1 00:00:01,819 --> 00:00:08,340 PART II. A VOYAGE TO BROBDINGNAG. 2 00:00:08,340 --> 00:00:11,620 CHAPTER I. 3 00:00:11,370 --> 00:00:18,880 A great storm described; the long boat sent to fetch water; the author goes with it to 4 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:19,680 discover the country. 5 00:00:19,429 --> 00:00:24,699 He is left on shore, is seized by one of the natives, and carried to a farmer's 6 00:00:24,699 --> 00:00:29,029 house. His reception, with several accidents that 7 00:00:29,029 --> 00:00:30,019 happened there. 8 00:00:30,019 --> 00:00:31,910 A description of the inhabitants. 9 00:00:31,660 --> 00:00:37,989 Having been condemned, by nature and fortune, to active and restless life, in 10 00:00:37,989 --> 00:00:43,020 two months after my return, I again left my native country, and took shipping in the 11 00:00:43,020 --> 00:00:47,609 Downs, on the 20th day of June, 1702, in 12 00:00:47,609 --> 00:00:52,640 the Adventure, Captain John Nicholas, a Cornish man, commander, bound for Surat. 13 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:59,579 We had a very prosperous gale, till we arrived at the Cape of Good Hope, where we 14 00:00:59,579 --> 00:01:04,110 landed for fresh water; but discovering a leak, we unshipped our goods and wintered 15 00:01:04,110 --> 00:01:07,159 there; for the captain falling sick of an 16 00:01:07,159 --> 00:01:11,180 ague, we could not leave the Cape till the end of March. 17 00:01:11,180 --> 00:01:15,180 We then set sail, and had a good voyage till we passed the Straits of Madagascar; 18 00:01:15,180 --> 00:01:21,430 but having got northward of that island, and to about five degrees south latitude, 19 00:01:21,430 --> 00:01:24,009 the winds, which in those seas are observed 20 00:01:24,009 --> 00:01:27,820 to blow a constant equal gale between the north and west, from the beginning of 21 00:01:27,820 --> 00:01:32,110 December to the beginning of May, on the 19th of April began to blow with much 22 00:01:32,110 --> 00:01:34,299 greater violence, and more westerly than 23 00:01:34,299 --> 00:01:40,619 usual, continuing so for twenty days together: during which time, we were driven 24 00:01:40,619 --> 00:01:44,719 a little to the east of the Molucca Islands, and about three degrees northward 25 00:01:44,719 --> 00:01:47,880 of the line, as our captain found by an 26 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:52,869 observation he took the 2nd of May, at which time the wind ceased, and it was a 27 00:01:52,869 --> 00:01:56,599 perfect calm, whereat I was not a little rejoiced. 28 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:01,469 But he, being a man well experienced in the navigation of those seas, bid us all 29 00:02:01,469 --> 00:02:06,819 prepare against a storm, which accordingly happened the day following: for the 30 00:02:06,820 --> 00:02:11,890 southern wind, called the southern monsoon, began to set in. 31 00:02:11,890 --> 00:02:16,700 Finding it was likely to overblow, we took in our sprit-sail, and stood by to hand the 32 00:02:16,700 --> 00:02:22,530 fore-sail; but making foul weather, we looked the guns were all fast, and handed 33 00:02:22,530 --> 00:02:23,910 the mizen. 34 00:02:23,910 --> 00:02:28,130 The ship lay very broad off, so we thought it better spooning before the sea, than 35 00:02:28,130 --> 00:02:29,470 trying or hulling. 36 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:35,050 We reefed the fore-sail and set him, and hauled aft the fore-sheet; the helm was 37 00:02:35,050 --> 00:02:37,640 hard a-weather. The ship wore bravely. 38 00:02:37,910 --> 00:02:44,170 We belayed the fore down-haul; but the sail was split, and we hauled down the yard, and 39 00:02:44,170 --> 00:02:47,370 got the sail into the ship, and unbound all the things clear of it. 40 00:02:47,370 --> 00:02:51,780 It was a very fierce storm; the sea broke strange and dangerous. 41 00:02:51,780 --> 00:02:56,530 We hauled off upon the laniard of the whip- staff, and helped the man at the helm. 42 00:02:56,530 --> 00:03:02,220 We would not get down our topmast, but let all stand, because she scudded before the 43 00:03:02,220 --> 00:03:06,820 sea very well, and we knew that the top- mast being aloft, the ship was the 44 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,660 wholesomer, and made better way through the sea, seeing we had sea-room. 45 00:03:10,660 --> 00:03:16,540 When the storm was over, we set fore-sail and main-sail, and brought the ship to. 46 00:03:16,540 --> 00:03:21,540 Then we set the mizen, main-top-sail, and the fore-top-sail. 47 00:03:21,540 --> 00:03:26,010 Our course was east-north-east, the wind was at south-west. 48 00:03:26,010 --> 00:03:32,780 We got the starboard tacks aboard, we cast off our weather-braces and lifts; we set in 49 00:03:32,780 --> 00:03:37,700 the lee-braces, and hauled forward by the weather-bowlings, and hauled them tight, 50 00:03:37,700 --> 00:03:40,260 and belayed them, and hauled over the mizen 51 00:03:40,260 --> 00:03:44,720 tack to windward, and kept her full and by as near as she would lie. 52 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:50,020 During this storm, which was followed by a strong wind west-south-west, we were 53 00:03:50,020 --> 00:03:54,610 carried, by my computation, about five hundred leagues to the east, so that the 54 00:03:54,610 --> 00:03:58,590 oldest sailor on board could not tell in what part of the world we were. 55 00:03:58,590 --> 00:04:03,690 Our provisions held out well, our ship was staunch, and our crew all in good health; 56 00:04:03,690 --> 00:04:07,370 but we lay in the utmost distress for water. 57 00:04:07,370 --> 00:04:12,340 We thought it best to hold on the same course, rather than turn more northerly, 58 00:04:12,340 --> 00:04:16,728 which might have brought us to the north- west part of Great Tartary, and into the 59 00:04:16,728 --> 00:04:19,870 Frozen Sea. 60 00:04:19,870 --> 00:04:26,280 On the 16th day of June, 1703, a boy on the top-mast discovered land. 61 00:04:26,270 --> 00:04:31,520 On the 17th, we came in full view of a great island, or continent (for we knew not 62 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:37,400 whether;) on the south side whereof was a small neck of land jutting out into the 63 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:41,570 sea, and a creek too shallow to hold a ship of above one hundred tons. 64 00:04:41,570 --> 00:04:47,410 We cast anchor within a league of this creek, and our captain sent a dozen of his 65 00:04:47,410 --> 00:04:52,280 men well armed in the long-boat, with vessels for water, if any could be found. 66 00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:58,430 I desired his leave to go with them, that I might see the country, and make what 67 00:04:58,430 --> 00:05:01,930 discoveries I could. When we came to land we saw no river or 68 00:05:01,930 --> 00:05:04,180 spring, nor any sign of inhabitants. 69 00:05:04,180 --> 00:05:10,310 Our men therefore wandered on the shore to find out some fresh water near the sea, and 70 00:05:10,310 --> 00:05:14,770 I walked alone about a mile on the other side, where I observed the country all 71 00:05:14,770 --> 00:05:15,020 barren and rocky. 72 00:05:14,910 --> 00:05:21,750 I now began to be weary, and seeing nothing to entertain my curiosity, I returned 73 00:05:21,750 --> 00:05:26,350 gently down towards the creek; and the sea being full in my view, I saw our men 74 00:05:26,350 --> 00:05:30,580 already got into the boat, and rowing for life to the ship. 75 00:05:30,580 --> 00:05:36,840 I was going to holla after them, although it had been to little purpose, when I 76 00:05:36,840 --> 00:05:42,740 observed a huge creature walking after them in the sea, as fast as he could: he waded 77 00:05:42,740 --> 00:05:45,240 not much deeper than his knees, and took 78 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:50,390 prodigious strides: but our men had the start of him half a league, and, the sea 79 00:05:50,390 --> 00:05:55,140 thereabouts being full of sharp-pointed rocks, the monster was not able to overtake 80 00:05:55,140 --> 00:05:56,780 the boat. 81 00:05:56,780 --> 00:06:01,190 This I was afterwards told, for I durst not stay to see the issue of the adventure; but 82 00:06:01,190 --> 00:06:05,940 ran as fast as I could the way I first went, and then climbed up a steep hill, 83 00:06:05,940 --> 00:06:08,330 which gave me some prospect of the country. 84 00:06:08,330 --> 00:06:14,370 I found it fully cultivated; but that which first surprised me was the length of the 85 00:06:14,370 --> 00:06:19,660 grass, which, in those grounds that seemed to be kept for hay, was about twenty feet 86 00:06:19,660 --> 00:06:21,530 high. 87 00:06:21,530 --> 00:06:26,190 I fell into a high road, for so I took it to be, though it served to the inhabitants 88 00:06:26,190 --> 00:06:29,810 only as a foot-path through a field of barley. 89 00:06:29,810 --> 00:06:34,730 Here I walked on for some time, but could see little on either side, it being now 90 00:06:34,730 --> 00:06:37,229 near harvest, and the corn rising at least forty feet. 91 00:06:37,430 --> 00:06:42,120 I was an hour walking to the end of this field, which was fenced in with a hedge of 92 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:46,930 at least one hundred and twenty feet high, and the trees so lofty that I could make no 93 00:06:46,930 --> 00:06:48,080 computation of their altitude. 94 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:52,770 There was a stile to pass from this field into the next. 95 00:06:52,770 --> 00:06:57,479 It had four steps, and a stone to cross over when you came to the uppermost. 96 00:06:57,480 --> 00:07:02,330 It was impossible for me to climb this stile, because every step was six-feet 97 00:07:02,330 --> 00:07:04,800 high, and the upper stone about twenty. 98 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:10,669 I was endeavouring to find some gap in the hedge, when I discovered one of the 99 00:07:10,669 --> 00:07:15,490 inhabitants in the next field, advancing towards the stile, of the same size with 100 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:19,700 him whom I saw in the sea pursuing our boat. 101 00:07:19,700 --> 00:07:24,320 He appeared as tall as an ordinary spire steeple, and took about ten yards at every 102 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:27,250 stride, as near as I could guess. 103 00:07:27,250 --> 00:07:32,490 I was struck with the utmost fear and astonishment, and ran to hide myself in the 104 00:07:32,490 --> 00:07:36,240 corn, whence I saw him at the top of the stile looking back into the next field on 105 00:07:36,240 --> 00:07:38,460 the right hand, and heard him call in a 106 00:07:38,460 --> 00:07:43,970 voice many degrees louder than a speaking- trumpet: but the noise was so high in the 107 00:07:43,970 --> 00:07:48,669 air, that at first I certainly thought it was thunder. 108 00:07:48,669 --> 00:07:52,930 Whereupon seven monsters, like himself, came towards him with reaping-hooks in 109 00:07:52,930 --> 00:07:57,960 their hands, each hook about the largeness of six scythes. 110 00:07:57,960 --> 00:08:02,419 These people were not so well clad as the first, whose servants or labourers they 111 00:08:02,419 --> 00:08:07,760 seemed to be; for, upon some words he spoke, they went to reap the corn in the 112 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:08,110 field where I lay. 113 00:08:08,110 --> 00:08:14,550 I kept from them at as great a distance as I could, but was forced to move with 114 00:08:14,550 --> 00:08:18,199 extreme difficulty, for the stalks of the corn were sometimes not above a foot 115 00:08:18,260 --> 00:08:23,280 distant, so that I could hardly squeeze my body betwixt them. 116 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:27,080 However, I made a shift to go forward, till I came to a part of the field where the 117 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:29,300 corn had been laid by the rain and wind. 118 00:08:29,300 --> 00:08:34,349 Here it was impossible for me to advance a step; for the stalks were so interwoven, 119 00:08:34,349 --> 00:08:38,850 that I could not creep through, and the beards of the fallen ears so strong and 120 00:08:38,849 --> 00:08:42,159 pointed, that they pierced through my clothes into my flesh. 121 00:08:42,159 --> 00:08:46,900 At the same time I heard the reapers not a hundred yards behind me. 122 00:08:47,089 --> 00:08:53,150 Being quite dispirited with toil, and wholly overcome by grief and dispair, I lay 123 00:08:53,150 --> 00:08:56,699 down between two ridges, and heartily wished I might there end my days. 124 00:08:56,700 --> 00:09:00,850 I bemoaned my desolate widow and fatherless children. 125 00:09:00,850 --> 00:09:06,279 I lamented my own folly and wilfulness, in attempting a second voyage, against the 126 00:09:06,279 --> 00:09:10,120 advice of all my friends and relations. 127 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:14,290 In this terrible agitation of mind, I could not forbear thinking of Lilliput, whose 128 00:09:14,290 --> 00:09:19,720 inhabitants looked upon me as the greatest prodigy that ever appeared in the world; 129 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:21,400 where I was able to draw an imperial fleet 130 00:09:21,400 --> 00:09:26,070 in my hand, and perform those other actions, which will be recorded for ever in 131 00:09:26,070 --> 00:09:30,120 the chronicles of that empire, while posterity shall hardly believe them, 132 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:31,470 although attested by millions. 133 00:09:31,470 --> 00:09:37,200 I reflected what a mortification it must prove to me, to appear as inconsiderable in 134 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,050 this nation, as one single Lilliputian would be among us. 135 00:09:40,050 --> 00:09:46,810 But this I conceived was to be the least of my misfortunes; for, as human creatures are 136 00:09:46,810 --> 00:09:51,360 observed to be more savage and cruel in proportion to their bulk, what could I 137 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:53,210 expect but to be a morsel in the mouth of 138 00:09:53,210 --> 00:09:56,710 the first among these enormous barbarians that should happen to seize me? 139 00:09:56,710 --> 00:10:03,740 Undoubtedly philosophers are in the right, when they tell us that nothing is great or 140 00:10:03,740 --> 00:10:06,029 little otherwise than by comparison. 141 00:10:06,029 --> 00:10:12,720 It might have pleased fortune, to have let the Lilliputians find some nation, where 142 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:15,949 the people were as diminutive with respect to them, as they were to me. 143 00:10:15,950 --> 00:10:21,630 And who knows but that even this prodigious race of mortals might be equally 144 00:10:21,630 --> 00:10:25,950 overmatched in some distant part of the world, whereof we have yet no discovery. 145 00:10:25,950 --> 00:10:31,890 Scared and confounded as I was, I could not forbear going on with these reflections, 146 00:10:31,890 --> 00:10:37,380 when one of the reapers, approaching within ten yards of the ridge where I lay, made me 147 00:10:37,380 --> 00:10:39,430 apprehend that with the next step I should 148 00:10:39,430 --> 00:10:43,220 be squashed to death under his foot, or cut in two with his reaping-hook. 149 00:10:44,810 --> 00:10:49,330 And therefore, when he was again about to move, I screamed as loud as fear could make 150 00:10:49,330 --> 00:10:55,230 me: whereupon the huge creature trod short, and, looking round about under him for some 151 00:10:55,230 --> 00:10:58,610 time, at last espied me as I lay on the ground. 152 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:04,710 He considered awhile, with the caution of one who endeavours to lay hold on a small 153 00:11:04,710 --> 00:11:09,529 dangerous animal in such a manner that it shall not be able either to scratch or bite 154 00:11:09,680 --> 00:11:13,770 him, as I myself have sometimes done with a weasel in England. 155 00:11:13,770 --> 00:11:19,760 At length he ventured to take me behind, by the middle, between his fore-finger and 156 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:25,080 thumb, and brought me within three yards of his eyes, that he might behold my shape 157 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:26,010 more perfectly. 158 00:11:26,010 --> 00:11:32,440 I guessed his meaning, and my good fortune gave me so much presence of mind, that I 159 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:36,540 resolved not to struggle in the least as he held me in the air above sixty feet from 160 00:11:36,540 --> 00:11:38,970 the ground, although he grievously pinched 161 00:11:38,970 --> 00:11:42,620 my sides, for fear I should slip through his fingers. 162 00:11:42,620 --> 00:11:47,649 All I ventured was to raise mine eyes towards the sun, and place my hands 163 00:11:47,649 --> 00:11:52,830 together in a supplicating posture, and to speak some words in a humble melancholy 164 00:11:52,830 --> 00:11:55,870 tone, suitable to the condition I then was 165 00:11:55,870 --> 00:12:01,160 in: for I apprehended every moment that he would dash me against the ground, as we 166 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,370 usually do any little hateful animal, which we have a mind to destroy. 167 00:12:04,370 --> 00:12:09,779 But my good star would have it, that he appeared pleased with my voice and 168 00:12:09,779 --> 00:12:15,670 gestures, and began to look upon me as a curiosity, much wondering to hear me 169 00:12:15,670 --> 00:12:18,120 pronounce articulate words, although he could not understand them. 170 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:24,260 In the mean time I was not able to forbear groaning and shedding tears, and turning my 171 00:12:24,260 --> 00:12:29,310 head towards my sides; letting him know, as well as I could, how cruelly I was hurt by 172 00:12:29,310 --> 00:12:32,060 the pressure of his thumb and finger. 173 00:12:32,060 --> 00:12:37,000 He seemed to apprehend my meaning; for, lifting up the lappet of his coat, he put 174 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:41,779 me gently into it, and immediately ran along with me to his master, who was a 175 00:12:41,779 --> 00:12:46,040 substantial farmer, and the same person I had first seen in the field. 176 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:51,860 The farmer having (as I suppose by their talk) received such an account of me as his 177 00:12:51,860 --> 00:12:57,020 servant could give him, took a piece of a small straw, about the size of a walking- 178 00:12:57,020 --> 00:12:59,029 staff, and therewith lifted up the lappets 179 00:12:59,029 --> 00:13:03,910 of my coat; which it seems he thought to be some kind of covering that nature had given 180 00:13:03,910 --> 00:13:05,990 me. He blew my hairs aside to take a better 181 00:13:05,990 --> 00:13:08,690 view of my face. 182 00:13:08,690 --> 00:13:13,640 He called his hinds about him, and asked them, as I afterwards learned, whether they 183 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:16,430 had ever seen in the fields any little creature that resembled me. 184 00:13:18,029 --> 00:13:22,730 He then placed me softly on the ground upon all fours, but I got immediately up, and 185 00:13:22,730 --> 00:13:26,610 walked slowly backward and forward, to let those people see I had no intent to run 186 00:13:26,610 --> 00:13:26,860 away. 187 00:13:26,779 --> 00:13:32,930 They all sat down in a circle about me, the better to observe my motions. 188 00:13:32,930 --> 00:13:37,220 I pulled off my hat, and made a low bow towards the farmer. 189 00:13:37,220 --> 00:13:43,050 I fell on my knees, and lifted up my hands and eyes, and spoke several words as loud 190 00:13:43,050 --> 00:13:48,420 as I could: I took a purse of gold out of my pocket, and humbly presented it to him. 191 00:13:48,420 --> 00:13:53,800 He received it on the palm of his hand, then applied it close to his eye to see 192 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:59,710 what it was, and afterwards turned it several times with the point of a pin 193 00:13:59,709 --> 00:14:03,529 (which he took out of his sleeve,) but could make nothing of it. 194 00:14:03,529 --> 00:14:06,990 Whereupon I made a sign that he should place his hand on the ground. 195 00:14:06,990 --> 00:14:13,600 I then took the purse, and, opening it, poured all the gold into his palm. 196 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:19,830 There were six Spanish pieces of four pistoles each, beside twenty or thirty 197 00:14:19,830 --> 00:14:22,440 smaller coins. 198 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:27,060 I saw him wet the tip of his little finger upon his tongue, and take up one of my 199 00:14:27,060 --> 00:14:32,010 largest pieces, and then another; but he seemed to be wholly ignorant what they 200 00:14:32,010 --> 00:14:32,470 were. 201 00:14:32,470 --> 00:14:38,529 He made me a sign to put them again into my purse, and the purse again into my pocket, 202 00:14:38,529 --> 00:14:42,570 which, after offering it to him several times, I thought it best to do. 203 00:14:42,570 --> 00:14:48,230 The farmer, by this time, was convinced I must be a rational creature. 204 00:14:48,230 --> 00:14:55,750 He spoke often to me; but the sound of his voice pierced my ears like that of a water- 205 00:14:55,750 --> 00:14:58,820 mill, yet his words were articulate enough. 206 00:14:58,820 --> 00:15:03,350 I answered as loud as I could in several languages, and he often laid his ear within 207 00:15:03,350 --> 00:15:10,580 two yards of me: but all in vain, for we were wholly unintelligible to each other. 208 00:15:10,580 --> 00:15:14,720 He then sent his servants to their work, and taking his handkerchief out of his 209 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:19,540 pocket, he doubled and spread it on his left hand, which he placed flat on the 210 00:15:19,540 --> 00:15:22,140 ground with the palm upward, making me a 211 00:15:22,140 --> 00:15:26,709 sign to step into it, as I could easily do, for it was not above a foot in thickness. 212 00:15:26,709 --> 00:15:34,690 I thought it my part to obey, and, for fear of falling, laid myself at full length upon 213 00:15:34,690 --> 00:15:38,779 the handkerchief, with the remainder of which he lapped me up to the head for 214 00:15:38,779 --> 00:15:42,920 further security, and in this manner carried me home to his house. 215 00:15:42,920 --> 00:15:48,910 There he called his wife, and showed me to her; but she screamed and ran back, as 216 00:15:48,910 --> 00:15:53,369 women in England do at the sight of a toad or a spider. 217 00:15:53,370 --> 00:15:57,079 However, when she had a while seen my behaviour, and how well I observed the 218 00:15:57,079 --> 00:16:01,959 signs her husband made, she was soon reconciled, and by degrees grew extremely 219 00:16:01,959 --> 00:16:05,700 tender of me. 220 00:16:05,700 --> 00:16:09,399 It was about twelve at noon, and a servant brought in dinner. 221 00:16:09,399 --> 00:16:14,190 It was only one substantial dish of meat (fit for the plain condition of a 222 00:16:14,190 --> 00:16:18,020 husbandman,) in a dish of about four-and- twenty feet diameter. 223 00:16:19,779 --> 00:16:24,709 The company were, the farmer and his wife, three children, and an old grandmother. 224 00:16:24,709 --> 00:16:29,839 When they were sat down, the farmer placed me at some distance from him on the table, 225 00:16:29,839 --> 00:16:33,680 which was thirty feet high from the floor. 226 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:38,060 I was in a terrible fright, and kept as far as I could from the edge, for fear of 227 00:16:38,060 --> 00:16:38,310 falling. 228 00:16:39,690 --> 00:16:43,339 The wife minced a bit of meat, then crumbled some bread on a trencher, and 229 00:16:43,339 --> 00:16:44,490 placed it before me. 230 00:16:45,230 --> 00:16:50,579 I made her a low bow, took out my knife and fork, and fell to eat, which gave them 231 00:16:50,579 --> 00:16:51,569 exceeding delight. 232 00:16:52,970 --> 00:16:57,300 The mistress sent her maid for a small dram cup, which held about two gallons, and 233 00:16:57,300 --> 00:17:03,339 filled it with drink; I took up the vessel with much difficulty in both hands, and in 234 00:17:03,339 --> 00:17:05,630 a most respectful manner drank to her 235 00:17:05,630 --> 00:17:10,659 ladyship's health, expressing the words as loud as I could in English, which made the 236 00:17:10,659 --> 00:17:14,618 company laugh so heartily, that I was almost deafened with the noise. 237 00:17:14,618 --> 00:17:19,799 This liquor tasted like a small cider, and was not unpleasant. 238 00:17:19,799 --> 00:17:26,159 Then the master made me a sign to come to his trencher side; but as I walked on the 239 00:17:26,159 --> 00:17:30,320 table, being in great surprise all the time, as the indulgent reader will easily 240 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:33,080 conceive and excuse, I happened to stumble 241 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:38,720 against a crust, and fell flat on my face, but received no hurt. 242 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:43,929 I got up immediately, and observing the good people to be in much concern, I took 243 00:17:43,929 --> 00:17:49,109 my hat (which I held under my arm out of good manners,) and waving it over my head, 244 00:17:49,450 --> 00:17:53,919 made three huzzas, to show I had got no mischief by my fall. 245 00:17:53,919 --> 00:17:59,879 But advancing forward towards my master (as I shall henceforth call him,) his youngest 246 00:17:59,879 --> 00:18:05,710 son, who sat next to him, an arch boy of about ten years old, took me up by the 247 00:18:05,710 --> 00:18:08,070 legs, and held me so high in the air, that 248 00:18:08,070 --> 00:18:13,379 I trembled every limb: but his father snatched me from him, and at the same time 249 00:18:13,379 --> 00:18:17,690 gave him such a box on the left ear, as would have felled an European troop of 250 00:18:17,749 --> 00:18:21,029 horse to the earth, ordering him to be taken from the table. 251 00:18:21,029 --> 00:18:27,029 But being afraid the boy might owe me a spite, and well remembering how mischievous 252 00:18:27,029 --> 00:18:31,509 all children among us naturally are to sparrows, rabbits, young kittens, and puppy 253 00:18:31,509 --> 00:18:34,720 dogs, I fell on my knees, and pointing to 254 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:39,769 the boy, made my master to understand, as well as I could, that I desired his son 255 00:18:39,769 --> 00:18:42,110 might be pardoned. 256 00:18:41,869 --> 00:18:46,659 The father complied, and the lad took his seat again, whereupon I went to him, and 257 00:18:46,659 --> 00:18:50,590 kissed his hand, which my master took, and made him stroke me gently with it. 258 00:18:52,029 --> 00:18:55,830 In the midst of dinner, my mistress's favourite cat leaped into her lap. 259 00:18:55,830 --> 00:19:01,090 I heard a noise behind me like that of a dozen stocking-weavers at work; and turning 260 00:19:01,090 --> 00:19:05,850 my head, I found it proceeded from the purring of that animal, who seemed to be 261 00:19:05,850 --> 00:19:08,570 three times larger than an ox, as I 262 00:19:08,570 --> 00:19:13,460 computed by the view of her head, and one of her paws, while her mistress was feeding 263 00:19:13,460 --> 00:19:16,219 and stroking her. 264 00:19:15,970 --> 00:19:20,070 The fierceness of this creature's countenance altogether discomposed me; 265 00:19:20,070 --> 00:19:25,789 though I stood at the farther end of the table, above fifty feet off; and although 266 00:19:25,789 --> 00:19:28,190 my mistress held her fast, for fear she 267 00:19:28,190 --> 00:19:30,989 might give a spring, and seize me in her talons. 268 00:19:30,989 --> 00:19:36,129 But it happened there was no danger, for the cat took not the least notice of me 269 00:19:36,129 --> 00:19:39,190 when my master placed me within three yards of her. 270 00:19:39,190 --> 00:19:45,369 And as I have been always told, and found true by experience in my travels, that 271 00:19:45,369 --> 00:19:50,659 flying or discovering fear before a fierce animal, is a certain way to make it pursue 272 00:19:50,659 --> 00:19:53,799 or attack you, so I resolved, in this 273 00:19:53,799 --> 00:19:57,959 dangerous juncture, to show no manner of concern. 274 00:19:57,960 --> 00:20:03,109 I walked with intrepidity five or six times before the very head of the cat, and came 275 00:20:03,109 --> 00:20:07,919 within half a yard of her; whereupon she drew herself back, as if she were more 276 00:20:07,919 --> 00:20:11,159 afraid of me: I had less apprehension 277 00:20:11,159 --> 00:20:17,129 concerning the dogs, whereof three or four came into the room, as it is usual in 278 00:20:17,129 --> 00:20:22,380 farmers' houses; one of which was a mastiff, equal in bulk to four elephants, 279 00:20:22,669 --> 00:20:29,509 and another a greyhound, somewhat taller than the mastiff, but not so large. 280 00:20:29,519 --> 00:20:34,440 When dinner was almost done, the nurse came in with a child of a year old in her arms, 281 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:37,940 who immediately spied me, and began a squall that you might have heard from 282 00:20:37,940 --> 00:20:41,039 London-Bridge to Chelsea, after the usual 283 00:20:41,039 --> 00:20:43,820 oratory of infants, to get me for a plaything. 284 00:20:43,820 --> 00:20:50,509 The mother, out of pure indulgence, took me up, and put me towards the child, who 285 00:20:50,509 --> 00:20:55,450 presently seized me by the middle, and got my head into his mouth, where I roared so 286 00:20:55,450 --> 00:20:57,580 loud that the urchin was frighted, and let 287 00:20:57,580 --> 00:21:02,710 me drop, and I should infallibly have broke my neck, if the mother had not held her 288 00:21:02,710 --> 00:21:03,710 apron under me. 289 00:21:05,690 --> 00:21:10,869 The nurse, to quiet her babe, made use of a rattle which was a kind of hollow vessel 290 00:21:10,869 --> 00:21:16,769 filled with great stones, and fastened by a cable to the child's waist: but all in 291 00:21:16,769 --> 00:21:20,429 vain; so that she was forced to apply the last remedy by giving it suck. 292 00:21:21,979 --> 00:21:26,080 I must confess no object ever disgusted me so much as the sight of her monstrous 293 00:21:26,080 --> 00:21:31,019 breast, which I cannot tell what to compare with, so as to give the curious reader an 294 00:21:31,019 --> 00:21:34,190 idea of its bulk, shape, and colour. 295 00:21:34,190 --> 00:21:38,429 It stood prominent six feet, and could not be less than sixteen in circumference. 296 00:21:38,700 --> 00:21:44,809 The nipple was about half the bigness of my head, and the hue both of that and the dug, 297 00:21:44,809 --> 00:21:49,419 so varied with spots, pimples, and freckles, that nothing could appear more 298 00:21:49,419 --> 00:21:53,529 nauseous: for I had a near sight of her, 299 00:21:53,529 --> 00:21:58,149 she sitting down, the more conveniently to give suck, and I standing on the table. 300 00:22:00,159 --> 00:22:04,979 This made me reflect upon the fair skins of our English ladies, who appear so beautiful 301 00:22:04,979 --> 00:22:10,729 to us, only because they are of our own size, and their defects not to be seen but 302 00:22:10,729 --> 00:22:13,190 through a magnifying glass; where we find 303 00:22:13,190 --> 00:22:18,330 by experiment that the smoothest and whitest skins look rough, and coarse, and 304 00:22:18,330 --> 00:22:21,240 ill-coloured. 305 00:22:20,989 --> 00:22:24,649 I remember when I was at Lilliput, the complexion of those diminutive people 306 00:22:24,649 --> 00:22:31,019 appeared to me the fairest in the world; and talking upon this subject with a person 307 00:22:31,019 --> 00:22:33,190 of learning there, who was an intimate 308 00:22:33,190 --> 00:22:37,999 friend of mine, he said that my face appeared much fairer and smoother when he 309 00:22:37,999 --> 00:22:42,580 looked on me from the ground, than it did upon a nearer view, when I took him up in 310 00:22:42,580 --> 00:22:45,659 my hand, and brought him close, which he 311 00:22:45,659 --> 00:22:48,459 confessed was at first a very shocking sight. 312 00:22:50,479 --> 00:22:55,970 He said, "he could discover great holes in my skin; that the stumps of my beard were 313 00:22:55,970 --> 00:23:00,489 ten times stronger than the bristles of a boar, and my complexion made up of several 314 00:23:00,489 --> 00:23:03,799 colours altogether disagreeable:" although 315 00:23:03,799 --> 00:23:09,109 I must beg leave to say for myself, that I am as fair as most of my sex and country, 316 00:23:09,109 --> 00:23:11,630 and very little sunburnt by all my travels. 317 00:23:12,769 --> 00:23:17,299 On the other side, discoursing of the ladies in that emperor's court, he used to 318 00:23:17,299 --> 00:23:24,409 tell me, "one had freckles; another too wide a mouth; a third too large a nose;" 319 00:23:24,409 --> 00:23:26,309 nothing of which I was able to distinguish. 320 00:23:26,309 --> 00:23:32,539 I confess this reflection was obvious enough; which, however, I could not 321 00:23:32,539 --> 00:23:38,539 forbear, lest the reader might think those vast creatures were actually deformed: for 322 00:23:38,539 --> 00:23:40,899 I must do them the justice to say, they are 323 00:23:40,899 --> 00:23:45,739 a comely race of people, and particularly the features of my master's countenance, 324 00:23:45,739 --> 00:23:51,119 although he was but a farmer, when I beheld him from the height of sixty feet, appeared 325 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:52,159 very well proportioned. 326 00:23:52,159 --> 00:23:59,789 When dinner was done, my master went out to his labourers, and, as I could discover by 327 00:23:59,789 --> 00:24:03,450 his voice and gesture, gave his wife strict charge to take care of me. 328 00:24:05,159 --> 00:24:09,799 I was very much tired, and disposed to sleep, which my mistress perceiving, she 329 00:24:09,799 --> 00:24:15,330 put me on her own bed, and covered me with a clean white handkerchief, but larger and 330 00:24:15,330 --> 00:24:17,580 coarser than the mainsail of a man-of-war. 331 00:24:17,580 --> 00:24:23,960 I slept about two hours, and dreamt I was at home with my wife and children, which 332 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:28,599 aggravated my sorrows when I awaked, and found myself alone in a vast room, between 333 00:24:28,599 --> 00:24:31,460 two and three hundred feet wide, and above 334 00:24:31,460 --> 00:24:35,239 two hundred high, lying in a bed twenty yards wide. 335 00:24:35,239 --> 00:24:39,419 My mistress was gone about her household affairs, and had locked me in. 336 00:24:39,419 --> 00:24:43,200 The bed was eight yards from the floor. 337 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:49,440 Some natural necessities required me to get down; I durst not presume to call; and if I 338 00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:53,580 had, it would have been in vain, with such a voice as mine, at so great a distance 339 00:24:53,580 --> 00:24:57,090 from the room where I lay to the kitchen where the family kept. 340 00:24:57,090 --> 00:25:03,249 While I was under these circumstances, two rats crept up the curtains, and ran 341 00:25:03,249 --> 00:25:04,909 smelling backwards and forwards on the bed. 342 00:25:04,909 --> 00:25:10,509 One of them came up almost to my face, whereupon I rose in a fright, and drew out 343 00:25:10,509 --> 00:25:12,260 my hanger to defend myself. 344 00:25:13,239 --> 00:25:17,869 These horrible animals had the boldness to attack me on both sides, and one of them 345 00:25:17,869 --> 00:25:22,109 held his fore-feet at my collar; but I had the good fortune to rip up his belly before 346 00:25:22,109 --> 00:25:25,019 he could do me any mischief. 347 00:25:25,019 --> 00:25:29,340 He fell down at my feet; and the other, seeing the fate of his comrade, made his 348 00:25:29,340 --> 00:25:35,070 escape, but not without one good wound on the back, which I gave him as he fled, and 349 00:25:35,070 --> 00:25:37,090 made the blood run trickling from him. 350 00:25:37,090 --> 00:25:44,109 After this exploit, I walked gently to and fro on the bed, to recover my breath and 351 00:25:44,109 --> 00:25:45,100 loss of spirits. 352 00:25:46,659 --> 00:25:50,809 These creatures were of the size of a large mastiff, but infinitely more nimble and 353 00:25:50,809 --> 00:25:56,669 fierce; so that if I had taken off my belt before I went to sleep, I must have 354 00:25:56,669 --> 00:25:59,109 infallibly been torn to pieces and devoured. 355 00:25:59,109 --> 00:26:03,989 I measured the tail of the dead rat, and found it to be two yards long, wanting an 356 00:26:03,989 --> 00:26:09,809 inch; but it went against my stomach to drag the carcass off the bed, where it lay 357 00:26:09,809 --> 00:26:12,559 still bleeding; I observed it had yet some 358 00:26:12,559 --> 00:26:18,119 life, but with a strong slash across the neck, I thoroughly despatched it. 359 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:22,739 Soon after my mistress came into the room, who seeing me all bloody, ran and took me 360 00:26:22,739 --> 00:26:23,590 up in her hand. 361 00:26:23,590 --> 00:26:29,729 I pointed to the dead rat, smiling, and making other signs to show I was not hurt; 362 00:26:29,729 --> 00:26:34,729 whereat she was extremely rejoiced, calling the maid to take up the dead rat with a 363 00:26:34,729 --> 00:26:37,870 pair of tongs, and throw it out of the window. 364 00:26:37,869 --> 00:26:43,029 Then she set me on a table, where I showed her my hanger all bloody, and wiping it on 365 00:26:43,029 --> 00:26:46,049 the lappet of my coat, returned it to the scabbard. 366 00:26:47,450 --> 00:26:51,779 I was pressed to do more than one thing which another could not do for me, and 367 00:26:51,779 --> 00:26:55,749 therefore endeavoured to make my mistress understand, that I desired to be set down 368 00:26:55,749 --> 00:26:58,200 on the floor; which after she had done, my 369 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:02,629 bashfulness would not suffer me to express myself farther, than by pointing to the 370 00:27:02,629 --> 00:27:04,429 door, and bowing several times. 371 00:27:04,419 --> 00:27:10,169 The good woman, with much difficulty, at last perceived what I would be at, and 372 00:27:10,169 --> 00:27:15,289 taking me up again in her hand, walked into the garden, where she set me down. 373 00:27:15,289 --> 00:27:20,039 I went on one side about two hundred yards, and beckoning to her not to look or to 374 00:27:20,039 --> 00:27:24,989 follow me, I hid myself between two leaves of sorrel, and there discharged the 375 00:27:24,989 --> 00:27:30,229 necessities of nature. 376 00:27:30,229 --> 00:27:34,340 I hope the gentle reader will excuse me for dwelling on these and the like particulars, 377 00:27:34,340 --> 00:27:39,849 which, however insignificant they may appear to groveling vulgar minds, yet will 378 00:27:39,849 --> 00:27:42,129 certainly help a philosopher to enlarge his 379 00:27:42,129 --> 00:27:46,460 thoughts and imagination, and apply them to the benefit of public as well as private 380 00:27:46,460 --> 00:27:50,669 life, which was my sole design in presenting this and other accounts of my 381 00:27:50,669 --> 00:27:54,129 travels to the world; wherein I have been 382 00:27:54,129 --> 00:27:57,849 chiefly studious of truth, without affecting any ornaments of learning or of 383 00:27:57,849 --> 00:27:58,539 style. 384 00:27:58,289 --> 00:28:03,849 But the whole scene of this voyage made so strong an impression on my mind, and is so 385 00:28:03,849 --> 00:28:10,820 deeply fixed in my memory, that, in committing it to paper I did not omit one 386 00:28:10,820 --> 00:28:13,219 material circumstance: however, upon a 387 00:28:13,219 --> 00:28:16,039 strict review, I blotted out several passages. 388 00:28:16,179 --> 00:28:21,409 Of less moment which were in my first copy, for fear of being censured as tedious and 389 00:28:21,409 --> 00:28:26,369 trifling, whereof travellers are often, perhaps not without justice, accused.