brought in carriages, and worked up in my houfe; an hundred and fifty of their beds, fewn together, made up the breadth and length; and thefe were four doubled, which however kept me but indifferently from the hardness of the floor, that was of fmooth ftone. By the fame computation they provided me with fheets, blankets, and coverlids, tolerable enough for one who had been fo long inured to hardthips. As the news of my arrival fpread through the kingdom, it brought prodigious numbers of rich, idle, and curious people to fee me; fo that the villages were almoft emptied; and great neglect of tillage and houfehold affairs must have enfued, if his imperial majefty had not provided, by feveral proclamations and orders of ftate, against this inconveniency. He directed, that thofe who had already beheld me should return home, and not prefume to come within fifty yards of my houfe without licence from court; whereby the secretaries of state got confiderable fees. In the mean time the emperor held frequent councils, to debate what course should be taken with me; and I was afterwards affured by a particular friend, a perfon of great quality, who was as much in the fecret as any, that the court was under many difficulties concerning me, They apprehended my breaking loofe; that my diet would be very expenfive, and might caufe a famine. Sometimes they determined to ftarve me, or at least to thoot me in the face and hands with poisoned arrows, which would foon difpatch me; but again they confidered, that the ftench of fo large a carcafe might produce a plague in the metropolis, and probably spread through the whole kingdom. In the midft of thefe confultations, several officers of the army went to the door of the great councilchamber, and two of them being admitted, gave an account of my behaviour to the fix criminals above-mentioned, which made fo favourable an impreffion in the breaft of his majefty, and the whole board, in my behalf, that an imperial commiffion was iffued out, obliging all the villages nine hundred yards round the city to deliver in every morning fix beeves, forty fheep, and other victuals, for my fuftenance; together with a proportionable quantity of bread, and wine, aud other liquors; for the due payment of which his majesty gave affigniments upon his treafury. For this prince lives chiefly upon his own demefnes, feldom, except upon great occafions, raifing any fubfidies upon his fubjects, who are bound to attend him in his wars at their own expence. An etablishment was alfo made of fix hundred perfons to be my do meltics, who had board-wages allowed for their maintenance, and tents built for them very conveniently on each fide of my door. It was likewife ordered, that three hundred taylors fhould make me a fuit of cloaths after the faflion of the country: that fix of his majesty's greateft fcholars fhould be employed to inftruct me in their language: and lastly, that the emperor's horfes, and thofe of the nobility, and troops of guards, fhould be frequently exercised in my fight, to accuftom themselves to me. All thefe orders were duly put in execution, and in about three weeks I made great progress in learning their language; during which time the emperor frequently honoured me with his vifits, and was pleased to affitt my mafters in teaching me. We began already to converfe together in fome fort; and the first words I learnt were to exprefs my defire, that he would please to give me my liberty, which I every day repeated on my knees. His answer, as I could apprehend it, was, that this must be a work of time, not to be thought on without the advice of his council, and that firft I must lumos kelmin pesso desmar lon empofo; that is, fwear a peace with him and his kingdom. However, that I fhould be used with all kindness; and he advised me to acquire, by my patience and difcreet behaviour, the good opinion of himself and his fubjects. He defired I would not take it ill, if he gave orders to certain proper officers to fearch me; for probably I might carry about me feveral weapons, which mult needs be dangerous things, if they anfwered the bulk of fo prodigious a perfon. I faid, his majefty fhould be fatisfied; for 1 was ready to ftrip myself, and turn up my pockets before him. 'This I delivered part in words, and part in figns. He replied, that by the laws of the kingdom I must be fearched by two of his officers; that he knew this could not be done without my confent and affistance; that he had fo good an opinion of my generosity and juftice, as to truft their perfons in my hands: that whatever they took from me, fhould be returned when I left the country, or paid for at the rate which I would fet upon them. I took up the two officers in my hands, put them hrft into my coatpockets, and then into every other pocket about me, except my two fobs, and another 323 fecret fecret pocket, which I had no mind fhould be fearched, wherein I had fome little neceflaries, that were of no confequence to any but myself. In one of my fobs there was a filver watch, and in the other a fmall quantity of gold in a purse. These gentlemen, having pen, ink, and paper about them, made an exact inventory of every thing they faw; and, when they had done, defired I would fet them down, that they might deliver it to the emperor. This inventory I afterwards tranflated into English, and is word for word as follows: Imprimis, In the right coat pocket of the great Man-mountain (for fo I interpret the words Quinbus Fleftrin) after the ftricteft fearch we found only one great piece of coarfe cloth, large enough to be a footcloth for your majefty's chief room of ftate. In the left pocket we faw a huge filver cheft, with a cover of the fame metal, which we the fearchers were not able to lift. We defired it fhould be opened, and one of us ftepping into it, found himfelf up to the mid-leg in a fort of duft, fome part whereof flying up to our faces, fet us both a fneezing for feveral times together. In his right waistcoat-pocket we found a prodigious bundle of white thin fubftances, folded one over another, about the bignefs of three men, tied with a strong cable, and marked with black figures; which we humbly conceive to be writings, every letter almost half as large as the palm of our hands. In the left there was a fort of engine, from the back of which were extended twenty long poles, refembling the pallifadoes before you majefty's court; wherewith we conjecture the Manmountain combs his head; for we did not always trouble him with questions, becaufe we found it a great difficulty to make him understand us. In the large pocket on the right fide of his middle cover (fo I tranilate the word ranfulo, by which they meant my breeches) we faw a hollow pilJar of iron, about the length of a man, fastened to a strong piece of timber, larger than the pillar; and upon one fide of the pillar were huge pieces of iron fticking out, cut into frange figures, which we know not what to make of. In the left pocket another engine of the fame kind. In the fmaller pocket on the right fide were several round flat pieces of white and red metal of different bulk; some of the white, which feemed to be filver, were fo large and heavy, that my comrade and I could hardly lift them. In the left pocket 8 were two black pillars irregularly fhaped we could not without difficulty reach the top of them, as we flood at the bottom of his pocket. One of them was covered, and feemed all of a-piece; but at the upper end of the other there appeared a white round fubftance, about twice the bigness of our heads. Within each of these was inclofed a prodigious plate of steel; which, by our orders, we obliged him to fhew us, because we apprehended they might be dangerous engines. He took them out of their cafes, and told us, that in his own country his practice was to fhave his beard with one of these, and to cut his meat with the other. There were two pockets, which we could not enter: thefe he called his fobs: they were two large flits cut into the top of his middle cover, but fqueezed clofe by the preffure of his belly. Out of the right fob hung a great filver chain with a wonderful engine at the bottom. We directed him to draw out whatever was at the end of that chain; which appeared to be a globe, half filver, and half of fome tranfparent metal; for on the transparent fide we faw certain ftrange figures circularly drawn, and thought we could touch them, till we found our fingers flopped by that lucid fubftance. He put this engine to our ears, which made an inceflant noife like that of a water-mill: and we conjecture it is either fome unknown animal, or the god that he worships; but we are more inclined to the latter opinion, becaufe he affured us (if we understood him right, for he exprefied himself very imperfectly) that he feldom did any thing without confulting it. He called it his oracle, and faid it pointed out the time for every action of his life*. From the left fob he took out a net almoft large enough for a fisherman, but contrived to open and fhut like a purse, and ferved him for the fame ufe: we found therein feveral maffy pieces of yellow me tal, which, if they be real gold, muft be of immenfe value. Having thus, in obedience to your majefty's commands, diligently fearched all his pockets, we,obferved a girdle about his wait, made of the hide of fome prodigious animal, from which on the left fide hung a fword of the length of five men; and on the right a bag or pouch divided into two Perhaps the author intended to expofe the probable fallacy of opinions derived from the relations of travellers, by fhewing how little truth need to be mifunderstood to make falfehood ipecious. cells cells, each cell capable of holding three of your majesty's fubjects. In one of these cells were feveral globes, or balls, of a moft ponderous metal, about the bignefs of our heads, and required a strong hand to lift them; the other cell contained a heap of certain black grains, but of no great bulk or weight, for we could hold above fifty of them in the palms of our hands. This is an exact inventory of what we found about the body of the Man-mountain, who used us with great civility, and due refpect to your majefty's commiffion. Signed and fealed, on the fourth day of the eighty-ninth moon of your majesty's aufpicious reign. Clefrin Frelock, Marfi Frelock. When this inventory was read over to the emperor, he directed me, although in very gentle terms, to deliver up the feveral particulars. He firft called for my fcymeter, which I took out, fcabbard and all. In the mean time he ordered three thoufand of his choiceft troops (who then attended him) to furround me at a distance, with their bows and arrows just ready to discharge: but I did not obferve it, for mine eyes were wholly fixed upon his majefty. He then defired me to draw my fcymeter, which, although it had got fome ruft by the fea-water, was in most parts exceeding bright. I did fo, and immediately all the troops gave a fhout between terror and furprize; for the fun fhone clear, and the reflection dazzled their eyes, as I waved the fcymeter to and fro in wy hand. His majefty, who is a molt magnanimous prince, was lefs daunted than I conld expect; he ordered me to return it into the fcabbard, and caft it on the ground as gently as I could, about fix feet from the end of my chain. The next thing he demanded, was one of the hollow iron pillars; by which he meant my pocket-piftols. I drew it out, and at his defire, as well as I could, expreffed to him the use of it; and charging it only with powder, which by the clofenefs of my pouch happened to escape wetting in the fea (an inconvenience against which all prudent mariners take special care to provide) I firft cau He who does not find himself difpofed to honour this magnanimity should reflect, that a right to judge of moral and intellectual excellence is with great abfurdity and injuftice arrogated by him who admires, in a being fix feet high, any qualities that he defpifes in one whofe ftature does not exceed fix inches. The aftonish tioned the emperor not to be afraid, and I had, as I before obferved, one private pocket, which escaped their fearch, wherein there was a pair of fpectacles (which I fometimes ufe for the weakness of mine eyes) a pocket perspective, and fome other little conveniences; which being of no confequence to the emperor, I did not think myself bound in honour to discover, and I apprehended they might be loft or spoiled, if I ventured them out of my poffeffion. CHA P. III. The author diverts the emperor and his nobility of both fexes in a very uncommon manner. The diverfions of the court of Lilliput defcribed. The author has his liberty granted him upon certain conditions. My gentleness and good behaviour had gained fo far on the emperor and his court, and indeed upon the army, and people in general, that I began to conceive hopes of getting my liberty in a fhort time. I took all all poffible methods to cultivate this favourable difpofition. The natives came by degrees to be lefs apprehenfive of any dan ger from me. I would fometimes lie down, and let five or fix of them dance on my hand: and at laft the boys and girls would venture to come and play at hide and feek in my hair. I had now made a good progrefs in understanding and fpeaking their language. The emperor had a mind one day to entertain me with feveral of the country fhows, wherein they exceed all nations I have known both for dexterity and magnificence. I was diverted with none fo much as that of the rope-dancers, performed upon a flender white thread, extended about two feet, and twelve inches from the ground. Upon which I fhall defire liberty, with the reader's patience, to enlarge a little. This diverfion is only practifed by thofe perfons, who are candidates for great employments, and high favour at court. They are trained in this art from their youth, and are not always of noble birth, or liberal education. When a great office is vacant either by death or difgrace (which often happens) five or fix of thofe candidates petition the emperor to entertain his majefty and the court with a dance on the rope, and whoever jumps the higheft without falling, fucceeds in the office. Very often the chief minifters themselves are commanded to fhew their skill, and to convince the emperor that they have not loft their faculty Flimnap, the treafurer, is allowed to cut a caper on the ftrait rope at leaft an inch higher than any other lord in the whole empire. I have feen him do the fummerfet feveral times together upon a trencher, fixed on a rope, which is no thicker than a common packthread in England. My friend Reldrefal, principal fecretary for private affairs, is, in my opinion, if I am not partial, the fecond after the treasurer; the rest of the great officers are much upon a par. These diverfions are often attended with fatal accidents, whereof great numbers are on record. I myself have feen two or three candidates break a limb. But the danger is much greater, when the minifters themfelves are commanded to fhew their dexterity; for, by contending to excel themfelves and their fellows, they strain fo far, that there is hardly one of them, who hath not received a fall, and fome of them, two or three. I was affured, that a year or two before my arrival Flimnap would have infallibly broke his neck, if one of the king's cushions, that accidentally lay on the ground, had not weakened the force of his fall. is only fhewn before the emperor and emThere is likewife another diverfion, which prefs, and first minifter, upon particular occafions. The emperor lays on the table three fine filken threads of fix inches long; one is blue, the other red, and the third prizes for those perfons, whom the emperor green. These threads are propofed as hath a mind to diftinguish by a peculiar mark of his favour. The ceremony is performed in his majefty's great chamber of ftate, where the candidates are to undergo a trial of dexterity very differeut from the former, and fuch as I have not observed the leaft refemblance of in any other country of the old or new world. The emperor holds horizon, while the candidates advancing, a ftick in his hands, both ends parallel to the one by one, fometimes leap over the ftick, wards feveral times, according as the stick fometimes creep under it backwards and foris advanced or depreffed. emperor holds one end of the flick, and his Sometimes the firft minifter the other; fometimes the minifter has it entirely to himself. Whoever performs his part with mot agility, and holds out the longeft in leaping and creeping, is rewarded with the blue-coloured filk; the red is given to the next, and the green to the third; which they all wear girt twice round about the middle; and you fee few great perfons about this court, who are not adorned with one of these girdles. royal ftables, having been daily led before The horses of the army, and those of the me, were no longer thy, but would come up riders would leap them over my hand, as I to my very feet without ftarting. The held it on the ground; and one of the emperor's huntfmen upon a large courfer took my foot, fhoe and all; which was indeed a prodigious leap. I had the good fortune to divert the emperor one day after a very order feveral flicks of two feet high, and the extraordinary manner. I defired he would thickness of an ordinary cane, to be brought me; whereupon his majefty commanded the master of his woods to give directions accordingly, and the next morning fix woodby eight horfes to each. I took nine of men arrived with as many carriages, drawn thefe fticks, and fixing them firmly in the ground in a quadrangular figure, two feetand a half fquare, I took four other sticks, and tied them parallel at each corner about two feet from the ground; then I fastened my my handkerchief to the nine fticks that flood erect; and extended it on all fides, till it was tight as the top of a drum; and the four parallel ticks, rifing about five inches higher than the handkerchiefs, ferved as ledges on each fide. When I had finished my work, I defired the emperor to let a troop of his best horfe, twenty-four in number, come and exercife upon this plain. His majesty approved of the propofal, and I took them up one by one in my hands, ready mounted and armed, with the proper officers to exercife them. As foon as they got into order, they divided into two parties, performed mock fkirmishes, discharged blunt arrows, drew their fwords, fled and purfued, attacked and retired, and in thort difcovered the beft military difcipline I ever beheld. The parallel fticks fecured them and their horfes from falling over the flage; and the emperor was fo much delighted, that he ordered this entertainment to be repeated feveral days, and once was pleased to be lifted up, and give the word of command; and, with great difficulty, perfuaded even the empress herfelf to let me hold her in her clofe chair within two yards of the flage, from whence she was able to take a full view of the whole performance. It was my good fortune, that no ill accident happened in thefe entertainments, only once a fiery horfe, that belonged to one of the captains, pawing with his hoof, ftruck a hole in my handkerchief, and his foot flipping he overthrew his rider and himself; but I immediately relieved them both, and covering the hole with one hand, I fet down the troop with the other, in the f.me me manner as I took them up. The horse that fell was ftrained in the left shoulder, but the rider got no hurt, and I repaired my handkerchief as well as I could; however, I would not trust to the ftrength of it any more in fuch dangerous enterprizes. About two or three days before I was fet at liberty, as I was entertaining the court with this kind of feats, there arrived an exprefs to inform his majefty, that fome of his fubjects, riding near the place where I was firft taken up, had feen a great black fubftance lying on the ground, very odly fhaped, extending its edges round as wide as his majefty's bedchamber, and rifing up in the middle as high as a man; that it was no living creature, as they at firft apprehended, for it lay on the grafs without motion; and fome of them had walked round it feveral times; that, by mounting up on each other's shoulders, they had got to the top, which was flat and even, and ftamping upon it, they found it was hollow within; that they humbly conceived it might be fomething belonging to the Man-mountain; and if his majefty pleafed, they would undertake to bring it with only five horfes. I prefently knew what they meant, and was glad at heart to receive this intelligence. It feems, upon my first reaching the shore after our fhipwreck, I was in fuch confufion, that, before I came to the place where I went to fleep, my hat, which I had fastened with a ftring to my head while I was rowing, and had ftuck on all the time I was fwimming, fell off after I came to land; the string, as I conjecture, breaking by fome accident, which I never obferved, but thought my hat had been loft at fea. I entreated his imperial majefty to give orders it might be brought to me as foon as poffible, defcribing to him the use and the nature of it: and the next day the waggoners arrived with it, but not in a very good condition: they had bored two holes in the brim within an inch and a half of the edge, and fastened two hooks in the holes; thefe hooks were tied by a long cord to the harnefs, and thus my hat was dragged along for above half an English mile; but the ground in that country being extremely fmooth and level, it received lefs damage than I expected. Two days after this adventure, the emperor having ordered that, part of his army, which quarters in and about his metropo lis, to be in readiness, took a fancy of diverting himself in a very fingular manner. He defired I would ftand like a coloffus, with any legs as far afunder as I conveniently could. He then commanded his general (who was an old experienced leader, and a great patron of mine) to draw up the troops in clofe order, and march them under me; the foot by twenty-four in a breast, and the horfe by fixteen, with drums beating, colours flying, and pikes advanced. This body confifted of three thousand foot and a thousand horfe. His majesty gave orders, upon pain of death, that every foldier in his march should observe the strictest decency with regard to my perfon; which however could not prevent fome of the younger officers from turning up their eyes, as they paffed under me: and, to confefs the truth, my breeches were at that time in fo ill a condition, that they afforded fome opportunities for laughter and admiration. I had fent fo many memorials and petitions for my liberty, that his majesty at length mentioned the matter first in the cabinet, and then in a full council; where it was opposed by none, except Skyresh Bol golam, |