Now these strange words of Captain Evangelist—though we did not fully believe them then — disconcerted us not a little, and were specially unwelcome to us just at that moment, for by this time we were making directly for, and about to enter, what our charts described as the fair Mirth Harbor of Pleasureland, where the most fascinating sights and sounds appeared to greet us on every side.
Moreover, the mood we were in at that time, we were not in the least inclined to look at the new charts given to us, even for a moment; so we had them quickly stowed away out of sight, and tried to forget all we had heard from Captain Evangelist. His words were to us as idle tales, for we heartily desired not to believe them.
“Why should we trouble ourselves about these vague reports,” said Captain Will. “There may not be a word of truth in them, for we see nothing around us to show that they are true. Besides, I shall take good care to steer clear of all dangers, if indeed there be any.”
“I am right glad to hear you say so, Captain,” said Mr. Heart. “I must confess it made me somewhat ill to hear such disquieting tales; and as we are in this charming harbor, let us banish them from our minds.”
Now in looking around this broad Mirth Harbor of Pleasureland, we beheld vast numbers of mariners, in decorated barges, rushing to and fro in a wild chase after some dim phantoms that appeared to be incessantly floating ahead of them. Colorful banners at various points bore the attractive names of Amusement, Gaiety, Fashion, Conviviality and such like, and waved invitingly to attract and urge them on in the wild chase; for all seemed to be eagerly engaged in this pursuit. It was indeed the sole business of the place. We, too, like all around us, soon joined in the giddy race after those fleeting phantoms; while the sounds of revelry, and of music and dancing, rang through the air.
Hither and thither we wildly went, frequently coming into frightful collision with one another; so that many sad disasters followed in consequence. Many, too, in the reckless haste of that maddening pursuit, ran on the hidden shoals and rocks that abounded in that dangerous harbor (as Captain Evangelist had told us) and were hopelessly wrecked; while we ourselves but narrowly escaped destruction.
On the numerous quays that extended along the whole length of that wide harbor, where the colorful banners were always floating, a perpetual world’s fair was kept up—the great Vanity Fair—where all the peculiar merchandise of that fallen world was being retailed to the thousands of exuberant and thoughtless mariners—the votaries of pleasure—who thronged those busy marts.
There it was that such commodities as lust, self-conceit, vain-glory, self-will and pride, decked in their most fascinating forms and colors, were offered for sale, and largely patronized. There, too, were to be found the common wares of folly, idle-fancies and vanity in endless varieties; and many other articles of worldly merchandise, in such great profusion, that they were to be had for the mere asking.
There also were to be found the famous apples of Sodom in great abundance, in all their enticing beauty, by which so many poor mariners were being perpetually deceived. They found when they partook thereof—though beautiful and tempting to the eye—nothing but dust and ashes within.
It was there, too, that all the voyagers became so heavily laden with those worthless wares of the world, that ever after they endangered their safety, by reason of the overpowering weight, which rendered them liable at any moment to founder and go down to destruction. Whole fleets, indeed, perished in consequence of being thus overlade.
We also, like others, foolishly burdened ourselves with a heavy cargo of those worthless wares of the world, by which our progress was greatly retarded, and which, afterward, became a source of great trouble and sorrow to us. That swift current likewise, which we had thought so helpful and pleasant, seemed now to bear us and all our fellow voyagers down with headlong speed towards the awfully dangerous breakers that lay so thickly in our course, and at times we were wholly at its mercy. Sudden gusts of wind would also catch us unawares and drive us in a moment into positions of the utmost peril.
After thus restlessly tossing about in those uncertain and dangerous waters, in hourly peril of being wrecked, we began to discover that the accounts we had received of the delights of Pleasureland were far from being true. For in all that exciting chase and the world’s great glittering fair—in which so many appeared to take such intense delight—we never could find that real satisfaction and happiness we had been longing for and expecting to find.
It was nothing but a perpetual round of excitement and unavailing toil: always ending in sad disappointment, and at times, in downright misery. Truly we had now begun to realize the truth of the words of the wise man who had said, “All is vanity and vexation of spirit.”
Besides, it was sad and most alarming to witness at times so many fair voyagers suddenly and hopelessly wrecked, and all their fond hopes extinguished forever.
Strange, and most unaccountable, too, was the spectacle, that with such disastrous shipwrecks incessantly occurring around them, none of all those lively seekers after pleasure seemed to consider themselves in any danger whatsoever. On the contrary, all appeared to be elated with an exuberance of careless mirthfulness, and utter indifference as to their fate; while the burden of the songs of the most reckless was, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Yet some of them, in their quieter moments, would tell us that in all that excitement they never could find the rest and happiness their souls so ardently longed for. In their experience, which was similar to our own, they always found that at the moment when they seemed about to secure the coveted prize of happiness, it eluded their grasp and entirely vanished.
Anchorage there was none—nothing but shifting quicksand everywhere; nor was there any shelter from the pitiless storms which ever raged all around the coasts of that much-frequented, but delusive Pleasureland.
In consequence of all this, it came to pass that Mr. Heart and some of our officers fell sick: while all on board began to grow weary of that profitless pursuit of mere shadows.
“Such was the shadow fools pursued on earth,
Under the name of Pleasure; fair outside,
Within corrupted, and corrupting still.
Ruined and ruinous, her sure reward,
Her total recompense, was still, as he
The bard, recorder of earth’s seasons, sang,
‘Vexation, disappointment, and remorse.’
Yet at her door the young and old, and some
Who held high character among the wise,
Together stood, and strove among themselves
Who first should enter, and be ruined first.”
Pollok
In our restlessness and irresolution, we now drifted about heedlessly, seeking rest, but finding none; and soon found ourselves in the midst of a vast fleet, going downwards towards the lower end of that great Mirth Harbor, from which extended the wide and alluring Bay of Wantonness. Into this enchanting, but most treacherous bay, untold numbers of heedless voyagers were being incessantly drawn by the smooth but overpowering eddies that whirled perpetually therein; enticed moreover by the soft seductive songs of the bewitching sirens on their rocky isles, which had lured so many unsuspecting mariners to their destruction. There in that broad, inviting bay they sped round and round those furious and irresistible whirlpools, until drawn into their awful vortex and swiftly carried “down to the chambers of death.”
Now about that time, as Mr. Heart lay sick in his cabin, he began (either from curiosity or to ease his troubled mind) to look over the Royal charts and soon after told us that in the solemn silence of the night a “still small voice” often whispered in his ear the significant words, “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labor for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live.” And at other times the voice kept on repeating, “Why will ye die? For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God; wherefore turn and live.”
On hearing this account, Mr. Conscience remarked that he and Mr. Understanding had also been looking over the Royal charts and found it stated therein that all who came to these parts were sailing with the King’s enemies in regions that were under the tyrannical rule and dominion of the wicked Abaddon who, by usurpation, was at present the god of this world. This giddy race after pleasure was mainly kept up by him and his emissaries to divert and draw off the King’s subjects from their rightful sovereign. By thus encouraging them in their disobedience and rebellion, this cruel destroyer sought to drive them on the hidden rocks that abounded in these quarters, and then hurry them down into the bottomless abyss, which is his own dark abode.
And, further, judgment and desolation are determined upon all who are given to these vain pursuits: who thus forget their sovereign, cast off all restraint, and willfully disobey his laws.
“But,” said Mr. Feelings, who was much annoyed by these words, “for my part, I like this pleasant isle right well, and this fair harbor. The excitement of the chase, too, is certainly very enjoyable; and as Way-of-the-world says, ‘What would life be worth, if we did not enjoy all the pleasures provided for us here?’ Besides, Mr. Way-of-the-world, who ought to know, also says that all the rich, the noble, and the great of every clime come here to seek enjoyment: and why should not we do the same? We are certainly in the best of company, and plenty of it.”
“Yes, it may be so,” said Mr. Conscience. “But if the Royal charts be true, it is here and in this manner that the inhabitants of the Land of Mortality are ever showing their opposition to the Almighty King of the Universe who has made us, and all things, and therefore has a right to our allegiance.
“By coming here, say the charts, all seem to forget the King in the midst of their pleasures, slight His authority, and refuse to hear the kind messages He has been sending to them by His messengers for many centuries. Moreover, it makes one tremble to think what the end of all this may be. Common prudence surely tells us that it would be well to consider the end of all these things. Even old Way-of-the-world says, ‘All is well that ends well’; and we certainly know that we cannot always abide here, but must pass over to the other side, sooner or later.”
“Well, whether these things be so or not,” observed Mr. Heart, “we certainly have not gained much by coming here: not as much as one grain of real comfort that I can see; while this giddy race and these vain pursuits have made me ill and very weary.” Just then a sharp squall came down suddenly upon us, (for such storms were frequent in those parts) and no one being at the helm, we began to drift rapidly towards the rocks nearby on which we were in imminent danger of being wrecked.
But by the promptness of Captain Will (who was a resolute mariner) in taking the helm, we fortunately managed to escape.
It was then resolved that we should quit this dangerous Mirth Harbor, and seek some better and safer haven where we could be more at ease to enjoy ourselves: but with no thought, however, of following the good counsel given to us by Evangelist.
Now altering our sails and veering around, we essayed to sail in the opposite direction, but we found, to our dismay, that going against the current was a very different matter from going with it. At first it seemed impossible to make the least headway; so, we set to tacking hither and thither across the current. Yet, after many a weary day of such fruitless toiling, we made no progress: but on the contrary, found ourselves drifting back continually with the stream. Moreover, we were laughed at and jeered by some of our fellow-voyagers—who were rushing gaily down with the stream—for our folly in attempting to go up against such a head wind and strong current. Mr. Thoughts and the Captain then set themselves to make some paddles, which they had contrived, to help us on our way.
But being made of very frail wood, from a tree known by the name of Human Effort, these paddles had no strength whatever and continually broke in the using. Besides, when plunged in that rapid stream against which we were striving, no hold could be got whereby to work ourselves onward, because they were immediately drawn away with the force of the current as soon as applied. Therefore, they could not afford us the slightest assistance.
After much sore toiling, however, with contrary winds, we at length rounded the headland known as the Cape-of-good-resolves, but it did not much improve our position by getting there. For by still coasting along the treacherous shores of Pleasureland we were always in great danger of drifting with the tide upon the rocks of a perilous lee shore.
It was while thus laboriously toiling on our course that we came in sight of a long line of black, rugged-looking rocks, against which the wild surf of the turbulent ocean was dashing most furiously.
Then, to our astonishment, we beheld crowds of vessels sailing recklessly close to the very edge of those terrible rocks: and, ever and anon, many of them were driven down by the current with frightful speed directly upon those rugged breakers and dashed to pieces, so that the whole line of that black coast was littered with wrecks. Frequently, too, these reckless mariners came into fearful collision with one another through sheer madness, and, in consequence, they suddenly foundered.
While gazing on this strange scene, one of these vessels happened to pass near to us, and we beheld her frantic crew running to and fro in wild frenzy with no one at the helm. As they hurried rapidly by, they burst into a loud bacchanalian song, the refrain of which was, “A short life and a merry one.” Then with maddening speed they rushed down upon those dreadful rocks, where, with an awful crash, they quickly perished.
A King’s messenger bearing up towards us at that moment to warn us of our danger, we desired to know the reason of this strange and reckless conduct of so many voyagers. Whereupon he replied, “That long line of black and dismal rocks you see yonder on the coast of Pleasureland are known as the open Roads of Intemperance, which are exposed to the full force and fury of all the storms that rage on this dangerous ocean, and where this swift current breaks with most destructive violence.
“That unfortunate craft that passed a while ago was the Inebriate, late from Drunken-man’s Creek, close by. A furious demon called Vile-appetite (one of Abaddon’s crew, who is ever busy in these quarters) got on board and induced the crew to rise in mutiny. The Captain was put in irons below, their pilot, Mr. Conscience, was thrown overboard; and an old Boatswain, one Drink-hard, the chief of the mutineers, took the command. Then, despising all warnings, and being made delirious by the demon, they madly rushed—like many others of the same class—straight on to the breakers below, where Abaddon’s wreckers await to hurry them down into the great Abyss by a near passage therefrom.”
The wild and reckless frenzy of those deluded mariners, who could thus, in the full light of day with those terrible rocks of ruin plainly before them, rush with such deliberate and maddening speed to certain destruction, greatly amazed us. For many a day afterward, we wondered what strange infatuation it was that thus impelled them willfully to wreck their all, for time and for eternity. It was one of the many mysteries of that strange period of Time history.
Now as we thought on these distressing scenes, we trembled for our own safety; and Mr. Heart grew faint as he contemplated those dread rocks and the numerous wrecks that were strewn all around them. So we hastened on, with all speed, to clear that perilous coast, and then changed our course for the famous island of Wealthland—so much commended by Mr. Way-of-the-world—hoping, as Mr. Heart said, to find things more to our liking. For as yet, in our folly, we paid no serious attention to the Royal charts, nor heeded the warnings of good Captain Evangelist. Mr. Conscience, too, was quiet and growing careless, though at times he would mutter in our ears some of the words of the King’s Directory he had been reading: such as, “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy”; and “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?”
Still we heeded not, for Way-of-the-world’s sayings were far more agreeable to us. So we began with great ardor and enthusiasm to look out, with the aid of our telescopes, for the much-desired Wealthland; which we had resolved to visit, if possible, in spite of all warnings.
Now at that time we knew not that the glasses of old Way-of-the-world were so extremely faulty. The lenses, as we afterward found out, were wholly “uncorrected” (as the opticians would say) and so retained all the aberrations that naturally belonged to them. Consequently, in looking through them, all the objects we beheld were much distorted or unduly magnified, and sometimes they appeared turned upside down.
Everything, indeed, appeared in some unreal or false position. Moreover, whenever we looked in the direction of the three noted islands, everything there appeared clad in very brilliant, but false colors, which gave them a most beautiful and inviting appearance.
But when we attempted to look upwards towards the heavens with these glasses, all was darkness itself, and nothing could be seen.
Still, in our foolishness then, we were greatly pleased with those illusions; and it was our chief employment and delight to gaze incessantly on the scenes presented to our view, in those islands of the world, with such wonderful but deceptive glasses of old Way-of-the-world, which we greatly prized at that time.