Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 12 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

> Gulliver’s Travels. gerous. We hauled off upon the lanyard of the ped goes =. and helped the man at the helm. We eould not get down our top-mast, but let all stand because she scudded before the sea very well, and we knew that the a being aloft, the — was the wholesomer, and made better way through the sea, seeing we had sea-room. When the storm was over, we set fore-sail and main-sail, and brought the ship to. Then we set the mizzen, main-top-sail, and the fore-top-sail. Our course was east-north-east; the wind was at south-west. We got the starboard tacks aboard; we cast off our weather-braces and lifts; we set in the lee braces, and hauled forward by the weather-bowlings, and hauled them tight, and belayed them, and hauled over the mizzen tack to windward, and kept her full and by as near as she would lie. During this storm, which was followed by a strong wind west-south-west, we were carried, 3 my com- putation, above five hundred leagues to the east, so that the oldest sailor on board could not tell in what part of the world we were. Our provisions held out well, ourship was staunch, and our crew all in good health; but we lay in the utmost distress for water. We thought it best to hold on the same course, rather than to turn more northerly, which might have brought us to the north-west part of Great Tartary, and into the Frozen Sea. On the 16th day of June, 1708, a boy on the top-mast discovered land. On the 17th, we came in full view of a great island, or continent (for we knew not which), on the south side whereof was asmall neck of land jutting out into the sea, and a creek too shallow to hold a ship of above one hundred tons. We cast anchor within a league of this creek and our captain sent a dozen of his men well arm in the long-boat with vessels for water, if any could be found. I desired his leave to go with them, that I might see the country and make what discov- eries I could. When we came to land we saw no river or spring, nor any sign of inhabitants. Our men, therefore, wandered on the shore to find out some fresh water near the sea, and I walked alone about a mile on the other side, where I observed the country all barren and rocky. I now began to be weary, and seeing nothing to entertain my curiosity Treturned gently down toward the creek; and the sea being full in my view, Isaw our men already got into the boat, and rowing for life to the ship. I was oing to halloa after them, although it had been to Rittle purpose, when I observed a huge creature walking after them in the sea as fast as he could; he waded not much deeper than his knees, and took pees strides; but our men had the start of im half a league, and the sea thereabouts being full of sharp-pointed rocks, the monster was not able to overtake the boat. This I was afterward told, for Idurst not stay to see the issue of the a ene but ran as fast as I could the way I first went, an then climbed up a steep hill, which gave me some rospect of the country. I found it fully cultivated: but at which first surprised me was the length of the grass, which, in those grounds that seemed to be kept for hay, was about twenty feet : I fell into a h road, for sol took it to though it served to the inhabitants only as a footpath through a field of oe Here I walked on for some time, but could see little on either side, it be- ing now near harvest, and the corn rising at least forty feet. I was an hour walking to the end of this field, which was fenced in witha hedge of at least one hundred and twenty feet high, and the trees so lofty that I could make no computation of their altitude. There was a stile to pass from this field into the next. It had four steps, and a stone to cross over when you came to the uppermost. It was impossi- ble for me to climb this stile, because every step was six feet high, and the upper stone about twenty. I was endeavoring to find some ga in the hedge, when I discovered one of the inhabitants in the next field advancing toward the stile, of the same size with him whom I saw in the sea pursuing our boat, He appeared as tall as an ordinary spire steeple, and took about ten yards at every stride, as near as Iecould guess. I was struck with the utmost fear and astonishment, and ran to hide myself in the corn, whence I saw him at the top of the stile, look- ing back into the next field on the right hand, and heard him callin a voice many degrees louder than a speaking-trumpet; but the noise was so high in the air, that, at first, I certainly thought it was thunder. Whereupon, seven monsters, like himself, came toward him with reaping-hooks in their hands, each hook about the largeness of six scythes. These people were not so well clad as the first, whose servants or laborers they seemed to be; for, upon some words he spoke, they went to reap the corn in the field where Ilay. I kept from them at as great a distanceas I could, but was forced to move with extreme difficulty, for the stalks of the corn were sometimes not above a foot distant, so that I could hardly squeeze my body betwixt them. However I made a shift to go forward till I came to a part of the field where the corn had been laid by the rain and wind. Here it was impossible forme to ad vance a mer for the stalks were so interwoven that I could not creep through, and the beards of the fallen ears so strong and pointed, that they pierced through my clothes into my flesh. At the same time I heard the reapers not above a hundred yards behind me. Being quite dispirited with toil, and wholly overcome by grief and despair, I la down between two ridges, and heartily wished might there end my days. I bemoaned my desolate widow and fatherless children: I lamented my own folly and willfulness in attempting a second voyage against the advice of all my friends and relations. In this terrible agitation of mind I could not forbear thinking of Lilliput, whose inhabitants looked upon me as the grea prodigy that ever ap EEE SS the world; where I was able to draw an imperial fleet in my hand, and perform those other actio which will be recorded forever in the chronicles o that empire, while posterity shall hardly believe them, although attested by millions. I reflected what a mortification it must prove to me, to of as inconsiderable in this nation, as one single - putian would be among us. But this I conceived was to be the least of my misfortunes; for, as hu- man creatures are observed to be more savage and cruel in ————— to their bulk, what could I ex- pect but to be a morsel in the mouth of the first among these enormous barbarians that should hap- pen to seize me? Undoubtedly philosophers are in the right, when they tell us that nothing is great or little otherwise than by ngs ago It might have pleased fortune to have let the Lilliputians find some nation where the ple were as diminutive with respect to them as they were to me. And who knows but that even this p ious raceof mortals might be equally overmatched in some distant part of the world whereof we have yet no discovery? Scared and confounded as I was, I could not for- bear going on with these reflections, when one of the reapers, approaching within ten yards of the ridge where I lay, made me apprehend that with the next step I should be squashed to death under his foot, or cut in two with his reaping-hook. And therefore, when he was again about to move I screamed as loud as fear could make me; whereupon the huge creature trod short, and, looking round about under him for some time, at last espied me as Llay onthe ground. He considered awhile, with the caution of one who endeavors to lay hold on a small, dangerous animal in such a manner that it shall not be able either to scratch or bite him, as I myself have sometimes done with a weasel in Eng- land. At length, he ventured to take me behind, by the middle, between his forefinger and thumb, and brought me within three yards of his eyes, that he might behold my shape more perfectly. I guessed his meaning, and my good fortune gave me so much presence of mind, that I resolved not to strug- le in the least, as he held me in the air above sixty eet from the ground, although he grievously inched my sides, for fear I should slip through his gers. All I ventured was, to raise mine eyes to- ward the sun, and place my hands together in a sup- pecans posture, and to speak some words in a umble melancholy tone, suitable to the condition I then was in; for | apprehended every moment that he would dash me against the und, as we usually do any little hateful animal which we have a mind to destroy. But my good star would have it, that he appeared pleased with my voice and tures, and began to look upon me as a curiosity, much wondering to hear me pronounce articulate words, although he could not understand them. In the meantime I was not able to forbear aning and shedding tears, and turning my h toward my sides; letting him know, as well as I could, how cruelly I was hurt by the pressure of his thumb and a He seemed to apprehend my meaning, for lifting up the lappet of his coat, he put me gently into it, and immediately ran along with me to his master, who was a substantial farmer, and the same person I had first Seen in the field. The farmer having (as I suppose by their talk) re- ceived such an account of me as his servant could give him, took a piece of a small straw, about the size of a walking-staff, and therewith lifted up the lappets of my coat, which, it seems, he thought to be some kind of covering that nature had given me. He blew my hairs aside, to take a better view of my face. He called his hinds about him, and asked them, as I afterward learned, “‘ Whether they had ever seen in the fields any little creature that resem- bledjme?”’ He then placed me softly upon the ground pe all-fours, but es immediately up, and walked owly backward and forward, to let those people see I had no intent to run away. They all sat down in a circle about me, the better to observe my mo- tions, I pulled off my hat, and made a low bow to- ward the farmer. I fell on my knees, and lifted up my hands and eyes, and spoke several words as loud as I could: I took a purse of Bagg out of my pocket, and humbly ey it to . He received it on the palm of his hand, then applied it close to his eye to see what it was, and afterward turned it several times with the point of a pin (which he took out of his sleeve), but could make nothing of it. Where- Sage I made a sign that he should place his hand on the ground; I then took the purse, and, opening it, oured all the goldinto his palm. There were six panish pieces of four pistoles each, besides twenty or thirty smaller coins. I saw him wet the tip of his little finger upon his tongue, and take up one of my largest pieces, and then another; but he seemed to be wholly ignorant what they were. He made me a sign to put them again into my — and the purse again into my ores which, r offering it to him several times, I thought it best to do. The farmer, by this time, was convinced that I must bea rational creature. He spoke often to me, but the sound of his voice pierced my ears like that of a wa- ter-mill; yet his words were articulate enough. I an- swered as loud as I could in several languages, and he often laid his ear within two yards of me; but all in vain, for we were wholly unintelligible to each other. He then sent his servants to their work, and taking his handkerchief out of his pocket, he doubled and spread it on his left hand, which he placed flat on the ground with the palm upward, m me a sign to step into it, as I could easily do, for it was not above afoot in thickness. I thought it ~. part to obey, and, for fear of falling, laid myself at full length upon the handkerchief, with the remainder of which he lapped me up to the head for further secu- rity, and in this manner carried me home to his house, There he called his wife, and showed me to . 9 ee - ee ee ee ee her; but she screamed and ran back, as women in England do atthe sight of a toad or a spider. How- ever, when she had awhile seen my behavior, and how well I observed the signs her husband made, she was soon reconciled, and by degrees grew ex- tremely tender of me. It was about twelve at noon, and a servant brought in dinner. It was only one substantial dish of meat (fit for the plain condition of a husbandman), in a dish of about four-and-twenty feet diameter. The y were, the farmer and his wife, three ren, and anold grandmother. When they were sat down, the farmer placed me at some distance from him on the table, which was thirty feet high from the floor. I was in a terrible fright, and kept as far as I could from the edge, for fear of falling. The wife minced a bit of meat, then crumbled some bread on a trencher, and placed it before me. Imade her a low bow, took out my knife and fork, and fell to eat, which gave them exceeding delight. The mistress sent her maid for a small dram cup, which held about two gallons, and filled it with drink: I took up the vessel with much difficulty in both hands, and in a most respectful manner drank to her ladyship’s health, expressing the words as loud as I could in English, which made the ae laugh so heartily, that I was almost deafened wit the noise. This liquor tasted like a small cider, and was not unpleasant. Then the master made mea sign to come to his trencher side; but as I w*lked on the table, being in great surprise all the time, as the indulgent reader will easily conceive and excuse, I happened to stumble against a crust, and .ell flat on my face, but received no hurt. I got up immediate- ly, and observing the good people to be in much con- cern, I took my hat (which I held under my arm, out of good manners), and waving it over Bay DAE made three huzzas, to showI had got no mischief by my fall. Butadvancing forward toward my master (as I shall henceforth call him), his youngest son, who sat next to him, an arch boy of about ten years old, took me up by the legs, and held me so high in the air, that I trembled in every limb: but his father snatched me from him, and at the same time gave him such a box on the left ear, as would have felled a oy tg ss troop of horse to the earth, pages | him to be taken from the table. But being afrai that the boy might owe me a spite, and well remem- bering how mischievous all children among us natu- rally are, to sparrows, rabbits, young kittens, and uppy dogs, I fell on my knees, and pointing to the oy, made my master to understand, as well asI could, that I desired his son might be pardoned. The father complied, and the lad took his seat again; whereup- on, I went to him, and kissed his hand, which m = aster took, and made him stroke me gently wi In the midst of dinner, my mistress’s favorite cat leaped into her lap. I heard a noise behind me, like that of a dozen stocking-weavers at work, and turn- ing my head, I found it proceeded from the purring of that animal, who seemed to be three times larger than an ox, as I computed by the view of her head and one of her paws, while her mistress was feeding and stroking her. The fierceness of this creature's countenance altogether discomposed me, though I stood at the further end of the table, above fifty feet off, and though my mistress held her fast, for fear she might give a spring, and seize me in her talons But it happened there was no danger, for the cat took not the least notice of me, when my master laced me within three yards of her. And as I have en always told and found true by experience in my travels, that flying or discovering fear before a fierce animal, is a certain way to make it pursue or attack you, so I resolved, in this dangerous juncture, to show no manner of concern. 1 walked with in- trepidity five or six times before the very head of the cat, and came within half a yard of her; where- upon she drew herself back, as if she were more raid of me. I had less apprehension concerning the dogs, whereof three or four came ‘nto the room, as it is usual in farmers’ houses; one of which was a mastiff, equal in bulk te four ele- phants, and a greyhound, somewhat taller than the mastiff, but not so large. en dinner was almost done, the nurse came in with a child of a year old in her arms, who im- mediately spied me, and an a squall that you might have heard from London Bridge to Chelsea, after the usual oratory of infants, to get me for a ee The mother, out of pure indulgence, me up, and put me toward the child, who proscar. seized me i the middle, and got my ead into his mouth, where I roared so loud that the urchin was frighted, and let me drop: and I should infallibly have broken my neck if the mother had not held her apron under me. The nurse, to quiet her babe, made use of a rattle, which was a kind of hollow vessel filled with great stones, and fastened by a cable to the child’s waist—but all in vain; so that she was forced to apply to the last remedy, by giving it suck. I must confess no object ever d me so much as the sight of her mon- strous breast, which I cannot tell what to compare with, so as to give the curious reader an idea of its bulk, shape, and color. It stood prominent six feet, and could not be less than sixteen in circumference. The nipple was about half the bigness of my head, and the hue both of that and the dug so varied with spots, pimples, and freckles, that nothing could ap- pear more nauseous; for I had a near sight of her, she sitting down, the more conveniently to give suck, and I stan on the table. This made me reflect upon the fair skins of our English ladies, who appear so beautiful to us, only because they are = our ae size, and their defects not to - o- but roug aa . ; where we by ex- periment that the noothest and whitest akine look rough, and coarse, and ill-colored. com chil GOmIiEcboo €