The Author Arrives in Quama

Meanwhile a large multitude of people collected around me from all parts. They requested me to speak; but as I did not understand their language I could not answer them. They repeated often the word Dank, Dank, and supposing them to be Germans, I addressed them in this language, then in Danish, and finally in Latin; but they signified to me, by shaking their heads, that these languages were unknown to them. I tried at last to declare myself in the subterranean tongues, namely, in Nazaric and Martinianic; but it was in vain.

Meanwhile, a large crowd gathered around me from all directions. They asked me to speak, but I could not answer because I did not understand their language. They kept repeating the word Dank, Dank. Thinking they were Germans, I spoke to them in German, then in Danish, and finally in Latin. But they shook their heads to show that they did not know these languages. At last, I tried to speak in the subterranean languages, Nazaric and Martinianic, but that was no use either.

After having addressed each other, thus incomprehensibly for a long time, I was carried to a small hut, formed of wickers intricately twisted. In this hut were neither chairs nor tables; these people seat themselves on the ground to eat; instead of beds they spread straw on the earthy floor, upon which they throw themselves indiscriminately at night. Their food is milk, cheese, barley-bread and meat, which they rudely broil on the coals; for they do not understand cooking. Thus I lived with them, like a dog, until I learned so much of their language, that I could speak with them and assist them a little in their ignorance. The simplest rules of living that I prepared for them were considered as divine commands. My fame soon spread abroad, and all the villages around sent forth crowds to a teacher, who, they believed, had been sent to them from heaven. I heard even, that some had commenced a new chronology from the date of my arrival. All this pleased me only so much the more, as formerly in Nazar I had been abused for my imprudence and wavering judgment, and in Martinia despised and commiserated for my ignorance. True, indeed, is the old proverb; that among the blind the one-eyed rules. I had now come to a land, where with little understanding, I could raise myself to the highest dignities. There were here the best opportunities to employ my talents, since this fruitful land produced in abundance whatever subserved for pleasure and luxury as well as usefulness and comfort. The inhabitants were not indocile nor were they wanting in conception; but since they had been blessed with no light without themselves, they groped in the thickest darkness. When I told them of my birth, my native land, of the shipwreck I had suffered, and of other occurrences in my voyages, not one would credit me. They thought rather that I was an inhabitant of the sun, and had come down to enlighten them, wherefore they called me Pikil-Su, that is the sun's ambassador. For their religion, they believed in and acknowledged a God, but cared not at all to prove his existence. They thought it enough for them that their forefathers had believed the same; and this blind submission to time-honored formulæ was their simple and sole theology. Of the moral law, they were ignorant of all commandments save this: Do not unto others that which you would not have others do unto you. They had no laws; the will of the emperor was their only rule. Of chronology they had but a slight conception; their years were determined by the eclipses of the sun by Nazar's intervention. Were one asked his age, he would answer: that he had attained so many eclipses. Their knowledge of natural science too, was very unsatisfactory and unreasonable; they believed the sun to be a plate of gold, and the planet Nazar, a cheese. Their property consisted in hogs, which, after marking, they drove into the woods: the wealth of each was determined by the number of his swine.

After we had spoken to each other for a long time without understanding one another, I was taken to a small hut made of intricately woven wicker. The hut had neither chairs nor tables. These people sit on the ground to eat. Instead of beds, they spread straw on the dirt floor, where they all lie down together at night. Their food is milk, cheese, barley bread, and meat. They roughly broil the meat over coals, for they do not know how to cook. So I lived with them like a dog until I learned enough of their language to speak with them and help them a little in their ignorance. They regarded the simplest rules for living that I made for them as divine commands. My fame soon spread, and all the surrounding villages sent crowds to see me. They believed I was a teacher sent to them from heaven. I even heard that some had begun a new calendar from the date of my arrival. All this pleased me even more because I had once been abused in Nazar for my imprudence and unsteady judgment. In Martinia, I had been despised and pitied for my ignorance. The old proverb is true: among the blind, the one-eyed man rules. I had now come to a land where, with little understanding, I could rise to the highest positions. I had excellent opportunities to use my talents here. This fertile land produced an abundance of everything useful for pleasure and luxury, as well as for practical needs and comfort. The inhabitants were neither unwilling to learn nor lacking in understanding. But they had been blessed with no guidance from outside themselves, so they groped in the deepest darkness. I told them about my birth, my native land, my shipwreck, and other events from my voyages, but not one believed me. Instead, they thought I was an inhabitant of the sun who had come down to enlighten them. So they called me Pikil-Su, meaning the sun's ambassador. As for religion, they believed in and acknowledged a God, but made no effort to prove his existence. They thought it was enough that their ancestors had believed the same. This blind submission to age-old beliefs was their simple and only theology. Of the moral law, they knew only one commandment: Do not do to others what you would not have others do to you. They had no laws. The emperor's will was their only rule. They had little understanding of how to reckon time. They counted their years by the eclipses of the sun caused by Nazar passing in front of it. If asked his age, a person would answer that he had lived through a certain number of eclipses. Their knowledge of natural science was also very inadequate and unreasonable. They believed the sun was a plate of gold and the planet Nazar a cheese. Their property consisted of hogs, which they marked and drove into the woods. Each person's wealth was measured by the number of hogs he owned.

I applied myself, with all the fervor imaginable, to refine and enlighten this rude, yet promising people, so that shortly I came to be regarded among them as a saint; their trust in my wisdom was so great, that they thought nothing impossible with me. Therefore, when overtaken by misfortune, they would hasten to my hut and pray for my assistance. Once I found a peasant on his knees before my door, weeping, and bitterly complaining over the unfruitfulness of his trees, and beseeching me to use my authority, that his trees should bear fruit to him abundantly, as of old.

I devoted myself with all imaginable fervor to refining and enlightening this uncivilized but promising people. Soon they came to regard me as a saint. They trusted my wisdom so completely that they thought nothing was impossible for me. So whenever misfortune struck, they hurried to my hut and begged for my help. Once I found a peasant kneeling before my door, weeping and bitterly complaining that his trees bore no fruit. He begged me to use my authority to make his trees bear abundant fruit again, as they had in the past.

I had heard that this whole country was governed by a Regent, whose residence, or palace, at that time, was about eight days' travel from the town where I lived. I say at that time, because the court dwelt, not in substantial, fixed houses, but in tents; and the residence was moved at pleasure from one province to another. The ruler at that period was an old man, named Casba, which signifies, the great emperor. In consideration of its many large provinces, this country was indeed a great empire; but, from the ignorance of the inhabitants, who made little use of their many natural advantages, and also from the absence of that unanimity among the provinces, which would have dignified and strengthened their counsels, and subserved for their mutual protection, they were exposed to the attacks and mockeries of their more vigorous neighbors, and not unfrequently obliged to pay tribute to nations much inferior to themselves.

I had heard that the whole country was governed by a Regent. At the time, his residence was about eight days’ journey from the town where I lived. I say “at the time” because the court lived in tents, not permanent houses. The court moved from one province to another whenever the Regent wished. The ruler then was an old man named Casba, which means “the great emperor.” With its many large provinces, the country was indeed a great empire. But the inhabitants were ignorant and made little use of their many natural advantages. The provinces also lacked the unity that would have lent dignity and strength to their decisions and helped protect them all. As a result, they were exposed to attacks and mockery from their more vigorous neighbors. They were also often forced to pay tribute to nations much inferior to themselves.

The report of my name and power was spread in a short time even to the remotest provinces. Nothing could be done without consulting me, as an oracle, and when any undertaking miscarried, its failure was ascribed to my indifference or indignation; wherefore, oblations were frequently made to assuage my anger. Finally the rumor was carried to the ears of the old emperor, that a great man had come into his dominions, in a strange dress, who gave himself out as ambassador of the sun, and had proved himself more than man, by bestowing to the Quamites (thus the inhabitants were called, after the name of the land, Quama,) wise and almost divine rules of life. He therefore sent ambassadors, with orders to invite me to the imperial residence. These were thirty in number, all clothed in tiger-skins, this dress being considered in Quama the greatest of ornaments, since none were permitted to wear it, but those who had distinguished themselves in war against the Tanaquites, a nation of sensible tigers, and the mortal enemies of the Quamites.

News of my name and power soon spread to even the most remote provinces. Nothing could be done without consulting me as an oracle. When any undertaking failed, the failure was blamed on my indifference or anger. Offerings were therefore often made to calm my anger. At last, the old emperor heard the rumor. A great man in strange clothes had come into his dominions, claiming to be an ambassador of the sun. He had proved himself more than human by giving the Quamites wise and almost divine rules for living. The inhabitants were called Quamites after their land, Quama. The emperor therefore sent ambassadors to invite me to the imperial residence. There were thirty of them, all dressed in tiger skins. In Quama, tiger skins were regarded as the finest decoration. Only those who had distinguished themselves in war against the Tanaquites were allowed to wear them. The Tanaquites were a nation of intelligent tigers and the mortal enemies of the Quamites.

I had built, in the town where I dwelt, a walled house, after the European style. At the sight of it, the imperial ambassadors were astonished, and exclaimed that it was a work beyond human powers; they entered it, as a sanctuary, with devout reverence, and there proclaimed to me the emperor's invitation in the following speech: "Since the great emperor, our most gracious lord, reckons his genealogy through manifold generations, from Spunko, the sun's son, the primary regent of Quama, nothing could surprise him more agreeably than this embassy; wherefore his majesty joyfully greets the ambassador of the sun, and humbly invites him to the capital city of the empire." I answered by expressing my most humble thanks for the emperor's condescension, and immediately repaired, with the ambassadors, to the capital. These lords had been fourteen days on their journey to me, but assisted by my genius, the return occupied only four days.

I had built a house with walls in the European style in the town where I lived. The imperial ambassadors were astonished when they saw it. They exclaimed that it was beyond human powers to build. They entered the house with the reverence due to a sanctuary. There they delivered the emperor's invitation to me in these words: "The great emperor, our most gracious lord, traces his ancestry through many generations to Spunko, the sun's son and first ruler of Quama. Nothing could therefore surprise him more pleasantly than this embassy. His majesty joyfully greets the ambassador of the sun and humbly invites him to the empire's capital." I expressed my deepest thanks for the emperor's gracious invitation. Then I immediately set out for the capital with the ambassadors. These lords had taken fourteen days to reach me, but with the help of my genius, the return journey took only four days.

I had observed, during my residence in this country, that there were vast numbers of horses running wild in the woods, and hence rather burthensome than useful to the inhabitants. I showed to the people how beneficial these animals might be made to them, and taught them how to tame these noble creatures. At my suggestion and by my direction, a number of them were caught and broken in, and thus I was enabled to mount the ambassadors, and materially shorten the period of our journey.

During my stay in this country, I had noticed many horses running wild in the woods. They were more of a burden than a benefit to the inhabitants. I showed the people how useful these animals could be and taught them to tame these noble creatures. At my suggestion and under my direction, they caught and trained a number of horses. This allowed me to provide the ambassadors with horses and greatly shorten our journey.

No idea can be formed of the wonder and astonishment with which the Quamites witnessed our entry into the city; some were so frightened that they ran far into the country. The emperor himself dared not, in his fear, come out from his tent, nor would he stir, until one of the ambassadors, dismounting his horse, went in and explained the whole secret to him. Shortly I was, with a great retinue, led into the imperial tent. The old emperor was seated on a carpet surrounded by his courtiers. On my entrance, I acknowledged, in the most polite terms, the exceeding grace his imperial majesty had shown me; thereupon the emperor arose and asked me what the king of the sun, and father of his family proposed to do. Conceiving it politic, and even necessary not to undeceive the Quamites in the opinion they themselves first entertained, I answered: that his majesty, the king of the sun, had sent me down to this land to refine, by good laws and salutary rules of life, the uncultivated manners of the Quamites, and teach them the arts, through which they might not only resist and repel their valiant and energetic neighbors, but even extend the boundaries of their own empire; and added, that I had been ordered to remain with them forever. The emperor listened to this speech with much apparent pleasure, ordered a tent to be immediately raised for me near his own, gave me fifteen servants, and treated me less as a subject than as an intimate friend.

It is impossible to imagine the wonder and astonishment with which the Quamites watched us enter the city. Some were so frightened that they fled far into the countryside. The emperor himself was too afraid to leave his tent. He would not move until one of the ambassadors dismounted, went inside, and explained the whole secret to him. Soon I was escorted into the imperial tent with a large retinue. The old emperor sat on a carpet, surrounded by his courtiers. When I entered, I thanked him in the most polite terms for the great kindness his imperial majesty had shown me. The emperor then rose and asked what the king of the sun, the father of his family, intended to do. I thought it wise, even necessary, not to correct the belief the Quamites themselves had first formed. So I answered that his majesty, the king of the sun, had sent me down to this land. I was to refine the uncultivated manners of the Quamites through good laws and sound rules of life. I was also to teach them arts that would enable them to resist and repel their brave, energetic neighbors. With these arts, they might even expand the borders of their own empire. I added that I had been ordered to stay with them forever. The emperor listened to this speech with obvious pleasure. He immediately ordered a tent to be raised for me near his own and gave me fifteen servants. He treated me less like a subject than an intimate friend.