<p class="gutsumm">The author's dangerous voyage. He
arrives at New Holland, hoping to settle there. Is wounded
with an arrow by one of the natives. Is seized and carried
by force into a Portuguese ship. The great civilities of
the captain. The author arrives at England.</p>
<p>I began this desperate voyage on February 15, 1714–15,
at nine o’clock in the morning. The wind was very
favourable; however, I made use at first only of my paddles; but
considering I should soon be weary, and that the wind might chop
about, I ventured to set up my little sail; 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 master and his friends
continued on the shore till I was almost out of sight; and I
often heard the sorrel nag (who always loved me) crying out,
“<i>Hnuy illa nyha</i>, <i>majah Yahoo</i>;”
“Take care of thyself, gentle <i>Yahoo</i>.”</p>
<p>My design was, if possible, to discover some small island
uninhabited, yet sufficient, by my labour, to furnish me with the
necessaries of life, which I would have thought a greater
happiness, than to be first minister in the politest court of
Europe; so horrible was the idea I conceived of returning to live
in the society, and under the government of <i>Yahoos</i>.
For in such a solitude as I desired, I could at least enjoy my
own thoughts, and reflect with delight on the virtues of those
inimitable <i>Houyhnhnms</i>, without an opportunity of
degenerating into the vices and corruptions of my own
species.</p>
<p>The reader may remember what I related, when my crew conspired
against me, and confined me to my cabin; how I continued there
several weeks without knowing what course we took; and when I was
put ashore in the long-boat, how the sailors told me, with oaths,
whether true or false, “that they knew not in what part of
the world we were.” However, I did then believe us to
be about 10 degrees southward of the Cape of Good Hope, or about
45 degrees southern latitude, as I gathered from some general
words I overheard among them, being I supposed to the south-east
in their intended voyage to Madagascar. And although this
were little better than conjecture, yet I resolved to steer my
course eastward, hoping to reach the south-west coast of New
Holland, and perhaps some such island as I desired lying westward
of it. The wind was full west, and by six in the evening I
computed I had gone eastward at least eighteen leagues; when I
spied a very small island about half a league off, which I soon
reached. It was nothing but a rock, with one creek
naturally arched by the force of tempests. Here I put in my
canoe, and climbing a part of the rock, I could plainly discover
land to the east, extending from south to north. I lay all
night in my canoe; and repeating my voyage early in the morning,
I arrived in seven hours to the south-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 has rather chosen to
follow other authors.</p>
<p>I saw no inhabitants in the place where I landed, and being
unarmed, I was afraid of venturing far into the country. I
found some shellfish on the shore, and ate them raw, not daring
to kindle a fire, for fear of being discovered by the
natives. I continued three days feeding on oysters and
limpets, to save my own provisions; and I fortunately found a
brook of excellent water, which gave me great relief.</p>
<p>On the fourth day, venturing out early a little too far, I saw
twenty or thirty natives upon a height not above five hundred
yards from me. They were stark naked, men, women, and
children, round a fire, as I could discover by the smoke.
One of them spied me, and gave notice to the rest; five of them
advanced toward me, leaving the women and children at the
fire. I made what haste I could to the shore, and, getting
into my canoe, shoved off: the savages, observing me retreat, ran
after me: and before I could get far enough into the sea,
discharged an arrow which wounded me deeply on the inside of my
left knee: I shall carry the mark to my grave. I
apprehended the arrow might be poisoned, and paddling out of the
reach of their darts (being a calm day), I made a shift to suck
the wound, and dress it as well as I could.</p>
<p>I was at a loss what to do, for I durst not return to the same
landing-place, but stood 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 secure
landing-place, I saw a sail to the north-north-east, which
appearing every minute more visible, I was in some doubt whether
I should wait for them or not; but at last my detestation of the
<i>Yahoo</i> race prevailed: and turning my canoe, I sailed and
paddled together to the south, and got into the same creek whence
I set out in the morning, choosing rather to trust myself among
these barbarians, than live with European <i>Yahoos</i>. I
drew up my canoe as close as I could to the shore, and hid myself
behind a stone by the little brook, which, as I have already
said, was excellent water.</p>
<p>The ship came within half a league of this creek, and sent her
long boat with vessels to take in fresh water (for the place, it
seems, was very well known); but I did not observe it, till the
boat was almost on shore; and it was too late to seek another
hiding-place. The seamen at their landing observed my
canoe, and rummaging it all over, easily conjectured that the
owner could not be far off. Four of them, well armed,
searched every cranny and lurking-hole, till at last they found
me flat on my face behind the stone. They gazed awhile in
admiration at my strange uncouth dress; my coat made of skins, my
wooden-soled shoes, and my furred stockings; whence, however,
they concluded, I was not a native of the place, who all go
naked. One of the seamen, in Portuguese, bid me rise, and
asked who I was. I understood that language very well, and
getting upon my feet, said, “I was a poor <i>Yahoo</i>
banished from the <i>Houyhnhnms</i>, and desired they would
please to let me depart.” They admired to hear me
answer them in their own tongue, and saw by my complexion I must
be a European; but were at a loss to know what I meant by
<i>Yahoos</i> and <i>Houyhnhnms</i>; and at the same time fell
a-laughing at my strange tone in speaking, which resembled the
neighing of a horse. I trembled all the while betwixt fear
and hatred. I again desired leave to depart, and was gently
moving to my canoe; but they laid hold of me, desiring to know,
“what country I was of? whence I came?” with many
other questions. I told them “I was born in England,
whence I came about five years ago, and then their country and
ours were at peace. I therefore hoped they would not treat
me as an enemy, since I meant them no harm, but was a poor
<i>Yahoo</i> seeking some desolate place where to pass the
remainder of his unfortunate life.”</p>
<p>When they began to talk, I thought I never heard or saw any
thing more unnatural; for it appeared to me as monstrous as if a
dog or a cow should speak in England, or a <i>Yahoo</i> in
<i>Houyhnhnmland</i>. The honest Portuguese were equally
amazed at my strange dress, and the odd manner of delivering my
words, which, however, they understood very well. They
spoke to me with great humanity, and said, “they were sure
the captain would carry me <i>gratis</i> to Lisbon, whence I
might return to my own country; that two of the seamen would go
back to the ship, inform the captain of what they had seen, and
receive his orders; in the mean time, unless I would give my
solemn oath not to fly, they would secure me by force. I
thought it best to comply with their proposal. They were
very curious to know my story, but I gave them very little
satisfaction, and they all conjectured that my misfortunes had
impaired my reason. In two hours the boat, which went laden
with vessels of water, returned, with the captain’s command
to fetch me on board. I fell on my knees to preserve my
liberty; but all was in vain; and the men, having tied me with
cords, heaved me into the boat, whence I was taken into the ship,
and thence into the captain’s cabin.</p>
<p>His name was Pedro de Mendez; he was a very courteous and
generous person. He entreated me to give some account of
myself, and desired to know what I would eat or drink; said,
“I should be used as well as himself;” and spoke so
many obliging things, that I wondered to find such civilities
from a <i>Yahoo</i>. However, I remained silent and sullen;
I was ready to faint at the very smell of him and his men.
At last I desired something to eat out of my own canoe; but he
ordered me a chicken, and some excellent wine, and then directed
that I should be put to bed in a very clean cabin. I would
not undress myself, but lay on the bed-clothes, and in half an
hour stole out, when I thought the crew was at dinner, and
getting to the side of the ship, was going to leap into the sea,
and swim for my life, rather than continue among
<i>Yahoos</i>. But one of the seamen prevented me, and
having informed the captain, I was chained to my cabin.</p>
<p>After dinner, Don Pedro came to me, and desired to know my
reason for so desperate an attempt; assured me, “he only
meant to do me all the service he was able;” and spoke so
very movingly, that at last I descended to treat him like an
animal which had some little portion of reason. I gave him
a very short relation of my voyage; of the conspiracy against me
by my own men; of the country where they set me on shore, and of
my five years residence there. All which he looked upon as
if it were a dream or a vision; whereat I took great offence; for
I had quite forgot the faculty of lying, so peculiar to
<i>Yahoos</i>, in all countries where they preside, and,
consequently, their disposition of suspecting truth in others of
their own species. I asked him, “whether it were the
custom in his country to say the thing which was
not?” I assured him, “I had almost forgot what
he meant by falsehood, and if I had lived a thousand years in
<i>Houyhnhnmland</i>, I should never have heard a lie from the
meanest servant; that I was altogether indifferent whether he
believed me or not; but, however, in return for his favours, I
would give so much allowance to the corruption of his nature, as
to answer any objection he would please to make, and then he
might easily discover the truth.”</p>
<p>The captain, a wise man, after many endeavours to catch me
tripping in some part of my story, at last began to have a better
opinion of my veracity. But he added, “that since I
professed so inviolable an attachment to truth, I must give him
my word and honour to bear him company in this voyage, without
attempting any thing against my life; or else he would continue
me a prisoner till we arrived at Lisbon.” I gave him
the promise he required; but at the same time protested,
“that I would suffer the greatest hardships, rather than
return to live among <i>Yahoos</i>.”</p>
<p>Our voyage passed without any considerable accident. In
gratitude to the captain, I sometimes sat with him, at his
earnest request, and strove to conceal my antipathy against human
kind, although it often broke out; which he suffered to pass
without observation. But the greatest part of the day I
confined myself to my cabin, to avoid seeing any of the
crew. The captain had often entreated me to strip myself of
my savage dress, and offered to lend me the best suit of clothes
he had. This I would not be prevailed on to accept,
abhorring to cover myself with any thing that had been on the
back of a <i>Yahoo</i>. I only desired he would lend me two
clean shirts, which, having been washed since he wore them, I
believed would not so much defile me. These I changed every
second day, and washed them myself.</p>
<p>We arrived at Lisbon, Nov. 5, 1715. At our landing, the
captain forced me to cover myself with his cloak, to prevent the
rabble from crowding about me. I was conveyed to his own
house; and at my earnest request he led me up to the highest room
backwards. I conjured him “to conceal from all
persons what I had told him of the <i>Houyhnhnms</i>; because the
least hint of such a story would not only draw numbers of people
to see me, but probably put me in danger of being imprisoned, or
burnt by the Inquisition.” The captain persuaded me
to accept a suit of clothes newly made; but I would not suffer
the tailor to take my measure; however, Don Pedro being almost of
my size, they fitted me well enough. He accoutred me with
other necessaries, all new, which I aired for twenty-four hours
before I would use them.</p>
<p>The captain had no wife, nor above three servants, none of
which were suffered to attend at meals; and his whole deportment
was so obliging, added to very good human understanding, that I
really began to tolerate his company. He gained so far upon
me, that I ventured to look out of the back window. By
degrees I was brought into another room, whence I peeped into the
street, but drew my head back in a fright. In a
week’s time he seduced me down to the door. I found
my terror gradually lessened, but my hatred and contempt seemed
to increase. I was at last bold enough to walk the street
in his company, but kept my nose well stopped with rue, or
sometimes with tobacco.</p>
<p>In ten days, Don Pedro, to whom I had given some account of my
domestic affairs, put it upon me, as a matter of honour and
conscience, “that I ought to return to my native country,
and live at home with my wife and children.” He told
me, “there was an English ship in the port just ready to
sail, and he would furnish me with all things
necessary.” It would be tedious to repeat his
arguments, and my contradictions. He said, “it was
altogether impossible to find such a solitary island as I desired
to live in; but I might command in my own house, and pass my time
in a manner as recluse as I pleased.”</p>
<p>I complied at last, finding I could not do better. I
left Lisbon the 24th day of November, in an English merchantman,
but who was the master I never inquired. Don Pedro
accompanied me to the ship, and lent me twenty pounds. He
took kind leave of me, and embraced me at parting, which I bore
as well as I could. During this last voyage I had no
commerce with the master or any of his men; but, pretending I was
sick, kept close in my cabin. On the fifth of December,
1715, we cast anchor in the Downs, about nine in the morning, and
at three in the afternoon I got safe to my house at Rotherhith.
<SPAN name="citation546"></SPAN><SPAN href="#footnote546" class="citation">[546]</SPAN></p>
<p>My wife and family received me with great surprise and joy,
because they concluded me certainly dead; but I must freely
confess the sight of them filled me only with hatred, disgust,
and contempt; and the more, by reflecting on the near alliance I
had to them. For although, since my unfortunate exile from
the <i>Houyhnhnm</i> country, I had compelled myself to tolerate
the sight of <i>Yahoos</i>, and to converse with Don Pedro de
Mendez, yet my memory and imagination were perpetually filled
with the virtues and ideas of those exalted
<i>Houyhnhnms</i>. And when I began to consider that, by
copulating with one of the <i>Yahoo</i> species I had become a
parent of more, it struck me with the utmost shame, confusion,
and horror.</p>
<p>As soon as I entered the house, my wife took me in her arms,
and kissed me; at which, having not been used to the touch of
that odious animal for so many years, I fell into a swoon for
almost an hour. At the time I am writing, it is five years
since my last return to England. During the first year, I
could not endure my wife or children in my presence; the very
smell of them was intolerable; much less could I suffer them to
eat in the same room. To this hour they dare not presume to
touch my bread, or drink out of the same cup, neither was I ever
able to let one of them take me by the hand. The first
money I laid out was to buy two young stone-horses, which I keep
in a good stable; and next to them, the groom is my greatest
favourite, for I feel my spirits revived by the smell he
contracts in the stable. My horses understand me tolerably
well; I converse with them at least four hours every day.
They are strangers to bridle or saddle; they live in great amity
with me and friendship to each other.</p>
<h3>IV - CHAPTER XII.</h3>
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