Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 9 — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ee es cobwebs. og, at my command, put ona kind of armor that hehad carried with him for the purpose, corslets of steel, with gauntlets, helmets, etc., So as nearly to resemble a mole. He instantly plunged into the earth, making way with his sharp steel head-piece, and tearing up the ground with his iron claws; and found not much difficulty therein, as morass in general is of a soft and yiel texture. Thus he hoped to undermine Wauwau; and sudden- ly rising, seize her by the foot: while his brother cs ascended the air ina balloon, hoping to catch her if she should escape Magog. ‘Thus the animal was surrounded on every side, and at first was very much terrified, knowing not which way she had best togo, At length, hearing an obscure noise under ound, Wauwau took flight before Magog could 1ave time to catch her by the foot. She flew to the right, then to the left, north, east, west, and south; but found on every side the company prepared upon their nets. At length she flew right up, soaring at a most astonishing rate toward the sun, while the com- yany on every side set up one general acclamation. ut Gog in his.balloon soon stopped Wauwau in the midst of her career, and snared her ina net, the cords of which he continued to hold in his hand. Wauwau did not totally lose her presence of mind but, after a little consideration, made several violen darts against the volume of the balloon; so fierce, as at length to tear open a great space, on which, the inflammable air rushing out, the whole apparatus began to tumble to the earth with amazing rapidity. Gog himself was thrown out of the vehicle, and let- ting go the reins of the net, Wauwau got liberty again, and flew out of sight in an instant. Gog had been above a mile elevated from the earth when he began to fall; and as he advanced, the ra- pidity increased, so that he went like a ball from a cannon into the morass, and his nose striking against one of the iron-cap hands of his brother og, just then tone gg Bae the depths, he began to bleed violently, and, but for the softness of the morass, would have lost his life. CHAPTER XXXTIL THE BARON HARANGUES THE COMPANY, AND THEY CON- TINUE THE PURSUIT—THE BARON, WANDERING FROM HIS RETINUE, IS TAKEN BY THE SAVAGES, SCALPED, AND TIED TO A STAKE TO BE ROASTED; BUT HE CON- TRIVES TO EXTRICATE HIMSELF, AND KILLS THE SAVAGES—THE BARON TRAVELS OVER LAND THROUGH THE FORESTS OF NORTH AMERICA, TO THE CONFINES OF RUSSIA—ARRIVES AT THE CASTLE OF THE NARESKIN ROWSKIMOWMOWSKY, AND GALLOPS INTO THE KING- DOM OF LOGGERHEADS—A BATTLE, IN WHICH THE BARON FIGHTS THE NARESKIN IN SINGLE COMBAT, AND GENEROUSLY GIVES HIM HIS LIFE—ARRIVES AT THE FRIENDLY ISLANDS, AND DISCOURSES WITH OMAI —THE BARON, WITH ALL HIS ATTENDANTS, GOES FROM OTAHEITE TO THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEN; AND HAVING CUT A CANAL ACROSS THE ISTHMUS, RETURNS TO ENGLAND. “My friends, and very learned and profound Ju- dicarii,"’ said I, ‘be not disheartened t Wauwau has escaped from you at —_ snt; persevere, and we shall yet succeed. You should never despair, Mun- chausen being your general; and therefore be brave, be courageous, and fortune shall second your en- deavors. Let us advance undaunted in pursuit, and follow the fierce Wauwau even three times round the globe, until we entrap her.” My words filled them with confidence and valor, and they unanimously agreed to continue the chase. We penetrated the frightful deserts and gloomy woods of America, beyond the source of the Ohio, through countries utterly unknown before. I fre- quently took the diversion of shooting in the woods; and one day that I happened with three attendants to wander far from our troop, we were suddenly set upon by a number of savages. As we had expended our powder and shot, and happened to have no side arms, it was in vain to make resistance against hun- dreds of enemies. In short, they bound us, and made us walk before them to a Ssomy cavern in a rock, where recs feasted upon what me they had killed: but which not being sufficient, they took my three unfortunate companions and myself, and scalped us. The pain of losing the flesh from my head was most horrible; it made me leap in agonies and roar like abull. They then tied us to stakes, and making great fires around us began to dance in a circle, singing with much distortion and barbarity, and at times putting the palms of their hands 6 their mouths, set up the war-whoop. As they had on that. day also made a great prize of some wine and spirits belonging to our troop, these barbarians, find- ing it delicious, and unconscious of its intoxicating quality, began to drink it in profusion, while they be- held us roasting; andin a very short time they were all completely drunk, and fell asleep around the fires, Perceiving some hopes, I used most astonish- ing efforts to extricate myself from the cords with which Iwas tied, and at length succeeded. I imme- companions, and though half roasted, they still had power enough to walk. We sought about for the flesh that had been taken off our heads, and having found the scalps, we imme- diately adapted them to our bloody heads, sticking them on with a kind of ae of a ope quality, that. flows from a tree in that country; and the parts united and healed in a few hours. We took care to n the savages, and with their own revenge ourselves 0 hatchets put every one of them to death. We then returned to our troop, who had given us up for lost; and they made great rejoicings on our “te a - now proceeded in our journey through this prodi- mcs wilderness, Gog and Magog acting “7 pioneers, ewing down the trees, etc., at a great rate as we ad- diately unbound ™m Baron Munchausen. vanced. We lakes, and rivers, until at length we discovered a | habitation at some distance. It appeared a dark and gloomy castle, surrounded with strong ramparts, and a broad ditch. We called a council of war, and it was determined to send a deputation with a trumpet | to the walls of the castle, and demand friendship | from the governor, whoever he might he, and an ac- count if aught he knew of Wauwau. For this oo pose our whole caravan halted in the wood, and Gog and Magog reclined among the trees, that their enor- mous strength and size should not be discovered, and give umbrage to the lord of the castle. Our embassy approached the castle, and having demanded admit- tance for some time, at len let down, and they were ered to enter. As soon as they had passed the gate it was immediately | closed after them, and on either side they perceived | ae of halberdiers, who made them tremble with ear. ** We come,” the herald proclaimed, “on the part of Hilaro Frosticos, Don Quixote, Lord Whittington, and the thrice-renowned Baron Munchausen, to claim friendship from the governor of this puissant castle, and to seek Wauwau.”’ ‘**The most noble the governor,”’ replied the officer, ‘is at all times happy to entertain such travelers as pass through these immense deserts, and will esteem it an honor that the great Hilaro Frosticos, Don mag? Lord Whittington, and the thrice-renowned n Munchausen, enter his castle walls.” In short, we entered the castle. The governor sat with all our company to table, surrounded by his friends, of a very fierce and warlike appearance. They spoke but little, and seemed very austere and reserved, until the first course was served up. The dishes were brought in by a number of bears walking on their hind-legs; and on every dish was a fricassee of pistols, pistol-bullets, sauce of gun aqua-vite. This entertainment seemed rather indi- gestible by even an ostrich’s stomach: when the gov- ernor addressed us, and informed me that it was ever his custom to strangers, to offer them for the first course a service sim to that before us; and if they were inclined to accept the invitation, he would we them as much as they pleased; but if they could not relish the pistol-bullets, etc., he would conclude them peaceable, and try what better polite- | ness he could show them in his castle. In short, the first course being removed untouched, we dined; and after dinner the governor forced the company to push the bottle about with alacrity and to excess. He informed us that he was the Nareskin Rowskimow- mowsky, who had retired amid these wilds, disgust- ed with the court of Petersburgh. I was rejoiced to meet him; I recollected my old friend, whom I had known at the court of Russia, when I rejected the hand of the empress. The Nareskin, with all his es: companions, drank to an astonishing degree and we all set off upon hobby-horses in full cry out of the castle. Never was there seen such a cavalcade be- fore. In front galloped a hundred knights belongin tothe castle, with hunting horns and a pack of excel- lent dogs; and then came the Nareskin Rowskimow- mowsky, Gog and Magog, Hilaro Frosticos, and your humble servant, hallooing and shouting like so many demoniacs, and pare J our hobby-horses at an in- fernal rate, until we arrived in the kingdom of Log- erheads. The kingdom of Lo prhends was wilder an any part of Siberia, and the Nareskin had here built a romantic summer-house in a Gothic taste, to which he would frequently retire with his company after dinner. The Nareskin had a dozen bears of enormous stature that danced for our amusement, and their chiefs performed the minuet dela cour to admiration. And here the most noble Hilaro Fros- | ticos thought proper to ask the Nareskin some inte- ligence about Wauwau, in quest of whom we I traveled over such a tract of country, and encoun- tered so many dangerous adventures: and also in- vited the Nareskin Rowskimowmowsky to attend us with all his bears in the expedition. The Nare- skin appeared astonished at the idea; he looked with infinite hauteur and ferocity on Hilaro, and affecting a violent ion, asked him: ‘“ Did he imagine that the Nareskin Rowskimowmo to take notice of a Wauwau, let her fly what way she would? Or did he think a chief get such blood in his veins could engage in such a fo pursuit? By the blood of all dom of Loggerheads, and by the ashes of ~ grea great-grandmother, L would cut off your head! Hilaro Frosticos resented this oration, and in short a generalriot commenced. The bears, together with the hundred knights, took the part of the hehe est | and Gog and Magog, Don Quixote, the Sphinx, Lo ttington, the bulls, the crickets, the judges, the | aoe and Hilaro Frosticos, made noble warfare em. Ww my sword, and challenged the Nareskin to single combat. He frowned, while his eyes sparkled and indignation; and bracing a buckler on his left arm, he advanced against me. I made a blow at him with all my force, which he received upon his buckler, and my sword broke short. Ungenerous ‘Nareskin! seeing me disarmed, he still pushed forward, deali his blows upon me with the utmost violence, which I parried with my shield and the hilt of my broken sword, and fought like a game-cock. An enormous bear at the same time attacked me; but I ran my hand, stil] retaining the hilt of m broken sword, down his throat, and tore up Aton 8 by the roots. I then seized his carcass by the hind-legs, and whirling it over my head, gave the Nareskin such a blow with his own bear, as evident- ly stunned him. Irepeated my blows, knocking the bear’s head against the Nareskin’s head, until, by one happy blow, I got his head into the bear's Meg and the creature being stiil sormewhat alive and con- h the drawbridge was | wder, and | wsky could condescend added $$ 15 ——_-— d over numberless swamps, and | vulsive, the teeth closed upon him like nut-crackers. I threw the bear from me, but the Nareskin remained sprawling, unable to extricate his head from the _ bear’s jaws, imploring for mercy. I gave the wretch his life—a lion preys not upon carcasses. At the same time, ful, and ordered quarter to be At that moment I perceiv all the islands. riors of the islan my troop had effectually routed the bears and the rest of their adversaries. I was merci- ven. Wauwau flying at a great hight through the heavens, and we ins set out in pursuit of her, and never stopped until we arrived at Kamschatka; thence tly to Otaheite. _Imet my old acquaintance Omal, who had been in England with the great navigator Cook; and I was From these islands we set out, attended b of canoes with Mere ear dary and the chiefest war- 8s, commanded by Omai; and alto- gether we cut a very formidable ap arrival at the Isthmus of Darien. glad to find he had established Sunday-schools over a fleet rance on our nsible of what benefit it would be to mankind, I immediately formed sea to sea. in the same track, segenres up | thereby, and forming a tolera Gog and Mago lion of people, with my chariot. For this purpose I drove m greatest impetuosity repeatedly the rocks and earth le bed for the water. next advanced at the head of a mil- rom the realms of North and South America, and from Europe: and with infinite labor cleared away the earth, etc., that I had ploughed up I then again drove my making the canal wider and deeper; and a plan of cutting a canal across the Isthmus, from chariot with the m shore to shore, hariot ord ered | Gog and Magog to repeat their labor as before. The canal being a quarter of a mile broad, and three hundred yards in depth, I thought it sufficient, and immediatel passed. Thus having wau precisely in the very LT head to form an immediate CHAPTER XXXIV. THE BARON GOES TO PETERSBURGH, AND CONVERSES WITH THE EMPRESS—PERSUADES THE RUSSIANS AND TURKS TO CEASE CUTTING ONE ANOTHER’S THROATS, AND IN CONCERT CUT A CANAL ACROSS THE ISTHMUS OF SUEZ—THE BARON DISCOVERS THE ALEXANDRINE LI- BRARY, AND MEETS WITH HERMES TRISMEGISTUS—BE- SIEGES SERINGAPATAM, AND CHALLENGES TIPPOO SAIB TO SINGLE COMBAT—THEY FIGHT—THE BARON RECEIVES SOME WOUNDS ON HIS FACE, BUT AT LAST VANQUISHES THE TYRANT—THE BARON RETURNS TO EUROPE, AND RAISES THE HULL OF THE ROYAL GEORGE. SEIZED with a fury of canal-cutting I took it in my communication between let in the waters of the sea. I did im- agine that from the rotatory motion of the earth on its axis from west to east, the sea would be on the eastern than the western coast; and that on the uniting of the two seas there would be a strong current from the east—and it happened just as I ex- pected. The sea came in with tremendous magnifi- cence, and enlarged the bounds of the canal, so as to make a passage of some miles broad from ocean to ocean, and make an island of South America. Sev- eral sail of trading vessels and men-of-war sailed | through this new channel to the South Seas, China, | ete., and saluted me with all their cannon as they wedded the Atlantic Ocean to the South Sea, I returned to England, and found Wau- t whence she had set out, after having led us a chase all round the world. igher the Mediterranean and the Red Sea; and therefore set out for Petersburgh. The sanguinary ambition of the empress would not listen to my proposals, until I took a private op- portunity, taking a cup of coffee with her majesty to tell her that I would absolutely sacrifice myse for the general good of mankind; and if she would accede to my proposals, would, on the completion of everythin with the she, risin empress of royal will and pleasure.”’ with shovels and pick-axes. ** My brave fellows,”’ labor of the Chinese second your endeavors. Savi attempted to drive immense vault, givi down precipitately. moments before way, m could reco acumen Remem tunned it ect myse | h, to my amazement, I perceived myse to the Alexandrine Library, overwhelmed in an ocean of books: thousands of volumes came tumbling on my head amidst the ruins of that part of the vault through which my chariot had descended, and fora the canal, ipso facto, give her my hand in marriage! “My dear, dear Baron,” said she, “I accede to you please; and agree to make orte on the conditions you mention. An with all the majesty of the czarina, the world, *‘ be it known to all sub- _ jects, that we ordain these conditions, for such is our reign | he bears in the king- | now proceeded to the Isthmus of Suez, at the head of a million of Russian pioneers, and there united my forces with a million of Turks, armed They did not come to cut each other's throats, but for their mutual inter- est, to facilitate commerce and civilization, and pour _ all the wealth of India by a newchannel into Europe. said I, ‘‘ consider the immense to build their celebrated wall: think of what superior benefit to mankind is our present undertaking; persevere, and fortune will ber, it is Munchaus- en who leads you on, and be convinced of success.” these words, I drove my chariot with all my might in my former track, the vestige mentioned by the Baron de Tott; and when I was advanced considerably, I felt my chariot sinking under me. I drive on, but the ground, or rather chariot and all went the fall, I was some If; when at en in- _ time buried my bulls and all beneath a heap of learn- _ing. However, I contrived to extricate myself, and | advanced with awful admiration through the vast | avenues of the library. I perceived on every side GONE 900 cS innumerable volumes and repositories of ancient (E(0)