; that is, she can change the man that presents it, but he cannot challenge her ti [...]l she has worn it publicly. If any dislike should happen after that, they are to be shut up, never to have any husband. If she has no engage [...]ent, but does not approve of the person, [...] makes him a low courtesy, with her [...] till he is gone away. The [...] [...] it is true, for all this, have some [...] arts, dissembling their [...] is now and then, but not often. If [...] be engaged, he wears some favour [...] other to shew it; if he likes not the [...], he presents her with nothing; if the [Page 235] woman should make some extraordinary advances, without any of his side, she has liberty to live a maid, or to be disposed of among the widows, being looked upon as such, who, by the by, marry none but widowers. But to return to the twins. It happened that the brother who went with the lady to the altar, seeing she had no bud upon her breast, fell in love with her, and she with him; the awe of the ceremony hindered them from taking any further notice of one another at that time. As she went down the ranks, the other brother saw her, and fell in love with her likewise, and contrives to meet her with a bud in his hand, just as the ceremony ended; which she accepts of taking him to be the person who had marched up with her to the altar; but being obliged to go off with the other young ladies, whether the concern she had been in, in performing the ceremony before such an illustrious assembly, or the heat of the weather, or the joy she conceived in finding her affection reciprocal, or all together, had such an effect, that she fell into a fainting-fit among her companions; who opening her bosom in haste, not minding the flower, it fell down, and was trod under foot. Just as she was recovered, the brother who performed the ceremony, came up and presented his bud; she thinking it had been [Page 236] that she had lost, received it with a look that shewed he had made a greater progress in her affections than what that flower expressed. The laws not permitting any further conversation at the juncture, they retired to their respective habitations. Some time after, the brother who had the luck to present the first flower, whom for distinction I shall call the younger brother, as he really was, found a way to make her a visit by stealth, at a grated window which, as I observed, was publicly prohibited by the wise governors, but privately connived at to enhance their love. He came to her, and, after some amorous conversation, makes bold to present her the more advanced mark of his affection; which she accepted of, and gave him in return a scarf worked with hearts separated by little brambles, to shew there were some difficulties for him to overcome yet: however, they gave one another mutual assurances of love, and he was permitted to profess himself her lover, without declaring her name, for some private reasons she had. Not long after, the elder brother came, and procured an opportunity of meeting her at the same window. The night was very dark, so that he could not see the second flower which she had in her bosome: only she received him with greater signs of joy and freedom than he expected; but reflecting on the [Page 237] signs he had remarked in her countenance, and after her illness by a sort of natural vanity for his own merits, flattered himself that her passion was rather greater than his, excused himself for being so long without seeing her, and added, that if he were to be guided by the height of his flame, he would see her every night. She reflecting how lately she had seen him, thought his diligence was very extraordinary, but imputed it to the ardour of his passion; in fine, she gave him such assured signs of love, that he thought in himself he might pass the middle ceremony, and present her with the full-blown flower, to make sure of her. She took it; but told him she would not wear it for some time, till she had passed some forms, and had further proof of his constancy; but, for his confirmation of her affection, she put out her hand as far as the grate would permit, which he kissed with all the ardour of an inflamed lover, giving her a thousand assurances of his fidelity, and she in return gave him a riband with two hearts interwoven with her own hair, separated only with a little hedge of pomegranates almost ripe, to shew that the time of gathering the fruit was nigh at hand. Thus were the three lovers in the greatest degree of happiness imaginable; the brothers wore her favours on all public occasions, congratulating [Page 238] each other for the success in their amours; but, as lovers affect a secrecy in all they do, never telling one another who were the objects of their affection. The next great feast drew on, when the younger brother thought it was time to present the last mark of his affection in order to demand her in marriage, which was usually performed in those public solemnities. He told her he hoped it was now time to reward his flame, by wearing the open flower, as a full sign of her consent, and gave her a full-blown artificial carnation, with gold flames and little hearts on the leaves, interwoven with wonderful art and ingenuity. She thinking it had been a repitition of the ardour of his affection, took it, and put it in her bosom with all the marks of tenderness, by which the fair sex in all countries know how to reward all the pains of their lovers in a moment. Upon this he resolved to ask her of her parents; which was the only thing necessary on his side, the woman having right to demand any man's son in the kingdom, if he had but presented her with the last mark of his affection. The elder brother having given in his some time before, thought the parents approbation was the only thing wanting on his side, and resolves the same day on the same thing. They were strangely surprised to meet one another; [Page 239] but seeing the different favours, they did not know what to make of it. When the father came, they declared the cause of their coming, in terms which fully expressed the agony of their minds: the father was in as great concern as they were, assuring them he had but one daughter, who, he was confident, would never give such encouragement to two lovers at the same time, contrary to their laws; but seeing their extreme likeness, he guessed there must be some mistake. Upon this the daughter was sent for; who, being informed it was to declare her consent in the choice of her lover, came down with four flowers in her bosom, not thinking but the two full blown had belonged to the same person, since she had received two before she had worn the first. The description the poets give of the goddess Venus rising out of the sea, could not be more beautiful than the bloom that appeared in her cheeks when she came into the room. I happened to be there present, being sent before by the Pophar, to let the father know of the regent's intended visit; that being a considerable officer, he might order his concerns accordingly. As soon as the young lady heard the cause of their coming, and saw them indistinguishably like each other, with the public signs of her favours wrought with her own hand, [Page 240] which they brought along with them, she creamed out, "I am betrayed!" and immediately fell in a swoon, flat on the floor, almost between her two lovers. The father, in a condition very little better, fell down by his daughter, and bathing her with his tears, called to her to open her eyes, or he must die along with her. The young men stood like statues, with rage and despair in their looks at the same time. I being the only indifferent person in the room, though extremely surprised at the event, called her mother and women to come to her assistance; who carried her into another room, undressed her, and, by proper remedies, brought her at last to herself The first word she said was, "Oh! Berilla, what have you done? All the rest was nothiing but sobs and sighs, enough to melt the hardest heart. When she was in a condition to explain herself, she declared, she liked the person of the man who went up with her to the altar; that some time after the same person, as she thought, had presented her with the first marks of his affection, which she accepted of, and in sine had given her consent by wearing the full-blown flower; but which of the two brothers it belonged to, she could not tell; adding, that she was willing to submit to the decision of the elders, or [Page 241] to undergo what punishment they thought fit for her heedless indiscretion; but protested, that she never designed to entertain two persons at the same time, but took them to be the same person. The care of their marriages being one of the fundamentals of their government, and there being no provision in the law for this extraordinary case, the matter was referred to the Pophar regent, who was to be there in a few days; guards in the mean time were set over the brothers, for fear of mischief, till a full hearing. The affair was discussed before the Pophar regent, and the rest of the elders of the place. The three lovers appeared before them, each in such agony as cannot be expressed. The brothers were so alike, it was hard to distinguish one from the other. The regent asked them, which of the two went up to the altar with the young lady; the elder said it was he; which the younger did not deny. The lady being interrogated, owned she designed to entertain the person that went up with her to the altar, but went no further than the first liking. Then they asked which of the two brothers gave the first flower; the younger said, he presumed he did, since he fell in love with her as she went down the ranks, and contrived to give her the flower as soon as [Page 242] the ceremony was over, not knowing of his brother's affection, neither did she bear any mark of engagement, but accepted of his service; the lady likewise owning the receipt of such flower, but that she lost it, fainting away in the croud; but when, as she thought, he restored it to her, she did not like him quite so well, as when she received it the first time, supposing them to be the same person. Being asked who gave her the second, third, and last mark of engagement, it appeared to be the younger brother, whose flower she wore publicly in her bosom; but then she received the full-blown flower from the elder brother also. The judges looked at one another for some time, not knowing well what to say to the matter. Then the regent asked her, when she gave her consent, if she did not understand the person to be him that went up with her to the altar? She owned she did; which was the elder: but in fact had placed her affections on the person who gave her the first flower, which was the younger. Then the two brothers were placed before her, and she was asked, that, supposing she were now at liberty, without any engagement, which of the two brothers she would chuse for her husband? she stopped, and blushed at the question, but at length said, the younger had been more assiduous in his courtship; [Page 243] and with that burst into tears, casting a look at the younger brother, which easily shewed the sentiments of her heart. Every one was in the last suspense how the regent would determine the case; and the young men expressed such a concern in their looks, as if the final sentence of life and death, happiness or misery, was to be pronounced to them. When the regent, with a countenance partly severe as well as grave, turning towards the young lady, Daughter, said he, your ill fortune, or indiscretion, has deprived you from having either of them: both you cannot have, and you have given both an equal right; if either of them will give up their right, you may marry the other, not else. What do you say, sons? says he, will you contribute to make one of you happy? They both persisted they would not give up their right till the last gasp. Then, says the regent, turning to the lady, who was almost dead with fear and confusion, since neither of them will give up their right, I pronounce sentence on you to be shut up from the commerce of men, till the death of one of your lovers; then it shall be left to your choice to marry the survivor. So giving orders to have her taken away, the court was going to break up, when the younger brother falling on his knees, cries out, I yield my right, rather than the adorable [Page 244] Berilla should be miserable on my account; let me be shut up from the commerce of men, for being the occasion of so divine a creature's misfortune. Brother, take her and be happy; and you divine Berilla, only pardon the confusion my innocent love has brought upon you; and then I shall leave the world in peace. Here the whole court rose up, and the young man was going out, when the regent stopped him; Hold, son, says he, there is a greater happiness preparing for you than you expect; Berilla is yours, you alone deserve her, you prefer her good to your own; and as I find her real love is for you, here join your hands, as I find your hearts are already. They were married immediately; the regent leaving behind him a vast idea, not only of his justice, but wisdom, in so intricate a case. I drew an historical piece of painting of this remarkable trial, expressing as nigh as I could the postures and agonies of the three lovers, and presented it▪ to the divine Isyphena, the regent's daughter, telling her, that if she were to accept of flowers, as that young lady did, she would ruin all the youths of Mezorania. She received it blushing, and said she should never receive any but from one hand, nor even that, if she thought she should do him any harm; adding, that she thought her father had given a just [Page 245] judgement; then waved the discourse with such innocence, yet knowledge of what she said, that I was surprised to the last degree; not being able to guess whether I had offended her or not.

These visitations in the company of the Pophar, gave me an opportunity of seeing all the different parts and chief curiosities of the whole empire. Their great towns, especially the heads of every Nome, were built, as I said, much after the same form, differing chiefly in the situation, and are principally designed for the winter-residence, for their courts and colleges, but particularly for instructing and polishing their youth of both sexes; and such admirable care and oeconomy, to avoid all dissoluteness and idleness, that, as I observed before, there is no such thing known, as for persons to have no other business on their hands but visits and dress; esteeming those no better than brutes and barbarians, who are not constantly employed in improving their natural talents in some art or science. Their villas, or places of pleasure, are scattered all over the country, with most beautiful variety: the villages and towns built for manufactures, trades, conveniency, of agriculture, &c. are innumerable; their canals, and great lakes, some of them like little seas, are very frequent, according as the nature of the country will [Page 246] allow; with pleasure-houses and pavilions, built at due distances round the borders, interspersed with islands and groves, some natural, some artificial, where at proper seasons you might see thousands of boats skimming backwards and forwards, both for pleasure and the profit of catching fish, of which there is an inexhaustible store. There are also vast forests of infinite variety and delight, distinguished here and there with theatrical spaces or lawns, either natural, or cut out by art, for the conveniency of pitching their tents in the hot seasons, with such romantic scenes of deep vales, hanging woods, and precipices, natural falls, and cascades, or rather cataracts of water over the rocks, that all the decorations of art are nothing but foils and shadows to those majestic beauties of nature; besides glorious prospects of different kinds over the edges of the mountains where we passed in our visitations, sometimes presenting us with a boundless view over the most delicious plains in the world; in other places, having our view terminated with other winding hills, exhaling their reviving perfumes from innumerable species of natural fruits and odoriferous shrubs.— Travelling thus by easiy journeys, staying or advancing in our progress as we thought fit, I had an opportunity of admiring with infinite delight the effects of industry and [Page 247] liberty, in a country where nature and art seemed to vie with each other in their different productions. There was another extraordinary satisfaction I received in these visitations, which was the opportunity of seeing, and partaking of their grand matches, or rather companies, if I may use the expression, of hunting and fishing. All the young people with their governors, or all who are able or willing to go, at particular seasons disperse themselves for these hunts all over the kingdom: the country being so prodigious fertile, that it furnishes them, almost spontaneously, with whatever is necessary, or even delectable for life, the people living in some measure in common, and having no other interest but that of a well-regulated cummunity. They leave the towns at certain seasons, and go and live in tents for the conveniency of hunting and fishing, according as the country and seasons are proper for each recreation; the flat part of the country (though it is generally more hilly than champaign) is stocked with prodigious quantities of fowl and game, as pheasants, partridges of different kinds, much larger than our wild hens; turkeys, and peacocks, with other species of game, which we have not in Italy; hares almost innumerable, but no coneys that ever I saw; unless we call coneys a lesser sort of hare, which feed and run along [Page 248] the cliffs and rocks, but don't burrow as ours do. There is also a small sort of wild goat, much less than ours, not very fleet, of a very high taste, and prodigious fat. They take vast quantities of all sorts but still leave sufficient stock to supply next season, except hurtful beasts, which they kill whenever they can. But their great hunts are in the mountains and woodland parts of the country, where the forests are full of infinite quantities of mast and fruits, and other food for wild beasts of all kinds; but particularly stags of four or five different species; some of which, almost as big as a horse, keep in the wildest parts, whose flesh when dry and seasoned with spices, is the richest food I ever tasted. Their wild swine a [...]e of two kinds, some vastly large, others very little, not much bigger than a lamb, but prodigious fierce. This last is most delicate meat, feeding on the masts and wild fruits in the thickest part of the groves; and multiplying exceedingly, where they are not di [...]turbed, one sow bringing sixteen or eighteen pi [...]s; so that I have seen thousands of them caught at one hunting match, and sent in presents to the other parts of the kingdom, where they have none; which is their w [...]y in all their recreations, having persons appointed to carry the rarities of the country to one another, and to the governors, parents, [Page 249] and friends left behind. When they go out to their grand hunt, they chuse some open vale, or vast lawn, as far in the wild forests as they can; where they pitch their tents, and make their rendezvous: then they send out their most courageous young men, in small bodies, of ten in a company, well-armed, each with his spear and his fusil slung on his back, which last of late years they find more serviceable against the wild beasts than spears, having got samples of them from Persia. These go quietly through the wildest parts of the forest at proper distances, so as to meet at such place, which is to view the ground, and find a place proper to make their stand, and pitch their toils. They are often several days out about this; but are to make no noise, nor kill any wild beast, unless attcacked, or they come upon him in his couch, at unawares, that they may not disturb▪ the rest. When they have made their report, several thousands of them surround a considerable part of the forest, standing close together for their mutual assistance, making [...]s great a noise as they can, with dogs, drums, and rattles, and other noisy instruments, to frighten the game towards the centre, that none may escape the circle. When this is done, all advance in a breast, encourage their dogs, sounding their horns, beating their drums [Page 250] and rattles, that the most courageous beasts are all roused, and run before them towards the centre, till by this means they have driven together several hundreds of wild beasts, lions, tygers, elks, wild boars, stags, foxes, hares, and in fine all sorts of beasts that were within that circle. It is most terrible to see such a heap of cruel [...]easts gathered together▪ grinning and roaring at one another, in a most f [...]ghtful manner: but the wild boar is the master of all. Whoever comes nearest him in that rage, even the largest lion, he strikes at him with his tusks, and makes him keep his distance. When they are brought within a proper compass, they pitch their toils round them, and inclose them in, every man joining close to his neighbour, holding out their spears to keep them off. If any beast should endeavour to make his escape, which some will do now and then (particularly the wild boars), they run against the points of the spears, and make very martial sport. I was told, that a prodigious wild sow once broke through three files of spears, overturned the men, and made a gap, that set all the rest a running almost in a body that way, so that the people wer [...] forced to let them take their career, and lost all their labour. But now they have men ready with their fusils to drop any beast that should offer to turn ahead. [Page 251] When they are inclosed, there is most terrible work, the greatest beasts fighting and goring one another, for rage and spite, and the more fearful running into the toils for shelter. Then our men with their fusils drop the largest as fast as they can. When they intend to shoot the wild boars▪ three or four aim at him at a time, to be sure to drop him or disable him, otherwise he runs full at the last that wounded him, with such fury, that sometimes he will break through the strongest toils; but hi [...] companions all join their spears to keep him off. When they have dropped all that are dangerous, and as many as they have a mind, they open their toils, and dispatch all that are gasping. I have known above five hundred head of beasts of all sorts killed in one day. When all is over, they carry off their spoil to the rendezvous, feasting and rejoicing, and sending presents as before.

There is oftentimes very great danger, when they go through the woods to make discovery of their hunts; because, if, in small companies, some stubborn beast or other will attack them directly; every man, therefore, as I said, has a fusil slung at his back, and his spear in his hand for his defence. Being once in one of their parties, we came upon a prodigious wild boar, as he was lying in his haunt; some [Page 252] of us were for passing by him, but I thought such a noble prey was not [...]o be let go; so we surrounded him, and drew up to him, with more courage and curiosity, than prudence; one of my companions, who was my intimate friend, being one of those who conducted me over the deserts, went up nigher to him than the rest, with his spear in his hands, stretched out ready to receive him, in case he should come at him; at which the beast started up of a sudden, with a noise that would have terrified th [...] stoutest hero, and made at him with such fury, that we gave him for lost. He stood his ground with so much courage, and held his spear so firm and exact, that he run it exactly up the mouth of the beast, quite into the inner part of his throat; the boar roared, and shook his head in a terrible manner, endeavouring to get the spear out, which if he had done, all the world could not have saved the young man. I, seeing the danger, ran in with the same preeipitancy, and clapping the muzzle of my gun almost close to his side, a little behind his fore-shoulder, shot him quite through the body; so he dropped down dead before us. Just as we thought the danger was over, the sow, hearing his cry, came rushing on us, and that so suddenly, that before I could turn myself with my spear, she struck at me behind with her snout, and pushing [Page 253] on, knocked me down with her impetuosity; and the place being a little shelving, she came quite tumbling over me, which was the occasion of saving my life. Ashamed of the foil, but being well apprised of the danger, I was scarce got up on my feet and on my guard, when, making at me alone, though my companions came in to my assistance, she pushed at me a second time with equal fury. I held my spear with all my might, thinking to take her in the mouth; but missing my aim, I took her just in the throat, where the head and neck join, and thrust my spear with such force, her own career meeting me, that I struck quite through her windpipe, the spear sticking so fast in her neck-bone, that when she dropt, we could scarce get it out again. She tossed and reeled her head a good while before she fell; but her windpipe being cut, and bleeding inwardly, she was choaked. My companions had hit her with their spears on the side and back; but her hide and bristles were so thick and hard, they did her very little damage.— They all applauded my courage and victory, as if I had killed both the swine. But I, as justice required, gave the greatest part of the glory, for the death of the boar, to the courageous dexterity of the young man, who had exposed himself so generously, and hit him so exact in the [Page 254] throat. We left the carcases there, not being able to take them with us; but marking the place, we came afterwards with some others to carry them off. I had the honour to carry the boar's head on the point of my spear; which I would have given to the young man, but he refused it, saying, that I had not only killed it, but saved his life into the bargain. The honour being judged to be me by every one, I sent it as a present to the divine Isyphena; a thing allowed by their customs, though as yet I never durst make any declarations of love: she accepted of it, but added, she hoped I would make no more such presents; and explained herself no further.

These people having no wars, nor single combats with one another, which last are not allowed for fear of destroying their own species, have no other way of shewing their courage, but against wild beasts; where, without waiting for any express order of their superiors, they will expose themselves to a great degree, and sometimes perform exploits worthy the greatest heroes.

Their fishing is of two kinds; one for recreation and profit; the other to destroy the crocodiles and allagators, which are only found in the great lakes, and the rivers that run into them, and that in the hotter [Page 255] and champaign parts of the country. In some of the lakes, even the largest, they cannot live: in others they breed prodigiously. As they fish for them only to destroy them, they chuse the properest time for that purpose, that is, when the eggs are hatching; which is done in the hot sands, by the sides of the rivers and lakes. The old ones are not only very ravenous at that time, but lie lurking in the water near their eggs, and are so prodigious fierce, that there is no taking their eggs, unless you first contrive to kill the old ones. Their way to fish for them is this: They beat at a distance, by the sides of the rivers and lakes, where they breed, which makes the old ones hide themselves in the water. Then twenty or thirty of the young men row quietly backward and forward on the water where they suppose the creatures are; having a great many strong lines with hooks, made after the manner of fish-hooks, well armed as far as the throat of the animal reaches. These hooks they fasten under the wings of ducks and water-fowls, kept for the purpose, which they let drop out of the boat, and swim about the lake. Whenever the ducks come over the places where the creatures are, these last strike at them, and swallow the poor ducks immediately, and so hook themselves, with the violence and check of [Page 256] the boat. As soon as one is hooked, they tow him, floundering and beating the water, at a strange rate, till they have him into the middle of the water at a distance from the rest of his companions, who all lie nigh the banks; then the other boats surround him, and dart their harping-spears at him, till they hill him. These harping-spears are pointed with the finest tempered steel, extremely sharp, with beards to hinder them from coming out of his body; there is a line fastened to the spear, to draw it back, and the creature along with it; as also to hinder the spear from flying too far, if they miss their aim. Some of them are prodigious dexterous at this; but there is no piercing the creature but in his belly, which they must hit as he flounces and rolls himself in the water. If a spear hits the scales of his back, it will fly off as from a rock, not without some danger to those who are very nigh, tho' they generally know the length of the string. I was really apprehensive of those strange fierce creatures at first, and it was a considerable time before I could dart with any dexterity; but the desire of glory, and the applauses given to those that excel, who have the skins carried like trophies before their mistresses, these, and the charms of the regent's daughter, so inspired me, that I frequently carried the prize.

[Page 257]It is one of the finest recreations in the world; you might see several hundred boats at a time, either employed, or as spectators, with shouts and cries, when the creature is hit in the right place, that make the very banks tremble. When they have killed all the old ones, they send their people on the shore, to rake for the eggs, which they burn and destroy on the spot; not but some will be hatched before the rest, and creep into the water, to serve for sport the next year. They destroy these animals, not only for their own security in the use of the lakes, but also to preserve the wild fowl and fish, which are devoured and destroyed by the crocodiles.

But the fishing on the great lake Gilgol, or lake of lakes, is without any danger; there being no allagators in that water; and is only for recreation, and the profit of the fish. The lake is above a hundred Italian miles in circumference. At proper seasons, the whole lake is covered with boats; great n [...]mbers of them full of ladies to see the sport, beside what are on the islands and shores, with trumpets, hautboys, and other musical instruments, playing all the while. It is impossible to describe the different kinds of fish the lake abounds with; many of them we know nothing of in Europe; though they have some like ours, but much larger, as pikes, [Page 258] or a fish like a pike, two or three yards long: a fish like a bream, a yard and a half over; carps forty or fifty pound weight; they catch incredible numbers of them: some kinds in one part of the lake, some in another. They fish in this manner, and afterwards feast on what they catch, for a fortnight or three weeks, if the season proves kind, retiring at night to their tents, either on the islands or shore, where there are persons employed in drying and curing what are proper for use; sending presents of them into other parts of the country, in exchange for venison, fowl, and the like. Though there are noble lakes and ponds, even in the forests, made by the inclosures of the hills and woods, that are stored with excellent fish; yet they are entirely destitute of the best sort; that is, sea fish, which we have in such quantities in Europe. When this fishing is over, they retire to the towns, because of the rainy seasons, which begin presently after.

I am now going to enter on a part of my life, which I am in some doubt, whether it is proper to lay before your Reverences, or not: I mean the hopes and fears, the joys and anxieties of a young man in love; but in an honorable way, with no less a person than the daughter of the regent of this vast empire. I shall not however, enter into [Page 259] the detail of the many various circumstances attending such a passion; but shall just tuch on some particular passages, which were very extraordinary, even in a passion which generally of itself runs into extremes. Your Reverences will remember, that there is no real distinction of quality in these people, nor any regard either to interest or dignity, but merely to personal merit; their chief view being to render that state happy which makes up the better part of human life. I had nothing therefore to do in this affair, but to fix my choice, and endeavour to please and be pleased. My choice was soon determined; the first time I saw the incomparable Isyphena, the regent's daughter, though she was then but ten years old, ten thousand budding beauties appeared in her, with such unutterable charms, that though I as good as despaired of arriving at my wished for happiness, I was resolved to fix there, or no where.

I observed when I was first introduced into her company by the regent her father, that she had her eye fixed on me, as a stranger, as I supposed, but yet with more than a girlish curiosity. I was informed afterwards, that she told her playfellows, that that stranger should be her husband, or no one. The wise Pophar her father had observed it, and whether it was from his [Page 260] knowledge of the sex, and their unaccountable fondness for strangers, or whether he disapproved of the thought, I cannot tell, but he was resolved to try both our constances to the utmost. I was obliged by the Pophar to teach her and some other young ladies, as well as some young men, to paint; but it was always in the father or mother's company. Not to detain your reverences with matters quite foreign to, and perhaps unworthy your c [...]gnisance, it was five years before I durst let her see the least glimmering of my affection. She was now fifteen, which was the height of her bloom. Her father seeing she carried no mark of any engagement, asked her in a familiar way, if her eyes had made no conquests; she blushed, and said, she hoped not. He told me also as a friend, that I was older than their customs cared to allow young men to live single; and with a smile asked me, if the charms of the Bassa's daughter of Grand Cairo had extinguished in me all thoughts of love. I told him there were objects enough in Mezorania, to make one forget any thing one had seen before, but that being a stranger I was willing to be thoroughly acquainted with the genius of th [...] people, lest I should make any one unhappy. I was just come back from one of our visitations, when I was struck with the most lively sense of grief I ever felt in [Page 261] my life. I had always observed before, that Isyphena never wore any sign of engagement, but then I found she carried a bud in her bosom. I fell immediately upon it; which she perceiving, came to see me without any bud, as she used to go before, keeping her eyes upon me to see what effect it would have. Seeing her continue without any marks of engagement, I recovered, and made bold to tell her one day, that I could not but pity the miserable person, whoever he was, who had lost the place in her bosom he had before; she said unconcernedly, that both the wearing and taking away the flower from her bosom, was done out of kindness to the person. I was then so taken up with contrary thoughts, that I did not perceive she meant to try whether she was the object of my thoughts or not. However, finding she carried no more marks of engagement, I was resolved to try my fortune for life or death; when an opportunity offered beyond my wish. Her mother brought her to perfect a piece of painting she was drawing: I observed a melancholy and trouble in her countenance I had never seen before; that moment the mother was sent for to the regent, and I made use of it to ask her, what it was that affected her in so sensible a manner? I pronounced these words with such emotion and concern on my own part, that she [Page 262] might easily see I was in some very great agony. She expressed a great deal of confusion at the question, insomuch, that without answering a word, she got up, and went out of the room, leaving me leaning against the wall almost without life or motion. Other company coming, I was roused out of my lethargy, and slunk away to my own apartment, but agitated with such numberless fears, as left me almost destitute of reason. However, I was resolved to make a most just discovery, and to be fully determined in my happiness or misery. There was a greated window on the back-side of the palace, where I had seen Isyphena walk sometimes, but never dared to approach; I went thither in the evening, and seeing her by herself, I ventured to it, and falling on my knees, asked her for heaven's sake what was the matter, or if I had offended her? She immediately burst into tears, and just said, "Ask no more," and withdrew; though I cannot say with any signs of indignation. Some time after, I was sent for to instruct her in the finishing of her piece. I must tell your Reverences, that I had privately drawn that picture of her which you saw, and put the little boy in afterwards. In a hurry I had left it behind me in my closet, and the Pophar finding it by accident, had taken it away without my knowledge: and shewn it to the [Page 263] mother; and making as if he did not mind Isyphena, who stood by, and saw it (as she thought, undiscerned), seemed to talk in a threatening tone to the mother about it. When I came in, I had just courage enough to cast one glance at Isyphena, when, methought, I saw her eyes meet mine, and shew a mixture of comfort and trouble at the same time. As this subject cannot be very proper for your Reverences ears, I shall comprise in half an hour what cost me whole years of sighs and solicitude, though happily crowned at last with unspeakable joys. This trouble in Isyphena was, that having made herself mistress of the pencil, she had privately drawn my picture in miniature, which she kept secretly in her bosom, and it having been discovered by the mother, as that which I had drawn was by the father, to try her constancy he had expressed the utmost indignation at it: but Isyphena's greatest trouble was, lest I should know and take it for a discovery of her love, before I had made any overtures of mine. In progress of time we came to an eclaircissement: she received my two first flowers: but because I was half a stranger to their race, we were to give some more signal proof of our love and constancy than ordinary; we had frequently common occasions offered us, such as might be looked upon as the greatest [Page 264] trials. She was the paragon not only of the kingdom, but possibly of the universe, for all perfection, that could be found in the sex. He stature was about the middle size, the just proportion of her shape made her really taller than she seemed to be; her hair was black ^* indeed, but of a much finer gloss than the rest of the sex, nor quite so much curled, hanging down in easiy tresses over her shoulders, and shading some part of her beautiful cheeks. Her eyes, though not so large as our Europeans, darted such lustre, with a mixture of sweetness and vivacity, that it was impossible not to be charmed with their rays: her features were not only the most exact, but inimitable and peculiar to herself. In fine, her nose, mouth, teeth, turn of the [...]ace, all concurring together to form the most exquisite symmetry and adorned with a bloom beyond all the blushes of the new-born aurora, rendered her the most charming, and the most dangerous object in nature. The noblest and gaest youths of all the land, paid their homages to her adorable perfections, but all in vain: she avoided doing hurt where she could do no good; she did not so much scorn, as shut her eyes to all her offers, though such a treasure gave me ten thousand anxieties before I knew what share I had in it: but when once she received my [Page 265] addresses, the security her constant virtue gave me was proportionable to the immense value of her person. For my part▪ I had some trials on my side. I was surrounded with beauties, who found a great many ways to shew me they had no dislike to me. Whether being a stranger, of different features and make from their youth, gave them a more pleasing curiosity, or the tallness of my stature, something exceeding any of theirs, or the gaiety of my temper, which gave me a freer air than is usual with them, being, as I observed, naturally too grave, (be that as it will), Isyphena's bright sense easily saw I made some sacrifices to her. But we had greater trials than these to undergo, which I shall briefly relate to your Reverences, for the particularity of them. When I thought I was almost arrived at the height of my happiness, being assured of the heart of the divine Isyphena, the Pophar came to me one day with the most seeming concern in his countenance I ever marked in him, even beyond that of the affair with the great Bassa's daughter: after a little pause, he told me, he had observed the love between his daughter and myself; that, out of kindness to my person, he had consulted their wise-men about it, who all concluded; that, on account of my being a stranger, and not of their race by the [Page 266] father's side, I could never marry his daughter; so that I must either solemnly renounce all pretensions to her; or be shut up for ever without any commerce with his people, till death. But, says he, to shew that we do justice to your merit, you are to have a public statue erected in your honour, because you have taught us the art of painting; which is to be crowned with a garland of flowers by the most beautiful young woman in the kingdom; thus you will live to glory, though you are dead to the world. But if you will renounce all pretensions to my daughter, we will furnish you with riches, sufficient, with the handsomeness of your person, to gain the greatest princess in the world, provided you will give a solemn oath never to discover the way to this place. I fell down on my knees before him, and cried out, ‘Here take me, shut me up, kill me, cut me in a thousand pieces, I will never renounce Isyphena.’ —He said no more, but that their laws must be obeyed. I observed tears in his eyes, as he went out, which made me see he was in earnest. I had scarce time to reflect on my miserable state, or rather was incapable of any reflection at all, when four persons came in with a dismal heaviness in their looks, and bade me come along with them; they were to conduct me to the place of my [Page 267] confinement. In the mean time, the Pophar goes to his daughter, and tells her the same thing; only adding that I was to be sent back to my own country, loaded with such immense riches as might procure me the love of any woman in the world: for, says he, those barbarians (meaning the Europeans) will marry their daughters to any one who has but riches enough to buy them; the men will do the same with respect to the women; let the woman be whose daughter she will, if she had but money enough to purchase a kingdom, a king would marry her. Before he had pronounced all this, Isyphena had not strength to hear it out, but fell down in a swoon at his feet: when she was come to herself, he endeavoured to comfort her, and added, that she was to have the young Pophar's son, a youth about her age; for though he was not old enough to govern he was old enough to get children. He went on and told her, I was to have a statue erected in honour of me, to be crowned by the fairest woman in all Mezorania, which, says he, is judged to be yourself, and, if you refuse it, Amnophilla is to be the person. This was the most beautiful woman next Isyphena, and by some thought equal to her, whose sighs of approbation and liking to my person I had taken no notice of, for the sake of Isyphena. She answered [Page 268] with a resolution that was surprising, even to her father, That she would die before she would be wanting to her duty, but that their laws allowed her to chuse whom she pleased for her husband, without being undutiful; that as to the crowning of the statue, she accepted of it, not for the reason he gave, but to pay her last respects to my memory, who, she was sure, would never marry one else. As for the young Pophar▪ she would give her answer when this ceremony was over. When all things were ready for it, there was public proclamation made in all parts of the Nome, that whereas I had brought into the kingdom, and freely communicated to them the noble art of painting, to have a public statue erected in my honour, to be crowned with a crown of flowers by the fairest woman in all Mezorania. Accordingly, a statue of full proportion, of the finest polished marble, was erected in one of their spacious squares with my name ingraven on the pedestal in gold characters, setting forth the service I had done to the commonwealth, &c. The statue had the picture of Isyphena in one hand, and the emblems of the art in the other. The last kindness I was to receive, was to be permitted to see the ceremony with a perspective glass, from the top of a high tower belonging to the place of my confinement, [Page 269] from whence I could discern every minute circumstance that passed. Immediately the croud opened ta make way for Isyphena, who came in the regent's triumphant chariot, drawn by eight white horses, all caparisoned with gold and precious stones, herself more resplendent than the sun they adorned. There was a scaffold with a throne upon it just close to the statue, with gilt steps for her to go up to put the crown on the head of it. As soon as she appeared, a shout of joy ran through the whole croud, applauding the choice of her beauty, and the work she was going to perform; then proclamation was made again for the same intent, setting forth the reasons of the ceremony. When all was silent, she steps from the throne by degrees with the crown in her hand, holding it up to be seen by all, supported by Amnophilla and Menisa, two of the most beautiful virgins after herself. There appeared a serenity in the looks of Isyphena beyond what could be expected, expressing a fixed resosolution at the same time. As soon as she had put the crown on the head of the statue, which was applauded with repeated shouts and acclamations, she stood still for some time, with an air that shewed she was determined for some great action; then turning to the officers, ordered them to make proclamation, that every one [Page 270] should remark what she was going to do. A profound silence ensuing through the whole assembly, she went up the steps again, and taking out the most conspicuous flower in the whole crown, first put it in the right hand of the statue, and then clapped it into her bosom, with the other two she had received from me before, as a sign of her consent for marriage, which could not be violated. This accasioned a shout ten times louder than any before, applauding such an heroic act of constancy, as had never been seen in Mezorania. The regent ran up to her, and embracing her with tears of joy trickling down his cheeks, said, she should have her choice, since she had fulfilled the law, and supplied all defects by that extraordinary act of fidelity: and immediately gave orders to have that heroic action registered in the public records, for an example and encouragement of constancy to posterity. But the people cried out, Where is the man! where is the man! let their constancy be rewarded immediately. . .

Here the reader, as well as the publisher, will lament the irreparable loss of the sheets, which were mislaid at his coming over. He does not pretend to charge his memory with what they contained; just having time to run them over in the Italian, when Signor Rhedi got them copied [Page 271] out for him. As far as the publisher remembers, the lost sheets contained several discourses between the Pophar and Gaudentio, concerning religion, philosophy, politics, and the like; with the account of the loss of his wife and children, and some other accidents that befel him during his stay in the country, which, as we shall see, induced him to leave the place, with several curious remarks of Signor Rhedi; all which would doubtless have given a great deal of satisfaction to the reader. But no one can be so much concerned for the loss as the publisher, since they cannot now be repaired, by reason of the death of the same Signor Rhedi, never to be sufficiently regreted by the learned world.]

These discourses ^* made very great impressions on the mind of a person of so much penetration as the regent was, insomuch that he seemed resolved, when his regency was out, which wanted now but a year, to go a long with me into Europe, during the [...]ay he was to make at Grand Cairo, that he might have an opportunity of examining matters at the fountainhead; wisely judging a consideration of such consequence, as that of religion, to be no indifferent thing. For my own part, notwithstanding the beauty and riches of the country, I could find no satisfaction in a [Page 272] place where I had lost all that was dear to me, though I had the comfort to have my dear Isyphena, and her three children, all baptized by my own hand before they died: neither could length of time allay my grief; but, on the contrary, every thing I saw revived the memory of my irreparable loss. I considered the instability of the fleeting joys of this world, where I thought I had built my happiness, for a man of fortune, on the most solid foundation. But alas! all was gone as if it had been but a dream, and the adorable Isyphena was no more. The good old Pophar was in a very little better condition, having lost his dearest daughter, and his little grandchildren, particularly the eldest boy, who is that picture with his mother. This reflection on the vanity of human felicity, made him more disposed to hear the truths of our divine religion, so that he was resolved to go and search further into the reasons for it. There was another yet more forcible reason induced me to solicit the Pophar for my return to my native country, which was the care of my future state. I had lived so many years without the exercise of those duties our church obliges us to perform, and, though I had not been guilty of any great crimes, I was not willing to die out of her bosom: however, to do all the good I could to a country [Page 273] where I had once enjoyed so much happiness, this being the last year we were to stay, I at length persuaded the regent, that there might be some danger of an invasion of his country, from the apposite side towards the southern tropics; at least, I did not know, but there might be some habitable climate not so far over the sands, as towards Libya and Egypt. I had often signified my thoughts to him in that respect. I told him, that though his kingdom was safe, and inaccessible to all but ourselves on that side, it was impossible, it might be nigher the great ocean on the opposite one, or that the sands might not be of such extent; or, in fine, there might be ridges of mountains, and from them rivers running into the ocean, by which, in process of time, some barbarous people might ascend, and disturb their long uninterrupted rest, without any fence to guard against such an emergency. This last thought alarmed him; so we were resolved to make a new trial, without communicating the design to any but the chief council of five, where we were sure of inviolable secrecy. What confirmed me in my notion was, that, when we were on the utmost point of our mountains southward, looking over the deserts, I could perceive something like clouds, or fogs, hanging always towards one part. I imagined [Page 274] them to be fogs covering the tops of some great mountains, which must neve habitable vales. Being resolved to make a trial, we provided all things accordingly, and set out from the furthest part of the kingdom southwards, taking only five persons in our company, steering our course directly towards that point of the horizon, where I observed the thick air always hanging towards one place. We took provisions and water but for ten days, leaving word that they should not trouble themselves about us, unless we made a considerable stay, because in case we found mountains, we should always find springs and fruits to subsist on, by making a further search into the country: otherwise, if we saw no hopes at the five days end, we would return the other five, and take fresh measures. The third day of our vo [...]age, we found the deserts not so barren as we expected, the ground grew pretty hard; and the fourth day we discovered some tufts of moss and shrubs, by which we conjectured we should soon come to firm land; the evening of that day we discovered the tops of hills, but further off than we thought; so that though we travelled at a great rate all that night and most of the next day, we could only arrive at the foot of them the fifth day at night. After some little search we [Page 275] came to a fine spring, and, to our comfort, no signs of inhabitants; if there had, we should have returned immediately to take further advice. The next morning we got up to the top of the highest hill to discover the country; but found it to be only the point of a vast mountainous country, like the worst part of our Alps, though there were some fertile vales and woods, but no footsteps of its ever having been inhabited, as we believed, since the creation. Finding we could make good provision for our return, we were in no great pain about time; but wandering from place to place, viewing and observing every way. After proceeding along those craggy hills and precipices in this manner for five days, they began to lessen towards our right, but seemed rather to increase the other way: at length, in the most dismal and horrid part of the hill-brow, one of our young men thought he spied something like the figure of a man, sitting by a little spring under a craggy rock just below us; we sent three of our people round another way to keep him from running into the wood, while the Pophar and myself stole quietly over the rock where he was. As soon as he saw us, he whips up a broaken chink in the rock, and disappeared immediately: we were sure he could not get from us; so we closed and searched, till [Page 276] we found a little cave in the windings of the rock, where was his retiring place. His bed was made of moss and leaves, with little heaps of dried fruits, of different sorts, for his sustenance. When he saw us, he was surprised, and rushed at us like a lion, thinking to make his way through us, but being all five at the mouth of the cave, he stood ready to defend himself against our attempts. Viewing him a little nigher, we saw he had some remains of an old tattered coat, and part of a pair of breeches, with a ragged sash, or girdle, round his waist, by which, to our great surprise, we found he was an European. The Pophar spoke to him in Lingua Franca, and asked him who, or what he was; he shook his head as if he did not understand us. I spoke to him in French, Italian, and Latin, but he was a stranger to those languages; at length he cried [...]out Inglis, Inglis. I had learned something of that language, when I was student at Paris: for knowing my father had a mind I should learn as many languages as I could, I had made an acquaintance with several English and Scotch students in that university, particularly with one F. Johnson, an English Benedictine; and could speak it pretty well for a foreigner, but had almost forgot it for want of use. I bid him take courage, and fear nothing, for we would do [Page 277] him no harm. As soon as ever he heard me speak English, he fell down on his knees, and begged us to take pitty on him, and carry him to some habitable country, where he might possibly get an opportunity of returning home again, or at least, of living like a human creature. Upon this he came out to us, but looked more like a wild beast, than a man; his hair, beard, and nails were grown to a great length, and his mien was as haggard, as if he had been a great while in that wild place; though he was a stout well-built man, and shewed something above the common rank. We went down to the fountain together, where he made me to understand, that his father was an East-India merchant, and his mother a Duch woman of Batavia, that he had great part of his education in London; but being very extravigant, his father, whose natural son he was, had turned him off, and sent him to Batavia, to his mother's friends; that, by his courage and industry, he was in a fair way of making his fortune, being advanced to a lieutenant in the Dutch guards at Batavia; but was unhappily cast away on the coast of Africa, where they had been on a particular adventure: That he and his companions, four in number, wardering up in the country to seek provisions, were taken by some strange barbarians, [Page 287] who carried them a vast unknown way into the continent, designing to eat them, or sacrifice them to their inhuman gods, as they had done his companions. But being hale and fat at the time of his taking, they reserved him for some particular feast: That, as they were carrying him through the woods, another party of barbarians, enemies to the former, met them, and fell a fighting for their booty: which he perceiving, knowing he was to be eaten if he staid, slunk away in the scuffle into the thickest woods, hiding himself by day, and marching all night he did not know where, but, as he conjectured, still higher in the country. Thus he wandered from hill to hill, and wood to wood, till he came to a desert of sands, which he was resolved to try to pass over, not daring to return back, for fear of falling into the hands of those merciless devourers. He passed two days and two nights without water, living on the fruits he carried with him, as many as he could, till he came to this mountanious part of the country, which he found uninhabited; taking up his abode in that rock, where he never had any hopes of seeing a human creature again: neither did he know himself where he was, or which way to go back. In fine, he told us he had lived in that miserable place, now upwards of five years. After we had comforted [Page 279] him, as well as we could, I asked him, which way the main sea lay, as near as he could guess, and how far he thought it was to it? He pointed with his hand towards the south, a little turning towards the east, and said, he believed it might be thirty or forty days journey; but advised us never to go that way, for we should certainly be devoured by the barbarians. I asked him whether the country was habitable from that place down to the sea; he told me yes, except that desert he had passed; but whether it was broader in other places, he could not [...]ell.

All the time he was speaking, the Pophar eyed him from top to toe; and calling me aside, What monster, says he, have we got here? There is a whole legion of wild beasts in that man. I see the lion, the goat, the wolf, and the fox, in that one person. I could not forbear smiling at the Pophar's skill in physiognomy, and told him we should take care he should do no harm. Then I turned to the man, and asked him, whether he would conform himself to the laws and rites of the country, if we carried him among men again, where he should want for nothing. He embraced my knees, and said, he would conform to any laws or any religion, if I would but let him see a habitable country again. I started at the man, and began to think there was [Page 280] some truth in the Pophar's science. However, I told him, if he would but behave like a rational creature, he should go along with us: but he must suffer himself to be blindfolded, till he came to the place. He startled a little, and seemed to be prodigious suspicious, lest we should deceive him. But on my assuring him on the faith of a man, that he should come to no harm, he consented.

After we had refreshed ourselves, being both glad and concerned for the information we had received of the nature of the country, which was the intent of our journey, in order to guard against all inconveniencies, we covered his eyes very close, and carried him back with us, sometimes on foot, sometimes on one of the spare dromedaries, till we arrived safe from where we set out. Then we let him see where he was, and what a glorious country he was come into. We cloathed him like ourselves, that is, in our travelling-dress, to shew he was not an entire stranger to our race. He seemed lost in admiration of what he saw, and embraced me with all the signs of gratitude imaginable. He readily conformed to all our customs, and made no scruple of assisting at all their idolatrous ceremonies, as if he had been as good a Heathen as the best of them. Which I seeing without declaring myself to be a Christian, [Page 281] told him I had been informed, the people of the country where he was educated, were Christians; and wondered to see him join in adoring the sun. Pugh! says he, some bigotted people make a scruple, but most of our men of sense think one religion is as good as another. By this I perceived our savage was of a new set of people, which I had heard of before I left Italy, called Politici ^*, who are a sort of Atheists in masquerade. The Pophar, out of his great skill in physiognomy, would have no conversation with him, and commanded me to have a strict eye over him. However, the information he had given us of the possibility of invading the kingdom the way he came, answered the intent of our voyage, and my former conjectures; about which there was a grand council held, and orders given to secure the foot of our outermost mountain southwards, which ran a great way into the desert; so that it was sufficient to guard against any of those barbarous invaders of the continent. But to return to our European savage; for he may be justly called so, being more dangerous in a commonwealth, than the very Hicksoes themselves; though he was a person who had a tolerably civilized [Page 282] education, bating the want of all sense of religion, which was owing to his perpetual conversation with libertines: He had a smattering of most kinds of polite learning, but without a bottom in any respect. After he had been with us some time, his principles began to shew themselves in his practice. First, he began to be rude with our women; married or single, it was all alike to him; and, by an unaccountable spirit of novelty or contradiction, our women seemed to be inclined to be very fond of him; so that we were at our wits ends about him. Then he began to find fault with our government, despising and condemning all our ceremonies and regulations: but his great aim was, to pervert our youth, enticing them into all manner of liberties▪ and endeavouring to make them believe, that there was no such thing as moral evil in nature; that there was no harm in the greatest crimes, if they could but evade the laws and punishments attending them. As I had endeavoured to create a confidence in him, he came to me one day, and said, that, since I was an European as well as himself, we might make ourselves men for ever, if I would join with him: You see, says he, these men cannot fight; nay, will rathe, be killed themselves, than kill any one else: can't you shew me the way out of this [Page 283] country, where we will get a troop of stout fellows well armed, and come and plunder all the country? we shall get immense riches, and make ourselves lords and masters of all. I heard him with a great deal of attention, and answered him, that I thought the project might easily take, only for the horrid wickedness of the fact; especially for us two, who had received such favours from the Pophar and his people; he, in his being delivered from the greatest misery; and myself, in having been freed from slavery, and made one of the chief men of the kingdom: that the action would deserve to be branded with eternal infamy, and the blackest ingratitude: beside the infinite vi [...]lanies, injustices, crimes, and deaths of innocent persons, who must perish in the attempt; which would always stare us in the face, and torment us with never-ceasing stings of conscience till our death. Conscience! says he, that is a jest; a mere engine of priest-craft: all right is founded in power: let us once get that, and who will dispute our right? As for the injustice of it, that is a mere notion; distinction of crimes, mere bigotry, and the effect of education, ushered in under the cloak of religion. Let us be but successful, and I will answer for all your scruples. I told him, it was a matter not to be resolved on suddenly; [Page 284] and that I would consider on it. But I bid him be sure to keep his matters to himself. I went immediately to the Pophar, and gave an account of what had passed. He was struck with horror at the recital; not so much for the consequences, as that human nature could be brought to such a monstrous deformity. If, says he, your Europeans are men of such principles, who would not fly to the furthest corner of the earth, to avoid their society? Or rather, who can be sure of his life among such people? Whoever thinks it no greater crime in itself, to kill me, than to kill a fly, will certainly do it, if I stand in his way. If it were lawful, continued he, by our constitutions to kill this man, he deserves a thousand deaths, who makes it lawful to destroy all the world besides. I answered, that all the Europeans were not men of his principles, nor even those of his nation, who were generally the most compassionate and best natured men in the world. But that he was of a new set of wretched people, who called themselves Deists, and interorly laughed at all religion and morality, looking upon them as mere engines of policy and priest-craft. Interiorly! says he; yes, and would cut any man's throat ex [...]eriorly and actually, if it were not for fear of the gallows. Shut him up, cried he, from all commerce of [Page 285] men, lest his breath should infect the whole world; or rather, let us send him back to his cave, to live like a wild beast; where if he is devoured by the savages, they do him no injury, on his own principles. I represented to him, that we were just on our journey back to Grand Cairo, where we might carry him blindfold, that he should not know our way over the sands, and there give him his liberty; but that we would shut him up till then. This being agreed on, I took a sufficent number of men, to seize him; and to do it without any mischief, for he was as stout as a lion, we contrived to come upon him in his bed, where we caught him with one of our young women. Three of our men fell upon him at once, and kept him down, while the rest tied his hands and legs, and carried him into a strong-hold, whence it was impossible for him to escape▪ The woman was shut up apart, according to our laws. When he found himself taken, he called me by the most cruel names he could think on, as the most wicked and treacherous villain that ever was, thus to betray him, and the trust he had put in me. Yes, says I, it is a crime to discover your secrets, and no crime in you to subvert the government, and set all mankind a-cutting one another's throats, by your monstrous principles: so I left him for the [Page 286] present. Some time after, I went to him, and told him, our council had decreed he should be carried back from whence he came, and be delivered over to the savages, either to be devoured by them, or to defend himself by his principles, as well as he could. He cried out, Sure we would not be guilty of such horrid barbarity! Barbrrity! said I; that is a mere jest: they will do you no injury; if your flesh is a rarity to them, when they have you in their power, they have full right to make use of it. He begged by all that was dear, we would not send him to the savages; but rather kill him on the spot. Why, says I, you are worse than the greatest canibals; because they spare their friends, and only eat their enemies; whereas your principles spare no body, and acknowledge no tye in nature. At length he owned himself in a mistake, and seemed to renounce his errors; when I told him, if he would engage his most solemn promise, to suffer himself to be blindfolded, and behave peaceably, we would carry him to a place where he might find an opportunity to return to his own country. But, says I, what signify promises and engagements in a man who laughs at all obligations, and thinks it as just and lawful to break them, as to make them? No, he cursed himself with the most dreadful imprecations, if he [Page 287] were not tractable in all things we should command him. But, says he again, won't you deliver me back to the savages? I answered in the same tone, should we do you any wrong, if we did? At length, to appease him, I promised him faithfully we would put him in a way to return into his own country: but bid him consider, if there were no such thing as right and wrong, what would, or what security could there be in human life?

In a few weeks, the time drew on for our great journey to Grand Cairo, where I was in hopes of seeing my native country once more. All things were now as good as ready; the Pophar and myself had other designs than usual, and were in some pain to think of leaving that once so happy country. Though, as I said, all things that could make me happy, were buried with my dear Isyphena. The Pophar had some serious thoughts of turning Christian; the evidences of our religion were soon perceived by a person of his deep penetration; though persons of little learning, and great vices pretend they don't see them. But, like a wise man, he was resolved to examine into it, in the places where it was exercised in the greatest splendour. We provided a good quantity of jewels, and as much gold as we could well carry, for our present expenses at [Page 288] Grand Cairo, and elsewhere, in future exigencies. I went to my Deist in his grotto, and threw him in as much gold and jewels as were sufficient to glut his avarice, and make him happy in his brutal way of thinking. But I would not trust myself with him alone, for all his promises, as he, on his side, expressed still a diffidence of trusting any body; I suppose from the consciousness of his own vile principles. Then I threw him a blinding-cap, which we had made for him, that he should not see our way over the deserts. This cap was made like a head-piece, with breathing places for his mouth and nose, as well as to take in nourishment, opening at the back part, and clasping with a spring behind, that being once locked, he could not open it himself. He put it on his head two or three times, before he durst venture to close it. At last he closed it, and he was as blind as a beetle. We went to him and tied his hands, which he let us do quietly enough; but still begged us that we would not betray him to the savages. I bid him think once more, that now his own interior sence told him, that to betary him would be a crime; by consequence there was such a thing as evil.

All things being in readiness, we mounted our dromedaries. The Pophar and all the rest kissed the ground as usual; I did [Page 289] the same, out of respect to the place which contained the remains of my never too much lamented Isyphena, the ashes of whose heart are in the hollow of the stone, whereon is her picture. Not to mention the ceremonies of our taking leave, we were conducted in a mournful manner over the bridge, and lanched once more into the ocean of sands and deserts, which were before us. Our savage was on a dromedary which followed the rest, but led by a cord fastened to one of them, for security. It stumbled with him twice or thrice, and threw him off once, but without any great hurt. But the fear of breaking his neck put him into a great agony; and though he was as bold as a lion on other occasions, he was prodigiously startled at the thoughts of death. We arrived at Grand Cairo at the usual period of time, without any particular disaster. As soon as we were settled, the Pophar ordered me to send the Deist packing as soon as we could. This brutal race, says he, next the cannibals, are fittest company for him. I unlocked the blinding-helmet, and told him, we had now fulfilled our promise; that he was at Gaand Cairo, where he might find some way or other to return into Europe; and, to convince him, carried him to some European merchants who assured him of the same. Delivering to him his gold and [Page 290] jewels, I begged him to reflect on his obligations to us, and the greatful acknowledgments due to our memory on that account: we had taken him from a miserable solitude, where he lived more like a wild beast than a man; and where he was in danger of being found and devoured by the cannibals: we had brought him into one of the happiest countries in the world, if he would but have conformed to its laws; and now had given him his liberty to go where he pleased, with riches sufficient to make him easy, and benefits to make him grateful all his life. I then took my leave of him. But to our sorrow we had not done with him yet. As soon as the Pophar and the rest had performed the ceremony of visiting the tombs of their ancestors, or rather the places where the tombs had been, the good old man and myself began to think of measurs for our journey into Italy. He ordered his people to stay at Grand Cairo till the next annual caravan; and in case he did not return by that time, they were to go home, and he would take the opportunity of the next following caravan, because he was upon business that nearly concerned him. We had agreed with a master of a ship to carry us to Venice, which, as I had the honour to acquaint your Reverences before, was a French ship, commanded by [Page 291] Monsieur Godart. We had fixed the day to go aboard, when behold? our savage, at the head of a band of Turks, came and siezed every one of us, in the name of the great Bassa. By great good fortune, while we staid at Grand Cairo, I had the grateful curiosity to inform myself what was become of the former Bassa's daughter, we left there five and twenty years ago. The people told me, the daughter was married to the Grand Sultan, and was now Sultaness, mother to the present Sultan, and regent of the empire; adding that her brother was their present great Bassa. This lucky information saved all our lives and liberties. We were carried prisoners before the Great Bassa, the faithless savage accusing us of crimes against the state; that we were immensely rich, (a crime of itself sufficient to condemn us), and could make a discovery of a country of vast advantage to the Grand Signior. To be short, we had all been put to torture, had not I begged leave to speak a word or two in private to the Great Bassa. There I told him who I was; that I was the person who had saved his sister's life, the now Empress; and, to convince him, told him all the circumstances except that of her love, though he had heard something of that too: I shewed him the ring she had given me for a remembrance, (which he [Page 292] also remembered), adding, that we were innocent men, who lived honestly according to our own laws, coming there to traffic, like other merchants, and had been traduced by one of the greatest villains upon earth. In a word, this not only got us off, and produced us an ample passport from the Grand Bassa for our further voyage; but he also ordered the informing wretch to be seized, and sent to the galleys for life. He offered to turn turk if they would spare him. But being apprised of his principles, they said he would be a disgrace to their religion; and ordered him away immediately. Upon which, seeing there was no mercy, being grown mad with rage and despair, before they could seize his hands, he drew out a pistol, and shot himself through the head; not being able to find a worse hand than his own. The Pophar, good man! bore these misfortunes with wonderful patience, though he assured me his greatest grief was to see human nature so far corrupted, as it was in that impious wretch, who could think the most horrid crimes were not worth the notice of the supreme governor of the universe. But see, says he, that providence can make the wicked themselves the instruments of its just vengeance: for can any thing be so great a blot upon human nature as to be its own destroyer, when the very brutes [Page 293] will struggle for life till the last gasp? However, he was uneasy till he had left that hateful place. Besides, there were some signs of the plague breaking out; so we went down to Alexandria as fast we could. And to encourage Monsieur Godart, he made him a present beforehand of a diamond of a considerable value. We set sail for Candy, where Monsieur Godart was to touch, the 1 [...]h day of August, anno 1712. But, alas! whether these troubles, or not being used to the sea, or some infection of the plague he had caught at Grand Cairo, or all together, is uncertain; but that great good man fell so dangerously ill, that we thought we should scarce get him to Candy. He assured me, by the knowledge he had of himself and nature, that his time was come. We put in at the first creek, where the land-air a little refreshed him; but it was a fallacious crisis; for in a few days, all of us perceived his end drew near. Then he told me he was resolved to be baptized, and die in the Christian faith. I got him instructed by a Reverend priest belonging to Monsieur Godart; his name was M [...]nsieur Le Grelle, whom I had formerly known when he was a student in the college for foreign missions; and▪ what was the only comfort I had now lest, I saw him baptized, and yield up the ghost with a courage becoming [Page 294] the greatest hero, and the best of men. This was the greatest affliction I ever had in my whole life, after the death of his daughter. He left me all his effects, which were sufficient to make me happy in this life, if riches could procure happiness.

We had some days to stay, before Monsieur Godart could make an end of his business. I was walking in a melancholy posture along the sea-shore, and reflecting on the adventures of my past life, occasioned by those very waters whereon I was looking, when I came, or rather my feet caried me, to a hanging rock, on the side of the island, just on the edge of the sea, and where there was scarce room enough for two or three persons to stand privately undercovert, very difficult to be discerned; where going to sit down, and indulge my melancholy thoughts, I espied a Turk and two women, as if concealed under the rock. My own troubles not allowing me the curiosity to pry into other people's concerns, made me turn short back again: but the elder of the two women, who was mistress of the other, seeing by my distress, that I was a stranger and a Christian, (being now in that habit), came running to me, and falling on her knees, laid hold of mine, and begged me to take pitty on a distressed woman, who expect [...]d every moment to be butchered by one of the most inhuman villains living, from whose [Page 295] violence they had fled and hid themselves in that place, in expectation of finding a boat to convey him off. I lifted her up, and thought I saw something in her face I seen before, though much altered by years and troubles. She did the same by me, and at length cried out, O heavens! it cannot be the man I hope! I remembered confusedly something of the voice, as well as the face; and, after a deal of astonishment, found it was the Curdish lady, who had saved my life from the pirate Hamet. Oh! says she, I have just time enough to tell you, that we expected to be pursued by that inhuman wretch, unless you can find a boat to carry us off before he finds us, otherwise we must fall a sacrifice to his cruelty. I never staid to consider consequences, but answered precipitately, that I would do my best; so ran back to the ship as fast as I could, and with the help of the first man brought the boat to the rock. I was just getting out to take hold of her hand, when we heard some men coming rushing in behind us, and one of them cried, Hold villain, that wicked woman shan't escape so; and fires a pistol, which missing the lady, shot the man attending her, into the belly, so that he fell down presently, though not quite dead. I had provided myself with a Turkish scymitar, and a case of pistols, under my sash, for my defence [Page 296] on shipboard; I saw there was no time to deliberate, so I fired directly at them, for there were three, and had the good luck to drop one of them. But Hamet, as I found afterwards, minding nothing but his revenge on the woman, fired again, and missing the lady a second time, shot her maid through the arm, and was drawing his scymitar to cleave her down, when I stept in before the lady; but shooting with too much precipitancy, the bullets passed under his arm, and lodged in the body of his second; he started back at the fire so near him, which gave me time to draw my scymitar. Being now upon equal terms, he retired two or three paces, and cried, Who art thou that venturest thy life so boldly for this wicked woman? I knew his voice perfectly well, neither was he so much altered as the lady. I am the man said I, whose life thou wouldst have taken, but this lady saved it, whose cause I shall now revenge as well as my own, and my dear brother's. We made no more words, but fe [...]l to it with our scymitars, with all our might; he was a brave stout man, and let me see I should have work enough to hew him down. After several attacks, he gave me a considerable wound on my arm, and I cut him across the cheek a pretty large gash, but not to endanger his life; at length the justice of my cause [Page 297] would have it, that striking of his turban at one stroke, and with another falling on his bare head, I cut him quite into the brains, that some of them spurted on my scymitar. He fell down, as I thought, quite dead, but after some time he gave a groan, and muttered these words, Mahomet thou art just, I killed this woman's husband, and she has been the occasion of my death; with these words he gave up the ghost. By this time the lady's attendant was dead; so I took the lady and her woman without staying, for fear of further difficulties, and putting them in the boat, conducted them to the ship. Monsieur Godart was extremely troubled at the accident, saying we should have all the island upon us, and made great difficulty to receive the lady; but upon a just representation of the case, and an abundant recompense for his effects left behind, we got him to take her in, and hoist sail for Venice as fast as we could. The lady had now time to thank me for her delivery, and I to congratulate my happy fortune in being able to make a return for her saving my life. During our passage, I begged her to give us the history of her fortunes since I left her, which I prognosticated then could not be very happy, considering the hands she was fallen into. Says she, You remember I made a promise to Hamet, that I would [Page 298] marry him on condition he would save your life. Yes, Madam, said I, and am ready to venture my own once more in return for so great a benefit. You have done enough, says she; and with that acquainted us, that when I was sold off to the strange merchants, Hamet carried her to Algiers, and claimed her promise. I was entirely ignorant, says she, of his having a hand in the death of my dear lord; but, on the contrary, the villain had contrived his wickedness so cunningly, that I thought he had generously ventured his own life to save his, and being, as you know, a very handsome man, of no very inferior rank, and expressing the most ardent love for my person, and I having no hopes of returning into my own country, fulfilled my promise made on your account, and married him. We lived contentedly enough together for some years, bating that we had no children, till his constant companion, who was the man attending me at the rock, and was killed by that villain, fell out about a fair slave, which Omar, so he was called, had bought, or taken prisoner in some of their piracies. Hamet, as well as he, fell in love with her, and would have taken her for his concubine, but the other concealed her from him: they had like to have fought about it; Hamet vowed revenge. The other, who was the honester [Page 299] man of the two, was advised to be upon his guard, and to deliver the woman to him; which he never would consent to, but was resolved to run all risks, rather than the young lady should suffer any dishonor. In the mean time, her friends, who were rich people of Circassia, hearing where she was, made interest to have her ransomed, and taken from both of them, by the authority of the Dey of Algiers, who was otherwise no friend to Hamet. This last had been informed, that Omar, because he could not enjoy her himself, contrived to have her ransomed from his rival, and I myself had a hand in the affair, for which he threatened revenge on both of us; and being also disgusted with the Dey, he gave orders to have his ships ready to move, and follow his trade of piracy. Then Omar informed me how Hamet had murdered my first husband, by hiring the Arabians to do it, while he pretended to defend him to avoid my suspicions, with such circumstances of the fact, that I saw the truth was too clear. The horror and detestation I was in, is not to be expressed, both against myself, for marrying such a monster. Omar added, that▪ he was certainly informed, that as soon as he had us out at sea, he would make away with us both; and told me, if I would trust myself with him, he would undertake to carry [Page] me off in a boat, and conduct me into my own country. I was resolved to fly to the farthest end of the earth to avoid his loathed fight; so resolved to pack up our most precious things, and go along with him. He procured a boat to meet us, at a little creek of the island, by a person he thought he could confide in, but who betrayed the whole affair to Hamet. Of which also we had timely notice, and removing from the station where we expected the boat, and fled along the coast as privately as we could, and hid ourselves under the rock where you found us, expecting either to find some favourable occasion to be carried off, or to die by the hand of Hamet, which we certainly had done, had not he met with his just death by yours. The lady had scarce given us this short account of her misfortunes, and we were not only congratulating her for her deliverance, but admiring the justice of providence, which reached this villain, both to bring him to condign punishment for the murder of the innocent Curd, and make him die by my hand, five and twenty years after he had robbed and killed my brother with all his crew, sold me for a slave, and attempted to kill me also, had not the strange lady saved my life: I say, we were making such like reflections on this strange accident, when they told us from above, two vessels [Page] seemed to come full sail upon us, as if they were pursuing us with all their might. We made all the sail we could, but our ship being pretty heavy loaded, we saw we must be overtaken. Some of us were resolved to fight it out to the last, in case they were enemies. But Monsieur Godart would not consent to it, saying the Bassa's passport would secure us, or by yielding peaceably, we might be ransomed. They came up to us in a short time, and saluted us with a volley of shot, to shew what we were to trust to. We struck our sails and let them board us without any resistance. Monsieur Godart, with too mean a spirit, as I thought, told them with cap in hand, that he would give them any satisfaction, and assured them he would not willingly fall out with the subjects of the Grand Signior. They seized every man of us, and spying the lady and me, There they are, said they; the adulteress and her lover, with the spoils of her murdered husband. Which words, shewing they were Turks in pursuit of us from Candy, quite confounded Monsieur Godart at once, and made me imagine, I should have much ado to find any quarter. They hauled us upon deck, making shew as if they were going to cut off my head. I never thought myself so nigh death before; but had the presence of mind to cry out in the hearing of the whole crew▪ [Page] that we were servants of the Grand Sultaness; and produced the passport of the Great Bassa her brother, charging them on their peril not to touch us. This stopt their fury a little; some cried out. Hold, have a care what you do; others cried, Kill them all for robbers and murderers, the Sultaness will never protect such villains as these. When the hurly burly was something appeased, Monsieur Godart reasoned the case with them, and told them, if they murdered us, they could never conceal it; since all the crew of the three ships heard our appeal to the Sultaness mother, the passport setting forth among other things, that I had saved the life of the Garnd Sultaness. This brought them to a demur. The chief of them began to consult among themselves what was best to be done. When I, begging leave to speak, told them, if they would carry us to Constantinople, we would willingly submit our lives, and all that belonged to us, in case the Sultaness did not own the fact, and take us into her protection: that, in case they put us to death, some one or other, in such a number, would certainly inform against them, the consequences of which they knew very well. I touched also but tenderly on the death of Hamet, and our innocence. The first part of my speech made them pass over the other. They [Page 303] demurred again, and at length resolved to carry us to Constantinople, and proceed against us by way of justice, not doubting to make good prize of us, on account of our being Christians. Thus was our journey to Venice interrupted by this accident. When we came to the port, Monsieur Godart got leave to send our case to Monsieur Savigni, the French resident; who found means to represent to the Sultaness mother, that there was a stranger in chains, who pretended to be the person who had saved her life, when she was at Grand Cairo, and would give her proofs of it, if he could be admitted to her Highness's presence. I would not send the ring she gave me, for fear of accidents. The Sultaness gave orders immediately, I should be brought to her presence; saying, she could easily know the person, for all it was so long before. I put on the same kind of dress I was in when she first saw me, which, if your Reverences remember, was the travelling dress of the Mezoranians. When I was brought into her presence, I scarce knew her, being advanced to a middle age, and in the attire of the Grand Sultaness. She looked at me with a great deal of emotion, and bid me approach nigher. I immediately fell on my knees, and holding the ring in my hand which she gave me at parting, as if I were [Page 304] making a present of it, Madam, said I, behold a slave, who had the honour to save your Highness's life, and now begs his own, and that of his companions; and most humbly request your Highness to accept of this jewel, as a token of our last distress. Instead of answering me, which put me in great pain, as doubting whether I was right or not, she turned to her nighest attendants, and said in a pretty soft voice, It is he, I know him by his voice, as well as his dress: and rising off her seat, came and took the ring. Then looking attentively at it, Yes, Sir, said she, I own the ring and bearer; and acknowledge you to be the one who saved my life. For which reason, I give you yours, and all that belongs to you, forbidding all under pain of death, to give you the least trouble; and withal ordered a very rich Turkish robe to be thrown over my shoulders, as a sign of her favour. Immediate orders were sent to the port to set Monsieur Godart and all his crew at liberty, and to feast us as particular friends of the Grand Sultaness. The company being dismissed, she made a sign for me to stay, having further business with me. When all were gone, but two of her chief favourite women, she came to me without any ceremony, and taking me in her arms, as if I had been her brother, embraced me with a [Page 305] great deal of tenderness; her joy to see me, making her lay aside her grandeur, and yield to the transports of undisguised nature. She led me by the hand into a most magnificent apartment; saying, Come, Signior Gaudentio, for so I think you are called; after you have refreshed yourself, you shall tell me your adventures. She made no scruple to sit down with me, being now not only mistress of herself, but of the whole Ottoman empire, as well as sure [...] her attendants. We had a refreshment of all the rarities of the East, with the richest wines for me, though she drank none herself. I long to hear your adventures, continued she, of so many years absence. So I told her in short, how I was carried by that strange merchant into an unknown country; without telling her the way we went thither; where I had married the regent's daughter. She blushed a little at that part, and shewed the remains of all her former beauty. But it put me in mind of my own indiscretion, to touch on such a nice point. She passed it off with a great deal of goodness; and, recovering myself, I acquainted her of the reasons of my return, as well as how I was taken by Hamet the first time, which she had not been acquainted with before; and lastly, how I met with the same Hamet again, killed him, and by that means came into that misfortune. [Page 306] I called it then a misfortune, said I, but look upon it now to be one of my greatest happinesses; since, by that occasion, I have the honour of seeing your Highness in that dignity of which you are the most worthy of any one in all the Ottoman empire. She seemed to be in admiration at the course of my life; and added, I think, Signor, you said you were married; is your spouse dead? No, Madam, said I: alas! she is dead, and all my children, and I am going to retire, and lead a private life in my native country. With these and other discourses we passed the greatest part of the day, when she bid me go back to the ship in public, attended with all the marks of her high favours; but she said she would send for me privately in the evening; for, added she, I have a thousand other things to ask you. Accordingly I was introduced privately into the seraglio; which she, being Sultaness-regent, could easily do. There she intirely laid aside her grandeur. We talked all former passages over again, with the freedom of friends and old acquaintances. In our conversation, I found she was a woman of prodigious depth of judgment, as indeed her wading through so many difficulties, attending the inconstancy of the Ottoman court, particularly the regency, evidently shewed. I made bold to ask her how she [Page 307] arrived at that dignity, though she was the only person in the world that deserved it; and took the liberty to say in a familiar way, that I believed her Highness was now sensible of the service I did her, in refusing to comply with her former demands, since the fates had reserved her to be the greatest empress of the world, not the consort of a wandering slave. Had I not been entirely assured of her goodness, I should not have dared to have touched on that head. She blushed with a little confusion at first, but putting it off with a grave air, Grandeur, says she, does not always make people happy. Ten thousand cares attend a crown; but the indifference I have for all things, make mine sit easier than it might have done otherwise. It is true, continued she, that young people very seldom see their own good, and oftentimes run into such errors, by the violence of their passions, as not only to deprive them of greater blessings, but render their misfortunes irretrievable. Some time after you were gone, my father the Grand Bassa was accused by some underhand enemies, of mal-administration, a thing too frequent in our court, and privately condemned to be strangled. But having some trusty friends at the Porte, he had notice of it, before the orders came: he immediately departed from Grand Cairo, and took a [Page 308] round-about way towards Constantinople, to prevent, as the way is, the execution of them. He sent me before to prepare matters, and to intercede with the young Sultan, my late deceased Lord, for his life, leaving word where I might let him know of the success of my intercession. I presented myself before the Sultan with that modest assurance, which my innocence, my youth, and grief for my father's danger, gave me. I fell down on my knees, and, with a flood of tears, begged my father's life. The Sultan looked at me with some amazement; and, whatever it was he saw in my face, not only granted my request, and confirmed my father in his former post; but made a profession of love to my person; and even continued it with more con [...]stancy, than I thought a Grand Sultan capable of, having so many exquisite beauties to divert him, as they generally have. I consented, to save my father's life; and whether the indifferency I had for all men, made him more eager, I cannot tell; but I found I was the chief in his favour. He had some other mistresses now and then, of whom he was very fond. But never teasing him, nor fretting myself about it, I easily found I continued to have the solid part of his friendship; and bringing him the first male child, the present emperor, I became the chief Sultaness; and by his death, and [Page 309] the minority of my son, am now regent; by which I am capable of rendering you all the service the Ottoman empire can perform: which I esteem one of the happiest events of my life. I returned her the most profound bow, and humble thanks a heart full of the most lively sense of gratitude could profess. She offered me the first post of the Ottoman empire, if I would but become a mussulman, or only so in appearance. Or if, said she, you had rather be nigh me, you shall be the chief officer of my household. I have had assurance enough, added she, that neither your inclinations nor principles can be forced; neither will I endeavour to do it, but leave you as much at your liberty, as your generous master did, when he bought you of Hamet. I expressed all the grateful acknowledgments possible, for so generous an offer; but assured her with an air that even expressed sorrow for the refusal, that I lay under religious obligations, which bou [...]d me indispensably to return into my own country. She was become now as much mistress of her inclinations, as she had acquired prudence and experience by the long command she had over her husband's heart, and the whole Ottoman empire. So after a month's stay she let me go, with all the marks of honour her dignity would suffer her to express. She [Page 310] would have punis [...]ed the persons that took us, but I interceded for them. Monsieur Godart, who was well rewarded for the loss of his time and confinement, can testify the truth of this history. The last words she said to me, were, to bid me remember, that a Turk and a woman were capable of generous gratitude and honour, as well as Christians. So we set sail for Venice.

[ Secretary.

Here one of the inquisitors came in with a gold medal in his hand, and turning to the examinant, said, Signor Gaudentio, I believe you have found a relation in Italy, as well as in Africa, and one of the same nation with your mother. It is the Persian lady you brought along with you, whom we secured the same time we did you; but would not let you know it, till we could procure intelligence from Venice, and a person who could speak the Persian language. We own we find her in the same story with you, and nothing material against you from Venice. Upon the examining her effects, we found this medal of the same make with yours by which you knew who your mother was. She says it was about her neck, when she was sold to the Persian merchant. But since we shall give you both your liberties [Page 311] in a short time, she shall be brought unto you, and we give you leave to say what you will to her, with the interpreter by. Upon this the lady was introduced, with her maid and the interpreter. As soon as she saw our examinant in good health, seemingly at liberty, a joyful serenity spread itself over her countenance, such as we had not seen before. Our examinant asked her, to be pleased to give an account of her life, as far as she thought proper, and how she came by that medal.

Lady.

All I know of myself, said she, is, that the noble Curd, who bought me of a Persian merchant for a companion for his only daughter, about my own age, whom he thought I resembled very much, often declared to me, that the merchant bought me of a Turkish woman, who left that medal about my neck, supposing it to be some charm or preservative against distempers, or because a sister of mine had the same fastened about her neck, with a gold chain, which could not be taken off without breaking; but who, or where the sister was, I never knew. The noble Curdish Lord, who bought me, grew prodigious fond of me, and bred me up as another daughter; and [Page 312] not only so, but having an only son, something older than myself, he connived at a growing love he perceived between his son and myself; which, after some difficulties on both sides, at length came to a marriage; though it cost my generous benefactor and father-in-law his life. For anothor young Lord of Curdistan, falling in love with me, often challenged Prince Cali (that was my dear husband's name) to decide their pretensions by the sword, which I had always forbid him to do; saying, that man should never be my hasband who exposed my reputation by a duel; since the world would never believe, that any man would expose his life for a woman, unless there had been some encouragement given on both sides: whereas I never gave the least to any but Prince Cali. However, the other met him one day, and attacked him so furiously, that Prince Cali was forced to kill him in his own defence, making a thousand protestations, that he had almost suffered himself to be killed, rather than to disobey my orders. But the father of the prince who was slain, with a company of assassins, [...] an ambuscade for prince Cali and his father, in which this latter was killed, [Page 313] and most of his train. But by the valour of his son, and two of his companions, the chief assassins were laid dead on the spot, and the rest put to flight. But Prince Cali, after the death of his father, fearing further treachery of that nature, presently after we were married, removed to another part of the kingdom; from whence being sent on a commission by his king, he was inhumanly murdered by the barbarous Hamet. This is the sum of my unfortunate life, till I had the good fortune to save yours.

Secretary.

We permitted the nephew and the aunt (for so they were found to be by the medal) to embrace one another; Signor Gaudentio assuring her, that by all appearance he was the son of her sister and the mother's sister that was lost, and both of them preserved to save each other's life. The lady then declared, she would turn Christian, since her misfortunes were come to a period; and that she was resolved to leave the world, and retire into some of our monasteries. We put her among the nuns of our order, where she promises to be a signal example of virtue and piety. The inquisitors ordered the examinant to give them the remaining [Page 314] part of his life, which, in all appearance, if they found his story to agree with their informations, might purchase him his liberty. Upon which Gaudentio proceeded as follows.]

I was telling your Reverences, that at length we set sail from the Porte, and steered our course directly for Venice, where we happily arrived without any considerable accident, the 10th of December 1712. I do not question but your Reverences are already informed, that such persons did arrive at Venice about that time. Monsieur Godart is well known to several merchants, and some of the senators of that famous city, whom he informed of what he saw with his own eyes. But there were some particular passages, unknown to your Reverences, wherein I had like to have made shipwreck of my life, after so many dangers; as I did here of my liberty; though I do not complain, but only represent my hard fortune to your Reverences consideration, as well as a great many strangers of the first rank, to see the nature of it. I put on my Mezoranian habit, spangled with suns of gold, and the fillet-crown on my head, adorned with suns of gold, with several jewels of very great value, which I believe was the most remarkable and magnificent dress of any [...]here. I went unmasked being assured [Page 315] my face and person were unknown to all the world. Every one's eyes were upon me. Several of the masqueraders came to me, and talked to me, particularly the ladies. They spoke to me in several languages, as Latin, French, Italian, Spanish, High Dutch, &c. I answered them all in the Mezoranian language, which seemed as strange to them, as my dress. Some of them spoke to me in the Turkish and Persian language, in Lingua Franca, and some in an Indian language I did not understand. I answered them still in the Mezoranian, of which no body knew one word. Two ladies particularly, very richly dressed, followed me where ever I went. The one, as it proved afterwards, was Favilla, the celebrated courtesan, in the richest dress of all the company; the other was the lady who was with me when I was taken up, and who was the occasion of my settling at Bologna; I mean the true occasion, for I will conceal nothing from your Reverences. Notwithstanding their diligence, I got away unknown at that time. The next time I came, I appeared in the same dress, but with richer jewels; I had more eyes upon me now than before. The courtesan pursued me again in a different, but richer dress than the former. At length she got me by myself, and pulling off her mask, shewed me a wonderful pretty [Page 316] face, only there was too fierce an assurance in it. She cried in Italian, O Signor, you are not so ignorant of our language, as you would seem to be! you can speak Italian and French too: though we don't know who you are, we have learned you are a man of honour. If you would not understand our words, you may understand a face, which very great personages have been glad to look at: and with that put on one of the most ensnaring airs I ever saw. I don't doubt but your Reverences have heard of that famous courtesan, and how the greatest man in Venice was once her slave. I was just going to answer her, when the other lady came up, and pulling off her mask also, said almost the same things, but with a modesty more graceful than her beauty, which was most exquisite, and the most like the incomparable Isyphena I ever saw. I made them both a most respectful bow, and told them, that it had been much safer for me, if I had kept myself still unknown, and never seen such dangerous charms. I pronounced these words with an air, that shewed, that I was more pleased with the modesty of the last lady, than the commanding assurance of the first. The courtesan, though a little nettled at the preference she thought I gave the other, put on a more serious air, and said, she had been informed, there was something very extraordinary in my character, [Page 317] and said she would be glad to hear more of it by herself; that her name was Favilla, and that she lived in such a street, where I should find her house remarkable enough. The Bolognian lady, whom your Reverences knew very well, and who was then at Venice, on account of the death of her uncle, one of the senators, who had left her all his effects, said modestly, if I were to favour her with a visit, as she had been informed that I was a learned man and a virtuoso, being inclined that way herself, she should be glad of an hour's conversation with me on that subject, telling me her name, and where she lived; adding, if I would inform myself of her character, I need not be ashamed of her acquaintance; nor, I hope of mine, Madam, says the other, thinking she had been reflected on by that word. It was Monsieur Godart, who, with a levity peculiar to his nation, had made the discovery who I was, though he knew nothing of me but what passed since I came from Grand Cairo. I was going to reply to the ladies, when company came up, and broke off the discourse. I was resolved to see neither of them, and would go no more to the assembly, though almost unavoidably I saw both afterwards. I inquired into Favilla's character, though I scarce doubted of it by what I saw and heard, and was informed that she was an [Page 318] imperious courtesan, who had enslaved several persons of the first rank, of different nations, and enriched herself by their spoils: this determined me not to see her▪ But, as Monsieur Godart and myself were walking to see the town, he brought me either industriously, or accidentally, by her door; she was sitting at the window of one of the most magnificent palaces in Venice, (such spoils had she reaped from her bewitched lovers.) As soon as she espied me, she sent a servant to tell me, that lady Favila would wish to speak with me: I made some difficulty, but Monsieur Godart told me, a man of honour could not refuse such a favour as that; so I went in, and Monsieur Godart with me. The lady received me with a most charming agreeable air, much different from her former assurance, and conducted me into a most magnificent apartment, leaving Monsieur Godart entertaining a very pretty lady, her companion. Not to detain your reverences too long, when I would not understand what she meant, she offered me marriage, with the inheritance of all her effects; I was put to the last nonplus. I assured her with a most profound bow, that though I was not worthy of such a happiness, I had an obligation never to marry. All the blood immediately came into her face: I did not know what she was [Page 319] going to do, but finding her in that disorder, I made another bow, saying, I would consider further on her proposal; and walked directly out of the house, designing to leave Venice as soon as my affairs would give me leave. Some time after Monsieur Godart came to me, and told me, he was forced to do as I did; that the lady was in such an outrageous fury he did not know what might be the consequence. Three nights after, as Monsieur Godart and a young kinsman of his, and myself, were going towards the Rialto, in the dusk of the evening, four ruffians attacked us unawares; two of them set upon me, the other two attacked Monsieur Godart and his kinsman; the poor young gentleman was run through the body the first push; I made shift to disable one of my adversaries, but in doing it, the other run me through the ribs, but the sword took only part of my body, and missing my entrail,, the point went out on the side of my back. Monsieur Godart, who, to give him his due, behaved with a great deal of courage and bravery, had killed one of his men, and wounded the other; and the ruffians, being disappointed in their nefarious designs, fled with the greatest precipetancy, and in a place so dissipated and corrupt as Venice, it is very easiy to elude discovery, or the hand of justice; after this unexpected rencounter, we retired [Page 320] to our lodgings, where we had our wounds dressed, and as soon as they would admit of travelling, we set out for Bologna, for probably any longer stay might have involved us in greater difficulties.

This is a true and full account of my life hitherto; whatever is blameable in it I hope your Reverences will pardon, as I submit it entirely to your judgments.

[ Secretary.

As I had the honour to inform you before, we inquired into all those facts which he said happened to him in the company of Monsieur Godart; which finding to be true, we judged the rest might be so. We asked him, if he would conduct some of our missionaries to that strange country he mentioned; he told us he would: but not willing to trust him entirely, as not knowing what he might do with them, when he had them in unknown countries, we thought fit to give him his liberty first to go where he would, even out of Italy, with assurances, if he came back of his own accord, we would send missionaries along with him. He went to Venice and Genoa abought his concerns, and is now come back, with us; so that we believe the man to be really what he professes himself to be.]

FINIS.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.