CHAPTER I.
The author sets out on his third voyage. Is taken by pirates. Themalice of a Dutchman. His arrival at an island. He is received intoLaputa.
I had not been at home above ten days, when Captain William Robinson, aCornish man, commander of the Hopewell, a stout ship of three hundredtons, came to my house. I had formerly been surgeon of another shipwhere he was master, and a fourth part owner, in a voyage to the Levant.He had always treated me more like a brother, than an inferior officer;and, hearing of my arrival, made me a visit, as I apprehended only out offriendship, for nothing passed more than what is usual after longabsences. But repeating his visits often, expressing his joy to find Ime in good health, asking, whether I were now settled for life? adding,that he intended a voyage to the East Indies in two months, at last heplainly invited me, though with some apologies, to be surgeon of theship; that I should have another surgeon under me, beside our two mates;that my salary should be double to the usual pay; and that havingexperienced my knowledge in sea-affairs to be at least equal to his, hewould enter into any engagement to follow my advice, as much as if I hadshared in the command.
He said so many other obliging things, and I knew him to be so honest aman, that I could not reject this proposal; the thirst I had of seeingthe world, notwithstanding my past misfortunes, continuing as violent asever. The only difficulty that remained, was to persuade my wife, whoseconsent however I at last obtained, by the prospect of advantage sheproposed to her children.
We set out the 5th day of August, 1706, and arrived at Fort St. Georgethe 11th of April, 1707. We staid there three weeks to refresh our crew,many of whom were sick. From thence we went to Tonquin, where thecaptain resolved to continue some time, because many of the goods heintended to buy were not ready, nor could he expect to be dispatched inseveral months. Therefore, in hopes to defray some of the charges hemust be at, he bought a sloop, loaded it with several sorts of goods,wherewith the Tonquinese usually trade to the neighbouring islands, andputting fourteen men on board, whereof three were of the country, heappointed me master of the sloop, and gave me power to traffic, while hetransacted his affairs at Tonquin.
We had not sailed above three days, when a great storm arising, we weredriven five days to the north-north-east, and then to the east: afterwhich we had fair weather, but still with a pretty strong gale from thewest. Upon the tenth day we were chased by two pirates, who soonovertook us; for my sloop was so deep laden, that she sailed very slow,neither were we in a condition to defend ourselves.
We were boarded about the same time by both the pirates, who enteredfuriously at the head of their men; but finding us all prostrate upon ourfaces (for so I gave order), they pinioned us with strong ropes, andsetting guard upon us, went to search the sloop.
I observed among them a Dutchman, who seemed to be of some authority,though he was not commander of either ship. He knew us by ourcountenances to be Englishmen, and jabbering to us in his own language,swore we should be tied back to back and thrown into the sea. I spokenDutch tolerably well; I told him who we were, and begged him, inconsideration of our being Christians and Protestants, of neighbouringcountries in strict alliance, that he would move the captains to takesome pity on us. This inflamed his rage; he repeated his threatenings,and turning to his companions, spoke with great vehemence in the Japaneselanguage, as I suppose, often using the word _Christianos_.
The largest of the two pirate ships was commanded by a Japanese captain,who spoke a little Dutch, but very imperfectly. He came up to me, andafter several questions, which I answered in great humility, he said, weshould not die. I made the captain a very low bow, and then, turning tothe Dutchman, said, I was sorry to find more mercy in a heathen, than ina brother christian. But I had soon reason to repent those foolishwords: for that malicious reprobate, having often endeavoured in vain topersuade both the captains that I might be thrown into the sea (whichthey would not yield to, after the promise made me that I should notdie), however, prevailed so far, as to have a punishment inflicted on me,worse, in all human appearance, than death itself. My men were sent byan equal division into both the pirate ships, and my sloop new manned.As to myself, it was determined that I should be set adrift in a smallcanoe, with paddles and a sail, and four days' provisions; which last,the Japanese captain was so kind to double out of his own stores, andwould permit no man to search me. I got down into the canoe, while theDutchman, standing upon the deck, loaded me with all the curses andinjurious terms his language could afford.
About an hour before we saw the pirates I had taken an observation, andfound we were in the latitude of 46 N. and longitude of 183. When I wasat some distance from the pirates, I discovered, by my pocket-glass,several islands to the south-east. I set up my sail, the wind beingfair, with a design to reach the nearest of those islands, which I made ashift to do, in about three hours. It was all rocky: however I got manybirds' eggs; and, striking fire, I kindled some heath and dry sea-weed,by which I roasted my eggs. I ate no other supper, being resolved tospare my provisions as much as I could. I passed the night under theshelter of a rock, strewing some heath under me, and slept pretty well.
The next day I sailed to another island, and thence to a third andfourth, sometimes using my sail, and sometimes my paddles. But, not totrouble the reader with a particular account of my distresses, let itsuffice, that on the fifth day I arrived at the last island in my sight,which lay south-south-east to the former.
This island was at a greater distance than I expected, and I did notreach it in less than five hours. I encompassed it almost round, beforeI could find a convenient place to land in; which was a small creek,about three times the wideness of my canoe. I found the island to be allrocky, only a little intermingled with tufts of grass, and sweet-smellingherbs. I took out my small provisions and after having refreshed myself,I secured the remainder in a cave, whereof there were great numbers; Igathered plenty of eggs upon the rocks, and got a quantity of drysea-weed, and parched grass, which I designed to kindle the next day, androast my eggs as well as I could, for I had about me my flint, steel,match, and burning-glass. I lay all night in the cave where I had lodgedmy provisions. My bed was the same dry grass and sea-weed which Iintended for fuel. I slept very little, for the disquiets of my mindprevailed over my weariness, and kept me awake. I considered howimpossible it was to preserve my life in so desolate a place, and howmiserable my end must be: yet found myself so listless and desponding,that I had not the heart to rise; and before I could get spirits enoughto creep out of my cave, the day was far advanced. I walked awhile amongthe rocks: the sky was perfectly clear, and the sun so hot, that I wasforced to turn my face from it: when all on a sudden it became obscure,as I thought, in a manner very different from what happens by theinterposition of a cloud. I turned back, and perceived a vast opaquebody between me and the sun moving forwards towards the island: it seemedto be about two miles high, and hid the sun six or seven minutes; but Idid not observe the air to be much colder, or the sky more darkened, thanif I had stood under the shade of a mountain. As it approached nearerover the place where I was, it appeared to be a firm substance, thebottom flat, smooth, and shining very bright, from the reflection of thesea below. I stood upon a height about two hundred yards from the shore,and saw this vast body descending almost to a parallel with me, at lessthan an English mile distance. I took out my pocket perspective, andcould plainly discover numbers of people moving up and down the sides ofit, which appeared to be sloping; but what those people where doing I wasnot able to distinguish.
The natural love of life gave me some inward motion of joy, and I wasready to entertain a hope that this adventure might, some way or other,help to deliver me from the desolate place and condition I was in. Butat the same time the reader can hardly conceive my astonishment, tobehold an island in the air, inhabited by men, who were able (as itshould seem) to raise or sink, or put it into progressive motion, as theypleased. But not being at that time in a disposition to philosophiseupon this phenomenon, I rather chose to observe what course the islandwould take, because it seemed for awhile to stand still. Yet soon after,it advanced nearer, and I could see the sides of it encompassed withseveral gradations of galleries, and stairs, at certain intervals, todescend from one to the other. In the lowest gallery, I beheld somepeople fishing with long angling rods, and others looking on. I waved mycap (for my hat was long since worn out) and my handkerchief toward theisland; and upon its nearer approach, I called and shouted with theutmost strength of my voice; and then looking circumspectly, I beheld acrowd gather to that side which was most in my view. I found by theirpointing towards me and to each other, that they plainly discovered me,although they made no return to my shouting. But I could see four orfive men running in great haste, up the stairs, to the top of the island,who then disappeared. I happened rightly to conjecture, that these weresent for orders to some person in authority upon this occasion.
The number of people increased, and, in less than half all hour, theisland was moved and raised in such a manner, that the lowest galleryappeared in a parallel of less then a hundred yards distance from theheight where I stood. I then put myself in the most supplicatingposture, and spoke in the humblest accent, but received no answer. Thosewho stood nearest over against me, seemed to be persons of distinction,as I supposed by their habit. They conferred earnestly with each other,looking often upon me. At length one of them called out in a clear,polite, smooth dialect, not unlike in sound to the Italian: and thereforeI returned an answer in that language, hoping at least that the cadencemight be more agreeable to his ears. Although neither of us understoodthe other, yet my meaning was easily known, for the people saw thedistress I was in.
They made signs for me to come down from the rock, and go towards theshore, which I accordingly did; and the flying island being raised to aconvenient height, the verge directly over me, a chain was let down fromthe lowest gallery, with a seat fastened to the bottom, to which I fixedmyself, and was drawn up by pulleys.