roundabout papers-第31部分

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I　was　subject　to　dreadful　ill　treatment　from　the　first　mate　of　the　ship；　who；　when　I　found　she　was　a　slaver；　altogether　declined　to　put　me　on　shore。　　I　was　chasedwe　were　chasedby　three　British　frigates　and　a　seventy…four；　which　we　engaged　and　captured；　but　were　obliged　to　scuttle　and　sink；　as　we　could　sell　them　in　no　African　port：　and　I　never　shall　forget　the　look　of　manly　resignation；　combined　with　considerable　disgust；　of　the　British　Admiral　as　he　walked　the　plank；　after　cutting　off　his　pigtail；　which　he　handed　to　me；　and　which　I　still　have　in　charge　for　his　family　at　Boston；　Lincolnshire；　England。　We　made　the　port　of　Bpoopoo；　at　the　confluence　of　the　Bungo　and　Sgglolo　rivers　（which　you　may　see　in　Swammerdahl's　map）　on　the　31st　April　last　year。　　Our　passage　had　been　so　extraordinarily　rapid；　owing　to　the　continued　drunkenness　of　the　captain　and　chief　officers；　by　which　I　was　obliged　to　work　the　ship　and　take　her　in　command；　that　we　reached　Bpoopoo　six　weeks　before　we　were　expected；　and　five　before　the　coffres　from　the　interior　and　from　the　great　slave　depot　at　Zbabblo　were　expected。　　Their　delay　caused　us　not　a　little　discomfort；　because；　though　we　had　taken　the　four　English　ships；　we　knew　that　Sir　Byam　Martin's　iron…cased　squadron；　with　the　〃Warrior；〃　the　〃Impregnable；〃　the　〃Sanconiathon；〃　and　the　〃Berosus；〃　were　cruising　in　the　neighborhood；　and　might　prove　too　much　for　us。　It　not　only　became　necessary　to　quit　Bpoopoo　before　the　arrival　of　the　British　fleet　or　the　rainy　season；　but　to　get　our　people　on　board　as　soon　as　might　be。　　While　the　chief　mate；　with　a　detachment　of　seamen；　hurried　forward　to　the　Pgogo　lake；　where　we　expected　a　considerable　part　of　our　cargo；　the　second　mate；　with　six　men；　four　chiefs；　King　Fbumbo；　an　Obi　man；　and　myself；　went　N。W。　by　W。；　towards　King　Mtoby'stown；　where　we　knew　many　hundreds　of　our　between…deck　passengers　were　to　be　got　together。　　We　went　down　the　Pdodo　river；　shooting　snipes；　ostriches；　and　rhinoceros　in　plenty；　and　I　think　a　few　elephants；　until；　by　the　advice　of　a　guide；　who　I　now　believe　was　treacherous；　we　were　induced　to　leave　the　Pdodo；　and　march　N。E。　by　N。N。　　Here　Lieutenant　Larkins；　who　had　persisted　in　drinking　rum　from　morning　to　night；　and　thrashing　me　in　his　sober　moments　during　the　whole　journey；　died；　and　I　have　too　good　reason　to　know　was　eaten　with　much　relish　by　the　natives。　　At　Mgoo；　where　there　are　barracoons　and　a　depot　for　our　cargo；　we　had　no　news　of　our　expected　freight；　accordingly；　as　time　pressed　exceedingly；　parties　were　despatched　in　advance　towards　the　great　Washaboo　lake；　by　which　the　caravans　usually　come　towards　the　coast。　　Here　we　found　no　caravan；　but　only　four　negroes　down　with　the　ague；　whom　I　treated；　I　am　bound　to　say；　unsuccessfully；　whilst　we　waited　for　our　friends。　　We　used　to　take　watch　and　watch　in　front　of　the　place；　both　to　guard　ourselves　from　attack；　and　get　early　news　of　the　approaching　caravan。　At　last；　on　the　23rd　September；　as　I　was　in　advance　with　Charles　Rogers；　second　mate；　and　two　natives　with　bows　and　arrows；　we　were　crossing　a　great　plain　skirted　by　a　forest；　when　we　saw　emerging　from　a　ravine　what　I　took　to　be　three　negroesa　very　tall　one；　one　of　a　moderate　size；　and　one　quite　little。　Our　native　guide　shrieked　out　some　words　in　their　language；　of　which　Charles　Rogers　knew　something。　　I　thought　it　was　the　advance　of　the　negroes　whom　we　expected。　　〃No！〃　said　Rogers　（who　swore　dreadfully　in　conversation）；　〃it　is　the　Gorillas！〃　　And　he　fired　both　barrels　of　his　gun；　bringing　down　the　little　one　first；　and　the　female　afterwards。　The　male；　who　was　untouched；　gave　a　howl　that　you　might　have　heard　a　league　off；　advanced　towards　us　as　if　he　would　attack　us；　and　then　turned　and　ran　away　with　inconceivable　celerity　towards　the　wood。　We　went　up　towards　the　fallen　brutes。　　The　little　one　by　the　female　appeared　to　be　about　two　years　old。　　It　lay　bleating　and　moaning　on　the　ground；　stretching　out　its　little　hands；　with　movements　and　looks　so　strangely　resembling　human；　that　my　heart　sickened　with　pity。　　The　female；　who　had　been　shot　through　both　legs；　could　not　move。　　She　howled　most　hideously　when　I　approached　the　little　one。　〃We　must　be　off；〃　said　Rogers；　〃or　the　whole　Gorilla　race　may　be　down　upon　us。〃　　〃The　little　one　is　only　shot　in　the　leg；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　bind　the　limb　up；　and　we　will　carry　the　beast　with　us　on　board。〃　The　poor　little　wretch　held　up　its　leg　to　show　it　was　wounded；　and　looked　to　me　with　appealing　eyes。　　It　lay　quite　still　whilst　I　looked　for　and　found　the　bullet；　and；　tearing　off　a　piece　of　my　shirt；　bandaged　up　the　wound。　　I　was　so　occupied　in　this　business；　that　I　hardly　heard　Rogers　cry　〃Run！　run！〃　and　when　I　looked　up　When　I　looked　up；　with　a　roar　the　most　horrible　I　ever　hearda　roar？　ten　thousand　roarsa　whirling　army　of　dark　beings　rushed　by　me。　　Rogers；　who　had　bullied　me　so　frightfully　during　the　voyage；　and　who　had　encouraged　my　fatal　passion　for　play；　so　that　I　own　I　owed　him　1；500　dollars；　was　overtaken；　felled；　brained；　and　torn　into　ten　thousand　pieces；　and　I　dare　say　the　same　fate　would　have　fallen　on　me；　but　that　the　little　Gorilla；　whose　wound　I　had　dressed；　flung　its　arms　round　my　neck　（their　arms；　you　know；　are　much　longer　than　ours）。　　And　when　an　immense　gray　Gorilla；　with　hardly　any　teeth；　brandishing　the　trunk　of　a　gollyboshtree　about　sixteen　feet　long；　came　up　to　me　roaring；　the　little　one　squeaked　out　something　plaintive；　which；　of　course；　I　could　not　understand；　on　which　suddenly　the　monster　flung　down　his　tree；　squatted　down　on　his　huge　hams　by　the　side　of　the　little　patient；　and　began　to　bellow　and　weep。　And　now；　do　you　see　whom　I　had　rescued？　　I　had　rescued　the　young　Prince　of　the　Gorillas；　who　was　out　walking　with　his　nurse　and　footman。　　The　footman　had　run　off　to　alarm　his　master；　and　certainly　I　never　saw　a　footman　run　quicker。　　The　whole　army　of　Gorillas　rushed　forward　to　rescue　their　prince；　and　punish　his　enemies。　　If　the　King　Gorilla's　emotion　was　great；　fancy　what　the　queen's　must　have　been　when　SHE　came　up！　　She　arrived；　on　a　litter；　neatly　enough　made　with　wattled　branches；　on　which　she　lay；　with　her　youngest　child；　a　prince　of　three　weeks　old。　My　little　protege　with　the　wounded　leg；　still　persisted　in　hugging　me　with　its　arms　（I　think　I　mentioned　that　they　are　longer　than　those　of　men　in　general）；　and　as　the　poor　little　brute　was　immensely　heavy；　and　the　Gorillas　go　at　a　prodigious　pace；　a　litter　was　made　for　us　likewise；　and　my　thirst　much　refreshed　by　a　footman　（the　same　domestic　who　had　given　the　alarm）　running　hand　over　hand　up　a　cocoanut…tree；　tearing　the　rinds　off；　breaking　the　shell　on　his　head；　and　handing　me　the　fresh　milk　in　its　cup。　　My　little　patient　partook　of　a　little；　stretching　out　its　dear　little　unwounded　foot；　with　which；　or　with　its　hand；　a　Gorilla　can　help　itself　indiscriminately。　　Relays　of　large　Gorillas　relieved　each　other　at　the　litters　at　intervals　of　twenty　minutes；　as　I　calculated　by　my　watch；　one　of　Jones　and　Bates's；　of　Boston；　Mass。；　though　I　have　been　unable　to　this　day　to　ascertain　how　these　animals　calculate　time　with　such　surprising　accuracy。　　We　slept　for　that　night　under　And　now；　you　see；　we　arrive　at　really　the　most　interesting　part　of　my　travels　in　the　country　which　I　intended　to　visit；　viz。　the　manners　and　habits　of　the　Gorillas　chez　eux。　　I　give　the　heads　of　this　narrative　only；　the　full　account　being　suppressed　for　a　reason　which　shall　presently　be　given。　　The　heads；　then；　of　the　chapters；　are　briefly　as　follows：

The　author's　arrival　in　the　Gorilla　country。　　Its　geographical　position。　　Lodgings　assigned　to　him　up　a　gum…tree。　　Constant　attachment　of　the　little　prince。　　His　royal　highness's　gratitude。　Anecdotes　of　his　wit；　playfulness；　and　extraordinary　precocity。　　Am　offered　a　portion　of　poor　Larkins　for　my　supper；　but　decline　with　horror。　　Footman　brings　me　a　young　crocodile：　fishy　but　very　palatable。　　Old　crocodiles　too　tough：　ditto　rhinoceros。　　Visit　the　queen　motheran　enormous　old　Gorilla；　quite　white。　　Prescribe　for　her　majesty。　　Meeting　of　Gorillas　at　what　appears　a　parliament　amongst　them：　presided　over　by　old　Gorilla　in　cocoanut…fibre　wig。　Their　sports。　　Their　customs。　　A　privileged　class　amongst　them。　Extraordinary　likeness　of　Gorillas　to　people　at　home；　both　at　Charleston；　S。　C。；　my　native　place；　and　London；　England；　which　I　have　visited。　　Flat…nosed　Gorillas　and　blue…nosed　Gorillas；　their　hatred；　and　wars　between　them。　　In　a　part　of　the　country　（its　geographical　position　described）　I　see　several　negroes　under　Gorilla　domination。　　Well　treated　by　their　masters。　　Frog…eating　Gorillas　across　the　Salt　Lake。　　Bull…headed　Gorillastheir　mutual　hostility。　Green　Island　Gorillas。　　More　quarrelsome　than　the　Bull…heads；　and　howl　much　louder。　　I　am　called　to　attend　one　of　the　princesses。　Evident　partiality　of　H。　R。　H。　for　me。　　Jealousy　and　rage　of　large　red…headed　Gorilla。　　How　shall　I　escape？

Ay；　how　indeed？　　Do　you　wish　to　know？　　Is　your　curiosity　excited？　Well；　I　DO　know　how　I　escaped。　　I　could　tell　the　most　extraordinary　adventures　that　happened　to　me。　　I　could　show　you　resemblances　to　people　at　home；　that　would　make　them　blue　with　rage　and　you　crack　your　sides　with　laughter。　。　。　。　　And　what　is　the　reason　I　cannot　write　this　paper；　having　all　the　facts　before　me？　　The　reason　is；　that　walking　down　St。　James　Street　yesterday；　I　met　a　friend　who　says　to　me；　〃Roundabout　my　boy；　have　you　seen　your　picture？　　Here　it　is！〃　　And　he　pulls　out　a　portrait；　executed　in　photography；　of　your　humble　servant；　as　an　immense　and　most　unpleasant…featured　baboon；　with　long　hairy　hands；　and　called　by　the　waggish　artist　〃A　Literary　Gorilla。〃　　O　horror！　　And　now　you　see　why　I　can't　play　off　this　joke　myself；　and　moralize　on　the　fable；　as　it　has　been　narrated　already　DE　ME。

A　MISSISSIPPI　BUBBLE。

This　group　of　dusky　children　of　the　captivity　is　copied　out　of　a　little　sketch…book　which　I　carried　in　many　a　roundabout　journey；　and　will　point　a　moral　as　well　as　any　other　sketch　in　the　volume。　Yonder　drawing*　was　made　in　a　country　where　there　was　such　hospitality；　friendship；　kindness　shown　to　the　humble　designer；　that　his　eyes　do　not　care　to　look　out　for　faults；　or　his　pen　to　note　them。　　How　they　sang；　how　they　laughed　and　grinned；　how　they　scraped；　bowed；　and　complimented