Reading Help Gulliver's Travels. Part I
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I ate my breakfast before the sun was up; and heaving anchor, the `
` wind being favourable, I steered the same course that I had done `
` the day before, wherein I was directed by my pocket compass. My `
` intention was to reach, if possible, one of those islands. which I `
` had reason to believe lay to the north-east of Van Diemen's Land. `
` I discovered nothing all that day; but upon the next, about three `
` in the afternoon, when I had by my computation made twenty-four `
` leagues from Blefuscu, I descried a sail steering to the south- `
` east; my course was due east. I hailed her, but could get no `
` answer; yet I found I gained upon her, for the wind slackened. I `
` made all the sail I could, and in half an hour she spied me, then `
` hung out her ancient, and discharged a gun. It is not easy to `
` express the joy I was in, upon the unexpected hope of once more `
` seeing my beloved country, and the dear pledges I left in it. The `
` ship slackened her sails, and I came up with her between five and `
` six in the evening, September 26th; but my heart leaped within me `
` to see her English colours. I put my cows and sheep into my coat- `
` pockets, and got on board with all my little cargo of provisions. `
` The vessel was an English merchantman, returning from Japan by the `
` North and South seas; the captain, Mr. John Biddel, of Deptford, a `
` very civil man, and an excellent sailor. `
` `
` We were now in the latitude of 30 degrees south; there were about `
` fifty men in the ship; and here I met an old comrade of mine, one `
` Peter Williams, who gave me a good character to the captain. This `
` gentleman treated me with kindness, and desired I would let him `
` know what place I came from last, and whither I was bound; which I `
` did in a few words, but he thought I was raving, and that the `
` dangers I underwent had disturbed my head; whereupon I took my `
` black cattle and sheep out of my pocket, which, after great `
` astonishment, clearly convinced him of my veracity. I then showed `
` him the gold given me by the emperor of Blefuscu, together with his `
` majesty's picture at full length, and some other rarities of that `
` country. I gave him two purses of two hundreds sprugs each, and `
` promised, when we arrived in England, to make him a present of a `
` cow and a sheep big with young. `
` `
` I shall not trouble the reader with a particular account of this `
` voyage, which was very prosperous for the most part. We arrived in `
` the Downs on the 13th of April, 1702. I had only one misfortune, `
` that the rats on board carried away one of my sheep; I found her `
` bones in a hole, picked clean from the flesh. The rest of 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 feed very `
` heartily, 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 biscuit, 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 the `
` fleeces. `
` `
` I stayed but two months with my wife and family, for my insatiable `
` desire of seeing foreign countries, would suffer me to continue no `
` longer. I left fifteen hundred pounds with my wife, and fixed her `
` in a good house at Redriff. My remaining stock I carried with me, `
` part in money and part in goods, in hopes to improve my fortunes. `
` My eldest uncle John had left me an estate in land, near Epping, of `
` about thirty pounds a-year; and I had a long lease of the Black `
` Bull in Fetter-Lane, which yielded me as much more; so that I was `
` not in any danger of leaving my family upon the parish. My son `
` Johnny, named so after his uncle, was at the grammar-school, and a `
` towardly child. My daughter Betty (who is now well married, and `
` has children) was then at her needle-work. I took leave of my `
` wife, and boy and girl, with tears on both sides, and went on board `
` the Adventure, a merchant ship of three hundred tons, bound for `
` Surat, captain John Nicholas, of Liverpool, commander. But my `
` account of this voyage must be referred to the Second Part of my `
` Travels. `
`
` wind being favourable, I steered the same course that I had done `
` the day before, wherein I was directed by my pocket compass. My `
` intention was to reach, if possible, one of those islands. which I `
` had reason to believe lay to the north-east of Van Diemen's Land. `
` I discovered nothing all that day; but upon the next, about three `
` in the afternoon, when I had by my computation made twenty-four `
` leagues from Blefuscu, I descried a sail steering to the south- `
` east; my course was due east. I hailed her, but could get no `
` answer; yet I found I gained upon her, for the wind slackened. I `
` made all the sail I could, and in half an hour she spied me, then `
` hung out her ancient, and discharged a gun. It is not easy to `
` express the joy I was in, upon the unexpected hope of once more `
` seeing my beloved country, and the dear pledges I left in it. The `
` ship slackened her sails, and I came up with her between five and `
` six in the evening, September 26th; but my heart leaped within me `
` to see her English colours. I put my cows and sheep into my coat- `
` pockets, and got on board with all my little cargo of provisions. `
` The vessel was an English merchantman, returning from Japan by the `
` North and South seas; the captain, Mr. John Biddel, of Deptford, a `
` very civil man, and an excellent sailor. `
` `
` We were now in the latitude of 30 degrees south; there were about `
` fifty men in the ship; and here I met an old comrade of mine, one `
` Peter Williams, who gave me a good character to the captain. This `
` gentleman treated me with kindness, and desired I would let him `
` know what place I came from last, and whither I was bound; which I `
` did in a few words, but he thought I was raving, and that the `
` dangers I underwent had disturbed my head; whereupon I took my `
` black cattle and sheep out of my pocket, which, after great `
` astonishment, clearly convinced him of my veracity. I then showed `
` him the gold given me by the emperor of Blefuscu, together with his `
` majesty's picture at full length, and some other rarities of that `
` country. I gave him two purses of two hundreds sprugs each, and `
` promised, when we arrived in England, to make him a present of a `
` cow and a sheep big with young. `
` `
` I shall not trouble the reader with a particular account of this `
` voyage, which was very prosperous for the most part. We arrived in `
` the Downs on the 13th of April, 1702. I had only one misfortune, `
` that the rats on board carried away one of my sheep; I found her `
` bones in a hole, picked clean from the flesh. The rest of 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 feed very `
` heartily, 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 biscuit, 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 the `
` fleeces. `
` `
` I stayed but two months with my wife and family, for my insatiable `
` desire of seeing foreign countries, would suffer me to continue no `
` longer. I left fifteen hundred pounds with my wife, and fixed her `
` in a good house at Redriff. My remaining stock I carried with me, `
` part in money and part in goods, in hopes to improve my fortunes. `
` My eldest uncle John had left me an estate in land, near Epping, of `
` about thirty pounds a-year; and I had a long lease of the Black `
` Bull in Fetter-Lane, which yielded me as much more; so that I was `
` not in any danger of leaving my family upon the parish. My son `
` Johnny, named so after his uncle, was at the grammar-school, and a `
` towardly child. My daughter Betty (who is now well married, and `
` has children) was then at her needle-work. I took leave of my `
` wife, and boy and girl, with tears on both sides, and went on board `
` the Adventure, a merchant ship of three hundred tons, bound for `
` Surat, captain John Nicholas, of Liverpool, commander. But my `
` account of this voyage must be referred to the Second Part of my `
` Travels. `
`