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THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
I FAIRLY LIFTED THE VESSEL SEVERAL YARDS OUT OF WATER 
 
 {page 121 ) 
 
THE CHILDREN'S 
 MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 RETOLD BY JOHN MARTIN 
 
 ILLUSTRATED BY 
 
 GORDON ROSS 
 
 HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY 
 
 BOSTON AND NEW YORK 
 
 JOHN MARTIN'S BOOK HOUSE 
 
 33 WEST 49TH ST. , NEW YORK 
 1921 
 
COPYRIGHT, I92I, BY HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY 
 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 
 
 PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
 
Nil t 
 
 FOREWORD 
 
 To my Young Readers 
 
 When I was younger I seldom read "Forewords" or even 
 "Afterwords " to the books I hoped to enjoy, or, having read, 
 had enjoyed. My habit was to think that authors deprived me 
 of pages that might have been much more interestingly used. 
 In fact, I considered prefatory pages and introductions a waste 
 of paper and thieves of my valuable time. Perhaps you feel as 
 I once did about prosy prefaces and serious forewords. If so, 
 I fully understand and sympathize, but as I write these lines 
 I cannot help having the hope that some of you will read 
 them. If you do I am sure you will put something away into 
 your memory store that will give you what I lost as a boy, a 
 more complete and more worth while knowledge of this book 
 and others that you may read. Yes, "the preface habit" is a 
 good one and does more for us than we realize; besides, it is a 
 rather pleasant way to take a peep into the real inside of the 
 Author's head and heart. 
 
 I believe a short story of the book, Munchausen, its author, 
 and those who contributed to the Baron s Adventures, will in- 
 terest you ; besides, I have a feeling of responsibility in the 
 matter, thinking it only right that you should be admitted 
 into a mystery that has always surrounded the stories gathered 
 for you in this book. 
 
 For many years there was much uncertainty as to the au- 
 
 flQQ 
 
vi FOREWORD 
 
 thorship of The Travels of Baron Munchausen, and as to its 
 object there were many differences of opinion. It is not for 
 me to awaken discussion long forgotten ; therefore all I shall 
 do is give you those opinions that are most reliable and from 
 sources that are within my own reach. 
 
 In 1 85 1 a London literary sheet called Notes and Queries 
 said, " The Travels of Baron Munchausen was written to ridicule 
 Mr. James Bruce, an Abyssinian explorer and traveler whose 
 adventures at that time were thought to be fictitious." It is 
 doubtful, however, if this reason for Munchausen is true, for in 
 my own library I have a two-volume edition of Munchausen 
 published by Kearsley in 1792—93, the first volume of which 
 contains engravings marked as follows, " Published as the Act 
 directs for G. Kearsley at No. 46, in Fleet Street, London, 
 1786." This date was four years before Mr. Bruce' s Travels 
 appeared. I am telling you this not as something of great 
 importance to the why and wherefore of Munchausen, but 
 rather as an interesting bit of knowledge you may use when 
 you come to read the original editions of the book. 
 
 As to the authorship of the work there is now no doubt, for 
 it is known that at least Chapters II, III, IV, V, and VI were 
 written by Rudolf Erich Raspe, 1 and, as my old edition of 
 1792-93 says in the Editor's preface, "the rest are the pro- 
 duction of another pen, written in the Baron's manner." 
 
 From this you will see that Raspe was the original fabri- 
 
 1 In this edition of the Baron's adventures the original chapters by 
 Raspe are represented by Chapters II, III, IV, V, and XIX. 
 
FOREWORD vii 
 
 cator, who, with five chapters, inspired another and probably 
 many others to build up two volumes of lies that have come 
 to be considered the last word in fibbing, and classics of mon- 
 strous imagination. In the book I give you, the five famous 
 chapters stand just as they appeared in the early editions save 
 for such editing as seemed wise for me to make. It will be 
 interesting for you to compare these chapters with those 
 "written by another in the Baron's manner." 
 
 There have been many editions of Munchausen, and those 
 in the German have all sorts of added adventures, but those I 
 have included in this book of yours are made entirely from 
 the only authentic source, the early English editions. 
 
 The Author, Rudolf Erich Raspe, was born in Hanover in 
 1737. He became a brilliant scholar and student of natural 
 history and a great judge of antique jewelry. As the years 
 passed, he grew to be a greater scamp than scholar, and his 
 fondness for old jewelry led him to steal a collection from his 
 employer; hence, in 1775 we see him a fugitive from justice, 
 working his talents in England. In that country he lived by his 
 brains, of which he had a plenty, and by his wits, which got 
 him into frequent trouble. After years of honest writing and 
 questionable uses of his wit, we find that he "salted," or scat- 
 tered, valuable minerals on the estate of Sir John Sinclair. This 
 kind and ever hopeful old baronet was successfully tolled along 
 for a good but dangerous living for some time. The day came, 
 however, when Raspe was caught in his "salting," but he was 
 a bird that feared his own salt, and away he flew to Ireland, 
 
viii FOREWORD 
 
 where he died at Muckross in 1794. I should like to moral- 
 ize a little right here with you upon the subject of ill-used 
 talents and the evil thereof, but as you will do all that is nec- 
 essary yourselves, why should I philosophize ? 
 
 During his life Raspe was never known to be the originator 
 of Munchausen. Until 1 824 one August Burger, a German and 
 translator only of Raspe's tales, allowed it to be understood that 
 he was the author, but in due time it fell to Burger's lot to 
 die, and his biographer let the cat out of the bag, much to the 
 annoyance of friends who thought it best to leave well enough 
 alone. I have no doubt that you will sometime have it said 
 to you that Munchausen first appeared in German, but do not 
 let that bother you; just say, "How about that edition of 
 1792-93 published in London by G. Kearsley?" 
 
 As to my part in making this book for you, I claim nothing 
 save a very sincere desire to arrange a book that you will love 
 and value and, above all, one that is right for you to use until 
 you are old enough to read and understand the quaint old 
 editions. (I wish you might then use one of mine, as I have 
 many.) 
 
 I have left for you all the Baron's exact words and manners 
 with the connection of the tales, only cutting out vulgarities 
 common to a time when a spade was a spade too often to make 
 proper reading. Cruelties I have omitted, for these are unnec- 
 essary to the interest of the stories. When long political dis- 
 cussions and the Baron's tiresome boasts arose, I ruthlessly 
 reduced their length, for they add no color or punch to ad- 
 
FOREWORD ix 
 
 venture. The second volume of my old edition I have written 
 down to a few chapters, for I cannot understand it, to say 
 nothing of getting enjoyment out of it. 
 
 In this book I have tried to give you a Munchausen that pre- 
 serves the style and spirit of the original writing so that one 
 day you will read the older renderings easily and familiarly 
 and with real enjoyment and knowledge. 
 
 Finally, I sincerely hope that I have given you a book that 
 will add to your joy and inspire you to a love of those classic 
 tales that round out your literary taste and judgment. 
 Always your sincere friend, 
 
 JOHN MARTIN 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 Chapter I. The Baron compliments his young Readers — He 
 begins an account of his travels — An astonishing storm and 
 its strange effect — He arrives at Ceylon, battles with, and 
 conquers, two extraordinary opponents — Returns to Hol- 
 land and is honorably rewarded I 
 
 Chapter II. In which the Baron makes a good shot — He loses 
 his horse, but finds a wolf — Uses a wolf in place of a horse — 
 The Baron promises his young Readers further wonderful 
 adventures 1 1 
 
 Chapter III. The Baron's nose, a door-post, and a new variety 
 of fireworks — With one shot marvelously made the Baron 
 bags many ducks — He leads a blind sow home by the tail — ■ 
 of another; and vanquishes a wild boar 17 
 
 Chapter IV. The value and great usefulness of presence of 
 mind — A favorite hound and its virtues — The Baron is 
 given a wonderful horse with which he performs remarkable 
 feats 23 
 
 Chapter V. The Baron is made a prisoner of war — He keeps 
 the Sultan's bees — He loses the bees, also loses a silver 
 hatchet on the horn of the moon — Brings it back by an in- 
 genious invention — The Baron falls to earth into a pit made 
 by himself — Helps himself out of the pit — Extricates him- 
 self from trouble by the wayside — The wonderful effects of 
 the frost upon his servant's French horn 33 
 
 Chapter VI. The Baron takes a bath in the Mediterranean 
 Sea — He meets a surprising companion and hurries unex- 
 pectedly into heat and darkness — The Baron dances a horn- 
 
xii CONTENTS 
 
 pipe with great success — He gives his deliverers a shock and 
 
 a surprise and returns to shore 41 
 
 Chapter VII. The Baron's adventures in Turkey, and upon 
 the river Nile — He sees a balloon over Constantinople; 
 shoots at and brings it down; finds an aerial traveler hanging 
 from it — The Baron goes to Cairo on a secret mission and 
 returns by way of the Nile — He is thrown into an unex- 
 pected dilemma and detained six weeks 47 
 
 Chapter VIII. The Baron crosses the Thames without bridge 
 or boat or balloon or even his own will — He rouses from a 
 long nap — He destroys a monster — The Baron tells of im- 
 portant adventures — He visits Mount ^Etna and drops in 
 upon Vulcan and Cyclops — He is rudely dismissed, and falls 
 through the earth to the South Sea 55 
 
 Chapter IX. The Baron takes an unexpected plunge — Ar- 
 rives on an island of cheese, surrounded by milk — The Baron 
 tells of extraordinary objects — The trees pay tribute to the 
 Baron and his party 63 
 
 Chapter X. The Baron's ship passes between the teeth of a 
 fish unknown in this part of the world — They have great 
 difficulty in escaping from the interior regions of this monster 
 — They arrive in the Caspian Sea — The Baron starves a 
 bear — A marvelous waistcoat 71 
 
 Chapter XL The Baron pays a visit during the siege of Gibral- 
 tar — Sinks a Spanish man-of-war — Destroys all the ene- 
 my's cannon — Saves the lives of two English officers with a 
 marvelous sling and raises the siege 79 
 
 Chapter XII. The Baron tells more of his wonderful sling — 
 The Baron's father narrates adventures with a sea-horse — A 
 deadly battle between lobsters and crabs — The Baron's 
 
CONTENTS xiii 
 
 father sells his marine steed for a large sum — The Baron 
 makes observations of his own upon bravery 89 
 
 Chapter XIII. The Baron tells of adventures on a voyage to 
 North America which are worthy of his young Readers' at- 
 tention — The pranks of a monstrous whale — A sea-gull 
 saves the life of a sailor — The Baron's head is forced amid- 
 ships — The Baron stops a serious leak in an unusual manner 95 
 
 Chapter XIV. The Baron tells of a frolic — Saint Paul's clock 
 strikes thirteen — Windsor Castle — College of Physicians 
 — Undertakers, sextons, and apothecaries almost ruined 101 
 
 Chapter XV. The Baron sails with Captain Phipps, attacks 
 two large bears, and has a narrow escape — Gains the confi- 
 dence of the animals and guides them on board ship — ■ The 
 Baron makes many gifts and is highly honored — The Baron 
 acquits Captain Phipps of neglect of duty 107 
 
 Chapter XVI. Our Baron excels Baron Tott completely — 
 Gets into disgrace with the Grand Seignior, who orders the 
 Baron's head to be removed — The Baron escapes and gets 
 on board a vessel bound for Venice — He dismisses Tott 
 from mind and from further memory 113 
 
 Chapter XVII. This is a chapter that proves the fact that the 
 Baron's memory ought to be dear to Englishmen, especially 
 those who may have the misfortune of hereafter being made 
 prisoners of war — A voyage eastward — The Baron intro- 
 duces a friend who never betrayed him — ■ Pins his faith on a 
 friend's nose and wins a wager — The Baron's friend points 
 to game in mid-ocean — The friend is fittingly rewarded 119 
 
 Chapter XVIII. The Baron visits the moon a second time — 
 His ship is driven by a whirlwind a thousand leagues above 
 the sea — • A description of the moon's inhabitants, animals, 
 
xiv CONTENTS 
 
 customs, and weapons of war — ■ The Baron does not tell how 
 he made his return journey, but assures us of the veracity of 
 his narrative 125 
 
 Chapter XIX. The Baron tells of Saint Hubert's stag — 
 Shoots a stag with cherry-stones — Tells of venison steak and 
 cherry-sauce — Overcomes a bear in a miraculous manner — 
 Is attacked by a terrible wolf, which he promptly disposes of 
 
 — Is assailed by a mad dog — The Baron's best cloak is 
 seized with madness 133 
 
 Chapter XX. The Baron visits a ruined tower — Discovers a 
 deep chasm and investigates its mysteries — An eagle carries 
 him off his feet — A marvelous flight over the English Chan- 
 nel and France to the Rock of Gibraltar — A night flight 
 overseas to South America 141 
 
 Chapter XXI. The Baron continues his extraordinary journey 
 
 — Comes to South America — He discovers roast beef fruit 
 and escapes from a savage beast in a remarkable manner — 
 The Baron takes aboard ample provisions and continues his 
 aerial journey 149 
 
 Chapter XXII. The Baron insists upon the veracity of his 
 Memoirs — He forms a design of making discoveries in the 
 interior parts of Africa — He calls upon his illustrious friend, 
 Hilaro Frosticos — The Baron prepares for his journey — 
 Description of his chariot : the beauties and comforts of the 
 marvelous vehicle; the animals that drew it and the mechan- 
 ism of its wheels — Brief advice to young adventurers seek- 
 ing to follow the Baron's glorious career — The Baron con- 
 voys a squadron to Gibraltar — His chariot is damaged by 
 Pompey's Pillar — He splits a great rock at the Cape of 
 Good Hope and thereby names a mountain 159 
 
CONTENTS X v 
 
 Chapter XXIII. The Baron leaves his chariot at the Cape of 
 Good Hope and returns by ship to England — Wrecked on an 
 island of ice — The Baron and crew tow the island back to 
 England- — The Privy Council supports another expedition 
 — Description of the vehicle and the Sphinx — The Baron's 
 retinue starts upon the journey into the heart of Africa 169 
 
 Chapter XXIV. The Baron passes into the heart of Africa, 
 proceeding from the Cape northwards — His ingenuity de- 
 feats a host of lions by a curious stratagem — The Baron 
 travels through an immense desert — His company, chariot, 
 etc., are covered by a whirlwind of sand — He extricates his 
 party and arrives in a fertile country of great beauty 175 
 
 Adieu 184 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 I FAIRLY LIFTED THE VESSEL SEVERAL YARDS OUT OF WATER 
 
 Colored frontispiece 
 
 The Head of the Lion stuck in the Throat of the 
 Crocodile 8 
 
 He had, of course, eaten his Way into my Beast's 
 Harness (in color) 16 
 
 His Tusks pierced the Tree 20 
 
 My Work was to drive the Sultan's Bees to their 
 Pasture-Grounds 36 
 
 I THEN JUMPED A HEDGE ABOUT NlNE FEET HIGH (in Color) 38 
 
 With Great Difficulty we cut open One of these Eggs 68 
 
 Our Ship, with all Masts standing and with Sails Full 
 Set, was drawn straight into his Mouth (in color) 74 
 
 Squeezed them both so that he cried out lustily 76 
 
 He galloped across the Sea's Bottom (in color) 92 
 
 I slaughtered the Creatures one by one (in color) 1 10 
 
 I BEHELD A NOBLE STAG (in Color) I36 
 
 At last the Birds rose with Great Speed and Vigor 
 (in color) 154 
 
CHAPTER I 
 
The Baron compliments his young Readers — He begins 
 an account of his travels — An astonishing storm and 
 its strange effect — He arrives at Ceylon; battles with, 
 and conquers, two extraordinary opponents — Returns 
 to Holland and is honorably rewarded 
 
THE TRAVELS 
 
 OF 
 
 BARON MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 AM sure the young Readers for 
 whom I am especially writing my 
 many and varied adventures will 
 look upon these opening words with 
 favor and belief when I say that I 
 was of very tender years when one 
 of my most remarkable experiences 
 came to me. Being certain of your 
 attention and sympathy, no matter how unjustly I may 
 be slandered by those of mature years, I shall proceed 
 with my true and remarkable narrative. 
 
 Some years before my beard foreshadowed coming 
 manhood, — in fact, when I was neither man nor boy, but 
 rather a little of both, — I had a strong desire to see the 
 world. In this very natural and even commendable am- 
 bition I was discouraged by my parents. A cousin of my 
 mothers, however, took a liking to me, and, after re- 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 marking that I was a fine and eager youth, was inclined 
 to gratify my not unworthy desire for adventure. My 
 cousin's eloquence had more effect than mine, and my 
 father agreed to my sailing with him on a voyage to the 
 Island of Ceylon where my great-uncle had resided as 
 governor for many years. I was indeed pleased to be so 
 flattered by my respected parent, who proved thereby 
 his respect for my desires and ambitions. 
 
 We sailed from Amsterdam with all fitting sanction 
 and approval from the States of Holland. The only 
 thing worth telling you which happened on our voyage 
 was the wonderful effect of a storm we encountered. 
 When lying at anchor near an island where we had taken 
 in wood and water, the gale struck us. Such was its 
 terrific force that it tore up by the roots great numbers 
 of trees of enormous bulk and height. Some of these 
 trees weighed many tons, yet they were carried by the 
 wind so amazingly high that they appeared like the 
 feathers of small birds floating in the air. These trees 
 were hurled at least five miles from the earth. However, 
 as soon as the storm subsided, they all fell straight down 
 into the places from which they had been torn, and took 
 root immediately. 
 
 One only, and that the largest tree, fell elsewhere. It 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 happened, when blown into the air, to have a man and 
 his wife (a very honest old couple) upon its branches. 
 This couple had been gathering cucumbers which grew 
 in great abundance thereon. In this part of the globe, 
 that useful vegetable grows upon trees. The imposing 
 weight of this worthy couple overbalanced the tree as it 
 descended, and brought it down in a horizontal position. 
 With great force it fell upon the chief man of the island 
 and killed him on the spot. This person had quitted 
 his house in the storm, having an idea that another place 
 might be a safer retreat. As he hastened through his own 
 vegetable garden, this fortunate accident happened. 
 
 The word fortunate requires some explanation here, 
 for I would not give my young readers an impression 
 of indifference to the calamities of others. It must be 
 said that this chief was a man of very avaricious and 
 oppressive disposition, and, though he had no family to 
 make miserable, the natives were half starved by his 
 unjust and infamous impositions. He was commonly 
 known to exact rentals far beyond the means of his ten- 
 ants, and then what remained of their scanty savings was 
 paid out for bread of poor quality, sold by him at a 
 tenfold profit. Great stores of goods taken from the 
 wretched natives were spoiling in his warehouses while 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 his plundered victims were pining in poverty. Though 
 the destruction of this tyrant was accidental, such acci- 
 dents may be justly called fortunate. At least, the acci- 
 dent was so considered by the natives of the island, who 
 immediately chose the cucumber-gatherers for their 
 governors, as a mark of gratitude for thus ridding them 
 of their late tyrant by means so accidental. 
 
 After we had repaired the damage caused by the 
 storm, and taken respectful leave of the new governor 
 and his lady, we sailed with a fair wind for the object 
 of our voyage. In about six weeks we arrived at Ceylon, 
 where we were received with great marks of friendship 
 and true politeness. 
 
 Though of no great importance compared with other 
 of my experiences, the following singular adventure may 
 prove interesting to young people of lively wits and 
 active imagination. 
 
 After we had resided at Ceylon about a fortnight, I 
 accompanied a brother of the governor upon a shooting 
 party. He was a strong, athletic man, and, being used 
 to that climate, he bore the violent heat of the sun much 
 better than I. In our excursion he had made consider- 
 able progress through the thick wood when I was only 
 at the entrance. 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 Near the banks of a large body of water which held 
 my attention, I thought I heard a rustling noise behind 
 me. On facing about I was almost turned to stone at 
 the sight of a lion, which was evidently approaching 
 with the selfish intention of satisfying his appetite upon 
 my poor carcass, and that without asking my consent. 
 What was to be done in this horrible dilemma? I had 
 not even a moment for thinking the matter over. My 
 gun was only loaded with swan-shot, and I had no 
 heavier lead about me. However, though I could have 
 no idea of killing such an animal with this poor ammu- 
 nition, yet I had some hopes of frightening him by the 
 report. I therefore let fly without waiting till he was 
 within reach. The report did but enrage the beast, for 
 he now quickened his pace and came at me full speed. 
 I tried to escape, but this only added to my distress, for 
 the moment I turned about I found a large crocodile with 
 open jaws ready to receive me. On the right hand was 
 the body of water before mentioned, and on my left a 
 deep precipice, at the bottom of which venomous crea- 
 tures gathered in great numbers. In short, I gave myself 
 up for lost, for the lion was now upon his hind legs in 
 the act of seizing me. I stumbled and fell to the ground 
 with fear, and the ravenous creature sprang over me. 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 There I lay in a situation which no language can 
 describe, expecting each terrific moment to feel his teeth 
 or claws in some part of my person. After waiting in 
 this prostrate situation for what seemed a very long 
 time, I heard a loud but strange noise, different from 
 any sound that had ever attacked my ears ; nor is this at 
 all to be wondered at, when I tell you whence it pro- 
 ceeded. Venturing to raise my head, I looked about, 
 and to my great joy I perceived the lion, in his eager- 
 ness to dine upon me, had sprung over my prostrate 
 carcass, clean into the crocodiled jaws, which, as I have 
 told you, were wide open I The head of the lion stuck 
 in the throat of the crocodile, and each was now strug- 
 gling to be rid of the other ! I fortunately remembered 
 my couteau de chasse (hunting-knife) which was at my 
 side ; with this I cut ofT the lion's head at one blow ! 
 This was no mean feat, I assure you. Then, with the 
 butt of my fowling-piece, I assisted the lion's head far- 
 ther into the throat of the crocodile. As the creature 
 could neither swallow nor cough up this morsel, he in- 
 stantly died of suffocation. 
 
 When I had thus gained this complete victory over 
 my two powerful adversaries, my companion arrived in 
 search of me. After mutual congratulations, we mea- 
 
THE HEAD OF THE LION STUCK IN THE THROAT OF THE CROCODILE 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 sured the crocodile, which was just forty feet in length. 
 As soon as I had told this strange and hazardous ad- 
 venture to the governor, he sent a wagon and servants 
 who brought home the two carcasses. The lion's skin 
 was properly preserved with its hair on, after which it 
 was made into tobacco pouches and presented by me, 
 upon my return to Holland, to the Burgomasters. In 
 return for my generous gifts, I was requested to accept 
 a thousand ducats. 
 
 The skin of the crocodile was stuffed in the usual 
 manner and makes a capital article in the public mu- 
 seum at Amsterdam, where the exhibitor relates the 
 whole story to each visitor, with such additions as he 
 thinks proper. Some of these twistings of the strict truth 
 are rather surprising. One of them is that the lion 
 jumped quite through the crocodile, from jaw to tail 
 tip, and as the lion's head appeared on its hurried jour- 
 ney, the Great Baron cut it off taking at least three feet 
 of the crocodile's tail along with it. And, alas, so little 
 respect has this fellow for the truth that he sometimes 
 adds that as soon as the crocodile missed his tail, he turned 
 upon the Brave Baron, seized the hunting-knife from 
 his hand, and swallowed it in such haste that the blade 
 pierced the creature's vitals and killed him instantly ! 
 
IO 
 
 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 The little regard which this impudent knave has for 
 truth sincerely told makes me sometimes fear that my real 
 facts may fall under suspicion by being found in com- 
 pany with his annoying exaggerations. But I rest satis- 
 fied with the ready belief and generous sympathies of 
 my younger readers, whose imaginations, at least, keep 
 pace with my astonishing adventures. 
 
 Liars are indeed contemptible, and braggarts deserve 
 no consideration; therefore, let us be strict in our ob- 
 servance of the truth and modest in our words and 
 deeds. Thus may we deserve respect and then only 
 achieve greatness. 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
In which the Baron makes a good shot — He loses his 
 horse, but finds a wolf — Uses a wolf in place of a 
 horse — The Baron promises his young Readers further 
 wonderful adventures 
 
CHAPTER II 
 
 HE lively fancy of your young minds will 
 find no difficulty in following me from 
 tropic climes to lands of ice and snow. 
 Your wits and mine will run a rapid pace 
 with neither fall nor doubting stumble. 
 My adventures have been varied as also 
 have been the excursions of your adventurous imagina- 
 tions. Therefore, I once set off from Rome on a journey 
 to Russia in the midst of winter. I had a notion that frost 
 and snow must, of course, improve the roads which every 
 traveler had described as uncommonly bad through the 
 northern parts of Germany, Poland, Courland, and Livo- 
 nia. I went on horseback, as the least difficult manner of 
 traveling. I was but lightly clothed and suffered greatly 
 the more I advanced to the northeast. On my way I 
 came upon a poor old man lying, shivering and lifeless, 
 by the roadside. Scarcely a garment had he wherewith to 
 cover his aged body. What must not the poor soul have 
 suffered ? Though I felt the severity of the weather my- 
 self, I pitied the poor creature and threw my cloak over 
 him, and immediately I heard a voice of approval bless- 
 ing me for that act of charity, saying: 
 
i 4 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 " For this you will be rewarded, my son, in good 
 
 time." 
 
 Onward I pursued my journey ; night and darkness 
 overtook me. No village was to be seen. The country 
 was covered with snow, and I was unacquainted with 
 the road. 
 
 Exceedingly weary, I alighted and fastened my horse 
 to something that looked like a pointed stump of a tree 
 which stood up above the snow. For the sake of safety 
 I placed my pistols under my arms and lay down upon 
 the snow, where I slept so soundly that I did not open 
 my eyes till full daylight. Even you will not easily 
 understand my astonishment to find myself lying in a 
 churchyard in the midst of a village. My horse was not 
 to be seen, but presently I heard him neigh somewhere 
 above me. On looking upwards, I saw him hanging by 
 his bridle to the weathercock of the church steeple. 
 
 My changed locality and the strange position of my 
 horse were at first bewildering if not mysterious, but mat- 
 ters were soon very plain to me. The village had been 
 covered with a heavy fall of snow. While I slept, a sud- 
 den change of weather had taken place, and the snow 
 had melted. Slowly and gently I was lowered to the 
 level of the churchyard; and what in the dark I had 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 15 
 
 taken to be a stump of a little tree above the snow proved 
 to have been the top of the church weathercock. There 
 hung my horse, high in the air. 
 
 Without thinking long, I took one of my pistols, shot 
 the bridle in two, brought down the horse, and without 
 further ado proceeded on my journey. (Here the Baron 
 seems to have entirely lost his tender feelings for those 
 in suffering or want. Certainly a good breakfast of corn 
 for his horse, who had fasted so long and hung so high, 
 would have been in keeping with the charitable deeds of 
 which, but the night before, the Baron bravely boasted.) 
 
 My noble beast carried me well, advancing into the 
 interior of Russia. I found going on horseback in those 
 parts rather unfashionable in winter ; therefore, I yielded, 
 as I always do, to the customs of the country, took a 
 single-horse sleigh, and drove briskly towards Saint 
 Petersburg. 
 
 I do not exactly remember at the moment whether 
 it was in Eastland or Jugemanland, but I do know that 
 in the midst of a dreary forest I spied a terrible wolf 
 making after me with all the speed of ravenous winter 
 hunger. He soon overtook me. There was no way of 
 escape. Without thought, I laid myself down flat in the 
 sleigh, and let my horse run for our safety. The means 
 
1 6 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 of escape I wished, but hardly hoped for or expected, 
 happened immediately. 
 
 The wolf did not mind me in the least, but took a 
 leap over me, falling furiously on my poor horse and 
 beginning instantly to devour the animal. It was but 
 natural that the horse ran the faster in anxious desire to 
 escape a foe attacking so savagely from the rear. Being 
 unnoticed and entirely safe myself, I lifted my head up 
 slyly and with surprise beheld that the wolf had already 
 half eaten my wildly galloping horse. So great was my 
 horror and indignation that I fell upon him with the 
 butt end of my whip. This unexpected attack from the 
 rear frightened the creature so much that he leaped for- 
 ward with all his might and hastily bolted the still un- 
 devoured half of my horse. In so doing, he had, of 
 course, eaten his way into my beast's harness and found 
 himself being properly drubbed by his new master. At 
 a speed unknown in these parts, we arrived in full 
 career in Saint Petersburg, each in a manner unex- 
 pected, and much to the astonishment of the many 
 spectators who observed our entry into the town. 
 
 Thus ended another of my adventures. Though re- 
 markable to those of less eventful lives, I look upon it as of 
 little import compared with others which I shall tell you. 
 
> 
 
 >JUr«- W*0 
 
 HE HAD, OF COURSE, EATEN HIS WAY INTO MY BEAST'S HARNESS 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
The Baron's nose, a door-post, and a new variety of 
 fireworks — With one shot marvelously made the Baron 
 bags many ducks — He leads a blind sow home by the 
 tail — of another; and vanquishes a wild boar 
 
CHAPTER III 
 
 OU boys, who may envy my adventurous 
 life, will understand my great desire to 
 join the army, and you will sympathize 
 with my longing for a commission. Both 
 these ambitions were not promptly real- 
 ized, and for several months I was per- 
 fectly at liberty to spend my time and money. Being 
 young, you may easily imagine that I spent much of 
 both out of town with such gallant fellows as knew how 
 to make the most of sports of all kinds in an open forest 
 country. 
 
 One morning I saw through the windows of my bed- 
 room that a large pond not far off was covered with 
 wild ducks. In an instant I took my gun from the cor- 
 ner, ran downstairs and out of the house in such blind 
 haste that I carelessly struck my face against the door- 
 post. Such was the force of the blow that sparks flew 
 from my eyes, but I assure you that this did not stop 
 my sporting zeal. I soon came within shot of the ducks. 
 Leveling my fowling-piece I observed to my sorrow 
 that the flint used on all guns in those days had sprung 
 from the cock or hammer. The violence of the shock 
 
2o THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 I had received had torn it from place. But there was 
 no time to be lost. I instantly remembered the effect 
 of a blow upon my head. I, therefore, hurriedly opened 
 the powder-pan of my gun, and took careful aim at the 
 wild fowls. At the same time with equal care I leveled a 
 hearty punch at my right eye, which again drew sparks 
 no flint could equal. The shot went off and I killed 
 fifty brace of ducks, twenty widgeons, and three couple 
 of teals. Truly, presence of mind is the soul of manly 
 exercise and the key to proper sportsmanship. If sol- 
 diers and sailors owe to it many of their lucky escapes, 
 hunters and sportsmen are not less beholden to it for 
 many of their successes. 
 
 But it often happens that chance or good luck cor- 
 rects our mistakes. Of this I soon had a fine example. 
 One day when deep in the forest, I saw a wild pig fol- 
 lowed so closely by another that the two seemed as one 
 only. I fired, but missed, for the foremost pig ran away 
 at fine speed, while the latter stood motionless as if 
 fixed to the ground. On examining into the matter, I 
 found the stationary animal was a very ancient sow, 
 blind with age, which had taken hold of the other's tail 
 and was thus led along with great success. As my bullet 
 had severed the guiding tail, there was naught to do 
 
HIS TUSKS PIERCED THE TREE 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 21 
 
 but stop and wait for the guiding pig to continue his 
 helpful offices. I, therefore, laid hold of the remaining 
 end of the pig's tail (still held firmly in the blind one's 
 jaws) and led the old beast home without any further 
 trouble on my part or any objection on the part of the 
 blind sow. 
 
 Dangerous as these wild sows are, yet more terrible 
 and fierce are the boars, one of which I once had the 
 misfortune to meet in a forest when I was unarmed and 
 unprepared for attack or defense. I retired behind an 
 oak tree just as the furious animal leveled a side-blow at 
 me with such force that his tusks pierced the tree, mak- 
 ing him unable either to repeat the blow or run away. 
 
 Ho, ho! thought I, I shall soon have you now! Imme- 
 diately I laid hold of a stone with which I hammered 
 and bent his tusks in such a manner that he was well 
 secured to the sturdy tree-trunk. He, therefore, awaited 
 my return from the nearest village, where I went for 
 ropes and a cart to secure him properly and carry him 
 off safe and alive, in which I succeeded perfectly. 
 
 My young Readers will doubtless see that, even in 
 the matter of adventures with pigs, the true sportsman 
 never forgets to be a gentleman in action and a scholar 
 in thoughtful proceedings. 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
The value and great usefulness of presence of mind — 
 A favorite hound and its virtues — The Baron is given a 
 wonderful horse with which he performs remarkable feats 
 
CHAPTER IV 
 
 Y young Readers' minds and spirits are 
 awake to all that pertains to adventure and 
 escape. You also are adventuring daily, 
 either in imagination or in fact. All my 
 narrow escapes were chances turned to 
 advantage by presence of mind and vigor- 
 ous exertion which went hand in hand with the wisdom 
 of a gentleman and a soldier. I cannot bring too earnestly 
 to your youthful attention the constant need of presence 
 of mind if you would become fortunate sportsmen, brave 
 soldiers, or fine sailors. 
 
 But let me add that you would be blamable and 
 imprudent sportsmen, admirals, or generals, if you 
 allowed yourselves to depend upon fortune, without 
 troubling about the instruments of success, such as the 
 proper arms, that ensure a happy ending to all adven- 
 tures. I have always been remarkable for the excellency 
 of my horses, dogs, guns, and swords, and for the 
 proper manner of using and managing them. Upon the 
 whole, I may hope to be remembered in the forest, upon 
 the turf, and in the field. 
 
 I need not burden you here with all details of my 
 
26 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 stables, kennel, or gun-racks, but, injustice to the worthy, 
 I must mention a favorite greyhound. I never knew a 
 better. She grew old in my service, and was not re- 
 markable for her size, but rather for her swiftness. Had 
 you seen her you would also have been filled with admi- 
 ration. She ran so fast, so much, and so long in my 
 service that she actually ran her legs off; and in the 
 later days of her life I was obliged to use her only as a 
 terrier. Having acquired the shortest legs, she was able 
 to enter small holes and to pass beneath the lowest ob- 
 jects without inconvenience to herself. For ratting she 
 was a marvel, and in this useful sport she served me 
 many years. 
 
 I remember this, my wonderful hound, with the same 
 pleasure and tenderness as I do a splendid Lithuanian 
 horse which no money could have bought. He became 
 mine by an accident, which gave me an opportunity 
 of showing my horsemanship to a great advantage. I 
 was at Count Przobossky's noble country house in Lith- 
 uania. I was enjoying tea with the ladies in the draw- 
 ing-room while the gentlemen were down in the stable- 
 yard, looking over a young horse of blood which had 
 just arrived. We suddenly heard a noise of distress. I 
 hastened downstairs and found the horse so unruly that 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 27 
 
 nobody dared approach or mount him. The most dar- 
 ing horsemen stood dismayed and aghast ; despondency 
 was expressed in every countenance. But I had no fear 
 of the unmastered steed. With one leap I was on his 
 back, and took him so much by surprise that I soon 
 worked him into perfect gentleness and obedience, and 
 this with the best display of horsemanship I was mas- 
 ter of. 
 
 To plainly prove to the ladies my skill and victory, 
 and at the same time desiring to spare them unnecessary 
 trouble, I made my horse leap through one of the open 
 windows of the tea-room. Around the room he walked, 
 paced, trotted, and galloped, and at last I made him 
 mount the tea-table, there to repeat his lessons in a pretty 
 style which was exceedingly pleasing to the ladies, for he 
 performed them amazingly well and did not break either 
 cup or saucer. 
 
 This amusing and unusual performance placed me 
 high in their opinion and so well in that of my noble 
 host that, with his usual politeness, he begged that I 
 would accept this young horse, and ride him at full speed 
 to conquest and honor in the campaign against the Turks 
 which was soon to be opened under command of Count 
 Munich. 
 
28 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 I could not, indeed, have been given a more agree- 
 able present, nor a more suitable one, at the opening 
 of that campaign in which I made my beginning as a 
 soldier. A horse so gentle, so spirited, and so fierce, at 
 once a lamb and a Bucephalus, 1 kept always in mind 
 the deportment and duty of a soldier and a gentleman ! 
 
 We took the field with the purpose of retrieving the 
 character of the Russian arms, which had been some- 
 what blemished ; and this we fully accomplished in sev- 
 eral very fatiguing but glorious campaigns under com- 
 mand of that great general I mentioned before. 
 
 Modesty forbids me to claim for myself great suc- 
 cesses or victories, the glory of which is generally claimed 
 by the commander, or by kings, and even queens, who 
 never smelt gunpowder. No, I do not claim any partic- 
 ular share of glory in the great battles with the enemy. 
 I did my duty as a patriot, soldier, and gentleman, which 
 in my esteem is the highest form of action, be it on 
 the stricken field or quiet fireside. 
 
 However, having had the command of a body of 
 hussars, I went upon several expeditions with unques- 
 tioned powers. Our success I think should be placed to 
 
 1 The war-horse of Alexander the Great, famed for his beauty, 
 strength, and speed. 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN a 9 
 
 my account and to that of the brave fellows whom I led 
 on to conquest and victory. We had very hot work once 
 in the van of the army, when we drove the Turks into 
 Oczakow. My spirited Lithuanian almost brought me 
 into a scrape. I had advanced considerably ahead of my 
 hussars, and saw the enemy coming upon me in a cloud 
 of dust which left me rather uncertain of their actual num- 
 bers and real intentions. To wrap myself in a similar 
 cloud was common prudence, but would not have added 
 to my knowledge, or served the end for which I had been 
 sent out. Therefore, I let my flankers on both wings 
 spread to right and left and make what dust they could, 
 but I led on straight upon the enemy to have a nearer 
 sight of them. 
 
 In this I was much gratified, for they stood and 
 fought till, for fear of my flankers, they began to re- 
 treat in a disorderly manner. This was the moment to 
 fall upon them with spirit. We broke them entirely, 
 made terrible havoc among them, and drove them, not 
 only back to a walled town in their rear, but even 
 through the town, contrary to our most sanguine hopes. 
 
 The swiftness of my fine steed and my own usual 
 presence of mind enabled me always to be first in the 
 pursuit of our enemy who, I observed, was fairly flying 
 
3 o THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 through the opposite gate of the city. I thought, how- 
 ever, it would be prudent to stop in the market-place to 
 order my men into rest quarters, and, young Readers, 
 there I stopped; but you may judge of my astonish- 
 ment when I saw not one of my hussars about me in 
 this market-place! 
 
 Were they scouring the other streets ? What had be- 
 come of them ? They could not be far off and must 
 soon join me. Feeling sure of their safe return, I walked 
 my panting horse to a fountain in this market-place and 
 let him drink. He drank uncommonly, and with an 
 eagerness not to be satisfied, and I wondered greatly at 
 the quantity of water he disposed of. No wonder, for 
 when I looked around for my men, what should I see, 
 young Readers ? The hind part of my noble beast was 
 missing ! As fast as he , drank, out poured the water. 
 Though not refreshed, he seemed otherwise to suffer no 
 inconvenience. A good horse is, indeed, a treasure be- 
 yond price. 
 
 How this strange accident could have happened was 
 quite a mystery to me till I galloped to the town gate. 
 There I saw that, when I rushed in after the fleeing en- 
 emy, they had dropped the portcullis (a heavy falling door, 
 let down suddenly to prevent the entrance of an enemy 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 31 
 
 into a fortified town). This door, unperceived by me and 
 unknown to my brave steed, had removed at one stroke 
 a full half of him. But, unnatural and uncalled for as this 
 accident may seem, the loss was not irreparable. My 
 farrier was equal to the emergency. With great skill he 
 sewed the two parts together with young shoots of laurel 
 which were conveniently at hand, and the wound soon 
 healed. The sprigs took root, grew up, and made a 
 bower over me, so that afterwards I could go upon many 
 other expeditions in the shade of my own and my horse's 
 laurels. 
 
 This incident no doubt proves to you that unsought 
 laurels oft reward and crown those whose deeds justly 
 deserve a fitting tribute. Modesty, no matter how re- 
 tiring, gains its rightful share of glory by means unseen 
 and unexpected. I, therefore, recommend to those seek- 
 ing praise that they first find modesty. 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
The Baron is made a prisoner of war — He keeps the 
 Sultan's bees — He loses the bees, also loses a silver 
 hatchet on the horn of the moon — Brings it back by 
 an ingenious invention — The Baron falls to earth into 
 a pit made by himself — Helps himself out of the pit — 
 Extricates himself from trouble by the wayside — The 
 wonderful effects of the frost upon his servant's French 
 horn 
 
CHAPTER V 
 
 WAS not always as fortunate as my past 
 narratives may lead you to suppose. Once 
 I had the misfortune to be overpowered 
 by numbers, and to be made a prisoner of 
 war by the Turks, and, as is always usual 
 among them, to be sold for a slave. In that 
 state of humiliation my daily task was neither hard nor 
 laborious, but rather singular and irksome. My work 
 was to drive the Sultan's bees to their pasture-grounds, 
 to attend to them all the day long, and to drive them 
 back to their hives before sunset. 
 
 One evening I missed a bee, and soon observed that 
 two ferocious bears had fallen upon her to tear her to 
 pieces for the honey she carried. I had no weapon 
 about me but a small silver hatchet, which is the badge 
 of the Sultan's gardeners and farmers. I threw this at 
 the bears with the intention of frightening them away 
 and setting the poor bee at liberty ; but, by an unlucky 
 turn of my arm, the hatchet flew upwards and contin- 
 ued rising till it reached the moon. How should I re- 
 cover it ? Fortunately, I recollected that the Turkey-bean 
 grows with great rapidity and climbs to an astonishing 
 
36 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 height. I planted a bean immediately, and it grew until 
 it actually fastened itself to one of the horns of the new 
 moon. I had no more to do now but climb up by the 
 beanstalk into the moon, where I arrived safely. It was 
 a troublesome piece of business to find my silver hatchet 
 in a place where everything has the brightness of silver. 
 At last, however, I laid hold of it in a heap of chaff and 
 chopped straw. 
 
 I was now for returning, but, alas ! the heat of the 
 sun had dried up my beanstalk. It was entirely useless 
 for my descent, but I fell to work and twisted me a long 
 rope of that chopped straw (an easy matter for one of 
 my deftness and intelligence). This I fastened to one of 
 the moon's horns and slid down to the end of it. Here 
 I held myself fast with the left hand, and, with the hatchet 
 in my right, I cut the long and now useless end of the 
 upper part which, when tied to the lower end of the 
 upper part, brought me a good deal nearer my journey's 
 end. This repeated cutting and splicing and tying of 
 the rope did not improve its quality, or bring me down 
 to the Sultan's farm. I was still at least four or five miles 
 from the earth when the rope broke, and I fell to the 
 ground with such amazing violence that I found myself 
 stunned, and in a hole fully fifty-four feet deep ! Of 
 
MY WORK WAS TO DRIVE THE SULTAN S BEES TO THEIR PASTURE- 
 GROUNDS 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 37 
 
 course, this hole was made by the weight of my body 
 falling from so great a height. I recovered, however, but 
 did not know how to get out of the hole my unfortunate 
 accident had caused to be made. After some careful 
 thought and wise planning, I dug steps in the earth with 
 my finger-nails, which were fortunately both long and 
 strong, and easily succeeded in reaching the surface of 
 the earth. 
 
 Peace was soon after concluded with the Turks, and, 
 having gained my liberty, I left immediately for Saint 
 Petersburg. The winter was then so uncommonly severe 
 all over Europe that ever since the sun has seemed frost- 
 bitten. 
 
 My journey was made by post, and, rinding myself 
 in a narrow lane, I bid the postilion give a signal with 
 his horn so that other travelers might not meet us in the 
 narrow passage. He blew with all his might, but in vain; 
 he could not make the horn sound. What could this 
 silence mean, for French horns are noted for their ready 
 willingness on all occasions ? It was most unfortunate, for 
 the moment after we found ourselves facing another 
 coach coming in our direction. There was no proceed- 
 ing. However, I got out of my carriage, and, being 
 rather muscular, placed it, wheels and all, upon my head. 
 
38 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 I then jumped a hedge about nine feet high, which, 
 considering the weight of the coach, was somewhat dif- 
 ficult. But with little trouble I landed in a field and 
 came out again by another jump into the road beyond 
 the other carriage. I then went back for the horses, and, 
 placing one upon my head and the other under my left 
 arm, I brought them to my coach, and proceeded to an 
 inn at the end of our day's run. 
 
 I should have told you that the horse under my left 
 arm was very spirited, being not over four years old. In 
 making my second jump over the hedge, he showed 
 great dislike to that violent kind of motion by kicking 
 and snorting. However, I tucked his hind legs into my 
 coat pocket, and this settled his uneasiness completely. 
 
 After we arrived at the inn, my postilion and I refreshed 
 ourselves, and he hung his horn on a peg by the kitchen 
 fire, near which I sat. Suddenly we heard a tereng! 
 tereng ! teng ! teng / We looked around and now found 
 the reason why the postilion had not been able to sound 
 his horn. His tunes were frozen up in the instrument, 
 and came out now by thawing ! All were plain, and 
 much to the credit of my driver, who could give us vari- 
 ous fashionable airs without further strain or effort to 
 himself. A little of this music, however, was sufficient, 
 
I THEN JUMPED A HEDGE ABOUT NINE FEET HIGH 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 39 
 
 for too frequent repetition of this sort would become a 
 great nuisance, especially if frozen music was of the 
 common sort My young Readers may well be glad 
 that no such soulless instrument need hang or stand by 
 their hearths. 
 
 In conclusion of this portion of my narrative, I wish 
 to state that some travelers are inclined to tell more than 
 is perhaps strictly true. If you have the slightest doubt 
 of my veracity, I can only say that I pity your lack of 
 faith, and must request that you lay aside this chronicle 
 before I begin a still more astounding part of my adven- 
 tures, which are as strictly founded in fact as those I have 
 already related. 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
The Baron takes a bath in the Mediterranean Sea — He 
 meets a surprising companion and hurries unexpectedly 
 into heat and darkness — The Baron dances a horn- 
 pipe with great success — He gives his deliverers a shock 
 and a surprise and returns to shore 
 
CHAPTER VI 
 
 HE number and variety of dangers to which 
 the hardy adventurer is ever exposed is 
 truly astonishing. Once I was in great 
 danger of being lost in the Mediterranean 
 in a singular and unexpected manner. I 
 was taking a bath one summer's day in 
 the sea near Marseilles when I beheld a large fish ap- 
 proaching me at great speed. His jaws were open 
 wide, and I was directly in his path. There was no 
 time to be lost, nor could I see any way to avoid him. 
 With all possible speed I made myself as small as might 
 be by putting my feet together and placing my hands 
 close to my sides. In this position I had no difficulty 
 in passing between his great jaws, and from this horrible 
 portal directly into his stomach. 
 
 The place was exceedingly dark, but comfortably 
 warm, as you may easily imagine. I was, indeed, a pris- 
 oner, with scant hopes of escape. At last it occurred to 
 me that, by giving him food for thought of an unusual 
 kind, he might be made glad to be rid of me. As I had 
 plenty of room, I hit upon certain pranks that would 
 surely set the creature to serious thinking, if not consid- 
 
44 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 erable action. Accordingly I set to jumping, hopping, 
 and skipping with great energy and athletic skill, and at 
 last I fell to dancing the hornpipe. The quick motion 
 of my feet in this active dance seemed to disturb him con- 
 siderably, for his sudden fits and starts put me out of 
 step. I continued my steps with renewed energy and 
 grace until he roared horribly and stood up almost per- 
 pendicularly in the water, with his head and shoulders 
 exposed. By this action he was discovered by sailors on 
 board an Italian trading ship that chanced to be passing, 
 and was at once harpooned. 
 
 As soon as he was hauled upon the ship's deck, I heard 
 the crew consulting how they should best cut him up to 
 preserve the greatest quantity of oil. I understood Italian 
 and had the most horrible fears lest their knives used in 
 this business should destroy me also. Therefore, I stood 
 as near the center of the creature as possible, for there 
 was room for a dozen men in this monster's insides. In 
 this position I hoped to be fairly safe, for I believed the 
 sailors would begin their carving at one or the other end 
 of the fish. 
 
 My fears for my own safety, however, were soon re- 
 lieved, when I saw their operations begun at a consider- 
 able distance from the position I had taken. Presently I 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 45 
 
 perceived a glimmering of light, and I called out lustily 
 to be delivered from a situation in which I was now almost 
 suffocated. 
 
 It is not possible for me to give you an idea of the 
 astonishment which sat upon every face at hearing a voice 
 come from a fish, but more so at seeing a man walk up- 
 right from the creature's carcass. 
 
 Of course, I immediately told the sailors the whole 
 story as I have told it to you, my young Readers, and 
 amazement struck them dumb. 
 
 After taking some much-needed refreshment, I jumped 
 into the sea to be rid of the odor offish which had always 
 been displeasing to my rather refined and sensitive nostrils. 
 With feelings of joy I swam to my clothes, which lay on the 
 shore where I had left them four and a half hours before. 
 
 Thus ended an adventure which added to the sum of 
 my many strange experiences and convinced me that a 
 knowledge of lively steps of the dance might serve a sol- 
 dier and gentleman as well as a humble mariner. 
 
 Therefore, let us not scorn manners and customs of 
 those accounted beneath us. Adventure may at any mo- 
 ment place us in dilemmas when the minuet would serve 
 us naught, while the lively but humble hornpipe would 
 set our feet on the road to deliverance and safety. 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
The Baron's adventures in Turkey, and upon the river 
 Nile — He sees a balloon over Constantinople; shoots 
 at and brings it down ; finds an aerial traveler hanging 
 from it — The Baron goes to Cairo on a secret mission 
 and returns by way of the Nile — He is thrown into an 
 unexpected dilemma and detained six weeks 
 
CHAPTER VII 
 
 T is good for those of mature years, as 
 well as for youth, to enjoy the benefits of 
 proper recreation. When in the service 
 of the Turks, I found much satisfaction 
 and benefit in boating. One morning, 
 as my pleasure-barge drifted on the calm 
 waters of the Sea of Marmora and I was admiring the 
 beauty and serenity of the sky, I observed a round object 
 in the air, far above me. It appeared to be about the size 
 of a twelve-inch globe with something hanging from it. 
 I immediately seized my largest fowling-piece, from 
 which I never allow myself to be separated if I can help 
 it. With the utmost speed I loaded with ball and let fly 
 at the globe, but to no purpose, the object being at too 
 great a distance. I then put in a double charge of pow- 
 der and five or six balls. This second attempt suc- 
 ceeded; my shot took effect and tore one side open, 
 instantly bringing down my strange quarry. Judge my 
 surprise when a most elegant gilt car, or balloon basket, 
 with a man in it, fell within a few yards of me. Along 
 with the man was part of a roast sheep. When I had 
 recovered in some degree from my astonishment, I or- 
 
5 o THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 dered my oarsman to row close to this strange aerial 
 traveler. 
 
 I took this person aboard and found him to be con- 
 fused and much put out by his sudden fall into the sea. 
 In time, however, he recovered his wits sufficiently to 
 give the following account of himself: 
 
 "About seven or eight days ago I ascended in my 
 balloon from Land's End in Cornwall, England. With 
 me I took a sheep for company. Unfortunately, the 
 wind changed within ten minutes after my ascent, and, 
 instead of driving inland as I had hoped and planned 
 for, I was driven out to sea, over which I suppose I have 
 continued ever since. Being continually at such great 
 height, I could make no observations. 
 
 " The gnawing call of hunger pressed me and I was 
 obliged on the third day of my flight to kill my sheep 
 for food. I was at that time far above the moon, and for 
 over sixteen hours after I was so near the sun that it 
 scorched my eyebrows and singed my beard, of which 
 I am justly proud. After first skinning my sheep, and 
 taking care to place it where the balloon did not shade 
 it from the sun, I provided well-roasted mutton in about 
 two hours. This has been my only food ever since. The 
 cause of my long flight was due to the failure of a string 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 51 
 
 which was fixed to a valve in the balloon. Sir, I owe my 
 rescue to your marksmanship. Had you not fired at 
 and rent a hole in the balloon, I might, like Mahomet, 
 have been suspended between heaven and earth till 
 doomsday." 
 
 What later befell this aerial adventurer I have no mem- 
 ory. Allow me to continue upon other subjects of greater 
 import. The Grand Seignior of Constantinople soon 
 employed me to negotiate a matter of great importance 
 at Cairo. I cannot reveal my errand, for it was of such 
 a nature that it must ever remain a secret. 
 
 I journeyed in great state by land, and, having com- 
 pleted the business entrusted to me with tact and great 
 wisdom, I dismissed all but a few attendants and started 
 homeward in the guise of a private gentleman. The 
 weather was delightful, and that famous river, the Nile, 
 was beautiful beyond all description. In short, I was 
 tempted to make my journey by barge, and descend the 
 river to Alexandria. 
 
 On the third day of my voyage the river began to 
 rise most amazingly. Of course, you have heard of the 
 annual overflow of the Nile. The next day it covered 
 the whole country for many leagues on each side ! On 
 the fifth day at sunrise my boat became entangled with 
 
52 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 what I first took for shrubs, but as the light grew 
 stronger, I discovered myself to be surrounded by 
 almonds, which were perfectly ripe and in the highest 
 perfection. 
 
 Upon casting out a line and lead, my people found 
 we were at least sixty feet from the ground and unable 
 to advance or retreat. At eight or nine o'clock, the wind 
 suddenly rose, and tilted our barge over on one side, 
 spilling us all into the water. Fortunately, we saved our- 
 selves (six men and two boys) by clinging to the tree. 
 In this situation we continued for six weeks and three 
 days, living upon almonds. I need not inform you that 
 we had plenty of water. On the forty-second day of our 
 distress the water fell as suddenly as it had risen, and on 
 the forty-sixth day we were able to venture down to firm 
 earth. Our barge was the first and most pleasing object 
 we saw, about two hundred yards from the spot where 
 she sunk. After drying everything that was useful by 
 the heat of the sun, and loading ourselves with necessary 
 stores, we set out to recover lost ground. We found by 
 the closest calculations that we had been carried over 
 garden walls and all kinds of enclosures fully a hundred 
 and fifty miles into the interior country. 
 
 In four days, after a very tiresome journey on foot, 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 S3 
 
 with thin shoes, we reached the river which was now 
 confined to its banks. In six days more we arrived at 
 Alexandria, where we took ship for Constantinople. 
 
 I was kindly received by the Grand Seignior, who 
 commended me for the valor, foresight, and gallant en- 
 durance a gentleman always displays in times of distress 
 and difficulty. 
 
 *•>%. 
 
 im 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
The Baron crosses the Thames without bridge or boat or 
 balloon or even his own will — He rouses from a long 
 nap — He destroys a monster — The Baron tells of im- 
 portant adventures — He visits Mount iEtna and drops 
 in upon Vulcan and Cyclops — He is rudely dismissed, 
 and falls through the earth to the South Sea 
 
CHAPTER VIII 
 
 EFORE relating to my young Readers in 
 this chapter a series of adventures of great 
 importance, I desire to tell of one that is 
 more amusing than necessary to my vera- 
 cious chronicle. 
 On one of my first visits to England, 
 I had occasion to go down to Wapping to see some 
 goods that I was sending to friends in Hamburg. After 
 that business was over, I took the Tower Wharf on my 
 way back. Here I found the sun very powerful, and I 
 was so much fatigued that I stepped into one of the can- 
 nons to rest and compose myself. At about noon I fell 
 fast asleep. At one o'clock all the Tower Wharf cannons 
 were discharged. They had all been loaded that morn- 
 ing, but of this I had no knowledge or suspicion. The 
 combined report of the many pieces was terrific. I was 
 shot from my own particular gun, over houses, trees, 
 and walls on the opposite side of the river, into a farm- 
 er's yard. 
 
 I fell upon a large haystack without waking ; indeed, 
 I continued there in sound sleep for three months. At 
 the end of this time hay became so very dear that the 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 farmer found it to his interest to send his stock to mar- 
 ket. The stack I was reposing upon was the largest in 
 the yard and this was the one they began to load first. 
 
 I was awakened by the voices of the people who had 
 ascended the ladders to begin removing the hay from the 
 top of the stack. I got up hastily, totally ignorant of my 
 situation. So great was my surprise that, in an attempt 
 to run away, I fell upon the farmer to whom the hay be- 
 longed with such force and weight that he was instantly 
 killed. I sustained no injuries, however, but might have 
 felt the pangs of regret had I not learned that this fellow 
 was a most detestable character, always keeping the prod- 
 uce of his farm for extravagant market prices and until 
 his neighbors could ill afford to pay what he exacted. 
 
 I will now pass on to the more serious and important 
 adventures mentioned at the outset of this chapter. I do 
 so with pleasure, knowing that my young Readers will 
 be benefited, not only by what they add to their store 
 of useful knowledge, but by the exercise of imagination 
 they will have in following adventures so marvelous and 
 enlightening. 
 
 After reading Mr. Brydone's " Travels in Sicily " with 
 great pleasure, I determined to pay a visit myself to 
 Mount JEtna. My voyage there brought no experience 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 59 
 
 worth mentioning. One morning, three or four days 
 after my arrival, I set out on foot, determined to explore 
 the internal parts of the mountain, even if I perished in 
 the attempt. 
 
 After three hours of the most difficult climbing, I 
 found myself at the top. The mountain was then, and 
 had been for over three weeks, in violent eruption. I 
 walked around the edge of the crater, making such ob- 
 servations as were possible. Not being satisfied, and 
 desiring a closer view of the inner workings of the vol- 
 cano, I jumped into the crater, of course, feet foremost. 
 
 'T is needless to tell you that I soon found myself in 
 a warm berth, in which my body was bruised and burned 
 in many places by the red-hot cinders which rose with 
 terrific violence and opposed my descent. However, my 
 weight soon brought me to the bottom of the crater, 
 where I found myself in the midst of great noise and 
 clamor, mixed with the turmoil of enraged voices. Im- 
 agine, young Readers, my astonishment when I found 
 that I was in the company of Vulcan and his Cyclops. I 
 had rudely broken into their workshop as a violent quarrel 
 was at its height. This trouble had lasted for three weeks, 
 which accounted for the continued volcanic eruptions 
 seen and felt by the outer world. Upon my arrival, peace 
 
6o THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 was restored, and Vulcan himself did me the honor of 
 applying plasters to my wounds, which healed immedi- 
 ately. 
 
 Vulcan then gave me a very brief but clear account 
 of Mount JEtna, which he said was, in truth, nothing 
 more than a big pile of ashes thrown from his forge. 
 He was often obliged to punish his fellow-workers, at 
 whom he made it a practice to throw red-hot coals. His 
 people dodged and parried his missiles with great dex- 
 terity, or threw the pieces up into the world to put them 
 beyond their master's reach. 
 
 " Our quarrels/' added Vulcan, " sometimes last three 
 or four months, and these appearances of lava and cin- 
 ders in the world above are what you mortals call erup- 
 tions. Mount Vesuvius is another of my workshops. I 
 have a passage under the sea leading directly to it, where 
 frequently quarrels occur like to the one you have just 
 seen, causing similar eruptions." 
 
 You can readily understand that one of my adventur- 
 ous turn found Vulcan not only a sympathetic compan- 
 ion, but a stalwart champion of my powers and wisdom. 
 I should have continued in his shops as an attendant had 
 not some jealous tattlers, who delighted in mischief, 
 whispered a false tale in Vulcan's ear. He was roused to 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 61 
 
 a fit of anger not to be appeased. Without the least 
 notice, he took me under his arm and carried me to 
 what appeared to be a well with a wide mouth. Over 
 this he held me at arm's length, saying, " Ungrateful 
 mortal^ return to the world whence you came" 
 
 Without giving me the least opportunity to reply, he 
 dropped me down the center of the well. I found my- 
 self falling with increasing speed, till horror and fright 
 deprived me of my senses. I did not recover until I 
 plunged into a large body of water lighted by the rays 
 of the sun. 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
The Baron takes an unexpected plunge — Arrives on 
 an island of cheese, surrounded by milk — The Baron 
 tells of extraordinary objects — The trees pay tribute to 
 the Baron and his party 
 
CHAPTER IX 
 
 HE plunge I so hastily made was indeed 
 more surprising to me than the telling 
 of it could possibly be to you, my admir- 
 ing Readers. From my earliest infancy, 
 I was a remarkable swimmer and was 
 skilled in many water tricks. I found my- 
 self in a cooling paradise, considering the horrors I had 
 just been released from. Looking about me, I could 
 see nothing but a vast expanse of sea, spreading forth 
 in every direction. I also found my moist surround- 
 ings very cold compared with Master Vulcan's work- 
 shop. 
 
 At last I observed at some distance an object of amaz- 
 ing magnitude, like a huge rock, approaching me, and 
 presently discovered it to be a mass of floating ice. I 
 swam around it till I came to a spot where I could ascend 
 to the top, which I did, but not without some difficulty. 
 I was still out of sight of land, and despair filled me 
 with dreadful thoughts. However, before night came on 
 I saw a sail, which my mountain of ice approached with 
 great speed. When within a very short distance, I hailed 
 the ship in German. They answered in Dutch. I then 
 
66 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 flung myself into the sea, and was promptly hauled on 
 board. I now inquired where we were, and was told that 
 we were in the great Southern Ocean. Marvelous ! It was 
 evident that I had dropped from Mount iEtna through 
 the center of the earth, and had come out at the South 
 Sea ! With the Captain's permission, I took some refresh- 
 ments and a rest, which no one doubted I fully de- 
 served. 
 
 Our ship was, at that time, exactly in Captain Cook's 
 first track, and we arrived next morning at Botany 
 Bay, a place favored by the English as a haven for 
 all sorts of felons. We remained here but seventy-two 
 hours. On the fourth day after our departure, a most 
 dreadful storm arose which soon destroyed all our sails, 
 splintered our bowsprit, and brought down the topmast, 
 which fell upon the box that held our compass, shatter- 
 ing both beyond repair. We were now at a loss where 
 to steer. At length the storm abated, but a steady and 
 brisk gale followed that drove us at least forty knots an 
 hour for six months ! 
 
 After this we noted an amazing change in our sur- 
 roundings. Our spirits grew light as our noses were re- 
 galed with the most delightful odors imaginable. The 
 sea had changed in color from its natural blue, or deep 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 67 
 
 green, to white! Very soon after these wonderful 
 changes, we saw land and a safe inlet at no great dis- 
 tance. Up this inlet we sailed for nearly sixty leagues, 
 and found it always wide and deep, flowing with milk 
 of the most delicious taste. 
 
 It was finally decided that we should land. We then 
 found the place to be an island consisting of one large 
 cheese. The composition of the island might not have 
 become known (many of our party being Dutch") had 
 not one of our men fainted the moment we came ashore. 
 This man always had a great dislike for cheese and was 
 most sensitive to its odor or proximity. Upon regaining 
 his senses, he insisted upon our removing the cheese 
 that clung like mud upon his feet. After careful exam- 
 ination we found him to be entirely right, for the whole 
 island, as I have before told you, was nothing but a 
 cheese of immense magnitude. Therefore, we cannot 
 say that those sensitive to the aroma of cheese are useless 
 in fields of science and discovery. For myself, however, 
 I commend those robust natures and noses that remain 
 unmoved and undaunted under all stress, whether it be 
 the odor of cheese or the rigor of battle. 
 
 On this island of cheese the natives are very numer- 
 ous, and their principal food is the island itself. This 
 
68 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 they consume in great quantities, but the eaten part 
 grows again at night as fast as it is consumed by day. 
 There seemed to be plenty of vines, with bunches of 
 large grapes which, upon being pressed, yielded noth- 
 ing but milk. We saw the inhabitants running races 
 upon the surface of the milk. They did not sink at all, 
 but ran and walked upon this delicate liquid as we do 
 upon a lawn or bowling-green. They were upright and 
 comely figures, nine feet high, with three legs and but 
 one arm. Upon the whole they are graceful in form and 
 carriage. 
 
 Among the many marvels of this island, there grows 
 a great plenty of corn, the ears of which produce loaves 
 of bread, baked, and ready for eating. 
 
 After thirty-eight days of tedious journey, we arrived 
 on the side of the island opposite to that on which we 
 had landed. There we found, much to the delight of 
 some of our party, great quantities of blue-mould from 
 which sprang all kinds of rich fruit, such as peaches, 
 apricots, nectarines, and many other delicious fruits with 
 which we were not acquainted. 
 
 In the fruit trees, which are of great size, there were 
 many birds' nests, among them a kingfisher's nest of 
 enormous size- It was at least as large as the dome of 
 
WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY WE CUT OPEN ONE OF THESE EGGS 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 69 
 
 Saint Paul's Church in London. We found upon inspec- 
 tion that this nest was made of huge trees curiously- 
 woven together. There were — let me see (for I make it 
 a rule always to speak with exactness} — there were 
 over five hundred eggs in this nest, and each was as large 
 as eight barrels. We could not only see the young birds 
 within the eggs, but plainly hear their chirping. With 
 great difficulty we cut open one of these eggs, and let 
 out an unfeathered young one. He was much larger than 
 twenty full-grown vultures. 
 
 Just as we had given this youngster his freedom, the 
 mother kingfisher lighted, and, seizing our Captain in 
 one of her claws, flew with him more than a mile into 
 the air. After a few turns in mid-air she let the Captain 
 drop into the sea, but not till she had very thoroughly 
 cuffed his ears with her wings. Dutchmen are natural 
 floaters, and often good swimmers, and the victim of 
 Mistress Kingfisher's wrath soon joined us. 
 
 On our return trip, we took a different route. When 
 we had come within two days' journey of our ship, we 
 observed three men hanging by their heels to a tall tree. 
 Asking the cause of their punishment, I was told that 
 they had all been travelers, and upon their return home 
 had deceived their friends by describing people and 
 
7° 
 
 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 places they had really never seen, also relating things 
 that had never happened. This gave me no concern, as 
 I have ever confined myself to facts. 
 
 As soon as we arrived on board ship, we weighed 
 anchor and set sail from this extraordinary country. As 
 we drew away from the island, all the trees upon the 
 shore paid their respects to us twice, bowing in exact 
 time, and immediately taking their former posture again, 
 which was quite erect. 
 
 From all that we could learn of this cheese, it was 
 considerably larger than the continent of Europe ! 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
The Baron's ship passes between the teeth of a fish un- 
 known in this part of the world — They have great diffi- 
 culty in escaping from the interior regions of this mon- 
 ster — They arrive in the Caspian Sea — The Baron 
 starves a bear — A marvelous waistcoat 
 
CHAPTER X 
 
 EING still without a compass, we sailed 
 whither we knew not for three months. 
 These were dreary days, indeed, until we 
 arrived in a sea that appeared to be almost 
 black. Upon tasting the water, we found 
 it to be a most excellent wine, and much 
 trouble we had keeping the sailors from too frequent 
 drafts of a beverage so close at hand and abundant. 
 
 In a few hours, however, our attention was drawn to 
 vast numbers of whales and other creatures of enormous 
 size, which completely surrounded us. One of these 
 monsters was far too large for the eye to judge of, or for 
 human mind to comprehend. Since we did not see him 
 until we were very close to his enormous and wide-open 
 jaws, our ship, with all masts standing and with sails 
 full set, was drawn straight into his mouth. Inward we 
 passed between his teeth, which were much larger and 
 taller than the masts of a fourth-rate man-of-war. 
 
 After we had been in his mouth some time, he opened 
 it very wide, took in an immense quantity of water and 
 floated our vessel (which was of no mean size) down 
 into his stomach. Here we lay as quiet as at anchor in a 
 
74 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 dead calm. The air about us was rather warm and not 
 as fragrant as might be desired, but, having recently ex- 
 perienced the zephyrs of Cheese Island, we found lit- 
 tle difficulty in becoming accustomed to the atmosphere 
 of our captor's interior regions. 
 
 Hardy endurance, learned early, never succumbs. 
 Cheerful hardihood ever enlivens serious endeavor: 
 Maxims such as these are worthy of thoughtful consid- 
 eration by young and old. 
 
 We soon discovered that the creature in whom we 
 were imprisoned had swallowed anchors, cables, boats, 
 and barges in abundance, and also a number of ships, 
 some laden and some not. Of course, we were in com- 
 plete darkness, and everything had to be done by torch- 
 light. There was no sun, no moon, no planet, from which 
 to make observations. Everything was afloat or aground 
 twice a day ; when the creature drank, it became high 
 water ; and again we found ourselves stranded high out 
 of water. 
 
 On the second day of our confinement in these re- 
 gions of darkness, I ventured, at low water as we called 
 it, to ramble with the Captain and a few of the other 
 officers. All of our party carried torchlights. We met 
 with people of all nations, to the number of about ten 
 
OUR SHIP, WITH ALL MASTS STANDING AND WITH SAILS FULL SET, WAS 
 DRAWN STRAIGHT INTO HIS MOUTH 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 75 
 
 thousand. We found that they were going to hold a 
 council to discover how to recover their liberty. Some 
 of these poor prisoners had been in the animal's stomach 
 several years. I was chosen chairman, and the first thing 
 I did was to propose splicing two mainmasts together, 
 and, the next time the whale opened his mouth, to be 
 ready to wedge them in between his jaws, and so pre- 
 vent his shutting them. My plan was unanimously ap- 
 proved. 
 
 One hundred stout men were chosen for this service, 
 and we had scarcely prepared our masts properly when 
 our opportunity came. The monster opened his mouth, 
 and immediately the top of the mast was placed against 
 the upper jaw and the other end upon the lower. In 
 this way we prevented the shutting of the animal' s mouth. 
 
 As soon as everything in his inside region was well 
 afloat, we manned a few boats and rowed ourselves into 
 the light of the outer world. The daylight, after three 
 months' confinement in total darkness, cheered our spir- 
 its surprisingly. When we had taken leave of this enor- 
 mous animal, we mustered a fleet of ninety-five ships, 
 all of which had been in this confined situation. 
 
 Having gained our liberty, our first object was to 
 discover what part of the world we were in. At last it 
 
76 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 was learned that we were in the Caspian Sea ! How we 
 came here it was impossible to understand, this sea, as 
 you know, having no communication with any other 
 great body of water. One of the inhabitants of Cheese 
 Island, who accompanied me as a body-servant, accounted 
 for it thus : the monster, in whose stomach we had been 
 so long confined, had carried us here by way of some 
 underground passage. However, we pushed to shore, 
 and I was the first who landed. 
 
 Just as I put my foot upon the ground, a large bear 
 leaped upon me with his front paws. I caught one in 
 each hand, and squeezed them both so that he cried out 
 lustily. In self-defense I was obliged to hold him thus 
 until he starved to death. It is seldom that I am com- 
 pelled to take such advantage of an adversary, but you 
 must acknowledge that the bear gave me good cause for 
 my action. 
 
 From this place I journeyed to Saint Petersburg a 
 second time. Here an old friend gave me a most ex- 
 cellent pointer. I had the misfortune, however, soon to 
 lose this fine dog through a blundering sportsman, who 
 fired at him instead of a covey of partridges. From the 
 faithful creature's skin I had a waistcoat made, which 
 always leads me to game if I go hunting in the proper 
 
SQUEEZED THEM BOTH SO THAT HE CRIED OUT LUSTILY 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 77 
 
 season. When I come within shot, one of the buttons 
 flies off and lodges upon the spot where the game is; 
 when the birds rise I never miss them. 
 
 One day a covey of partridges rose after a button had 
 fallen amongst them. They came from the ground in a 
 line, one before the other, and flew directly towards me. 
 I had loaded my gun, but had forgotten to remove my 
 ramrod. I fired, and the ramrod passed straight through 
 the birds, the rod being so hot from the burning powder 
 that my leash of birds was completely roasted before I 
 reached home. 
 
 Thus, my young Readers, ends another chapter of 
 my remarkable adventures. I have related all with a strict 
 regard for truth, and a great desire that my courage and 
 endurance may serve as an example to you, should sim- 
 ilar adventures come to you now or hereafter. 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
The Baron pays a visit during the siege of Gibraltar — 
 Sinks a Spanish man-of-war — Destroys all the enemy's 
 cannon — Saves the lives of two English officers with a 
 marvelous sling and raises the siege 
 
CHAPTER XI 
 
 AM sure my young Readers will be 
 pleased with this chapter of my adven- 
 tures in which I relate further experiences 
 in my career as a soldier. During the 
 siege of Gibraltar, I sailed with Lord Rod- 
 ney's fleet with the intention of seeing 
 my old friend General Elliot. Time cannot fade the 
 laurels won by his gallant defense of that fortress. 
 
 After the usual joy which attends the meeting of old 
 friends, I went to examine the garrison and to view the 
 operations of the enemy. My friend the General ac- 
 companied me. I had brought with me a most excellent 
 telescope which was purchased by me in London. By 
 the help of this fine instrument, I discovered the enemy 
 was going to discharge a thirty-six-pounder at the exact 
 spot where we stood. I told the General what they were 
 about ; he looked through the glass also and found me 
 to be right. With his permission I immediately ordered 
 a forty-eight-pounder to be brought from a nearby bat- 
 tery. Having long studied the art of gunnery, I placed 
 and aimed the gun with so much exactness that I was 
 sure of my mark. 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 With my usual wisdom, caution, and presence of 
 mind, I watched the enemy till I saw the match placed 
 at the touch-hole of their piece. At that very instant I 
 gave order for our gun to be fired also. 
 
 Attend, young Readers, to the marvelous result of 
 my foresight and prompt action ! Midway between the 
 two pieces of cannon, the balls struck each other with 
 amazing force, and the effect was astounding 1 
 
 The enemy's ball recoiled and flew back with such 
 violence as to kill the man who had discharged it, not to 
 mention sixteen others which it met in its progress to the 
 Barbary coast. Deadly projectile ! 
 
 Continuing with unchecked force, it tore through the 
 masts of three vessels that then lay in a line behind each 
 other in the harbor, and, though much spent in speed by 
 this time, it broke into the roof of a laborer's hut about 
 two hundred yards inward and completely demolished 
 the wig of an old woman who lay asleep on the floor 
 of the hut. The ball was afterwards found deeply em- 
 bedded in the heart of a neighboring pigsty. 
 
 Our ball, too, did excellent service, for it not only 
 repelled the other in the manner I have described, but, 
 continuing its course, dismounted the very piece of can- 
 non that had just been used against us and drove it into 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 83 
 
 the hold of the ship, where it fell with so much force 
 as to break its way through the bottom. The ship filled 
 immediately and sank with a thousand Spanish sailors, 
 besides a considerable number of soldiers on board. 
 
 You will surely acknowledge this to be an extraordi- 
 nary exploit. I will not, however, take the whole credit 
 to myself. My good judgment was the greater reason 
 for success, but chance assisted me a little, for I afterward 
 found that the man who loaded our forty-eight-pounder 
 put in, by mistake, a double charge of powder. Had he 
 done otherwise we might not have succeeded so far be- 
 yond all expectation in repelling the enemy's ball. 
 
 General Elliot would have given me an exalted com- 
 mission for this piece of service, but I declined every- 
 thing except his thanks, which I received at a crowded 
 table of officers at a supper on the evening of that very 
 day. 
 
 As I am very partial to the English, who are beyond 
 question a brave people, I determined not to take my 
 leave of the garrison till I had rendered them another 
 service. In about three weeks an opportunity presented 
 itself. I dressed myself in the habit of a priest, and at 
 one o'clock in the morning stole out of the garrison, 
 passed the enemy's lines, and soon arrived in the midst 
 
84 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 of their camp. Here I entered the tent in which was the 
 Prince d'Artois, with the commander-in-chief and several 
 other officers, who were in deep council over a plan to 
 storm our garrison next morning. 
 
 My disguise was a complete protection, and I was 
 allowed to remain in the tent, hearing everything that 
 passed till they went to their several beds. I then discov- 
 ered the whole camp and even the sentinels were wrapped 
 in the arms of Morpheus — such sleep is always deep 
 and exceedingly satisfying to those so occupied. 
 
 I began my work, which was that of dismounting all 
 their cannon (over three hundred pieces), from forty- 
 eight to twenty-four-pounders, and throwing them into 
 the sea. Having no assistance, I found this the hardest 
 task I ever undertook, except swimming to the opposite 
 shore with a famous Turkish cannon of great weight, of 
 which exploit I may tell you at some future time. 
 
 With patience and strength fortified by courage and 
 skill, I piled all the gun-carriages together in the center 
 of the camp. To prevent the noise of the wheels being 
 heard, I carried them in pairs under my arms. A noble 
 pile they made, as high, at least, as the Rock of Gibraltar. 
 I then lighted a match by striking a flintstone, which was 
 twenty feet from the ground, with the breech of an iron 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 forty-eight-pounder, and I set fire to the whole pile. To 
 add fitting fuel to this glorious flame, I threw all the 
 enemy's ammunition wagons on the top. 
 
 Before using the match, it is needless to say that I had 
 wisely laid the combustibles at the bottom of the pile so 
 that the whole was ablaze in a moment. To prevent sus- 
 picion, I was one of the first to express surprise. You 
 may imagine that the whole camp was shocked with 
 astonishment, and the opinion was that their sentinels 
 had been bribed and that seven or eight regiments of 
 our garrison had been employed in this great destruction 
 of their artillery. As a result of my bravery and judg- 
 ment, the Count d' Artois and all his attendants took such 
 speedy flight that they never stopped until they reached 
 Paris. This dreadful conflagration had such an effect 
 upon them that they could take no food or refreshment 
 for at least three months. 
 
 One morning, about two months after I had done the 
 English this service, when I was sitting at breakfast with 
 General Elliot, a shell entered the room in which we 
 were. To my horror the missile lodged upon our table. 
 As most men would do, the General quitted the place 
 immediately ; but I took up the shell before it burst and 
 carried it to the top of Gibraltar's rock. Looking over 
 
86 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 the enemy's camp from this height I saw a considerable 
 number of people. Using my telescope, I discovered 
 that two of our officers, one a general and one a colonel 
 (who doubtless had been made prisoners"), were in a dire 
 plight. They were actually going to be executed on the 
 gibbet. 
 
 Alas, I found the distance too great to throw the shell 
 with my hand, but, very fortunately, I recollected that 
 I had a most miraculous sling in my pocket. Into this I 
 placed the shell and threw it into the midst of the exe- 
 cutioners. It burst as it fell, destroying all present but 
 the two prisoners, who were saved by being hung so 
 high. However, one piece of the shell flew with such 
 force against the foot of the gibbet that it was shattered 
 and fell to the ground. 
 
 Our two friends no sooner touched firm earth {terra 
 Jirmd\ than they ran down to the seashore, seized a 
 Spanish boat with two men in it, and made them row 
 to one of our own ships, which they did in complete 
 safety. 
 
 A few moments later, as I was relating my action to 
 General Elliot, the rescued officers both appeared and 
 took us by the hand. After mutual congratulations, we 
 retired to spend the rest of the day in well-won festivities. 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 87 
 
 Though fully aware of my own bravery on this occasion, 
 I do not wish my young Readers to think that I ever 
 allowed pride to conceal the modesty with which I am 
 justly credited, and I warn you to be ever alert in telling 
 the strict truth without regard to personal satisfaction or 
 shallow glory that tends to swell self-esteem. 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
The Baron tells more of his wonderful sling — The 
 Baron's father narrates adventures with a sea-horse — A 
 deadly battle between lobsters and crabs — The Bar- 
 on's rather sells his marine steed for a large sum — The 
 Baron makes observations of his own upon bravery 
 
CHAPTER XII 
 
 CAN see by your faces, my dear young 
 Readers, that you wish to hear further 
 about my treasure of a sling that served 
 me and others so notably. My father 
 was possessor of this wonderful instru- 
 ment before it came into my possession. 
 One day he was walking by the seashore at Harwich. 
 The sling was in his pocket. Before his paces had covered 
 a mile, he was attacked by a fierce animal called a sea- 
 horse. Open-mouthed, terrible, and in great fury, the 
 beast ran at him. My respected father hesitated for a 
 moment in very natural fear and bewilderment, but, 
 recollecting his sling, he soon recovered. Cautiously re- 
 treating about a hundred yards, he stooped for a couple 
 of pebbles, placed them carefully, and slung them both 
 so dexterously at the animal that a stone smote the creature 
 over each eye. So great was the blow that the animal's 
 eyes were immediately closed, as is often, in cases of 
 fisticuffs, common in English sporting circles. Thus the 
 furious beast became entirely manageable. My father 
 now got upon his back and drove him into the sea. The 
 sling was placed as a bridle in his mouth, and he was 
 
92 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 thus driven with the greatest ease across the ocean, by 
 way of the sea's bottom. In less than three hours, they 
 both arrived on the opposite shore, which is about thirty 
 leagues distant. 
 
 My father was a man of wisdom, distinction, and 
 great repute, and it seems fitting that I should repeat 
 his very words that tell of this adventure at the bottom 
 of the sea : 
 
 "On my arrival at Helvoetsluys," said my father, 
 " the natives observed that I breathed with some dif- 
 ficulty, and I informed them that the animal on whose 
 back I rode from Harwich did not swim. My beast was 
 of a peculiar disposition and form, and could not float 
 or move up on the surface of the water or swim like a 
 fish in the surrounding sea. With incredible swiftness, 
 however, he galloped across the sea's bottom from shore 
 to shore, driving millions of fish before him. Many and 
 varied were the fish I observed, the most peculiar variety 
 being those who carried their heads on the very ends of 
 their tails. ("Doubtless it is difficult for my young Read- 
 ers to conceive of a sea-monster so peculiar, and I have 
 no doubt that you are uncertain in which direction such 
 a fish found it most convenient to swim. Rest content, 
 however, in the reliability of my father's tale, as well as the 
 
HE GALLOPED ACROSS THE SEA S BOTTOM 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 93 
 
 fish, because the former is noted for his strict observance 
 of the truth, and the latter will not dispute my father's 
 statement, whichever way they navigate the ocean 
 waters.! 
 
 " As my journey progressed," continued my respected 
 parent, " I came upon a prodigious range of rocks equal 
 in height to the Alps, on the sides of which was a great 
 variety of tall and noble trees, loaded with marine fruit 
 such as lobsters, crabs, oysters, and scallops, some of 
 which were a cart-load each in size and weight! The 
 lobster trees appeared the richest, but the crab and oys- 
 ter trees were the tallest. 
 
 " While my salt-water Pegasus galloped over the peak 
 of an extremely precipitous mountain, a wrecked ship, 
 sinking from the surface of the sea, fell upon the steep 
 sides of the mountain and in its course downward dragged 
 both lobsters and crabs in great numbers from their re- 
 spective trees. Great enmity seems to exist between these 
 two varieties. Being so rudely disturbed, and each be- 
 lieving the other to be the cause of the annoyance, they 
 fell upon each other with great violence. A terrific battle 
 followed in which many thousands were slaughtered. 
 
 " It was with difficulty that I escaped injury, as I was 
 caught in the midst of this savage horde of deadly en- 
 
94 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 emies. Added to this, my situation was in other ways 
 unpleasant. I met many large fish who were not only 
 able, but greatly desired to devour us. As my steed's 
 eyes had not yet recovered from the blows I had given, I 
 found the attacks of these hungry creatures difficult to 
 meet and overcome alone. But, as I have already related, 
 my marvelous journey ended in safety for me, and I sold 
 my Pegasus to a Hollander for seven hundred ducats, 
 which was upwards of three hundred pounds. You will 
 doubtless rejoice also to know that my strange steed fully 
 recovered, not only from my sling's blow, but also from 
 the hard gallop under seas ! " 
 
 After reading my father's narrative, young and en- 
 thusiastic Readers will be doubly interested in adventures 
 of my own, which naturally excel in marvels even those 
 of a person as unusual as my honored parent. Traits of 
 nature that make a brave soldier, a gallant gentleman, and 
 a great sportsman, are only increased in perfection when 
 inherited from noble forbears. 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
The Baron tells of adventures on a voyage to North 
 America which are worthy of his young Readers' atten- 
 tion — The pranks of a monstrous whale — A sea-gull 
 saves the life of a sailor — The Baron's head is forced 
 amidships — The Baron stops a serious leak in an unusual 
 manner 
 
CHAPTER XIII 
 
 Y young Readers will be interested in the ad- 
 venture that I shall now tell, because it de- 
 scribes other situations and conditions than 
 heretofore narrated. None the less, how- 
 ever, you will admire my fortitude, and 
 marvel at dilemmas in which I was placed. 
 I once embarked at Portsmouth in a first-rate English 
 man-of-war of one hundred guns and fourteen hundred 
 men. We set a straight course for North America. 
 Nothing worth relating happened till we arrived within 
 three hundred leagues of the river Saint Lawrence, when 
 the ship struck with amazing force against what we sup- 
 posed to be a rock. However, upon heaving the lead, 
 we could find no bottom, even with three hundred fathom 
 of line. There seemed to be no sea-bottom, and yet we 
 had struck something with such violence that the shock 
 rent the rudder off completely, broke our bowsprit in 
 the middle, and split all our masts from top to bottom, 
 two of which went by the board. One poor sailor, who 
 was aloft furling the main-sheet, was flung at least three 
 leagues from the ship. Fortunately, the fellow saved his 
 life by laying hold of the tail of a large sea-gull who 
 
98 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 brought him back and left him on the very spot from 
 whence he had been thrown. 
 
 Another proof of the violence of the shock was the 
 force with which those between decks were driven against 
 the floors above them. My head met the ceiling of my 
 cabin with such terrific force that it was driven almost to 
 the place of my stomach, where it continued for some 
 months before it recovered its natural place upon my 
 shoulders. While we were all in a state of astonishment 
 and confusion, the disaster was suddenly explained by 
 the appearance of a large whale that had been asleep 
 within sixteen feet of the surface of the water. This ani- 
 mal was much displeased with the disturbance which our 
 ship had given him. In our passage we had scratched 
 his nose with our rudder. His rage was, indeed, terrible 
 and his revenge instant and terrifying. With a blow of 
 his tail he stove in all the gallery and part of the quarter- 
 deck. Then, turning upon us, he took between his teeth 
 the main-sheet anchor which was, of course, suspended 
 from the head, as it usually is. Off he drove with the ship 
 at a speed surely exceeding twelve leagues an hour. For- 
 tunately, after dragging the ship and her defenseless pas- 
 sengers for at least sixty leagues, the cable broke and we 
 lost both whale and anchor. 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 99 
 
 However, upon our return voyage to Europe some 
 months later, we came upon the same whale within a 
 short distance from the very spot where we had lost him. 
 He was dead and floating upon the water. After careful 
 measurement we found the monster to be half a mile in 
 length. As we could take but a small quantity of such a 
 mammoth creature on board, we got our boats out and, 
 with much difficulty, cut his head off. To our joy we 
 found the anchor in his mouth, along with about forty 
 fathom of our cable. I have no doubt that, added to the 
 pain and humiliation of a scratched nose, the creature 
 found a diet of anchor and cable so unpalatable that his 
 death took place forthwith. 
 
 The recovery of the ship's anchor was the only inci- 
 dent of interest that happened on our return voyage. One 
 part of our distress, however, I had almost forgotten to 
 tell you. While the whale was running away with the 
 ship, she sprung a leak. The water poured in so fast that 
 all our pumps could not keep us from sinking. It was, 
 however, my good fortune to be first to discover the 
 danger that threatened to overwhelm us. I found a large 
 hole in the ship's bottom, considerably over a foot in 
 diameter ! It gives me great happiness and affords me 
 cause for pride to tell you that our noble vessel was saved, 
 
IOO 
 
 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 with all its crew, by a most fortunate example of my 
 presence of mind. Quick action in times of danger is 
 also wisdom's surest weapon. With no thought of my 
 own comfort, I instantly sat upon the rent in the ship's 
 bottom and completely stopped the leak. I need not 
 state that such sacrifice added to my discomfort. The 
 position in which I was placed was both cold and wet, but 
 who, during acts of bravery, considers personal inconven- 
 ience ? Presently the carpenter came to my rescue and 
 with his art completed the work I had so bravely begun. 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
The Baron tells of a frolic — Saint Paul's clock strikes 
 thirteen — Windsor Castle — College of Physicians — 
 Undertakers, sextons, and apothecaries almost ruined 
 
CHAPTER XIV 
 
 HIS chapter of my adventures will be brief, 
 but it is necessary to record one more of 
 the marvels done by my famous sling, 
 which makes its possessor equal to any 
 task he is desirous of performing. The 
 tale I shall now tell smacks somewhat of 
 being a frolic rather than a glorious adventure — more 
 suited to one of my nature and desires. But my young 
 friends will be first to understand the need and plea- 
 sure of sprightly entertainment. 
 
 On a certain occasion I made a balloon so large that 
 an account of the silk it contained would exceed all be- 
 lief. Every silk merchant's shop in London, Westmin- 
 ster, and Spitalflelds contributed to it, and with this 
 aerial monster and my sling I played many pranks and 
 found much harmless entertainment. 
 
 Once I took a good-sized house from its place and 
 put it in another without disturbing the inhabitants, who 
 were too soundly asleep to notice the wanderings of this 
 habitation. 
 
 On another occasion my dexterity made the sentinel 
 on watch at Windsor Castle hear the clock at Saint Paul's 
 
io 4 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 strike thirteen. This was accomplished by removing 
 Windsor Castle from its place and setting it down close 
 to Saint Paul's. This was done at exactly midnight and 
 at the stroke of twelve, at which moment the sentinel was 
 sufficiently awake to count the twelve strokes. Falling 
 asleep an instant after, he slept for sixty minutes and 
 awoke as Saint Paul's clock struck one. Being entirely 
 unconscious of his nap for a full hour, the thirteen 
 strokes seemed to the sentinel to be in exact order. 
 Therefore, in the morning he hastened to report the mis- 
 behavior of Saint Paul's clock. It is not recorded, how- 
 ever, that his habits of sleep became known or in any 
 way accounted for the story he told. 
 
 With no difficulty I carried the castle back to its 
 proper place before daylight and without waking any 
 of the dwellers. Of course I need not state that the sen- 
 tinel slept out his watch with his usual loyalty and de- 
 votion. 
 
 At another time, on the thirtieth of September, when 
 the College of Physicians elected their annual officers 
 and dined sumptuously together, I filled my balloon, 
 brought it over the dome of the College, and clapped 
 my sling around the golden ball at the top. Hitching 
 the other end of my sling securely to the basket of my 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 105 
 
 balloon, I immediately rose with the whole college to an 
 immense height, where I kept the wise Doctors for up- 
 wards of three months. 
 
 You will naturally inquire what they did for food such 
 a length of time? To this I answer that had I kept them 
 suspended twice the time, they would have sufFered no 
 inconvenience on that account. Their dinner-table on this 
 imposing occasion was so amply or rather extravagantly 
 spread that their feasting might have lasted indefinitely. 
 
 Though this feat of mine was meant as an innocent 
 frolic, it caused much mischief to many respectable char- 
 acters among the clergy, undertakers, sextons, and build- 
 ers of tombstones. These were, it must be acknowledged, 
 the only sufferers. It is a well-known fact that during 
 the three months the college was suspended in the air, 
 there was little illness below them. Though unable to 
 attend their patients, no deaths happened except a few 
 who fell before the scythe of Father Time. It is also said 
 that, if the apothecaries had not been very active during 
 the above time, half the undertakers, in all probability, 
 would have been bankrupt. 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
The Baron sails with Captain Phipps, attacks two large 
 bears, and has a narrow escape — Gains the confidence 
 of the animals and guides them on board ship — The 
 Baron makes many gifts and is highly honored — The 
 Baron acquits Captain Phipps of neglect of duty 
 
CHAPTER XV 
 
 TRUST you have all heard of Captain 
 Phipps, a gentleman of distinction as well 
 as a brave and capable sailor. On his last 
 voyage of discovery to the north, I ac- 
 companied the Captain, not as an officer 
 but a private friend. When we arrived 
 in high northern latitude, I was viewing the objects 
 around me with the telescope which I introduced to you 
 in my Gibraltar adventure. I thought I saw two large 
 white bears in savage combat upon a great body of ice 
 considerably higher than the masts of our ship. They 
 seemed to be about two miles distant. I immediately 
 took my carbine, slung it across my shoulder, and pro- 
 ceeded to climb the mass of ice. 
 
 When I arrived at the top, the unevenness of the sur- 
 face made my approach to the bears both troublesome 
 and hazardous. Sometimes I was obliged to jump over 
 hideous cavities which lay across my path. In other 
 places the ice was as smooth as a mirror, and I was con- 
 tinually falling. As I came close upon the bears, instead 
 of fighting I saw they were only at play. With a true 
 sportsman's instinct, I immediately began to calculate 
 
no THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 the value of their skins, for they were each as large as a 
 well-fed ox, and for exhibition purposes these great crea- 
 tures would surely reap a golden harvest. 
 
 Unfortunately, at the very instant I was aiming my 
 carbine, my right foot slipped and I fell upon my back. 
 The violence of the blow entirely deprived me of my 
 senses for nearly half an hour. When I recovered, judge 
 of my surprise at finding that one of those large animals 
 had turned me upon my face, and was just laying hold 
 of the waistband of my breeches, which were then new 
 and made of leather. He was certainly going to carry 
 me, feet foremost, I know not where. Desiring only to 
 protect my life, I seized a large knife from my side 
 pocket and made a stab at one of his hind feet. In doing 
 so I injured three of his toes and he at once let me drop 
 and roared horribly. I took up my carbine and fired at 
 him as he ran off, and he fell immediately. 
 
 The noise of the piece roused several thousands of 
 these white bears who were asleep upon the ice within 
 half a mile of me, and the herd immediately rushed to 
 the spot. There was no time to be lost ! A most fortu- 
 nate thought came into my head just at that instant. 
 Though extremely distasteful to me, I took off" the head 
 and skin of the dead bear, in half the time that some peo- 
 
oA 
 
 
 \ 
 
 « 
 
 t 
 
 >/>J 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 ^ >^* 
 
 * 
 
 I SLAUGHTERED THE CREATURES ONE BY ONE 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN in 
 
 pie would spend skinning a rabbit, and wrapped myself 
 in it, placing Bruin's cranium over my own. The whole 
 herd surrounded me immediately, and I assure you my 
 position was most hazardous. However, my scheme 
 turned out a most admirable one for my own safety. 
 The beasts all came smelling, and evidently took me for 
 a brother Bruin. I saw among them several cubs not 
 much larger than myself. After they had all smelt me, 
 or rather their deceased companion, we became very so- 
 ciable, and soon I could mimic all their actions tolerably 
 well, but at growling, hugging, and roaring, they were 
 quite my masters. I began now to think how I might 
 turn their confidence to my advantage. 
 
 It has been said, by those seeking to malign me, that 
 I slaughtered the creatures one by one, and, with the 
 assistance of our crew, loaded our ship with bear hams. 
 But my young Readers, knowing my kindness of heart 
 and gentleness of nature, will have no belief in such un- 
 just reports. 
 
 Growing more expert in the manners, customs, and 
 behavior of these great creatures, it did not take me long 
 to become their leader, for it was he whose mantle had 
 fallen upon my shoulders. The whole herd soon looked 
 to me for customary buffets peculiar to their kind, which 
 
ii2 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 I administered with skill and effect. My guidance also 
 seemed to be sought, and, with the assistance of a pocket- 
 ful of barley-sugar scattered behind me, I had no dif- 
 ficulty in guiding them all into the hold of our ship 
 without assistance from any one. To batten down hatches 
 over our strange cargo required neither skill nor bravery 
 on the part of the crew. 
 
 As soon as we arrived in England, in the Captain's 
 name I sent some of the bears to the Lords of the Treas- 
 ury, and some to the Lord Mayor and Corporation of 
 London. From all I received warm thanks; but from 
 the city I was honored with an invitation to dine at Guild- 
 hall annually on Lord Mayor's Day. 
 
 Some people have ungenerously reported that Captain 
 Phipps did not proceed as far northward as he might 
 have done upon that expedition. Here it becomes my 
 duty to speak in his defense. Our ship was in very 
 proper trim till I lined it with such an enormous load 
 of bears, after which it would have been madness to 
 have attempted to proceed farther, as we were then 
 scarcely able to combat a brisk gale, much less those 
 mountains of ice which lay in the higher latitudes. 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
Our Baron excels Baron Tott completely — Gets into 
 disgrace with the Grand Seignior who orders the 
 Baron's head to be removed — The Baron escapes and 
 gets on board a vessel bound for Venice — He dis- 
 misses Tott from mind and from further memory 
 
CHAPTER XVI 
 
 F course, one whose adventures have been 
 so varied and astounding as mine is often 
 accused of exaggeration if not untruth- 
 fulness. Had I, in any of my narratives, 
 told such plainly impossible tales as Bar- 
 on de Tott in his famous " Memoirs," I 
 should certainly have deserved the name of Liar. This 
 person's bragging is surely unworthy of a gentleman. 
 He tells the following story, vouching for its truth in 
 every way; and I shall repeat it to you as nearly as my 
 memory will serve in Baron de Tott's exact words : 
 
 " The Turks had placed below the castle occupied by 
 our forces an enormous cannon, cast in brass, which 
 would carry a marble ball of eleven hundred pounds 
 weight. I was willing to fire the cannon, but wanted first 
 to see its effect upon the object at which it was aimed. 
 For this purpose I stood at some distance and at height 
 enough to observe properly. No one could be found, 
 however, who was willing to fire this monstrous can- 
 non, for they said it would overthrow not only the castle, 
 but the city also. At length, I succeeded in allaying their 
 fears and volunteered to discharge it myself. This great 
 
n6 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 gun required not less than three hundred and thirty 
 pounds weight of powder and the ball, as I have men- 
 tioned, eleven hundred weight. 
 
 " When the engineer brought the priming, the crowd 
 which surrounded me withdrew as far as they could. 
 Even the engineer, who was to load and prime the gun 
 under my direction, was greatly alarmed. I took my 
 stand behind the cannon and with my own hand applied 
 the match to the touch-hole. The shock was like that 
 of an earthquake ! At the distance of eighteen hundred 
 feet, the ball burst into three pieces ; the fragments crossed 
 the Strait, rebounded on the opposite mountain, and left 
 the surface of the water all in a foam over the whole 
 breadth of the channel." 
 
 This, my young Friends, is Baron Tott's account of 
 the largest cannon in the known world. Now when I was 
 there not long ago, the story of Tott's firing this tremen- 
 dous piece was told me as a proof of the gentleman's 
 great courage. 
 
 Since I was determined not to be outdone by a French- 
 man, I took this very piece upon my shoulder. After 
 balancing it properly, I jumped into the sea and swam 
 to the opposite shore with it, whence I attempted to 
 throw it back to the spot from which I had taken it. But, 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 117 
 
 alas, just as I was about to cast it from me, it slipped a 
 little in my hand, and, falling short of its intended goal, 
 fell into the middle of the channel, where it now lies. 
 
 Though I was in high favor with the Grand Seignior, 
 this cruel Turk, as soon as he heard of the loss of his 
 famous cannon, ordered my head to be cut off. I was 
 immediately told of this unfortunate plan by a friend 
 deep in the confidence of that tyrant. That very night I 
 made my escape on board a vessel bound for Venice, 
 which was then weighing anchor to proceed on her 
 voyage. 
 
 I am sure my young Readers who know me can have 
 no doubt of my veracity, nor can they include me in 
 company with that swaggering, bouncing Tott, whose 
 performances have no importance whatever compared to 
 mine. I trust from this moment you will dismiss this 
 person from all thought and memory. 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
This is a chapter that proves the fact that the Baron's 
 memory ought to be dear to Englishmen, especially 
 those who may have the misfortune of hereafter being 
 made prisoners of war — A voyage eastward — The 
 Baron introduces a friend who never betrayed him — 
 Pins his faith on a friend's nose and wins a wager — 
 The Baron's friend points to game in mid-ocean — The 
 friend is fittingly rewarded 
 
CHAPTER XVII 
 
 OU doubtless remember my adventure at 
 Gibraltar, at which place I distinguished 
 myself and rendered great service to the 
 English. On my return from there I 
 traveled by way of France to England. 
 Reaching the harbor of Calais, I found 
 a ship just arrived with a number of English sailors, all 
 of whom were prisoners of war. I immediately hit upon 
 an idea of giving those brave fellows their liberty, and 
 this plan of mine was accomplished as follows : 
 
 After making a pair of large and powerful wings, 
 each of them forty yards long and fourteen wide, I care- 
 fully attached myself to them. At the break of day I 
 arose in the air like a great bird. Every one, even the 
 watch on the ship's deck, was asleep. Hovering over the 
 vessel, I fastened three grappling irons to the tops of 
 the three masts with my famous sling. With no trouble 
 or labor at all, I fairly lifted the vessel several yards out of 
 water, and then proceeded across the channel to Dover, 
 where I arrived in half an hour ! Having no further use 
 for my wings, I made them a present to the Governor of 
 
122 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 Dover Castle, where they are exhibited to the curious to 
 this very day. 
 
 As to the prisoners and the Frenchmen who guarded 
 them, they did not awake till they had been nearly two 
 hours at Dover Pier. The moment the English saw their 
 situation, they changed places with their guard. Of 
 course, they took back all they had been plundered of, 
 but no more, for they were too generous to retaliate and 
 plunder the enemy in return for like treatment. 
 
 A short time after the foregoing adventure, I made a 
 voyage to the East Indies with Captain Hamilton. With 
 me I took my favorite dog, a pointer. He was, to use a 
 common phrase, worth his weight in gold, for he never 
 deceived me, no matter what the circumstance or tempta- 
 tion. One day, when we were at least three hundred 
 leagues from land, my dog pointed. His action was not to 
 be mistaken. I observed him with astonishment for nearly 
 an hour, for were we not far from sight or scent of any 
 game ? I called the Captain's and the officers' attention 
 to my dog's behavior, stating that we must be near land, 
 for my dog smelt game. This caused a general laugh, 
 but that did not in the least change the confidence I 
 placed in my trusted friend's honesty. 
 
 After much conversation and some heated argument, 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 123 
 
 I boldly told the Captain I had more faith in Tray's nose 
 than I had in the eyes of every seaman on board. I there- 
 fore wagered the cost of my passage, one hundred 
 guineas, that we should find game within half an hour. 
 The Captain laughed in good humor and asked Mr. 
 Cranford, the ship's surgeon, to feel my pulse, which he 
 did and promptly reported me in perfect health. I in- 
 sisted upon my own sanity and my dog's good sense 
 and prevailed upon the Captain to accept my wager. 
 
 " Done ! " and " Done ! " were scarcely said on both 
 sides, when some sailors, who were fishing in the long 
 boat which was made fast to the stern of the ship, har- 
 pooned an exceedingly large shark. This great fish was 
 hoisted on board and the men began to cut it up for the 
 purpose of saving the oil. Behold ! scarcely was the fish 
 opened than they found no less than six brace of live 
 partridges in the creature's stomach ! 
 
 The birds had been so long in these strange quarters 
 that one of the hen partridges was sitting upon four eggs, 
 and a fifth egg was hatching when the shark was opened ! 
 This newly hatched bird immediately became the com- 
 rade and playfellow of a litter of little kittens, whose 
 mother cat was as proud of it as of her own four-legged 
 family, and made herself very unhappy when the bird flew 
 
124 
 
 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 out of her reach. As to the other partridges, there were 
 four hens among them, of which one or more were con- 
 stantly sitting, and we had plenty of game at the Cap- 
 tain's table. 
 
 In gratitude to old Tray for being the means of my win- 
 ning one hundred guineas, I ordered him the bones daily, 
 and sometimes a whole bird. By thus showing my own 
 gratitude and regard for a friend who never deceived me, 
 I recorded myself as an admirer of honesty and rectitude. 
 

 CHAPTER XVIII 
 
The Baron visits the moon a second time — His ship is 
 driven by a whirlwind a thousand leagues above the sea 
 — A description of the moon's inhabitants, animals, cus- 
 toms, and weapons of war — The Baron does not tell 
 how he made his return journey, but assures us of the 
 veracity of his narrative. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII 
 
 HAVE already told you of one trip I made 
 to the moon in search of my silver 
 hatchet. I shall now tell you of another 
 journey made in a much pleasanter man- 
 ner. There was much of interest in this 
 visit, which I will try to describe as care- 
 fully as my memory will permit. 
 
 I went on this voyage at the request of a distant rela- 
 tion who had a strange notion that there were people to 
 be found on the moon equal in size to those described 
 by Gulliver in the " Empire of Brobdingnag." After 
 due preparations I sailed for the South Seas, where we 
 arrived without coming upon anything unusual except 
 some flying men and women who were playing leap- 
 frog in the air. 
 
 On the eighteenth day, after passing the Island of 
 Otaheite (mentioned by Captain Cook), a hurricane 
 struck us and blew our ship at least one thousand leagues 
 above the surface of the water. We remained at this 
 height, and in about the same spot, until a fresh gale 
 arrived, filling our sails nigh to bursting as onwards and 
 
128 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 ever upwards we traveled at a prodigious rate. In this 
 way we drove before the gale far above the clouds for 
 six weeks. At last we discovered a great land in the sky, 
 like a shining island, round and bright. Coming to a 
 convenient harbor, we went on shore and soon found the 
 land to be inhabited. 
 
 Below us we could plainly see another earth, having 
 cities, trees, mountains, rivers, and oceans ; this we took 
 to be the world which you live upon and the one which 
 we had left. Presently we saw huge figures riding upon 
 vultures of enormous size and each of them having three 
 heads. That you may get some idea of the great size of 
 these birds, I must tell you that each of their wings was 
 once the width and six times the length of the main- 
 sheet of our vessel. Instead of riding upon horses, as we 
 do in this world, the inhabitants of the moon fly about 
 on these birds. 
 
 The king of this land we found was engaged in war 
 with the sun. He offered me a commission, but I de- 
 clined the honor His Majesty so benignly proposed. 
 
 Everything on the moon is of extraordinary magni- 
 tude, a common flea being much larger than one of 
 our sheep ! When at war the principal weapons used 
 by the warriors are radishes, which serve the purpose 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 129 
 
 of darts ; those wounded by them die immediately. Their 
 shields are made of mushrooms, a protection from aspar- 
 agus arrows when radish darts are out of season. 
 
 We soon learned that natives of the dog-star were to 
 be found here, commerce tempting them to ramble. 
 These creatures have faces like those of large mastiffs, 
 with their eyes near the ends of their noses. They are not 
 provided with eyelids, but cover their eyes with their 
 tongues when sleeping. These strange wanderers are 
 generally twenty feet high. 
 
 As to the natives of the moon, none are less in stature 
 than thirty feet. They can hardly be called human crea- 
 tures, though they dress their food by fire, as we do. 
 They lose no time, however, at meals, for they have a 
 useful contrivance in their left sides resembling a door, 
 which is easily opened and shut. A whole meal is placed 
 therein at once, and the door is instantly shut and not 
 opened again for a full month. They never indulge in 
 food more than twelve times a year. All but gluttons and 
 food-fanciers must prefer this method to ours. Especially 
 must this manner of eating attract those obliged by cir- 
 cumstance to resort to the food provided by the inns, 
 hostelries, and bake-shops of our time. 
 
 When the people of this land grow old, they do not 
 
130 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 die, but turn into air and dissolve like smoke. They have 
 but one finger upon each hand, with which they do 
 everything in as perfect a manner as we do, who have 
 four besides a thumb. Their heads are placed under the 
 right arm, and, when they go traveling or about any 
 violent exercise, they generally leave their heads at home, 
 for they can consult them at any distance. 
 
 I nearly omitted telling you of another strange but 
 convenient custom of these people. They put their bodies 
 to the same use as we do a sack, and toss through their side 
 doors whatever they have occasion to need in traveling, 
 or wish to place in safe-keeping. Not being troubled with 
 inner organs such as ours, this habit or custom affords 
 them great satisfaction and not the least suffering or in- 
 convenience. 
 
 Their eyes, which are of varied colors, they take out or 
 put in as they please, and can see as well with eyes in the 
 hand as in the head ! If by accident they lose or dam- 
 age one or more, they borrow or purchase others. Deal- 
 ers in eyes are, on this account, very numerous in most 
 parts of the moon, and in this article alone, all the natives 
 are whimsical. Sometimes green, and sometimes yellow, 
 and sometimes eyes of other colors are the fashion. 
 
 I know you will think my narrative strange, but if 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 J 3i 
 
 the shadow of a doubt remains in your young minds, I 
 say, just take a trip to the moon yourselves, and then 
 you will know that I am a traveler whose word may be 
 completely depended upon. 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
The Baron tells of Saint Hubert's stag — Shoots a stag 
 with cherry-stones — Tells of venison steak and cherry- 
 sauce — Overcomes a bear in a miraculous manner — 
 Is attacked by a terrible wolf, which he promptly dis- 
 poses of — Is assailed by a mad dog — The Baron's 
 best cloak is seized with madness 
 
CHAPTER XIX 
 
 Y young Friends have heard, I am sure, 
 of Saint Hubert, the protector of hunt- 
 ers, and also of the noble stag with a 
 cross between his antlers which appeared 
 to him in the forest. If you are not 
 familiar with the good Saint, and would 
 add to your store of sportsman's knowledge, I here- 
 with advise you to look into the Saint's career. Maybe 
 one day you may come upon an adventure worthy of 
 recording, as is the one I shall now tell you. 
 
 Having once used all my shot, I found myself sud- 
 denly in the presence of a stately stag. The creature 
 was looking at me with a calm indifference that seemed 
 to prove that he knew of my empty pouches. But with 
 the usual presence of mind which has served me so well 
 on many occasions, I loaded my gun with a great charge 
 of powder and rammed upon it a handful of cherry- 
 stones, for I had sucked the fruit as far as the hurry 
 would permit. Thus I let fly at him and hit him just 
 on the middle of the forehead between the antlers. The 
 shot stunned him. He staggered, but in a moment 
 made off at full speed. 
 
136 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 A year or two after, being in the same forest with a 
 hunting party, I beheld a noble stag with a fine full- 
 grown cherry tree more than ten feet high growing out 
 between his widespread antlers. I immediately remem- 
 bered my former adventure and looked upon him as 
 my property. I brought him to the ground by one 
 shot. To the true sportsman comes quick reward in 
 field or wood way; thus my good marksmanship not 
 only brought me a fine haunch of venison, but also an 
 excellent cherry-sauce, for the tree was covered with the 
 richest fruit, the like of which I had never tasted before. 
 
 I trust that my young Readers of tender hearts and 
 ready sympathies will not think me a hunter who prided 
 himself in slaughter for glory or gain. You must under- 
 stand that one of my fine feelings and modesty should 
 not be so misjudged. I will, therefore, tell you of another 
 adventure that might have ended ill for me had I not 
 used my quickness of thought and deftness of imagina- 
 iton. Once, in a Polish forest, daylight and powder 
 were gone. 
 
 Returning homeward, a terrible bear made at me 
 in great speed, his eyes flaming with hunger and his 
 jaws wide with the same unreasonable desire. All 
 my pockets were searched in an instant for powder 
 
I BEHELD A NOBLE STAG 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 137 
 
 and ball, but in vain. I found nothing but two spare 
 flints used on the hammer of my fowling-piece. My 
 predicament was dreadful and promised but one ending 
 for me, namely, bruin's dinner. Being an athlete and a 
 runner of some renown, I ran, exerting my prowess to 
 the utmost. As I was familiar with the bear's natural 
 awkwardness, I followed no straight course, but dodged 
 and doubled in my hurried ways. In one of my quick 
 turns, the bear stumbled and fell. This gave me the 
 opportunity I sought, and with great strength I hurled 
 one of my flints at the creature's side. So tremendous 
 was the blow that he was turned full around, thus expos- 
 ing his other side, at which I let drive my second flint. 
 As I had wisely planned, the flints met with direful force 
 in the savage beast's inward parts, struck fire, and blew 
 up the bear with a terrible explosion. Though I came ofT 
 safe for the time, I should not wish to try it again, or 
 venture against bears with such poor ammunition. 
 
 I ofttimes think that my well-known bravery led me 
 into acts of needless danger and a lack of care for my 
 own welfare. The fiercest and most dangerous animals 
 generally came upon me when I was defenseless. They 
 seemed to have a notion or instinct of this on many 
 occasions. Once a frightful wolf rushed upon me so 
 
138 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 suddenly and so closely that my running served me 
 not at all. There was nothing to do but follow a simple 
 instinct, and that was to catch hold of the nearest and 
 least resisting object at hand. This object happened to 
 be the wolf's tail, which was unusually long and strong. 
 With strength born of terror, I whirled the wolf about 
 my head and continued to do so until I came to a tree 
 limb to which I securely tied the wolf whose tail proved 
 useful in making the most secure knot. There I left 
 him, saying, " The longer you hang, Sir, the more time 
 you will have to repent your rudeness to a gentleman 
 who desired only to return to his home undisturbed." 
 
 The same means of self-protection would not have 
 answered against a mad dog, which soon after came 
 running against me in a narrow street of Saint Peters- 
 burg. Run, those who can, I thought; and to do this 
 the better, I threw off my cloak and was soon safe 
 within the doors of my home. I sent my servant for 
 the cloak and he put it in the wardrobe with my other 
 clothes. The day after, I was amazed and frightened by 
 Jack's bawling, " Oh, Master, your fur cloak is mad ! " 
 I hastened to my wardrobe and found almost all my 
 clothes tossed about and torn to pieces. 
 
 My servant was perfectly right in his opinion of my 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 139 
 
 cloak's madness. With my own eyes I saw it falling 
 upon a fine full-dress suit, which it shook and tossed 
 in the most unmerciful manner. Thinking this a timely 
 moment to teach Jack a lesson, I said, " You will do 
 well to observe the energy and thoroughness of the shak- 
 ing the cloak gives the garments that otherwise would 
 long have gone without a proper shaking." 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
The Baron visits a ruined tower — Discovers a deep 
 chasm and investigates its mysteries — An eagle carries 
 him off his feet — A marvelous flight over the English 
 Channel and France to the Rock of Gibraltar — A night 
 flight overseas to South America 
 
CHAPTER XX 
 
 BOUT the beginning of his present Ma- 
 jesty's reign, some family business mat- 
 ters took me to the Isle of Thanet. 
 While there, when the weather was fine, 
 I found great enjoyment in and much 
 benefit from my morning walks. After a 
 number of these excursions, one day I saw an object 
 upon a lofty hill about three miles distant. Being curi- 
 ous, I lengthened my usual walk and found it to be an 
 ancient ruined temple of great beauty. On the eastern 
 side were the remains of a tower nearly forty feet high. 
 I examined the tower very carefully, thinking that, if 
 I could reach its top, I should have a fine view of the 
 surrounding country. 
 
 At last, by means of the ivy that grew in great abun- 
 dance about it, I mounted the tower, but, I assure you, 
 not without much difficulty and great danger. All of the 
 top I found covered with ivy, except a large bowl-shaped 
 chasm in the very middle. The darkness and depth of 
 this hole excited my curiosity. Perhaps it might lead to 
 an underground passage that penetrated the surround- 
 ing hills ! Having no line with which to sound its depth, 
 
i 4 4 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 I resolved to drop a stone down and listen to the echo 
 as it struck the bottom — if bottom there was. 
 
 Having found a stone that suited me perfectly, I 
 placed myself over the hole, with one foot on each side 
 of it, and then leaned down to listen as I dropped my 
 stone. Immediately I heard a rustling below, and sud- 
 denly a monstrous eagle thrust up its head opposite my 
 face, and, rising with irresistible force, carried me away 
 seated on its large shoulders ! I instantly grasped the 
 bird about its neck, which was large enough to fill my 
 arms. The creature's wings, when extended, were ten 
 yards from tip to tip. 
 
 As the bird rose smoothly and evenly, my seat was 
 easy, and I greatly enjoyed the view below me. My eagle 
 hovered a while over Margate, and was seen by a num- 
 ber of people. Many shots were taken at us, and one 
 ball hit the heel of my shoe, but did me no injury. My 
 winged steed, disliking the treatment from below as much 
 as I, directed its course to Dover Cliff, where it alighted. 
 I thought of dismounting, but was prevented by a sud- 
 den discharge of musketry from a party of marines who 
 were at target practice on the beach. The bullets flew 
 about my head and rattled on the feathers of the eagle 
 like hailstones, but as far as I could see it received no 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 145 
 
 injury. It instantly, and with good reason, ascended and 
 flew over the sea toward Calais, but at so great a height 
 that the Channel looked to me no broader than the 
 Thames at London Bridge. 
 
 In about a quarter of an hour I saw we were over a 
 thick wood in France, where my eagle descended ab- 
 ruptly, causing me to slip down to the back part of its 
 head. It alighted on a large tree and raised its head sud- 
 denly, and I slid back to my seat as before ; but I had 
 no chance of dismounting from my monster steed with- 
 out the danger of being killed by a fall. After resting a 
 few minutes, it took wing and flew several times around 
 the wood, screaming loud enough to be heard across the 
 English Channel. 
 
 In a few minutes one of the same species arose out 
 of the wood and flew directly towards us. It looked at 
 me with marks of displeasure, and came very near to me, 
 but, deciding that I was too small an object to deserve 
 notice, it continued its flight beside its mate. After sev- 
 eral turns above the wood, the pair directed their course 
 to the southwest. 
 
 I soon observed that the bird I rode could not keep 
 pace with the other, but inclined towards the earth on 
 account of my weight. Its companion, seeing this, turned 
 
i 4 6 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 around and placed itself directly ahead of my bird so 
 that it could rest beak and neck upon the stalwart tail 
 of the other. This act of intelligence and sympathy 
 afforded me much pleasure. Thus we proceeded until 
 noon, when I saw the rock of Gibraltar very plainly. 
 
 The day was fine, and the earth's surface appeared 
 quite like a map where land, sea, lakes, rivers, mountains, 
 and the like were plain to be seen. Having considerable 
 knowledge of geography, I was at no loss to decide what 
 part of the globe I was flying over. 
 
 After looking upon the scene stretched beneath me 
 for some time and with great pleasure, I saw that my eagles 
 were about to alight on the peak of Teneriffe. With 
 a downright speed that was terrifying, they descended 
 upon the very crest of the rock, but seeing no chance to 
 escape if I dismounted, I decided to remain where I was. 
 My eagles settled down as if much fatigued by their 
 long flight and the added burden of a passenger. The 
 heat of the sun soon caused them both to fall asleep, nor 
 could I long resist a desire to do likewise. 
 
 But in the cool of the evening I was aroused from 
 sleep by the eagle moving beneath me. I had been 
 stretched full length upon that feathered couch, but I sat 
 up immediately, taking a safer position for my some- 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 147 
 
 what hazardous journey, and away we hastened in the 
 direction of South America. The moon was shining 
 brightly during the whole night and I had a fine view of 
 all the islands in those seas. 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
The Baron continues his extraordinary journey — Comes 
 to South America — He discovers roast beef fruit and 
 escapes from a savage beast in a remarkable manner — 
 The Baron takes aboard ample provisions and continues 
 his aerial journey 
 
CHAPTER XXI 
 
 S the sun rose the next day, we reached the 
 great continent of America and descended 
 upon a very high mountain. By the dim 
 light I discovered growing most abun- 
 dantly about us, a kind of shrubbery 
 which was bearing a fruit something like 
 the cabbage. My eagles began to feed upon it most ea- 
 gerly. I then endeavored to learn something of my situ- 
 ation, but fogs and clouds surrounded me in the thickest 
 darkness, and what made the scene still more shocking, 
 was the hideous howling of wild beasts, some of which 
 seemed to be very near. However, I considered it wise 
 to keep my seat, trusting that the eagle would carry me 
 away if any of the beasts should attack us. 
 
 When at last the sun broke through the fog and cloud, 
 I thought of examining the fruit which I had seen the 
 eagles eat. Some of it was hanging within reach, and 
 with my knife I cut a slice. How great was my surprise 
 to see that it had all the appearances of roast beef, reg- 
 ularly mixed, both fat and lean ! I tasted it and, finding 
 it well flavored and delicious, I cut several large slices, 
 putting them into my pocket, where I discovered a crust 
 
1 52 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 of bread which I had brought from Margate. In this 
 very crust of bread I found three musket balls that had 
 become embedded in it, doubtless at the time the marines 
 used my eagle and me for target practice. I extracted 
 the bullets, cut a few more slices, and made a hearty 
 meal of bread and cold beef fruit. 
 
 I then cut down two of the largest and seemingly 
 finest of the beef fruits, and, tying them together with 
 my garters, I hung them over the eagle's neck for future 
 use. While I was settling these affairs, I discovered an- 
 other variety of large fruit that looked like an inflated 
 bladder. Being so well rewarded in my first investigation 
 of the fruit of this country, I had a great desire to con- 
 tinue my discoveries, and I thrust my knife into one of 
 them. A fine, pure liquid like Holland gin burst forth, 
 which the eagles, observing, eagerly drank from pools 
 upon the ground. I cut down the bladder as soon as I 
 could and saved about a half-pint, which I tasted and 
 could not distinguish from the best mountain wine. I 
 drank all that remained, and found myself greatly re- 
 freshed. 
 
 In the meantime, my eagles, not being used to strong 
 drink, began to stagger against the shrubs. I tried to 
 keep my seat, but was soon thrown to some distance 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 153 
 
 among the bushes. In attempting to rise I thrust my 
 hand upon a large hedgehog which chanced to be lying 
 on the grass upon its back. Immediately the animal 
 closed round my hand so that it was impossible to shake 
 it off. I struck it several times upon the ground, but with- 
 out effect. While thus employed with the creature that 
 was so much attached to me, I heard a rustling among 
 the shrubbery, and looking up I saw a huge animal 
 within three yards of me. I could make no proper de- 
 fense, but held out both my hands. The wild creature 
 rushed upon me and seized the hand to which the 
 hedgehog was so firmly fixed. My hand was soon re- 
 leased, and, having run some distance, I saw the creature 
 who attacked me suddenly fall and expire with the hedge- 
 hog in its throat. Doubtless the death of this animal was 
 painful, but not undeserved, for had it not attacked one 
 who not only was innocent, but unoffending ? 
 
 When the danger was over, I went to look for my 
 eagles and found them on the grass fast asleep, doubt- 
 less overcome more by the wine fruit than by their long 
 flight. Indeed, I was myself somewhat elevated by the 
 juice of this remarkable fruit. Everything being quiet, 
 I cut down some fine examples, each of which contained 
 about a gallon of juice. These I tied together and slung 
 
154 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 across the neck of the eagle that carried no burden. 
 Two more small ones I tied around my own waist. 
 Thus I secured a good stock of provisions, and waited 
 for my birds to recover from their unexpected naps. 
 
 Presently, observing that the eagles showed marked 
 signs of recovery, I again took my seat and waited with 
 some impatience for them to continue their flight. Be- 
 ing fully satisfied with the discoveries I had made in this 
 part of the world, I was anxious to continue adventures 
 which I knew would be not only interesting to myself, 
 but of great value to the world. At last the birds rose 
 with great speed and vigor. Directing their course to 
 the north, they crossed the Gulf of Mexico, passed over 
 North America, and steered directly for the Polar Re- 
 gions. This gave me the finest chance possible to view 
 this vast continent. 
 
 When we entered the frigid zone the cold began to 
 affect me ; but my usual fortitude and endurance held 
 me superior to the distress of cold or the inconvenience 
 of travel. Passing over Hudson Bay, I saw several of the 
 company's ships lying at anchor, and many tribes of 
 Indians marching with their furs to market. 
 
 By this time I had become a very expert eagle-rider 
 and could sit upright and observe what passed beneath 
 
AT LAST THE BIRDS ROSE WITH GREAT SPEED AND VIGOR 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 155 
 
 me, but nevertheless I was generally outstretched along 
 the eagle's neck grasping it with my arms, my hands 
 being thrust among the bird's feathers to keep them per- 
 fectly warm. 
 
 The eagles continued their flight with terrifying speed 
 over vast fields of ice and barren stretches of snow. 
 While my mind was filled with many thoughts and much 
 concern for my own safety, the eagle which led our 
 strange flight struck its head against a solid, transparent 
 object and in a moment the one I rode suffered the same 
 fate, and both fell downwards, seemingly dead. 
 
 Here and now we would all have been killed, had not a 
 sense of danger given me the cleverness and skill to save 
 myself and my eagles from a downright fall of more 
 than two miles. No sooner did I see the eagles strike the 
 frozen cloud (which was common in this neighborhood) 
 than I laid myself along the back of the foremost eagle 
 and took hold of its wings to keep them extended as in 
 usual flight. As for the one I had been riding, I stretched 
 out my legs behind supporting its wings in like manner. 
 This had the effect desired, for we descended, slowly and 
 safely, by gliding. You doubtless have often observed such 
 descending by hawks and other large birds. With no 
 injury I thus guided my stricken eagles safely to a moun- 
 
156 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 tain of ice which I supposed to be about three miles 
 above the level of the sea. 
 
 Our delivery was surely a miracle ! I dismounted, un- 
 loaded the eagles, and then gave each some of the restor- 
 ative wine. My thought was first for those faithful birds, 
 and none of the horrors that surrounded us moved me 
 in any way. The roaring of the waves, crashing of ice, 
 and the howling of bears combined to make my dilemma 
 awful and tremendous. But so great was my concern for 
 the recovery of the eagles that I did not notice the dan- 
 gers to which I was exposed. I stood over them in trem- 
 bling anxiety, knowing that it was only by means of them 
 that I could possibly be delivered from my desperate 
 predicament. 
 
 Suddenly a monstrous bear began to roar behind me 
 with a voice like thunder. I turned around and beheld 
 the beast just ready to devour me ! But a few moments 
 before, as you know, I had been administering the wine 
 to my poor eagles, and the bladder containing that pre- 
 cious liquor was still in my hands. A spasm of fear 
 seized me and in turn I gripped the wine-bladder with 
 such force that it burst and sent the liquid in a powerful 
 stream into the bear's eyes. This for the time totally 
 deprived the creature of sight, and it turned from me 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 157 
 
 instantly and ran away in a state of bewilderment and 
 terror. 
 
 The danger being over, I turned my attention to the 
 eagles, whom I found in a fair way of recovery. Suspect- 
 ing that they might be faint from want of food, I took 
 a beef fruit, cut it into small slices, and gave it to them. 
 Much to my satisfaction and their own pleasure, the beef 
 fruit was devoured instantly. 
 
 Having given them plenty to eat and drink, and ar- 
 ranged the remainder of my provisions, I took my seat 
 upon my especial eagle as before. After composing my- 
 self I settled down to a good meal, which you must allow 
 I certainly deserved. All those matters being arranged, 
 I deemed it wise, with my own hands, to point the heads 
 of both eagles towards the southeast, as England lay in 
 that direction. Presently off we flew, and in a few hours 
 I beheld with great joy the shores of Old England. 
 
 The eagles descended gradually as we drew near 
 shore, intending, as I supposed, to alight on one of the 
 Welsh mountains. But when they came within sixty 
 yards of the nearest elevation two guns were fired at 
 them, loaded with heavy balls. One of the balls lodged 
 in a beef fruit that hung from my waist ; the other, alas, 
 entered the breast of the foremost eagle, who fell to the 
 
158 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 ground, while the one which I rode, having received no 
 injury, flew away with amazing swiftness. 
 
 This last experience alarmed me greatly, and I began 
 to think it would be impossible for me to escape with 
 my life; but, recovering a little, I once more looked 
 down upon the earth. Much to my delight, I saw the 
 familiar surroundings of Margate at a little distance. 
 Presently the eagle descended on the old tower whence 
 it had carried me on the morning of the day before. It 
 no sooner came down than I threw myself from its back, 
 happy to find that I was once more restored to the world. 
 The eagle flew away in a few moments, and I sat down 
 to compose my fluttering spirits, which I did in a few 
 hours. 
 
 As soon as I could do so I paid a visit to my friends 
 and related the adventures which I have just told to you, 
 my young Readers. As with you, amazement marked 
 every countenance. Congratulations and compliments 
 were showered upon me, and we passed an evening of 
 great enjoyment, every person present continuing to 
 pay many repeated compliments to my Courage and 
 Veracity. 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
The Baron insists upon the veracity of his Memoirs — 
 He forms a design of making discoveries in the interior 
 parts of Africa — He calls upon his illustrious friend, 
 Hilaro Frosticos — The Baron prepares for his journey 
 
 — Description of his chariot : the beauties and comforts 
 of the marvelous vehicle ; the animals that drew it and 
 the mechanism of its wheels — Brief advice to young 
 adventurers seeking to follow the Baron's glorious career 
 
 — The Baron convoys a squadron to Gibraltar — His 
 chariot is damaged by Pompey's Pillar — He splits a 
 great rock at the Cape of Good Hope and thereby names 
 a mountain. 
 
CHAPTER XXII 
 
 SHALL not believe for a moment that my 
 young Readers doubt the truth of all I have 
 related, for your hardy spirits, like mine, go 
 afield into wonders and adventure as natu- 
 rally as the eagle wings its uninterrupted 
 path across glorious heights skyward. If 
 there be any one of mature years who questions my 
 veracity, I will meet him with any weapon he may select 
 at any time or place. Thus, having recorded myself as 
 not only truthful but undaunted, I will proceed with 
 my narrative, counting upon your unshaken belief and 
 unfailing sympathy. 
 
 Yes, I passed some time in England recuperating from 
 the strain and ardor of certain adventures, but, like you, 
 I soon became restive and longed to be out upon others. 
 This longing took hold of my spirit with great force, turn- 
 ing my mind continually to the thought of what a great 
 field of discovery lay in the interior parts of Africa. I 
 could neither sleep nor eat for the imaginings that stirred 
 me. I therefore determined to gain all proper support 
 from the Government to penetrate the source of the Nile 
 and claim the viceroyship of the interior kingdoms of 
 
1 61 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 Africa, for I could think of no one better fitted than 
 myself to fill a part of such importance and grandeur. 
 
 Happily for me, I had a most powerful friend at 
 court whom, for the sake of wisdom, I shall call the 
 illustrious Hilaro Frosticos. After passing another night 
 of sleeplessness, due to the burning imagination of my 
 discoveries in Africa, I hastened to my friend and con- 
 fided my hopes and intentions. He gravely considered 
 my words and, after some awful meditations, assured me 
 that I of all men living was most fitted to meet and sur- 
 mount the adventures and obstacles attending so noble 
 a purpose. He furthermore assured me that such wealth, 
 power, and influence as were his might be considered 
 mine to use without let or hindrance. Having thus 
 proved his friendship and provided his patronage, he 
 said gravely : 
 
 " Sir, your determination and courage deserve the 
 gratitude and admiration of all mankind, and it gives 
 me great pride and satisfaction to be of assistance to one 
 so noble and self-sacrificing. The honor I shall gain as 
 reflected from you, Sir, will set me high in the esteem of 
 all England and the watchful world. Come, let us be off 
 and prepare immediately such matters as are necessary 
 to an errand so important and patriotic.' ' 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 163 
 
 I will not burden you, my young Readers, with a 
 long description of the many details that followed and 
 were so necessary to my honor and comfort, but some 
 brief words should be given to the chariot provided for 
 my departure and for the speedy and miraculous passage 
 into fields of romance, adventure, and discovery. 
 
 This chariot was of enormous size, in form like unto 
 an hazelnut of mammoth proportions. The wheels con- 
 sisted of upwards of ten thousand springs formed so as 
 to give great impetuosity to the vehicle ; and it is need- 
 less to tell you that those wheels were more complex 
 than a dozen clocks like that of Strasbourg. To give 
 added buoyancy to its great weight, balloons of impos- 
 ing magnitude were cleverly attached. The interior of 
 my chariot was most commodious, gloriously decorated, 
 and fitted with every luxury and comfort. 
 
 This astounding vehicle was drawn by a team of nine 
 bulls, harnessed to it three after three. These noble 
 beasts were shod, not with iron as is customary, but 
 with the crowns and coronets of kings and nobles, con- 
 tributed for this especial purpose. After sufficient heated 
 air had been forced into them, a special cement or paste 
 was applied to each shoe, thus assuring buoyancy and 
 permanence. With these shoes the creatures could make 
 
1 64 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 astonishing journeys over earth or sea with great veloc- 
 ity. The harnesses were fastened with golden buckles 
 and decked with jewels of great value. 
 
 You will be especially interested in the postilions 
 provided : these were nine crickets, as large as monkeys, 
 who sat squat upon the heads of the bullocks and were 
 continually chirping at a most infernal rate, loud in 
 proportion to their unusual size. 
 
 The exterior of this wonderful carriage was adorned 
 with banners and a superb festoon of laurel which had 
 at one time shaded one upon horseback. 
 
 Now, having given you a very clear description of 
 my machine for traveling to Africa, I shall proceed to 
 relate the exploits of my voyage. I wish to add, how- 
 ever, that ambitious boys who strive to build a chariot 
 like mine (as doubtless they will) must observe great care 
 in harnessing the bullocks, for these creatures are not 
 only restive, but often inconsiderate with their heels and 
 horns. As to the cricket postilions, I should advise a long 
 and patient training in manners. Insects of this variety 
 and size are often unruly when each annoys the other by 
 chirpings that are more confusing than helpful. 
 
 Taking the reins in hand, as music gave a salute, I 
 cracked my whip over the backs of my restive bullocks 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 165 
 
 and away we flew. Within three hours I found myself 
 between the Isle of Wight and the mainland of Eng- 
 land. Here I remained four days until I had received 
 part of my accompaniment, which I was ordered to 
 convoy. 'Twas a squadron of men-of-war that had been 
 prepared for the Baltic, but which were now destined for 
 the Mediterranean. With the assistance of large hooks 
 and eyes like those worn in our hats but of some hundred- 
 weight each, the men-of-war hooked themselves to my 
 chariot. In fact, nothing could be simpler or more con- 
 venient, for they could be hooked or unhooked in an in- 
 stant with perfect ease and safety. 
 
 Again I cracked my whip to the encouraging salute 
 of artillery. We were instantly going at a prodigious 
 speed, and in six jiffies I found myself and all my retinue 
 safe and in good spirits under the Rock of Gibraltar. 
 Here I unhooked my squadron and allowed the vessels 
 to proceed in the ordinary manner to the place of their 
 destination. 
 
 I was now free to continue unencumbered my jour- 
 ney to the Isle of Candia. Having been properly re- 
 freshed at that place, I proceeded and in a short time 
 arrived in the land of Egypt. I have little of importance 
 to tell of this stage of my journey save that a slight mis- 
 
166 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 hap befell my chariot when its wheels became entangled 
 with the Pillar of Pompey, the Needle of Cleopatra, and 
 a pyramid or two, but, undaunted and undisturbed, my 
 bullocks trotted on with astonishing speed across the 
 Isthmus of Suez into the Red Sea. As we rode at so 
 terrific a rate, we left a track across the barren country 
 which by certain wiseacres is said to be an ancient canal 
 cut by the Ptolemies from the Red Sea to the Mediter- 
 ranean, but was in reality, as my young Readers per- 
 ceive, no more or less than the wheel tracks of my mar- 
 velous chariot. 
 
 My coach springs and wheels being somewhat dam- 
 aged, I believed it unwise to continue my journey south- 
 ward and overland across the great marble mountains 
 at the source of the Nile, and I hastened on my way as 
 best I could by sea to the Cape of Good Hope. The 
 surface of the water gave less resistance to the wheels 
 of my machine, and it passed along the waves like the 
 chariot of Neptune. In short, we scudded away to the 
 western coast of Africa, where even Alexander had not 
 courage to venture. I drove on with amazing rapidity, 
 but unfortunately ran too close to the Cape and com- 
 pletely shivered the rock in a horizontal direction. The 
 summit of the mountain was knocked into the sea, and 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 167 
 
 the steep mountain thereby flattened at the top; hence 
 this spot has since borne the name of Table Mountain 
 from its similarity to that piece of furniture. 
 
 But alas, young Readers, my noble chariot was badly 
 damaged and in need of repair, and I was obliged to con- 
 sider other means of travel if I would continue my jour- 
 ney as my will and spirit demanded. I have observed, 
 however, that those whose courage equals their determi- 
 nation find naught that can daunt their spirits or prevent 
 the reward of such heroism. I have no doubt that you 
 find this your own experience, and I sincerely commend 
 you therefor. 
 
 
CHAPTER XXIII 
 
The Baron leaves his chariot at the Cape of Good Hope 
 and returns by ship to England — Wrecked on an island 
 of ice — The Baron and crew tow the island back to 
 England — The Privy Council supports another expedi- 
 tion — Description of the vehicle and the Sphinx — The 
 Baron's retinue starts upon the journey into the heart of 
 Africa 
 
CHAPTER XXIII 
 
 ITH grief and consternation I considered the 
 disaster to my chariot, but great minds are 
 never thwarted by adversity. With permis- 
 sion of the Dutch Governor, my machine 
 was stored, and the bullocks received every 
 refreshment provided after so terrible a 
 voyage. As I could do no more, I took passage in an 
 Indiaman bound for London with the intention of laying 
 the matter before the Privy Council. 
 
 Nothing of great import occurred until we arrived off 
 the coast of Guinea, when, to our complete astonishment, 
 we beheld an enormous hill, seemingly composed of glass, 
 advancing against us in the open sea. I immediately 
 knew it to be an island of ice and determined to make 
 all possible speed from such horrible danger. We did so, 
 but all in vain, for about eleven o'clock at night, we were 
 struck by the rapidly advancing island. 
 
 The terror, the shrieks, and despair of the whole crew 
 were unspeakable until I, knowing there was not a mo- 
 ment to be lost, cheered their spirits and bade them not 
 despond, but do as I should request them. In a few 
 minutes the ship was half full of water, and the enormous 
 
172 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 castle of ice hemmed us in on every side as great frag- 
 ments from its sides fell upon our ill-fated vessel. Climb- 
 ing to the very top of a mast, I managed to make it fast 
 to a great projection of ice, and, calling to the crew to 
 follow me, we all escaped from the wreck by scrambling 
 to the summit of the island. 
 
 The rising sun gave us a dreadful picture of our situa- 
 tion. Our ship overnight had been closed in on all sides 
 with great masses of ice and was absolutely buried in 
 such a manner that we could see her at great depth under 
 our feet. Having debated what was best to be done, we 
 cut down through the ice and got some cables of the 
 vessel and also the boats, which, making fast to the island, 
 we towed it with all our might, determined to bring all 
 home or perish in the attempt. 
 
 On the top of the ice mountain we spread what oakum, 
 dregs, and refuse we could find in the vessel, which, in a 
 few hours, on account of the sun and the melting of the 
 ice, became an excellent fertilizer. Having some seeds of 
 rare vegetables in my pocket, we shortly had a fine crop of 
 fruits and roots growing on our inhospitable island. The 
 growth was so abundant that our whole crew was sup- 
 plied; the breadfruit-tree and a tree bearing plum pudding, 
 hot and served with sauces, especially delighted the sailors. 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 173 
 
 After weeks of incredible fatigue from continual tow- 
 ing, we arrived in England, and I immediately laid be- 
 fore the Privy Council a statement of my voyage, beg- 
 ging immediate assistance to travel into Africa and, if 
 possible, refit my former chariot. Everything was in- 
 stantly granted to my satisfaction, and I received orders 
 to get myself ready for departure as soon as possible. 
 
 I shortly learned that the Emperor of China had sent, 
 as a present in my honor, a most curious animal which 
 for some time had been confined in the Tower. A most 
 fitting creature, indeed, to attend me upon my contin- 
 ued discoveries in Africa. She was called Sphinx and 
 was one of the most tremendous though magnificent 
 figures I had ever beheld. She was harnessed with 
 superb trappings to a large flat-bottomed boat upon 
 which was a building of wood exactly resembling West- 
 minster Hall. Two balloons were placed over it, attached 
 by a number of ropes to the boat, to keep up a proper 
 equilibrium and prevent it from overturning. 
 
 In this magnificent structure we advanced, sailing 
 gently into the open sea. It being calm weather, we 
 could scarcely feel the motion of the vehicle and passed 
 our time in grand discussion upon the glorious intention 
 of our voyage and the important discoveries that would 
 
174 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 be made by me. I neglected to tell you that our noble 
 Sphinx was ridden astride by the brave Count Gos- 
 samer who at times was merciless and ill-tempered in 
 the use of his outrageous spurs. This treatment could 
 not be endured by a creature so high-spirited as our 
 Sphinx, and, with a wild plunge, she cast the Count, like 
 a sky-rocket, far out to sea. The fellow suffered no 
 injury, however, for from my exalted seat I could see 
 him clutching the side of a precipitous cliff at least forty 
 leagues distant. 
 
 The loss of Count Gossamer necessitated my assum- 
 ing control as well as command ; accordingly, I steered 
 directly to the Cape of Good Hope. Arriving at the 
 Cape, I immediately gave orders to repair my former 
 chariot and proceeded with due pomp and proper pride 
 upon my journey. 
 
 With my whole retinue, including my friends, Gog 
 and Magog, we made speed into the heart of Africa. 
 We journeyed nearly due north for several days and 
 met with nothing remarkable except the astonishment 
 of the savage natives who beheld our equipage, which 
 was, indeed, marvelous in magnitude, but not unfitting 
 for the importance of its errand and those it conveyed. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV 
 
The Baron passes into the heart of Africa, proceeding 
 from the Cape northwards — His ingenuity defeats a host 
 of lions by a curious stratagem — The Baron travels 
 through an immense desert — His company, chariot, etc., 
 are covered by a whirlwind of sand — He extricates his 
 party and arrives in a fertile country of great beauty 
 
CHAPTER XXIV 
 
 HE Dutch Government at the Cape, to do 
 them justice, gave us all possible assistance 
 for the expedition. The country through 
 which we advanced appeared in many 
 places to be capable of every cultivation 
 and of abundant fertility. The natives and 
 the Hottentots of this part of Africa have been often 
 described to you by travelers, and it is not necessary to 
 say more about them. But in the more interior parts, 
 the appearance, manners, and genius of the people are 
 totally different. 
 
 We directed our course by compass and the stars, 
 every day getting prodigious quantities of game and at 
 night camping within a proper enclosure for fear of the 
 wild beasts. One day, in particular, we heard on every 
 side the horrible roaring of lions resounding from rock 
 to rock like broken thunder. It seemed as if it was the 
 meeting-place of all those savage animals to fall upon 
 our party. That whole day we advanced with great 
 caution, our hunters scarcely venturing beyond pistol- 
 shot from our caravan for fear of a hideous death. At 
 
178 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 night we camped as usual and threw up a circular en- 
 trenchment about our tents. We had scarcely retired to 
 repose when we found ourselves serenaded by at least 
 one thousand lions, approaching with an even front on 
 every side and within a hundred paces. 
 
 Our cattle showed symptoms of horror, all trembling 
 and in cold perspiration. I directly ordered our whole 
 company to stand at arms and not to make any noise 
 by firing until I should command them. I then took a 
 quantity of tar and strewed it in a continuous stream 
 around the encampment, within which circle of tar I 
 immediately placed a train or circle of gunpowder. I 
 then anxiously awaited the approach of the lions. These 
 dreadful animals, knowing, I presume, the number of 
 our company, advanced cautiously, but from all sides at 
 an equal pace, roaring in hideous concert so as to re- 
 semble an earthquake or some similar convulsion of the 
 world. 
 
 When the beasts had at length advanced and soaked 
 their paws in tar and had otherwise bedaubed their bushy 
 hair and whiskers, I knew that the moment of my tri- 
 umph had come. At the exact instant the creatures were 
 about to make their deadly charge upon us, I discharged 
 my pistol into the train of gunpowder, which, of course, 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 179 
 
 exploded on every side, making the lions recoil in gen- 
 eral uproar and take flight with utmost haste and fright- 
 ful panic. 
 
 In an instant we could see the beasts scattered through 
 the forest, roaring in agony and whirling about like so 
 many Will-o'-the- Wisps, their shaggy coats afire from the 
 tar and gunpowder. I then ordered a general pursuit. 
 We followed them on every side through the dense woods, 
 their own light serving as a guide. Until sunrise we pur- 
 sued them to their lairs and shot or otherwise destroyed 
 every one of them. During the whole of our journey we 
 never heard the roaring of a lion, nor did any wild beast 
 presume to make another attack upon our party. After 
 this adventure I was more than convinced of the value 
 of immediate presence of mind which gives terror to the 
 most savage of enemies. I am also convinced that the 
 bravery of a gentleman and soldier meets all terrifying 
 situations with composure, knowing that valor is, in itself, 
 mastery unchallenged. 
 
 After many dangers and discomforts natural to that 
 part of the world, we at length arrived at the border of 
 an immeasurable desert, extending on every side of us 
 like an ocean. Not a tree or shrub or blade of grass 
 was to be seen. The great expanse was of extremely 
 
180 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 fine sand, mixed with gold dust and small sparkling 
 pearls. 
 
 The gold dust and pearls seemed to have little value 
 to us because we had no hope of returning to England 
 for some time. Presently we observed, at a great dis- 
 tance, something like a smoke arising over the verge of 
 the horizon. With our telescopes we perceived it to be 
 a whirlwind tearing up the sand and tossing it about in 
 the heavens with frightful fury. I immediately ordered 
 our company to erect a mound of great size around us. 
 This was done with astonishing labor and perseverance, 
 and we then roofed it over with planks and timbers 
 which we had with us for that purpose. Our labor was 
 scarcely finished when the sand came rolling upon us 
 like the waves of the sea; 'twas a storm and river of 
 sand united. It continued to advance from the same 
 direction for three days and completely covered the 
 mound we had erected, burying us all within. 
 
 The intense heat of the place was intolerable. But 
 guessing, by the cessation of the noise, that the storm 
 had passed, we set about digging a passage to the light 
 of day again ; this feat we accomplished in a short time. 
 Ascending, we found that the whole of our protective 
 structure had been so completely covered by the sand 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 181 
 
 that there appeared no hills, but one continued plain 
 with inequalities or ridges on it like the waves of the 
 sea. We soon extricated our vehicle and retinue from 
 the burning sands, but not without great danger, as the 
 heat was most intense. 
 
 Storms of a similar nature several times attacked us, 
 but by using the same precautions, we repeatedly pre- 
 served ourselves from destruction. Having traveled more 
 than nine thousand miles over this burning desert, ex- 
 posed to the direct rays of a scorching sun, without 
 coming upon a rivulet or shower from heaven to refresh 
 us, we became in time almost desperate. 
 
 At last, to our great joy, we beheld some mountains 
 at a great distance and on nearer approach observed 
 them covered with a carpet of verdure, groves, and 
 woods. Nothing could be more romantic or beautiful 
 than the rocks and precipices intermingled with flowers 
 and shrubs of every kind, and palm-trees of such prodi- 
 gious size as to surpass anything to be seen in Europe. 
 
 Trees of every variety grew wild in the greatest 
 abundance ; antelopes and sheep and buffaloes wandered 
 about groves and valleys in profusion. The trees re- 
 sounded with the tuneful melody of gorgeous birds and 
 everything showed a scene of rural peace and joy. 
 
Ib2 
 
 THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 In sooth, Dame Nature in her glory vied 
 With Heaven's dome, all glorious, thus to pay 
 
 Homage to one whose courage had defied 
 Night's haunting fears and obstacles of day. 
 
 Now, dear young Readers, having overcome un- 
 heard-of obstacles and at last arrived safely in the par- 
 adise I have described, in what more fitting place could 
 I leave you and your memories of my unequaled ad- 
 ventures? To be sure, my continued journeys took me 
 deep into the heart of Africa, where, as usual, I met 
 and overcame every enemy and obstacle, and in due 
 time Fate carried me into the untracked wilds of the 
 Americas, where I and all my retinue lost our scalps. 
 But again my bravery and presence of mind were the 
 means not only of regaining all losses (which were re- 
 placed in proper order), but of overcoming the savages 
 who had so cruelly treated me and my companions. 
 
 In due time and after many other trials and tri- 
 umphs, I returned to England, where the Privy Coun- 
 cil rewarded me most fittingly for my wisdom and un- 
 exampled courage and endurance. It is needless to say 
 that the glory reflected by me has added to that of 
 England and the rest of the world. It is, of course, 
 beneath my dignity to state that my veracity is and will 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 183 
 
 remain unquestioned, for time will prove and history re- 
 cord the adventures that I have had the pleasure of relat- 
 ing and you, in turn, have had the privilege of reading. 
 
n — ~ — : — ' 
 
 
 f 
 
 ADIEU! 
 
 IN ALLY, as I conclude my veracious nar- 
 rative, I beg of my young Readers the in- 
 dulgence due a soldier and gentleman of my 
 fortitude and distinction. You have followed 
 me by land and sea ; you have attended with 
 admiration and unshaken belief the wan- 
 derings of one whose courage was only equaled by his 
 presence of mind and incredible ingenuity. If, at times, 
 you have marveled at feats accomplished by no other 
 man, I am sure your spirits have sought to emulate and 
 your courage to achieve like adventures. 
 
 I shall not endeavor in this chronicle of my accom- 
 plishments to record a thousand more, absorbing as they 
 would prove to those of your youthful imagination. But 
 it is my desire (I shall not say command) that when 
 you come to riper years you shall read for yourselves 
 completer records of my adventures so justly famous. 
 No annals of history hold the like for wonder, courage, 
 unstained honor, and veracity. 
 
 So, young Comrades in ordeal and triumph, I bid 
 you farewell \ commending you to Fortune for favor 
 and fame. In conclusion, I require of you a strict ad- 
 
THE CHILDREN'S MUNCHAUSEN 
 
 herence to truth, no matter what the pain or sacrifice, 
 and I exhort you to follow the examples of those whose 
 fortitude remains unmoved in battle, stress, or storm, 
 and whose honor stands glorious and unstained before 
 the eyes of the onlooking world. Thus am / and thus 
 do I remain, 
 
 MUNCHAUSEN 
 
CAMBRIDGE . MASSACHUSETTS 
 U . S . A 
 
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