Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 12 — page 1: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A Ral be S le Number. BY DEAN SWIFT. A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT. CHAPTER L My father had a small estate in Nottinghamshire. { was the third of five sons. He sent me to Emanuel College in Cambridge, at fourteen years old, where I resided three years, and applied myself close to my studies; but the charge of maintaining me, although . [had a very scanty allowance, being too great for a narrow fortune, I was bound apprentice to Mr. James Bates, an eminent surgeon in London, with whom I continued four years; and my father now and then sendin me small sums of money, [ laic them out in learning naviga- tion, and other parts of the mathematics, useful to those who intend to travel, as I al- ways believed it would be, some time or other, my fortune to do. When I left Mr. Bates, I went down to my father; where, by the assistance of him and my uncle John, and some other re- lations, I got forty pounds, and a promise of thirty pounds a year to maintain me at Leyden; there I studied physic two years and seven months, knowing it would be useful to me in long voyages. Soon after my return from Leyden, I was recommended by my good master, Mr. Bates, to be surgeon to the Swallow, Cap tain Abraham Pannell, com- mander; with whom I continued three years and a half, making & voyage or two into the Levant and some other When I came back, I resolved to settle in London; to which Mr. Bates, my master, encouraged me and by him I was recommended to several patients. I took part of a small house in the Old Jewry; and being advised to alter my condition, I married Mrs. Mary Burton, second daughter to Mr. Edmund Bur- ton, hosier, in Newgate street, with whom’ I received four hun- dred pounds for a portion. But my good master, Bates, dying in two years after, and I having few friends, my business began to fail; for my conscience would not suffer me to imitate the bad practice of too many among my brethren. Having, therefore, consulted with my wife and some of my acquain- tance, I determined to go again to sea. I was surgeon succes- sively in two ships, and made several voyages for six years, to the East and West Indies, by which I got some addition to my fortune. My hours of leis- ure I spent in reading the best authors, ancient and modern, heing alwa S provided with a good number of books: and when [ was ashore, in observing the manners and disposition, of the people, as well as learning their language; wherein I ha a great facility, by the strength of my memory. | but it would not turn to account. | expectation that things would mend,I accepted an | advantageous offer from Captain William Prichard, master of the Antelope, who was making a voyage | to the South Sea. We set sail from Bristol, May 4, | | plate | | | | | aT = | ci et | : oll tflallalalalalalalaly J —4 “ARAN \\ WA Ny —_—_— ——- mt tte ee ee OD oS) ern Tt Copyrighted in 1877, by BEADLE AND No. 988 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. gg or) yy ing : at) jie! (dat A i} A XS BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS, 5 Cents. -_--= $$ ees en The last of these voyages not proving very fortu- | driven by a violent storm to the north-west of Van nate, I grew weary of the sea and intended to stay at home with my wife and family; I removed from | | the Old Jewry to Fetter Lane, and from thence to | Wapping, hoping to get business among the sailors, 1699, and our voyage at first was very prosperous. It would not be proper, for some reasons, to trouble the reader with the particulars of our adventures in those seas; let it suffice to inform him, that in our | passage from thence to the East Indies, we were | *’ My little friend Grildrig, you have made a most admirable panegyric upon your country.” After three years’ | | upon it, and immediately split. Dieman’s Land. By an observation, we found our- selves in the latitude of 30 degrees 2 minutes south. Twelve of our crew were dead by immod- erate labor and ill food; the rest were in a vel weak condition. On the 5th of November, whic was the beginning of summer in those parts, the weather being very hazy, the seamen spied a rock within half a cable's length of the ship; but the wind was so strong that we were driven di Six of the crew, of whom I was one, having let down the boat into the sea, made a shift to get clear of the ship and the rock. We rowed, by my computation, about three leagues, till we were able to work no longer, being al- ready spent with labor while we were in the ship. We therefore trusted ourselves to the mere of the waves, and in about half an hour the boat was overset by a sudden flurry from the north. What became of m companions in the boat, as we as of those who escaped on the rock, or were left in the vessel, I cannot tell; but conclude th were all lost. For my own I swam as fortune directed me, and was pushed forward by wind and tide. I often let my legs Oy and could feel no bottom; but when I was almost one, and able to struggle no onger, I found myself within my depth, and by this time the storm was much abated. The declivity was so small, that I walked near a mile before I to the shore, which I co tured was about eight o’c in the evening, I then advanced forward near half a mile, but could not discover any s of houses or inhabitants; at least, I was in so weak a condition that I did not observe them. EI was extremely tired, and with that, and the heat of the weath- er, and about half a pint of brandy that I had drank as I left the ship, I found my- ee a ine 7 to sleep. I a own in the _ Ww wie very short and soft, where I slept sounder than ever I remembered to have done in my life, and as I reck about nine hours; for when awaked, it was just daylight. . l attempted to rise, but was not able to stir; for as I hap to lie on my back, I found my arms and legs were stron fastened on each side to ground; and my hair, which was long and thick, tied down in the same manner. I like- wise felt several slender liga tures across my body, from my arm-pits to my thighs. I conld only look upward, the sun be- gan to grow hot, and the offended my eyes. I h a confused noise about mezbut in the posture 1 lay, could’ see nothing except the sky. In a little time I felt something alive moving on my left leg, which advancing gently forward over my breast, came almost up to my chin; when, bending my eyes downward as much as I could, I perceived it to be a human creature not six inches high, with a bow and arrow in his hands, and a quiver at his back, In the meantime I felt at least forty more of the same i (EOWA AiiCel exeKo) .<S G