"Father," says the king, looking earnestly at me, "I have been frequently, since I knew you first, in doubt of my own existence. My life seems a dream to me; for if existence is to be judged of by one's faculties only, I have been in such a delusion of them ever since, that as I find myself unable to judge with certainty of any other thing, so I am subject to doubt whether I really exist. Are these things possible that you tell me, father?"
I then told him the whole affair, and advised him by all means to accept the offer, and marry the princess out of hand.
His majesty, when I had brought him thoroughly to believe me, was as eager to consummate the marriage, as I was to have him; but then, whether he should go to her, or she come to him, was the question. I told him it was a thing unusual for a sovereign to quit his own dominions for a wife; but would advise an embassy to her father, with notice that his majesty would meet and espouse her on the frontiers of the two kingdoms.
The ambassadors returning with an appointment of time and place, it was not above a month before I had settled Stygee on the thrones of Sass Doorpt Swangeanti and Mount Alkoe, with the reversion of the kingdom of Norbon, without a competitor.
I shall here give you an account of the marriage ceremony. The king being arrived on the borders, Stygee, who had waited but a few hours at the last village in Norbon, advanced to his majesty on the very division, as they called it, of the two kingdoms, a line being drawn to express the bounds of each. The king and Stygee having talked apart from the company a little space, each standing hand in hand, on their own respective ground, the chief ragan advanced, and began the ceremony.
He first asked each party aloud, if he and she were willing to be united in body and affections, and would engage to continue so their whole lives to which each party having answered aloud in the affirmative, "Show me then a token!" says he; and immediately each expanding the right side of their graundees, laid it upon the other's left side, so that they appeared then but as one body, standing hand in hand, encased round with the graundee. The ragan then having descanted upon the duties of marriage, concluded the ceremony with wishing them as fruitful as Perigen and Philella. So soon as it was over, and the gripsacks and voices had finished an epithalamium, the bride and bridegroom taking wing, were conducted to Brandleguarp, amidst the acclamations of an infinite number of Georigetti's subjects.
The king had made vast preparations for the reception of the princess Stygee; and nothing was to be heard or seen but feastings and rejoicing for many days; and his majesty afterwards assured me of his entire satisfaction in my choice of his bride, without whom he confessed, that notwithstanding the many other blessings I had procured him, his happiness must have been incomplete.
Intending another flight to Norbon, I was charged with the king and queen's compliments to Oniwheske; which having executed, I opened a free trade to Mount Alkoe; and hearing that small vessels came frequently on the Norbonese coast, to carry off the iron and other metal from thence unwrought, and paid part of their return in wrought metals, I ordered some of the next that came to be stopped and brought to me; and the day before I had fixed for my departure, notice was sent that twelve of those traders were stopped, and in custody at the sea-side. I longed to see them, but then considering that it would take up more time to bring them to Apsilo the capital, where I was, than I should take in going to them and returning, I resolved to go and examine them myself.
They told me they traded with small vessels to Norbon for metals, which they carried home, and wrought great part of it themselves, sending it to and dispersing it in several islands at a distance; and also sold the unwrought to several people who carried it they knew not whither in great ships. They said they kept abundance of hands at work in the trade. I asked if their artificers wrought it for their own profit, or their masters'. They told me for masters, themselves being all slaves.—"And are you all slaves?" says I.—They told me "Yes, all but one," pointing to him. I then ordered him to be secured and removed; and told them if they would procure some hands to settle at Norbon and Mount Alkoe, they should all be made free, have lands assigned them, and have other privileges, and I did not doubt in time would become the richest men in the country; for I understood by them they were acquainted with the use of money. I asked them what other commodities they brought to Norbon in exchange.
They said clothes for the people, both what they received in exchange from others who bought their iron, and some of a coarser sort of their own making. I found in my discourse I had with them, that out of my eleven men there were persons of four different occupations; so I promised those who would stay with me their freedoms, good houses, and other rewards: and sending three hands home with the vessel, and a full freight, according to the value of the cargo they brought, I ordered them to engage as many as they could of their countrymen of distinct trades, to come and settle with me; and to be sure, if they had any grain, corn, roots, plants, or seeds, usually eaten for food, to bring all they could get with them, and they should have good returns for them; and as to those good hands that settled here, they should be allowed all materials to work for their own profit the first year, and after that they should also work for themselves, allowing the king one-tenth of the clear profit. This took so far with them, that it was with the utmost difficulty I got any of them to carry the ship back, for fear they should not be able to return.