Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 12 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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8 o— ee ———_—— him, and the high title of nardac he conferred upon me. Neither had I so soon learned the gratitude of courtiers, to persuade myself that his m cs Soe pres- ent severities acquitted me of all past obliga ions. At last, I fixed upon a resolution, for which it is robable I may incur some censure, and not unjust- vr for I confess I owe the preserving of mine eyes, and consequently my liberty, to my own t rash- ness and want of experience; because, if 1 had then knewn the nature of princes and ministers, which | I have since observed in many other courts, and their methods of treating criminals, less obnoxious than myself, I should, with great alacrity and readi- ness, have submitted to so easy a punishment. But hurried on by the precipitancy of youth, and having ays cense to his imperial maj ay my attendance upon the a yes of Blefuscu, I took this opportu- nity, before the three days were elapsed, to send a letter to my friend the secretary, signifying my reso- lution of sotting out that thovdine tor Blefascu, pur- suant to the leave I had got; and, without a for an answer, I went to that side of the islan where our fleet lay. I seized a large man-of-war, tied a cable to the prow, and, lifting up the anchors, I stripped myself, put my clothes (together with my coverlet, which I carried under my arm) into the vessel, and, drawing it after me, between wading and swimming, arrived at the royal port of Blefuscu, where the people had long expected me; they lent me two guides to direct me to the capital city, which is of the same name, I held them in my hands, till I came within two hundred yards of the gate, and desired them to Signy my arrival to one of the sec- retaries, and let him know, I there waited his majes- *scommand. I had an answer in about an hour t his majesty, attended by the royal family and great officers of the court, was com out to re- ceive me. I advanced a hundred yards. The em- peror and his train alighted from their horses, the empress and ladies from their coaches, and I did not perceive they were in any fright or concern. I lay on the ground to kiss his majesty’s and the empress’s hands. I told his majesty, that I was come, accord- ing to my promise, and with the license of the em- peror my master, to have the honor of seeing so mighty a monarch, and to offer him any service in = power, consistent with my duty to my own prince; not mentioning a word of my , be- cause { had hitherto no regular information of it, and might suppose myself wholly ignorant of any such design; neither could I reasonably conceive that the em was out of his power; wherein, however, it soon ap- peared I was deceived. I shall not trouble the reader with the particular account of my reception at this court, which was suitable to the generosity of so great a prince, nor of the difficulties 1 was for want of a house and bed, being forced to lie on the ground, wrapped up in my coveriet. CHAPTER VIII. THREE days after my arrival, walking, out of curi- osity, to the north-east coast of the island, I ob- served, about half a league off in the sea, somewhat that looked like a boat overturned. I pulled off my shoes and stoc and, wading two or three hun- dred yards, I found the object to approach nearer by pune he 9 ag ip and then x org saw it i be 2 real which I supposed mig y some tempes have been driven from a ship; whereupon, I return- ed immediately toward the city, and desired his im- perial majesty to lend me twenty of the tallest ves- sels he had left, after the loss of his fleet, and three thousand seamen, under the command of his vice- admiral, This fleet sailed round, while I went back the shortest way to the coast, where I first discov- ered the boat. I found the tide had driven it still nearer. The seamen were all provided with cordage, which I had beforehand twisted to a sufficient strength. When the ships came u self, and waded till Icame within a hund the ‘boat, after which I was forced to swim which I fastened to a hole in the fore-part of the boat, and the other end toa man-of-war; but I found ali may labor to little purpose, for. being out of my depth, [was not abie to work. in this necessity, « was fo to swim benind, ana push the boat for- ward, as often as I could, with one of my hands; and the tide favoring me, I advanced so far that I could just hold up my chin and feel the ground. I rested two or three minutes, and then gave the boat anoth- er shove, and so on, till the sea was no higher than my arm-pits; and now, the most laborious part be- ing over, I took out my other cables, which were stowed in one of the ships, and fastened them first to the boat, and then to nine of the vessels which at- tended me; the wind being favorable, the seamen towed, and I shoved, until we arrived within fort ards of the shore; and waiting till the tide was out, ri to the boat, and by the assistance of two ousan I stripped my- | , yards of | till I got | up toit. The seamen threw me the end of the cord, | six cows and two bulls alive, with as many ewes and Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. —--—_—_—_—— ms et ne ek EE Se eee ee - ward given privately to understand, that his imperial majesty, never imagining I had the least notice of his a a believed I was only gone to Blefuscu in per- formance of my eee, according to the license he had given me, which was well known at our court, and would return in a few days, when the ceremony was ended. But he was at last in pain at my long absence; and after consulting with the treasurer and the rest of that cabal, a person of quality was dispatched with the copy of the articles against me. This envoy had instructions to represent to the mon- arch of Blefuscu the great lenity of his master, who was content to punish me no further than with the loss of mine eyes; that I had fled from justice; and if I did not return in two hours, I should be deprived of my title of nardac, and declared a traitor. The envoy further added, that in order to maintain the | peace and amity between both empires, his master expected that his brother of Blefuscu would give | orders to have me sent back to Lilliput, bound hand and foot, to be punished as a traitor. The emperor of Blefuscu, having taken three days to consult, returned an answer consisting of many civilities and excuses. He said, that, as for sending me bound, his brother knew it was impossible; that although I had deprived him of his fleet, yet he owe at obligations to me for many good offices I had one him in making the peace. That, however, both their majesties would soon be made easy; for I had found a prodigious vessel on the shore, able to carry me on the sea, which he had given orders to fit up with my own assistance and direction; and he hoped in a few weeks both empires would be freed from so aoa an incumbrance. ith this answer the envoy returned to Lilliput; and the monarch of Blefuscu related to me all that had ed, offering me, at the same time (but under the strictest confidence), his gracious protection, if I would continue in his service; wherein, although I believed him sincere, yet I resolved never more to put any confidence in princes or ministers, where I could possibly avoid it; and therefore, with all due acknowledgments for his favorable intentions, I humbly begged to be excused. I told him, that since fortune, whether good or evil, had thrown a vessel in my way, I was resolved to venture myself on the ocean, rather than be an occasion of difference be- tween two such ey monarchs. Neither did I find the emperor at ispleased; and I discovered, | by a certain accident, that he was very glad of my _ resolution, and so were most of his ministers. ror would discover the secret, while I | These considerations moved me to hasten my de- parture somewhat sooner than I intended, to which the court, impatient to have me gone, very readily contributed. Five hundred workmen were employed to make two sails to my boat, according to my direc- tions, by thirteen folds of their strongest — linen together. I was at the pains of making Hg me e and cables, by twisting ten, twenty, or thirty of thickest and ror agen of theirs. A great stone that I happened to find, after a long search, by the sea- shore, served me for an anchor. I had the tallow of three hundred cows, for greasing my boat, and other uses. Iwas at incredible pains in cutting down some of the largest timber-trees, for oars and masts, wherein I was, however, much assisted by his ma- jesty’s ship-carpenters, who — me in smoothing them, after I had done the rough work. In about a month, when all was prepared, I sent to receive his majesty’s commands, and to take my leave. The emperor and royal family came out of the palace; I lay down on my face to his hand, which he very graciously gave me; so did the em- press and young princes of the blood. His majesty presented me with fifty purses, of two hundred sprugs wpiece, together with his picture at full length, which I put immediately into one of my | gloves, to keep it from being hurt. The ceremonies _ at my de men, with ropes and engines, I made a. shift to turn it over on its bottom, and found it was | but very little damaged. Is not trouble the reader with the difficulties I was under, by the help of certain paddles, which cost me ten days’ making, to get my boat to the royal port of Blefuscu, where a mighty concourse of ple appeared upon my arrival, full, of wonder at e sight of so prodigious a vessel. I told the em- peror that my good fortune had thrown this boat in my way, to carry me to some place whence I might return to my native country; and ed his ma- Jjesty’s orders for getting materials to fit it up, to- gether with his license to depart; which, after some expostulations, he was age ye to grant. I did very much wonder, in all this time, not to have heard of any express relating to me from our emperor to the court of Blefuscu. But I was after- rture were too many to trouble the reader with at this time. I stored the boat with the carcases of a hundred oxen and three hundred sheep, with bread and drink roportionable, and as much meat ready dressed as our hundred cooks could provide. 1 took with me rams, intending to carry them into my own country, and propagate the breed; and to feed them on board . 21 2 rood bundle of hay, and a bag of corn. wouxl eladiy iuve taken a dozen of the natives, but this was a thing the emperor would by no means permit; and, besides a diligent search into my pockets, his majesty engaged my honor not to carry away any of his subjects, although with their own consent and desire. Having thus prepared all things as well as I was able, I set sail on the twenty-fourth day of Septem- ber, 1701, at six in the morning; and when I had gone about four leagues to the northward, the wind bein at south-east, at six in the evening I descried a small island, about half a league to the north-west. I advanced forward, and cast anchor on the lee-side of the island, which seemed to be uninhabited. I then took some refreshment, and went to my rest. I slept well, and, as I conjecture, at least six hours, for I found the day broke in two hours after I awoke. It was a clear night. I ate my breakfast before the sun was up; and heaving anchor, the wind being favor- able, I steered the same course that I had done the day before, wherein I was directed by my pocket compass. y intention was to reach, if e, one of those islands which I had reason to believe lay to the north-east of Van Dieman’s Land. I discovered nothing all that day; but upon the next, about three in the afternoon, when I had, by my computation made twenty-four leagues from Blefuscu, I descried a sail steering to the south-east; my course was due east. I hailed her, but could get no answer; yet I found I gained upon her, for the wind slackened. I made all the sail I could, and in half an hour she spied me, then hung out her ancient, and dis- — SSS -_ eee — L$ sss SSeS a ch a gun. It is not easy to express the joy I was in, upon the unexpected hope of once more see- ing my beloved country, and the dear pledges I left in it, The ship slackened her sails, and I came up with her between five or six in. the eve , Septem- ber 26; but my heart leaped within me to see her English colors. I put my cows and sheep into my coat-pocket, and g° on board with all my little cargo of provisions. The vessel was an English merchant- man, returning from gp by the North and South Seas; the captain, Mr. John Biddel, of De tford, a very civil man, and an excellent sailor. We were now in the latitude of thirty degrees south; there were about fifty men in the ship; and here I met an old comrade of mine, one Peter Williams, who gave me a good character to the captain. This gentleman treated me with kindness, and desired I would let him know what place I came from last, and whither I was bound; which I did in a few words, but he thought I was raving, and that the dangers I had undergone had disturbed my head; whereupon, I took my black cattle and sheep out of my pocket which, after great astonishment, clearly convince him of my veracity. I then showed the gold me by the emperor of Blefuscu, together with is majesty’s picture at full length, and some other rarities of that country. I gave him two purses of two hundred iy’ each, and promised, when we arrived in En to make him a present of a cow and a sheep big with oung. I shall not trouble the reader with a particular ac- count of this voyage, which was very prosperous for the most part. e arrived in the Downs on the 13th of April, 1702. I had only one misfortune, that the rats on board carried away one of my sheep; I found her bones in a hole, picked clean from the flesh. The rest of my cattle i got safe ashore, and set them a ing in a bowling-green at Greenwich, where the neness of the ss made them feed very heartily, though I had always feared the contrary; neither could I possibly have preserved them in so long & voyage, if the captain had not allowed me some of his best biscuit, which, rubbed to a powder and mingled with water, was their constant food. The short time I continued in England, I madea consider- able profit by showing my cattle to many persons of quality and others; and before I began my second voyage, I sold them for six hundred pounds. Since my last return, I find the breed is considerably in- creased, especially the sheep, which I hope will prove much to the advantage of the woollen manufacture, by the fineness of the fleeces. I stayed but two months with my wife and family, for my insatiable desire of seeing he countries would suffer me to remain no longer. I left fifteen hundred pounds with my wife, and fixed her in a good house at Redriff. My remaining stock I carried with me, part in money and part in goods, in hopes to improve my fortunes. My eldest uncle John had left me an estate in land, near Tpping, of about oT ,ounds a@ year; and Lhad a long lease of the Blac ull, in Fetter Lane, which yielded me as much more; so that I was not in any danger of leav- ing my family upon the parish. My son Johnny, named so after his uncle, was at the grammar-school, and a towardly child. My daughter Betty (who is now well married, and has children) was then at her needle-work. I took leave of my wife, and boy and girl, with tears on both sides, and went on board a merchant-ship. But my account of this Mt fy must be referred to the second part of my travels. — oe A VOYAGE TO BROBDINGNAG. CHAPTER IL HAVING been condemned, by nature and fortune, to active and restless life, in two months after m return, I again left my native country, and took shipping in the Downs, on the 20th day of June, 1702, in the Adventure, Captain John Nicholas, a Cornish man, commander, bound for Surat. We had a very yrosperous gale, till we arrived at the Cape of Good ope, where we landed for fresh water; but discov- ering a leak, we unshipped our goods, and wintered there; for the captain an sick of an ague, we could not leave the Cape till the end of Mareh. We then set sail, and hada good voyage till we passed the Straits of Madagascar; but having got north- ward of that island, and to about five degrees south latitude, the winds, which in those seas are observed to blow a constant equal gale between the north and west, from the beginning of December to the begin- ning of May, on the 19th of April began to blow with much greater violence, and more westerly than usual, continuing so for twenty days together; dur- ing which time we were driven a little to the east of the Molueca Islands, and about three degrees north- ward of the line, as Our captain found by an observa- tion he took the 2d of May, at which time the wind ceased, and it was a — calm, whereat I was not a little rejoiced. But he, being a man well experi- enced in the navigation of those seas, bid us all pre- pare against a storm, which accordingly eee es he day following; for the southern wind, ed the southern monsoon, began to set in. Finding it was likely to overblow, we took in our sprit-sail, and stood by to hand the fore-sail: but, ering foul weather, we looked that the guns were all fast, and handed the mizzen. The omy? lay very broad off, so we thought it better spooning before the sea than trying or hulling. We reefed the fore-sail and set him, and hauled aft the fore-sheet; the helm was hard a-weather. The ship wore bravely. We belay- ed the fore down-haul; but the sail was split, and we hauled down the yard, and got the sail into the ship, and unbound all the things clear of it. It was a very flerce storm; the sea broke strong and dan- GOMIIGEDOOCKS (E()