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08 - Gulliver's Travels - Jonathan Swift · Classic Adventure Books - Daily

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  Speaker 1: Chapter eight, the author, by a lucky accident, finds means
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  Speaker 1: to leave Lefisque, and after some difficulties, returned safe to
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  Speaker 1: his native country. Three days after my arrival, walking out
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  Speaker 1: of curiosity to the northeast coast of the island, I
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  Speaker 1: observed about half a league off in the sea, somewhat
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  Speaker 1: that they looked like a boat overturned. I pulled off
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  Speaker 1: my shoes and stockings, and wailing two or three hundred yards,
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  Speaker 1: I found the object to approach nearer by force of
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  Speaker 1: the tide, and then plainly saw it to be a
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  Speaker 1: real boat, which I supposed might, by some tempest, have
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  Speaker 1: been driven from a ship. Whereupon I returned immediately towards
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  Speaker 1: the city, and desired his Imperial Majesty to lend me
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  Speaker 1: twenty of his tallest vessels he had left after the
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  Speaker 1: loss of his fleet and three thousand seamen. Under the
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  Speaker 1: command of his vice admiral. This fleet sailed round while
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  Speaker 1: I went back the shortest way to the coast where
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  Speaker 1: I first discovered the boat. I found the tide had
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  Speaker 1: driven it still nearer. The seamen were all provided with cordage,
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  Speaker 1: which I had beforehand twisted to a sufficient strength. When
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  Speaker 1: the ships came up, I stripped myself and waited till
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  Speaker 1: I came within a hundred yards off the boat, after
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  Speaker 1: which I was forced to swim till I got up
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  Speaker 1: to it. The seamen threw me the end of the cord,
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  Speaker 1: which I fastened to a hole in the fore part
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  Speaker 1: of the boat, and at the other end to a
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  Speaker 1: man of war. But I found all my labor to
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  Speaker 1: little purpose. For being out of my depth, I was
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  Speaker 1: not able to work in this necessity. I was forced
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  Speaker 1: to swim behind and push the boat forward as often
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  Speaker 1: as I could with one of my hands, and the
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  Speaker 1: tide favoring me, I advanced so far that I could
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  Speaker 1: just hold up my chin and feel the ground. I
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  Speaker 1: rested two or three minutes, and then gave the boat
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  Speaker 1: another shove, and so on till the sea was no
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  Speaker 1: higher than my armpits. And now the most laborous part
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  Speaker 1: being over, I took out my other cables, which were
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  Speaker 1: stowed in one of the ships, and fastened them first
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  Speaker 1: to the boat and then to the nine vessels which
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  Speaker 1: attended me. The wind being favorable, the seaman towed and
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  Speaker 1: I shoved until we arrived within forty yards of the shore,
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  Speaker 1: and waiting till the tide was out. I got dry
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  Speaker 1: to the boat, and by assistance of two thousand men
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  Speaker 1: with ropes and engines, I made a shift to turn
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  Speaker 1: it on its bottom, and found it was but little damaged.
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  Speaker 1: I shall not trouble the reader with the difficulties I
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  Speaker 1: was under, by the help of certain paddles, which cost
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  Speaker 1: me ten days making to get my boat to the
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  Speaker 1: royal port of Lefuscue, where a mighty concourse of people
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  Speaker 1: appeared upon my arrival. Full of wonder at the sight
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  Speaker 1: of so prodigious a vessel, I told the Emperor that
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  Speaker 1: my good fortune had thrown this boat in my way
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  Speaker 1: to carry me to some place whence I might return
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  Speaker 1: into my native country, and begged His Majesty's orders forgetting
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  Speaker 1: materials to fit it up, together with his license to depart,
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  Speaker 1: which after some kind expostulations, he was pleased to grant.
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  Speaker 1: I did very much wonder in all this time not
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  Speaker 1: to have heard of any express relating to me from
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  Speaker 1: our Emperor to the court of Blefuscue. But I was
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  Speaker 1: afterward given privately to understand that his Imperial Majesty, never
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  Speaker 1: imagining I had the least notice of his designs believed
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  Speaker 1: I was only gone to Blefuscue in performance of my
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  Speaker 1: promise according to the license he had given me, which
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  Speaker 1: was well known at our court, and would return in
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  Speaker 1: a few days when this ceremony was ended. But he
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  Speaker 1: was at last in pain at my long absence, and
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  Speaker 1: after consulting with the treasurer and the rest of that cable,
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  Speaker 1: a person of quality was dispatched with the copy of
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  Speaker 1: the articles against me. This envoy had instructions to represent
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  Speaker 1: to the Monarch of Blefuscue the great lenienity of his master,
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  Speaker 1: who was content to punish me no farther than with
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  Speaker 1: the loss of mine eyes, that I had fled from justice,
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  Speaker 1: and if I did not return when two hours, I
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  Speaker 1: should be deprived of my title of no and declared
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  Speaker 1: a traitor. The envoy further added that, in order to
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  Speaker 1: maintain the peace and amity between both empires, his master
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  Speaker 1: expected that his brother of Blefiscue would give orders to
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  Speaker 1: have me sent back to Lilliput, bound hand and foot,
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  Speaker 1: to be punished as a traitor. The Emperor of Bleffiscue,
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  Speaker 1: having taken three days to consult, returned an answer consisting
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  Speaker 1: of many civilities and excuses. He said that as for
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  Speaker 1: sending me bound, his brother knew it was impossible. That
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  Speaker 1: although I had deprived him of his fleet, yet he
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  Speaker 1: owed great obligations to me for many good offices I
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  Speaker 1: had done him in making the peace. That, however, both
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  Speaker 1: their majesties would soon be made easy, for I had
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  Speaker 1: found a bridge's vessel on the shore able to carry
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  Speaker 1: me on the sea, which he had given orders to
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  Speaker 1: fit up with my own assistance and direction, and he
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  Speaker 1: hoped in a few weeks both empires would be freed
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  Speaker 1: from so insupportable an encumbrance. With this answer, the EMPI,
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  Speaker 1: where it turned to Lilliput, and the Monarch of Lefiskie,
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  Speaker 1: related to me all that had passed, offering me at
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  Speaker 1: the same time, but under the strictest confidence his gracious protection,
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  Speaker 1: if I would continue in his service, wherein, although I
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  Speaker 1: believed him sincere, yet I resolved never more to put
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  Speaker 1: any confidence in princes or ministers where I could possibly
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  Speaker 1: avoid it. And therefore, with all due acknowledgments for his
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  Speaker 1: favorable intentions, I humbly begged to be excused. I told
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  Speaker 1: him that since fortune, whether good or evil, had thrown
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  Speaker 1: a vessel in my way. I was resolved to venture
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  Speaker 1: myself on the ocean, rather than be an occasion of
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  Speaker 1: difference between two such mighty monarchs. Neither did I find
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  Speaker 1: the Emperor at all displeased, and I discovered by a
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  Speaker 1: certain accident that he was very glad of my resolution,
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  Speaker 1: and so were most of his ministers. These considerations moved
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  Speaker 1: me to hasten my departure somewhat sooner than I intended
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  Speaker 1: to whish. The court, impatient to have me gone, very
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  Speaker 1: readily contributed. Five hundred workmen were employed to make two
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  Speaker 1: sails to my boat according to my directions, by quilting
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  Speaker 1: thirteen folds of their strongest linen together. I was at
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  Speaker 1: the panes of making ropes and cables by twisting ten
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  Speaker 1: twenty or thirty of the thickest and strongest of theirs.
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  Speaker 1: A great stone that I happened to find after a
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  Speaker 1: long search by the sea shore, served me for an anchor.
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  Speaker 1: I had the tallow of three hundred cows for greasing
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  Speaker 1: my boat and other uses. I was at incredible pains
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  Speaker 1: in cutting down some of the largest timber trees for
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  Speaker 1: oars and masts, wherein I was, however, much assisted by
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  Speaker 1: his Majesty's ship carpenters, who helped me in smoothing them.
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  Speaker 1: After I had done the rough work in about a month,
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  Speaker 1: when all was prepared, I sent to receive His Majesty's
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  Speaker 1: commands and to take my leave. The Emperor and royal
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  Speaker 1: family came out of the palace. I lay down on
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  Speaker 1: my face to kiss his hand, and which he very
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  Speaker 1: graciously gave me, so did the Empress and young princes
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  Speaker 1: of the blood. His Majesty presented me with fifty purses
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  Speaker 1: of two hundred sprugs apiece, together with his picture at
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  Speaker 1: full length, which I immediately put into one of my
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  Speaker 1: gloves to keep it from being hurt. The ceremonies at
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  Speaker 1: my departure were too many to trouble the reader with.
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  Speaker 1: At this time I stored the boat with the carcasses
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  Speaker 1: of a hundred oxen and three hundred sheep, with bread
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  Speaker 1: and drink proportionable, and as much meat ready dressed as
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  Speaker 1: four hundred cooks could provide. It took with me six
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  Speaker 1: cows and two bulls alive, with as many ewes and rams,
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  Speaker 1: intending to carry them into my own country and propagate
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  Speaker 1: the breed, and to feed them on board. I had
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  Speaker 1: a good bundle of hay and a bag of corn,
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  Speaker 1: I would gladly have taken a dozen of the natives,
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  Speaker 1: but this was the thing the Emperor would, by no
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  Speaker 1: means permit, And besides a diligent search into my pockets,
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  Speaker 1: his Majesty engaged my honor not to carry away any
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  Speaker 1: of his subjects, although with their own consent and desire.
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  Speaker 1: Having thus repaired all things, as well as I was able,
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  Speaker 1: I set sail on the twenty fourth day of September
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  Speaker 1: seventeen o one at six in the morning, and when
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  Speaker 1: I had gone about four leagues to the northward, the
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  Speaker 1: wind being at southeast, at six in the evening, I
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  Speaker 1: descried a small island about half a league to the northwest.
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  Speaker 1: I advanced forward and cast anchor on the lee side
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  Speaker 1: of the island, which seemed to be uninhabited. I then
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  Speaker 1: took some refreshment and went to my rest. I slept well,
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  Speaker 1: and as I conjectured, at least six hours, for I
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  Speaker 1: found the day broken two hours after I waked. It
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  Speaker 1: was a clear night. I ate my breakfast before the
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  Speaker 1: sun was up, and heaving anchor, the wind being favorable,
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  Speaker 1: I steered the same course that I had done the
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  Speaker 1: day before, wherein I was directed by my pocket compass.
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  Speaker 1: My intention was to reach, if possible, one of those
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  Speaker 1: islands which I had reason to believe lay to the
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  Speaker 1: northeast of and de Amsland. I discovered nothing all that day,
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  Speaker 1: But upon the next, about three in the afternoon, when
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  Speaker 1: I had, by my computation, made twenty four leagues from Lefuscue,
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  Speaker 1: I descried a sail steering to the southeast. My cause
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  Speaker 1: was due east. I hailed her, but could get no answer.
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  Speaker 1: Yet I found I gained upon her, for the wind slackened.
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  Speaker 1: I made all the sail I could, and in half
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  Speaker 1: an hour she spied me, then hung out her ancient
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  Speaker 1: and discharged a gun. It is not easy to express
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  Speaker 1: the joy I was in upon the unexpected hope of
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  Speaker 1: once more seeing my beloved country and the dear pledges
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  Speaker 1: I left in it. The ship slackened her sails, and
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  Speaker 1: I came up with her between five and six in
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  Speaker 1: the evening September twenty sixth. But my heart leaped within
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  Speaker 1: me to see her English colors. I put my cows
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  Speaker 1: and sheep into my coat pockets and got on board
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  Speaker 1: with all my little cargo of provisions. The vessel was
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  Speaker 1: an English merchantman returning from Japan by the North and
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  Speaker 1: South seas. The captain mister John Biddle of Deptford, a
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  Speaker 1: very civil man and an excellent sailor. We were now
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  Speaker 1: in the latitude of thirty degrees south. There were about
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  Speaker 1: fifty men in the ship, and here I met an
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  Speaker 1: old comrade of mine, one Peter Williams, who gave me
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  Speaker 1: a good character to the captain. This gentleman treated me
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  Speaker 1: with kindness and desired I would let him know what
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  Speaker 1: place I had come from last and whither I was bound,
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  Speaker 1: which I did in a few words. But he thought
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  Speaker 1: I was raving, and that the dangers I underwent had
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  Speaker 1: disturbed my head. Whereupon I took my black Cathlen sheep
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  Speaker 1: out of my pocket, which, after great astonishment, clearly convinced
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  Speaker 1: him of my veracity. I then showed him the gold
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  Speaker 1: given me by the Emperor of Blefiscue, together with his
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  Speaker 1: Majesty's picture at full length, and some other rarities of
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  Speaker 1: that country. I gave him two purses of two hundred
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  Speaker 1: sprugs each, and promised, when we arrived in England, to
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  Speaker 1: make him a present of a cow and sheep big
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  Speaker 1: with young I shall not trouble the reader with a
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  Speaker 1: particular account of this voyage, which was very prosperous for
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  Speaker 1: the most part. We arrived in the Downs on the
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  Speaker 1: thirteenth of April seventeen o two. I had only one
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  Speaker 1: misfortune that the rats on board carried away one of
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  Speaker 1: my sheep. I found her bones in a hole, picked
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  Speaker 1: clean from the flesh. The rest of my cattle are
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  Speaker 1: got safe ashore and set them a gazing in a
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  Speaker 1: bowling green at Greenwich, where the fineness of the grass
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  Speaker 1: made them feed very heartily. Though I had always feared
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  Speaker 1: the contrary, neither could I possibly preserve them in so
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  Speaker 1: long a voyage if the captain had not allowed me
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  Speaker 1: Some of his best biscuit, which rubbed a powder and
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  Speaker 1: mingled with water, was their constant food. The short time
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  Speaker 1: I continued in England, I made a considerable profit by
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  Speaker 1: showing my cattle to many persons of quality and others,
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  Speaker 1: and before where began my second voyage, I sold them
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  Speaker 1: for six hundred pounds. Since my last return, I find
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  Speaker 1: the breed is considerably increased, especially the sheep, which I
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  Speaker 1: hope would prove much to the advantage of the woolen manufacturer.
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  Speaker 1: By the fineness of the fleeces, I stayed but two
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  Speaker 1: months with my wife and family, for my insatiable desire
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  Speaker 1: of seeing foreign countries would suffer me to continue no longer.
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  Speaker 1: I left fifteen hundred pounds with my wife and fixed
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  Speaker 1: her a good house in Redriff. My remaining stock are
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  Speaker 1: carried with me, part in money and part in goods,
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  Speaker 1: in hopes to improve my fortunes. My eldest uncle John
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  Speaker 1: had left me in a state in land near Epping
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  Speaker 1: of about thirty pounds a year, and I had a
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  Speaker 1: long lease of the Black Bull in Fetter Lane, which
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  Speaker 1: yielded me as much more so that I was not
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  Speaker 1: in any danger of leaving my family. Upon the parish,
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  Speaker 1: my son Johnny, named so after his uncle, was at
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  Speaker 1: the grammar school and a towardly child. My daughter Better,
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  Speaker 1: who is now well married and has children, was then
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  Speaker 1: at her needlework. I took leave of my wife and
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  Speaker 1: boy and girl, with tears on both sides, and went
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  Speaker 1: on board the Adventurer, a merchant ship of three hundred
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  Speaker 1: tons bound for Surrat Captain John Nicholas of Liverpool, Commander.
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  Speaker 1: But my account of this voyage must be referred to
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  Speaker 1: the second part of my travels. End of Part one,
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  Speaker 1: chapter eight