Niels Klim's journey under the ground

alled Kupakki or post birds, are wont

nd which the birds are very fond of eating, entice them down to the planet. This is my own notion. The circumstance, that when these insects disappear, the birds return

is somewhat strengthened by the fact, that they become tame and gentle just before they begin their flight, suffering themselves to be thrown into nets, under which they lie immovable. Meanwhile they are fed with insects till the regular period arriv

ing doubts concerning the holiness of religion and the uniting force of the civil law, was suspected to have designed the overthrow of both. This latter would not regulate himself by the public ordinances, be

was enclosed, with food sufficient for a few days. Shortly after,

azar and the firmament is about four hundred miles. I had no means of determin

pping of the kupakki's wings. At last, there sounded in my ears a c

ned, and I rose up in the midst of a great multitude of monkeys, who, to my astonishment, conversed together in an intelligent language rather than chattered, and walked to

no tail. Their amazement was not at all lessened by the fact, that I resembled the

e nearness of Nazar. This planet has the same effect upon the

ce of a guard at the door convinced me that it was the residence of no common m

ere selected to instru

nsion, and in their impatience often threatened to abandon their charge. As, on the planet Nazar, I had been ironically named Skabba, or the untimely, for my quick perceptions, so here I was called Kakidoran, which signifies, idle and s

Martinia, from which the whole country takes its name. The object of the mayor evidently was, to insinua

The state is administered by a great council

e to his excellency. Several servants, called maskatti, or dressers, joined us for this purpose. One took the mayor's sword to burnish it; ano

and adorned, we departed for the preside

marble floor. After waiting for a long time, with not a little impatience, we we

ither that he was seized by delirium, or that silly and insane laughter was a pe

rkable natural powers; that his mind was so comprehensive, that he not only determined matters of the highe

ongue wagging, the while, with an agility immeas

subordinate attendants, since he perceived, from my sluggish dispo

ortals, in p

way to mire i

"I have, indeed," urged the mayor, "observed a natural obtuseness in this man;

e we need nimble officers, for the immense diversi

y weight from the floor. Seeing that I did this with ease, he remarked: "Nature, although she has stinted you i

n after the mayor followed, and as he passed, told me that

entrusted with. The mayor answered: "His excellency, with special grace, has appointed you for his chief porteur,[1] with a yearly pay of twenty-five stercolatus." (A stercolatu is about one dollar of

er of dried fruits was laid; after eatin

provoked me almost to rage. A more than Spartan patience was needed to listen with indifference to their sneers. At last I slumbered. How long I know not, for in the f

hich he fixed upon me, and then tied to it some ribbons of various colors. He told me that in half an hour the president would be read

a golden sedan, and were suffered to r

ails towards him. To a dweller on the earth, such salutations would probably have appeared u

o many strange ceremonies and varied usages, that

ith measured steps. Each in turn dashed his bucket of water in the candidate's face. The sufferer is obliged to receive this bath without distorting his countenance, on pain of forfeiting his degree. Odorou

stood near me, and humbly asked

e ceremony of the water was significant of the preparation for a new course of life and duty; the

that my dignified instructor in t

es of the soul. There are many churches and theological seminaries, but in neither is taught the way to live and die well. The people are all critics, who go to be amused by the art and delica

. The more inconsistent and useless a sche

its inhabitants, he fell upon the notion, to bore through to t

worded plan on this subject, whi

with avidity, and the project was not abandoned until a multitude of families had been ruined, and the public affairs brought into the greatest

but was overwhelmed with the general applause,

e themselves on such occasions, b

ect ended

was, howe

rmined to take advantage of their weaknesses, and by some outrageo

a shrewd old monkey, who en

cceed in Mar

useful, to pro

eds, that to th

ade! Here's hon

e became fixed upon that ornamen

ed a multitude of goats; with the hair of thes

and as I had, with the inquisitiveness of yout

yself, and adorned with it, pr

oration. He seized it from my head, and placing it on his

nce, that he shrieked out: "Divine art, how like a God am

e embraced him, kissed him, and assured hi

an!" he exclaimed, "if this discovery of yours pleases the Council as well as it does m

d immediately wrote a petition, which I

ic, proclaimed that my work should be rewarded as its merits deserved. He then demanded, what length of time I should need to fabricate another such head ornament? I replied, that it was reward enough for me, that my curious workmanship had gained the approbation of the great men who composed the Council; for the rest, I bound myself to make another wig in two days, and also to manufacture wigs enough for the whole city in a mon

riends; so that in a short time full half the city were made nobles. But when petition after petition poured in from the provinces, that the like favor should be extended to them, the Council, being possessed with a righteous fear of riot and civil war, finally determined to allow every one, without distinction of rank, to wear a wig. I thus had the p

from the court-house in the president's own sedan, the same porteur, who had formerly been my com

promised, and soon finished wigs enough for the whole Council; and after sweating

descendants shall be regarded as true noblemen, and enjoy all the prerogatives and rights, of which the nobility of Martinia are in possession. Furthermore, we have determined to dignify him with a new name; he shall therefore from this day, be no longer called

the poets of Martinia to panegyrize the tails of eminent monkeys, as it is with us to eulogize the beauty of women. Several poets commended the beauty of my tail, although I had none. To say everything on this subject in a few words-their fawning servility towards me w

his period, been in special favor with his Excellency; and her Grace, the president's lady, had evinced so much kindness to me, that I was regarded the first among all her favorites. She was

'd smile with

udden tears

ng, silent

ild de

the art of

while it wo

half-covere

trange

that can no

make my rea

pon her bre

male c

ould lose

washed in

purple bl

ve's

inties, when a chambermaid brought

t Kikid

have long secretly burned in my bosom, from breaking forth in open flame: but I am weary of the combat, and my heart can no longer resist

rnn

etter to expose myself to the revenge of a furious female, than to sin against the order of nature, by a shamef

ious

ion that would stigmatize me as the most ungrateful and the lowest among all two-legged creatures. Besides, what is desired of me, would be more bitter to satisfy than death itself. This action, if I yielded to it, would effect the ruin and dishonor of one of the most respected families in the State, an

dori

rote the follo

f this h

it be

the pander

tue to

d not en

ng wiles

of sin so

ah! who c

had the effect that I expected; her lov

glowing tong

er fright

shame her a

e upon her

flow; such

d current

from her blac

a fury, s

I had been charged, and supplicate the president for mercy: which being done, my life was conceded, but I was doomed to perpetual imprisonment. My charter of nobility was immediately taken from me, and I was sent to the galleys as a slave. My destination was to one of the ships belonging to the republic, which then lay ready to sail for Mezendares, or the Land-of-wonders. Thence were brought the wares that Martinia cannot produce. This ship, on board of which my evil fortune had now cast me