me in my canoo; and got feveral of his neighbouring friends to accompany him. I was forced to wait above an hour for the tide, and then obferving the wind very fortunately bearing towards the island, to which I intended to fteer my courfe, I took a fecond leave of my mafter: but, as I was going to proftrate myself to kiss his hoof, he did me the honour to raife it gently to my mouth. I am not ignorant how much I have been cenfured for mentioning this last particular. Detractors are pleased to think it improbable, that fo illuftrious a person should defcend to give fo great a mark of distinction to a creature fo inferior as I. Neither have I forgotten how apt some travellers are to boast of extraordinary favours they have received. But, if these cenfurers were better acquainted with the noble and courteous difpofition of the Houyhnhnms, they would foon change their opinion.

I paid my respects to the reft of the Houyhnbnms in his honour's company; then getting into my canoo I pushed off from shore.

CHAP.

The author's dangerous voyage. He arrives at New-Holland, hoping to fettle there. Is wounded with an arrow by one of the natives. Is feized and carried by force into a portugueze fhip. The great civilities of the captain. The author arrives at England.

Began this desperate voyage on February 15, 1714-15, at 9 o'clock in the morning. The wind was very favourable; however. I made ufe at first only of my paddles; but confidering I fhould foon be weary, and that the wind might chop about, I ventured to fet up my little fail; and thus with the help of the tide I went at the rate of a league and a half an hour, as near as I could guess. My mafter and his friends continued on the fhore, till I was almost out of fight; and I often heard the forrel nag (who always loved me) crying out, hnuy illa nyba majah yahoo, Take care of thyself gentle yahoo.

My defign was, if poffible, to discover some fmall ifland uninhabited, yet fufficient by my labour to furnish me with the neceffaries of life, which I would have thought a greater happiness, than to be first minister in the politeft court of europe; fo horrible was the idea I conceived of returning to live in the fociety and under the government of yaboos. For, in fuch a folitude as I defired, I could at least en

joy my own thoughts, and reflect with delight on the virtues of thofe inimitable Houyhnhnms without any opportunity of degenerating into the vices and corruptions of my own fpe

cies.

The reader may remember what I related, when my crew confpired against me, and confined me to my cabbin. How I continued there feveral weeks without knowing what course we took; and when I was put a-fhoar in the long-boat, how the failors told me with oaths, whether true or falfe, that they knew not in what part of the world we were. However, I did then believe us to be about ten degrees fouthward of the Cape of Good-Hope, or about 45 degrees fouthern latitude, as I gathered from fome general words I overheard among them, being I fuppofed to the fouth-eaft in their intended voyage to Madagascar. And although this were but little better than conjecture, yet I refolved to fteer my courfe eaft ward, hoping to reach the fouth-west coast of New-Holland, and perhaps fome fuch ifland as I defired lying weftward of it. The wind was full west, and by fix in the evening I computed I had gone eastward at least eighteen leagues; when I fpied a very small ifland about half a league off, which I foon reached. It was nothing but a rock with one creek naturally arched by the force of tempests. Here I put in my canoo, and climbing a part of the rock I could plainly discover land to the east, extending from fouth to north. I lay all night

in my canoo; and repeating my voyage early in the morning, I arrived in feven hours to the fouth-east point of New-Holland. This confirmed me in the opinion I have long entertained, that the maps and charts place this country at least three degrees more to the east, than it really is; which thought I communicated many years ago to my worthy friend, Mr. Herman Moll, and gave him my reasons for it, although he hath rather chofen to follow other authors.

I saw no inhabitants in the place where I landed, and being unarmed I was afraid of venturing far into the country. I found fome fhell-fish on the fhore, and eat them raw, not daring to kindle a fire for fear of being discovered by the natives. I continued three days feeding on oysters and limpits to fave my own provifions; and I fortunately found a brook of excellent water, which gave me great relief.

On the fourth day venturing out early a little too far, I faw twenty or thirty natives upon a heighth not above five hundred yards from me. They were ftark naked, men, women, and children round a fire, as I could discover by the smoke. One of them fpied me, and gavė notice to the reft; five of them advanced towards me, leaving the women and children at the fire. I made what hafte I could to the fhore, and getting into my canoo fhoved off: the favages obferving me retreat ran after me; and, before I could get far enough into the

fea, difcharged an arrow which wounded me deeply on the infide of my left knee (I shall carry the mark to my grave.) I apprehended the arrow might be poifoned, and paddling out of the reach of their darts (being a calm day) I made a shift to fuck the wound, and drefs it as well as I could.

I was at a loss what to do, for I durft not return to the fame landing-place, but ftood to the north, and was forced to paddle; for the wind, though very gentle, was against me, blowing north-west. As I was looking about for a fecure landing-place, I faw a fail to the north-north-east, which appearing every minute more vifible, I was in fome doubt, whether I fhould wait for them or no; but at laft my deteftation of the yahoo race prevailed; and turning my canoo I failed and paddled together to the fouth, and got into the fame creek, from whence I fet out in the morning, chufing rather to truft myself among these barbarians, than live with European yaboos. I drew up my canoo as clofe as I could to the fhore, and hid myself behind a ftone by the little brook, which, as I have already faid, was excellent

water.

The ship came within half a league of this creek, and fent out her long-boat with veffels to take in fresh water (for the place, it seems, was very well known) but I did not observe it, till the boat was almoft on fhore; and it was too late to seek another hiding-place. The feamen at their landing obferved my canoo, and rummaging