Hold a moucheratt—Speeches of ragans and colambs—Peter settles religion—Informs the king of a plot—Sends Nasgig to the ship for cannon.

ATTENDING at the moucheratt to-day, I happened to be seated within two paces of the idol. There was the most numerous assembly that had ever been seen; and when all was quiet, the king opened with signifying the revolt of Gauingrunt, the approach of the enemy, and no forces in the field to stop them. This he set forth in terms so moving, that the whole assembly were melted into sighs; till one of the colambs rising up, says he: "His majesty has set forth the state of his affairs in such a manner, and I am satisfied a true one, that it becomes us all to be vigilant. We all seem to have, and I believe have, great faith in the remedy this day to be proposed to us, in answer to our ancient prediction; and as I doubt not but glumm Peter is the man, so I doubt not but through his management we shall still receive help; but let us consider if we might not have prevented these pressing evils, and especially this last, by speedier preparations against them. What province, or member of a State, will not revolt to a numerous host just ready to devour them, if they can receive no assistance from their head? for, to my certain knowledge, his majesty had ordered this almost a year ago, and not a man gone yet. Can we expect Peter to go singly to fight an army? Did your prediction say he should go alone? No, he shall slay; that is, he and his army; what is done by them being always attributed to their general. Inquire, therefore, into your past conduct, send Peter, your general, and trust to the Great Image."

His majesty then said, if there had been any remissness in executing his commands, he believed it was done with a view to his service; but a more proper opportunity might be found for an inquiry of that nature. As for the present moucheratt, it was called solely to propose to Peter the execution of the remaining part of the prediction; or, at least, such part of it as seems now, or never, to wait its accomplishment.

Here arose a ragan, and told the assembly, in the name of himself and brethren, that the prediction had never yet been applicable to any one person till glumm Peter arrived; and that his sagacity of itself was a sufficient recommendation of him to the guidance of the enterprise; and requested that glumm Peter might forthwith be declared protector of the army, and set forward with it, that the State might receive safety, and the Great Image its proper honour.

I could now hold out no longer; but, standing up, made my speech in the following manner, or very near it: "Mighty king—you, reverend ragans—and honourable colambs—with the good people of this august assembly—I am come hither, led by the force of your own prediction, at the request of his majesty and the states, at the peril of my life, to accomplish things said to be predicted of me, glumm Peter. If, then, you have a prediction, if, then, your prediction describes me, and the circumstances of these times, it consisting of several parts, they ought seriously to be weighed, that I may know when and where I am to begin my operation, and when and where to leave off; for in predictions the whole is to be accomplished as much as any member of it.

"It is said I shall destroy the traitor of the ancient limits of your monarchy. Are you willing, therefore, that should be done? yea, or nay?" Then every one answered, "Yea."—"And by common consent establish what the old ragan would have taught you?" Here the king rose up; but Barbarsa giving him a touch (for every one waited to be guided by the voice of the ragans), he sat down again; and no one answering Yea, west; "I am ready to enter upon it and settle the question."

I again put the same question, and told them, as it was their own concern, I would have an answer before I proceeded. One of the ragans then rose, and said that part of the prediction was too loose to be relied on, for it was to settle what he would have taught: "Now, who knows," says he, "what he would have taught?" The assembly paused a considerable time, and just as I was opening my mouth to speak, an ancient and venerable ragan rose: says he, "I am sorry, at my years, to find that truth wants an advocate; my age and infirmities might well have excused me from speaking in this assembly, so many of my brethren being present, younger and better qualified for that purpose than myself; but as we are upon a sacred thing, and lest, as I find none of them care to declare the truth, I should also be thought to consent to its suppression if I sat silent and suffered it to be hid under a quibble, I must beg to be heard a few words. My brother, who spoke last, says the words are too loose which say, 'and by common consent establish what I would have taught;' but I beg leave to think it far otherwise, for we all know what he would have taught, and the memory of that hath been as exactly kept as the prediction; for how could our ancestors have opposed his doctrine, but from hearing and disapproving it? And we all know, not only the prediction, but the doctrine, hath been punctually handed down to us; though, woe be to us! we have not proclaimed it as we have done the prediction; and let me tell you, when you, my brethren, severally come to my years, and have but a single step farther to hoximo, you will wish you had taught it, as I do, who believe and approve it." The poor old man, having spoke as long as his breath and spirits would permit him, sat down, and I again resumed the question, as I now thought, on a much better foundation than before, and was immediately told by another ragan that there would be no end to the assembly if we considered every point at once, for we might next go upon what countries we should conquer, and of whom to demand tribute; which would be debating about the fruit before the seed was sown. But his opinion was, to go on and quell the rebellion, and restore the monarchy, and then go upon the other points.

I told them, if they had made so light of the prediction as not to declare publicly, since they knew it, what the ragan would have taught, it ill became me to be more zealous in their own concerns than they were themselves; and I should imagine there was very little truth in any part of it, and would never hazard my life for their sakes who would not speak the truth to save the kingdom, and desired leave of the states for my departure; for I was not a person, I told them, to be cajoled into anything. I undertook it at first voluntarily; and no man could, or should, compel me to it: my life they might take, but my honour they should never stain, though I was assured I could easily, with their concurrence, complete all that related to them.

The senior colamb immediately rising, desired me to have a little patience, and not to leave the assembly (for I was going out) till I had heard him.

"Here is," says he, "this day a thing started, which, I think, every whit as much concerns us all, and the body, and every member of the people to know, as it does Peter; and I am surprised, unless the present ragans believe what their predecessor would have taught to be better than what they now teach (for nothing else can make us consent to it), that they should scruple to let us know it, and keep us ignorant, who are worshippers as well as themselves, of any matter which so nearly concerns us to know. I am for obliging the ragans to declare the truth. If this be a true prediction, all the relatives to it are true, and I insist that we hear it."

This speech emboldened several others; and all the populace siding with the colambs out of curiosity, cried out to know it.

Perceiving the ragans still hush, I rose; and beckoning the populace to silence, "Mighty king—you, honourable colambs—and you, good people," says I—"for it is to you I now speak, hear me with attention. You think, perhaps, that the suppression of the truth by your ragans (charged to their teeth by the most reverend of their whole body, whose infirmities rendering him unable, though his will is good, to declare this secret to you) will prevent the knowledge of that truth your old ragan would have taught, but you are mistaken; and that you may know I don't come here at a venture to try if I can relieve you, but with an assurance of doing it if you consent, I must let you know from me what the ragan would have taught. The ragan would have demolished this trumpery piece of dirt, this grimalkin, set out with horrid face and colour to fright children; this," I say, "he would have demolished, being assured it could neither do good nor hurt, give joy or grief to any man, or serve any other purpose whatsoever, but to procure a maintenance to a set of men who know much better than they dare to tell you. Can any of you believe this stupid piece of earth hears me?" Some of the ragans cried, "Yes!"—"And that he can revenge any affront I shall give him?" Again, "Yes, to be sure!"—"Let him then, if he dare," says I, whipping out my cutlass, and with the backside of it striking his head off. "This," says I, "O glumms, is what the ragan knew, and what I defy them to deny. Now," says I, "I will further show you to whom the old ragan would have taught you to make your petitions and pay your adorations; and that is to the Supreme Being, Maker of heaven and earth, of us and all things; who provides for us meat and drink, and all things, by causing the earth, which He has made, to produce things necessary for our use; that Being, whom you have heard of by the name of Collwar, and are taught at present to be afraid to speak to. And I appeal to your own hearts if many of you have ever thought of him. Again," says I, "let anything in the shape of man, that gives himself leave to consider at all, only tell me if what he can make, and does make, with his own hands, hath not more occasion to depend on him as its maker than he on that? Why, then, should not we depend upon and pray to our Maker?

"You very greatly mistake me, O glumms," says I, "if you imagine I would have all those reverend men turned out of employment as useless. No, I find they know too much of what is valuable; and therefore those who are willing to continue in the service of the mouch, and faithfully to teach you the old ragan's doctrine, and such farther lights of the great Being as they shall hereafter receive, let them continue your ragans still, and let others be chosen and trained up in that doctrine."

Here the poor old man got up again with much difficulty. "Mr. Peter," says he, "you are the-man predicted of; you have declared the old ragan's mind, and all my brethren know it."

Finding I had the populace on my side (for I did not doubt the king and the colambs), I put the question to the ragans: "Reverend ragans," says I, "you see your prediction this day about to be fulfilled; for if it is a true one, no force of man can withstand it. You see your Image disgraced; you see, and I appeal to you all for the truth of it, that what the ragan would have taught has, without your assistance, been disclosed. I therefore would have you the first to break the bondage of idolatry and turn to the true Collwar, as it will be so much glory to you. Will you, and which of you, from henceforth serve Collwar, and no longer worship an idol? Such of you as will do so, let them continue in the mouch: if none of you will, it shall be my business to qualify a sufficient number of true ragans to form a succession for that purpose. The issue of this great affair depends upon your answers." They waited some time for a spokesman to begin, and so soon as he was able to get up, the poor old ragan said, "I will continue in it, and do all the good I can: and blessed be the day this prediction is fulfilled to succeeding generations! I have lived long enough to have seen this." Then the rest of the ragans, one by one, followed his example. And thus, with prodigious acclamations, both the ragans and people ended the great affair of religion.

I now more and more believed the truth of the prediction, and told them I should have occasion for seven hundred men before I set out against the rebels; and desired that they might be commanded by Nasgig. This was readily granted. I then told them, as I purposed to act nothing without their concurrence, I desired the colambs would remain in the city till I set out, that they might be readily called together.

I then desired I might be quite private from company till I departed.

I took Nasgig home with me; and when we came there, "My dear friend," says he, "what have you done to-day! You have crushed a power hitherto immovable; and I shall never more think anything too difficult for you to attempt."—"Nasgig," says I, "I am glad it is over. And now," says I, "you must enter on a new employ: but first, can you provide me fifty honest, faithful glumms for a particular expedition? they must be sensible, close, and temporising." He said he would, and come to me again.

I then desired a private audience with the king; who, on seeing me, began upon my success at the moucheratt. I told his majesty, if I alone, and a stranger, could gain such influence there, I might have had much more if he had joined me, especially as he had told me he gave no credit to the Image; and that I expected he would have appeared on my side. "Ah, Peter!" says he, "monarchs neither see, hear, nor perceive with their own eyes, ears, or understandings. I would willingly have done it; but Barbarsa prevented me, by assuring me it would be my ruin; and as he is my bosom friend, what reproaches must I have suffered if it had gone amiss! Nay, I will tell you that he and Nicor are of opinion that your coming hither, which is looked upon by us all as such a blessing, will one day undo me; 'for,' say they, 'though he may perform what you expect from him, it is not to be supposed he should suffer it to redound to you.' 'No,' say they, 'if he can do these great things, he can soon set you aside.' Thus, though I have no doubt of you, is my spirit wasting within me through perpetual fears and jealousies; and I cannot get these men, who, knowing all my secrets, are feared by me, into my own way of thinking."

"Mighty sir," says I, "don't think I came hither to possess, but redress a kingdom. I lived far more to my ease in my grotto than I can in this palace; but I now desire you," drawing my sword and putting it into his hand, "to pierce this heart's blood and make yourself easy in my death, rather than, suffering me to survive, live in distrust of me. No, great king," says I, "it is not that I would injure you; but though I have been so short a time in your dominions, I find there are those who would, and will too, unless you exert the monarch, and shake off those harpies which, lying always at your ear, are ever buzzing disquiet and mischief to you."—"Peter," says he, "what do you mean? sure I have no more traitors in my State!"—"Your majesty has," says I.—"How can you prove it?" says he. "But pray inform me who they are?"—"I came not hither, great king," says I, "to turn informer, but reformer; and so far as that is necessary in order to this, I will give you satisfaction. I only desire you will wholly guide yourself by my direction for three days, and you shall be able to help yourself to all the information you can require without ray telling you. In the meantime, appear no more thoughtful than usual, or in any other way alter your accustomed habits.".

Nasgig having sent me the fifty men, I asked them if they were to be trusted, and if they could carefully and artfully execute a commission I had to charge them with. They assuring me they would, I told them I would let them into my design, which would be the best instructions I could give them, and left the management alone to them.

My confidence in them made them twice as diligent as all the particular directions in the world would have done; so I only told them I had a mind the revolted towns and also the enemy's army should know that the person so long ago predicted of was now at Brandleguarp, and had, as the first step towards reducing them and killing the traitor Harlokin, already altered their religion to the old ragan's plan; and that they had now nothing to expect but destruction to themselves as soon as I appeared against them with my unknown fire and smoke, which I always had with me; and that the thing was looked upon to be as good as done already at Brandleguarp; and then to slip away again unperceived. They all promised me exact performance, and went off.

Nasgig then coming in, I told him he was now under my command, and must take six hundred glumms with him to Graundevolet; tell Youwarkee to show him my ship, and then he must bring me the things I had described to her by the name of cannon. He must bring them by ropes, as I was brought; and bring powder, which she would direct him to, and the heavy balls which lay in the room with the powder. I told him if he thought he should not have men enough he must take more; and must be as expeditious as was consistent with safety. I desired him to tell Youwarkee I hoped in a short time to send for her and all the family over to me. "And now, Nasgig," says I, "my orders are finished; but," says I, "the king! I must assist that good man. I therefore want to know the particular times Barbarsa and Yaccombourse usually meet."—"That," says he, "is every night when she is not with the king; for he is excessively fond of her, and seldom lies without her; but whenever he does, Barbarsa is admitted to her."—"And how can I know," says I, "when she will or will not lie with the king?"

"When she is to lie with him," says he, "the king never sups without her."—"-Now," says I, "you must show me your lodging, that I may find it in your absence; and give orders to the guard to let me, and whoever comes with me, enter at any time." He then took me to his chamber; but I passed through so many rooms, galleries, and passages, that I was sure I should never find it again, so I asked him if Maleck knew the way? and he assuring me he did, I took my leave of him, and he set out for Graundevolet.