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38 - Gulliver's Travels - Jonathan Swift · Classic Adventure Books Collection

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