Gulliver's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, Page 9

  CHAPTER VIII.

  The author, by a lucky accident, finds means to leave Blefuscu; and,after some difficulties, returns safe to his native country.

  Three days after my arrival, walking out of curiosity to the north-eastcoast of the island, I observed, about half a league off in the sea,somewhat that looked like a boat overturned. I pulled off my shoes andstockings, and, wailing two or three hundred yards, I found the object toapproach nearer by force of the tide; and then plainly saw it to be areal boat, which I supposed might by some tempest have been driven from aship. Whereupon, I returned immediately towards the city, and desiredhis imperial majesty to lend me twenty of the tallest vessels he hadleft, after the loss of his fleet, and three thousand seamen, under thecommand of his vice-admiral. This fleet sailed round, while I went backthe shortest way to the coast, where I first discovered the boat. Ifound the tide had driven it still nearer. The seamen were all providedwith cordage, which I had beforehand twisted to a sufficient strength.When the ships came up, I stripped myself, and waded till I came within ahundred yards off the boat, after which I was forced to swim till I gotup to it. The seamen threw me the end of the cord, which I fastened to ahole in the fore-part of the boat, and the other end to a man of war; butI found all my labour to little purpose; for, being out of my depth, Iwas not able to work. In this necessity I was forced to swim behind, andpush the boat forward, as often as I could, with one of my hands; and thetide favouring me, I advanced so far that I could just hold up my chinand feel the ground. I rested two or three minutes, and then gave theboat another shove, and so on, till the sea was no higher than myarm-pits; and now, the most laborious part being over, I took out myother cables, which were stowed in one of the ships, and fastened themfirst to the boat, and then to nine of the vessels which attended me; thewind being favourable, the seamen towed, and I shoved, until we arrivedwithin forty yards of the shore; and, waiting till the tide was out, Igot dry to the boat, and by the assistance of two thousand men, withropes and engines, I made a shift to turn it on its bottom, and found itwas but little damaged.

  I shall not trouble the reader with the difficulties I was under, by thehelp of certain paddles, which cost me ten days making, to get my boat tothe royal port of Blefuscu, where a mighty concourse of people appearedupon my arrival, full of wonder at the sight of so prodigious a vessel.I told the emperor "that my good fortune had thrown this boat in my way,to carry me to some place whence I might return into my native country;and begged his majesty's orders for getting materials to fit it up,together with his license to depart;" which, after some kindexpostulations, he was pleased to grant.

  I did very much wonder, in all this time, not to have heard of anyexpress relating to me from our emperor to the court of Blefuscu. But Iwas afterward given privately to understand, that his imperial majesty,never imagining I had the least notice of his designs, believed I wasonly gone to Blefuscu in performance of my promise, according to thelicense he had given me, which was well known at our court, and wouldreturn in a few days, when the ceremony was ended. But he was at last inpain at my long absence; and after consulting with the treasurer and therest of that cabal, a person of quality was dispatched with the copy ofthe articles against me. This envoy had instructions to represent to themonarch of Blefuscu, "the great lenity of his master, who was content topunish me no farther than with the loss of mine eyes; that I had fledfrom justice; and if I did not return in two hours, I should be deprivedof my title of _nardac_, and declared a traitor." The envoy furtheradded, "that in order to maintain the peace and amity between bothempires, his master expected that his brother of Blefuscu would giveorders to have me sent back to Lilliput, bound hand and foot, to bepunished as a traitor."

  The emperor of Blefuscu, having taken three days to consult, returned ananswer consisting of many civilities and excuses. He said, "that as forsending me bound, his brother knew it was impossible; that, although Ihad deprived him of his fleet, yet he owed great obligations to me formany good offices I had done him in making the peace. That, however,both their majesties would soon be made easy; for I had found aprodigious vessel on the shore, able to carry me on the sea, which he hadgiven orders to fit up, with my own assistance and direction; and hehoped, in a few weeks, both empires would be freed from so insupportablean encumbrance."

  With this answer the envoy returned to Lilliput; and the monarch ofBlefuscu related to me all that had passed; offering me at the same time(but under the strictest confidence) his gracious protection, if I wouldcontinue in his service; wherein, although I believed him sincere, yet Iresolved never more to put any confidence in princes or ministers, whereI could possibly avoid it; and therefore, with all due acknowledgmentsfor his favourable intentions, I humbly begged to be excused. I toldhim, "that since fortune, whether good or evil, had thrown a vessel in myway, I was resolved to venture myself on the ocean, rather than be anoccasion of difference between two such mighty monarchs." Neither did Ifind the emperor at all displeased; and I discovered, by a certainaccident, that he was very glad of my resolution, and so were most of hisministers.

  These considerations moved me to hasten my departure somewhat sooner thanI intended; to which the court, impatient to have me gone, very readilycontributed. Five hundred workmen were employed to make two sails to myboat, according to my directions, by quilting thirteen folds of theirstrongest linen together. I was at the pains of making ropes and cables,by twisting ten, twenty, or thirty of the thickest and strongest oftheirs. A great stone that I happened to find, after a long search, bythe sea-shore, served me for an anchor. I had the tallow of threehundred cows, for greasing my boat, and other uses. I was at incrediblepains in cutting down some of the largest timber-trees, for oars andmasts, wherein I was, however, much assisted by his majesty'sship-carpenters, who helped me in smoothing them, after I had done therough work.

  In about a month, when all was prepared, I sent to receive his majesty'scommands, and to take my leave. The emperor and royal family came out ofthe palace; I lay down on my face to kiss his hand, which he verygraciously gave me: so did the empress and young princes of the blood.His majesty presented me with fifty purses of two hundred _sprugs_a-piece, together with his picture at full length, which I putimmediately into one of my gloves, to keep it from being hurt. Theceremonies at my departure were too many to trouble the reader with atthis time.

  I stored the boat with the carcases of a hundred oxen, and three hundredsheep, with bread and drink proportionable, and as much meat readydressed as four hundred cooks could provide. I took with me six cows andtwo bulls alive, with as many ewes and rams, intending to carry them intomy own country, and propagate the breed. And to feed them on board, Ihad a good bundle of hay, and a bag of corn. I would gladly have taken adozen of the natives, but this was a thing the emperor would by no meanspermit; and, besides a diligent search into my pockets, his majestyengaged my honour "not to carry away any of his subjects, although withtheir own consent and desire."

  Having thus prepared all things as well as I was able, I set sail on thetwenty-fourth day of September 1701, at six in the morning; and when Ihad gone about four-leagues to the northward, the wind being atsouth-east, at six in the evening I descried a small island, about half aleague to the north-west. I advanced forward, and cast anchor on thelee-side of the island, which seemed to be uninhabited. I then took somerefreshment, and went to my rest. I slept well, and as I conjectured atleast six hours, for I found the day broke in two hours after I awaked.It was a clear night. I ate my breakfast before the sun was up; andheaving anchor, the wind being favourable, I steered the same course thatI had done the day before, wherein I was directed by my pocket compass.My intention was to reach, if possible, one of those islands which I hadreason to believe lay to the north-east of Van Diemen's Land. Idiscovered nothing all that day; but upon the next, about three in theafternoon, when I had by my computation made twenty-four leagues fromBlefuscu, I descried a sail steering to the south-east; my course was due
east. I hailed her, but could get no answer; yet I found I gained uponher, for the wind slackened. I made all the sail I could, and in half anhour she spied me, then hung out her ancient, and discharged a gun. Itis not easy to express the joy I was in, upon the unexpected hope of oncemore seeing my beloved country, and the dear pledges I left in it. Theship slackened her sails, and I came up with her between five and six inthe evening, September 26th; but my heart leaped within me to see herEnglish colours. I put my cows and sheep into my coat-pockets, and goton board with all my little cargo of provisions. The vessel was anEnglish merchantman, returning from Japan by the North and South seas;the captain, Mr. John Biddel, of Deptford, a very civil man, and anexcellent sailor.

  We were now in the latitude of 30 degrees south; there were about fiftymen in the ship; and here I met an old comrade of mine, one PeterWilliams, who gave me a good character to the captain. This gentlemantreated me with kindness, and desired I would let him know what place Icame from last, and whither I was bound; which I did in a few words, buthe thought I was raving, and that the dangers I underwent had disturbedmy head; whereupon I took my black cattle and sheep out of my pocket,which, after great astonishment, clearly convinced him of my veracity. Ithen showed him the gold given me by the emperor of Blefuscu, togetherwith his majesty's picture at full length, and some other rarities ofthat country. I gave him two purses of two hundreds _sprugs_ each, andpromised, when we arrived in England, to make him a present of a cow anda sheep big with young.

  I shall not trouble the reader with a particular account of this voyage,which was very prosperous for the most part. We arrived in the Downs onthe 13th of April, 1702. I had only one misfortune, that the rats onboard carried away one of my sheep; I found her bones in a hole, pickedclean from the flesh. The rest of my cattle I got safe ashore, and setthem a-grazing in a bowling-green at Greenwich, where the fineness of thegrass made them feed very heartily, though I had always feared thecontrary: neither could I possibly have preserved them in so long avoyage, if the captain had not allowed me some of his best biscuit,which, rubbed to powder, and mingled with water, was their constant food.The short time I continued in England, I made a considerable profit byshowing my cattle to many persons of quality and others: and before Ibegan my second voyage, I sold them for six hundred pounds. Since mylast return I find the breed is considerably increased, especially thesheep, which I hope will prove much to the advantage of the woollenmanufacture, by the fineness of the fleeces.

  I stayed but two months with my wife and family, for my insatiable desireof seeing foreign countries, would suffer me to continue no longer. Ileft fifteen hundred pounds with my wife, and fixed her in a good houseat Redriff. My remaining stock I carried with me, part in money and partin goods, in hopes to improve my fortunes. My eldest uncle John had leftme an estate in land, near Epping, of about thirty pounds a-year; and Ihad a long lease of the Black Bull in Fetter-Lane, which yielded me asmuch more; so that I was not in any danger of leaving my family upon theparish. My son Johnny, named so after his uncle, was at thegrammar-school, and a towardly child. My daughter Betty (who is now wellmarried, and has children) was then at her needle-work. I took leave ofmy wife, and boy and girl, with tears on both sides, and went on boardthe Adventure, a merchant ship of three hundred tons, bound for Surat,captain John Nicholas, of Liverpool, commander. But my account of thisvoyage must be referred to the Second Part of my Travels.