Open Collections

 ;;.
  ~~T-
THE LIBRARY
THE UNIVERSITY OF
BRITISH COLUMBIA
GULLIVER'S TRAVELS,
A   VOYAGE   TO   LILLIPUT.
 ^J»oo oc^^o>—oc^^>^oo oc^^^oo—oo^^^oo oc^^-
o
Y
*
o
iGULLIVER'S TRAVELS.!
r r
A VOYAGE TO LILLIPUT.
A
40^ Y father, T
{IJJ^tL who was 1
a gentleman of<>
N ottinghamshire £
bound me an ap- §
prentice to a n ?
eminent surgeon A
in London, withT
whom I continued
O four years
? I made several voyages to the Levant as surgeon,
After the expiry of my indenture, <>
& and at length went in that capacity on board g
<>the Antelope^ bound for the East Indies. InQ
| our passage we were driven by a very violent ?
X storm to the north-west of Van Dieman's Land, £
(^©O—OC<§^>^30 OC^^^OO—-OO^^^OO——OC^^£<
,»o-
" I lay on the ground to kiss his hand."—Page 14.
 4 Gulliver's Travels.
and   the   ship   immediately   split.      What    became
of my  companions   I   cannot  tell;  but   I swam as
fortune  directed   me, till   I   got   on   shore.      Being
extremely  tired   I   lay dowrn, where I slept  sounder
than   I   ever   remember   to   have   done  in my life.
When I  awoke, I found I was not able to stir ; for my
arms and legs were fastened on each side to the ground,
and my hair was tied down in the same manner.    In
a little time I felt something alive moving on  my left
leg, which advanced gradually up to my  chin ; when,
bending my eyes  downward   I   perceived it  to  be a
human creature not six inches high, with  a  bow and
arrow in his hands and a quiver at his back.    In the
meantime I felt at least forty more of the same kind,
as I conjectured, following the first.    I was in utmost
astonishment, and roared so loud  that  they  all ran
back in a fright    However, they  soon  returned, and
one of them lifting up his hands and eyes by way of
admiration, cried out in a shrill but  distinct   voice,
Hekinah degul! the others repeated  the same words
several times.    The creatures now  ran  off a second
time before I could seize them ; whereupon there  was
a great shout in a very shrill accent, and after it ceased
one of them cried aloud, Tolgo Phonac!  when in an
instant I felt above a hundred arrows  discharged  on
my left hand, which pricked me like so many needles.
I now thought it best to lie still, and when the people
observed I was quiet, they discharged no more arrows;
but about four yards from me, over against my  right
ear, I heard a knocking like that of people  at work ;
I
A Voyage to Lilliftut 5
when, turning my head that way as well as the strings
would permit, I saw a stage erected about a foot and a
half from the ground, capable of holding four of the
inhabitants, with ladders to mount to it; from whence
one of them, who seemed to be a person of quality,
made a long speech, whereof I understood not one
syllable. Being almost famished with hunger I put
my finger frequently to my mouth to signify that I
wanted food. The hurgo, or lord, understood me, and
commanded ladders to be brought, on which a number of the inhabitants mounted, and walked towards
my mouth, laden with baskets full of meat. There
were shoulders, legs, and loins, shaped like those of
mutton, and very well dressed, but smaller than the
wings of a lark. I ate them by two or three at a
mouthful, and took three loaves at a time, about the
bigness of musket bullets. I then made another sign
that I wanted drink ; when they slung up one of their
largest hogsheads, which I drank off at a draught, for
it did not hold half a pint; they brought a second
hogshead, which I drank in the same manner, and
made signs for more, but they had none to give me.
Soon after there appeared before me a person of high
rank from his majesty. He advanced straight up to
my face, with about a dozen of his retinue, and spoke
without any signs of anger, but with a kind of determined resolution, often pointing forwards, which as I
afterwards found, was towards the capital city, about
half a mile distant; whither it was agreed by his majesty in council I should be conveyed.      After some
 6 Gulliver's Travels.
time I felt numbers of people relaxing my cords. There
was an ancient temple, the largest in the whole kingdom, in which it was determined I should lodge. The
great gate wras about four feet high, and almost two feet
wide, through which I could easily creep. The country
appeared like a continued garden, and the enclosed
fields generally forty feet square, resembled so many
beds of flowers. I viewed the town on my left hand,
which looked like the painted scene of a city in a theatre. I was now visited by the emperor, the empress, and young princes of the blood of both sexes,
attended by a vast concourse of people, who surveyed
me round with the greatest admiration.
The emperor having ordered a couch to be prepared
for me, six hundred beds of the common measure were
brought in carriages, and worked up in my house ; a
hundred and fifty of their beds sewn together made up
the breadth and length ; and these were four double ;
by the same computation they provided me with sheets,
blankets, and coverlets.
His majesty one day said, he hoped " I would not
take it ill if he gave orders to certain proper officers to
search me ?" I said, " His majesty should be satisfied;
for I was ready to strip myself, and turn out my pockets before him." Two officers were then appointed for
this task. These I took up in my hands, and put them
into my several coat pockets. Their inventory was as
follows ;—' Imprimis, In the right coat pocket of the
great man-mountain we found a large piece of coarse
cloth, sufficient enough to be a foot cloth for your
.:
A Voyage to Lilliput. 7
Majesty's room of state. Next we saw a huge silver
chest, with a cover of the same metal: we desired it
should be opened, and one of us stepping into it found
himself up to the mid-leg in a sort of dust, some part
whereof flying up, set us both a-sneezing several times.
In a large pocket we saw two hollow pillars of iron
about the length of a man, fastened to strong pieces of
timber larger than the pillars ; and upon one side of
the pillars were huge pieces of iron sticking out cut
into strange figures, which we knew not what to make
of. Out of another pocket he called a fob hung a great
silver chain, with a wonderful kind of engine at the
bottom. We directed him to draw out whatever was
at the end of that chain ; half silver, and half of some
other transparent metal. He put his engine to our ears,
which made an incessant noise like that of a water
mill. From another he took out a net, almost large
enough for a fisherman, but contrived to open and shut
like a purse, and which served him for the same use*
We found therein several massive pieces of yellow
metal, which, if they be real gold, must be of immense
value.
" Having thus diligently searched his pockets we
observed a girdle round about his waist made of the
hide of some prodigious animal, from which hung a
sword of the length of five men; and on the right a
bag or pouch divided into two cells, each capable of
holding three of your majesty's subjects. In one of
these cells were several balls of a most ponderous
metal, about the bigness of our heads; the other con-
 Gulliver's Travels.
tained a heap of certain black grains, but of no bulk
or weight, for we could hold about fifty of them in the
palms of our hands."
When this inventory was read over, the emperor
directed me, although in very gentle terms, to deliver
up the several particulars. He first called for my
scimitar which I took out. In the mean time he ordered three thousand of his choicest troops to surround
me at a distance with their bows and arows ready to
discharge. He then desired me to draw my scimitar. I
did so, and immediately ail the troops gave a shout
between terror and surprise, for the sun shone clear,
and the reflection dazzled their eyes as I waived the
scimitar to and fro in my hand. The next thing he
demanded was one of the hollow pillars ; by which he
meant my pocket-pistol. I drew it out, and at his
desire, as well as I could, expressed to him the use of
it ; I then let it off in the air. Hundreds fell down as if
struck dead ; and even the emperor, although he stood
us ground could not recover himself for some time. I
■hen delivered up my pistols, my scimitar, my pouch of
powder and bullets, and other effects which his majesty
received very graciously.
One day the emperor having ordered that part of his
army which quarters in and about the metropolis to be
in readiness, took a fancy in diverting himself in a
very singular manner. He desired that I would stand
with my legs as far asunder as I conveniently could.
He then commanded his general to draw up the troops
in close order, and march them under me twenty-four
A Voyage to Lilliput. 9
a breast, and the horse by sixteen, with drums beating^
colours flying, and pikes advanced. This body consisted of three thousand foot and a thousand horse.
I had sent so many petitions for my liberty, that his
majesty at last granted my request, but upon certain
conditions, drawn up by the chief secretary, which I
solemnly agreed to.    These conditions ran as follows:
" His most sublime majesty, the Emperor of Lilliput, proposes to the man-mountain, lately arrived in
our celestial dominions, the following articles, which
by solemn oath he shall be obliged to perform :—
" ist, The man-mountain shall not depart from our
dominions without our license under our great seal.
2nd, He shall not come into our metropolis without
our express order; at which time the inhabitants shall
have two hours' warning. 3rd, As he walks the said
roads, he shall take care not to trample upon the
bodies of any of our loving subjects, their horses, or
carriages. 4th, If any express requires extraordinary
despatch, the man-mountain shall be required to carry
in his pocket the messenger and a horse six days'
journey, once in every moon. 5th, He shall be our
ally against our enemies in the island of Blefuscu, and
do his utmost to destroy their fleet, which is now preparing to invade us. Lastly, That upon his solemn oath
to observe the above articles, the said man-mountain
shall have a daily allowance of meat and drink sufficient for the support of 1724 of our subjects." To
these articles I agreed with cheerfulness and content.
One morning the principal secretary for private affairs
 IO
Gulliver's Travels.
came to my house and informed me that they were
threatened with a sudden invasion from the island of
Blefuscu, another great empire of the universe, almost
as large and powerful as that of Lilliput. The emperor
his father published an edict, commanding all his subjects, upon great penalties, to break the smaller end of
their eggs. At that time part of Blefuscu was tributary
tp the Crown of Lilliput, and the Blefuscudians would
not conform to the law, but continued to break the large
end of their eggs, and war was declared to compel them
to their duty. In short, that the Blefuscudians had
prepared a mighty fleet to make a descent upon them,
and his majesty knowing my strength, relied solely on
my help. I desired the secretary to present my humble
duty to the emperor, and to let him know that
although I could inflict no violenee on his enemies, I
was willing to bring off the whole fleet. This I accomplished by wading across the channel which separated
the two empires, and tying the whole fleet with cords
and hooks, I dragged it after me to the opposite shore.
The emperor received me at my landing with all
possible encomiums, and created me a nardac on the
spot, which is the highest title of honour among them.
About three week after this exploit there arrived a
solemn embassy from Blefuscu, with humble offers of
peace, which was soon concluded, upon conditions very
advantageous to our emperor. When the treaty was
finished, the ambassadors made me a visit in form.
They began with many compliments on my valour and
generosity, and invited me to that kingdom in their
A Voyage to Lilliput.
ii
master's name. Accordingly the next time I had the
honour to see our emperor, I desired his license to
wait on the Blefuscudian monarch, which he was
pleased to grant me, but, as I could perceive, in a very
cold manner.
It was not long after this interview that I had an
opportunity of doing his majesty a most signal service.
I was alarmed at midnight with the cries of many hundred people at my door, who entreated me to come
immediately to the palace, where her imperial majesty's
apartment was on fire. I got up in an instant; and
orders being given to clear the way before me, and it
being likewise a moonlight night, I made shift to get
to the place without trampling on any of the people.
I found they had already applied ladders to the walls,
and were well provided with buckets, but the water
was at some distance. These buckets were about the
size of a large thimble, and the poor people supplied
me with them as fast as they could ; but the flame was
so violent that they did little or no good. However,
in three minutes I got the fire wholly extinguished, and
the rest of the noble pile, which had cost so many ages
in erecting, was preserved from destruction.
And here it may perhaps divert the curious reader
to give some account of my domestics, and my manner
of living in this country, during a residence of nine
months and thirteen days. Two hundred seamstresses
were employed to make me shirts, and linen for
my bed and table, all of the strongest and coarse t
kind they could get ; which, however, they were forced
 ——-"—■
12
Gulliver's Travels.
to quilt together in several folds, for the thickest was
some degrees finer than lawn. Three hundred tailors
were employed in the same manner to make me
clothes; but they had rather a singular contrivance
for taking my measure. I kneeled down, and they
raised a ladder from the ground to my neck; upon
this ladder one of them mounted, and let fall a plumb-
line from my collar to the floor, which just answered
to the length of my coat ; but my waist and arms I
measured myself. I had three hundred cooks to dress
my victuals. I took up twenty waiters in my hand
and placed them on the table ; a hundred more attended below, some with dishes of meat, and some
with barrels of wine and other liquors slung on their
shoulders ; all which the waiters above drew up in a
very ingenious manner by cords, as we draw the
bucket out of a well. A dish of their meat was a good
mouthful, and a barrel of their liquor a reasonable
draught. Their mutton yields to ours, but their beef
is excellent. Their geese and turkeys I usually ate at
a mouthful, and I confess they far exceed ours. Of
all their smaller fowls I could take up more than thirty
at the end of my knife. One day his imperial majesty desired that himself and his royal consort, with
the young princes of the blood of both sexes, might
" have the happiness," as he was pleased to call it, of
" dining with me." They came accordingly, and I
placed them in chairs of state on my table, just over
against me, with their guards about them.
Recollecting that I had his imperial majesty's license
A Voyage to Lilliput.
13
to pay my attendance  on the  emperor of Blefusca, I
seized a large man-of-war, tied a cable to the prow,
and lifting up the anchors,  I stripped myself, put my
clothes into the vessel,  and drawing it after me, between wading and swimming arrived at the royal port
of Blefusca.     Three days after my arrival, walking
about I observed, about half a league off in the sea,
something that looked like a boat overturned.  I pulled
off my shoes and stockings,  and, wading two or three
hundred yards, I found the object to be a boat, which
I supposed might by some tempest have been driven
from a ship.  Being quite overjoyed at my good fortune,
I hastened to notify my intention  of departing from
his dominions ; to which he and the court, impatient
to have me away, ver\ readily contributed.
Five hundred workmen were employed to make two
sails to my boat, according to my direction, by quilting
thirteen folds of their strongest linen together. I was
at the pains of framing ropes and cables by twisting
ten, twenty, or thirty of the largest and stoutest of
theirs. A large stone I happened to find after a long
search by the sea shore, served me for an anchor. I
had the tallow of three hundred cows for greasing my
boat and other uses. I was at incredible pains in
cutting down some of the largest timber trees for oars
and masts, wherein I was, however, much assisted by
his majesty's ship carpenters, who helped me in smoothing them after I had done the rough portion.
In about a month, when I was prepared, I  sent to
receive his majesty's commands, and to take my leave.
 H
Gulliver's Travels.
The Emperor and royal family came out of the palace,
when I lay down on my face to kiss his hand which he
very graciously gave to 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 at once put into one of my gloves. I
stored the boat with the carcases of a hundred sheep,
with bread and drink proportionably, and as much
meat ready dressed as four hundred cooks could provide. I took with me six cows and two bulls alive,
with as many ewes and rams, intending to carry them
into my own country—and to feed them on board I
had a good bundle of hay and a bag of corn. I would
gladly have carried along with me a dozen of the
natives, but this was a thing the emperor would by no
means permit ; and besides a diligent search into my
pockets, his majesty engaged my honour 'not to carry
off any of his subjects, although with their own consent
and desire.'
Having thus prepared all things as well as I was
able, I set sail on the 24th of September, 1701. I discovered nothing that day ; but upon the next, about
three in the afternoon, when I had by my computation
made 24 leagues from Blefuscu, I descried a ship steering to the south-east. I made all the sail I could, and
in half an hour she spied me ; then hung out her
ancient and discharged a gun. The vessel was an
English merchantman returning from Japan.
I shall not trouble the reader with an account of this
A Voyage to Lilliput.
IS
voyage, which was a very prosperous one. We arrived
in the Downs on the 13th April, 1702. My cattle I
got safe ashore, and set them a-grazing in a bowling-
green at Greenwich, where the fineness of the grass
made them feel very hearty, though I had always feared the contrary : neither could I _ possibly have preserved them in so long a voyage if the captain had
not allowed me some of his best biscuits, which, rubbed
to powder and mingled with water, was their constant
food. The short time I continued in England I made
a considerable profit by showing my cattle to many
persons of quality and others : and before I began my
second voyage I sold them for six hundred pounds.
Since my last return I find the breed is considerably
increased, especially the sheep, which I hope will
prove much to the advantage of the woollen manufacture by the fineness of their fleeces.
 i6
Gulliver's Travels.
To QUINBUS FLESTRIN, the MAN-MOUNTAIN,
AN   ODE,
BIT     TITTY     TIT,     ESQ,.,
Poet-Laureate to His Majesty of Lilliput.
^ranslateb inter (English.
In amaze,
Lost, I gaze !
Can our eyes
Reach thy size!
May ray lays
Swell with praise!
Worthy thee,
Worthy me!
Muse inspire
All thy fire.
Bards of old
Of him told,
When they said
Atlas' head
Propp'd the skies:
See, and believe your eyes.
See him stride
Valleys wide,
Over woods,
Over floods,
When he treads
Mountains' heads
Groan and shake;
Armies quake,
Lest his spurn
Overturn
Man and steed:
Troops take heed!
Left and right,
Speed your flight!
Lest an host
Beneath his foot he lost.
Turn'd aside
From his hide,
Safe from wound
Darts rebound:
From his nose
Clouds he blows;
When he speaks,
Thunder breaks!
When he eats
Famine threats;
When he drinks
Neptune shrinks!
Nigh thy ear,
In mid air,
On thy hand
Let me stand,
So shall I,
Lofty poet, touch the sky
ARDROSSAN   AND   SALTCOATS :     A.   GUTHRIE.
 OLD   STYLE   SERIES
OF   THE
OLD    FAVOURITES
i.—ROBINSON CRUSOE.
2.—GULLIVER'S      TRAVELS.—A     Voyage
Lilliput.
3.—GULLIVER'S      TRAVELS.—A     Voyage
Brobdingnag.
to
to
4._JACK THE GIANT-KILLER.
5.—JACK AND THE BEAN-STALK.
6.—SINBAD THE SAILOR.
7 .—BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
8.—CINDERELLA.
9.—ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES.
I0.—PUSS IN BOOTS.
11.—ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP.
12.—THE SLEEPING BEAUTY.
,3._The SEVEN CHAMPIONS of CHRISTENDOM.