When Lasmeel entered my chamber next morning, he informed me that the whole city was in an uproar, especially those who had been freed by me. "What!" says I, "have they so soon forgot their subjection, to misapply their liberty already? But step and bring me word what's the matter, and order some of the ringleaders hither to me." Lasmeel upon inquiry found that it had been given out I was going to leave the country, and they all said, wherever I went they were determined to go and settle with me; for if I left them, they should be reduced to slavery again. However, he brought some of them to me, and upon my telling them I thanked them for their affection to me, but blamed them for showing it in so tumultuous a manner, and that I was so far from intending to leave them, that I was sending for my family and effects in order to settle amongst them, they rejoiced very much, and told me they would carry the good news to their companions, and disperse immediately. But I was now in more perplexity than before, for they having signified my designs to the rest, they rushed into the gallery in such numbers that they forced me up to my very chamber. I told them this was an unprecedented manner of using a person they pretended a kindness for; and told them if they made use of such risings to express their gratitude to me, it would be the direct means to oblige me to leave them: "For," says I, "do you think I can be safe in a kingdom where greater deference is paid to me than to the crown?" They begged my pardon, they said, and would obey me in anything; but the present trouble was only to offer their services to fetch my family and goods, or to do anything else I should want them for; and if I would favour them in that, they would retire directly. I told them when I had considered of it they should hear from me; and this again quieted them.
This disturbance not only took up much of my time, which I could have better employed, but put me to a non-plus how to come off with them; till I sent Maleck to tell them though I set a great value upon their esteem, yet after what had passed, it would be the most unadvisable thing in nature for me to accept their kindness; for having before requested a body of men of the king, as he had graciously granted them, it would be preferring them to the king, should I now relinquish his grant and make use of their offer; and after this I heard no more of it.
I had scarce met with a more difficult task than to fix exact rules for the conduct of my present undertaking, there being so many things to be expressed, wherein the least perplexity arising, might have caused both delay and damage; for I was not only forced to set down the things I would have brought, but the manner and method of packing and securing them; but as Lasmeel could read my writing to Pedro at home, and Youwarkee on board, it would be a means, though far from an expeditious one, of bringing matters into some order; and after I had done as I thought, I could have enumerated many more things, and was obliged to add an et cætera to the end of my catalogue; and while they were ready for flight, I added divers other particulars and circumstances. Nay, when they were even upon the graundee, I recollected the most material thing of all; for my greatest concern was, having broke up so many of my chests, to find package for the things; I say, even so late as that, I bethought me of the several great water-casks I had on board, that would hold an infinite number of small things, and would be slung easily; so I stopped them and set down that, and they were no sooner out of sight and hearing, but remembering twenty more, I was then forced to trust them to my et cætera.
I had sent my own flying-chair to bring the boys who had not the graundee, with orders for Pedro to sit tied in the chair, with Dicky tied in his arms; Jemmy to sit tied to the board before the chair, and David behind: so I hoped they would come safe enough; and then my wife and Sally were able to help themselves.
Having despatched my caravan, and being all alone, I called Quilly the next morning, and telling him I had thoughts of viewing the country, I bade him prepare to go with me.
I had now been here above six months, and yet upon coming to walk gravely about the city, I found myself as much a stranger to the knowledge of the place as if that had been the first day of my arrival, though I had been over it several times in my chair.
This city is not only one of, but actually the most curious piece of work in the world, and consists of one immense entire stone of a considerable height, and it may be seven miles in length, and near as broad as it is long. The streets and habitable part of it are scooped, as it were, out of the solid stone, to the level with the rest of the country, very flat and smooth at bottom, the rock rising perpendicular from the streets on each side.
The figure of the city is a direct square; each side about six miles long, with a large open circle in the centre of the square, about a mile in diameter, and from each of the sides of the outer streets to the opposite side runs another street, cutting the centre of the circle as in the figure.
Along the whole face of the rock, bounding the streets and the circle, there are archways; those in the circle, and the four cross streets, for the gentry and better people; and those in the outer streets, for the meaner; and it is as easy to know as by a sign where a great man lives, by the grandeur of his entrance, and lavish distribution of the pillars, carving, and statues about his portico, within and without: for as they have no doors, you may look in, and are not forbid entrance; and though it should look odd to an English reader, that an Englishman should speak with pleasure of a land of darkness, as that almost was, yet I am satisfied whoever shall see it after me will be persuaded, that for the real grandeur of their entrances, and for the magnificence of the apartments and sculpture, no part of the universe can produce the like; and though within doors there is no other manner of light than the sweecoes, yet that, when you are once used to it, is so agreeable and free from all noisome savour, that I never once regretted the loss of the sun within doors, though I often have when abroad; but then that would be injurious to the proper inhabitants, though they can no more see in total darkness than myself.
I have been over some of these private houses, which contain, it may be, thirty rooms, great and small, some higher, some lower, full of sweecoe-lights, and extremely well proportioned and beautiful.