The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen

by Rudolf Erich Raspe

  SUPPLEMENT

  _Extraordinary flight on the back of an eagle, over France to Gibraltar,South and North America, the Polar Regions, and back to England, withinsix-and-thirty hours._

  About the beginning of his present Majesty's reign I had some businesswith a distant relation who then lived on the Isle of Thanet; it was afamily dispute, and not likely to be finished soon. I made it a practiceduring my residence there, the weather being fine, to walk out everymorning. After a few of these excursions I observed an object upon agreat eminence about three miles distant: I extended my walk to it, andfound the ruins of an ancient temple: I approached it with admirationand astonishment; the traces of grandeur and magnificence which yetremained were evident proofs of its former splendour: here I could nothelp lamenting the ravages and devastations of time, of which that oncenoble structure exhibited such a melancholy proof. I walked round itseveral times, meditating on the fleeting and transitory nature ofall terrestrial things; on the eastern end were the remains of a loftytower, near forty feet high, overgrown with ivy, the top apparentlyflat; I surveyed it on every side very minutely, thinking that if Icould gain its summit I should enjoy the most delightful prospect of thecircumjacent country. Animated with this hope, I resolved, if possible,to gain the summit, which I at length effected by means of the ivy,though not without great difficulty and danger; the top I found coveredwith this evergreen, except a large chasm in the middle. After I hadsurveyed with pleasing wonder the beauties of art and nature thatconspired to enrich the scene, curiosity prompted me to sound theopening in the middle, in order to ascertain its depth, as I entertaineda suspicion that it might probably communicate with some unexploredsubterranean cavern in the hill; but having no line I was at a loss howto proceed. After revolving the matter in my thoughts for some time, Iresolved to drop a stone down and listen to the echo: having found onethat answered my purpose I placed myself over the hole, with one foot oneach side, and stooping down to listen, I dropped the stone, which I hadno sooner done than I heard a rustling below, and suddenly a monstrouseagle put up its head right opposite my face, and rising up withirresistible force, carried me away seated on its shoulders: I instantlygrasped it round the neck, which was large enough to fill my arms,and its wings, when extended, were ten yards from one extremity to theother. As it rose with a regular ascent, my seat was perfectly easy,and I enjoyed the prospect below with inexpressible pleasure. It hoveredover Margate for some time, was seen by several people, and many shotswere fired at it; one ball hit the heel of my shoe, but did me noinjury. It then directed its course to Dover cliff, where it alighted,and I thought of dismounting, but was prevented by a sudden discharge ofmusketry from a party of marines that were exercising on the beach; theballs flew about my head, and rattled on the feathers of the eagle likehail-stones, yet I could not perceive it had received any injury. Itinstantly reascended and flew over the sea towards Calais, but so veryhigh that the Channel seemed to be no broader than the Thames at LondonBridge. In a quarter of an hour I found myself over a thick wood inFrance, where the eagle descended very rapidly, which caused me to slipdown to the back part of its head; but alighting on a large tree, andraising its head, I recovered my seat as before, but saw no possibilityof disengaging myself without the danger of being killed by the fall;so I determined to sit fast, thinking it would carry me to the Alps,or some other high mountain, where I could dismount without any danger.After resting a few minutes it took wing, flew several times round thewood, and screamed loud enough to be heard across the English Channel.In a few minutes one of the same species arose out of the wood, and flewdirectly towards us; it surveyed me with evident marks of displeasure,and came very near me. After flying several times round, they bothdirected their course to the south-west. I soon observed that the one Irode upon could not keep pace with the other, but inclined towards theearth, on account of my weight; its companion perceiving this, turnedround and placed itself in such a position that the other could rest itshead on its rump; in this manner they proceeded till noon, when Isaw the rock of Gibraltar very distinctly. The day being clear,notwithstanding my degree of elevation, the earth's surface appearedjust like a map, where land, sea, lakes, rivers, mountains, and the likewere perfectly distinguishable; and having some knowledge of geography,I was at no loss to determine what part of the globe I was in.

  Whilst I was contemplating this wonderful prospect a dreadful howlingsuddenly began all around me, and in a moment I was invested bythousands of small, black, deformed, frightful looking creatures, whopressed me on all sides in such a manner that I could neither move handor foot: but I had not been in their possession more than ten minuteswhen I heard the most delightful music that can possibly be imagined,which was suddenly changed into a noise the most awful and tremendous,to which the report of cannon, or the loudest claps of thunder couldbear no more proportion than the gentle zephyrs of the evening to themost dreadful hurricane; but the shortness of its duration prevented allthose fatal effects which a prolongation of it would certainly have beenattended with.

  The music commenced, and I saw a great number of the most beautifullittle creatures seize the other party, and throw them with greatviolence into something like a snuff-box, which they shut down, and onethrew it away with incredible velocity; then turning to me, he said theywhom he had secured were a party of devils, who had wandered from theirproper habitation; and that the vehicle in which they were enclosedwould fly with unabating rapidity for ten thousand years, when it wouldburst of its own accord, and the devils would recover their libertyand faculties, as at the present moment. He had no sooner finished thisrelation than the music ceased, and they all disappeared, leaving me ina state of mind bordering on the confines of despair.

  When I had recomposed myself a little, and looking before me withinexpressible pleasure, I observed that the eagles were preparing tolight on the peak of Teneriffe: they descended on the top of the rock,but seeing no possible means of escape if I dismounted determined meto remain where I was. The eagles sat down seemingly fatigued, when theheat of the sun soon caused them both to fall asleep, nor did I longresist its fascinating power. In the cool of the evening, when the sunhad retired below the horizon, I was roused from sleep by the eaglemoving under me; and having stretched myself along its back, I sat up,and reassumed my travelling position, when they both took wing, andhaving placed themselves as before, directed their course to SouthAmerica. The moon shining bright during the whole night, I had a fineview of all the islands in those seas.

  About the break of day we reached the great continent of America,that part called Terra Firma, and descended on the top of a very highmountain. At this time the moon, far distant in the west, and obscuredby dark clouds, but just afforded light sufficient for me to discovera kind of shrubbery all around, bearing fruit something like cabbages,which the eagles began to feed on very eagerly. I endeavoured todiscover my situation, but fogs and passing clouds involved me in thethickest darkness, and what rendered the scene still more shocking wasthe tremendous howling of wild beasts, some of which appeared to be verynear: however, I determined to keep my seat, imagining that the eaglewould carry me away if any of them should make a hostile attempt. Whendaylight began to appear, I thought of examining the fruit which I hadseen the eagles eat, and as some was hanging which I could easily comeat, I took out my knife and cut a slice; but how great was my surpriseto see that it had all the appearance of roast beef regularly mixed,both fat and lean! I tasted it, and found it well flavoured anddelicious, then cut several large slices and put in my pocket, where Ifound a crust of bread which I had brought from Margate; took it out,and found three musket-balls that had been lodged in it on Dover cliff.I extracted them, and cutting a few slices more, made a hearty meal ofbread and cold beef fruit. I then cut down two of the largest that grewnear me, and tying them together with one of my garters, hung them overthe eagle's neck for another occasion, filling my pockets at the sametime. While I was settling these affairs I observed a large fruit likean inflated bl
adder, which I wished to try an experiment upon: andstriking my knife into one of them, a fine pure liquor like Hollandsgin rushed out, which the eagles observing, eagerly drank up from theground. I cut down the bladder as fast as I could, and saved about halfa pint in the bottom of it, which I tasted, and could not distinguishit from the best mountain wine. I drank it all, and found myself greatlyrefreshed. By this time the eagles began to stagger against the shrubs.I endeavoured to keep my seat, but was soon thrown to some distanceamong the bushes. In attempting to rise I put my hand upon a largehedgehog, which happened to lie among the grass upon its back: itinstantly closed round my hand, so that I found it impossible to shakeit off. I struck it several times against the ground without effect; butwhile I was thus employed I heard a rustling among the shrubbery, andlooking up, I saw a huge animal within three yards of me; I could makeno defence, but held out both my hands, when it rushed upon me,and seized that on which the hedgehog was fixed. My hand being soonrelieved, I ran to some distance, where I saw the creature suddenly dropdown and expire with the hedgehog in its throat. When the danger waspast I went to view the eagles, and found them lying on the grass fastasleep, being intoxicated with the liquor they had drank. Indeed, Ifound myself considerably elevated by it, and seeing everything quiet,I began to search for some more, which I soon found; and having cut downtwo large bladders, about a gallon each, I tied them together, and hungthem over the neck of the other eagle, and the two smaller ones Itied with a cord round my own waist. Having secured a good stock ofprovisions, and perceiving the eagles begin to recover, I again took myseat. In half an hour they arose majestically from the place, withouttaking the least notice of their incumbrance. Each reassumed its formerstation; and directing their course to the northward, they crossed theGulf of Mexico, entered North America, and steered directly for thePolar regions, which gave me the finest opportunity of viewing this vastcontinent that can possibly be imagined.

  Before we entered the frigid zone the cold began to affect me; butpiercing one of my bladders, I took a draught, and found that it couldmake no impression on me afterwards. Passing over Hudson's Bay, I sawseveral of the Company's ships lying at anchor, and many tribes ofIndians marching with their furs to market.

  By this time I was so reconciled to my seat, and become such an expertrider, that I could sit up and look around me; but in general I layalong the eagle's neck, grasping it in my arms, with my hands immersedin its feathers, in order to keep them warm.

  In those cold climates I observed that the eagles flew with greaterrapidity, in order, I suppose, to keep their blood in circulation. Inpassing Baffin's Bay I saw several large Greenlandmen to the eastward,and many surprising mountains of ice in those seas.

  While I was surveying these wonders of nature it occurred to me thatthis was a good opportunity to discover the north-west passage, ifany such thing existed, and not only obtain the reward offered bygovernment, but the honour of a discovery pregnant with so manyadvantages to every European nation. But while my thoughts were absorbedin this pleasing reverie I was alarmed by the first eagle striking itshead against a solid transparent substance, and in a moment that which Irode experienced the same fate, and both fell down seemingly dead.

  Here our lives must inevitably have terminated, had not a sense ofdanger, and the singularity of my situation, inspired me with adegree of skill and dexterity which enabled us to fall near two milesperpendicular with as little inconveniency as if we had been let downwith a rope: for no sooner did I perceive the eagles strike againsta frozen cloud, which is very common near the poles, than (they beingclose together) I laid myself along the back of the foremost, and tookhold of its wings to keep them extended, at the same time stretching outmy legs behind to support the wings of the other. This had the desiredeffect, and we descended very safe on a mountain of ice, which Isupposed to be about three miles above the level of the sea.

  I dismounted, unloaded the eagles, opened one of the bladders,and administered some of the liquor to each of them, without onceconsidering that the horrors of destruction seemed to have conspiredagainst me. The roaring of waves, crashing of ice, and the howling ofbears, conspired to form a scene the most awful and tremendous: butnotwithstanding this, my concern for the recovery of the eagles wasso great, that I was insensible of the danger to which I was exposed.Having rendered them every assistance in my power, I stood over them inpainful anxiety, fully sensible that it was only by means of them that Icould possibly be delivered from these abodes of despair.

  But suddenly a monstrous bear began to roar behind me, with a voice likethunder. I turned round, and seeing the creature just ready to devourme, having the bladder of liquor in my hands, through fear I squeezed itso hard, that it burst, and the liquor flying in the eyes of the animal,totally deprived it of sight. It instantly turned from me, ran away ina state of distraction, and soon fell over a precipice of ice into thesea, where I saw it no more.

  The danger being over, I again turned my attention to the eagles, whom Ifound in a fair way of recovery, and suspecting that they were faintfor want of victuals, I took one of the beef fruit, cut it into smallslices, and presented them with it, which they devoured with avidity.

  Having given them plenty to eat and drink, and disposed of the remainderof my provision, I took possession of my seat as before. After composingmyself, and adjusting everything in the best manner, I began to eat anddrink very heartily; and through the effects of the mountain wine, as Icalled it, was very cheerful, and began to sing a few verses of a songwhich I had learned when I was a boy: but the noise soon alarmed theeagles, who had been asleep, through the quantity of liquor which theyhad drank, and they rose seemingly much terrified. Happily for me,however, when I was feeding them I had accidentally turned their headstowards the south-east, which course they pursued with a rapidmotion. In a few hours I saw the Western Isles, and soon after had theinexpressible pleasure of seeing Old England. I took no notice of theseas or islands over which I passed.

  The eagles descended gradually as they drew near the shore, intending,as I supposed, to alight on one of the Welsh mountains; but when theycame to the distance of about sixty yards two guns were fired at them,loaded with balls, one of which took place in a bladder of liquor thathung to my waist; the other entered the breast of the foremost eagle,who fell to the ground, while that which I rode, having received noinjury, flew away with amazing swiftness.

  This circumstance alarmed me exceedingly, and I began to think it wasimpossible for me to escape with my life; but recovering a little, Ionce more looked down upon the earth, when, to my inexpressible joy, Isaw Margate at a little distance, and the eagle descending on the oldtower whence it had carried me on the morning of the day before. It nosooner came down than I threw myself off, happy to find that I was oncemore restored to the world. The eagle flew away in a few minutes, and Isat down to compose my fluttering spirits, which I did in a few hours.

  I soon paid a visit to my friends, and related these adventures.Amazement stood in every countenance; their congratulations on myreturning in safety were repeated with an unaffected degree of pleasure,and we passed the evening as we are doing now, every person presentpaying the highest compliments to my COURAGE and VERACITY.

  THE SECOND VOLUME