46 



" months in the country, are unable through mere accumu- 

 " lation of fat to regain the mountains, and so become an 

 " easy prey to the sportsman. In fact, they do not yield in 

 " plumpness to the Ortolans and Beccaficos of the Italians. 

 " Nor is it to be wondered at, when we know that even in 

 " Scotland, geese are generated from the falling leaves of 

 " the trees in autumn, and when we are positively assured 

 " by an honourable ambassador of ours, that in the north- 

 " eastern parts of the world, lambs grow out of the earth, 

 " and fixed on a stalk, immediately begin to graze on the 

 " surrounding herbage. The very fish upon these coasts are 

 " so voracious, that when a line is put down they surround 

 " it in shoals (just as Lucian describes the poor ghosts to 

 " throng round Charon's boat), stick to it though not 

 " hooked, and are drawn out like colliers and miners cling- 

 " ing to the rope when in danger of the fatal fire-damp. 

 " The seaports of this country, which are extremely com- 

 " modious, are applied to no other purpose but the impor- 

 " tation of eatables, for which they give in barter their 

 " superfluous peltry ; nor is it legal for the natives to export 

 " any article connected in the remotest degree with good 

 " cheer," &c. 



The author now proceeds to describe the smaller divisions 

 of the country, all teeming with delicious fruits and viands 

 of every sort, and surmounted by the " Zuckerii colles," or 

 sugar-hills. After premising that the entire population 

 appeared to be nearly congregated in a few large cities, he 

 proceeds to the metropolis of Pamphagonia, called " Arto- 

 creopolis," where the houses, though capacious and minis- 

 tering in all respects to luxury, are of very moderate alti- 

 tude, stairs being disused for greater security after a debauch. 

 " No one is admitted to the privilege of citizenship unless 

 " he has contributed something to the pleasures of the 

 " table. Husbandmen, artificers, woodworkers, live in the 

 "villages; yet when they have attained a certain prorui- 



