understood him right, for he expressed himself very imperfectly) that he seldom did anything without consulting it. He called it his oracle, and said it pointed out the time for every action of his life. From the left fob he took out a net, almost large enough for a fisherman, but contrived to open and shut like a purse, and serving him for the same use; we found therein several massy pieces of yellow metal, which, if they be real gold, must be of immense value.

9. Having thus, in obedience to your majesty's commands, diligently searched all his pockets, we observed a girdle about his waist, made of the hide of some prodigious animal; from which, on the left side, hung a sword of the length of five men; and on the right, a bag or pouch divided into two cells, each cell capable of holding three of your majesty's subjects. In one of these cells were several globes, or balls, of a most ponderous metal, about the bigness of our heads, and requiring a strong hand to lift them: the other cell contained a heap of certain black grains, but of no great bulk or weight, for we could hold above fifty of them in the palms of our hands. This is an exact inventory of what we found about the body of the Man Mountain, who used us with great civility, and due respect to your majesty's commission, signed and sealed on the fourth day of the eighty-ninth moon of your majesty's auspicious reign.

CLEFRIN FRELOCK.
MARSI FRELOCK.'

10. When this inventory was read over to the emperor, he directed me, although in very gentle terms, to deliver up the several particulars. He first called for my scimitar, which I took out, scabbard and all. In the meantime he ordered three thousand of

his choicest troops (who then attended him) to surround me, at a distance, with their bows and arrows just ready to discharge; but I did not observe it, for mine eyes were wholly fixed upon his majesty.

11. He then desired me to draw my scimitar, which, although it had got some rust by the sea-water, was in most parts exceeding bright. I did so, and immediately all the troops gave a shout between terror and surprise; for the sun shone clear, and the reflection dazzled their eyes, as I waved the scimitar to and fro in my hand. His majesty, who is a most magnanimous prince, was less daunted than I could expect: he ordered me to return it into the scabbard, and cast it on the ground as gently as I could, about six feet from the end of my chain. The next thing he demanded was one of the hollow iron pillars, by which he meant my pocket pistols. I drew it out, and at his desire, as well as I could, expressed to him the use of it; and charging it only with powder, which, by the closeness of my pouch, happened to escape wetting in the sea (an inconvenience against which all prudent mariners take special care to provide), I first cautioned the emperor not to be afraid, and then I let it off in the air.

12. The astonishment here was much greater than at the sight of my scimitar. Hundreds fell down as if they had been struck dead; and even the emperor, although he stood his ground, could not recover himself for some time. I delivered up both my pistols in the same manner as I had done my scimitar, and then my pouch of powder and bullets; begging him that the former might be kept from the fire, for it would kindle with the smallest spark, and blow up his imperial palace into the air.

13. I likewise delivered up my watch, which the emperor was very curious to see, and commanded two of his tallest yeomen of the guards to bear it on a pole upon their shoulders, as draymen in England do a

barrel of ale. He was amazed at the continual noise it made, and the motion of the minute-hand, which he could easily discern; for their sight is much more

acute than ours: he asked the opinions of his learned men about it, which were various and remote, as the reader may well imagine without my repeating; although indeed I could not very perfectly understand them.

14. I then gave up my silver and copper money, my purse with nine large pieces of gold, and some smaller ones; my knife and razor, my comb and silver snuffbox, my handkerchief and journal book. My scimitar, pistols, and pouch were conveyed in carriages to his majesty's stores; but the rest of my goods were returned me.

15. I had, as I before observed, one private pocket, which escaped their search, wherein there was a pair of spectacles (which I sometimes use for the weakness of mine eyes), a pocket perspective, and some other little conveniencies; which, being of no consequence to the emperor, I did not think myself bound in honour to discover, and I apprehended they might be lost or spoiled if I ventured them out of my possession.

Swift.

through. From Lat. trans,
through, and pareo, I appear.
Cir'-cu-lar-ly, in a round manner.
From Lat. circulus, a circle.
Lu'-cid, clear. From Lat. lux, lucis,
light.

Cells, small apartments.
Pon'-der-ous, heavy. From Lat.
pondus, weight.

Com-mis'-sion, high charge. From
Lat. com, together, and mitto, I
send.
Au-spi'-cious, happy.

Scim'-i-tar, a short curved sword.
Mag-nan'-i-mous, great of soul,

noble. From Lat. magnus,
great, and animus, the mind.

Scabb'-ard, sheath of a sword.

Mar'-in-ers, seamen.

mare, the sea.

From Lat.

Yeo'-men, usually men of common rank next to a gentleman. Here it means officers of the royal household.

Dray'-men, men who go about with
a dray, a strong cart for heavy
goods.
Per-spec'-tive, a kind of field-glass.

From Lat. per, through, and
specio, I look.
Ap-pre-hend'-ed, feared.

EXERCISES.-1. Explain the following: (1) If they answered the bulk of so prodigious a person; (2) an exact inventory; (3) your majesty's commission; (4) a most magnanimous prince; (5) imperial palace; (6) I apprehended they might be lost.

2. Analyse and parse the following:

'Oh! tell me I yet have a friend,

Though a friend I am never to see.'

3. Name all the derivatives you know from the following Latin roots: (1) Lux, lucis, light; (2) circulus, a circle; (3) invenio, I find; (4) regula, a rule.

THE GULF STREAM.

[This extract is by Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806-1873), an American naval officer, and a celebrated writer on navigation. He is author of a wellknown book on the Physical Geography of the Sea, from which this lesson is taken.]

1. There is a river in the ocean. Its banks and its bed are of cold water, while its current is of warm water. The Gulf of Mexico is its fountain, and its mouth is the Arctic seas. It is the Gulf Stream.

2. In the whole world there is no other such majestic flow of waters as the Gulf Stream; for its current is more rapid than the Mississippi or the Amazon, and its volume more than a thousand times greater.

3. The currents of the ocean are the most important of its movements. They carry on a constant interchange between the waters of the poles and those of the equator, and thus diminish the extremes of heat and cold in every zone.