From the archives of a secret geographical society.

All the scientists of the world, I greet you today with great joy! My name is Arthur Flenyo and, as you have heard, some time ago I embarked on a research expedition with the ambitious goal of discovering a shorter sea route between two great centres of civilization: Paris and Norilsk. During this expedition I made a discovery that eclipsed the initial goal: I discovered a new continent. As you know, Europeans once called America "The New World". And in that same spirit, but recognizing the march of time and discovery, I have named it "The Newest World" (for it is, in every sense, newer).

The result of the expedition was this diary, written by me during the trip. It contains all the data that I managed to find out during my stay in the Newest World. But science is more than just data. Though it is forgotten these days, the feelings are also an important part of any scientific study. For this reason this manuscript contains the music I made. I believe it serves as a vital complemet to the text, capturing the dimensions of dicovery that words alone can't describe.

Today I was sailing all day in an unknown direction when suddenly a magnificent island appeared on the horizon. This land is not marked on any map of the Earth. It looks quite impressive, 10/10. But I'm not sure about the size of this island. I must sail around it to chart its contours.

For almost twelve days I wrote nothing in my diary. For almost twelve days, my ship sailed along the coast without any rest. My eyes grew weary from tracing the shoreline, yet the land's beauty never diminished. And God, curiosity doesn't leave me. On each of those twelve days, I wanted to sail around this island, land on it, and start exploring.

I have purposely not described my observations here, so that I would not lose the desire to land on the island. I will write them after the "landing".

"This land has no edge," I began to think and realized without any doubt that this is not an island at all, it is a huge continent!

This is the thirteenth day I've been sailing around this land. Well, since thirteen is considered to be a lucky number, I've decided that today is the day I will finally go ashore and begin my exploration. I'll take my backpack with me, along with the most important things.

A lot has happened in the time I haven't written anything here. I don't even know where to start. Well, I went ashore and began to thoroughly explore the Newest World (actually, I was just running along the shore shouting "I'm the new Christopher Columbus!"). Despite the fact that my exploratory work was quiet, calm and careful, my presence on this land attracted the attention of the local savages. They, it turns out, can be not only in civilized countries, but also on unexplored continents. However, as soon as they discovered me, the chase began...

At first I tried to surround them, but since I was alone, I failed, so I started to run away from them. After three minutes of exciting chase, they had driven me to a dead end, and with a brave face full of courage I prepared to bravely accept my death.

But death, unfortunately, was not ready to accept me. These savages, as it turned out, were not savages at all. At first it seemed to me that they assumed such postures as if they were preparing to attack. Then I noticed that these guys (no longer savages!) were looking at me with curious eyes. They came up to me and started groping and sniffing. It was unpleasant, but I breathed a sigh of reprieve.

In the midst of the crowd came out probably the oldest one. He shook my hand, pointed to himself and to his group, then put his hand to his heart, then started pointing to my pocket and clicking his teeth, then made a gesture as if he wanted to cut off his eyelashes with scissors, and then as if he were turning a shuffleboard. In general, from all this speech of gestures I understood what he was trying to explain: the inhabitants of this land are a friendly people who are ready to welcome their guest with dignity.

I tried to explain to him that I was a navigator and traveler, amazed by the beauty of these lands (I hope he understood everything correctly). I even decided to give these people some trinkets that I had put in my backpack: binoculars, coins, keys, a ring, something else. My gifts, of course, can't be called gifts, but they liked them. Then the old man offered me a tour of the land. I, of course, agreed.

And now we have been walking for about two hours along some road leading to some unknown place. I learned a lot of interesting things. I'll write more when I have time.

Our route follows a stone road and should end in the central city of the locals (you could say, in their capital). The excursion was conducted by the same old man, whose name, unfortunately, I can't translate from sign language. He was dressed in a chiton with a cloak (it looked like ancient Greek clothes, only made of a strange material).  

My communication with him was through gestures, occasionally learning phrases of my language and theirs. Even though I didn't always understand what the elder wanted to say, his gesticulation was excellent!

We've been walking for four hours. We decided to stop for a snack.

Turns out the inhabitants have an entire nation! A real empire that was founded by a great super chief named Hahahahahahahahhhhhhhhhhhhhshshshsahahah. He gained incredible honor and respect among his kin due to his good sense of humor (but from the jokes I was told, I could say it was far from the truth) and his ability to work hard. The whole nation, as well as the empire itself, were named after the great Hahahahahahahahhhhhhhhhhhhhshshshsahahah, because "the name of the chief should belong to the people".But to avoid the long name, I decided to name this country after myself - Fleniada. After all, I am the discoverer of the continent).

So, in the social system of Fleniada there is no such slavery, which we had in Europe of ancient times. There is not even debt slavery here: "if you want to eat - help to farm the land, you need a house - help to build a city". These are their simple rules, which are written down with knots on ropes (they have their own strange writing system).

The whole society is divided into collectives of relatives, each of which is headed by an elder (one of them is giving me a tour). The elders look after common interests and enjoy common trust. They even have their own council where they decide on important state issues.

Men are engaged in making tools, building, fishing, hunting and teaching young men to hunt. Women, on the other hand, cultivate crops, make clothes, take care of small children and prepare food. I have seen many figures of women carved from bones. This perhaps indicates the high regard in which women mothers are held by the Fleniadians.

But let's move on from the description of Fleniada society to the flora and fauna.

And it's very ordinary. Just like in the tropics. But there are a few exceptions. For example, there is a flying insect-eating plant (it flies with the root and a piece of earth). There's also a pocket shark.

A pocket shark is not a piranha, it's a regular shark, but only small. It fits in a pocket, which is why the Indians gave it that name. (It's a bit strange though, because they hadn't invented pockets yet..... But whatever!)

This shark feeds, I'm told, on human ear bones! It can even make sea sounds so people mistake it for a seashell and put it to their ears! But the Fleniadians were kind enough to warn me about it.....

By the way, we're on the road again.... goodbye!

We walked for about six hours to the capital of Fleniada. The tour guide's old man told me to be patient. So I did. But the closer we got to the city, the weirder I felt and it was like I was starting to hallucinate. In front of me was the capital...

It was a marvelous city, even though it was in a huge hole! But I think even being in Europe, it would have amazed people with its beauty. It was a real fairy tale where man and nature are best friends!

With every detail the city showed the high level of skill of its creators Fleniadians. They approached the architecture in a very original way. Their buildings resembled ancient pantheons, only made of stone blocks.

There were almost no people on the streets (they are sleeping at this time), but the city was built in such a way that even without them I could feel the beating of life around me. I was even a little proud to call this country by its name on the way here. But, to be honest, my admiration was suppressed by sad considerations.

If I succeed in sending my diaries to the old world, and if any of its representatives, reading this, take my notes as some sort of joke, I dare say that every joke has some truth in it. Well, and the truth of my adventure is this....

From the moment I landed on this land, I couldn't help but think of Columbus' landing. From the moment I saw the people here, I couldn't help but think of the Native Americans. And as soon as I saw their capital, I immediately thought of the Incas!

The Incas of South America were able to build the most enormous empire of the entire globe at that time in one century. They had knowledge of math and architecture, Europeans could have walked hand in hand with them. But their entire culture was barbarically destroyed! So what's my point?

Since I am the new Christopher Columbus, and I am facing new Indians with their culture, it means that very soon new colonizers will come here on my way. It would be foolish to think that Fleniada could escape the same cruel abuse that the Indians of South and North America experienced. Today we often hear that our society has become the most humane in the history of human civilization. In fact, humanity has not improved much since colonization. There simply hasn't been an occasion for cruelty yet.

All the greatest human atrocities were committed because of the thirst for power and wealth. But we haven't gotten rid of those desires today. Now more than ever before, man is taught to think of his own interests and to be indifferent to everything social. Wealth, prestige, fame and power have become the motivations and goals of many people today. This means that the exploitation of the Fleniad will be much more brutal. No, people of the New and the Old Worlds are not ready for the Newest World.

And now I can't stop thinking about the future of this land. Because soon enough, whether I like it or not, new colonizers will be coming my way. And there's nothing I can do about it!

And I can't understand why I'm really worried. Is it because I feel sorry for the Fleniadians? Or is it that by accidentally sailing to this continent and starting a new atrocity, I've ruined my reputation?

The sun was beginning to sink below the horizon, but everything was still bright. The Fleniadians must have noticed my change of mood and, thinking I was tired, invited me to a great feast "in honor of a stranger from other lands"! The food there was so poor, but it was very pleasant to me.

At the end of the feast I expressed my gratitude to the Fleniadians for their kind and warm welcome, and made the most touching toast in the world in sign language. 

After the feast I was left alone with the old guide, I told him what might await his people. He only smiled in response. He apparently didn't understand anything. So I decided to just give him a big hug and told him that I would never forget him.

So that I would not have to walk six hours back, they decided to launch me to the coast on a catapult. Before the projectile was launched, the happy Fleniadians crowded in front of it, shouting "Goodbye" in their own language. The local Archimedes accurately calculated my flight path, and thus I was back on my ship: I don't remember how I landed, but I do remember flying and waking up on deck.

Full of different kinds of reflections, I left Fleniada and sailed on. And maybe I'm sad, but still glad I've been here.

As a child, I read a lot about the happiness that pioneer sailors felt when they discovered new lands and put them on the map. And I resented them: there was nothing more to discover, they left us nothing undiscovered on Earth. But now I seem to realize that more than new continents, we need new people!