The adventures of Captain Lemuel Gulliver, as told
by Swift in _Gulliver's Travels_, have been read
with delight for two hundred years. Gulliver first
lands in Lilliput and has thrilling adventures
among the little people. Then he visits
Brobdingnag, the land of giants. His third voyage
takes him to Laputa, where he sees the
philosophers; and on the fourth he visits the land
of the Houyhnhnms. The last two voyages are not so
entertaining as the first two, which are classics.
We set sail from Bristol May 4th, 1699, and our voyage
at first was very prosperous. It would not be
proper, for some reasons, to trouble the reader with the
particulars of our adventures in those seas; let it suffice to
inform him that in our passage from thence to the East 5
Indies we were driven by a violent storm to the northwest
of Van Diemen's Land. By an observation we found ourselves
in the latitude of thirty degrees, two minutes, south.
Twelve of our crew were dead by immoderate labor and ill
food, and the rest were in a very weak condition. 10
On the fifth of November, which was the beginning of
summer in those parts, the weather being very hazy, the
seamen spied a rock within half a cable's length of the ship;
but the wind was so strong that we were driven directly
upon it and immediately split. Six of the crew, of whom 15
I was one, having let down the boat into the sea, made a
shift to get clear of the ship and the rock. We rowed, by
my computation, about three leagues, till we were able to
work no longer, being already spent with labor while we
were in the ship. We therefore trusted ourselves to the
mercy of the waves, and in about half an hour the boat
was overset by a sudden flurry from the north. What
became of my companions in the boat, as well as those
who escaped on the rock or were left in the vessel, I cannot 5
tell; but conclude they were all lost.
For my own part I swam as fortune directed me, and was
pushed forward by wind and tide. I often let my legs
drop, and could feel no bottom; but when I was almost
gone, and able to struggle no longer, I found myself within 10
my depth, and by this time the storm was much abated.
The declivity was so small that I walked near a mile before
I got to the shore, which I reached, as I conjectured, at about
eight o'clock in the evening. I then advanced forward near
half a mile, but could not discover any sign of houses or 15
inhabitants; at least I was in so weak a condition that I
did not observe them. I was extremely tired, and with
that, and the heat of the weather, and about half a pint
of brandy that I drank as I left the ship, I found myself
much inclined to sleep. I lay down on the grass, which was 20
very short and soft, where I slept sounder than ever I
remember to have done in my life, and, as I reckoned, above
nine hours; for when I awaked it was just daylight. I
attempted to rise, but was not able to stir; for as I happened
to lie on my back, I found my arms and legs were strongly 25
fastened on each side to the ground; and my hair, which
was long and thick, tied down in the same manner. I likewise
felt several slender ligatures across my body, from my
armpits to my thighs. I could only look upwards, the
sun began to grow hot, and the light offended my eyes. 30
I heard a confused noise about me, but in the posture in
which I lay, I could see nothing except the sky.
In a little time I felt something alive moving on my
left leg, which advancing gently forward over my breast,
came almost up to my chin, when bending mine eyes downward
as much as I could I perceived it to be a human creature
not six inches high, with a bow and arrow in his 5
hands, and a quiver at his back. In the meantime I
felt at least forty more of the same kind (as I conjectured)
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, as I was afterwards told, were hurt with the falls 10
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, lifting up his hands
and eyes by way of admiration, cried out in a shrill but
distinct voice, "_Hekinah degul_"; and others repeated the 15
same words several times, but I then knew not what they
meant. I lay all this while, as the reader may believe, in
great uneasiness.
At length, struggling to get loose, I had the fortune to
break the strings and wrench out the pegs that fastened 20
my left arm to the ground; for, by lifting it up to my face,
I discovered the methods they had taken to bind me; and,
at the same time, with a violent pull which gave me
excessive pain, I a little loosened the strings that tied down
my hair on the left side, so that I was just able to turn my 25
head about two inches; but the creatures ran off a second
time, before I could seize them, whereupon there was a
great shout in a very shrill accent, and after it ceased I
heard one of them cry aloud, "_Tolgo phonac_," when in an
instant I felt above a hundred arrows discharged on my 30
left hand, which pricked me like so many needles; and,
besides, they shot another flight into the air, as we do bombs
in Europe, whereof many, I suppose, fell on my body
(though I felt them not) and some on my face, which I
immediately covered with my left hand. When this shower
was over, I fell a groaning with grief and pain; and then
striving again to get loose, they discharged another volley 5
larger than the first, and some of them attempted with
spears to stick me in the sides; but, by good luck, I had
on me a buff jerkin, which they could not pierce.
I thought it the most prudent method to lie still, and
my design was to continue so till night, when my left hand 10
being already loose I could easily free myself. And as for
the inhabitants, I had reason to believe I might be a match
for the greatest armies they could bring against me, if
they were all of the same size with him that I saw. But
fortune disposed otherwise of me. When the people 15
observed I was quiet, they discharged no more arrows;
but by the noise I heard I knew their numbers increased;
and about four yards from me, over against my right ear,
I heard a knocking for above an hour, like that of people at
work; when, turning my head that way as well as the pegs 20
and strings would permit me, I saw a stage erected about a
foot and a half from the ground, capable of holding four
of the inhabitants, with two or three ladders to mount it,
from whence one of them, who seemed to be a person of
quality, made me a long speech, whereof I understood not 25
one syllable. But I should have mentioned that before
the principal person began his oration he cried out three
times, "_Langro dehlsan_" (these words and the former were
afterwards repeated and explained to me), whereupon immediately
about fifty of the inhabitants came and cut the 30
strings that fastened the left side of my head, which gave
me the liberty of turning it to the right and of observing
the person and gesture of him that was to speak. He
appeared to be of a middle age, and taller than any of
the other three who attended him, whereof one was a
page that held up his train, and seemed to be somewhat
longer than my middle finger; the other two stood one 5
on each side to support him. He acted every part of an
orator, and I could observe many periods of threatenings,
and others of promises, pity, and kindness. I answered
in a few words, but in the most submissive manner, lifting
up my left hand and both mine eyes to the sun, as 10
calling him for a witness: and being almost famished
with hunger, having not eaten a morsel for some hours before
I left the ship, I found the demands of nature so
strong upon me that I could not forbear showing my
impatience (perhaps against the strict rules of decency) 15
by putting my finger frequently on my mouth, to signify
that I wanted food. The _hurgo_ (for so they call a
great lord, as I afterwards learned) understood me very
well.
He descended from the stage, and commanded that 20
several ladders should be applied to my side on which above
a hundred of the inhabitants mounted, and walked toward
my mouth, laden with baskets full of meat, which had been
provided and sent thither by the king's orders upon the
first intelligence he received of me. I observed there was 25
the flesh of several animals, but could not distinguish
them by the taste. There were shoulders, legs, and loins,
shaped like those of mutton, and very well dressed, but
smaller than the wings of a lark. I ate them by two or
three at a mouthful, and took three loaves at a time about 30
the bigness of musket bullets. They supplied me as fast
as they could, showing a thousand marks of wonder and
astonishment at my bulk and appetite. I then made another
sign that I wanted drink. They found by my eating
that a small quantity would not suffice me, and, being a most
ingenious people, they flung up with great dexterity one of
their largest hogsheads; then rolled it toward my hand, 5
and beat out the top; I drank it off at a draft, which I
might well do, for it did not hold half a pint and tasted
like a small wine of Burgundy, but much more delicious.
They brought me a second hogshead, which I drank in the
same manner and made signs for more, but they had none 10
to give me. When I had performed these wonders they
shouted for joy, and danced upon my breast, repeating
several times, as they did at first, "_Hekinah degul_."
They made me a sign that I should throw down the two
hogsheads, but first warning the people below to stand out 15
of the way, crying aloud, "_Borach mivola_"; and when they
saw the vessels in the air, there was an universal shout of
"_Hekinah degul_." I confess I was often tempted, while
they were passing backward and forward on my body, to
seize forty or fifty of the first that came in my reach, and 20
dash them against the ground. But the remembrance of
what I had felt, which probably might not be the worst
they could do, and the promise of honor I made them, for
so I interpreted my submissive behavior, soon drove out
these imaginations. Besides, I now considered myself as 25
bound by the laws of hospitality to a people who had treated
me with so much expense and magnificence. However,
in my thoughts I could not sufficiently wonder at the intrepidity
of these diminutive mortals, who durst venture to
mount and walk upon my body, while one of my hands was 30
at liberty, without trembling at the very sight of so prodigious
a creature as I must appear to them.
After some time, when they observed that I made no more
demand for meat, there appeared before me a person of
high rank from His Imperial Majesty. His Excellency having
mounted on the small of my right leg, advanced forward,
up to my face, with about a dozen of his retinue, and 5
producing his credentials under the signet royal, which he
applied close to mine eyes, spoke about ten minutes,
without any signs of anger, but with a kind of determinate
resolution, often pointing forward, which, as I afterward
found, was toward the capital city, about half a mile distant, 10
whither it was agreed by His Majesty in council that
I must be conveyed. I answered in a few words, but to
no purpose, and 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) and then to my own head 15
and body, to signify that I desired my liberty. It appeared
that he understood me well enough, for he shook his head by
way of disapprobation, and held his hand in a posture to show
that I must be carried as a prisoner. However, he made
other signs to let me understand that I should have meat and 20
drink enough, and very good treatment: whereupon I
once more thought of attempting to break my bonds, but
again, when I felt the smart of their arrows upon my face
and hands, which were all in blisters, and many of the darts
still sticking in them, and observing likewise that the 25
number of my enemies increased, I gave tokens to let them
know that they might do with me what they pleased. Upon
this the _hurgo_ and his train withdrew with much civility
and cheerful countenances.
Soon after I heard a general shout, with frequent repetition 30
of the words "_Peplom selan_," and I felt great
numbers of the people on my left side relaxing the cords to
such a degree that I was able to turn upon my right. But
before this they had daubed my face and both my hands
with a sort of ointment very pleasant to the smell, which in
a few minutes removed all the smart of their arrows.
These circumstances, added to the refreshment I had 5
received by their victuals and drink, which were very
nourishing, disposed me to sleep. I slept about eight hours
as I was afterward assured; and it was no wonder, for the
physicians, by the emperor's order, had mingled a sleeping
potion in the hogsheads of wine. 10
It seems that upon the first moment I was discovered
sleeping on the ground after my landing, the emperor
had early notice of it by an express, and determined in
council that I should be tied in the manner I have related
(which was done in the night while I slept), that plenty of 15
meat and drink should be sent to me, and a machine
prepared to carry me to the capital city.
This resolution perhaps may appear very bold and
dangerous, and I am confident would not be imitated by
any prince in Europe on the like occasion; however, in 20
my opinion it was extremely prudent as well as generous.
For supposing these people had endeavored to kill me with
their spears and arrows while I was asleep, I should certainly
have awaked with the first sense of smart, which
might so far have roused my rage and strength as to have 25
enabled me to break the strings wherewith I was tied;
after which, as they were not able to make resistance,
so they could expect no mercy.
These people are most excellent mathematicians, and
arrived to a great perfection in mechanics by the countenance 30
and encouragement of the emperor, who is a renowned
patron of learning. This prince hath several
machines fixed on wheels for the carriage of trees and other
great weights. He often builds his largest men of war,
whereof some are nine feet long, in the woods where the
timber grows, and has them carried on these engines three
or four hundred yards to the sea. Five hundred carpenters 5
and engineers were immediately set at work to prepare the
greatest engine they had. It was a frame of wood raised
three inches from the ground, about seven feet long and
four wide, moving upon twenty-two wheels. The shout
I heard was upon the arrival of this engine, which it seems 10
set out in four hours after my landing. It was brought
parallel to me as I lay. But the principal difficulty was to
raise and place me in this vehicle. Eighty poles, each of
one foot high, were erected for this purpose, and very strong
cords of the bigness of packthread were fastened by hooks 15
to many bandages, which the workmen had girt round my
neck, my hands, my body, and my legs. Nine hundred of
the strongest men were employed to draw up these cords
by many pulleys fastened on the poles, and thus in less
than three hours, I was raised and flung into the engine, 20
and there tied fast. All this I was told, for while the whole
operation was performing, I lay in a profound sleep, by
the force of that soporiferous medicine infused into my
liquor. Fifteen hundred of the emperor's largest horses,
each about four inches and a half high, were employed to 25
draw me toward the metropolis, which, as I said, was
half a mile distant.
About four hours after we began our journey, I awaked
by a very ridiculous accident; for the carriage being stopped
a while to adjust something that was out of order, two or 30
three of the young natives had the curiosity to see how I
looked when I was asleep; they climbed up into the engine,
and advancing very softly to my face, one of them, an
officer in the guards, put the sharp end of his half-pike
a good way into my left nostril, which tickled my nose like
a straw, and made me sneeze violently; whereupon they
stole off unperceived, and it was three weeks before I knew 5
the cause of my awaking so suddenly. We made a long
march the remaining part of that day, and rested that
night with five hundred guards on each side of me, half
with torches, and half with bows and arrows, ready to
shoot me if I should offer to stir. The next morning at 10
sunrise we continued our march, and arrived within two
hundred yards of the city gates about noon. The emperor
and all his court came out to meet us, but his great
officers would by no means suffer His Majesty to endanger
his person by mounting on my body. 15
At the place where the carriage stopped, there stood an
ancient temple, esteemed to be the largest in the whole
kingdom, which having been polluted some years before by
an unnatural murder, was, according to the zeal of those
people, looked on as profane, and therefore had been applied 20
to common use, and all the ornaments and furniture carried
away. In this edifice it was determined I should lodge.
The great gate fronting to the north was about four feet
high, and almost two feet wide, through which I could easily
creep. On each side of the gate was a small window, not 25
above six inches from the ground; into that on the left side
the king's smiths conveyed fourscore and eleven chains,
like those that hang to a lady's watch in Europe, and almost
as large, which were locked to my left leg with six and
thirty padlocks. Over against this temple, on the other side 30
of the great highway, at twenty foot distance, there was a
turret at least five foot high. Here the emperor ascended
with at least twenty lords of his court, to have an opportunity
of viewing me, as I was told, for I could not see
them. It was reckoned that above an hundred thousand
inhabitants came out of the town upon the same errand;
and in spite of my guards, I believe there could not be fewer 5
than ten thousand, at several times, who mounted upon my
body by the help of ladders. But a proclamation was soon
issued to forbid it upon pain of death. When the workmen
found that it was impossible for me to break loose, they
cut all the strings that bound me; whereupon I rose up 10
with as melancholy a disposition as ever I had in my life.
But the noise and astonishment of the people at seeing me
rise and walk are not to be expressed. The chains that
held my left leg were about two yards long, and gave me
not only the liberty of walking backwards and forwards in 15
a semicircle, but being fixed within four inches of the gate,
allowed me to creep in, and lie at full length in the temple.
--_Gulliver's Travels._
1. Relate briefly what happened to Gulliver after
he landed on Lilliput. What devices does Swift use
to make this story appear real.
2. Do the little people act exactly like people of
our own kind?
3. Swift was a master satirist; that is, he was
constantly ridiculing people, things, or customs.
Do you find any trace of satire in this selection?
4. Pronounce, define, and use in sentences:
prosperous
league
inhabitant
pulley
perceived
violent
forty
soporiferous
syllable
morsel
dexterity
metropolis
intrepidity
diminutive
parallel
hospitality
5. Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was born and educated
in Dublin, Ireland. Most of his manhood was spent
in that country, where he figured prominently in
political and religious affairs. In 1713 he was
made dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.