Consternation. We push’d our Victory, and in three Days March, came to the Capital, which we besieg’d by Sea and Land. At our Approach, we were saluted by a new Embassy, which brought much softer Terms of Peace. In this the Emperor offer’d me his Daughter in Marriage, who was esteem’d the most beautiful Lioness throughout the whole Dominions, together with Half his Empire in Dower with her. These Conditions were by no Means agreeable to me, especially with Respect to the Nuptials of his Daughter; for it seem’d to me neither safe nor honourable to divorce my Empress to marry a Lioness. Hereupon the Embassadors were dismiss’d without any Answer. Presently our great Guns began to play against the City-Walls, which tho’ compos’d of Stone, were soon torn and shatter’d in many Places. And as this City was full of Animals of all Species, it was strange to hear the Variety of Noises upon this Occasion, such as Roaring, Howling, Bellowing, Braying, Bleating and Hissing. The Serpents retir’d into the Clefts and Fissures of the Earth: The Birds hover’d in the Air, and seeing the City so fiercely assaulted, fled off to the Rocks and open Country. The Trees trembled and drop’d their Leaves all over the City. We heard that twenty Maids of Honour, (these were Roses and Lilies) upon the first Discharge of our Cannon shrunk up, and wither’d away through Fear. Such a prodigious Concourse of Animals of all Kinds, as well those of the City, as those from the Neighbourhood, miserably straiten’d each other; and that very Assistance, which was so necessary, was the Cause of Diseases and Infection. The Elephants stood the Siege better than the rest; but upon the Discharge of the great Guns, they abandon’d the Walls. Hereupon the Emperor, despairing to hold out much longer, summon’d a Council to deliberate upon the present Posture of Affairs. They were all unanimous for a Peace upon any Terms; and therefore without Delay his Imperial Highness made a formal Surrender of himself, with all his Territories. Thus in one Day my Power was increas’d by the Addition of an Empire, together with nine or ten lesser Realms or Principalities; for immediately all the petty Sovereignties follow’d the Example of the Emperor, and strove who should be foremost in their Submissions. After such marvellous Success, having first plac’d a Garison of six hundred Musketeers in the Capital, I order’d the captive Emperor to be conducted aboard our Fleet. I treated him with the most perfect Humanity, and upon our Return some time after to _Quama_, I gave him an intire Province, the Revenues of which enabled the Royal Prisoner to live with a good Degree of Splendor.