<p class="gutsumm">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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>The despatch came from court about the time we expected.
It contained a warrant for conducting me and my retinue to
<i>Traldragdubh</i>, or <i>Trildrogdrib</i> (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.</p>
<p>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, <i>Inckpling gloffthrobb squut serummblhiop
mlashnalt zwin tnodbalkuffh slhiophad gurdlubh asht</i>.
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: <i>Fluft drin
yalerick dwuldom prastrad mirpush</i>, 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.</p>
<p>The king was much delighted with my company, and ordered his
<i>bliffmarklub</i>, 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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<h3>III - CHAPTER X.</h3>
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