cillities of nature). I answered in a faint voice, that death would have been too great an happiness; that although I could not blame the affembly's exhortation, or the urgency of his friends; yet in my weak and corrupt judgment, I thought it might confift with reafon to have been lefs rigorous: that I could not fwim a league, and probably the nearest land to theirs might be distant above an hundred: that many materials, neceffary for making a small veffel to carry me off, were wholly wanting in this country, which however I would attempt in obedience and gratitude to his honour, altho' I concluded the thing to be impoffible, and therefore looked on my felf as already devoted to destruction: that the certain profpect of an unnatural death was the leaft of my evils: for fuppofing I fhould efcape with life by fome ftrange adventure, how could I think with temper of paffing my days among yahoos, and relapfing into my old corruptions for want of examples to lead and keep me within the paths of virtue: that I knew too well upon what folid reafons all the determinations of, the wife Houyhnhnms were founded, not to be fhaken by arguments of mine, a miferable yahoo: and therefore, after prefenting him with my humble thanks for the offer of his fervants affitance in making a veffel, and defiring a reafonable time for fo difficult a work, I told him I would endeavour to preferve a wretched being; and if ever I returned to England, was not without hopes of being useful to my own fpecies by celebrating the praises of the renowned Houyhnhnms, and propofing their virtues to the imitation of mankind.

My master in a few words made me a very gracious reply, allowed me the space of two months to finish my boat; and ordered the forrel nag, my fellow-fervant (for fo at this diftance I may prefume to call him) to fol low my instructions; because I told my mafter, that his help would be fufficient, and I knew he had a tendernefs for me.

In his company, my firft business was to go to that part of the coaft, where my rebellious crew had ordered me to be fet on fhore. I got upon a height, and looking on every fide into the fea, fancied I faw a fmall island towards the north-eaf: I took out my pocket-glafs, and

could

could then clearly diftinguish it about five leagues off, asI computed; but it appeared to the forrel nag to be only a blue cloud for as he had no conception of any country befide his own, fo he could not be as expert in diftinguishing remote objects at fea, as we who fo much converfe in that element.

AFTER I had discovered this ifland, I confidered no farther; but refolved it fhould, if poffible, be the first place of my banishment, leaving the confequence to for

tune..

I returned home, and confulting with the forrel nag,we went into a copfe at some distance, where I with my knife, and he with a sharp flint fastened very artificially after their manner to a wooden handle, cut down several oak wattles, about the thickness of a walking-staff, and fome larger pieces. But I fhall not trouble the reader with a particular defcription of my own mechanics; let it fuffice to fay, that in fix weeks time with the help of the forrel nag, who performed the parts that required most labour, I finished a fort of Indian canoo, but much larger, covering it with the fkins of yahoos well ftitched. together with hempen threads of my own making. My fail was likewife compofed of the skins of the fame animal; but I made ufe of the youngest I could get, the older being too tough and thick; and I likewife provided myself with four paddles. I laid in a ftock of boiled flesh, of rabbets and fowls; and took with me two veffels, one filled with milk, and the other with water.

I tried my canoo in a large pond near my master's houfe, and then corrected in it what was amifs; ftopping all the chinks with yahoos tallow, till I found it ftanch, and able to bear me and my freight. And, when it was as complete as I could poffibly make it, I had it drawn on a carriage very gently by yahoos to the fea-fide, under the conduct of the forrel nag, and another fervant. . WHEN all was ready, and the day came for my departure, I took leave of my mafter and lady and the whole family, mine eyes flowing with tears, and my heart quite funk with grief. But his honour out of curiofity, and perhaps (if I may fpeak it without vanity) partly out of kindness, was determined to fee me in my canoo; and got feveral of his neighbouring friends to accompany

A a 3

Part IV. accompany him. I was forced to wait above an hour for the tide, and then obferving the wind very fortunately bearing towards the ifland, to which I intended to fteer my courfe, I took a fecond leave of my master: but, as I was going to proftrate myfelf to kifs his hoof, he did me the honour to raise it gently to my mouth. I am not ignorant how much I have been cenfured for mentioning this laft particular. Detractors are pleafed to think it improbable, that fo illuftrious a perfon should defcend to give fo great a mark of diftinction to a creature fo inferior as I. Neither have I forgotten how apt fome travellers are to boast of extraordinary favours they have received. But, if thefe cenfurers were better acquainted with the noble and courteous difpofition of the Houyhnhnms, they would foon change their opinion.

I paid my respects to the rest of the Houyhnhnms in his honour's company; then getting into my canoo I pushed off from fhore.

CHAP. XI.

The author's dangerous voyage,

He arrives at New

Holland, hoping to fettle there. Is wounded with an arrow by one of the natives. Is feized and carried by force into a Portugueze ship. The great civilities of : the captain. The author arrives at England.*

I

7

BEGAN this defperate voyage on February 15. 1714-15, at nine o'clock in the morning. The wind was very favourable; however I made ufe at first only of my paddles; but confidering I fhould foon be weary, and that the wind might chop about, I ventured to fet up my little fail; and thus with the help of the tide I went at the rate of a league and a half an hour, as near as I could guess. My mafter and his friends continued on the fhore, till I was almoft out of fight; and I often heard the forrel nag (who always loved me) crying out, buy illa nyha majah yahoo, Take care of thyself gentle yahoo.

My

This chapter, properly speaking, is the laft chapter of Gulfiver's travels; the 12th being only a fort of a critic, and a very bad one too, upon the whole work in general, Swift.

My defign was, if poffible, to difcover fome fmall island uninhabited, yet fufficient by my labour to furnish me with the neceffaries of life, which I would have thought a greater happiness, than to be first minifter in the politeft court of Europe; fo horrible was the idea I conceived of returning to live in the fociety, and under the government of yaboos. For, in fuch a folitude as I defired, I could at least enjoy my own thoughts, and reflect with delight on the virtues of thofe inimitable Houyhnhnms, without any opportunity of degenerating into the vices and corruptions of my own fpecies.

THE reader may remember what I related, when my crew confpired against me, and confined me to my cabbin. How I continued there feveral weeks without know ing what course we took; and when I was put a-fhore in the long-boat, how the failors told me with oaths, whether true or falfe, that they knew not in what part of the world we were. However, I did then believe us to be about ten degrees Southward of the Cape of GoodHope, or about 45 degrees Southern latitude, as I gathered from fome general words I overheard among them, being I fuppofed to the South-Eaft in their intended voyage to Madagascar. And although this were but little better than conjecture, yet I refolved to fteer my courfe Eastward, hoping to reach the South-weft coast of New-Holland, and perhaps fome fuch island as I defired lying Weftward of it. The wind was full Weft, and by fix in the evening I computed I had gone Eastward at leaft eighteen leagues; when I fpied a very small island about half a league off, which I foon reached. It was nothing but a rock with one creek naturally arched by the force of tempefts. Here I put in my canoo, and climbing a part of the rock I could plainly discover land to the Eaft, extending from South to North. I lay all night in my canoo; and repeating my voyage early in the morning, I arrived in feven hours to the SouthEaft point of New-Holland. This confirmed me in the opinion I have long entertained, that the maps and charts place this country at least three degrees more to the Eaft, than it really is; which thought I communicated many years ago to my worthy friend, Mr. Herman Moll, and gave him my reafons for it, altho' he hath rather chofen to follow other authors.

I

I faw no inhabitants in the place where I landed, and being unarmed I was afraid of venturing far into the country. I found fome fhell-fish on the fhore, and eat them raw, not daring to kindle a fire for fear of being discovered by the natives. I continued three days feeding on oysters and limpits to fave my own provifions; and I fortunately found a brook of excellent water, which gave me great relief.

On the fourth day venturing out early a little too far, I saw twenty or thirty natives upon a height not above five hundred yards from me. They were stark naked, men, women, and children, round a fire, as I could discover by the fmoke. One of them fpied me, and gave notice to the reft; five of them advanced towards me, leaving the women and children at the fire. I made what hafte I could to the fhore, and getting into my cánoo fhoved off the favages obferving me retreat, ran after me; and, before I could get far enough into the fea, difcharged an arrow which wounded me deeply on the infide of my left knee (1 fhall carry the mark to my grave). I apprehended the arrow might be poisoned, and paddling out of the reach of their darts (being a calm day) I made a shift to fuck the wound, and dress it as well as I could.

I was at a loss what to do, for I durft not return to the fame landing-place, but stood to the North, and was forced to paddle; for the wind, though very gentle, was against me, blowing North-weft. As I was looking about for a fecure landing-place, I faw a fail to the North North-east, which appearing every minute more visible, I was in fome doubt whether I fhould wait for them or no; but at last my deteftation of the yaboo race prevailed; and turning my canoo I failed and paddled together to the South, and got into the fame creek from whence I fet out in the morning, chufing rather to trust myself among these Barbarians, than live with European yaboos. I drew up my canoo as close as I could to the fhore, and hid myself behind a stone by the little brook, which, as I have already faid, was excellent water.

THE fhip came within half a league of this creek, and fent out her long-boat with veffels to take in fresh water, (for the place, it seems, was very well known) but I did not observe it, till the boat was almost on fhore; and it

was