The Author fets out as Captain of a Ship. His Men confpire against him, confine him a long Time to his Cabbin. Set him on Shore in an unknown Land. He travels up into the Country. The Yahoos, a strange Sort of Animal, defcribed. The Author meets two Houyhnhnms.

I

Continued at Home with my Wife and Children about five Months, in a very happy Condition, if I could have learned the Lef

fon of knowing when I was well. I left my poor Wife big with Child, and accepted an advantageous Offer made me, to be Captain of the Adventure, a ftout Merchant-man, of 350 Tuns : For I understood Navigation well, and being grown weary of a Surgeon's Employment at Sea, which, however, I could exercise upon Occafion, I took a skilful young Man of that Calling, one Robert

Robert Purefoy, into my Ship. We fet Sail from Portsmouth upon the 2d Day of Auguft, 1710; on the 14th, we met with Captain Pocock, of Bristol, at Tenariff, who was going to the Bay of Campecby, to cut Logwood. On the 16th, he was parted from us by a Storm; I heard, fince my Return, that his Ship foundered, and none escaped, but one Cabbin-boy. He was an honeft Man, and a good Sailor, but a little too pofitive in his own Opinions, which was the Caufe of his Deftruction, as it hath been of feveral others. For, if he had followed my Advice, he might have been safe at Home with his Family at this Time, as well as myself.

I had feveral Men died in my Ship of Calentures, fo that I was forced to get Recruits out of Barbadoes, and the Leeward Islands, where I touched, by the Direction of the Merchants who employed me; which I had foon too much Cause to repent; for I found afterwards, that most of them had been Bucaneers. I had fifty Hands on Board, and my Orders were, that I should trade with the Indians, in the South-Sea, and make what Discoveries I could. Thefe Rogues, whom I had picked up, debauched my other Men, and they all formed a Confpiracy to feize the Ship, and fecure me; which they did one Morning, rufhing into my Cabbin, and binding me Hand and Foot, threatening to throw me over-board, if I offered to ftir. I told them, I was their Prifoner, and would fubmit. This they made me fwear to do, and then they unbound me, only faftening one of my Legs with a Chain near my Bed, and placed a Centry at my Door with his Piece charged, who was commanded to fhoot me dead, if I attempted my Liberty. They fent me down Victuals

Victuals and Drink, and took the Government of the Ship to themselves. Their Design was to turn Pyrates, and plunder the Spaniards, which they could not do, till they got more Men. But firit they refolved to fell the Goods in the Ship, and then go to Madagascar for Recruits, feveral among them having died fince my. Confinement. They failed many Weeks, and traded with the Indians; but I knew not what Course they took, being kept a clofe Prifoner in my Cabbin, and ex pecting nothing less than to be murdered, as they often threatened me.

Upon the 9th Day of May, 1711, one James Welch came down to my Cabbin, and faid he had Orders from the Captain, to fet me a-fhore. I expoftulated with him, but in vain; neither would he fo much as tell me who their new Cap tain was. They forced me into the Long-boat, letting me put on my beft Suit of Cloaths, which were as good as new, and a fmall Bundle of Linnen, but no Arms, except my Hanger; and they were fo civil as not to fearch my Pockets, into which I conveyed what Money I had, with fome other little Neceffaries. They rowed about a League; and then fet me down on a Strand. I defired them to tell me, what Country it was, They all fwore, they knew no more than myself, but faid, that the Captain (as they called him) was refolved, after they had fold the Lading, to rid of me in the firft Place, where they could difcover Land. They pufhed off immediately, advifing me to make Hafte, for fear of being overtaken by the Tide, and fo bad me Farewel.

get

In this defolate Condition I advanced forward, and foon got upon firm Ground, where I fat down on a Bank to reft myself, and confider what

I had

I had beft do. When I was a little refreshed, Ì went up into the Country, refolving to deliver myfelf to the first Savages I should meet, and pur chafe my Life from them, by fome Bracelets, glafs Rings, and other Toys, which Sailors ufually provide themselves with in thofe Voyages, and whereof I had fome about me: The Land was divided by long Rows of Trees, not regularly planted, but naturally growing; there was great Plenty of Grafs, and feveral Fields of Oats. I walked very circumfpectly, for fear of being furprifed, or fuddenly fhot with an Arrow from behind, or on either Side. I fell into a beaten Road, where I faw many Tracts of human Feet, and fome of Cows, but most of Horfes. At laft I beheld feveral Animals in a Field, and one or two of the fame Kind fitting in Trees. Their Shape was very fingular, and deformed, which a little difcompofed me, fo that I lay down behind a Thicket to obferve them better: Some of them, coming forward near the Place where I lay, gave me an Opportunity of diftinctly marking their Form. Their Heads and Breafts were covered with a thick Hair, fome frizled, and others lank; they had Beards like Goats, and a long Ridge of Hair down their Backs, and the Fore-parts of their Legs and Feet; but the reft of their Bodies were bare, fo that I might fee their Skins, which were of a brown Buff Colour. They had no Tails, nor any Hair at all on their Buttocks, except about the Anus; which, I prefume, Nature had placed there, to defend them as they fat on the Ground; for this Pofture they ufed, as well as Lying down, and often stood on their hind Feet. They climbed high Trees, as nimbly as a Squirrel, for they had ftrong extended Claws before and behind, termi