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+====== TRAVELS OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN ======
+===== CHAPTER XXIII =====
+//The Baron proceeds on his voyage--Convoys a squadron to Gibraltar
+--Declines the acceptance of the island of Candia--His chariot
+damaged by Pompey's Pillar and Cleopatra's Needle--The Baron out-
+does Alexander--Breaks his chariot, and splits a great rock at the
+Cape of Good Hope.//
+Taking the reins in my hand, while the music gave a general salute, I
+cracked my whip, away they went, and in three hours I found myself
+just between the Isle of Wight and the main land of England. Here I
+remained four days, until I had received part of my accompaniment,
+which I was ordered to take under my convoy. 'Twas a squadron of men-
+of-war that had been a long time prepared for the Baltic, but which
+were now destined for the Mediterranean. By the assistance of large
+hooks and eyes, exactly such as are worn in our hats, but of a greater
+size, some hundredweight each, the men-of-war hooked themselves on to
+the wheels of the vehicle: and, in fact, nothing could be more simple
+or convenient, because they could be hooked or unhooked in an instant
+with the utmost facility. In short, having given a general discharge
+of their artillery, and three cheers, I cracked my whip, away we went,
+helter skelter, and in six jiffies I found myself and all my retinue
+safe and in good spirits just at the rock of Gibraltar. Here I
+unhooked my squadron, and having taken an affectionate leave of the
+officers, I suffered them to proceed in their ordinary manner to the
+place of their destination. The whole garrison were highly delighted
+with the novelty of my vehicle; and at the pressing solicitations of
+the governor and officers I went ashore, and took a view of that
+barren old rock, about which more powder has been fired away than
+would purchase twice as much fertile ground in any part of the world!
+Mounting my chariot, I took the reins, and again made forward, in mad
+career, down the Mediterranean to the isle of Candia. Here I received
+despatches from the Sublime Porte, entreating me to assist in the war
+against Russia, with a reward of the whole island of Candia for my
+alliance. At first I hesitated, thinking that the island of Candia
+would be a most valuable acquisition to the sovereign who at that time
+employed me, and that the most delicious wines, sugar, &c., in
+abundance would flourish on the island; yet, when I considered the
+trade of the East India Company, which would most probably suffer by
+the intercourse with Persia through the Mediterranean, I at once
+rejected the proposal, and had afterwards the thanks of the Honourable
+the House of Commons for my propriety and political discernment.
+Having been properly refreshed at Candia, I again proceeded, and in a
+short time arrived in the land of Egypt. The land of this country, at
+least that part of it near the sea, is very low, so that I came upon
+it ere I was aware, and the Pillar of Pompey got entangled in the
+various wheels of the machine, and damaged the whole considerably.
+Still I drove on through thick and thin, till, passing over that great
+obelisk, the Needle of Cleopatra, the work got entangled again, and
+jolted at a miserable rate over the mud and swampy ground of all that
+country; yet my poor bulls trotted on with astonishing labour across
+the Isthmus of Suez into the Red Sea, and left a track, an obscure
+channel, which has since been taken by De Tott for the remains of a
+canal cut by some of the Ptolemies from the Red Sea to the
+Mediterranean; but, as you perceive, was in reality no more than the
+track of my chariot, the car of Queen Mab.
+As the artists at present in that country are nothing wonderful,
+though the ancient Egyptians, 'tis said, were most astonishing
+fellows, I could not procure any new coach-springs, or have a
+possibility of setting my machine to rights in the kingdom of Egypt;
+and as I could not presume to attempt another journey overland, and
+the great mountains of marble beyond the source of the Nile, I thought
+it most eligible to make the best way I could, by sea, to the Cape of
+Good Hope, where I supposed I should get some Dutch smiths and
+carpenters, or perhaps some English artists; and my vehicle being
+properly repaired, it was my intention thence to proceed, overland,
+through the heart of Africa. The surface of the water, I well knew,
+afforded less resistance to the wheels of the machine--it passed along
+the waves like the chariot of Neptune; and in short, having gotten
+upon the Red Sea, we scudded away to admiration through the pass of
+Babelmandeb to the great Western coast of Africa, where Alexander had
+not the courage to venture.
+And really, my friends, if Alexander had ventured toward the Cape of
+Good Hope he most probably would have never returned. It is difficult
+to determine whether there were then any inhabitants in the more
+southern parts of Africa or not; yet, at any rate, this conqueror of
+the world would have made but a nonsensical adventure; his miserable
+ships, not contrived for a long voyage, would have become leaky, and
+foundered, before he could have doubled the Cape, and left his Majesty
+fairly beyond the limits of the then known world. Yet it would have
+been an august exit for an Alexander, after having subdued Persia and
+India, to be wandering the Lord knows where, to Jup or Ammon, perhaps,
+or on a voyage to the moon, as an Indian chief once said to Captain
+Cook.
+But, for my part, I was far more successful than Alexander; I drove on
+with the most amazing rapidity, and thinking to halt on shore at the
+Cape, I unfortunately drove too close, and shattered the right side
+wheels of my vehicle against the rock, now called the Table Mountain.
+The machine went against it with such impetuosity as completely
+shivered the rock in a horizontal direction; so that the summit of the
+mountain, in the form of a semi-sphere, was knocked into the sea, and
+the steep mountain becoming thereby flattened at the top, has since
+received the name of the Table Mountain, from its similarity to that
+piece of furniture.
+Just as this part of the mountain was knocked off, the ghost of the
+Cape, that tremendous sprite which cuts such a figure in the Lusiad,
+was discovered sitting squat in an excavation formed for him in the
+centre of the mountain. He seemed just like a young bee in his little
+cell before he comes forth, or like a bean in a bean-pod; and when the
+upper part of the mountain was split across and knocked off, the
+superior half of his person was discovered. He appeared of a bottle-
+blue colour, and started, dazzled with the unexpected glare of the
+light: hearing the dreadful rattle of the wheels, and the loud
+chirping of the crickets, he was thunder-struck, and instantly giving
+a shriek, sunk down ten thousand fathoms into the earth, while the
+mountain, vomiting out some smoke, silently closed up, and left not a
+trace behind!
+----
+Go to [[CHAPTER XXIV]]