Part 15

We set out next Day without taking any thing but our Gowns, and some Trifles which we thought absolutely necessary. We did not want Money, we were known, and the People of the Country are very hospitable, so that we were in no danger of faring ill. The King having recollected that he did not ask us what Conveniency we intended to make use of for our travelling, sent a Domestic after us to conjure us to take the best that he had, and to tell us, that if we did not, he should resent it. We had travell'd about half a League when the Messenger overtook us; he would fain have had us gone back with him, or to have told him how we intended to be carry'd, whether in a Chariot or a Gondola which he would accommodate us with on the Spot, adding, it was the King's Pleasure. We thank'd the Messenger for his Civility, and pray'd him to tell his Majesty, that we were confounded to find him so very obliging, that we should gladly embrace his kind Offer, but that we chose to walk from one Village to another after we had staid long enough to make an Acquaintance with the Judge or the Priest. This Answer did not satisfy our Man who left us with some Uneasiness, for fear perhaps that the King should think he had not duly discharg'd his Commission.

By the way now, let any one judge from this little Incident, whether we had any Reason to complain of our Fortune, and whether we were not compleatly happy, setting aside that unlucky Affair of my Comrade. It was not only at Court that particular Respect was paid us, but every where upon the Road the People throng'd to do us Honour, so that one would have swore an express Order had come from Court to receive us like the chief Men of the Kingdom.

We had been gone about 17 Days when we were surpriz'd to meet two Domestics of our Judge and our Priest with a Canoe laden with Spades, Mattocks, Pick-Axes, Hatchets, Bows, Habits, and necessary Provisions to make a trading Voyage for Copper. They told us, that their Masters wish'd we would be so good as to make them another Clock bigger than the former with a Bell in Proportion, which they intended to present to their Governor, in order to gain his Consent that each of their Sons might have one of his Daughters, who as they describ'd them, were perfect Beauties. And as a pretty deal of Copper would be wanting for the Purpose, they said their Masters were sending them to the Mines with Goods to truck for that Metal; and indeed they had a very good Stock of Provisions on Board, and a Permission to stay out as long as they thought fit. My Comrade presently gave me to understand, that this News chagrin'd him not a little. What, _said he_, I came from a Place to avoid continual Labour, and they are cutting out Work for me in another Place where I am come for Rest; but I'll see the whole Nation at the Devil before I'll file a Stroke more for any of them, tho' I should not be against it if there was any thing to be got by it worth our carrying Home whenever a Conveniency offers, but all our Reward is only a Piece of Metal which will yield but 15 _d._ a Pound in _Europe_. Let us be gone, _continued he_, as soon as possible, for I had rather hazard 100 Lives if I had them to go back the Way we came, into our own Country, than stay here any longer.

You don't consider, _La Foret_, _said I_, nor have you well examin'd the Obstacles that we shall have to surmount. We had great Advantages when we came, which we have not now. We were then three in Number all provided with Fire-Arms, and press'd by Necessity; but now the Case is quite otherwise. Be rul'd by me, my Friend, let us stay where we are, we shall be still more and more belov'd by amusing ourselves in Clock-making, part of our Time, and one cannot be always idle. Wherever we are we can have but Food and Raiment, and here we have as much again as we want. Let us not imitate our Countrymen who are so fickle that they are always shifting from one Place to another. Before we have travell'd much farther we shall repent of our Folly. Finally, I expatiated upon the Difficulties which hinder'd our Return, but it was all in vain, and he told me in plain Terms, that he would go alone if I was obstinately bent not to go with him. Very well then, _said I,_ since you are inexorable, and as on the other hand, I am resolv'd not to part with you; 'tis necessary we should take the Opportunity of this Boat, and try So escape with it thro' that frightful Cavern as they still call the Place where, as I said before, their first King pretended that the Earth brought him forth.

While we were forming this Design, our two Peasants were impatient to see the End of our Dialogue. I told them that we had been divided in our Opinions what Course it were best for us to take, whether to return to the Village, or to go along with them to the Copper-Mines where we had never been yet, and that we had determin'd to keep them Company. They express'd great Joy at it, and in order to add to it, we resolv'd to go to the next Canton, and buy some Flagons of the best Liquors they had. We also took some more Provision with us, but persuaded them at the same time to turn towards the River, on pretence that as we had seen it but in one Place, we had a Curiosity to survey the Shores of it from one End to the other, and we assur'd them also, that we would assist them alternately to row, and would furnish them with all Necessaries if our Voyage was retarded some Days by the Current of the Water, which however was not very rapid in that Place. The poor Fellows consented to every thing we propos'd, the only Difficulty being that as they were both of them Natives of a Canton not many Miles of, they made Account to go thither and see their Relations. I presently gave them to understand that far from hindering their Design we would forward it. Go, _said I to them_, this instant, and spend two or three Days with your Friends while we march so slowly on that when you turn towards the Current, you will soon overtake us. They were in Raptures at my Complaisance, and I was as much rejoyc'd that I was not forc'd to the Trouble of contriving to get rid of 'em in any other Manner.

CHAP. XII.

_The Author leaves this fine Country; the Ways he contriv'd to get out of it. He meets again on the Sea-Side with some of the Ship's Company with whom he had formerly been cast away upon the Coast_, &c.

As soon as those honest Fellows had left us, we took our Course towards the River, but still kept in those Divisions of the Cantons where there were no Houses. I think we had saunter'd scarce two Days, when a little before Midnight we found ourselves at the End of the Canals where were Sluices which we knew nothing at all of before we came to them. This cursed Passage alarm'd us, and we tugg'd hard near an Hour before we discover'd which way the Sluice-Doors were to be open'd. At length we master'd the Difficulty, but then we were as weary as Dogs. In the mean time, there was a Necessity for our going over. It would have been a dangerous Enterprise in the Day-time, because no Body was suffer'd to enter this River without Leave from the Judges, not only by Reason of the Fishery, but in Respect to the Laws which hinder the Inhabitants from going beyond the Bounds of their Country; whereas in the Night-time there was seemingly no Danger of being so much as seen by any Person whatsoever. We had not above 4 Miles and a half to pass. _La Foret_, as he was more zealous to push on than I, so he was more tir'd. I bid him take a little Rest, because one of us at a time was enough to steer the Boat.

I kept exactly in the middle of the Current, and it being fine still Weather, our Boat drove down with the Stream imperceptibly. This together with the Fatigues we had undergone made me so drousy that I could not keep my Eyes open, and we slept so soundly that whether we were always so fortunate as to keep off of the Shore, or whether we did not sometimes dash against it, is more than I can tell, for we were not easily to be awak'd. Nor did I exactly know how long we slept; probably it would have lasted long enough to have refresh'd us, but as Misfortune would have it, it was interrupted on a sudden. Our paltry little Boat dash'd so vehemently against a Rock, that it push'd me out of my Place, and I fell with such Violence against a Shoal, that my Face look'd as if it had been scarify'd. My Comrade started out of his Sleep not knowing what the Noise meant, nor where he was, for he had quite forgot he was upon the Water, and cry'd all at once, Oh God! what's the matter? where am I? Tho' I had done myself a great deal of Mischief, I could not help laughing heartily. Are you there, _said he_, pray where are we? Hell itself can't be darker than it is here. Don't ask me, _said I_, for I can't resolve you, only this I am certain of that our Boat has just now beat against some Place, which gave me such a Fall that my Head is broke, and if I guess right, we must be got into that Cave which we are to pass thro'. I was so very sleepy, _said he_, that I did not consider we were in a Bark. Good God, how dark it is here! I think you were not mistaken when you guess'd that we were under Ground. Handle an Oar, _said I_, and try if you can feel what we are fasten'd to; we must certainly stick to something for I don't perceive that we stir, and yet my Hand tells me the Stream runs down apace, so that the Passage here must be very narrow.

_La Foret_ was a bold Man, yet he was daunted at this dreadful Gulph; he was afraid to stir, and would willingly have stay'd where we were. When I saw there was no Good to be done with him, I grop'd with my Hands and my Oar, and found that we were inclos'd between two Points of the Rock. Come on, said I, there's no Harm, we are where I told you, I feel the Roof of the Cave with my Oar. Thereupon he bestirr'd himself, but notwithstanding all that we could do, I believe we were three Hours in getting out of that damn'd Place, after which we turn'd to the Right.

Wherever we came we met with Shoals, which no doubt were form'd by Parts of the Mountain that broke off every now and then, and obstructed the Passage. We run a-ground, or else beat against the Shore, at every Turn, so that it had been well for us if the Boat had not been so swift, but we could not stop her. In the mean time the Passage grew still narrower the farther we went, so that at last we could not go at all. Then my Blood came into my Face, and verily believing that we were absolutely lost, I was going to knock _La Foret_ in the Head, to be reveng'd for the Mischief he had been the Cause of to me, without any Necessity. But I remember'd very luckily that I had formerly plung'd him in the like Scrapes, and that these were only the Consequences of our former Misfortunes.

Now, said I, my Friend, we are hamper'd, and I know not how we shall get off. If we had but steer'd to the Left, no doubt we should have had room, but I don't see how we can go back, 'tis a pretty way, and besides the Current here is too rapid. Upon this he sounded the Water, and finding it but three or four Foot deep, he stripp'd without saying a Word, and leap'd all at once into the Water. O Heavens! I cry'd, what are you doing? I thought I heard you fall over-board. Don't be afraid, said he, 'twas a voluntary Fall, I am going to examine the Depth and Breadth of this Pass. He had not been gone 20 Steps, but he guess'd he was at the very Point where the two Branches unite. He came to tell me the agreeable News, and added, that undoubtedly we were in the narrowest Part. Observing that there were but two Peaks where the Rock hinder'd our Passage, I took the Pickax and Mallet, and in less than two Hours demolish'd one of those Peaks. This Exercise, with what we had gone through before, made me extremely faint; we took some Nourishment in order to strengthen us, and we relied till we were in a Condition to begin our Work again. _La Foret_ too try'd to demolish the other Peak that hinder'd our Passage, but whether the Stone there was harder, or that he did not act with that Strength as I did, he observ'd that he made but a very small Progress, so that I was fain to give him a Lift, and we work'd at it alternately.

We had labour'd a long time, and had not a great deal to do, when we heard a confused Noise approaching to us like Men talking; we stood still for a few Minutes to hearken to it, and perceiv'd that some Men were coming to us. Verily, said I to _La Foret_, our Flight has not been so secret, but it has been observ'd; perhaps the Day was far advanc'd before we enter'd this River, or it may be some body spy'd us in the Canals: Be it as it will, 'tis very probable that the Court was acquainted of it at Noon, and the King order'd Men to be sent out to apprehend us. You hear how they advance, continued I, they are just at our Heels; what shall we do now? Upon my Word, said _La Foret_, as for my part, I am of opinion that we should fight to the last Gasp. We have Tools here which will be of great Use to us for that Purpose; and on the other hand, if we suffer our selves to be taken, I apprehend that some unlucky Prank will be play'd us, and that we shall be sent to the Mines. Not at all, said I, there is no Danger; the King is too _debonnaire_ to treat us after that manner; he has such a Value for our Workmanship, that he would not deprive himself of it by banishing us; besides, we can say with great Probability, that as we went upon the River with Design to examine the Diversity of its Shores, it happen'd unluckily in the Night-time that our Boat got loose before we perceiv'd it, so that we were drove down by the Current to the Place where they have found us. They will laugh perhaps at this little Disaster, but they'll be glad that they came so seasonably to our Assistance.

As my Comrade was going to make answer, we spy'd a Light. They could not be above 30 Paces from us, and they were in the same Arm of the River that we were, but in that Part of it which form'd an Elbow, so that tho' they had Candles, they did not see us. They were no sooner come thither, but their Boat, which probably was larger than ours, was hamper'd all of a sudden, and they seem'd to be uneasy at it. What shall we do now? said one of them. Why, said another, we will make the best Shift we can to get out of this Place, and we'll try to pass to the Left, which we should have done before, if you would but have been rul'd by me. We will do as you would have us, reply'd the former, but for my own part, I believe we may as well do nothing at all; 'tis possible that the Men we are in pursuit of have been gone this way twelve or fifteen Hours ago, so that by this time they are a great way off, or else have been cast away somewhere, as we had like to have been several times. If you will take my Opinion, we will return and say, which is true, that we met with such Obstructions that we could go no farther. The King, indeed, would be very glad to have those Men again, but he does not propose to hurt a Hair of their Heads; and you know that we were injoin'd to intreat them civilly to return, or to let them go in Peace in case they would not come back with us. We may say likewise, if you please, that we overtook them, but that not withstanding all we could say, it was not in our Power to persuade them to return, because they have not true Enjoyment in a Country, whose Maxims are so different from theirs, and that they have a mind to see if they can't find a way to their own Country, where they may have the free Exercise of their Worship, whereas here they dare not so much as defend it, as they have declar'd upon more Occasions than one. Upon this, they all said, Come away, we will agree upon what to say as we are going back.

After they were gone out of our Hearing, we did not budge for some time, because we were afraid they might alter their Minds, and that when they heard the strokes of our Mallet, they might be tempted to come back again. This Inactivity cast us naturally into a Doze, and at length into a profound Slumber. When we awak'd, we began to put our selves into the greater Hurry, because we were far from being hot, and were as fresh and brisk as if we had rested in a good Bed. Consequently we beat down the Angles that stopp'd us, and by main Strength forc'd open a Passage. Afterwards we found things as my Comrade thought we should, for immediately we had Room enough, but then the Place was so full of strong Echoes, that what would have charm'd us at another time, frighten'd us now from speaking, because at every Sentence you would have thought there had been a thousand Devils in the Air mocking you with their monstrous Voices.

Then we advanc'd very slowly, and in the mean time began to hear another confused Noise, not unlike the Rumbling of Thunder at a small distance, which made us even more afraid than we were before. A Man that thinks himself in Danger need have no other Affliction. Each of us rack'd his Brains to find out the Meaning of it. We were not very wide of the Mark when we imagin'd there must needs be a Place with a great Fall, and that the Noise we heard must proceed from some Cataract. There we thought our Ruine would be unavoidable. I did not dream then of what was told us of the _Portuguese_ who formerly went that way, for if I had consider'd of it, I should not have been in so much Pain. As we had Cordage enough, I thought it high time to make use of it; we immediately took ten or twelve Spades and Mattocks, ty'd them up in a Bundle as tight as we could, and cast them into the Water as an Anchor. The Remedy was effectual, the Ground being uneven, our Machine stuck in a good Place, so that we advanc'd no further than the Rope would let us out. At the end of about twenty-five Fathom, my Comrade, who was commonly at the Head of the Boat to sound with his Oar, and to feel on both Sides what hinder'd our Passage, call'd out to me on a sudden to stand fast, because there fell some Water from the Top with which he was already wet to his Skin. Upon this I call'd him in, and after we had agreed that the Water we heard, and which no doubt was the same he then felt, could come from no other Place but the Top of the Mountain, from whence it precipitated by some Crevice into our River, we resolv'd to hale in our Anchor, but before we had got it half way up, our Cable broke, a Loss which however was not very considerable at that Juncture. I only endeavour'd to put my self in such a Situation as to avoid the impetuous Fall of the Torrent we so much dreaded. _La Foret_, by meer Force of Rowing, turn'd my Rudder so as to carry us against the Rock, so that we had the happiest Passage that could be without being in the least wet, but not without danger of being swallow'd up by the dreadful tossing and tumbling of the Waves, occasion'd by the Fall of so great a Quantity of Water from such an Eminence, and 'tis probable that if we had gone on the other Side, we should have been swallow'd up.

The rest of the Way that we had to go was not near so dangerous, and it pleas'd God we saw the End of it. When our Eyes began to see the Light again, we thank'd the Lord most heartily, and our Joy was such, that we have no Words in our Language strong enough to express it. However, we could not land immediately the Shores being too steep, so that we were oblig'd to fall down at least 3 Miles below the Mouth of the River, and then we went Ashore on the left Side in a Place of such Verdure as Nature seem'd to have made on purpose to solace us after having escap'd such manifest Dangers.

The Provisions we had, came very seasonably to our Relief, so that we made a very hearty Meal, and did not spare our Cider. By the Height of the Sun it could not be then less than two o' Clock in the Afternoon, therefore 'twas pretty plain we must have been about 30 Hours in that dark Place. From hence we made the best of our Way.

This River has prodigious Turnings and Windings, and is full of Rocks 'twixt Wind and Water, Shoals and Islands which in some Places form ten or a dozen difficult narrow Passages. There are some Falls in it too which are extremely dangerous, nevertheless, as we pass'd them without any Damage or any extraordinary Accident that might naturally be expected in a Voyage of this Nature, I will not stand to mention the Particulars, for fear the Reader should think me tedious.

I will only add that about 35 Leagues from the Sea, this River is divided into two Branches of which we chose the least, because we had a mind to keep to the Left, and we thought the other led us too far out of our Way. It was just at this Division that a swinging Salmon leap'd 7 or 8 Foot above Water, and fell into our Boat where we receiv'd it with great Joy in Hopes of making a Feast of it, which we did for several Days. Notwithstanding all the Speed we made, we were a Month in our Voyage.

Our Joy to think we were drawing towards our own dear Country, tho' after all we were not sure that we should ever see it again, made us indefatigable; we scarce gave ourselves time to rest, insomuch that we could not have been more in a Hurry if a Ship had actually staid to take us on Board for _Europe_. But alas! when we arriv'd at the Mouth of the River, our Hopes were all dash'd in an instant. We saw a dreadful Passage before our Eyes, which seem'd to us impracticable. When we are Ashore there's room for contriving Ways and Means to overcome such Obstacles as fall in the Way, and let what will happen almost, a little Patience and Pains-taking will bring us out of it, but the merciless Ocean gives one a Disgust against venturing from the Shore.

We had been five Years seeking our Fortune since we left these Coasts. We had indeed encounter'd various Dangers, and undergone extraordinary Fatigues, but then on the other hand we had our Share of Diversion, and even now, I would not for any thing but have seen so fine a Kingdom; on the contrary, I repent a thousand times that I left it. My Comrade, who was the Cause of it, knew not what to say now; the poor Devil was quite confounded, but something however must be resolv'd on.

It was as yet fine Weather, and by good Luck we had a Stock of useful Materials, only we had not many Nails. I was of Opinion, that the first thing we ought to do, was to provide ourselves the best Lodging we could, and that for this Purpose our Hatchets and Mattocks would be of great Service. About 50 Paces from the River, and consequently from our Boat there was a vast Lime-tree, under which we built a fine large triangular Hut, whither we brought our Baggage. Our Bows were also of great Use to us for hunting, otherwise we should have been in Danger of being famish'd; but the Birds were not so tame as those we had formerly met with, so that it requir'd a great deal of Art to catch them.

The thing that gave us some Trouble was to make a Fire for the first Time, because we had lost our Steel, and the Fire that we had sav'd went out the Day before we came hither. The Place where we were was so full of Sand and Shells, that we had several Days Ramble into the Country before we could meet with Flints that were for our Purpose; these were all that we wanted; for we had Rags which we caus'd to be well dry'd in the Sun for Tinder, and we did not want old Iron. As we had plenty of Wood, we did not let the first Fire we made go out, nor was there a Probability of its being extinguish'd a long time, for there were whole Trees which were burning continually.

We stay'd about 8 Months in this Canton, where we liv'd by hunting. One while, in order to pass away the Time, which we thought extremely tedious, we took our Boat, and made a short Voyage upon the River, or out at Sea, according as the Weather and Tide permitted us, and sometimes we climb'd up to the highest Eminences in Hopes of spying some Vessel to carry us out of our melancholy Solitude.