with him his little daughter, my nurse, upon a pillion behind him. The box was close on every fide, with a little door for me to go in and out, and a few gimlet-holes to let in air, The girl had been fo careful as to put the quilt of her baby's bed into it for me to lie down on. However, I was terribly fhaken and difcompofed in this journey, though it were but of half an hour. For the horse went about forty feet at every step, and trotted so high, that the agitation was equal to the rifing and falling of a ship in a great storm, but much more frequent: our journey was fomewhat farther than from London to St. Alban's. My mafter alighted at an inn which he used. to frequent; and after confulting a while with the inn-keeper, and making fome neceffary preparations, he hired the grultrud or crier to give notice through the town of a strange creature to be feen at the fign of the Green Eagle, not fo big as a placnuck (an animal in that country very finely fhaped, about fix feet long) and in every part of the body resembling an human creature, could fpeak feveral words, and perform an hundred diverting tricks.

I was placed upon a table in the largest room of the inn, which might be near three hundred feet fquare. My little nurse stood on a low ftool close to the table to take care of me, and direct what I fhould do. My mafter, to avoid a croud, would fuffer only thirty people at a time to see me, I walked about on the table as the girl commanded; she asked me questions,

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queftions, as far as fhe knew my understanding of the language reached, and I answered them as loud as I could. I turned about feveral times to the company, paid my my humble refpects, faid they were welcome, and ufed fome other speeches I had been taught. I took up a thimble filled with liquor, which Glumdalclitch had given me for a cup, and drank their health. I drew out my hanger, and flourished with it after the manner of fencers in England. My nurse gave me part of a ftraw, which I exercifed as a pike, having learned the art in my youth. I was that day shewn to twelve fetts of company, and as often forced to act over again the fame fopperies, till I was half dead with wearinefs and vexation. For those who had feen me made fuch wonderful reports, that the people were ready to break down the doors to come in. My mafter, for his own intereft, would not fuffer any one to touch me except my nurse; and to prevent danger benches were fet round the table at fuch a distance as to put me out of every body's reach. However, an unlucky fchool-boy aimed a hazel-nut directly at my head, which very narrowly miffed me; otherwife, it came with fo much violence, that it would have infallibly knocked out my brains, for it was almost as large as a fmall pumpion : but I had the fatisfaction to fee the young rogue well beaten, and turned out of the

room.

My

My mafter gave public notice, that he would fhew me again the next market-day, and in the mean time he prepared a more convenient vehicle for me, which he had reason enough to do; for I was fo tired with my first journey, and with entertaining company for eight hours together, that I could hardly stand upon my legs, or speak a word. It was at least three days before I recovered my strength; and that I might have no rest at home, all the neighbouring gentlemen from an hundred miles round, hearing of my fame, came to see me at my mafter's own houfe. There could not be fewer than thirty persons with their wives and children (for the country is very populous ;) and my master demanded the rate of a full room whenever he fhewed me at home, although it were only to a fingle family fo that for fome time I had but little eafe every day of the week (except Wednesday, which is their fabbath) although I were not carried to the town.

My mafter, finding how profitable I was like to be, refolved to carry me to the most confiderable cities of the kingdom. Having therefore provided himself with all things neceffary for a long journey, and settled his affairs at home, he took leave of his wife, and upon the the 17th of Auguft 1703, about two months after my arrival, we fet out for the metropolis, fituated near the middle of that empire, and about three thousand miles diftance from our house my mafter made his daugh

1

ter Glumdalclitch ride behind him.

She carried me on her lap in a box tied about her waist. The girl had lined it on all fides with the fofteft cloth fhe could get, well quilted underneath, furnished it with her baby's bed, provided me with linnen and other neceffaries, and made every thing as convenient as fhe could. We had no other company but a boy of the house, who rode after us with the luggage.

My master's design was to fhew me in all the towns by the way, and to step out of the road for fifty or an hundred miles, to any village, or perfon of quality's house, where he might expect cuftom. We made easy journies of not above feven or eightfcore miles a day for Glumdalclitch, on purpofe to fpare me, complained she was tired with the trotting of the horse. She often took me out of my box at my own defire to give me air, and fhew me the country, but always held me faft by a leading-string. We paffed over five or fix rivers many degrees broader and deeper than the Nile, or the Ganges; and there was hardly a rivulet fo fmall as the Thames at LondonBridge. We were ten weeks in our journey, and I was shewn in eighteen large towns, befides many villages and private families.

On the 26th day of October, we arrived at the metropolis, called in their language Lorbrulgrud, or Pride of the Univerfe. My mafter took a lodging in the principal street of the city, not far from the royal palace, and put

out

out bills in the ufual form, containing an exact description of my perfon and parts. He hired a large room between three and four hundred feet wide. He provided a table fixty feet in diameter, upon which I was to act my part, and pallifadoed it round three feet from the edge, and as many high, to prevent my falling over. I was fhewn ten times a day, to the wonder and fatisfaction of all people. I could now fpeak the language tolerably well, and perfectly understood every word that was spoken to me. Befides, I had learned their alphabet, and could make a shift to explain a sentence here and there; for Glumdalclitch had been my instructor while we were at home, and at leisure hours during our journey. She carried a little book in her pocket, not much larger than a Sanfon's Atlas; it was a common treatise for the ufe of young girls, giving a fhort account of their religion; out of this she taught me my letters, and interpreted the words.

CHAP.