The Travels and Adventures of James Massey

by Simon Tyssot de Patot

I confess, said Du Puis, this is demonstrative, as to the Cause; but as to the Effects you speak of, or the Defects of the Planets, I can't comprehend it, for I always thought that Eclipses were things uncommon and unnatural. On the contrary, I reply'd, there is nothing in them that is mysterious. The Planets are hard opaque Bodies, which bear a good Resemblance to the Earth, and are by many People thought to be inhabited, for they give no Light but by Reflexion, after having receiv'd it from the Sun. For this Reason it is that we have no Eclipse of the Moon, except when this Planet is rising on the one hand, while the Sun is setting on the other, and when the Earth happens to interpose directly between them, and hinders their seeing each other Face to Face. But if the Sun, said La Foret, be the Source of Light, how happens it that at certain times it loses it? From whence come those Eclipses which are so alarming to the World, and what is it that restores its former Lustre to it? As the Interposition of the Earth, said I, causes Eclipses of the Moon, the Interposition of the Moon, in like manner, darkens the Sun; that is to say, as often as the Moon is in Conjunction with the Sun, and passes in a direct Line, betwixt it and the Earth, it does the Office of a Curtain, and conceals that glorious Planet from us; but this Privation can be of no long Continuance, because of the different Motion of those Bodies. The Circle which the Earth describes about the Sun, is incomparably greater than that which the Moon describes round the Earth; and whereas the former advances about 13 Degrees in a Day, the latter rids away little more than one in Winter, and not quite so much in Summer, so that they soon get clear of one another. What, said La Foret, does the Earth go faster at one Season, than at another? Yes, said I, in Appearance the Difference is about four Minutes, because the Earth being much farther from the Sun in Summer, than in Winter, it must necessarily seem to have a slower Motion during the long Days, than the short ones; as a Waggon which is not above 50 Paces off, seems to go much faster than when it is at the Distance of 500.

But, said Du Puis, since you talk of Paces, is not the Heat of one and the same Fire better felt at the Distance of two Paces, than of ten? No doubt, said I. Then if the Sun, which is a Body of Heat, reply'd he, is nearer the Earth in the Winter, than in Summer, how comes it that the Heat is not felt in proportion to its Distance, and what's the Reason that we shake with Cold at the same time one might expect to be in a melting Sweat? You say very well, I reply'd, and this Objection shews that Ignorance and Reason are not incompatible, but while you think you have hamper'd me, you are quite mistaken. I will not go about to prove to you, that there are no such things in Nature as Heat, Cold, Light, Smell, Sound, or Colours, nor any of the Qualities which we perceive in Bodies; for it would be a Work of too much Trouble, and perhaps too you would not understand me, because this depends on certain Points of Knowledge, of which you have not so much as the Principles. I will only observe to you, that properly speaking, there is but one and the same sort of Matter, which according as it's form'd or actuated, produces in us, by means of our Organs, certain Effects which we ascribe to Bodies, and which therefore we call Hot, Cold, Luminous, Colour'd, and so of the others, tho' in effect Sounds Colour, Taste, &c. are properly in us, and not in those Bodies; as the Pain or Smart which proceeds from a Prick, is in our selves, and not at all in the Thorn which occasion'd it. And to prove that your Comparison is not just, even in the Sense that you your self would use it in, consider, that the Top of the Alpes, which is so much nearer to the Sun than the Foot, is cover'd with Snow in the Summer, while the Valleys, which are so much farther from the Sun, are quite burnt up with Heat: The true Reason of which is, (that we may pass over nothing without some Right Explanation) the Air, about a League from the Earth, is so thin, that it has not Strength enough to dissipate the least Bodies; whereas 'tis so gross upon the Surface, that 'tis capable of shaking our most solid Parts, and to cause what we call excessive Heat.

All this is really fine, reply'd La Foret, but pardon me, if I tell you, that I don't see you have yet settled the Point, with respect to Summer and Winter. Very true, said I, that's a Question of another Nature. When the Sun is ascended towards our Zenith, as it does in Summer, tho' it be at a very great Distance from us, yet it emits a great Number of Rays, almost perpendicularly upon us; whereas in Winter, when it declines lower towards the Horizon, most of its Rays, which can only come sideways, reverberate upon the Surface of our Atmosphere, so that very few pass and penetrate to our Bodies: Mean time, Heat and Cold consist in the greater and lesser Number of those Rays, as is easily to be prov'd by Mirrors and Burning-Glasses, whose Effects are always proportion'd to the Number of Rays of Light which they collect.

During this agreeable Conversation, which was carry'd on with a View, rather to pass the Time, than to increase the Number of Philosophers, because in that Case another Course must have been taken, we had travell'd a good way, but at length we were oblig'd to turn to another Subject. It was now Thirty-five Days that we had left our Company, and we imagin'd that we could not have travell'd less than 130 Leagues, when on a sudden, we found our selves on the Brink of a Lake, which seem'd to be of a vast Extent. This Obstacle in our way so confounded us, that for a long time we knew not what to resolve upon. One talk'd of returning back, another of staying where we were for a few Days, and making the best shift we could to lodge our selves; but at last we resolv'd to go straight along by the Side of this great Water, in hopes of finding the End of it. After coasting it seven or eight Leagues, we began to see Land on the other side of it, and were overjoy'd to find that the farther we advanc'd we had still a plainer View of the Objects on the other Shore; but then we had a fresh Mortification to see our selves got insensibly into a marshy Place, where the Ground was not only soft, but stunk, and trembled under our Feet. All the Country about us was flat and even; we saw no end of it, and every Step we took, which way soever we turn'd, we sunk in half way the Leg. All that I could say to encourage my Comrades, was in vain; there was no going further, so that we were fain to return back as we came, much against our Wills and tho' extremely fatigu'd, were forc'd to travel two long Leagues before we durst make a Halt, because we were sadly bemir'd, and had not yet met with any Fuel fit to make a Fire to dry us.

After we had rested our selves sufficiently, we resolv'd to turn still to the Left, and to see if there was any Rub on that Side. We travell'd on four Days successively, 'till we came to a Forest full of tall Oaks, of an extraordinary Bigness. We paus'd at first whether we should enter it, and at length resolv'd to venture into it, on condition of keeping as near as possible to the Lake; but this did not hold long, for we had scarce advanc'd three small Leagues but we came to the Foot of a Mountain, so cragged, that it was impossible for any Creature to ascend it. The Rock hung over the Lake, the Waters of which being sometimes ruffled, had in all Probability gradually wash'd away the Bottom. We try'd to ascend this Mountain on the other Side, for a whole Day, without finding any Place where it was accessible, because of Precipices and astonishing Hills. At the dismal Sight of so many invincible Obstacles, our Patience left us, and my two Comrades reproached me very heartily for having brought them into this Disaster.

I confess, said I, that we have reason to bewail our unhappy Fate; but you ought to consider that nothing happens by chance, for there is a Providence which directs every thing according to his own Pleasure. As 'tis this same wise Being who has brought us hither, so he will not fail to hint some Means or other to extricate us. 'Tis most certain that God never abandons his People, let them go where they will; if we place our Confidence in him, he will infallibly assist us, You know that it was neither a View to Profit nor Honour that led us hither; we had nothing to lose, and provided we escape with our Lives, we have all that we brought along with us. Let us not be daunted at what has happen'd to us hitherto; our principal Aim is to ramble in search of new Things, which may give us Pleasure; I don't despair of going farther still, and that we shall some Day or other find out a way to get a comfortable Subsistence. Come on, my Lads, let us lose no Time, said I, but return back to the Lake, and see if we can't contrive how to pass it, without running too great a Risque. By good Fortune we have Hatchets, and here's Timber in abundance. If we venture over upon Floats, we shan't be the first Adventurers of this sort, and if we are so happy as to get safe to the other Side, I flatter my self we shall make more fortunate Discoveries. Hitherto the Country is uninhabited, but, humanely speaking, 'tis impossible it should be the same every where; and who knows, but at last we may meet with some civiliz'd Nation, whose kind Treatment of us may make us ample Amends for the Fatigues and Dangers we have run thro' to find them out, and for telling them if they don't know it already, that there are other People in the World besides them.

My Comrades turn'd a deaf Ear to me; nothing I said could make 'em easy, and I am persuaded, that if they had seen the least Probability of finding our Ship's Company again, where we left them, they would undoubtedly have run all Hazards in quest of them. In the mean time, there was a Necessity of resolving upon something. We return'd to the Lake, and view'd it well in many Parts, before we agreed what Place to put off at. These Motions backwards and forwards took us up eight Days, and the ninth we began to set our Hands to the Work. First, we cut down half a score Trees, of seven or eight Inches Diameter, from which we stripp'd the Branches, shorten'd them to the length of twenty Foot, put them into the Water, and then fasten'd them together as well as we could, partly with Rushes, but chiefly with the Bark of Willow-Trees, which were very numerous on the Side of the Lake, and of which we made a sort of Cordage, of what length we pleas'd. After this, we provided a Score of other shorter Trees, which we laid in a row, and bound across the former, and upon these we laid a third Floor of the same Size and Length as those of the first Lay. We also made five Oars, or rather Shovels, which took us up more Time than all the rest.

Before we had finished our Carpenter's Work, La Foret came and told us, that at sixty Paces distance he saw something stir in the Rushes, which were not very far from the Lake, and in short, we were of his Opinion immediately, that it must be some great Animal. Du Puis, and I, took each our Gun, and charging with four Balls, we fir'd both at once, reserving a third Charge in case of Necessity, as we had been taught to do by Experience in our Travels, wherein we had like to have been torn to Pieces by Bears, two or three times, because we had spent all our Fire at once. Our Pieces were scarce discharg'd, when we were extremely surpris'd and terrify'd with a hideous Howling, and prodigious Rustle among the Reeds, so that we were a long time in Suspence, whether we should go near to see what it was; but upon consideration that what we heard and saw could be nothing else, in all probability, but the Effect of a mortal Wound, which had disabled the Beast from defending himself, we charg'd our Pieces again, and approach'd, tho' with great Fear and Trembling, to the Place where he made such a Stir. As soon as he perceiv'd us, he made a greater Noise than before, and struggled hard to escape, which Fear of his rais'd our Spirits, and La Foret seeing him lift up his Head, let fly at him so dexterously that he shot him thro' and thro', and laid him flat on the Ground. Nevertheless, we durst not approach him for some Moments, but perceiving he had no Motion, we began to touch him with the Ends of our Pieces, and at length dragg'd him out, when we found him to be of the Otter Kind, with two very short Legs before, which either Du Puis or I maim'd at the first Discharge, whereby he was disabled from getting away. This Creature could not weigh less than 150 Pound. We skinn'd him, roasted the best Part of him, and found his Flesh to be good, and that it tasted not much unlike our Ducks.

Next Day, which was the thirteenth since we arrived there, we resolv'd to put off, but our Float was so heavy that we made very little way; and two of us constantly ply'd the Oars by turns, while the third rested. As good Luck would have it, the Weather was very favourable, and the Season exceeding pleasant, so that I can truly say, we were very much delighted in the Voyage, tho' we did not know what would become of us when we undertook it. 'Twas surprising to see the infinite Shoals of Fish in this fine Lake, leaping and casting on both sides of our Float, which some of them follow'd with their Heads above Water, and playing with their Tails, as if they had been rejoic'd to see us. We were so attentive at this dumb Sport, that we lay upon our Oars sometimes for a great while together to enjoy it. We took up several of them with our Hands, and then toss'd them back again into their own Element, and might have caught what Number we had pleas'd. At the Close of the Day, just as we lost Sight of the Shore we came from, we were overjoy'd to discover that to which we were steering our Course. This agreeable Sight gave us fresh Spirits; we work'd lustily almost all Night, and I think it was next Day about four of the Clock in the Afternoon, when we had the good Luck to touch Land. As soon as we got ashore, we made use of all the Tackle we had to moor our Machine, not only to great Stones upon the Strand, but to a Post or Stump of a Tree, which we drove into the Ground, and which we carry'd with us for that purpose, being uncertain whether we should fare better elsewhere, and whether we should not be oblig'd to come back again the same way. We were so fatigu'd with our Voyage that we took up our Lodging at the distance of an hundred Paces, and stay'd there till next Morning, when we continu'd our Journey.

We had not travell'd half a League but we came to a Wood, as thick as any we had yet met with, tho' we forc'd our way thro' it in less than two Hours. But there we were stopt all on a sudden, by steep Rocks altogether as difficult to ascend as a Wall. This new Barrier occasion'd fresh wrangling betwixt us; my Comrades murmur'd sadly, and I, as usual, did all I could to hearten them, so that I was forc'd at last to assure them, that tho' my Ideas were commonly so confus'd and irregular in my Slumbers, that I could seldom tell what to make of my Dreams, yet I had one last Night, the Connexion and Circumstances of which were so particular, that it was an infallible Presage of something to our Advantage; and thereupon I invented some Fictions ex-tempore, which, tho' perhaps not very well concerted, had however all the Effect I expected from them. In the Morning, said I, about an Hour before Sun-rise, methoughts I heard a Rumbling, like the Voice of Thunder, which said to me, What have you to do there, Child? Rise up, and walk, thy Deliverance is near at hand. At the same time a young Woman appear'd to me with a smiling Countenance, dress'd in white Raiment, with her dishevell'd Hair flowing about her Shoulders, her Legs bare even to the Knee, and in her Hands a little Basket of fine Ozier, artfully interwoven with all manner of fragrant Flowers, and full of uncommon delicious Fruits, of which she invited me to eat. On my left Hand there appear'd a Field, cover'd all over with Sheaves of the finest Corn that the Earth ever bore; and on my right a Tree, in the Trunk of which there was a Cleft, from whence there gush'd a clear beautiful red Liquor, which smelt like musk. I turn'd about to look behind me, and perceiving a frightful Monster, bristled all over like a Porcupine, I was so affrighted at it, that tho' it turn'd its Back upon me, I started out of my Sleep. To this Dream I gave a favourable Interpretation, which contributed not a little to quicken our Pace.