ancient Practice, happened to cut one of his Fingers. Whereupon the Emperor his Father, pubJifhed an Edict, commanding all his Subjects, upon great Penalties, to break the fmaller End of their Eggs. The People fo highly resented this Law, that our Hiftories tell us, there have been fix Rebellions raised on that Account; wherein one Emperor loft his Life, and another his Crown. These Civil Commotions were conftantly fomented by the Monarchs of Blefufcu; and when they were quelled, the Exiles always fled for Refuge to that Empire. It is computed, that eleven thousand Perfons have, at feveral Times, fuffered Death, rather than fubmit to break their Eggs at the smaller End. Many hundred large Volumes have been published upon this Controverfy: But the Books of the Big-Endians have been long forbidden, and the whole Party rendered incapable by Law of holding Employments. During the Course of these Troubles, the Emperors of Blefufcu did frequently expoftulate by their Ambaffadors, accufing us of making a Schifm in Religion, by offending against a fundamental Doctrine of our great Prophet Luftrog, in the fifty-fourth Chapter of the Brundrecal, (which is their Alcoran.) This, however, is thought to be a meer Strain upon the Text: For the Words are these; That all true Believers fhall break their Eggs at the convenient End: And which is the convenient End, feems, in my humble Opinion, to be left to every Man's Confcience, or at leaft in the Power of the chief Magiftrate to determine. Now the Big-Endian Exiles have found fo much Credit in the Emperor of Blefufcu's Court; and fo much private Affiftance and Encouragement from their Party here at home, that a bloody War hath been carried on between the two Empires for fix and

thirty Moons with various Succefs; during which Time we have loft forty Capital Ships, and a much greater Number of fmaller Veffels, together with thirty thousand of our best Seamen and Soldiers; and the Damage received by the Enemy is reckoned to be fomewhat greater than ours. However, they have now equipped a numerous Fleet, and are just preparing to make a Defcent upon us: And his Imperial Majefty, placing great Confidence in your Valour and Strength, hath commanded me to lay this Account of his Affairs before you.

I DESIRED the Secretary to present my humble Duty to the Emperor, and to let him know, that I thought it would not become me, who was a Foreigner, to interfere with Parties; but I was ready, with the Hazard of my Life, to defend his Perfon and State against all Invaders.

CHA P.

CHA P. V.

The Author by an extraordinary Stratagem prevents an Invafion. A high Title of Honour is conferred upon him Ambafadors arrive from the Emperor of Blefufcu, and fue for Peace. The Emprefs's Apartment on fire by an Accident; the Author inftrumental in faving the rest of the Palace.

HE Empire of Blefufcu, is an Inland fituated to the North North-East Side of Lilliput, from whence it is parted only by a Channel of eight hundred Yards wide. I had not yet feen it, and upon this Notice of an intended Invafion, I avoided appearing on that Side of the Coaft, for fear of being difcovered by fome of the Enemies Ships, who had received no Intelligence of me; all Intercourfe between the two Empires having been strictly forbidden during the War, upon Pain of Death; and an Embargo laid by our Emperor upon all Veffels whatfoever. I communicated to his Majefty a Project I had formed of feizing the Enemies whole Fleet; which, as our Scouts affured us, lay at Anchor in the Harbour ready to fail with the firft fair Wind. I con

fulted

fulted the most experienced Seamen, upon the Depth of the Channel, which they had often plummed; who told me, that in the Middle at high Water it was seventy Glumgluffs deep, which is about fix Foot of European Measure; and the rest of it fifty Glumgluffs at moft. I walked to the North-East Coast over against Blefufcu; where, lying down behind a Hillock, I took out my fmall Pocket Perspective Glafs, and viewed the Enemy's Fleet at Anchor, confifting of about fifty Men of War, and a great Number of Transports: I then came back to my Houfe, and gave Order (for which I had a Warrant) for a great Quantity of the strongest Cable and Bars of Iron. The Cable was about as thick as Packthread, and the Bars of the Length and Size of a Knitting-Needle. I trebled the Cable to make it ftronger; and for the fame Reason I twisted three of the Iron Bars together, binding the Extremities into a Hook. Having thus fixed fifty Hooks to as many Cables, I went back to the North-Eaft Coaft, and putting off my Coat, Shoes, and Stockings, walked into the Sea in my Leathern Jerken, about half an Hour before high Water. I waded with what Hafte I could, and fwam in the Middle about thirty Yards, until I felt the Ground; I arrived to the Fleet in less than half an Hour. The Enemy was fo frighted when they faw me, that they leaped out of their Ships, and swam to Shore; where there could not be fewer than thirty thousand Souls. I then took my Tackling, and faftning a Hook to the Hole at the Prow of each, 1 tyed all the Cords together at the End. While I was thus employed, the Enemy discharged several thousand Arrows, many of which ftuck in my Hands and Face; and befides the exceffive Smart, gave me much

Disturbance

Disturbance in my Work. My greatest Apprehenfion was for mine Eyes, which I fhould have infallibly loft, if I had not fuddenly thought of an Expedient. I kept, among other little Neceffaries, a Pair of Spectacles in a private Pocket, which, as I observed before, had efcaped the Emperor's Searchers. These I took out, and fastned as ftrongly as I could upon my Nofe; and thus armed, went on boldly with my Work in fpight of the Enemy's Arrows; many of which ftruck against the Glaffes of my Spectacles, but without any other Effect, further than a little to discompose them. I had now faftned all the Hooks, and taking the Knot in my Hand, began to pull; but not a Ship would ftir, for they were all too fast held by their Anchors, fo that the boldeft Part of my Enterprize remained. I therefore let go the Cord, and leaving the Hooks fixed to the Ships, I refolutely cut with my Knife the Cables that faftned the Anchors; receiving above two hundred Shots in my Face and Hands: Then I took up the knotted End of the Cables to which my Hooks were tyed; and with great Eafe drew fifty of the Enemy's largest Men of War after me.

THE Blefufcudians, who had not the leaft Imagination of what I intended, were at firft confounded with Astonishment. They had feen me cut the Cables, and thought my Defign was only to let the Ships run a-drift, or fall foul on each other: But when they perceived the whole Fleet moving in Order, and faw me pulling at the End, they fet up fuch a Scream of Grief and Despair, that it is almost impoffible to describe or conceive. When I had got out of Danger, I ftopt a while to pick. out the Arrows that stuck in my Hands and Face, and rubbed on fome of the fame Ointment that

was