the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第6部分

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dventures　may　not　prove　unentertaining。

After　we　had　resided　at　Ceylon　about　a　fortnight　I　accompanied　one　of　the　governor's　brothers　upon　a　shooting　party。　He　was　a　strong；　athletic　man；　and　being　used　to　that　climate　（for　he　had　resided　there　some　years）；　he　bore　the　violent　heat　of　the　sun　much　better　than　I　could；　in　our　excursion　he　had　made　a　considerable　progress　through　a　thick　wood　when　I　was　only　at　the　entrance。

Near　the　banks　of　a　large　piece　of　water；　which　had　engaged　my　attention；　I　thought　I　heard　a　rustling　noise　behind；　on　turning　about　I　was　almost　petrified　（as　who　would　not　be？）　at　the　sight　of　a　lion；　which　was　evidently　approaching　with　the　intention　of　satisfying　his　appetite　with　my　poor　carcase；　and　that　without　asking　my　consent。　What　was　to　be　done　in　this　horrible　dilemma？　I　had　not　even　a　moment　for　reflection；　my　piece　was　only　charged　with　swan…shot；　and　I　had　no　other　about　me：　however；　though　I　could　have　no　idea　of　killing　such　an　animal　with　that　weak　kind　of　ammunition；　yet　I　had　some　hopes　of　frightening　him　by　the　report；　and　perhaps　of　wounding　him　also。　I　immediately　let　fly；　without　waiting　till　he　was　within　reach；　and　the　report　did　but　enrage　him；　for　he　now　quickened　his　pace；　and　seemed　to　approach　me　full　speed：　I　attempted　to　escape；　but　that　only　added　（if　an　addition　could　be　made）　to　my　distress；　for　the　moment　I　turned　about　I　found　a　large　crocodile；　with　his　mouth　extended　almost　ready　to　receive　me。　On　my　right　hand　was　the　piece　of　water　before　mentioned；　and　on　my　left　a　deep　precipice；　said　to　have；　as　I　have　since　learned；　a　receptacle　at　the　bottom　for　venomous　creatures；　in　short　I　gave　myself　up　as　lost；　for　the　lion　was　now　upon　his　hind…　legs；　just　in　the　act　of　seizing　me；　I　fell　involuntarily　to　the　ground　with　fear；　and；　as　it　afterwards　appeared；　he　sprang　over　me。　I　lay　some　time　in　a　situation　which　no　language　can　describe；　expecting　to　feel　his　teeth　or　talons　in　some　part　of　me　every　moment：　after　waiting　in　this　prostrate　situation　a　few　seconds　I　heard　a　violent　but　unusual　noise；　different　from　any　sound　that　had　ever　before　assailed　my　ears；　nor　is　it　at　all　to　be　wondered　at；　when　I　inform　you　from　whence　it　proceeded：　after　listening　for　some　time；　I　ventured　to　raise　my　head　and　look　round；　when；　to　my　unspeakable　joy；　I　perceived　the　lion　had；　by　the　eagerness　with　which　he　sprung　at　me；　jumped　forward；　as　I　fell；　into　the　crocodile's　mouth！　which；　as　before　observed；　was　wide　open；　the　head　of　the　one　stuck　in　the　throat　of　the　other！　and　they　were　struggling　to　extricate　themselves！　I　fortunately　recollected　my　/couteau　de　chasse/；　which　was　by　my　side；　with　this　instrument　I　severed　the　lion's　head　at　one　blow；　and　the　body　fell　at　my　feet！　I　then；　with　the　butt…end　of　my　fowling…　piece；　rammed　the　head　farther　into　the　throat　of　the　crocodile；　and　destroyed　him　by　suffocation；　for　he　could　neither　gorge　nor　eject　it。

Soon　after　I　had　thus　gained　a　complete　victory　over　my　two　powerful　adversaries；　my　companion　arrived　in　search　of　me；　for　finding　I　did　not　follow　him　into　the　wood；　he　returned；　apprehending　I　had　lost　my　way；　or　met　with　some　accident。

After　mutual　congratulations；　we　measured　the　crocodile；　which　was　just　forty　feet　in　length。

As　soon　as　we　had　related　this　extraordinary　adventure　to　the　governor；　he　sent　a　waggon　and　servants；　who　brought　home　the　two　carcases。　The　lion's　skin　was　properly　preserved；　with　its　hair　on；　after　which　it　was　made　into　tobacco…pouches；　and　presented　by　me；　upon　our　return　to　Holland；　to　the　burgomasters；　who；　in　return；　requested　my　acceptance　of　a　thousand　ducats。

The　skin　of　the　crocodile　was　stuffed　in　the　usual　manner；　and　makes　a　capital　article　in　their　public　museum　at　Amsterdam；　where　the　exhibitor　relates　the　whole　story　to　each　spectator；　with　such　additions　as　he　thinks　proper。　Some　of　his　variations　are　rather　extravagant；　one　of　them　is；　that　the　lion　jumped　quite　through　the　crocodile；　and　was　making　his　escape　at　the　back　door；　when；　as　soon　as　his　head　appeared；　Monsieur　the　Great　Baron　（as　he　is　pleased　to　call　me）　cut　it　off；　and　three　feet　of　the　crocodile's　tail　along　with　it；　nay；　so　little　attention　has　this　fellow　to　the　truth；　that　he　sometimes　adds；　as　soon　as　the　crocodile　missed　his　tail；　he　turned　about；　snatched　the　/couteau　de　chasse/　out　of　Monsieur's　hand；　and　swallowed　it　with　such　eagerness　that　it　pierced　his　heart　and　killed　him　immediately！

The　little　regard　which　this　impudent　knave　has　to　veracity　makes　me　sometimes　apprehensive　that　my　/real　facts/　may　fall　under　suspicion；　by　being　found　in　company　with　his　confounded　inventions。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　II

　　/In　which　the　Baron　proves　himself　a　good　shotHe　loses　his　　　horse；　and　finds　a　wolfMakes　him　draw　his　sledgePromises　to　　　entertain　his　company　with　a　relation　of　such　facts　as　are　well　　　deserving　their　notice。/

I　set　off　from　Rome　on　a　journey　to　Russia；　in　the　midst　of　winter；　from　a　just　notion　that　frost　and　snow　must　of　course　mend　the　roads；　which　every　traveller　had　described　as　uncommonly　bad　through　the　northern　parts　of　Germany；　Poland；　Courland；　and　Livonia。　I　went　on　horseback；　as　the　most　convenient　manner　of　travelling；　I　was　but　lightly　clothed；　and　of　this　I　felt　the　inconvenience　the　more　I　advanced　north…east。　What　must　not　a　poor　old　man　have　suffered　in　that　severe　weather　and　climate；　whom　I　saw　on　a　bleak　common　in　Poland；　lying　on　the　road；　helpless；　shivering；　and　hardly　having　wherewithal　to　cover　his　nakedness？　I　pitied　the　poor　soul：　though　I　felt　the　severity　of　the　air　myself；　I　threw　my　mantle　over　him；　and　immediately　I　heard　a　voice　from　the　heavens；　blessing　me　for　that　piece　of　charity；　saying

〃You　will　be　rewarded；　my　son；　for　this　in　time。〃

I　went　on：　night　and　darkness　overtook　me。　No　village　was　to　be　seen。　The　country　was　covered　with　snow；　and　I　was　unacquainted　with　the　road。

Tired；　I　alighted；　and　fastened　my　horse　to　something　like　a　pointed　stump　of　a　tree；　which　appeared　above　the　snow；　for　the　sake　of　safety　I　placed　my　pistols　under　my　arm；　and　laid　down　on　the　snow；　where　I　slept　so　soundly　that　I　did　not　open　my　eyes　till　full　daylight。　It　is　not　easy　to　conceive　my　astonishment　to　find　myself　in　the　midst　of　a　village；　lying　in　a　churchyard；　nor　was　my　horse　to　be　seen；　but　I　heard　him　soon　after　neigh　somewhere　above　me。　On　looking　upwards　I　beheld　him　hanging　by　his　bridle　to　the　weather…cock　of　the　steeple。　Matters　were　now　very　plain　to　me：　the　village　had　been　covered　with　snow　overnight；　a　sudden　change　of　weather　had　taken　place；　I　had　sunk　down　to　the　churchyard　whilst　asleep；　gently；　and　in　the　same　proportion　as　the　snow　had　melted　away；　and　what　in　the　dark　I　had　taken　to　be　a　stump　of　a　little　tree　appearing　above　the　snow；　to　which　I　had　tied　my　horse；　proved　to　have　been　the　cross　or　weather…　cock　of　the　steeple！

Without　long　consideration　I　took　one　of　my　pistols；　shot　the　bridle　in　two；　brought　the　horse；　and　proceeded　on　my　journey。　＇Here　the　Baron　seems　to　have　forgot　his　feelings；　he　should　certainly　have　ordered　his　horse　a　feed　of　corn；　after　fasting　so　long。＇

He　carried　me　welladvancing　into　the　interior　parts　of　Russia。　I　found　travelling　on　horseback　rather　unfashionable　in　winter；　therefore　I　submitted；　as　I　always　do；　to　the　custom　of　the　country；　took　a　single　horse　sledge；　and　drove　briskly　towards　St。　Petersburg。　I　do　not　exactly　recollect　whether　it　was　in　Eastland　or　Jugemanland；　but　I　remember　that　in　the　midst　of　a　dreary　forest　I　spied　a　terrible　wolf　making　after　me；　with　all　the　speed　of　ravenous　winter　hunger。　He　soon　overtook　me。　There　was　no　possibility　of　escape。　Mechanically　I　laid　myself　down　flat　in　the　sledge；　and　let　my　horse　run　for　our　safety。　What　I　wished；　but　hardly　hoped　or　expected；　happened　immediately　after。　The　wolf　did　not　mind　me　in　the　least；　but　took　a　leap　over　me；　and　falling　furiously　on　the　horse；　began　instantly　to　tear　and　devour　the　hind…part　of　the　poor　animal；　which　ran　the　faster　for　his　pain　and　terror。　Thus　unnoticed　and　safe　myself；　I　lifted　my　head　slyly　up；　and　with　horror　I　beheld　that　the　wolf　had　ate　his　way　into　the　horse's　body；　it　was　not　long　before　he　had　fairly　forced　himself　into　it；　when　I　took　my　advantage；　and　fell　upon　him　with　the　butt…end　of　my　whip。　This　unexpected　attack　in　his　rear　frightened　him　so　much；　that　he　leaped　forward　with　all　his　might：　the　horse's　carcase　dropped　on　the　ground；　but　in　his　place　the　wolf　was　in　the　harness；　and　I　on　my　part　whipping　him　continually：　we　both　arrived　in　full　career　safe　at　St。　Petersburg；　contrary　to　our　respective　expectations；　and　very　much　to　the　astonishment　of　the　spectators。

I　shall　not　tire　you；　gentlemen；　with　the　politics；　arts；　sciences；　and　history　of　this　magnificent　metropolis　of　Russia；　nor　trouble　you　with　the　various　intrigues　and　pleasant　adventures　I　had　in　the　politer　circles　of　that　country；　where　the　lady　of　the　house　always　receives　the　visitor　with　a　dram　and　a　salute。　I　shall　confine　myself　rather　to　the　greater　and　nobler　objects　of　your　attention；　horses　and　dogs；　my　favourites　in　the　brute　creation；　also　to　foxes；　wolves；　and　bears；　with