We had not failed above three days, when, a great ftorm arifing, we were driven five days to the Ň. N. E. and then to the E; after which we had fair weather, but ftill with a pretty ftrong gale from the W. Upon the tenth day, we were chafed by two pyrates, who foon overtook us ; for my floop was fo deep laden, that she sailed very flow, neither were we in a condition to defend ourselves. We were boarded about the fame time by both the pyrates, who entered furioufly at the head of their men; but, finding us all proftrate upon our faces, (for fo i gave order,) they pinioned us with ftrong ropes, and, fetting a guard upon us, went to fearch the floop. I obferved among them a Dutchman, who feemed to be of fome authority, though he was not commander of either fhip. He knew us by our countenances to be Englishmen, and jabbering to us in his own language, fwore we fhould be tied back to back, and thrown into the fea. I fpoke Dutch to lerably well; I told him who we were, and begged him, in confideration of our being Chriftians and Proteftants of neighbouring countries in ftrict alliance, that he would move the captains to take fome pity on us. This inflamed his rage, he repeated his threatenings, and, turning to his companions, fpoke with great vehemence in the Japanese language, as I fuppofe, often ufing the word Chriftianos. The largeft of the two pyrate fhips was commanded by a Japanese captain, who spoke a little Dutch, but very imperfectly. He came up to me, and after feveral questions, which I anfwered in great humility, he faid we should not die. I made the captain a very low bow, and then turning to the Dutchman faid, I was forry to find more mercy in an Heathen, than in a brother Chriftian. But I had foon reafon to repent thofe foolish words for that malicious reprobate, having often endeavoured in vain to perfuade both the captains, that VOL. V. H : I might I might be thrown into the fea, (which they would not yield to after the promise made me that I should not die,) however prevailed to far as to have a punishment inflicted on me, worie, in all human appearance, than death itself. My men were fent by an equal divifion into both the pyrate fhips, and my floop new manned As to myfelf, it was determined that I fhould be fet a-drift in a fmall canoe, with paddles and a fail, and four days provifions, which laft the Japanese captain was fo kind to double out of his own ftores, and would permit no man to fearch me. I got down into the canoe, while the Dutchman, ftanding upon the deck, loaded me with all the curfes and injurious terms his language could afford. About an hour before we saw the pyrates, I had taken an obfervation, and found we were in the latitude of 46 N. and of longitude 183. When I was at fome diftance from the pyrates, I discovered by my pocket glafs feveral iflands to the fouth-east. 1 fet up my fail, the wind being fair, with a defign to reach the neareft of thofe iflands, which I made fhift to do in about three hours. It was all rocky however I got many birds eggs, and, ftriking fire, I kindled fome heath and dry fea-weed, by which I roafted my eggs. I eat no other fupper, being refolved to fpare my provifions as much as I could. I paffed the night under the thelter of a rock, ftrewing fome heath under me, and flept pretty well. The next day I failed to another ifland, and thence to a third and fourth, fometimes using my fail, and fometimes my paddles. But, not to trouble the reader with a particular account of my diftreffes, let it fuffice, that, on the fifth day, I arrived at the laft ifland in my fight, which lay fouth-east to the former. This ifland was at a greater diftance than I expected, and I did not reach it in less than five hours. I encompaffed it almost round, before I could canoe. could find a convenient place to land in, which was a fmall creek about three times the wideness of my I found the ifland to be all rocky, only a little intermingled with tufts of grafs, and fweet fmelling herbs. I took out my fmall provifions, and, after having refreshed myfelf, I fecured the remainder in a cave, whereof there were great numbers. I gathered plenty of eggs upon the rocks, and got a quantity of dry fea-weed, and parched grafs, which I defigned to kindle the next day, and roaft my eggs as well as I could, (for I had about me my flint, fteel, match, and burning glas). I lay all night in the cave where I had lodged my provifions. My bed was the fame dry grals and seaweed which I intended for fuel. I flept very little, for the difquiets of my mind prevailed over my weariness, and kept me awake. I confidered how impoffible it was to preferve my life in fo defolate a place, and how miferable my end must be. Yet found myself fo liftlefs and defponding, that I had not the heart to rife; and before I cou'd get fpirits enough to creep out of my cave, the day was far advanced. I walked a while among the rocks, the fky was perfectly clear, and the fun fo hot, that I was forced to turn my face from it; when all on a fudden it became obfcure, as I thought, in a manner very different from what happens by the interpofition of a cloud. I turned back, and perceived a vaft opaque body between me and the fun, moving towards the ifland: it feemed to be about two miles high, and hid the fun fix or feven minutes, but I did not obferve the air to be much colder, or the sky more darkened, than if I had ftood under the fhade of a mountain. As it ap proached nearer over the place where I was, it ap peared to be a firm fubftance, the bottom flat, fmooth, and fhining very bright from the reflexion of the fea below. I ftood upon a height about two hundred yards from the fhore, and faw this vaft body H 2 body defcending almoft to a parallel with me, at lefs than an English mile diftanc. I took out my pocket perfpective, and could plainly difcover numbers of people moving up and down the fides of it, which appeared to be floping; but what thefe people were doing, I was not able to distinguish.. The natural love of life gave me fome inward motions of joy, and I was ready to entertain a hope, that this adventure might fome way or other help to deliver me from the defolate place and condition I was in. But at the fame time the reader can hardly conceive my aftonishment, to behold an island in the air, inhabited by men, who were able (as it fhould feem,) to raise or fink, or put it into a progreffive motion, as they pleafed. But not being at that time in a difpofition to philofophife upon this phænomenon, I rather chofe to obferve what course the ifland would take, because it seemed for a while to ftand fill. Yet foon after it advanced nearer, and I could fee the fides of it encompaffed with feveral gradations of galleries, and ftairs at certain intervals to descend from one to the other. In the loweft gallery I beheld fome people fishing with long angling rods, and others looking on. I waved my cap (for my hat was long fince worn out,) and my handkerchief towards the ifland; and, upon its nearer approach, I called and fhouted with the utmoft ftrength of my voice; and then, looking circumfpectly, I beheld a croud gathered to that fide, which was most in my view. I found, by their pointing towards me and to each other, that they plainly difcovered me, although they made no return to my fhouting. But I could fee four or five men running in great hafte up the ftair to the top of the island, who then disappeared. I happened rightly to conjecture, that these were fent for orders to fome perfon in authority upon this occafion. The number of people increafed, and in lefs than half an hour, the ifland was moved and raised in fuch fuch a manner, that the loweft gallery appeared in a parallel of less than an hundred yards diftance from the height where I ftood. I then put myself into the most fupplicating poftures, and fpoke in the humbleft accent, but received no answer. Thofe, who stood neareft over-against me, feemed to be perfons of diftinction, as I fuppofed by their habit. They conferred earnestly with each other, looking often upon me. At length one of them called out in a clear, polite, fmooth dialect, not unlike in found 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 eafily known, for the people faw the diftrefs I was in. They made figns for me to come down from the rock, and go towards the fhore, which I accordingly did; and the flying ifland being raifed to a convenient height, the verge directly over me, a chain was let down from the lowest gallery, with a feat faftened to the bottom, to which I fixed myfelf, and was drawn up by pullies. С НА Р. II. The humours and difpofitions of the Laputians defcribed. An account of their learning. Of the King, and his court. The author's reception there. The inhabitants fubject to fear and difquietudes. An account of the women. A T my alighting I was furrounded with a croud of people, but thofe who ftood nearest seemed to be of better quality. They beheld me with all the marks and circumstances of wonder, neither indeed H 3 was |