It seems that when I was found sleeping on the ground, after my landing, the emperor had news of it by a messenger, and he determined that I should be tied while I slept, that plenty of meat and drink should be sent me, and a machine 5 be prepared to carry me to the capital city. This emperor has several machines fixed on wheels for carrying trees and other great weights. He often builds his largest men-of-war, some of which are nine feet long, in the woods where 10 the timber grows, and has them carried on these engines three or four hundred yards to the sea. Five hundred carpenters and engineers were immediately set at work to prepare the greatest engine they had. It was a frame of wood raised 15 three inches from the ground, about seven feet long and four feet wide, moving on twenty-two wheels. The shout I heard was upon the arrival of the engine, which set out in four hours after my landing. It was brought alongside me as I lay, but 20 the principal difficulty was to raise and place me in this vehicle. Eighty poles, each one foot high, were set up for this purpose, and very strong cords, of the bigness of coarse thread, were fastened by hooks to many bandages, which the workmen had tied round my neck, hands, body, and legs. Nine hundred of the strongest men were employed to draw up these cords, by many pulleys fastened on the poles, and thus, in less than three hours, I was raised and slung into the engine, and tied fast. All this I was told; for while it was being done, I lay in a profound sleep. Fifteen hundred of the emperor's largest horses, each about four and a half inches high, were employed to draw me toward the metropolis, which as I said was half a mile distant. We made a long march during the remaining part of the day, 15 and rested at night with five hundred guards on each side of me, half with torches and half with bows and arrows, ready to shoot me if I moved. 10 The next morning at sunrise we continued our march, and arrived within two hundred yards of 20 the city gate about noon. The emperor and all his court came out to meet us; but his officers would by no means allow his majesty to put himself in danger by mounting on my body. At the place where the carriage stopped, there stood an ancient temple, the largest in the whole kingdom, and in this building it was determined I should lodge. On each side of the gate was a 5 small window, not more than six inches from the ground, and into the one on the left side, the king's smith conveyed four score and eleven chains (about as large as watch chains), which were locked to my left leg with six and thirty padlocks. 10 When the workmen found it was impossible for me to break loose, they cut all the strings that bound me, whereupon I rose to my feet and looked about me. I must confess that I never beheld a more enter15 taining view. The country around appeared like a garden, and the enclosed fields, which were generally forty feet square, looked like so many flower beds. Here and there between these fields were woods, the tallest trees of which appeared 20 to be seven feet high. The town looked like the painted scene of a city in a theater. The emperor now advanced on horseback and surveyed me with great wonder, but kept be yond the length of my chain. He ordered his cooks and butlers to give me food and drink, which they pushed forward in a sort of vehicle upon wheels. I took these vehicles and soon emptied them all. Twenty of them were filled with meat, 5 and ten with drink; each of the former afforded me two or three good mouthfuls, and I drank off the liquid at one draught. His imperial majesty spoke often to me, and I returned answers, but neither of us could understand a syllable. After 10 about two hours the court retired, and I was left with a strong guard. ancient (an'shnt): very old conveyed (kon vād'): carried men-of-war ships for war enclosed (en klōzd): surrounded by metropolis (mē trop'ō lis): the prin fences engine (enʼjîn.) engineer (en gin er'): one skilled in mechanics entertaining (en ter tān'ing): inter esting and pleasing excellency (ek'sel In sy): a title of honor guard (gärd): escort, protector imperial (im pē'ri al): royal machine (ma shēn') cipal city profound (pro found'): deep prospect (pros pect): view pulleys (pul'liz): wheels over which retinue (rět'i nū): followers vehicle (vē'hi kl): any sort of wagon or car for carrying things or people |