A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder — John Shaqi
A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper CylinderDe Mille, James
Philosophy
A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder
De Mille, James
Science fiction
I found the galley to be about one hundred and fifty feet in length.
For about two thirds of this length forward it was open and filled
with seats, where there were about a hundred rowers, who all looked
like those that I had first seen, all being of small stature,
slender frames, and, moreover, all being apparently distressed by
the sunlight. There was in all of them the same mild and gentle
expression. In complexion and general outline of features they were
not unlike Arabs, but they were entirely destitute of that hardness
and austerity which the latter have. They all had beards, which were
dressed in a peculiar way in plaits. Their costume varied. The rowers
wore a coarse tunic, with a girdle of rope. The officers wore tunics
of fine cloth and very elegant mantles, richly embroidered, and with
borders of down. They all wore broad-brimmed hats, and the one who
seemed to be chief had on his some golden ornaments.
Here once more I tried to explain to them who I was. They looked at
me, examining me all over, inspecting my gun, pistol, coat, trousers,
boots, and hat, and talking all the time among themselves. They did
not touch me, but merely showed the natural curiosity which is felt at
the sight of a foreigner who has appeared unexpectedly. There was a
scrupulous delicacy and a careful and even ceremonious politeness in
their attitude toward me which was at once amazing and delightful. All
fear and anxiety had now left me; in the gentle manners and amiable
faces of these people I saw enough to assure me of kind treatment;
and in my deep joy and gratitude for this even my hunger was for a
time forgotten.
At length the chief motioned to me to follow him. He led the way to
the cabin, where, opening the door, he entered, and I followed, after
which the others came in also and then the door was shut. At first I
could see nothing. There were no windows whatever, and only one or two
slight crevices through which the light came. After a time my eyes
grew more accustomed to the darkness, and I could see that the cabin
was a spacious compartment, adorned with rich hangings of some unknown
material. There was a large table and seats. Taking me by the hand,
the chief led me to this, where I seated myself, while the others
remained standing. Then some of them went away, and soon returned with
food and drink. The food was of different kinds--some tasting like
goose, others like turkey, others like partridge. It was all the flesh
of fowls, though, judging from the slices before me, they must have
been of great size. I wondered much at the behavior of the officers
of the ship, who all, and the chief himself more than all, stood and
waited upon me; but it was a new world, and I supposed that this must
be the fashion; so I made no objections, but accepted the situation
and ate with a thankful heart.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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