Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, Page 28

  CHAPTER IX.

  The author returns to Maldonada. Sails to the kingdom of Luggnagg. Theauthor confined. He is sent for to court. The manner of his admittance.The king's great lenity to his subjects.

  The day of our departure being come, I took leave of his highness, theGovernor of Glubbdubdrib, and returned with my two companions toMaldonada, where, after a fortnight's waiting, a ship was ready to sailfor Luggnagg. The two gentlemen, and some others, were so generous andkind as to furnish me with provisions, and see me on board. I was amonth in this voyage. We had one violent storm, and were under anecessity of steering westward to get into the trade wind, which holdsfor above sixty leagues. On the 21st of April, 1708, we sailed into theriver of Clumegnig, which is a seaport town, at the south-east point ofLuggnagg. We cast anchor within a league of the town, and made a signalfor a pilot. Two of them came on board in less than half an hour, bywhom we were guided between certain shoals and rocks, which are verydangerous in the passage, to a large basin, where a fleet may ride insafety within a cable's length of the town-wall.

  Some of our sailors, whether out of treachery or inadvertence, hadinformed the pilots "that I was a stranger, and great traveller;" whereofthese gave notice to a custom-house officer, by whom I was examined verystrictly upon my landing. This officer spoke to me in the language ofBalnibarbi, which, by the force of much commerce, is generally understoodin that town, especially by seamen and those employed in the customs. Igave him a short account of some particulars, and made my story asplausible and consistent as I could; but I thought it necessary todisguise my country, and call myself a Hollander; because my intentionswere for Japan, and I knew the Dutch were the only Europeans permitted toenter into that kingdom. I therefore told the officer, "that having beenshipwrecked on the coast of Balnibarbi, and cast on a rock, I wasreceived up into Laputa, or the flying island (of which he had oftenheard), and was now endeavouring to get to Japan, whence I might find aconvenience of returning to my own country." The officer said, "I mustbe confined till he could receive orders from court, for which he wouldwrite immediately, and hoped to receive an answer in a fortnight." I wascarried to a convenient lodging with a sentry placed at the door;however, I had the liberty of a large garden, and was treated withhumanity enough, being maintained all the time at the king's charge. Iwas invited by several persons, chiefly out of curiosity, because it wasreported that I came from countries very remote, of which they had neverheard.

  I hired a young man, who came in the same ship, to be an interpreter; hewas a native of Luggnagg, but had lived some years at Maldonada, and wasa perfect master of both languages. By his assistance, I was able tohold a conversation with those who came to visit me; but this consistedonly of their questions, and my answers.

  The despatch came from court about the time we expected. It contained awarrant for conducting me and my retinue to _Traldragdubh_, or_Trildrogdrib_ (for it is pronounced both ways as near as I canremember), by a party of ten horse. All my retinue was that poor lad foran interpreter, whom I persuaded into my service, and, at my humblerequest, we had each of us a mule to ride on. A messenger was despatchedhalf a day's journey before us, to give the king notice of my approach,and to desire, "that his majesty would please to appoint a day and hour,when it would by his gracious pleasure that I might have the honour tolick the dust before his footstool." This is the court style, and Ifound it to be more than matter of form: for, upon my admittance two daysafter my arrival, I was commanded to crawl upon my belly, and lick thefloor as I advanced; but, on account of my being a stranger, care wastaken to have it made so clean, that the dust was not offensive.However, this was a peculiar grace, not allowed to any but persons of thehighest rank, when they desire an admittance. Nay, sometimes the flooris strewed with dust on purpose, when the person to be admitted happensto have powerful enemies at court; and I have seen a great lord with hismouth so crammed, that when he had crept to the proper distance from thethrone; he was not able to speak a word. Neither is there any remedy;because it is capital for those, who receive an audience to spit or wipetheir mouths in his majesty's presence. There is indeed another custom,which I cannot altogether approve of: when the king has a mind to put anyof his nobles to death in a gentle indulgent manner, he commands thefloor to be strewed with a certain brown powder of a deadly composition,which being licked up, infallibly kills him in twenty-four hours. But injustice to this prince's great clemency, and the care he has of hissubjects' lives (wherein it were much to be wished that the Monarchs ofEurope would imitate him), it must be mentioned for his honour, thatstrict orders are given to have the infected parts of the floor wellwashed after every such execution, which, if his domestics neglect, theyare in danger of incurring his royal displeasure. I myself heard himgive directions, that one of his pages should be whipped, whose turn itwas to give notice about washing the floor after an execution, butmaliciously had omitted it; by which neglect a young lord of great hopes,coming to an audience, was unfortunately poisoned, although the king atthat time had no design against his life. But this good prince was sogracious as to forgive the poor page his whipping, upon promise that hewould do so no more, without special orders.

  To return from this digression. When I had crept within four yards ofthe throne, I raised myself gently upon my knees, and then striking myforehead seven times against the ground, I pronounced the followingwords, as they had been taught me the night before, _Inckplinggloffthrobb squut serummblhiop mlashnalt zwin tnodbalkuffh slhiophadgurdlubh asht_. This is the compliment, established by the laws of theland, for all persons admitted to the king's presence. It may berendered into English thus: "May your celestial majesty outlive the sun,eleven moons and a half!" To this the king returned some answer, which,although I could not understand, yet I replied as I had been directed:_Fluft drin yalerick dwuldom prastrad mirpush_, which properly signifies,"My tongue is in the mouth of my friend;" and by this expression wasmeant, that I desired leave to bring my interpreter; whereupon the youngman already mentioned was accordingly introduced, by whose intervention Ianswered as many questions as his majesty could put in above an hour. Ispoke in the Balnibarbian tongue, and my interpreter delivered my meaningin that of Luggnagg.

  The king was much delighted with my company, and ordered his_bliffmarklub_, or high-chamberlain, to appoint a lodging in the courtfor me and my interpreter; with a daily allowance for my table, and alarge purse of gold for my common expenses.

  I staid three months in this country, out of perfect obedience to hismajesty; who was pleased highly to favour me, and made me very honourableoffers. But I thought it more consistent with prudence and justice topass the remainder of my days with my wife and family.