the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第12部分

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h's　wife　to　pursue　her　journey。　She　took　with　her；　I　should　have　informed　you　before；　her　favourite　son　by　this　connection；　to　whom　she　bequeathed　the　sling；　and　thus　it　has；　without　interruption；　descended　from　father　to　son　till　it　came　into　my　possession。　One　of　its　possessors；　my　great…　great…great…grandfather；　who　lived　about　two　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago；　was　upon　a　visit　to　England；　and　became　intimate　with　a　poet　who　was　a　great　deer…stealer；　I　think　his　name　was　Shakespeare：　he　frequently　borrowed　this　sling；　and　with　it　killed　so　much　of　Sir　Thomas　Lucy's　venison；　that　he　narrowly　escaped　the　fate　of　my　two　friends　at　Gibraltar。　Poor　Shakespeare　was　imprisoned；　and　my　ancestor　obtained　his　freedom　in　a　very　singular　manner。　Queen　Elizabeth　was　then　on　the　throne；　but　grown　so　indolent；　that　every　trifling　matter　was　a　trouble　to　her；　dressing；　undressing；　eating；　drinking；　and　some　other　offices　which　shall　be　nameless；　made　life　a　burden　to　her；　all　these　things　he　enabled　her　to　do　without；　or　by　a　deputy！　and　what　do　you　think　was　the　only　return　she　could　prevail　upon　him　to　accept　for　such　eminent　services？　setting　Shakespeare　at　liberty！　Such　was　his　affection　for　that　famous　writer；　that　he　would　have　shortened　his　own　days　to　add　to　the　number　of　his　friend's。

I　do　not　hear　that　any　of　the　queen's　subjects；　particularly　the　/beef…eaters/；　as　they　are　vulgarly　called　to　this　day；　however　they　might　be　struck　with　the　novelty　at　the　time；　much　approved　of　her　living　totally　without　food。　She　did　not　survive　the　practice　herself　above　seven　years　and　a　half。

My　father；　who　was　the　immediate　possessor　of　this　sling　before　me；　told　me　the　following　anecdote：

He　was　walking　by　the　sea…shore　at　Harwich；　with　this　sling　in　his　pocket；　before　his　paces　had　covered　a　mile　he　was　attacked　by　a　fierce　animal　called　a　seahorse；　open…mouthed；　who　ran　at　him　with　great　fury；　he　hesitated　a　moment；　then　took　out　his　sling；　retreated　back　about　a　hundred　yards；　stooped　for　a　couple　of　pebbles；　of　which　there　were　plenty　under　his　feet；　and　slung　them　both　so　dexterously　at　the　animal；　that　each　stone　put　out　an　eye；　and　lodged　in　the　cavities　which　their　removal　had　occasioned。　He　now　got　upon　his　back；　and　drove　him　into　the　sea；　for　the　moment　he　lost　his　sight　he　lost　also　ferocity；　and　became　as　tame　as　possible：　the　sling　was　placed　as　a　bridle　in　his　mouth；　he　was　guided　with　the　greatest　facility　across　the　ocean；　and　in　less　than　three　hours　they　both　arrived　on　the　opposite　shore；　which　is　about　thirty　leagues。　The　master　of　the　/Three　Cups/；　at　Helvoetsluys；　in　Holland；　purchased　this　marine　horse；　to　make　an　exhibition　of；　for　seven　hundred　ducats；　which　was　upwards　of　three　hundred　pounds；　and　the　next　day　my　father　paid　his　passage　back　in　the　packet　to　Harwich。

/My　father　made　several　curious　observations　in　this　passage；　which　I　will　relate　hereafter。/



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XII

　　/The　frolic；　its　consequencesWindsor　CastleSt。　Paul'sCollege　　　of　PhysiciansUndertakers；　sextons；　&c。；　almost　ruinedIndustry　　　of　the　apothecaries。/

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　FROLIC。

This　famous　sling　makes　the　possessor　equal　to　any　task　he　is　desirous　of　performing。

I　made　a　balloon　of　such　extensive　dimensions；　that　an　account　of　the　silk　it　contained　would　exceed　all　credibility；　every　mercer's　shop　and　weaver's　stock　in　London；　Westminster；　and　Spitalfields　contributed　to　it：　with　this　balloon　and　my　sling　I　played　many　tricks；　such　as　taking　one　house　from　its　station；　and　placing　another　in　its　stead；　without　disturbing　the　inhabitants；　who　were　generally　asleep；　or　too　much　employed　to　observe　the　peregrinations　of　their　habitations。　When　the　sentinel　at　Windsor　Castle　heard　St。　Paul's　clock　strike　thirteen；　it　was　through　my　dexterity；　I　brought　the　buildings　nearly　together　that　night；　by　placing　the　castle　in　St。　George's　Fields；　and　carried　it　back　again　before　daylight；　without　waking　any　of　the　inhabitants；　notwithstanding　these　exploits；　I　should　have　kept　my　balloon；　and　its　properties　a　secret；　if　Montgolfier　had　not　made　the　art　of　flying　so　public。

On　the　30th　of　September；　when　the　College　of　Physicians　chose　their　annual　officers；　and　dined　sumptuously　together；　I　filled　my　balloon；　brought　it　over　the　dome　of　their　building；　clapped　the　sling　round　the　golden　ball　at　the　top；　fastening　the　other　end　of　it　to　the　balloon；　and　immediately　ascended　with　the　whole　college　to　an　immense　height；　where　I　kept　them　upwards　of　three　months。　You　will　naturally　inquire　what　they　did　for　food　such　a　length　of　time？　To　this　I　answer；　Had　I　kept　them　suspended　twice　the　time；　they　would　have　experienced　no　inconvenience　on　that　account；　so　amply；　or　rather　extravagantly；　had　they　spread　their　table　for　that　day's　feasting。

Though　this　was　meant　as　an　innocent　frolic；　it　was　productive　of　much　mischief　to　several　respectable　characters　amongst　the　clergy；　undertakers；　sextons；　and　grave…diggers：　they　were；　it　must　be　acknowledged；　sufferers；　for　it　is　a　well…known　fact；　that　during　the　three　months　the　college　was　suspended　in　the　air；　and　therefore　incapable　of　attending　their　patients；　no　deaths　happened；　except　a　few　who　fell　before　the　scythe　of　Father　Time；　and　some　melancholy　objects　who；　perhaps　to　avoid　some　trifling　inconvenience　here；　laid　the　hands　of　violence　upon　themselves；　and　plunged　into　misery　infinitely　greater　than　that　which　they　hoped　by　such　a　rash　step　to　avoid；　without　a　moment's　consideration。

If　the　apothecaries　had　not　been　very　active　during　the　above　time；　half　the　undertakers　in　all　probability　would　have　been　bankrupts。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIII

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　TRIP　TO　THE　NORTH

　　/The　Baron　sails　with　Captain　Phipps；　attacks　two　large　bears；　and　　　has　a　very　narrow　escapeGains　the　confidence　of　these　animals；　　　and　then　destroys　thousands　of　them；　loads　the　ship　with　their　　　hams　and　skins；　makes　presents　of　the　former；　and　obtains　a　　　general　invitation　to　all　city　feastsA　dispute　between　the　　　Captain　and　the　Baron；　in　which；　from　motives　of　politeness；　the　　　Captain　is　suffered　to　gain　his　pointThe　Baron　declines　the　　　offer　of　a　throne；　and　an　empress　into　the　bargain。/

We　all　remember　Captain　Phipps's　（now　Lord　Mulgrave）　last　voyage　of　discovery　to　the　north。　I　accompanied　the　captain；　not　as　an　officer；　but　as　a　private　friend。　When　we　arrived　in　a　high　northern　latitude　I　was　viewing　the　objects　around　me　with　the　telescope　which　I　introduced　to　your　notice　in　my　Gibraltar　adventures。　I　thought　I　saw　two　large　white　bears　in　violent　action　upon　a　body　of　ice　considerably　above　the　masts；　and　about　half　a　league　distance。　I　immediately　took　my　carbine；　slung　it　across　my　shoulder；　and　ascended　the　ice。　When　I　arrived　at　the　top；　the　unevenness　of　the　surface　made　my　approach　to　those　animals　troublesome　and　hazardous　beyond　expression：　sometimes　hideous　cavities　opposed　me；　which　I　was　obliged　to　spring　over；　in　other　parts　the　surface　was　as　smooth　as　a　mirror；　and　I　was　continually　falling：　as　I　approached　near　enough　to　reach　them；　I　found　they　were　only　at　play。　I　immediately　began　to　calculate　the　value　of　their　skins；　for　they　were　each　as　large　as　a　well…fed　ox：　unfortunately；　at　the　very　instant　I　was　presenting　my　carbine　my　right　foot　slipped；　I　fell　upon　my　back；　and　the　violence　of　the　blow　deprived　me　totally　of　my　senses　for　nearly　half　an　hour；　however；　when　I　recovered；　judge　of　my　surprise　at　finding　one　of　those　large　animals　I　have　been　just　describing　had　turned　me　upon　my　face；　and　was　just　laying　hold　of　the　waistband　of　my　breeches；　which　were　then　new　and　made　of　leather：　he　was　certainly　going　to　carry　me　feet　foremost；　God　knows　where；　when　I　took　this　knife　（showing　a　large　clasp　knife）　out　of　my　side…pocket；　made　a　chop　at　one　of　his　hind　feet；　and　cut　off　three　of　his　toes；　he　immediately　let　me　drop　and　roared　most　horribly。　I　took　up　my　carbine　and　fired　at　him　as　he　ran　off；　he　fell　directly。　The　noise　of　the　piece　roused　several　thousand　of　these　white　bears；　who　were　asleep　upon　the　ice　within　half　a　mile　of　me；　they　came　immediately　to　the　spot。　There　was　no　time　to　be　lost。　A　most　fortunate　thought　arrived　in　my　pericranium　just　at　that　instant。　I　took　off　the　skin　and　head　of　the　dead　bear　in　half　the　time　that　some　people　would　be　in　skinning　a　rabbit；　and　wrapped　myself　in　it；　placing　my　own　head　directly　under　Bruin's；　the　whole　herd　came　round　me　immediately；　and　my　apprehensions　threw　me　into　a　most　piteous　situation　to　be　sure：　however；　my　scheme　turned　out　a　most　admirable　one　for　my　own　safety。　They　all　came　smelling；　and　evidently　took　me　for　a　brother　Bruin；　I　wanted　nothing　but　bulk　to　make　an　excellent　counterfeit：　however；　I　saw　several　cubs　amongst　them　not　much　larger　than　myself。　After　they　had　all　smelt　me；　and　the　body　of　their　deceased　companion；　whose　skin　was　now　become　my　protector；　we　seemed　very　sociable；　and　I　found　I　could　mimic　all　their　actions　tolerably　well；　but　at　growling；　roaring；　and　hugging　they　were　quite　my　masters。　I　began　now　to　think　that　I　might　turn　the　general　confidence　which　I　had　created　amongst　these　animals　to　my