CHAPTER VI.
Quangrollart arrives with the colambs—Straitened for accommodation—Remove to the tent—Youwarkee not known—Peter relates paid of his travels—Dispute about the beast-fish skins.
SLEEPING longer than usual, I was awakened next morning by a gripsack from Quangrollart; upon hearing of which I roused immediately, thinking they were at my door; but the messenger told me they could not be there in what I understood by his signs to be about two hours, for they have no such measure for time as hours; so I dressed at leisure, and then went to Youwarkee and waked her. "Youwee," says I, "your brother will be here presently, and I having a mind you should appear as my countrywoman, would have you dress yourself."
We walked down to the level, and but just saved our distance; for the van of them were within the arkoe before we arrived, and with such a train after them as seemed to reach the whole length of the arkoe. The regularity and order of their flight was admirable, and the break of the trumpets so great, sounding all the way they came (for we had not only one set of them, but at least thirty, there being so many colambs and petty princes in the train, each with fifty attendants), that I wondered how they could bear it. As the principals alighted, which was at least a hundred paces from me, the gripsacks still kept wing, sounding as long as we stayed.
This was a very tedious ceremony, for the guards alighting with their colambs, ranged just as Pendlehamby's had done, but reached as far as the eye could see. As they moved towards us, You-warkee and I, having stood still some time, moved slowly forward to meet them.
It would have surprised you to have seen the deference they paid us; and I believe the guards took us for something above the mortal race. You-warkee showed no part of her graundee, having on sleeves down to her wrists, white silk stockings and red-heeled shoes; so that none of them knew her for one of them.
The first that we met was my brother, to whom we had only an opportunity of paying our compliments en passant before another graundee came up, who was succeeded by another and another, to the number of thirty; some out of respect to my father and brother, and some out of mere curiosity to see me; and as fast as each had paid his salutes, he passed us, till we found we had no more to meet, when we turned about, and fell in with the company.