Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, Page 26

  CHAPTER VII.

  The author leaves Lagado: arrives at Maldonada. No ship ready. He takesa short voyage to Glubbdubdrib. His reception by the governor.

  The continent, of which this kingdom is apart, extends itself, as I havereason to believe, eastward, to that unknown tract of America westward ofCalifornia; and north, to the Pacific Ocean, which is not above a hundredand fifty miles from Lagado; where there is a good port, and muchcommerce with the great island of Luggnagg, situated to the north-westabout 29 degrees north latitude, and 140 longitude. This island ofLuggnagg stands south-eastward of Japan, about a hundred leagues distant.There is a strict alliance between the Japanese emperor and the king ofLuggnagg; which affords frequent opportunities of sailing from one islandto the other. I determined therefore to direct my course this way, inorder to my return to Europe. I hired two mules, with a guide, to showme the way, and carry my small baggage. I took leave of my nobleprotector, who had shown me so much favour, and made me a generouspresent at my departure.

  My journey was without any accident or adventure worth relating. When Iarrived at the port of Maldonada (for so it is called) there was no shipin the harbour bound for Luggnagg, nor likely to be in some time. Thetown is about as large as Portsmouth. I soon fell into someacquaintance, and was very hospitably received. A gentleman ofdistinction said to me, "that since the ships bound for Luggnagg couldnot be ready in less than a month, it might be no disagreeable amusementfor me to take a trip to the little island of Glubbdubdrib, about fiveleagues off to the south-west." He offered himself and a friend toaccompany me, and that I should be provided with a small convenient barkfor the voyage.

  Glubbdubdrib, as nearly as I can interpret the word, signifies the islandof sorcerers or magicians. It is about one third as large as the Isle ofWight, and extremely fruitful: it is governed by the head of a certaintribe, who are all magicians. This tribe marries only among each other,and the eldest in succession is prince or governor. He has a noblepalace, and a park of about three thousand acres, surrounded by a wall ofhewn stone twenty feet high. In this park are several small enclosuresfor cattle, corn, and gardening.

  The governor and his family are served and attended by domestics of akind somewhat unusual. By his skill in necromancy he has a power ofcalling whom he pleases from the dead, and commanding their service fortwenty-four hours, but no longer; nor can he call the same persons upagain in less than three months, except upon very extraordinaryoccasions.

  When we arrived at the island, which was about eleven in the morning, oneof the gentlemen who accompanied me went to the governor, and desiredadmittance for a stranger, who came on purpose to have the honour ofattending on his highness. This was immediately granted, and we allthree entered the gate of the palace between two rows of guards, armedand dressed after a very antic manner, and with something in theircountenances that made my flesh creep with a horror I cannot express. Wepassed through several apartments, between servants of the same sort,ranked on each side as before, till we came to the chamber of presence;where, after three profound obeisances, and a few general questions, wewere permitted to sit on three stools, near the lowest step of hishighness's throne. He understood the language of Balnibarbi, although itwas different from that of this island. He desired me to give him someaccount of my travels; and, to let me see that I should be treatedwithout ceremony, he dismissed all his attendants with a turn of hisfinger; at which, to my great astonishment, they vanished in an instant,like visions in a dream when we awake on a sudden. I could not recovermyself in some time, till the governor assured me, "that I should receiveno hurt:" and observing my two companions to be under no concern, who hadbeen often entertained in the same manner, I began to take courage, andrelated to his highness a short history of my several adventures; yet notwithout some hesitation, and frequently looking behind me to the placewhere I had seen those domestic spectres. I had the honour to dine withthe governor, where a new set of ghosts served up the meat, and waited attable. I now observed myself to be less terrified than I had been in themorning. I stayed till sunset, but humbly desired his highness to excuseme for not accepting his invitation of lodging in the palace. My twofriends and I lay at a private house in the town adjoining, which is thecapital of this little island; and the next morning we returned to payour duty to the governor, as he was pleased to command us.

  After this manner we continued in the island for ten days, most part ofevery day with the governor, and at night in our lodging. I soon grew sofamiliarized to the sight of spirits, that after the third or fourth timethey gave me no emotion at all: or, if I had any apprehensions left, mycuriosity prevailed over them. For his highness the governor ordered me"to call up whatever persons I would choose to name, and in whatevernumbers, among all the dead from the beginning of the world to thepresent time, and command them to answer any questions I should think fitto ask; with this condition, that my questions must be confined withinthe compass of the times they lived in. And one thing I might dependupon, that they would certainly tell me the truth, for lying was a talentof no use in the lower world."

  I made my humble acknowledgments to his highness for so great a favour.We were in a chamber, from whence there was a fair prospect into thepark. And because my first inclination was to be entertained with scenesof pomp and magnificence, I desired to see Alexander the Great at thehead of his army, just after the battle of Arbela: which, upon a motionof the governor's finger, immediately appeared in a large field, underthe window where we stood. Alexander was called up into the room: it waswith great difficulty that I understood his Greek, and had but little ofmy own. He assured me upon his honour "that he was not poisoned, butdied of a bad fever by excessive drinking."

  Next, I saw Hannibal passing the Alps, who told me "he had not a drop ofvinegar in his camp."

  I saw Caesar and Pompey at the head of their troops, just ready toengage. I saw the former, in his last great triumph. I desired that thesenate of Rome might appear before me, in one large chamber, and anassembly of somewhat a later age in counterview, in another. The firstseemed to be an assembly of heroes and demigods; the other, a knot ofpedlars, pick-pockets, highwayman, and bullies.

  The governor, at my request, gave the sign for Caesar and Brutus toadvance towards us. I was struck with a profound veneration at the sightof Brutus, and could easily discover the most consummate virtue, thegreatest intrepidity and firmness of mind, the truest love of hiscountry, and general benevolence for mankind, in every lineament of hiscountenance. I observed, with much pleasure, that these two persons werein good intelligence with each other; and Caesar freely confessed to me,"that the greatest actions of his own life were not equal, by manydegrees, to the glory of taking it away." I had the honour to have muchconversation with Brutus; and was told, "that his ancestor Junius,Socrates, Epaminondas, Cato the younger, Sir Thomas More, and himselfwere perpetually together:" a sextumvirate, to which all the ages of theworld cannot add a seventh.

  It would be tedious to trouble the reader with relating what vast numbersof illustrious persons were called up to gratify that insatiable desire Ihad to see the world in every period of antiquity placed before me. Ichiefly fed mine eyes with beholding the destroyers of tyrants andusurpers, and the restorers of liberty to oppressed and injured nations.But it is impossible to express the satisfaction I received in my ownmind, after such a manner as to make it a suitable entertainment to thereader.