32-a voyage to lilliput-第1部分

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A　VOYAGE　TO　LILLIPUT



CHAPTER　I





MY　father　had　a　small　estate　in　Nottinghamshire；　and

I　was　the　third　of　four　sons。　He　sent　me　to　Cambridge

at　fourteen　years　old；　and　after　studying　there　three

years　I　was　bound　apprentice　to　Mr。　Bates；　a　famous

surgeon　in　London。　There；　as　my　father　now　and　then

sent　me　small　sums　of　money；　I　spent　them　in　learning

navigation；　and　other　arts　useful　to　those　who　travel；　as

I　always　believed　it　would　be　some　time　or　other　my

fortune　to　do。



Three　years　after　my　leaving　him　my　good　master；

Mr。　Bates；　recommended　me　as　ship's　surgeon　to　the

〃Swallow；〃　on　which　I　voyaged　three　years。　When　I

came　back　I　settled　in　London；　and；　having　taken　part

of　a　small　house；　I　married　Miss　Mary　Burton；　daughter

of　Mr。　Edmund　Burton；　hosier。



But　my　good　master　Bates　died　two　years　after；　and

as　I　had　few　friends　my　business　began　to　fail；　and　I

determined　to　go　again　to　sea。　After　several　voyages；　I

accepted　an　offer　from　Captain　W。　Pritchard；　master　of

the　〃Antelope；〃　who　was　making　a　voyage　to　the　South

Sea。　We　set　sail　from　Bristol；　May　4；　1699；　and　our

voyage　at　first　was　very　prosperous。



But　in　our　passage　to　the　East　Indies　we　were　driven

by　a　violent　storm　to　the　north…west　of　Van　Diemen's

Land。　Twelve　of　our　crew　died　from　hard　labor　and　bad

food；　and　the　rest　were　in　a　very　weak　condition。　On　the

5th　of　November；　the　weather　being　very　hazy；　the　seamen

spied　a　rock　within　120　yards　of　the　ship；　but　the

wind　was　so　strong　that　we　were　driven　straight　upon　it；

and　immediately　split。　Six　of　the　crew；　of　whom　I　was

one；　letting　down　the　boat；　got　clear　of　the　ship；　and　we

rowed　about　three　leagues；　till　we　could　work　no　longer。

We　therefore　trusted　ourselves　to　the　mercy　of　the　waves；

and　in　about　half　an　hour　the　boat　was　upset　by　a　sudden

squall。　What　became　of　my　companions　in　the　boat；　or

those　who　escaped　on　the　rock　or　were　left　in　the　vessel；

I　cannot　tell；　but　I　conclude　they　were　all　lost。　For　my

part；　I　swam　as　fortune　directed　me；　and　was　pushed　forward

by　wind　and　tide；　but　when　I　was　able　to　struggle

no　longer　I　found　myself　within　my　depth。　By　this　time

the　storm　was　much　abated。　I　reached　the　shore　at　last；

about　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；　and　advanced　nearly

half　a　mile　inland；　but　could　not　discover　any　sign　of

inhabitants。　I　was　extremely　tired；　and　with　the　heat　of

the　weather　I　found　myself　much　inclined　to　sleep。　I

lay　down　on　the　grass；　which　was　very　short　and　soft；　and

slept　sounder　than　ever　I　did　in　my　life　for　about　nine

hours。　When　I　woke；　it　was　just　daylight。　I　attempted

to　rise；　but　could　not；　for　as　I　happened　to　be　lying　on　my

back；　I　found　my　arms　and　legs　were　fastened　on　each

side　to　the　ground；　and　my　hair；　which　was　long　and

thick；　tied　down　in　the　same　manner。　I　could　only　look

upward。　The　sun　began　to　grow　hot；　and　the　light　hurt

my　eyes。　I　heard　a　confused　noise　about　me；　but　could

see　nothing　except　the　sky。　In　a　little　time　I　felt

something　alive　and　moving　on　my　left　leg；　which；　advancing

gently　over　my　breast；　came　almost　up　to　my　chin；　when；

bending　my　eyes　downward；　I　perceived　it　to　be　a　human

creature；　not　six　inches　high；　with　a　bow　and　arrow　in　his

hands；　and　a　quiver　at　his　back。　In　the　meantime　I　felt

at　least　forty　more　following　the　first。　I　was　in　the

utmost　astonishment；　and　roared　so　loud　that　they　all　ran

back　in　a　fright；　and　some　of　them　were　hurt　with　the

falls　they　got　by　leaping　from　my　sides　upon　the　ground。

However；　they　soon　returned；　and　one　of　them；　who

ventured　so　far　as　to　get　a　full　sight　of　my　face；　lifted　up

his　hands　in　admiration。　I　lay　all　this　while　in　great

uneasiness；　but　at　length；　struggling　to　get　loose；　I　succeeded

in　breaking　the　strings　that　fastened　my　left　arm　to　the

ground；　and　at　the　same　time；　with　a　violent　pull　that

gave　me　extreme　pain；　I　a　little　loosened　the　strings　that

tied　down　my　hair；　so　that　I　was　just　able　to　turn　my

head　about　two　inches。　But　the　creatures　ran　off　a　second

time　before　I　could　seize　them；　whereupon　there　was　a

great　shout；　and　in　an　instant　I　felt　above　a　hundred

arrows　discharged　on　my　left　hand；　which　pricked　me　like

so　many　needles。　Moreover；　they　shot　another　flight　into

the　air；　of　which　some　fell　on　my　face；　which　I　immediately

covered　with　my　left　hand。　When　this　shower　of　arrows

was　over　I　groaned　with　grief　and　pain；　and　then；　striving

again　to　get　loose；　they　discharged　another　flight　of

arrows　larger　than　the　first；　and　some　of　them　tried　to

stab　me　with　their　spears；　but　by　good　luck　I　had　on　a

leather　jacket；　which　they　could　not　pierce。　By　this　time

I　thought　it　most　prudent　to　lie　still　till　night；　when；　my

left　hand　being　already　loose；　I　could　easily　free　myself；

and　as　for　the　inhabitants；　I　thought　I　might　be　a　match

for　the　greatest　army　they　could　bring　against　me　if　they

were　all　of　the　same　size　as　him　I　saw。　When　the　people

observed　that　I　was　quiet　they　discharged　no　more　arrows；

but　by　the　noise　I　heard　I　knew　that　their　number　was

increased；　and　about　four　yards　from　me；　for　more　than

an　hour；　there　was　a　knocking；　like　people　at　work。　Then；

turning　my　head　that　way　as　well　as　the　pegs　and　strings

would　let　me；　I　saw　a　stage　set　up；　about　a　foot　and　a　half

from　the　ground；　with　two　or　three　ladders　to　mount　it。

From　this；　one　of　them；　who　seemed　to　be　a　person　of

quality；　made　me　a　long　speech；　of　which　I　could　not

understand　a　word；　though　I　could　tell　from　his　manner

that　he　sometimes　threatened　me；　and　sometimes　spoke

with　pity　and　kindness。　I　answered　in　few　words；　but

in　the　most　submissive　manner；　and；　being　almost　famished

with　hunger；　I　could　not　help　showing　my　impatience

by　putting　my　finger　frequently　to　my　mouth；　to　signify

that　I　wanted　food。　He　understood　me　very　well；　and；

descending　from　the　stage；　commanded　that　several

ladders　should　be　set　against　my　sides；　on　which　more

than　a　hundred　of　the　inhabitants　mounted；　and　walked

toward　my　mouth　with　baskets　full　of　food；　which　had

been　sent　by　the　King's　orders　when　he　first　received

tidings　of　me。　There　were　legs　and　shoulders　like　mutton

but　smaller　than　the　wings　of　a　lark。　I　ate　them　two　or

three　at　a　mouthful；　and　took　three　loaves　at　a　time。

They　supplied　me　as　fast　as　they　could；　with　a　thousand

marks　of　wonder　at　my　appetite。　I　then　made　a　sign　that

I　wanted　something　to　drink。　They　guessed　that　a　small

quantity　would　not　suffice　me；　and；　being　a　most　ingenious

people；　they　slung　up　one　of　their　largest　hogsheads；

then　rolled　it　toward　my　hand；　and　beat　out　the　top。　I

drank　it　off　at　a　draught；　which　I　might　well　do；　for　it　did

not　hold　half　a　pint。　They　brought　me　a　second　hogshead；

which　I　drank；　and　made　signs　for　more；　but　they

had　none　to　give　me。　However；　I　could　not　wonder

enough　at　the　daring　of　these　tiny　mortals；　who　ventured

to　mount　and　walk　upon　my　body；　while　one　of　my　hands

was　free；　without　trembling　at　the　very　sight　of　so　huge

a　creature　as　I　must　have　seemed　to　them。　After　some

time　there　appeared　before　me　a　person　of　high　rank　from

his　Imperial　Majesty。　His　Excellency；　having　mounted

my　right　leg；　advanced　to　my　face；　with　about　a　dozen

of　his　retinue；　and　spoke　about　ten　minutes；　often　pointing

forward；　which；　as　I　afterward　found；　was　toward　the

capital　city；　about　half　a　mile　distant；　whither　it　was

commanded　by　his　Majesty　that　I　should　be　conveyed。

I　made　a　sign　with　my　hand　that　was　loose；　putting　it　to

the　other　（but　over　his　Excellency's　head；　for　fear　of

hurting　him　or　his　train）；　to　show　that　I　desired　my

liberty。　He　seemed　to　understand　me　well　enough；　for　he

shook　his　head；　though　he　made　other　signs　to　let　me

know　that　I　should　have　meat　and　drink　enough；　and

very　good　treatment。　Then　I　once　more　thought　of

attempting　to　escape；　but　when　I　felt　the　smart　of　their

arrows　on　my　face　and　hands；　which　were　all　in　blisters

and　observed　likewise　that　the　number　of　my　enemies

increased；　I　gave　tokens　to　let　them　know　that　they　might

do　with　me　what　they　pleased。　Then　they　daubed　my

face　and　hands　with　a　sweet…smelling　ointment；　which　in

a　few　minutes　removed　all　the　smarts　of　the　arrows。　The

relief　from　pain　and　hunger　made　me　drowsy；　and　presently

I　fell　asleep。　I　slept　about　eight　hours；　as　I　was　told

afterward；　and　it　was　no　wonder；　for　the　physicians；　by

the　Emperor's　orders；　had　mingled　a　sleeping　draught　in

the　hogsheads　of　wine。



It　seems　that；　when　I　was　discovered　sleeping　on　the

ground　after　my　landing；　the　Emperor　had　early　notice

of　it；　and　determined　that　I　should　be　tied　in　the　manner

I　have　related　（which　was　done　in　the　night；　while　I

slept）；　that　plenty　of　meat　and　drink　should　be　sent　me；

and　a　machine　prepared　to　carry　me　to　the　capital　city。

Five　hundred　carpenters　and　engineers　were　immediately

set　to　work　to　prepare　the　engine。　It　was　a　frame　of　wood；

raised　three　inches　from　the　ground；　about　seven　feet　long

and　four　wide；　moving　upon　twenty…two　wheels。　But　the

difficulty　was　to　place　me　on　it。　Eighty　poles　were　erected

for　this　purpose；　and　very　strong　cords　fastened　to

bandages　which　the　workmen　had　tied　round　my　neck；　hands；

body；　and　legs。　Nine　hundred　of　the　strongest　men　were

employed　to　draw　up　these　cords　by　pulleys　fastened　on

the　poles；　and　in　less　than　three　hours　I　was　raised　and

slung　into　the　engine；　and　there　tied　fast。　Fifteen　hundred

of　the　Emperor's　largest　horses；　each　about　four

inches　and　a　half　high；　were　then　employed　to　draw　me

toward　the　capital。　But　while　all　this　was　done　I　still　lay

in　a　deep　sleep；　and　I　did　not　wake　till　four　hours　after　we

began　our　journey。



The　Emperor　and　all　his　Court　came　out　to　meet　us

when　we　reached　the　capital；　but　his　great　officials　would

not　suffer　his　Majesty　to　risk　his　person　by　mounting　on

my　body。　Where　the　carriage　stopped　the