sibly avoid it; and therefore, with all due acknowledgments for his favourable intentions, I humbly begged to be excused. I told him, that since fortune, whether good or evil, had thrown a vessel in my way, I was refolved to venture myself in the ocean, rather than be an occafion of difference between two such mighty monarchs. Neither did I find the emperor at all difpleased; and I discovered by a certain accident, that he was very glad of my refolution, and so were most of his ministers. These considerations moved me to haften my departure somewhat sooner than I intended; to which the court, impatient to have me gone, very readily contributed. Five hundred workmen were imployed to make two fails to my boat, according to my directions, by quilting thirteen fold of their strongest linnen together. I was at the pains of making ropes and cables by twisting ten, twenty, or thirty of the thickest and strongest of theirs. A great ftone that I happened to find, after a long search by the fea-shore, ferved me for an anchor. I had the tallow of three hundred cows for greasing my boat, and other uses. I was at at incredible pains in cutting down some of. the largest timber-trees for oars and masts, wherein I was however much assisted by his majesty's ship-carpenters, who helped me in smoothing them after I had done the rough work. In about a month, when all was prepared, I sent to receive his majesty's commands, and to take my leave. The emperor and royal family came out of the palace; I lay down on my face to kiss his hand, which he very gracioufly gave me; so did the empress, and young princes of the blood. His majesty presented me with fifty purses of two hundred sprugs a piece, together with his picture at full length, which I put immediately into one of my gloves to keep it from being hurt. The ceremonies at my departure were too many to trouble the reader with at this time. I stored the boat with the carcafes of an hundred oxen, and three hundred sheep, with bread and drink proportionable, and as much meat ready dressed as four hundred cooks could provide. I took with me fix cows and two bulls alive, with as many ewes and rams, intending to carry them into my own country, and propagate the breed. And to feed them on board I had a good bundle of hay, and a bag of corn. I would gladly have taken a dozen of the natives, but this was a thing the emperor would by no means permit; and, befides a diligent search into my pockets, his majesty engaged my honour not to carry away any of his subjects, although with their own confent and defire. Having thus prepared all things as well as I was able, I fet fail on the twentyfourth day of September 1701 at fix in the morning; and when I had gone about four leagues to the northward, the wind being at fouth-east, at fix in the evening I defcried a small island about half a league to the north-west. I advanced forward, and caft anchor on the lee-fide of the island, which feemed to be uninhabited. I then took fome refreshment, and went to my reft. I slept well, and as I conjecture at least fix hours, for I found the day broke in two hours after I awaked. It was a clear night. I eat my breakfast before the fun 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 defcried a fail steering to the fouth-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 fail I could, and in half an hour she spied me, then hung out her antient, 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 flackened her fails, and I came up with her between five and fix in the evening, September 26; but my heart leapt within me to fee 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 merchant-man returning from Japan by the north north and South-feas; the captain Mr. John Biddel of Deptford, a very civil man, and an excellent failor. We were now in the latitude of 30 degrees fouth, 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 defired I would let him. know what place I came from last and whither I was bound; which I did in few words, but he thought I was raving, and that the dangers I had underwent had difturbed my head; whereupon I took my black cattle and sheep out of my pocket, which, after great aftonishment, clearly convinced him of my veracity. I then shewed him the gold given me by the emperor of Blefuscu, together with his majefty's picture at full length, and some other rarities of that country. I gave him two purses of two hundred sprugs each, and promised, when we arrived in England, to make him a present of a cow and a sheep big with young. |