A strange effect of narrow principles and views! that a prince
possessed of every quality which procures veneration, love, and
esteem; of strong parts, great wisdom, and profound learning,
endowed with admirable talents, and almost adored by his subjects,
should, from a nice, unnecessary scruple, whereof in Europe we can
have no conception, let slip an opportunity put into his hands that
would have made him absolute master of the lives, the liberties,
and the fortunes of his people!  Neither do I say this, with the
least intention to detract from the many virtues of that excellent
king, whose character, I am sensible, will, on this account, be
very much lessened in the opinion of an English reader:  but I take
this defect among them to have risen from their ignorance, by not
having hitherto reduced politics into a science, as the more acute
wits of Europe have done.  For, I remember very well, in a
discourse one day with the king, when I happened to say, "there
were several thousand books among us written upon the art of
government," it gave him (directly contrary to my intention) a very
mean opinion of our understandings.  He professed both to abominate
and despise all mystery, refinement, and intrigue, either in a
prince or a minister.  He could not tell what I meant by secrets of
state, where an enemy, or some rival nation, were not in the case.
He confined the knowledge of governing within very narrow bounds,
to common sense and reason, to justice and lenity, to the speedy
determination of civil and criminal causes; with some other obvious
topics, which are not worth considering.  And he gave it for his
opinion, "that whoever could make two ears of corn, or two blades
of grass, to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before,
would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to
his country, than the whole race of politicians put together."

The learning of this people is very defective, consisting only in
morality, history, poetry, and mathematics, wherein they must be
allowed to excel.  But the last of these is wholly applied to what
may be useful in life, to the improvement of agriculture, and all
mechanical arts; so that among us, it would be little esteemed.
And as to ideas, entities, abstractions, and transcendentals, I
could never drive the least conception into their heads.

No law in that country must exceed in words the number of letters
in their alphabet, which consists only of two and twenty.  But
indeed few of them extend even to that length.  They are expressed
in the most plain and simple terms, wherein those people are not
mercurial enough to discover above one interpretation:  and to
write a comment upon any law, is a capital crime.  As to the
decision of civil causes, or proceedings against criminals, their
precedents are so few, that they have little reason to boast of any
extraordinary skill in either.

They have had the art of printing, as well as the Chinese, time out
of mind:  but their libraries are not very large; for that of the
king, which is reckoned the largest, does not amount to above a
thousand volumes, placed in a gallery of twelve hundred feet long,
whence I had liberty to borrow what books I pleased.  The queen's
joiner had contrived in one of Glumdalclitch's rooms, a kind of
wooden machine five-and-twenty feet high, formed like a standing
ladder; the steps were each fifty feet long.  It was indeed a
moveable pair of stairs, the lowest end placed at ten feet distance
from the wall of the chamber.  The book I had a mind to read, was
put up leaning against the wall:  I first mounted to the upper step
of the ladder, and turning my face towards the book, began at the
top of the page, and so walking to the right and left about eight
or ten paces, according to the length of the lines, till I had
gotten a little below the level of mine eyes, and then descending
gradually till I came to the bottom:  after which I mounted again,
and began the other page in the same manner, and so turned over the
leaf, which I could easily do with both my hands, for it was as
thick and stiff as a pasteboard, and in the largest folios not
above eighteen or twenty feet long.

Their style is clear, masculine, and smooth, but not florid; for
they avoid nothing more than multiplying unnecessary words, or
using various expressions.  I have perused many of their books,
especially those in history and morality.  Among the rest, I was
much diverted with a little old treatise, which always lay in
Glumdalclitch's bed chamber, and belonged to her governess, a grave
elderly gentlewoman, who dealt in writings of morality and
devotion.  The book treats of the weakness of human kind, and is in
little esteem, except among the women and the vulgar.  However, I
was curious to see what an author of that country could say upon
such a subject.  This writer went through all the usual topics of
European moralists, showing "how diminutive, contemptible, and
helpless an animal was man in his own nature; how unable to defend
himself from inclemencies of the air, or the fury of wild beasts:
how much he was excelled by one creature in strength, by another in
speed, by a third in foresight, by a fourth in industry."  He
added, "that nature was degenerated in these latter declining ages
of the world, and could now produce only small abortive births, in
comparison of those in ancient times."  He said "it was very
reasonable to think, not only that the species of men were
originally much larger, but also that there must have been giants
in former ages; which, as it is asserted by history and tradition,
so it has been confirmed by huge bones and skulls, casually dug up
in several parts of the kingdom, far exceeding the common dwindled
race of men in our days."  He argued, "that the very laws of nature
absolutely required we should have been made, in the beginning of a
size more large and robust; not so liable to destruction from every
little accident, of a tile falling from a house, or a stone cast
from the hand of a boy, or being drowned in a little brook."  From
this way of reasoning, the author drew several moral applications,
useful in the conduct of life, but needless here to repeat.  For my
own part, I could not avoid reflecting how universally this talent
was spread, of drawing lectures in morality, or indeed rather
matter of discontent and repining, from the quarrels we raise with
nature.  And I believe, upon a strict inquiry, those quarrels might
be shown as ill-grounded among us as they are among that people.

As to their military affairs, they boast that the king's army
consists of a hundred and seventy-six thousand foot, and thirty-two
thousand horse:  if that may be called an army, which is made up of
tradesmen in the several cities, and farmers in the country, whose
commanders are only the nobility and gentry, without pay or reward.
They are indeed perfect enough in their exercises, and under very
good discipline, wherein I saw no great merit; for how should it be
otherwise, where every farmer is under the command of his own
landlord, and every citizen under that of the principal men in his
own city, chosen after the manner of Venice, by ballot?

I have often seen the militia of Lorbrulgrud drawn out to exercise,
in a great field near the city of twenty miles square.  They were
in all not above twenty-five thousand foot, and six thousand horse;
but it was impossible for me to compute their number, considering
the space of ground they took up.  A cavalier, mounted on a large
steed, might be about ninety feet high.  I have seen this whole
body of horse, upon a word of command, draw their swords at once,
and brandish them in the air.  Imagination can figure nothing so
grand, so surprising, and so astonishing! it looked as if ten
thousand flashes of lightning were darting at the same time from
every quarter of the sky.

I was curious to know how this prince, to whose dominions there is
no access from any other country, came to think of armies, or to
teach his people the practice of military discipline.  But I was
soon informed, both by conversation and reading their histories;
for, in the course of many ages, they have been troubled with the
same disease to which the whole race of mankind is subject; the
nobility often contending for power, the people for liberty, and
the king for absolute dominion.  All which, however happily
tempered by the laws of that kingdom, have been sometimes violated
by each of the three parties, and have more than once occasioned
civil wars; the last whereof was happily put an end to by this
prince's grand-father, in a general composition; and the militia,
then settled with common consent, has been ever since kept in the
strictest duty.



CHAPTER VIII.



[The king and queen make a progress to the frontiers.  The author
attends them.  The manner in which he leaves the country very
particularly related.  He returns to England.]

I had always a strong impulse that I should some time recover my
liberty, though it was impossible to conjecture by what means, or
to form any project with the least hope of succeeding.  The ship in
which I sailed, was the first ever known to be driven within sight
of that coast, and the king had given strict orders, that if at any
time another appeared, it should be taken ashore, and with all its
crew and passengers brought in a tumbril to Lorbrulgrud.  He was
strongly bent to get me a woman of my own size, by whom I might
propagate the breed:  but I think I should rather have died than
undergone the disgrace of leaving a posterity to be kept in cages,
like tame canary-birds, and perhaps, in time, sold about the
kingdom, to persons of quality, for curiosities.  I was indeed
treated with much kindness:  I was the favourite of a great king
and queen, and the delight of the whole court; but it was upon such
a foot as ill became the dignity of humankind.  I could never
forget those domestic pledges I had left behind me.  I wanted to be
among people, with whom I could converse upon even terms, and walk
about the streets and fields without being afraid of being trod to
death like a frog or a young puppy.  But my deliverance came sooner
than I expected, and in a manner not very common; the whole story
and circumstances of which I shall faithfully relate.

I had now been two years in this country; and about the beginning
of the third, Glumdalclitch and I attended the king and queen, in a
progress to the south coast of the kingdom.  I was carried, as
usual, in my travelling-box, which as I have already described, was
a very convenient closet, of twelve feet wide.  And I had ordered a
hammock to be fixed, by silken ropes from the four corners at the
top, to break the jolts, when a servant carried me before him on
horseback, as I sometimes desired; and would often sleep in my
hammock, while we were upon the road.  On the roof of my closet,
not directly over the middle of the hammock, I ordered the joiner
to cut out a hole of a foot square, to give me air in hot weather,
as I slept; which hole I shut at pleasure with a board that drew
backward and forward through a groove.

When we came to our journey's end, the king thought proper to pass
a few days at a palace he has near Flanflasnic, a city within
eighteen English miles of the seaside.  Glumdalclitch and I were
much fatigued:  I had gotten a small cold, but the poor girl was so
ill as to be confined to her chamber.  I longed to see the ocean,
which must be the only scene of my escape, if ever it should
happen.  I pretended to be worse than I really was, and desired
leave to take the fresh air of the sea, with a page, whom I was
very fond of, and who had sometimes been trusted with me.  I shall
never forget with what unwillingness Glumdalclitch consented, nor
the strict charge she gave the page to be careful of me, bursting
at the same time into a flood of tears, as if she had some
forboding of what was to happen.  The boy took me out in my box,
about half an hours walk from the palace, towards the rocks on the
sea-shore.  I ordered him to set me down, and lifting up one of my
sashes, cast many a wistful melancholy look towards the sea.  I
found myself not very well, and told the page that I had a mind to
take a nap in my hammock, which I hoped would do me good.  I got
in, and the boy shut the window close down, to keep out the cold.
I soon fell asleep, and all I can conjecture is, while I slept, the
page, thinking no danger could happen, went among the rocks to look
for birds' eggs, having before observed him from my window
searching about, and picking up one or two in the clefts.  Be that
as it will, I found myself suddenly awaked with a violent pull upon
the ring, which was fastened at the top of my box for the
conveniency of carriage.  I felt my box raised very high in the
air, and then borne forward with prodigious speed.  The first jolt
had like to have shaken me out of my hammock, but afterward the
motion was easy enough.  I called out several times, as loud as I
could raise my voice, but all to no purpose.  I looked towards my
windows, and could see nothing but the clouds and sky.  I heard a
noise just over my head, like the clapping of wings, and then began
to perceive the woful condition I was in; that some eagle had got
the ring of my box in his beak, with an intent to let it fall on a
rock, like a tortoise in a shell, and then pick out my body, and
devour it:  for the sagacity and smell of this bird enables him to
discover his quarry at a great distance, though better concealed
than I could be within a two-inch board.

In a little time, I observed the noise and flutter of wings to
increase very fast, and my box was tossed up and down, like a sign
in a windy day.  I heard several bangs or buffets, as I thought
given to the eagle (for such I am certain it must have been that
held the ring of my box in his beak), and then, all on a sudden,
felt myself falling perpendicularly down, for above a minute, but
with such incredible swiftness, that I almost lost my breath.  My
fall was stopped by a terrible squash, that sounded louder to my
ears than the cataract of Niagara; after which, I was quite in the
dark for another minute, and then my box began to rise so high,
that I could see light from the tops of the windows.  I now
perceived I was fallen into the sea.  My box, by the weight of my
body, the goods that were in, and the broad plates of iron fixed
for strength at the four corners of the top and bottom, floated
about five feet deep in water.  I did then, and do now suppose,
that the eagle which flew away with my box was pursued by two or
three others, and forced to let me drop, while he defended himself
against the rest, who hoped to share in the prey.  The plates of
iron fastened at the bottom of the box (for those were the
strongest) preserved the balance while it fell, and hindered it
from being broken on the surface of the water. Every joint of it
was well grooved; and the door did not move on hinges, but up and
down like a sash, which kept my closet so tight that very little
water came in.  I got with much difficulty out of my hammock,
having first ventured to draw back the slip-board on the roof
already mentioned, contrived on purpose to let in air, for want of
which I found myself almost stifled.

How often did I then wish myself with my dear Glumdalclitch, from
whom one single hour had so far divided me!  And I may say with
truth, that in the midst of my own misfortunes I could not forbear
lamenting my poor nurse, the grief she would suffer for my loss,
the displeasure of the queen, and the ruin of her fortune.  Perhaps
many travellers have not been under greater difficulties and
distress than I was at this juncture, expecting every moment to see
my box dashed to pieces, or at least overset by the first violent
blast, or rising wave.  A breach in one single pane of glass would
have been immediate death:  nor could any thing have preserved the
windows, but the strong lattice wires placed on the outside,
against accidents in travelling.  I saw the water ooze in at
several crannies, although the leaks were not considerable, and I
endeavoured to stop them as well as I could.  I was not able to
lift up the roof of my closet, which otherwise I certainly should
have done, and sat on the top of it; where I might at least
preserve myself some hours longer, than by being shut up (as I may
call it) in the hold.  Or if I escaped these dangers for a day or
two, what could I expect but a miserable death of cold and hunger?
I was four hours under these circumstances, expecting, and indeed
wishing, every moment to be my last.

I have already told the reader that there were two strong staples
fixed upon that side of my box which had no window, and into which
the servant, who used to carry me on horseback, would put a
leathern belt, and buckle it about his waist.  Being in this
disconsolate state, I heard, or at least thought I heard, some kind
of grating noise on that side of my box where the staples were
fixed; and soon after I began to fancy that the box was pulled or
towed along the sea; for I now and then felt a sort of tugging,
which made the waves rise near the tops of my windows, leaving me
almost in the dark.  This gave me some faint hopes of relief,
although I was not able to imagine how it could be brought about.
I ventured to unscrew one of my chairs, which were always fastened
to the floor; and having made a hard shift to screw it down again,
directly under the slipping-board that I had lately opened, I
mounted on the chair, and putting my mouth as near as I could to
the hole, I called for help in a loud voice, and in all the
languages I understood.  I then fastened my handkerchief to a stick
I usually carried, and thrusting it up the hole, waved it several
times in the air, that if any boat or ship were near, the seamen
might conjecture some unhappy mortal to be shut up in the box.

I found no effect from all I could do, but plainly perceived my
closet to be moved along; and in the space of an hour, or better,
that side of the box where the staples were, and had no windows,
struck against something that was hard.  I apprehended it to be a
rock, and found myself tossed more than ever.  I plainly heard a
noise upon the cover of my closet, like that of a cable, and the
grating of it as it passed through the ring.  I then found myself
hoisted up, by degrees, at least three feet higher than I was
before.  Whereupon I again thrust up my stick and handkerchief,
calling for help till I was almost hoarse.  In return to which, I
heard a great shout repeated three times, giving me such transports
of joy as are not to be conceived but by those who feel them.  I
now heard a trampling over my head, and somebody calling through
the hole with a loud voice, in the English tongue, "If there be any
body below, let them speak."  I answered, "I was an Englishman,
drawn by ill fortune into the greatest calamity that ever any
creature underwent, and begged, by all that was moving, to be
delivered out of the dungeon I was in."  The voice replied, "I was
safe, for my box was fastened to their ship; and the carpenter
should immediately come and saw a hole in the cover, large enough
to pull me out."  I answered, "that was needless, and would take up
too much time; for there was no more to be done, but let one of the
crew put his finger into the ring, and take the box out of the sea
into the ship, and so into the captain's cabin."  Some of them,
upon hearing me talk so wildly, thought I was mad:  others laughed;
for indeed it never came into my head, that I was now got among
people of my own stature and strength.  The carpenter came, and in
a few minutes sawed a passage about four feet square, then let down
a small ladder, upon which I mounted, and thence was taken into the
ship in a very weak condition.

The sailors were all in amazement, and asked me a thousand
questions, which I had no inclination to answer.  I was equally
confounded at the sight of so many pigmies, for such I took them to
be, after having so long accustomed mine eyes to the monstrous
objects I had left.  But the captain, Mr. Thomas Wilcocks, an
honest worthy Shropshire man, observing I was ready to faint, took
me into his cabin, gave me a cordial to comfort me, and made me
turn in upon his own bed, advising me to take a little rest, of
which I had great need.  Before I went to sleep, I gave him to
understand that I had some valuable furniture in my box, too good
to be lost:  a fine hammock, a handsome field-bed, two chairs, a
table, and a cabinet; that my closet was hung on all sides, or
rather quilted, with silk and cotton; that if he would let one of
the crew bring my closet into his cabin, I would open it there
before him, and show him my goods.  The captain, hearing me utter
these absurdities, concluded I was raving; however (I suppose to
pacify me) he promised to give order as I desired, and going upon
deck, sent some of his men down into my closet, whence (as I
afterwards found) they drew up all my goods, and stripped off the
quilting; but the chairs, cabinet, and bedstead, being screwed to
the floor, were much damaged by the ignorance of the seamen, who
tore them up by force.  Then they knocked off some of the boards
for the use of the ship, and when they had got all they had a mind
for, let the hull drop into the sea, which by reason of many
breaches made in the bottom and sides, sunk to rights.  And,
indeed, I was glad not to have been a spectator of the havoc they
made, because I am confident it would have sensibly touched me, by
bringing former passages into my mind, which I would rather have
forgot.

I slept some hours, but perpetually disturbed with dreams of the
place I had left, and the dangers I had escaped.  However, upon
waking, I found myself much recovered.  It was now about eight
o'clock at night, and the captain ordered supper immediately,
thinking I had already fasted too long.  He entertained me with
great kindness, observing me not to look wildly, or talk
inconsistently:  and, when we were left alone, desired I would give
him a relation of my travels, and by what accident I came to be set
adrift, in that monstrous wooden chest.  He said "that about twelve
o'clock at noon, as he was looking through his glass, he spied it
at a distance, and thought it was a sail, which he had a mind to
make, being not much out of his course, in hopes of buying some
biscuit, his own beginning to fall short.  That upon coming nearer,
and finding his error, he sent out his long-boat to discover what
it was; that his men came back in a fright, swearing they had seen
a swimming house.  That he laughed at their folly, and went himself
in the boat, ordering his men to take a strong cable along with
them.  That the weather being calm, he rowed round me several
times, observed my windows and wire lattices that defended them.
That he discovered two staples upon one side, which was all of
boards, without any passage for light.  He then commanded his men
to row up to that side, and fastening a cable to one of the
staples, ordered them to tow my chest, as they called it, toward
the ship.  When it was there, he gave directions to fasten another
cable to the ring fixed in the cover, and to raise up my chest with
pulleys, which all the sailors were not able to do above two or
three feet."  He said, "they saw my stick and handkerchief thrust
out of the hole, and concluded that some unhappy man must be shut
up in the cavity."  I asked, "whether he or the crew had seen any
prodigious birds in the air, about the time he first discovered
me."  To which he answered, that discoursing this matter with the
sailors while I was asleep, one of them said, he had observed three
eagles flying towards the north, but remarked nothing of their
being larger than the usual size:" which I suppose must be imputed
to the great height they were at; and he could not guess the reason
of my question.  I then asked the captain, "how far he reckoned we
might be from land?"  He said, "by the best computation he could
make, we were at least a hundred leagues."  I assured him, "that he
must be mistaken by almost half, for I had not left the country
whence I came above two hours before I dropped into the sea."
Whereupon he began again to think that my brain was disturbed, of
which he gave me a hint, and advised me to go to bed in a cabin he
had provided.  I assured him, "I was well refreshed with his good
entertainment and company, and as much in my senses as ever I was
in my life."  He then grew serious, and desired to ask me freely,
"whether I were not troubled in my mind by the consciousness of
some enormous crime, for which I was punished, at the command of
some prince, by exposing me in that chest; as great criminals, in
other countries, have been forced to sea in a leaky vessel, without
provisions:  for although he should be sorry to have taken so ill a
man into his ship, yet he would engage his word to set me safe
ashore, in the first port where we arrived."  He added, "that his
suspicions were much increased by some very absurd speeches I had
delivered at first to his sailors, and afterwards to himself, in
relation to my closet or chest, as well as by my odd looks and
behaviour while I was at supper."

I begged his patience to hear me tell my story, which I faithfully
did, from the last time I left England, to the moment he first
discovered me.  And, as truth always forces its way into rational
minds, so this honest worthy gentleman, who had some tincture of
learning, and very good sense, was immediately convinced of my
candour and veracity.  But further to confirm all I had said, I
entreated him to give order that my cabinet should be brought, of
which I had the key in my pocket; for he had already informed me
how the seamen disposed of my closet.  I opened it in his own
presence, and showed him the small collection of rarities I made in
the country from which I had been so strangely delivered.  There
was the comb I had contrived out of the stumps of the king's beard,
and another of the same materials, but fixed into a paring of her
majesty's thumb-nail, which served for the back.  There was a
collection of needles and pins, from a foot to half a yard long;
four wasp stings, like joiner's tacks; some combings of the queen's
hair; a gold ring, which one day she made me a present of, in a
most obliging manner, taking it from her little finger, and
throwing it over my head like a collar.  I desired the captain
would please to accept this ring in return for his civilities;
which he absolutely refused.  I showed him a corn that I had cut
off with my own hand, from a maid of honour's toe; it was about the
bigness of Kentish pippin, and grown so hard, that when I returned
England, I got it hollowed into a cup, and set in silver.  Lastly,
I desired him to see the breeches I had then on, which were made of
a mouse's skin.

I could force nothing on him but a footman's tooth, which I
observed him to examine with great curiosity, and found he had a
fancy for it.  He received it with abundance of thanks, more than
such a trifle could deserve.  It was drawn by an unskilful surgeon,
in a mistake, from one of Glumdalclitch's men, who was afflicted
with the tooth-ache, but it was as sound as any in his head.  I got
it cleaned, and put it into my cabinet.  It was about a foot long,
and four inches in diameter.

The captain was very well satisfied with this plain relation I had
given him, and said, "he hoped, when we returned to England, I
would oblige the world by putting it on paper, and making it
public."  My answer was, "that we were overstocked with books of
travels:  that nothing could now pass which was not extraordinary;
wherein I doubted some authors less consulted truth, than their own
vanity, or interest, or the diversion of ignorant readers; that my
story could contain little beside common events, without those
ornamental descriptions of strange plants, trees, birds, and other
animals; or of the barbarous customs and idolatry of savage people,
with which most writers abound.  However, I thanked him for his
good opinion, and promised to take the matter into my thoughts."

He said "he wondered at one thing very much, which was, to hear me
speak so loud;" asking me "whether the king or queen of that
country were thick of hearing?"  I told him, "it was what I had
been used to for above two years past, and that I admired as much
at the voices of him and his men, who seemed to me only to whisper,
and yet I could hear them well enough.  But, when I spoke in that
country, it was like a man talking in the streets, to another
looking out from the top of a steeple, unless when I was placed on
a table, or held in any person's hand."  I told him, "I had
likewise observed another thing, that, when I first got into the
ship, and the sailors stood all about me, I thought they were the
most little contemptible creatures I had ever beheld."  For indeed,
while I was in that prince's country, I could never endure to look
in a glass, after mine eyes had been accustomed to such prodigious
objects, because the comparison gave me so despicable a conceit of
myself.  The captain said, "that while we were at supper, he
observed me to look at every thing with a sort of wonder, and that
I often seemed hardly able to contain my laughter, which he knew
not well how to take, but imputed it to some disorder in my brain."
I answered, "it was very true; and I wondered how I could forbear,
when I saw his dishes of the size of a silver three-pence, a leg of
pork hardly a mouthful, a cup not so big as a nut-shell;" and so I
went on, describing the rest of his household-stuff and provisions,
after the same manner.  For, although he queen had ordered a little
equipage of all things necessary for me, while I was in her
service, yet my ideas were wholly taken up with what I saw on every
side of me, and I winked at my own littleness, as people do at
their own faults.  The captain understood my raillery very well,
and merrily replied with the old English proverb, "that he doubted
mine eyes were bigger than my belly, for he did not observe my
stomach so good, although I had fasted all day;" and, continuing in
his mirth, protested "he would have gladly given a hundred pounds,
to have seen my closet in the eagle's bill, and afterwards in its
fall from so great a height into the sea; which would certainly
have been a most astonishing object, worthy to have the description
of it transmitted to future ages:" and the comparison of Phaeton
was so obvious, that he could not forbear applying it, although I
did not much admire the conceit.

The captain having been at Tonquin, was, in his return to England,
driven north-eastward to the latitude of 44 degrees, and longitude
of 143.  But meeting a trade-wind two days after I came on board
him, we sailed southward a long time, and coasting New Holland,
kept our course west-south-west, and then south-south-west, till we
doubled the Cape of Good Hope.  Our voyage was very prosperous, but
I shall not trouble the reader with a journal of it.  The captain
called in at one or two ports, and sent in his long-boat for
provisions and fresh water; but I never went out of the ship till
we came into the Downs, which was on the third day of June, 1706,
about nine months after my escape.  I offered to leave my goods in
security for payment of my freight:  but the captain protested he
would not receive one farthing.  We took a kind leave of each
other, and I made him promise he would come to see me at my house
in Redriff.  I hired a horse and guide for five shillings, which I
borrowed of the captain.

As I was on the road, observing the littleness of the houses, the
trees, the cattle, and the people, I began to think myself in
Lilliput.  I was afraid of trampling on every traveller I met, and
often called aloud to have them stand out of the way, so that I had
like to have gotten one or two broken heads for my impertinence.

When I came to my own house, for which I was forced to inquire, one
of the servants opening the door, I bent down to go in, (like a
goose under a gate,) for fear of striking my head.  My wife run out
to embrace me, but I stooped lower than her knees, thinking she
could otherwise never be able to reach my mouth.  My daughter
kneeled to ask my blessing, but I could not see her till she arose,
having been so long used to stand with my head and eyes erect to
above sixty feet; and then I went to take her up with one hand by
the waist.  I looked down upon the servants, and one or two friends
who were in the house, as if they had been pigmies and I a giant.
I told my wife, "she had been too thrifty, for I found she had
starved herself and her daughter to nothing."  In short, I behaved
myself so unaccountably, that they were all of the captain's
opinion when he first saw me, and concluded I had lost my wits.
This I mention as an instance of the great power of habit and
prejudice.

In a little time, I and my family and friends came to a right
understanding:  but my wife protested "I should never go to sea any
more;" although my evil destiny so ordered, that she had not power
to hinder me, as the reader may know hereafter.  In the mean time,
I here conclude the second part of my unfortunate voyages.




PART III.  A VOYAGE TO LAPUTA, BALNIBARBI, LUGGNAGG, GLUBBDUBDRIB,
AND JAPAN.




CHAPTER I.



[The author sets out on his third voyage.  Is taken by pirates.
The malice of a Dutchman.  His arrival at an island.  He is
received into Laputa.]

I had not been at home above ten days, when Captain William
Robinson, a Cornish man, commander of the Hopewell, a stout ship of
three hundred tons, came to my house.  I had formerly been surgeon
of another ship where he was master, and a fourth part owner, in a
voyage to the Levant.  He had always treated me more like a
brother, than an inferior officer; and, hearing of my arrival, made
me a visit, as I apprehended only out of friendship, for nothing
passed more than what is usual after long absences.  But repeating
his visits often, expressing his joy to find I me in good health,
asking, "whether I were now settled for life?" adding, "that he
intended a voyage to the East Indies in two months," at last he
plainly invited me, though with some apologies, to be surgeon of
the ship; "that I should have another surgeon under me, beside our
two mates; that my salary should be double to the usual pay; and
that having experienced my knowledge in sea-affairs to be at least
equal to his, he would enter into any engagement to follow my
advice, as much as if I had shared in the command."

He said so many other obliging things, and I knew him to be so
honest a man, that I could not reject this proposal; the thirst I
had of seeing the world, notwithstanding my past misfortunes,
continuing as violent as ever.  The only difficulty that remained,
was to persuade my wife, whose consent however I at last obtained,
by the prospect of advantage she proposed to her children.

We set out the 5th day of August, 1706, and arrived at Fort St.
George the 11th of April, 1707.  We staid there three weeks to
refresh our crew, many of whom were sick.  From thence we went to
Tonquin, where the captain resolved to continue some time, because
many of the goods he intended to buy were not ready, nor could he
expect to be dispatched in several months.  Therefore, in hopes to
defray some of the charges he must be at, he bought a sloop, loaded
it with several sorts of goods, wherewith the Tonquinese usually
trade to the neighbouring islands, and putting fourteen men on
board, whereof three were of the country, he appointed me master of
the sloop, and gave me power to traffic, while he transacted his
affairs at Tonquin.

We had not sailed above three days, when a great storm arising, we
were driven five days to the north-north-east, and then to the
east:  after which we had fair weather, but still with a pretty
strong gale from the west.  Upon the tenth day we were chased by
two pirates, who soon overtook us; for my sloop was so deep laden,
that she sailed very slow, neither were we in a condition to defend
ourselves.

We were boarded about the same time by both the pirates, who
entered furiously at the head of their men; but finding us all
prostrate upon our faces (for so I gave order), they pinioned us
with strong ropes, and setting guard upon us, went to search the
sloop.

I observed among them a Dutchman, who seemed to be of some
authority, though he was not commander of either ship.  He knew us
by our countenances to be Englishmen, and jabbering to us in his
own language, swore we should be tied back to back and thrown into
the sea.  I spoken Dutch tolerably well; I told him who we were,
and begged him, in consideration of our being Christians and
Protestants, of neighbouring countries in strict alliance, that he
would move the captains to take some pity on us.  This inflamed his
rage; he repeated his threatenings, and turning to his companions,
spoke with great vehemence in the Japanese language, as I suppose,
often using the word Christianos.

The largest of the two pirate ships was commanded by a Japanese
captain, who spoke a little Dutch, but very imperfectly.  He came
up to me, and after several questions, which I answered in great
humility, he said, "we should not die."  I made the captain a very
low bow, and then, turning to the Dutchman, said, "I was sorry to
find more mercy in a heathen, than in a brother christian."  But I
had soon reason to repent those foolish words:  for that malicious
reprobate, having often endeavoured in vain to persuade both the
captains that I might be thrown into the sea (which they would not
yield to, after the promise made me that I should not die),
however, prevailed so far, as to have a punishment inflicted on me,
worse, in all human appearance, than death itself.  My men were
sent by an equal division into both the pirate ships, and my sloop
new manned.  As to myself, it was determined that I should be set
adrift in a small canoe, with paddles and a sail, and four days'
provisions; which last, the Japanese captain was so kind to double
out of his own stores, and would permit no man to search me.  I got
down into the canoe, while the Dutchman, standing upon the deck,
loaded me with all the curses and injurious terms his language
could afford.

About an hour before we saw the pirates I had taken an observation,
and found we were in the latitude of 46 N. and longitude of 183.
When I was at some distance from the pirates, I discovered, by my
pocket-glass, several islands to the south-east.  I set up my sail,
the wind being fair, with a design to reach the nearest of those
islands, which I made a shift to do, in about three hours.  It was
all rocky:  however I got many birds' eggs; and, striking fire, I
kindled some heath and dry sea-weed, by which I roasted my eggs.  I
ate no other supper, being resolved to spare my provisions as much
as I could.  I passed the night under the shelter of a rock,
strewing some heath under me, and slept pretty well.

The next day I sailed to another island, and thence to a third and
fourth, sometimes using my sail, and sometimes my paddles.  But,
not to trouble the reader with a particular account of my
distresses, let it suffice, that on the fifth day I arrived at the
last island in my sight, which lay south-south-east to the former.

This island was at a greater distance than I expected, and I did
not reach it in less than five hours.  I encompassed it almost
round, before I could find a convenient place to land in; which was
a small creek, about three times the wideness of my canoe.  I found
the island to be all rocky, only a little intermingled with tufts
of grass, and sweet-smelling herbs.  I took out my small provisions
and after having refreshed myself, I secured the remainder in a
cave, whereof there were great numbers; I gathered plenty of eggs
upon the rocks, and got a quantity of dry sea-weed, and parched
grass, which I designed to kindle the next day, and roast my eggs
as well as I could, for I had about me my flint, steel, match, and
burning-glass.  I lay all night in the cave where I had lodged my
provisions.  My bed was the same dry grass and sea-weed which I
intended for fuel.  I slept very little, for the disquiets of my
mind prevailed over my weariness, and kept me awake.  I considered
how impossible it was to preserve my life in so desolate a place,
and how miserable my end must be:  yet found myself so listless and
desponding, that I had not the heart to rise; and before I could
get spirits enough to creep out of my cave, the day was far
advanced.  I walked awhile among the rocks:  the sky was perfectly
clear, and the sun so hot, that I was forced to turn my face from
it:  when all on a sudden it became obscure, as I thought, in a
manner very different from what happens by the interposition of a
cloud.  I turned back, and perceived a vast opaque body between me
and the sun moving forwards towards the island:  it seemed to be
about two miles high, and hid the sun six or seven minutes; but I
did not observe the air to be much colder, or the sky more
darkened, than if I had stood under the shade of a mountain.  As it
approached nearer over the place where I was, it appeared to be a
firm substance, the bottom flat, smooth, and shining very bright,
from the reflection of the sea below.  I stood upon a height about
two hundred yards from the shore, and saw this vast body descending
almost to a parallel with me, at less than an English mile
distance.  I took out my pocket perspective, and could plainly
discover numbers of people moving up and down the sides of it,
which appeared to be sloping; but what those people where doing I
was not able to distinguish.

The natural love of life gave me some inward motion of joy, and I
was ready to entertain a hope that this adventure might, some way
or other, help to deliver me from the desolate place and condition
I was in.  But at the same time the reader can hardly conceive my
astonishment, to behold an island in the air, inhabited by men, who
were able (as it should seem) to raise or sink, or put it into
progressive motion, as they pleased.  But not being at that time in
a disposition to philosophise upon this phenomenon, I rather chose
to observe what course the island would take, because it seemed for
awhile to stand still.  Yet soon after, it advanced nearer, and I
could see the sides of it encompassed with several gradations of
galleries, and stairs, at certain intervals, to descend from one to
the other.  In the lowest gallery, I beheld some people fishing
with long angling rods, and others looking on.  I waved my cap (for
my hat was long since worn out) and my handkerchief toward the
island; and upon its nearer approach, I called and shouted with the
utmost strength of my voice; and then looking circumspectly, I
beheld a crowd gather to that side which was most in my view.  I
found by their pointing towards me and to each other, that they
plainly discovered me, although they made no return to my shouting.
But I could see four or five men running in great haste, up the
stairs, to the top of the island, who then disappeared.  I happened
rightly to conjecture, that these were sent for orders to some
person in authority upon this occasion.

The number of people increased, and, in less than half all hour,
the island was moved and raised in such a manner, that the lowest
gallery appeared in a parallel of less then a hundred yards
distance from the height where I stood.  I then put myself in the
most supplicating posture, and spoke in the humblest accent, but
received no answer.  Those who stood nearest over against me,
seemed to be persons of distinction, as I supposed by their habit.
They conferred earnestly with each other, looking often upon me.
At length one of them called out in a clear, polite, smooth
dialect, not unlike in sound to the Italian:  and therefore I
returned an answer in that language, hoping at least that the
cadence might be more agreeable to his ears.  Although neither of
us understood the other, yet my meaning was easily known, for the
people saw the distress I was in.

They made signs for me to come down from the rock, and go towards
the shore, which I accordingly did; and the flying island being
raised to a convenient height, the verge directly over me, a chain
was let down from the lowest gallery, with a seat fastened to the
bottom, to which I fixed myself, and was drawn up by pulleys.



CHAPTER II.



[The humours and dispositions of the Laputians described.  An
account of their learning.  Of the king and his court.  The
author's reception there.  The inhabitants subject to fear and
disquietudes.  An account of the women.]

At my alighting, I was surrounded with a crowd of people, but those
who stood nearest seemed to be of better quality.  They beheld me
with all the marks and circumstances of wonder; neither indeed was
I much in their debt, having never till then seen a race of mortals
so singular in their shapes, habits, and countenances.  Their heads
were all reclined, either to the right, or the left; one of their
eyes turned inward, and the other directly up to the zenith.  Their
outward garments were adorned with the figures of suns, moons, and
stars; interwoven with those of fiddles, flutes, harps, trumpets,
guitars, harpsichords, and many other instruments of music, unknown
to us in Europe.  I observed, here and there, many in the habit of
servants, with a blown bladder, fastened like a flail to the end of
a stick, which they carried in their hands.  In each bladder was a
small quantity of dried peas, or little pebbles, as I was
afterwards informed.  With these bladders, they now and then
flapped the mouths and ears of those who stood near them, of which
practice I could not then conceive the meaning.  It seems the minds
of these people are so taken up with intense speculations, that
they neither can speak, nor attend to the discourses of others,
without being roused by some external taction upon the organs of
speech and hearing; for which reason, those persons who are able to
afford it always keep a flapper (the original is climenole) in
their family, as one of their domestics; nor ever walk abroad, or
make visits, without him.  And the business of this officer is,
when two, three, or more persons are in company, gently to strike
with his bladder the mouth of him who is to speak, and the right
ear of him or them to whom the speaker addresses himself.  This
flapper is likewise employed diligently to attend his master in his
walks, and upon occasion to give him a soft flap on his eyes;
because he is always so wrapped up in cogitation, that he is in
manifest danger of falling down every precipice, and bouncing his
head against every post; and in the streets, of justling others, or
being justled himself into the kennel.

It was necessary to give the reader this information, without which
he would be at the same loss with me to understand the proceedings
of these people, as they conducted me up the stairs to the top of
the island, and from thence to the royal palace.  While we were
ascending, they forgot several times what they were about, and left
me to myself, till their memories were again roused by their
flappers; for they appeared altogether unmoved by the sight of my
foreign habit and countenance, and by the shouts of the vulgar,
whose thoughts and minds were more disengaged.

At last we entered the palace, and proceeded into the chamber of
presence, where I saw the king seated on his throne, attended on
each side by persons of prime quality.  Before the throne, was a
large table filled with globes and spheres, and mathematical
instruments of all kinds.  His majesty took not the least notice of
us, although our entrance was not without sufficient noise, by the
concourse of all persons belonging to the court.  But he was then
deep in a problem; and we attended at least an hour, before he
could solve it.  There stood by him, on each side, a young page
with flaps in their hands, and when they saw he was at leisure, one
of them gently struck his mouth, and the other his right ear; at
which he startled like one awaked on the sudden, and looking
towards me and the company I was in, recollected the occasion of
our coming, whereof he had been informed before.  He spoke some
words, whereupon immediately a young man with a flap came up to my
side, and flapped me gently on the right ear; but I made signs, as
well as I could, that I had no occasion for such an instrument;
which, as I afterwards found, gave his majesty, and the whole
court, a very mean opinion of my understanding.  The king, as far
as I could conjecture, asked me several questions, and I addressed
myself to him in all the languages I had.  When it was found I
could neither understand nor be understood, I was conducted by his
order to an apartment in his palace (this prince being
distinguished above all his predecessors for his hospitality to
strangers), where two servants were appointed to attend me.  My
dinner was brought, and four persons of quality, whom I remembered
to have seen very near the king's person, did me the honour to dine
with me.  We had two courses, of three dishes each.  In the first
course, there was a shoulder of mutton cut into an equilateral
triangle, a piece of beef into a rhomboides, and a pudding into a
cycloid.  The second course was two ducks trussed up in the form of
fiddles; sausages and puddings resembling flutes and hautboys, and
a breast of veal in the shape of a harp.  The servants cut our
bread into cones, cylinders, parallelograms, and several other
mathematical figures.

While we were at dinner, I made bold to ask the names of several
things in their language, and those noble persons, by the
assistance of their flappers, delighted to give me answers, hoping
to raise my admiration of their great abilities if I could be
brought to converse with them.  I was soon able to call for bread
and drink, or whatever else I wanted.