While these preparations were making, my tent-visitors had all dined, and my cart had returned with the beast-fish, which the company desired might be brought in, when every one passed his judgment upon it, and a long dissertation we had on the marvellous works of Collwar. I let them go on with their show, though I could have disproved most of their conclusions from the little knowledge I had of things; but I never was knight-errant enough to oppose my sentiments to a multitude already prepossessed on the other side of the question; for this reason, because I have ever observed that where several have imbibed the same ridiculous principle in infancy, they never want arguments, though ever so ridiculous, to support it; and as no one of them can desert it without impeaching the judgment of the rest, they encourage each other in their obstinacy, and quite out-vote a single person; and then, the laugh beginning on the strongest side, nothing is so difficult as to get it out of their hands. But when a single man in the wrong hears a just argument from a single antagonist which he cannot contradict, he imbibes its force, and whilst that lasts, as nothing but a better argument, with better reasons, can remove it, he from thenceforth adapts his adversary's reasons for his own, to oppose against his own former opinion.
In the height of our disputations on the beast-fish, came news that the broil was going to begin; and as I expected very good diversion at it, I invited the company to go see it, telling them, in my opinion, it would exceed the sport in taking them. We passed through the wood till we came amongst the shrubs, where I placed them to be out of harm's way; and the fire, which was now nothing but cinders, was of no inconvenience to them. They were pleased with it to perfection; for, first, the six men who walked round the fires, by the glowing light of the embers and the shining of their graundees, looked like men on fire; then, to see each fire surrounded with a circle of men at the diameter of near two hundred paces, as close as they could well stand, by a more distant shine of the fire, had a very pleasing effect; but when the broilers began to throw the fish about (for each man stood with some salt and a cut of bread in his hand), to see a body of a hundred men running for it, and whilst they were stooping and scrambling for that, to see a hot fish fall on the back of one, which was whipped off by another, who, scalding his mouth with it, threw it in the face of a third; when a fourth, fifth, and sixth, pulling it in pieces, ran away with it; and to see the different postures, courses, and groups, during this exercise and running feast, was the most agreeable farce my guests had ever seen in their lives; and, to the great saving of my liquors, kept us in the wood for full three hours, not a soul stirring till the feast was over.
We spent best part of this evening in discourse on the passages of the day, the reflections on which not being concluded till bedtime, my adventures were postponed till the next night; but we had first concluded upon a shooting for the next morning (for they were all extremely desirous of knowing how I did it), at a time they should have opportunity of seeing me and making remarks; and I, being unwilling they should think me a conjuror, agreed to make them masters of part of the mystery of powder and ball.
CHAPTER VIII.
A shooting proposed—All afraid of the gun but one private guard—His behaviour—-Pendlehamby, at Peter's request, makes him a general—Peter's discourse thereon—Remainder of his story—The colambs return.