I was now in a land, where I had a living proof of how much the occurrence of pain and the fear of death tend to produce mutual love and cheerful converse among fellow beings. Here, for the first time, I came to know the folly and sin of grumbling at the Creator, for bringing upon us trouble and suffering, which are really good for us, and which produce the happiest consequences.
The province Lalak, which is sometimes called Maskatta, or the Blessed Land, was the next in the order of my journey. This land is very appropriately named. All things spring forth spontaneously:
Here, between melon vines and moist strawberry,
Flow milky brooks and amber streams of mead;
There, luscious wine, from crystal, spouts more merry,
As Bacchus from his slumber had been freed.
Far down along the mountain's verdant side,
The limpid juice, with golden lustre, ripples.
In dales, soft undulating, oozing glide
Sweet waters, out of teeming nature's nipples;
And trees of Paradise their branches reach,
Bending with purple plum and mellow peach.
From all the land nutritious savors rise,
To bless its sons, then mount to scent the skies.
These advantages do not, by any means, make the inhabitants happy. It occurred to me, that laborers in harsher climates are much better off than these people, who necessarily languish in idleness and luxury.
Next to Lalak is Mardak, inhabited by cypresses. Of these are different descents or races, determined by the number or shape of their eyes. Here is a list of the varieties:
Nagiri, who have oblong eyes; to whom all objects appear oblong.
Naquire, whose eyes are square.
Palampi, who have very small eyes.
Jaraku, with two eyes, which are turned in opposite directions.
Mehanki, with three eyes.