My father came alone, which gave me an opportunity of informing myself in the rise and policy of the State, as I purposed to take several farther steps in their affairs, if they might prove agreeable and consistent; for hitherto, having had only slight sketches or hints of things, I could form no just idea of the whole of their laws, customs, and government. Explaining myself, therefore, to him, I begged his instructions in those particulars.
"Son Peter," says my father, "you have already done too much in a short time to leave any room to think you can do no more: and as you have hitherto directed your own proceedings with such incredible success, neither the king nor colambs will interpose against your inclination, but give you all the advices in our powers; and I shall esteem your selecting me for that purpose no small honour.
"Know, then, that this State, by the tradition of our ragans, has subsisted eleven thousand years; for, before that time, the great mountain Emina, then not far from the Black Mountain, but now fallen and sunk in the sea, roaring and raging in its own bowels for many ages, at last burst asunder with great violence, and threw up numberless unformed fleshy masses to the very stars; two of which happening in their passage to touch the side of the Black Mountain (for all the rest fell into the sea and were lost) lodged there, and lying close together as they grew, united to each other till they were joined in one; and, in process of time, by the dews of heaven, became a glumm and a gaw-ry; but being so linked together by the adhesion of their flesh, they were obliged both to move which way either would. Living thus a long time in great love and fondness for each other, they had but one inclination, lest both should be sufferers upon the least disagreement.
"In process of time they grew tired of each other's constant society, and one willing to go here and the other there, bred perpetual disorders between them; for prevention whereof for the future they agreed to cut themselves asunder with sharp stones. The pain indeed was intolerable during the operation; but, however, they effected it, and the wounds each received were very dangerous, and a long time before they were perfectly healed; but at length, sometimes agreeing, sometimes not, they begat a son, whom they called Perigen, and a daughter they called Philella. These two, as they grew up, despising their parents, who lived on the top of the mountain, ventured to descend into the plains, and living upon the fruits they found there, sheltered themselves in this very rock. Meantime, the old glumm and gawry, having lived to a great age, were so infirm that neither of them was able to walk for a long time; till one day, being near each other, and trying to rise by the assistance of each other, they both got up, and leaning upon and supporting each other, they also walked commodiously. This mutual assistance kept them in good humour a great while, till one day, passing along near hoximo, they both fell in.
"Perigen and Philella had several children in the plains; who, as they grew up, increasing, spread into remote parts, and peopled the country. At last, one of them being a very passionate man, at the instigation of his wife, became the first murderer, by slaying his father. This so enraged the people, that the murderer and his wife, in abhorrence of the fact, were conveyed to Mount Alkoe, where was then only a very narrow deep pit, into which they were both thrown headlong; but the persons who carried them thither, had scarce retired from the mouth of the pit, when it burst out with fire, raging prodigiously, and has kept burning ever since. Arco and Telamine (the murderer and his wife) lived seven thousand years in the flames; till having with their teeth wrought a passage through the side of the mountain, they begat a new generation about the foot of the mountain; and having brought fire with them, resolved to keep it burning ever after in memory of their escape; and power being given them over bad men, they and their progeny are now wholly employed in beating and tormenting them.
"A great while after Arco and Telamine were thus disposed of, the people of this country multiplying, it happened one year that all the fruits were so dry that the people, not able to live any longer upon the moisture of them only, as they had always done before, and fearing all to be consumed with drought, one of their ragans praying very much, and promising to make an image to Collwar and preserve it for ever, if he would send them but moisture, in one night's time the earth cast up such a flood that they were forced to mount on the rocks for fear of drowning. But the next day it all sunk away again, except several little bubbles which remained in many places for a long time, and the people lived only on the moisture they sucked from the stone where those bubbles settled for many years; for they found that the water arose to the height of the surface, and no higher; and where they found most of those chinks and bubbles they settled and formed cities, living altogether in holes of the rock; till one Lallio, having found out the art of crumbling the rock to dust by a liquor he got from the trees, and working himself a noble house in the rock, in the place where our palace now stands, he told them if they would make him their king, they should each have such a house as his own. To this they agreed, and then he discovered the secret to them.
"This Lallio directed the cutting out this whole city, divided the people into colonies where the waters were most plenty; and while half the people worked at the streets and houses, the other half brought them provisions. In short, he grew so powerful that no one durst dispute his commands; all which authority he transmitted to his successors, who, finding by the increase of the people and the many divisions of them that they grew insolent and ungovernable, they appointed a colamb in every province, as a vice-king, with absolute authority over all causes, except murder and treason, which are referred to the king and colambs in moucheratt.
"As we had no want but of victuals and habitations, the king, when he gave a colambat, gave also the lands and the fruits thereof, together with all the hot and cold springs, to the colamb, who again distributed parcels to the great officers under him, and they part of theirs to the meaner officers under them, for their subsistence, with such a number of the common people as was necessary in respect to the dignity of the post each enjoyed, who for their services are fed by their masters.
"In all cases of war, the king lays before the moucheratt the number of his own troops he designs to send; when each colamb's quota being settled at such a proportion of the whole, he forthwith sends his number from out of his own lasks, and also from the several officers under him; so that every man, let the number be ever so great, can be at the rendezvous in a very few days.
"We have but three professions, besides the ragans and soldiery, amongst us, and these are cooks, house-makers, and pike-makers, of which every colamb has several among his lasks; and these, upon the new regulations, will be the only gainers, as they may work where they please, and according to their skill will be their provision; but how the poor labourers will be the better for it, I cannot see."