Kabanata Kabanata 9 · The author returns to Maldonada. Sails to the kingdom of Luggnagg. The

. The author returns to Maldonada. Sails to the kingdom of Luggnagg. The

author 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, the

Governor of Glubbdubdrib, and returned with my two companions to

Maldonada, where, after a fortnight’s waiting, a ship was ready to sail

for Luggnagg. The two gentlemen, and some others, were so generous and

kind as to furnish me with provisions, and see me on board. I was a

month in this voyage. We had one violent storm, and were under a

necessity of steering westward to get into the trade wind, which holds

for above sixty leagues. On the 21st of April, 1708, we sailed into the

river of Clumegnig, which is a seaport town, at the south-east point of

Luggnagg. We cast anchor within a league of the town, and made a signal

for a pilot. Two of them came on board in less than half an hour, by

whom we were guided between certain shoals and rocks, which are very

dangerous in the passage, to a large basin, where a fleet may ride in

safety within a cable’s length of the town-wall.

Some of our sailors, whether out of treachery or inadvertence, had

informed the pilots “that I was a stranger, and great traveller;”

whereof these gave notice to a custom-house officer, by whom I was

examined very strictly upon my landing. This officer spoke to me in the

language of Balnibarbi, which, by the force of much commerce, is

generally understood in that town, especially by seamen and those

employed in the customs. I gave him a short account of some

particulars, and made my story as plausible and consistent as I could;

but I thought it necessary to disguise my country, and call myself a

Hollander; because my intentions were for Japan, and I knew the Dutch

were the only Europeans permitted to enter into that kingdom. I

therefore told the officer, “that having been shipwrecked on the coast

of Balnibarbi, and cast on a rock, I was received up into Laputa, or

the flying island (of which he had often heard), and was now

endeavouring to get to Japan, whence I might find a convenience of

returning to my own country.” The officer said, “I must be confined

till he could receive orders from court, for which he would write

immediately, and hoped to receive an answer in a fortnight.” I was

carried to a convenient lodging with a sentry placed at the door;

however, I had the liberty of a large garden, and was treated with

humanity enough, being maintained all the time at the king’s charge. I

was invited by several persons, chiefly out of curiosity, because it

was reported that I came from countries very remote, of which they had

never heard.

I hired a young man, who came in the same ship, to be an interpreter;

he was a native of Luggnagg, but had lived some years at Maldonada, and

was a perfect master of both languages. By his assistance, I was able

to hold a conversation with those who came to visit me; but this

consisted only of their questions, and my answers.

The despatch came from court about the time we expected. It contained a

warrant for conducting me and my retinue to _Traldragdubh_, or

_Trildrogdrib_ (for it is pronounced both ways as near as I can

remember), by a party of ten horse. All my retinue was that poor lad

for an interpreter, whom I persuaded into my service, and, at my humble

request, we had each of us a mule to ride on. A messenger was

despatched half 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 to lick the dust before his footstool.” This is the court

style, and I found it to be more than matter of form: for, upon my

admittance two days after my arrival, I was commanded to crawl upon my

belly, and lick the floor as I advanced; but, on account of my being a

stranger, care was taken 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 the highest rank, when they desire an admittance. Nay,

sometimes the floor is strewed with dust on purpose, when the person to

be admitted happens to have powerful enemies at court; and I have seen

a great lord with his mouth so crammed, that when he had crept to the

proper distance from the throne; 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 wipe their 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 any of his nobles to death

in a gentle indulgent manner, he commands the floor to be strewed with

a certain brown powder of a deadly composition, which being licked up,

infallibly kills him in twenty-four hours. But in justice to this

prince’s great clemency, and the care he has of his subjects’ lives

(wherein it were much to be wished that the Monarchs of Europe would

imitate him), it must be mentioned for his honour, that strict orders

are given to have the infected parts of the floor well washed after

every such execution, which, if his domestics neglect, they are in

danger of incurring his royal displeasure. I myself heard him give

directions, that one of his pages should be whipped, whose turn it was

to give notice about washing the floor after an execution, but

maliciously had omitted it; by which neglect a young lord of great

hopes, coming to an audience, was unfortunately poisoned, although the

king at that time had no design against his life. But this good prince

was so gracious as to forgive the poor page his whipping, upon promise

that he would do so no more, without special orders.

To return from this digression. When I had crept within four yards of

the throne, I raised myself gently upon my knees, and then striking my

forehead seven times against the ground, I pronounced the following

words, as they had been taught me the night before, _Ickpling

gloffthrobb squutserumm blhiop mlashnalt zwin tnodbalkguffh slhiophad

gurdlubh asht_. This is the compliment, established by the laws of the

land, for all persons admitted to the king’s presence. It may be

rendered 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 was meant, that I desired leave to bring my

interpreter; whereupon the young man already mentioned was accordingly

introduced, by whose intervention I answered as many questions as his

majesty could put in above an hour. I spoke in the Balnibarbian tongue,

and my interpreter delivered my meaning in that of Luggnagg.

The king was much delighted with my company, and ordered his

_bliffmarklub_, or high-chamberlain, to appoint a lodging in the court

for me and my interpreter; with a daily allowance for my table, and a

large purse of gold for my common expenses.

I staid three months in this country, out of perfect obedience to his

majesty; who was pleased highly to favour me, and made me very

honourable offers. But I thought it more consistent with prudence and

justice to pass the remainder of my days with my wife and family.