Forms a design
of making discoveries in the interior parts of Africa--His
discourse with Hilaro Frosticos about it--His conversation with Lady
Fragrantia--The Baron goes, with other persons of distinction, to Court;
relates an anecdote of the Marquis de Bellecourt._

All that I have related before, said the Baron, is gospel; and if there
be any one so hardy as to deny it, I am ready to fight him with any
weapon he pleases. Yes, cried he, in a more elevated tone, as he started
from his seat, I will condemn him to swallow this decanter, glass and
all perhaps, and filled with kerren-wasser [a kind of ardent spirit
distilled from cherries, and much used in some parts of Germany].
Therefore, my dear friends and companions, have confidence in what I
say, and pay honour to the tales of Munchausen. A traveller has a right
to relate and embellish his adventures as he pleases, and it is very
unpolite to refuse that deference and applause they deserve.

Having passed some time in England since the completion of my former
memoirs, I at length began to revolve in my mind what a prodigious field
of discovery must be in the interior part of Africa. I could not sleep
with the thoughts of it; I therefore determined to gain every proper
assistance from Government to penetrate the celebrated source of the
Nile, and assume the viceroyship of the interior kingdoms of Africa, or,
at least, the great realm of Monomotapa. It was happy for me that I had
one most powerful friend at court, whom I shall call the illustrious
Hilaro Frosticos. You perchance know him not by that name; but we had
a language among ourselves, as well we may, for in the course of my
peregrinations I have acquired precisely nine hundred and ninety-nine
leash of languages. What! gentlemen, do you stare? Well, I allow there
are not so many languages spoken in this vile world; but then, have I
not been in the moon? and trust me, whenever I write a treatise upon
education, I shall delineate methods of inculcating whole dozens of
languages at once, French, Spanish, Greek, Hebrew, Cherokee, &c., in
such a style as will shame all the pedagogues existing.

Having passed a whole night without being able to sleep for the vivid
imagination of African discoveries, I hastened to the levee of my
illustrious friend Hilaro Frosticos, and having mentioned my intention
with all the vigour of fancy, he gravely considered my words, and
after some awful meditations thus he spoke: _Olough, m