Chapter XXVII

Quangrollart's account of Youwarkee's journey, and
reception at her father's.

Having set on the table some brandy and Madeira, and each of us taken one glass of both, I showed, by the attentiveness of my aspect and posture, how desirous I was he should proceed to what he had promised. Observing this, he went on in the following manner:--"Brother Peter," says he, "my sister Youwarkee, as I don't doubt you will be glad to hear of her first, arrived very safe at Arndrumnstake the third day after she left you, and after a very severe flight to the dear little Hallycarnie,* who was a full day and a night on her graundee; and at last would not have been able to have reached Battringdrigg but for my sister's assistance, who, taking her sometimes on her back for a short flight, by those little refreshments enabled her to perform it: but from Battringdrigg, after some hours' rest, they came with pleasure to the White Mountains, from whence, after a small stay, they arrived at Arndrumnstake.

* One of Wilkins' daughters.

"They alighted at our covett,* but were opposed at their entrance by the guards, to whom they did not choose to discover themselves, till notice was given to my father; who, upon hearing that some strangers desired admittance to him, sent me to introduce them, if they were proper persons for his presence, or else give orders for such other reception as was suitable to them.

"When I came to the guard, I found three gawrys and a glumm boss,** whose appearance and behaviour, I must own, prejudiced me very much in their favour. I then asked from whence they came, and their business with the colamb. You-warkee told me they came not about business of public concern, relating to the colamb's office, but out of a dutiful regard, as relations, to kiss his knees.--'My father' said I, 'shall know it immediately; but first, pray inform me of your name?'--'Your father!' replied Youwarkee; 'are you my brother Quangrollart?'--'My name is so,' says I, 'but I have only one sister, now with my father, and how I can be your brother, I am not able to guess.'--'Have you never had another sister?' says she.--'Yes,' says I, 'but she is long since dead; her name was Youwarkee.' At my mentioning her name, she fell upon my neck in tears, crying, 'My dear brother, I am that dead sister Youwarkee, and these with me are some of my children, for I have five more; but, pray, how does my father and sister?'--I started back at this declaration, to view her and the children, fearing it was some gross imposition, not in the least knowing or remembering anything of her face, after so long an absence; but I desired them to walk in, till I told my father.

* Capital Seat.

** Youth.

"The guard observing the several passages between us, were amazed to think who it could be had so familiarly embraced me; especially as they saw I only played a passive part in it.

"When I went in, I did not think proper directly to inform my father what had happened; but calling my sister Hallycarnie, I let her into the circumstances of this odd affair, and desired her advice what to do: 'For,' says I, 'surely this must be some impostor; and as my father has scarce subdued his sorrow for my sister's loss, if this gawry should prove a deceiver, it will only revive his affliction, and may prove at this time extremely dangerous to him: therefore let us consider what had best be done in the matter.'

"Hallycarnie, who had attentively weighed all I said, seemed to think it was some cheat, as well as I did; for we could neither of us conceive that anything but death, or being slit, could have kept Youwarkee so long from the knowledge of her relations; and that neither of them could be the case was plain, if the person attending was Youwarkee. 'Besides, brother,' says Hallycarnie, 'she cannot surely be so much altered in fifteen years, but you must have known her; and yet, now I think, it is possible, you being so much younger, may have forgot her; but whilst we have been talking of her, I have so well recollected her, that I think I could hardly be imposed upon by any deceiver.' "I then desired her to go with me to the strangers and see if she could make any discovery. She did so, and had no sooner entered the abb,* but Youwarkee called out, 'My dear sister Hally-carnie!' and she as readily recollecting Youwarkee, they in transport embraced each other; and then your wife presenting to us her three children, it proved the tenderest scene, except the following, I ever saw.

* Room.

"My father having kept his chamber some time with a fever, and though he was pretty well recovered, having not yet been out of it, we consulted how we might introduce our sister and children to him, with as little surprise as might be, for fear of a relapse by too great a hurry of his spirits. At length we concluded I should go tell him that some strangers had arrived desiring to see him; but on inquiry, finding their business was too trifling to trouble him upon, I had despatched them; I was then to say how like one of them was to my sister Youwarkee; and whilst I was speaking, Hallycarnie was to enter, and keep up the discourse till we should find a proper opportunity of discovery. I went in, therefore, as had been agreed; and upon mentioning the name of Youwarkee, my father fetched a deep sigh and turned away from me in tears. At that instant Hallycarnie came in as by accident. 'Sir,' says she, 'what makes you so sad? are you worse to-day?'--'Oh,' says he, 'I have heard a name that will never be out of my heart, till I am in hoximo.'*--'What, I suppose my sister?'--''Tis true,' replied he, 'the same.'--Says she, 'I fancied so, for I have just seen a stranger as like her as two dorrs** could be, and would have sworn it was she, if that had been possible. I thought my brother had been so imprudent as to mention her to you; and I think he did not do well to rip up an old sore he knew was almost healed, and make it break out afresh.'--'Ah! no, child,' says my father, 'that sore never has, nor can be healed. O Great Image! why can't it by some means or other be ascertained what end she came to?'

* A place where the dead are buried.

** A fruit like an apple.

"'Sir,' says my sister, 'I think you are much to blame for these exclamations, after so long absence; for, if she be dead, what use are they of? and if she be not, all may be well, and you may still see her again.'--'Oh, never, never!' says my father; 'but could I be sure she was alive, I would take a swangean and never close my graundee till I found her, or dropt dead in the search.'--'And suppose you could meet with her, sir,' says I, 'the very sight would overcome you, and be dangerous.' 'No, believe me, boy,' says he, 'I should then be fully easy and composed; and were she to come in this moment, I should suffer no surprise, but pleasure.'--'No surprise, sir?' says I.--'Not if she were alive and well,' says he.--'Then, sir,' says Hallycarnie, 'will you excuse me if I introduce her?' and went out directly without staying for an answer.

"When she was gone, 'Quangrollart,' says my father sternly, 'what is the meaning of yours and your sister's playing thus upon my weakness? It is what I can upon no account forgive. It looks as if you were weary of me, and wanted to break my heart. To what purpose is all this prelude of yours, to introduce to me somebody, who, by her likeness to my daughter, may expose me to your scoff and raillery? This is a disobedience I never expected from either of you.'

"'The Great Image attend me!' says I; 'sir, you have much mistaken me; but I will not leave you in doubt, even till Hallycarnie's return. You shall see Youwarkee with her; for all our discourse, I'll assure you, has but been concerted to prepare you for her reception, with three of her children.' 'And am I then, says he, in a transport, 'still to be blessed?'--'You are, sir,' says I, 'assure yourself you are.'

"By this time we heard them coming, but my poor father had not power to go to meet them: and upon Youwarkee's nearer approach, to fall at his knees, his limbs failing him, he sunk, and without speaking a word, fell backwards on a cught drappec,* which stood behind him; and, being quite motionless, we concluded him to be stone-dead. On this the women became entirely helpless, screaming only, and wringing their hands in extravagant postures. But I, having a little more presence of mind, called for the calentar;** who, by holding his nose, pinching his feet, and other applications, in a little time brought him to his senses again.

* A bed or couch covered with a sort of cotton.

** A sort of doctor in all great families.

"You may more easily conceive than I describe, both the confusion we were all in during my father's disorder, and the congratulations upon his recovery; so, as I can give you but a defective account of these, I shall pass them by, and come to our more serious discourse, after my father and your wife had, without speaking a word, wept themselves quite dry on each other's necks.

"My father, then looking upon the three children (who were also crying to see their mamma cry), 'And who are these?' says he.--'These, sir,' says Youwarkee, 'are three of eight of your grandchildren.'--'And where is your barkett?' says he. 'At home with the rest, sir,' replied she, 'who are some of them too small to come so far yet; but, sir,' says she, 'pray excuse my answering you any more questions, till you are a little recovered from the commotion I perceive my presence has brought upon your spirits; and as rest, the calentar says, will be exceedingly proper, I will retire with my sister till you are better able to bear company.' My father was with much difficulty prevailed with to part with her out of his sight: but the calentar pressing it, we were all dismissed, and he laid down to rest."

My brother would have gone on, but I told him, as it grew near time for repose, and he and Rosig must needs be fatigued with so long a flight, if they pleased (as I had already heard the most valuable part of all he could say, in that my father had received my wife and children so kindly, and that he left them all well) we could defer his farther relation till the next day; which they both agreeing to, I laid them in my own bed, myself sleeping in a spare hammock.

END OF VOL. I.

PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE, HANSON AND CO. EDINBURGH AND LONDON.

============

THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF PETER WILKINS.

By Robert Paltock

With A Preface By A. H. Bullen

Vol. II (of II)

London: Reeves & Turner, 196 Strand.

1884.

LIFE and ADVENTURES OF PETER WILKINS

A Cornish Man

Relating particularly,

His Shipwreck near the South Pole; his wonderful Passage thro' a subterraneous Cavern into a kind of new World; his there meeting with a Gawry or flying woman, whose Life he preserv'd, and afterwards married her; his extraordinary Conveyance to the Country of Glums and Gawrys, or Men and Women that fly. Likewise a Description of this strange Country, with the Laws, Customs, and Manners of its Inhabitants, and the Author's remarkable Transactions among them.

Taken from his own Mouth, in his Passage to England from off Cape Horn in America, in the ship Hector.

With an INTRODUCTION, giving an Account of the surprizing Manner of his coming on board that Vessel, and his Death on his landing at Plymouth in the Year 1739.

Illustrated with several Cuts, clearly and distinctly representing the Structure and Mechanism of the Wings of the Glums and Gawrys, and the Manner in which they use them either to swim or fly.

By R. S. a Passenger in the Hector.

In Two Volumes.

CONTENTS OF VOL. II.

CHAPT I.

A discourse on light--Quangrollart explains the word crashee--Believes a fowl is a fruit--Gives a further account of Youwarkee's reception by her father, and by the king--Tommy and Hallycarnie provided for at court--Youwarkee and her father visit the colambs, and are visited--Her return put off till next winter, when her father is to come with her

CHAPT II.

The author shows Quangrollart and Rosig his poultry--They are surprised at them--He takes them a-fishing--They wonder at his cart, and at his shooting a fowl--They are terribly frightened at the firing of the gun--He pacifies them

CHAPT III.

Peter prepares for his father's reception--Arguments about his beard--Expects his wife--Reflections on her not coming--Sees a messenger on the rock--Has notice of Pendlehamby's arrival and prepares a treat

CHAPT IV.

Peter settles the formality, of his father's reception--Description of their march and alighting--Receives his father--Conducts him to the grotto--Offers to beg pardon for his marriage--Is prevented by Pendlehamby--Youwarkee not known in her English habit--Quarters the officers in the tent

CHAPT V.

The manner of their dinner--Believe the fish and fowl to be fruits--Hears his brother and the colambs are coming--Account of their lying--Peter's reflections on the want of the graundee--They view the arkoe--Servants harder to please than their masters--Reasons for different dresses the same day

CHAPT VI.

Quangrollart arrives with the colambs--Straitened for accommodation--Remove to the tent--Youwarkee not known--Peter relates part of his travels--Dispute about the beast-fish skins

CHAPT VII.

Go a-fishing--Catch a beast-fish--Afraid of the gun--How Peter altered his net--A fish-dinner for the guards--Method of dressing and eating it

CHAPT VIII.

A shooting proposed--All afraid of the gun but one private guard--His behaviour--Pendlehamby at Peter's request makes him a general--Peter's discourse thereon--Remainder of his story--The colambs return

CHAPT IX.

Peter finds his stores low--Sends Youwarkee to the ship--Receives an invitation to Georigetti's court

CHAPT X.

Nasgig comes with a guard to fetch Peter--Long debate about his going--Nasgig's uneasiness at Peter's refusal--Relates a prediction to him, and proceedings thereon at Georigetti's court--Peter consents to go--Prepares a machine for that purpose

CHAPT XI.

Peter's speech to the soldiery--Offers them freedom--His journey--Is met by the king--The king sent back, and why--Peter alights in the king's garden--His audience--Description of his supper and bed

CHAPT XII.

The king's apartments described--Peter is introduced to the king--A moucheratt called--His discourse with the king about religion

CHAPT XIII.

Peter's reflections on what he was to perform--Settles the method of it--His advice to his son and daughter--Globe-lights living creatures--Takes Maleck into his service--Nasgig discovers to Peter a plot in court--Revolt of Gauingrunt

CHAPT XIV.

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

CHAPT XV.

The king hears Barbarsa and Yaccombourse discourse on the plot--They are impeached by Peter at a moucheratt--Condemned and executed--Nicor submits, and is released

CHAPT XVI.

Nasgig returns with the cannon--Peter informs him of the execution--Appoints him a guard--Settles the order of his march against Harlokin--Combat between Nasgig and the rebel general--The battle--Peter returning with Harlokin's head is met by a sweecoan--A public festival--Slavery abolished

CHAPT XVII.

A visitation of the revolted provinces proposed by Peter--His new name of the country received--Religion settled in the west--Slavery abolished there--Lasmeel returns with Peter--Peter teaches him letters--The king surprised at written correspondence--Peter describes the make of a beast to the king

CHAPT XVIII.

Peter sends for his family--A rising of former slaves on that account--Takes a view of the city--A description of it, and of the country--Hot and cold springs

CHAPT XIX.

Peter sends for his family--Pendlehamby gives a fabulous account of the peopling of that country--Their policy and government--Peter's discourse on trade--You-warkee arrives--Invites the king and nobles to a treat--Sends to Graundevolet for fowls

CHAPT XX.

Peter goes to his father's--Traverses the Black Mountain--Takes a flight to Mount Alkoe--Gains the miners--Overcomes the governor's troops--Proclaims Georigetti king--Seizes the governor--Returns him the government--Peter makes laws with the consent of the people, and returns to Brandleguarp with deputies

CHAPT XXI.

Peter arrives with the deputies--Presents them to the king--They return--A colony agreed to be sent thither--Nasgig made governor--Manner of choosing the colony--A flight-race, and the intent of it--Walsi wins the prize and is found to be a gawry

CHAPT XXII.

The race reconciles the two kingdoms--The colony proceeds--Builds a city--Peter views the country at a distance--Hears of a prophecy of the king of Norbon's daughter Stygee--Goes thither--Kills the king's nephew--Fulfils the prophecy by engaging Stygee to Georigetii--Returns

CHAPT XXIII.

A discourse on marriage between Peter and Georigetii--Peter proposes Stygee--The king accepts it--Relates his transactions at Norbon--The marriage is consummated--Account of the marriage ceremony--Peter goes to Norbon--Opens a free trade to Mount Alkoe--Gets traders to settle at Norbon--Convoys cattle to Mount Alkoe

CHAPT XXIV.

Peter looking over his books finds he has got a Latin Bible--

Sets about a translation--Teaches some of the ragans letters--Sets up a paper manufacture--Makes the ragans read the Bible--The ragans teach others to read and write--A fair kept at the Black Mountain--Peter's reflections on the Swangeantines

CHAPT XXV.

Peter's children provided for--Youwarkee's death--How the king and queen spent their time--Peter grows melancholy--Wants to get to England--Contrives means--Is taken up at sea

A GENUINE ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF PETER WILKINS.