Niels Klim's Journey under the Ground

<h2><SPAN name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></SPAN>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> <h3>THE AUTHOR BECOMES A MONARCH UNDER THE GROUND.</h3> <p>When my speech was ended, they all cried out with loud voices: "We will have Pikil-Su, for emperor." When I heard this, I became terrified, and begged them, with tears in my eyes, not to forget the fidelity and duty they owed to the imperial family. But my words were of no use. They all approached me, and placed the crown upon my head, repeating the above-mentioned exclamation. I was then carried from the tent and proclaimed before the whole army, emperor of Quama, king of Tanaqui,<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_166" id="Page_166"></SPAN></span> Arctonia and Alectoria, and duke of Kispusianania. Afterwards we made a triumphal entry into the capital, where prince Timuso, himself acknowledged me for emperor. Thus, from a miserable, shipwrecked wretch, I became a great and powerful monarch. I soon married the daughter of the deceased emperor, for the people still loved and honored the old royal family. This princess was named Ralac, and</p> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">Bloomed, like the new-blown rose<br/></span> <span class="i0">In mellowed, purple-smile.<br/></span></div> </div> <p>when I had reduced to order the affairs of the empire, and firmly established myself on the throne, I thought of new means, by which I might extend my dominions, and render my power fearful to the whole subterranean world. I turned my attention to a navy, and soon had a fleet of twenty ships on the sea.</p> <p>I soon came to regard myself an under-ground Alexander; and determined to make myself as famous as he had on our globe. I concluded to sail first for Mezendore and thence to Martinia. We set sail at that period of the year, when the planet Nazar is of the middle size, and<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_167" id="Page_167"></SPAN></span> in a few days came in sight of the Mezendoric coast.</p> <p>I immediately sent ambassadors to the imperial residence, of whom was demanded in the name of the emperor,</p> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">"What their purpose; whence they came<br/></span> <span class="i0">Over the foaming billows of the swelling main."<br/></span></div> </div> <p>The ambassadors answered:</p> <div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">"Neither misleading stars, deluding winds nor storm<br/></span> <span class="i0">Here brought us; with voluntary will we steered."<br/></span></div> </div> <p>and thereupon delivered to the emperor a letter of the following contents:</p> <div class="blockquot"><p>"We, Niels Klim, ambassador of the sun, emperor in Quama, king of Tanaqui, Arctonia, and Alectoria, and duke of Kispusianania, salute the emperor of Mezendore, Miklopolata. We humbly make known, that it is concluded in the unchangeable councils of heaven, that all the empires and kingdoms of the world must surrender themselves to the power of Quama; and as the will of providence is irrevocable, your kingdom must necessarily submit to fate. We<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_168" id="Page_168"></SPAN></span> therefore advise you to surrender voluntarily yourself and your dominions, rather than foolishly resist our invincible phalanx, and thereby experience all the bloody horrors of war.</p> <p>"Given from our fleet, the third day in the month Rimat."</p> </div> <p>In a few days our ambassadors returned with a bold and haughty answer. I made a descent upon the coast, placed my army in battle array, and sent spies to examine the condition of the enemy. The spies came back in great haste, and related that an immense army, of sixty thousand in number, consisting of lions, tigers, elephants, bears and birds of prey, was drawing towards us. We were soon apprised of their near approach, by roars, shrieks and terrific cries, commingling a devilish tumult. The combat soon commenced, and truly, 'twas one of the hottest and most contumaceous, in which I ever engaged: at last we put them to flight.</p> <p>In this engagement fell thirty-three thousand Mezendarians, and about four thousand were made prisoners. We followed our victory, and drew before the capital city; this we<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_169" id="Page_169"></SPAN></span> besieged both by land and sea. So energetic was our blockade, that the enemy quickly proposed a parley, and sent ambassadors to ask for peace on reasonable conditions. The emperor offered to me his daughter, the handsomest of the lionesses, in marriage, and the half of his empire as a dowry. These conditions, although very honorable, were very displeasing to me, for I considered it both unsafe and illicit to forsake my wife, whom I left behind in pregnancy, and marry a lioness. I therefore sent back the ambassadors without answer.</p> <p>I now ordered my cannon to be directed against the wall, which, although built of stone, was soon rent. The emperor lost all hope and surrendered himself together with all his lands. After putting a garrison in the capital, I took the emperor on board my own ship, and laid my course for Martinia, the coast of which we reached after a long but fortunate voyage.</p> <p>We obtained here the same success as elsewhere. When the Martinians submitted, I determined to include their neighbors under the same yoke. As I was preparing to effect this, ambassadors from four adjacent countries arrived,<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_170" id="Page_170"></SPAN></span> and voluntarily acknowledged allegiance to me. I now possessed so many kingdoms, that I did not deem it worth my trouble to ascertain the names of these; but included them all under the title of the Martinianic "dominion."</p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/img40.jpg" width-obs="250" height-obs="144" alt="" title="" /></div> <hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_171" id="Page_171"></SPAN></span></p> <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/img41.jpg" width-obs="250" height-obs="78" alt="" title="" /></div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />