24. CHAPTER XXIV.
THEIR ADVENTURES UPON LANDING AT PIMMINEE.
A long sail over, the island of Pimminee came in sight;
one dead flat, wreathed in a thin, insipid vapor.
“My lord, why land?” said Babbalanja; “no Yillah is
here.”
“'Tis my humor, Babbalanja.”
Said Yoomy, “Taji would leave no isle unexplored.
As we neared the beach, the atmosphere became still
closer and more languid. Much did we miss the refreshing
balm which breathed in the fine breezy air of the open lagoon.
Of a slender and sickly growth seemed the trees; in the
meadows, the grass grew small and mincing.
Said Media, “Taji, from the accounts which Braid-Beard
gives, there must be much to amuse, in the ways of these
Tapparians.”
“Yes,” said Babbalanja, “their lives are a continual
farce, gratuitously performed for the diversion of Mardi.
My lord, perhaps we had best doff our dignity, and land
among them as persons of lowly condition; for then, we
shall receive more diversion, though less hospitality.”
“A good proposition,” said Media.
And so saying, he put off his robe for one less pretentious.
All followed suit; Yoomy doffing turban and sash; and,
at last, completely metamorphosed, we looked like Hungarian
gipsies.
Voyaging on, we entered a bay, where numbers of menials
were standing in the water, engaged in washing the
carved work of certain fantastic canoes, belonging to the
Tapparians, their masters.
Landing at some distance, we followed a path that soon
conducted us to a betwisted dwelling of bamboos, where,
gently, we knocked for admittance. So doing, we were accosted
by a servitor, his portliness all in his calves. Marking
our appearance, he monopolized the threshold, and
gruffly demanded what was wanted.
“Strangers, kind sir, fatigued with travel, and in need of
refreshment and repose.”
“Then hence with ye, vagabonds!” and with an emphasis,
he closed the portal in our face.
Said Babbalanja, turning, “You perceive, my lord Media,
that these varlets take after their masters; who feed none
but the well-fed, and house none but the well-housed.”
“Faith! but they furnish most rare entertainment, nevertheless,”
cried Media. “Ha! ha! Taji, we had missed
much, had we missed Pimminee.”
As this was said, we observed, at a distance, three menials
running from seaward, as if conveying important intelligence.
Halting here and there, vainly seeking admittance at
other habitations, and receiving nothing but taunts for our
pains, we still wandered on; and at last came upon a village,
toward which, those from the sea-side had been running.
And now, to our surprise, we were accosted by an eager
and servile throng.
“Obsequious varlets,” said Media, “where tarry your
masters?”
“Right royal, and thrice worshipful Lord of Odo, do you
take us for our domestics? We are Tapparians, may it
please your illustrious Highness; your most humble and
obedient servants. We beseech you, supereminent Sir, condescend
to visit our habitations, and partake of our cheer.”
Then turning upon their attendants, “Away with ye,
hounds! and set our dwellings in order.”
“How know ye me to be king?” asked Media.
“Is it not in your serene Highness's regal port, and eye?”
“'Twas their menials,” muttered Mohi, “who from the
paddlers in charge of our canoes must have learned who my
lord was, and published the tidings.”
After some further speech, Media made a social surrender
of himself to the foremost of the Tapparians, one Nimni;
who, conducting us to his abode, with much deference introduced
us to a portly old Begum, and three slender damsels;
his wife and daughters.
Soon, refreshments appeared:—green and yellow compounds,
and divers enigmatical dainties; besides vegetable
liqueurs of a strange and alarming flavor served in fragile
little leaves, folded into cups, and very troublesome to handle.
Excessively thirsty, Babbalanja made bold to inquire for
water; which called forth a burst of horror from the old
Begum, and minor shrieks from her daughters; who declared,
that the beverage to which remote reference had
been made, was far too widely diffused in Mardi, to be at
all esteemed in Pimminee.
“But though we seldom imbibe it,” said the old Begum,
ceremoniously adjusting her necklace of cowrie-shells, “we
occasionally employ it for medicinal purposes.”
“Ah, indeed?” said Babbalanja.
“But oh! believe me; even then, we imbibe not the
ordinary fluid of the springs and streams; but that which
in afternoon showers softly drains from our palm-trees into
the little hollow or miniature reservoir beneath its compacted
roots.
A goblet of this beverage was now handed Babbalanja;
but having a curious, gummy flavor, it proved any thing but
palatable.
Presently, in came a company of young men, relatives of
Nimni. They were slender as sky-sail-poles; standing in
a row, resembled a picket-fence; and were surmounted by
enormous heads of hair, combed out all round, variously
dyed, and evened by being singed with a lighted wisp of
straw. Like milliners' parcels, they were very neatly done
up; wearing redolent robes.
“How like the woodlands they smell,” whispered Yoomy.
“Ay, marvelously like sap,” said Mohi.
One part of their garniture consisted of numerous tasseled
cords, like those of an aigulette, depending from the neck,
and attached here and there about the person. A separate
one, at a distance, united their ankles. These served to
measure and graduate their movements; keeping their gestures,
paces, and attitudes, within the prescribed standard of
Tapparian gentility. When they went abroad, they were
preceded by certain footmen; who placed before them small,
carved boards, whereon their masters stepped; thus avoiding
contact with the earth. The simple device of a shoe, as a
fixture for the foot, was unknown in Pimminee.
Being told, that Taji was lately from the sun, they manifested
not the slightest surprise; one of them incidentally
observing, however, that the eclipses there, must be a sad
bore to endure.
