Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 12 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

16 Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. that about twelve o’clock at noon, as he was opking his glass, he spied it at a distance, an th t it was a sail, which he had a mind to make, being not much out of his course, in hopes of some biscuit, his own ing to fall short. a upon coming nearer, and find his error, he sent out his long-boat, to discover what it was; that his men came back in a ht, sweari they had seen & pees SO. t he laughed at their folly, and went in the boat, ordering his men strong cable along with them. t the to weather being calm, he rowed round me several times, observed my windows, and wire lattices that defended them. t he discovered two staples upon one side, which was all of boards, without any pas- sage for light. He then commanded his men to row ee that side, and fastening a cable to one of the ples, ordered them to tow my chest, as they called it, toward the ship. When it was there, he gave di- rections to fasten another cable to the ring fixed in the cover, and 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 some unhappy man must be shut up in thecavity. I asked, whether he or the crew had seen any rodigious birds in the air, about the time he first discovered me? to which he answe that discoursing this matter with the sailors while 1 was reg one of them said, he had observed three eagles flying toward the north, but remarked nothing of their being larger than the usual size—which I gy to be imputed to the great hight they were at; and he could not guess the reason of my question. I then asked the ca how far he reckoned we =_ oe be from land? He said, by the best computation he could make, we were at least a hundred | es. lLassured him that he must be mistaken b simost half, for I had not left the coun- whence I came above two hours before ey into the sea. Whereupon, he began again to think that my brain was disturbed, of which he gave mea hint, and advised me to go to bed in a cabin he had cen I assured him I was well refreshed with good entertainment and paseo, fe 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 t criminals, in other countries, have been forced to sea ina leaky vessel, without provi- sions; for although he should be sorry to have taken so ill a man into his skip, 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 de- livered, at first to his sailors, and afterward to him- self’, in relation to ees or chest, as well as by my odd looks and behavior while I was at supper. begged his patience to hear me tell my story, which t faithfully did, from the last time I left Eng- land to the moment he first discovered me. And as truth always forces its way into rational minds, so this honest worthy porn aes who had some tinc- ture of learning and very sense, was immedi- ately convinced of my candor 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 nai which served for the back. There was a collection o needles and pins, from a foot to half a yard long; four wasp stings, like a joiner’s tacks; some comb- ings 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 r, 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 honor's toe; it was about the bigness of a Kentish i and wn so hard, that when I returned to Eocisn I Fot it hollowed into a cup, and set in silver. , 1 desired him to see the breeches I had then on, which were made of a mouse’s skin. I could force eg, bag him but a footman’s tooth, which I observed him to examine with great curios- ity, and found he had a fancy for it. He received it th abundance of thanks, more than such a trifle could deserve. It was drawn by an unskillful sur- geon, in a mistake, from one of Glumdalclitch’s men, who was afflicted with the toothache, but it was as sound as any in his head. I got it cleaned, and put itinto my cabinet. It was about a foot long, and four inches in diameter. The captain was very well satisfied with this plain ‘him and said, he hoped, when relation [ had given we returned to England, { would oblige the world by utting it on r,and making it public. My an- Seer shat'T thought 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, thout those ornamental descriptions of strange lants, trees, birds, and other animals, or of the bar- ferous 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 wonder- ed 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 spoke in that country, it was like a man 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 into the ship, and the sailors stood all about me, I thought they were the most contemptible little creatures I had ever beheld. For, indeed, while I was in that prince’s country, I could never endure to look in a — after mine eyes had been accustomed ch p ous objects, because the com n gave me so despicable a conceit of myself. The captain said, that while we were at supper, he ob- served me to look at everything 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 won- dered how I could forbear, when I saw his dishes of the size of a silver threepence, a leg of pork hardly a mouthful, a nn not so big as a nutehell: and so I went on, describin hold stuff and provisions r the same manner. For, although the queen had ordered a little equi- page of all things necessary for me, while I was er service, Bm my ideas were wholly taken with what I saw on every side of me, and I nked at my own littleness, as people do at their own faults. The captain understood my raille very well, and merrily replied with the old Englis ore that he doubted mine eyes were bigger man ay eh fan days conte so ou as ay; and, continu- ing in his mirth, protested he would have gladly ge a hundred pounds to have seen m the rest of his house- u chest in e eagle’s bill, and afterward in its fall from so es hight into the sea; which would: certainly ave been a most —— 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 , having been at Tonquin, was, in his return to England, driven north-eastward to the lati- tude of 44 degrees, and longitude of 143. But meet- ing a trade wind two days after I came on board him, we sailed southward a long time, and coasti New Holland, kept our course west-south-west, an 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 ry goods in security for poe of my freight; but the captain protested he would not re- ceive one farthing. We took a kind leave of each other, and I made 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 me tee s I was on the road, observing the littleness of the houses, the trees, began to think myself in Lilliput. I was afraid of trampling on every traveler I met, and often called aloud to have them stand out of the way, so that I had liked to have got one or two broken heads for my impertinence. en I came to my own house, for which I was forced to inquire, one of the servants opening the door, I bent down to in (like a goose under a gate), for fear of st my head. My wife ran 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, ne been so long used to stand with my head anc 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 that were in the house, as if they had been pigmies, and Iagiant. Itold my wife she had been too oy: for I found she had starved herself and her daugh- ter to no In short, I behaved myself so un- accountably, that they were all of the captain's opinion when he first saw me, and conclud 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. THE END. SS ee ———— - Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. 1i—~DEADWOOD DICK. By Edward L. Wheeler. 5c. 2—YELLOWSTONE JACK. -§ Jos. E. Badger. 5c. 3—KANSAS KING. By Wm. F. Cody. 5c 4—THE WILD-HORSE HUNTERS. By Capt. Mayne Reid and Frederick Whittaker. 5—~VAGABOND JOE. By Oll Comes. Ce 5e. number) 6~BILL BIDDON, TRAPPER. By Ed. 8. Ellis. 5c. 7—THE FLYING YANKEE. By Col. Prentiss $_SETI FONTS By Edward 8. Elli 5c : S. v ward 8. s. ; 9—THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUN- CHAUSEN. Be, The HALF-DIME RAS OY. is sold b vy cre dealers; or is sent, post-paid, on receipt 0 _— five cents per number. Address BEADLE AND New YORE. ADAMS, Publishers, 98 WILLIAM STREET, e cattle, and the people, I | | ' | Tae Granp Dovaie Nomser with the openi Announcement Extraordinary! A GRAND powBtE NUMnp, SATURDAY JOURNAL —AND-— { No Extra cnare® of The Saturday Journal Q 4 -) to issue Monday, December 3d, will ° warrant us in announcing it as the greatest combination ever presented by a popular ey per paper, for quality, quan and nove ~~ No. 405 of the SATURDAY JOURNAL, we will com- | mence oneof the best stories of boys’ adventures in | and around New York, by the prince of story tellers, | Mr. Cuas. Morris, author of “ Picayune Pete,” “ The ' Gamin Detective,” etc., etc., entitled The Boss Boy; The Mystery of the Stronghow. This story is not written, as most of the boys’ stories of the day are, by penny-a-liners, and they, as if ashamed of their vile productions, credit the author- ship to some ‘dance man’ or played-out variety ac- | tor, who must think that such trash will add to his name and fame! | This story will compare favorably with the very best of any author in the field of stories of the better class of boys’ literature. The Boss Boy should be read b orery boy, as it will prove both a | great pleasure and profi No. 405 of the SarurpAy JouURNAL, in addition to its usual serials, sketches, and miscellaneous matter, will have a full length portrait of the universal fa- vorite of all boys m eight to eighty! the great story-teller, traveler and gallant ; CAPT. MAYNE REID! whose fame is only bounded by the world itself! His scenes are drawn, not from the experience of others, but from his own remarkable life and adven- tures. Capt. Mayne Reid has no equal, living, that has commanded so wide a reading world! The Helpless Hana, Capt. Mayne Reid’s very best ‘boys’ novel,’ we will give complete in Number 405 of the Saturday Journal, making, for quality and quantity, Taz Granp DovBLx Numper the most satisfactory copy of a popular paper ever published ! ‘Library "and a weekly paper par excellence for only the price of the paper six tak’ Ever oy should make the acquaintance of the ‘¢ BOSS BOY,” and after following him in his hairbreadth adventures, in the ‘ins and outs’ of his strange life, they will pronounce him the ‘ Boss Boy ' in the dest sense of that much-abused phrase. SSS —$——_$— SE ee chapters the Mystery of the Strongbow: t. Mayne Reid, and his splen- rs’ life: The Helpless Hand, of the Boss Boy; or, | with a portrait of Ca | did story of boy-hun | complete. PRICE BUT SIX CENTS. Eomichboo (E (0)