Part 4

The next Day in the Morning, which was the 24th of _September_, 1644, and the 11th of our Arrival, we each took a Hatchet in our Belts with a Gun, and whatsoever we thought necessary for an Enterprise of this Nature, and without more ado enter'd the Wood, leaving the others behind us, and made great Haste towards the S.S.W. We travell'd at least four long Leagues before we talked of resting. _La Foret_, who was one of my Comrades, as _Du Puis_ was the other, perceiving a Heath-cock about a hundred Paces from us, shot him; while one pick'd it, I and the other fell to cutting of Fuel, and making a Fire under the Tree, at which we soon roasted our Fowl by a String. We made a hearty Dinner, only we wanted Drink, for which we were oblig'd to wait a little longer. As we proceeded in our Journey, we found a Pit of Water, which tho' not very clear, yet we thought it excellent: We fill'd our Flagons with it but made little or no Use of it, for about a League and half further we came to a Brook, where the Water was really as good as I ever met with in my Life. It was about two Foot deep, and ran exactly across that Part of the Road we had purpos'd to travel, by the help of a small Sun-Dial that I had in my Pocket, which was of great Service to us. There being no Bridge, nor other Conveniency, we pull'd off our Stockings, _&c._ and waded thro' the Rivulet, leaving it with great Regret, after having drank our Bellies full, and laid in a Stock of it for time to come. We hitherto found no Trace of Man or Beast. The Country was all over Sand, Briars, and Forests, for a matter of Eight or Ten Leagues that we had travell'd before Sun-set. In fine, we pitch'd our Camp at the Foot of a little Hill, where there was a Coppice so thick that we were as much out of the Wind, as if we had been in a Tent. Then we eat for Supper what we left at Dinner, and made the best shift we could to repose our selves for Sleep.

The next Morning when we wak'd, we were surpris'd to see the whole Firmament overcast, and threatning us with a heavy Storm; we therefore thought fit to dig a Cave in this Hill, which was pretty steep, on the Side where we were posted, in order to shelter our selves from the bad Weather. In short, we found in a trice, that by the Help of our Hatchets we had prepar'd a small Lodging. The Rain, however, did, not begin till about Eleven of the Clock, so that we had time enough to kill more Quails and other small Birds, which for the most part were unknown to us, than we could spend in a Week. There was a vast Multitude of 'em, and, generally speaking, they suffer'd themselves to be kill'd, without stirring from the Place, which was another Reason that induc'd us to think the Country cou'd not be, inhabited. After all, we were oblig'd to stay here four Days, which to us seem'd more tedious than four Weeks would have done elsewhere. But this Chagrin of ours was alleviated afterwards, for we enjoy'd fair Weather above a Month without Intermission.

When we had quitted our Lodging, we began to discover high Mountains, and for fear we should not find Sustenance there, we laid in a Stock of Provisions for several Days. We were not mistaken in our Conjectures; one would have sworn it was another _Greenland_, the Place being all dry and barren, so that in many Parts there was neither Herb, nor Bush, nor any thing that could give Nourishment to the minutest Animal; therefore we discover'd nothing worth mentioning: The Birds also were very scarce, from whence 'tis easy to imagine, that we spent our Time there very ill; and had it not been that every now and then we went down into certain little Valleys, where there were some paltry Fruit-Trees, and Water to quench our Thirst, we had been in danger of perishing.

The Ninth Day of our Journey, towards the Evening, we arriv'd in a Vale, where, about a Quarter of a League from us, on the right Hand, we saw a little Torrent that descended from a Rock into a Hollow, from whence it ran into a Marsh, which form'd a Semi-Circle, but extended in the Center farther than our Eyes could reach. The Banks of this fine Water were high, and somewhat steep, which gave us reason to think that the River was then much lower than at another Season of the Year. As I drew near it, in order to go into it, I was startled to find the Ground give way all on a sudden under my Feet, so that I fell in up to my Armpits. My Comrades seeing me stick there, fell a laughing, however they help'd me out. At the same time ten or twelve Birds, as big as our Geese, with Beaks as long and as broad as ones Hand; flutter'd under my Feet, darted like an Arrow into the Air, and sounded an Alarm by a Noise of _Quacou, Quacou_, which was their natural Cry, and loud enough to be heard at a great Distance. Before one could tell a Hundred, the Sky was darkned with these Birds, which prodigious Number together with the fearful Noise they made, scar'd us so, that we absolutely knew not what to think of it;, especially when they accosted us sometimes in Bodies, with desperate Cries, hovering within a Pike's Length of our Heads, and threatning as were, to tear us Limb from Limb; and tho' we shot at them, and brought several of 'em to the Ground, it was still the same; but when we saw that they meant us no Harm, and that they actually began to found a Retreat, we went to take some Refreshment.

_Du Puis_ presently remark'd, that the Place where I sunk in, was a Nest to which some of those Birds were retired, by the Side of which was a Second, then a Third, and so on, about the distance of ten or twelve Foot from one another. The Mouth of these subterraneous Nests was of an oval Form, the smallest of which was a Foot in Diameter. I crept into the third, where I found a Place as big as a little Room, it being above eight Foot square, and at least three in Height. There were fifteen Nests round it, all built in a circular Form, with small Boughs full of Leaves, clay'd over, and they were three or four Feet in Circumference. In each Nest were six speckled Eggs, as big as one's Fist. In the middle of the Den, there was a sort of Trough much bigger than those Nests, which was full of a certain Matter, divided into little round Bits, some longer than the others, which I imagin'd at first were their Excrements, but being so curious as to put it to my Lips, I found it of an excellent Taste, exceeding our best Macaroons, which it very much resembled. My Comrades, who were as fond as my self to search for Novelties, went severally into other Dens, where they found things in the very same Situation and Order, as I have mention'd, only as the Cavities were not of the same Bigness, there were more Nests in some than in others. We infer'd from thence, That no wonder there were such Numbers of these Birds, because they multiply to such a Degree, and there's no body to destroy them.

Scarce were we recovered from our last surprize, but we were infinitely more astonish'd at the Sight of one of these Caverns about a hundred Paces off. The Entrance of it could not possibly be the Fabrick of any Birds whatsoever, for three great Stones, each a Foot long, plac'd in the Earth, one by another, form'd the Threshold, and in the Door-way were large Flints, four Foot in height, and above a hundred Weight each, with other Stones plac'd in order, one behind another, which intirely shut it up. These Productions of the Hand of Man made us hesitate whether we ought to wish to find Humane Beings here or not; 'tis true we should have rejoic'd to see Creatures of our own Species, but we were afraid we should not be very well us'd by them. Tho' we were in this sad Quandary, we advanc'd towards it, but took care to cry out and make Noise enough, that we might be heard by any that should happen to be within. _La Foret_ being quite out of Patience to see what wry Faces we made, bid us stand on each Side with our Hatchets in our Hands, while he wou'd remove the Obstacles, and open the Passage, that he might go in and examine what there was behind. He actually did so; but when he was in the Inside, he found it too dark there to see anyone thing. All that he told us when he came out was, that a Man might stand upright in it, and that the Apartment was habitable, he having felt a Bench there. Upon this we went and fell'd some Trees at a small distance from us, where we cut as much Wood as we cou'd carry, and made a Fire before our Cavern, and, when it was well lighted, we enter'd into our Room, which was twice the Bigness of the others, neatly pav'd with choice little Flints, and border'd all round with a Bank of Turf.

But, O dreadful Sight! what should we see at the same time upon the Bank, on the left, which was most shelter'd from the Wind, but a Humane Corpse, which was from Head to Foot a very Skeleton. Over it there was a kind of smooth Slate, fasten'd in the Wall, on which was engrav'd in the Greek Language, and in Capital Letters, ᾽ΑΓΙΟΣ ῾Ο ΘΕΟΣ, ᾽ΑΓΙΟΣ ΊΣΧΥΡΟΣ, ᾽ΑΓΙΟΣ ΚΑΙ ᾽ΑΘΑΝΑΤΟΣ, ᾿ΕΛΕΗΣΟΝ ῾ΗΜΑΣ. _O holy God, holy and powerful, holy and immortal, have Mercy upon us!_ Every one will naturally imagine, that various were our Conjectures and Sentiments of this Matter, which I will not therefore trouble my self to repeat. Mean time, Hunger, which made us very sharp-set, oblig'd us to take a Brace of the Birds we had kill'd, which we held over the Flame to burn off the Feathers, instead of skinning them, as we us'd to do, because we fancy'd the Skin to be as delicate a Part as any; nor were we at all deceiv'd, for after having drawn them, and wash'd 'em, we put 'em upon the Brands, where they were roasted in a Moment, and as we had eat but very little all Day, we scarce left any thing, besides Bones; for they were fat, juicy, and very well tasted. After having made a very hearty Supper, we settled our selves to sleep, as well as we could, leaving the dead Man to his Cavern, without touching him, because we had a mind to examine him more narrowly next Day.

It was hardly Day-break, when our impertinent Birds renew'd their Noise, as they flew to and from their Holes, to such a degree, that it was impossible for us to sleep any longer, tho' we were heartily inclin'd to it. We staid, however, till the Sun was up; but our Appearance did not at all alarm the Fowls which were all as hard employ'd about their several Occasions, as if they had actually been in Pay. We saw some with their Bills full of Earth, which they brought, no doubt, from the most irregular Parts of their Holes, in order to make them either larger or neater. Others came with Materials for repairing their Nests, but the generality carry'd those Cracknels, which I thought so good the Night before. We ascended the Eminence, to see from whence they brought this Food. As soon as we had lifted up our Eyes, we saw upon a little Hill, within a Musket-shot of us, three Bodies of the same Height and Bigness. We went to take a near View of them, and found, in short, that they were three broken Pyramids, eight Foot in Height, five in Diameter at the Base, and about three at the Top, very regularly built of Flints neatly placed in Rows upon one another.

The bare View of three such rare Monuments in a Desert Country, did not satisfy us; we were resolv'd to take one of them to pieces; But as soon as we had taken off about the thickness of a Foot and half of the Stones at the top, we discover'd first the Skull of a Humane Creature, then the Shoulder-Bones, Arm-Bones, and in a word, the whole Carcase. We just discover'd the Head of a Corpse, which was in the Second, but went no farther, because probably it was all the same in the last. While we were reflecting upon all this with a sort of Wonder, I went and discover'd round the third Pyramid certain Characters, form'd also of little Flints, almost like Pidgeons Eggs, which I took for the following _Hebrew_ Letters; and they were rang'd on the Ground in this Order, _Koph_, _Vau_, _Lamed_, _He_, _Teth_, _Lamed_, _Koph_, _Pe_, _Gimel_, _Vau_, _Beth_, _Thau_, _Hajin_, _Koph_, _Mem_, _Lamed_, _Aleph_, _Sajin_, _Samech_, _Resch_; but they had no Points, nor any other Mark to explain them. I try'd my utmost to find out the Meaning of them, and have thought on't a thousand times since, but could never accomplish it, which way soever I set about it. There was something of the like kind round the two other Monuments, but I did not think it worth while to take off the Stones that we had cast upon them. In all Appearance, these were the Remains of four poor Devils like our selves, who, after having rambled out of their Knowledge, and seeing no Likelihood of coming to any better Place than this, stopt here, dug a Cave after the manner of the Birds I mention'd, or perhaps took Possession of one of their Nests, and so dy'd there, one after another; first those we saw under the Monuments, and then the last upon the Bench, where we found him, and where Time had so consumed his Clothes and Flesh, that we did not see the least Traces of either.

What further confirm'd us in this Opinion was, that not far from hence there was a vast Number of Trees, as straight as a Bulrush, whose Branches grew all in Pyramidical Stories, ending at the Top in form of an Acorn, as big as an Egg. All the Branches of these Trees were like so many Plumes of Ostrich-Feathers, that is to say, garnish'd with small Leaves like Strings, on both Sides. From one end to the other, and all round the Edge of this Plumage, there was a Border of the Size of a Writing-Quill, and over each Row of Branches a Ring, which encompass'd the Tree, about the thickness of one's Finger, and was that excellent Food, of which our great Birds seem'd so dainty, and which we imagin'd the four poor Pilgrims eat instead of Bread.

Forasmuch as I had but just tasted this Bread the Night before, I and my Comrades fell on it very heartily. It was who could climb best to come at it, where any was left; for in several Places there was none to be had. In fine, we cramm'd till we could swallow no more, and we all lik'd it so well, that _Du Puis_ actually talk'd of building a Tabernacle, and dying there, as the Owners of those Skeletons seem'd to have done. But while we were talking of this Subject, we were overtaken with such a sudden Drowsiness, that we could scarce heave our Legs from the Ground, and we all lay down. Not one of us was bereft of his Understanding, but our Members were all benumb'd, and we almost lost the Use of Speech. We had been two Hours in this Condition, when we fell asleep till the Afternoon.

_Du Puis_, who was the first that awak'd, felt something under his right Hand, betwixt Sleeping and Waking, which he thought naked, smooth, and as big as his Thigh. He imagin'd at first, that he had roll'd in his Sleep upon one of us, but recovering his Reason with the Revival of his Spirits, and opening his Eyes for better Information, he was terribly astonish'd to see betwixt him and _La Foret_, a Serpent, which was above twenty-five Foot long. He was more depriv'd of the Use of his Members then, than before, and could neither stir nor speak; in the mean time the Serpent retreated, twin'd himself about one of the neighbouring Trees, and crept up to taste the Cracknels. Upon this, my Friend took Courage, jogg'd me, and when I awak'd, he shew'd me that hideous Animal. As weak as I still found my self, I got up in a Moment, and ran away as fast as I could. _Du Puis_ follow'd me, and _La Foret_, upon our calling out to him, did the like instantly. Glad we were that this Monster had not swallow'd us up, the Fear of which was a strong Motive to our Resolution of decamping forthwith; but we were forc'd to stay all Night to recover our selves.

CHAP. V.

_Continuation of the Adventures of the Author and his Comrades, till they came to an Inhabited Country._

Finding our selves fresh and brisk when we wak'd, we resolv'd to shift our Quarters; and, despising this terrestrial Manna which had so enervated us, after laying in a good Stock of the roasted Fowls for our Provision, we bid adieu to the Monuments, and advanc'd farther into the Country. We were then full fifty Leagues from the Sea. We were inclinable to eat the first Night, but tho' we had walk'd a great deal, and pass'd over a Mountain of seven or eight Leagues, we had little or no Appetite; and it was three Days before we could take any thing; which gave us reason to think, that the Bread of the Tree must be extremely nourishing, and that it could not but be good, when taken with Moderation. Mean time, the Way prov'd worse and worse; but, to our Comfort; the Nights were clear, and the Days long, and the farther we advanc'd into the Spring of this Country, and the farther we got from the Line, the more charming we thought the Climate and the Soil; and either the one or the other was generally the Subject of our Conversation.

_Du Puis_, above all things, seem'd to be charm'd with the Sun, which, from its Rising to its Setting, continually smil'd on us with its agreeable Rays. I do assure you, said he to us one Day, If I had not been born in a Country where the People are so happy as to be instructed in the Knowledge of their Creator, and if I had never heard a Word about the Being of all Beings, the Flambeau of Heaven would, without dispute, be the only Deity that I should think worthy of my Adoration; not only, because of all the visible Objects in the World 'tis the most agreeable, but because without its Influence, no Plant nor Animal can subsist: Every thing languishes the Moment that it departs; whereas its Presence renders Vigour to what before seem'd dying. You are not the only Man, said I, of that Opinion; there are intire Nations that invoke this glorious Planet, as the prime Cause of all things; and even those Ancients who acknowledge a Being of Sovereign Perfection, could not help ascribing certain Epithets to it, which plainly denoted their Esteem for it. _Orpheus_ call'd it the _Eye of Heaven_. _Homer_, the _Being which sees and hears all things_. _Heraclitus_, the _Fountain of Celestial Light_. St. _Ambrose_, the _Beauty of Heaven_. _Philo_, the _Image of eternal Splendor_. _Plato_, the _Soul of the World_. King _David_ extols its Excellency to a marvellous Degree, especially in his 18th _Psalm_; and the holy Men of the _Old_ and _New Testament_, make no Scruple to represent it to us as the Model of the Divinity, whom they call in a hundred Places, the _Day-spring from on high_, and the _Sun of righteousness_.

I laugh, continued _La Foret_, at what some People have said concerning the Planets. I pray to God, and if I have any Veneration for the Creatures, 'tis only for the Creator's sake, who is marvellous in all his Works; but what surprises me most is to hear of two Motions of the Sun, which are directly opposite to each other, _viz._ its Daily Motion, from East to West; and its Annual one, from West to East. 'Tis true, reply'd I, these two Motions are directly contrary to one another, if they are ascrib'd to the Sun, which is done by the Ancients universally; but nothing is more natural, if we ascribe these two Motions to the Earth, which makes a great Circle round the Sun in the space of a Year, and turns once upon its own Center or Axis in Twenty-four Hours, just as if you were to push a Bowl, or if you please, a Turnep, from one end of an Alley to the other, which, while it was rolling to the end of the Alley, would make several Turns at the same time upon its own Axis. The Earth does the very same thing; and its two different Motions were always of use to Men to measure the Time of their Duration. The Tour which it makes upon its own Axis, forms our Natural Day of Twenty-four Hours; and the Time it takes in its grand Circle round the Sun, makes our Year of 365 Days and 6 Hours, wanting a few Minutes. 'Tis true, that this Computation or Measure for the Year was not known always alike to all Nations. The _Egyptians_, the _Chaldeans_, the _Jews_, and other ancient People, computed their Years differently, and made them longer or shorter, some than others. Many of them regulated their Years rather by the Course of the Moon, than that of the Earth, as several Nations do even at this Day.

The Calendar now follow'd by the Nations of _Europe_, came from the ancient _Romans_, but was not always so exactly regulated as at present; for in the time of _Romulus_, the Founder of _Rome_, the Year, which ought to be the Time that the Earth is making its great Tour round the Sun, was computed at only 304 Days, included in 10 Months: _March_, _May_, _July_, _October_, consisted each of 31 Days, and the others of but 30. _Numa Pompilius_, his Successor, added 51 to this Number, so that then the Year had 355 Days. Besides, he cut off a Day from every lesser Month, which he added to those 51, and of these he instituted the Months of _January_, consisting of 29, and _February_, of 28 Days. In fine, _Julius Cæsar_, the first of the _Roman_ Emperors, having consulted the most skilful Astronomers of his Time, did, with their Consent, change the Year, which was almost a Lunar Year, into a Solar one by adding 10 more Days to it, which he distributed in such manner, that _January_, _August_, and _December_, had each two, and _April_, _June_, _September_, and _November_, one. Nevertheless, as all this was not enough, because the Year consists of 365 Days, 6 Hours, wanting about 11 Minutes, the Emperor would have every 4 Years, a Year of 366 Days, which additional Day should be plac'd between the 6th and 7th of the Calends of _March_, so that there were two 6th Days of the Calends of _March_, in such a Year, which was therefore call'd _Bissextile_, because the 6th Day was reckon'd twice before they proceeded to the next.

This Correction, as just as it was thought to be, did nevertheless occasion a Mistake in the Calendar, in process of Time; for tho' the Year was then but about 11 Minutes too long, whereas the Sun, as they said, enter'd in his Time (or 45 Years before the Birth of Jesus Christ) into the Vernal Equinox, the 24th of _March_, it enter'd into it on the 21st, at the time of the _Nicene_ Council, _Anno_ 327, and on the 11th of _March_ in 1582, in the Reign of Pope _Gregory_ XIII, who observing it, suppress'd 10 Days of that Year, between the 4th and 15th of _October_, because in that Space there were no Festivals nor Saints Days. And for fear that Posterity should relapse into the same Error, which was a Point of Consequence to the Equinoxes, that in time would have made an entire Revolution thro' all the Months of the Year, by such Retrogradation, he order'd, that for the next three Centuries successively, the _Bissextile_ Year should not be computed at their Expiration, but only at the End of the Fourth, from whence it comes, that there must be 400 _Gregorian_ Years and three Days to equal 400 _Julian_ Years.

I am oblig'd to M. _Du Puis_, said _La Foret_, for having started this Subject of Conversation; for I had been a long time desirous to know what was meant by the _Bissextile_ Year, by _Old_ and _New Style_, and what was the real Cause of all those Alterations. They would not be satisfy'd till I had at several times explain'd to them the Meaning of the Terms _Epact_, _Golden Number_, _Solar Cycle_, _Roman Indiction_, _Ides_, _Calends_, and every thing almost that is necessary to be known for the Composition of an Almanack. What they most wonder'd at was, when I assur'd them that the Sun, which to us seem'd so small, is absolutely bigger than the whole Earth. Really, said _La Foret_, this is beyond Imagination, and I can't think that all the Stories told us of these things are any better than Dreams. _Du Puis_, who aggravated every Objection made by his Comrade, presum'd to tell me, that I talk'd very much at random, because I maintain'd the Truth of it; so that I was under a Necessity, tho' sorely against the Grain, to proceed to some Eclaircissements for their Satisfaction.