Hand of a Boy, or of being drowned in a little Brook. From this Way of Reasoning the Author drew feveral moral Applications useful in the Conduc of Life, but needlefs here to repeat. For my own Part, I could not avoid reflecting, how univerfally this Talent was fpread of drawing Lectures in Morality, or indeed rather Matter of Discontent and Repining, from the Quarrels, we raife with Nature. And, I believe, upon a ftrict Inquiry, thofe Quarrels might be fhewn as ill grounded among us, as they are among that People.

As to their military Affairs; they boaft that the King's Army confifts of an hundred and feventy fix thousand Foot, and thirty two thousand Horse: If that may be called an Army which is made up of Tradefmen in the feveral Cities, and Farmers in the Country, whofe Commanders are only the Nobility and Gentry, without Pay or Reward. They are indeed perfect enough in their Exercifes; and under very good Difcipline, wherein I faw no great Merit; For how fhould it be otherwise, where every Farmer is under the Command of his own Landlord, and eve ry Citizen under that of the principal Men of his own City, chofen, after the Manner of Venice, by Ballot?

I have often seen the Militia of Lorbrulgrud drawn out to exercise in a great Field near the City, of twenty Miles fquare. They were in all not above. twenty five thoufand Foot, and fix thousand Horse; but it was impoffible for me to compute their Number, confidering the Space of Ground they took up. A Cavalier mounted on a large Steed might be about ninety Foot high. I have feen this whole Body, of Horfe upon the Word of Command draw their Swords at once, and brandish them in the Air. Imagination can figure nothing fo grand, so surprifing, and fo aftonishing. It looked as if ten thousand Flashes of Lightning were darting at the fame time. from every Quarter of the Sky.

I was curious to know how this Prince, to whose Dominions there is no Accefs from any other Country,

came

came to think of Armies, or to teach his People the Practice of military Difcipline. But I was foon informed, both by Converfation, and reading their Hiftories. For, in the Courfe of many Ages, they have been troubled with the fame Difeafe, to which the whole Race of Mankind is fubject; the Nobility often contending for Power, the People for Liberty, and the King for abfolute Dominion. All which, however happily tempered by the Laws of that Kingdom, have been fometimes violated by each of the three Parties; and have more than once occafioned civil Wars, the laft whereof was happily put an end to by this Prince's Grandfather in a general Compofftion; and the Militia, then fettled with common. Confent, hath been ever fince kept in the ftricte. Duty.

CHA P. VIII.

The King and Queen make a Progress to the Frontiers The Author attends them. The Manner in which he leaves the Country very particularly defcribed. He returns to England.

I

HAD always a strong Impulfe that I fhould some time recover my Liberty; although it were im poffible to conjecture by what Means, or to form any Project with the leaft Hope of fucceeding. The Ship in which I failed was the first ever known to be driven within Sight of that Coaft; and the King had given ftrict Orders, that if at any time another appeared, it should be taken afhore, and with all its Crew and Paffengers brought in a Tumbril to Lorbrulgrud. He was strongly bent to get me a Woman of my own Size, by whom I might propagate the Breed: But I think I should rather have died than undergone the Difgrace of leaving a Pofterity to be kept in Cages like tame Canary Birds; and perhaps in time fold about the Kingdom to Perfons of Quality for Curio

fities.

fities. I was indeed treated with much Kindnefs; I was the Favourite of a great King and Queen, and the Delight of the whole Court; but it was upon fuch a Foot as ill became the Dignity of human Kind. I could never forget those domeftick Pledges I had left behind me. I wanted to be among People with whom I could converse on even Terms; and walk about the Streets and Fields without Fear of being trod to Death like a Frog or young Puppy. But my Deliverance came fooner than I expected, and in a Manner not very common: The whole Story and Circumstances of which I shall faithfully relate.

I had now been two Years in this Country; and about the Beginning of the third Glumdalclitch and I attended the King and Queen in Progrefs to the South Coast of the Kingdom. I was carried as ufual in my Travelling-box, which, as I have already described, was a very convenient Clofet of twelve Foot, wide. I had ordered a Hammock to be fixed by Silken Ropes from the four Corners at the Top, to break the Jolts, when a Servant carried me before him on Horfeback, as I fometimes defired; and would often fleep in my Hammock while we were upon the Road. On the Roof of my Closet, fet not directly over the Middle of the Hammock, I ordered the Joiner to cut out a Hole of a Foot fquare to give me Air in hot Weather as I flept; which Hole I fhut at Pleasure with a Board that drew backwards and forwards through a Groove.

WHEN We came to our Journey's End, the King thought proper to pafs a few Days at a Palace he hath near Flanflafnic, a City within eighteen English Miles of the Sea-fide. Glumdalclitch and I were much fatigued: I had gotten a fmall Cold; but the poor Girl was fo ill as to be confined to her Chamber. I longed to see the Ocean, which must be the only Scene of my Escape, if ever it should happen. I pretended to be worfe than I really was; and defired Leave to take the fresh Air of the Sea, with a Page whom I was very fond of, and who had fometimes

been

been trusted with me. I fhall never forget with what Unwillingness Glumdalclitch confented, nor the strict Charge the gave the Page to be careful of me; bürfting at the fame time into a Flood of Tears, as if she had fome Foreboding of what was to happen. The Boy took me out in my Box about half an Hour's Walk from the Palace, towards the Rocks on the Seafhore. I ordered him to fet me down, and lifting up one of my Sashes, caft many a wilful melancholy Look towards the Sea. I found myself not very well; and told the Page that I had a Mind to take a Nap in my Hammock, which I hoped would do me good: I got in, and the Boy shut the Window close down to keep out the Cold. I foon fell asleep: And all I can conjecture is, that while I flept, the Page thinking no Danger could happen, went among the Rocks to look for Birds Eggs; having before obferved him from my Window fearching about, and picking up one or two in the Clefts. Be that as it will, I found myself fuddenly awaked with a violent Pull upon the Ring which was fastened upon the Top of my Box, for the Conveniency of Carriage. I felt the Box raised very high in the Air, and then borne forward with prodigious Speed. The first Jolt had like to have fhaken me out of my Hammock; but afterwards the Motion was eafy enough. I called out several times as loud as I could raife my Voice, but all to no Purpose. I looked towards my Windows, and could fee nothing but the Clouds and Sky. I heard a Noife juft over my Head, like the clapping of Wings; and then began to conceive the woful Condition I was in; that fome Eagle had got the Ring of my Box in his Beak, with an Intent to let it fall on a Rock, like a Tortoise in a Shell, and then pick out my Body, and devour it. For the Sagacity and Smell of this Bird enabled him to discover his Quarry at a great Distance, although better concealed than I could be within a two Inch Board.

IN a little time I observed the Noise and Flutter of Wings to increase very faft; and my Box was toffed

up

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up and down like a Sign-post in a windy Day. heard feveral Bangs or Buffets, as I thought, given to the Eagle (for fuch I am certain it must have been that held the Ring of my Box in his Eeak) and then all on a sudden felt myself falling perpendicularly down for above a Minute; but with fuch incredible Swiftnefs that I almoft loft my Breath. My Fall was ftop ped by a terrible Squash that founded louder to mine Ears than the Cataract of Niagara; after which I was quite in the Dark for another Minute, and then my Box began to rise fo high that I could fee Light from the Tops of my Windows. I now perceived that I was fallen into the Sea. My Box, by the Weight of my Body, the Goods that were in, and the broad Plates of Iron fixed for Strength at the four Corners of the Top and Bottom, floated about five Foot deep in Water. I did then, and do now fuppofe, that the Eagle which flew away with my Box was pursued by two or three others, and forced to let me drop while he was defending himself against the reft, who hoped to fhare in the Prey. The Plates of Iron faftend at the Bottom of the Box (for those were the ftrongeft) preferved the Balance while it fell, and hindered it from being broken on the Surface of the Water. Every Joint of it was well grooved, and the Door did not move on Hinges, but up and down like a Sash; which kept my Closet fo tight, that very little Water came in. I got with much Difficulty out of my Hammock, having firft ventured to draw back the Slipboard on the Roof already mentioned, contrived on purpose to let in Air; for want of which I found myfelf almoft ftifled.

How often did I then wish myself with my dear Glumdalclitch, from whom one fingle Hour had fo far divided me! And I may say with Truth, that in the Midft of my own Misfortune, I could not forbear la menting my poor Nurfe, the Grief fhe would fuffer for my Lofs, the Displeasure of the Queen, and the Ruin of her Fortune. Perhaps many Travellers have not been under greater Difficulties and Diftreffes than VOL. III,

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