174 
VOYAGE OF THE POTOMAC. 
[February, 
from this court are generally ridiculously pompous, as those of 
weak monarchs most generally are ; carrying terror to the igno- 
rant and imbecile, while they are contemned by the intelligent 
and the strong. The titles and epithets applied to this inland 
potentate, and adopted by himself, are the most extravagant and 
absurd ; far surpassing those assumed by the emperors of Persia 
and Tartary, or even by the head of the Celestial Empire himself, 
the " Father of ten thousand years." The reading world is 
indebted to Alexander Dalrymple, Esq., for rescuing from oblivion 
one of these curious productions, written by the Sultan of Me- 
nangcabow about a century since, and addressed to the Sultan of 
Moco-Moco. 
In style, this imperial document is far more rational than many 
similar effusions we have seen ; and is, taking it altogether, a 
production so remarkable, especially when the magnitude of its 
object is taken into view, that it forcibly reminds us of the well- 
known comparison of 
" Ocean into tempest tost, 
To waft a feather, or to drown a fly." 
The reader, therefore, we feel assured, will not regret its intro- 
duction in this place. 
" Praised be Almighty God ! Sultan Gaggar AUum, the great 
and noble king, whose extensive power reacheth unto the limits 
of the wide ocean ; unto whom God grants whatever he desires, 
and over whom no evil spirit, nor even Satan himself, has any influ- 
ence ; who is invested with an authority to punish evil-doers, 
and has the most tender heart in the support of the innocent ; has 
no malice in his mind, but preserveth the righteous with the 
greatest reverence, and nourisheth the poor and needy, feeding 
them daily from his own table. His authority reacheth over the 
whole universe, and his candour and goodness are known to all 
men. (Mention made of the three brothers.) The ambassador 
of God, and his prophet Mahomet ; the beloved of mankind ; and 
ruler of the island called Percho. At the time God made the 
heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon, and even before evil spirits 
were created, this Sultan Gaggar Allum had his residence in the 
clouds ; but when the world was habitable, God gave him a bird 
called Hocinet, that had the gift of speech ; this he sent down on 
