CHAP. VIII.

The King and Queen make a Progress to the Frontiers, The Author attends them. The Manner in which he leaves the Country very particularly related. He returns to England.

Had always a frong Impulfe, that I should fome Time recover my Liberty, though it was impoffible to conjecture by what Means, or to form any Project with the leaft Hope of fucceeding, The Ship, in which, I failed, was the first ever known to be driven within Sight of that Coaft, and the King had given strict Orders, that, if at any Time another appeared, it should be taken afhore, and, with all its Crew and Paffengers, brought in a Tumbril to Lorbrulgrud. He was ftrongly bent to get me a Woman of my own Size, by whom I might propagate the Breed: But, I think, I fhould rather have died, than undergone the Difgrace of leaving a Pofterity to be kept in Cages like tame Canary Birds, and perhaps, in Time, fold about the Kingdom to Perfons of Quality for Curiofities. I was, indeed, treated with much Kindnefs: I was the Favourite of a great King and Queen, and the Delight of the whole Court; but it was upon fuch a Foot, as ill became the Dignity of human Kind. I could never forget thofe domeftic Pledges I had left behind me. I wanted to be among People with whom I could converfe upon even Terms, and walk about the Streets and Fields, without being afraid of being trod to Death, like a Frog, or a young Puppy. But my Deliverance came fooner than I expected, and, in a Manner, not very

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common: The whole Story and Circumftances of which I fhall faithfully relate. -

I had now been two Years in this Country; and, about the Beginning of the third, Glumdal clitch and I attended the King and Queen in a Progrefs to the South Coaft of the Kingdom. I was carried, as ufual, in my Travelling-Box, which, as I have already defcribed, was a very convenient Clofet of twelve Feet wide. And I had ordered a Hammock to be fixed, by filken Ropes, from the four Corners at the Top, to break the Jolts, when a Servant carried me before him on Horseback, as I fometimes defired, and would often fleep in my Hammock while we were upon the Road. On the Roof of my Closet, not directly over the Middle of the Hammock, I ordered the Joiner to cut out a Hole of a Foot fquare, to give me Air in hot Weather, as I flept; which Hole I fhut, at Pleasure, with a Board that drew backwards and forwards through a Groove.

When we came to our Journey's End, the King thought proper to pafs a few Days at a Palace he hath near Flanflafnic, a City within eighteen English Miles of the Sea-fide. Glumdalclitch and I was much fatigued: I had gotten a small Cold, but the poor Girl was fo ill, as to be confined to her Chamber. I longed to fee the Ocean, which must be the only Scene of my Efcape, if ever it fhould happen. I pretended to be worse than I really was, and defired Leave to take the fresh Air of the Sea, with a Page I was very fond of, and who had fometimes been trufted with me. I fhall never forget with what Unwillingness Glumdalclitch confented, nor the ftrict Charge she gave the Page to be careful of me, bursting at the fame Time into a Flood of Tears, as if she had fome

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Foreboding of what was to happen. The Boy took me out in my Box about half an Hour's Walk from the Palace towards the Rocks on the Sea-fhore. I ordered him to fet me down, and, lifting up one of my Safhes, caft many a wiftful melancholy Look towards the Sea. I found my felf not very well, and told the Page that I had a Mind to take a Nap in my Hammock, which I hoped would do me Good. I got in, and the Boy fhut the Window clofe down to keep out the Cold. I foon fell asleep, and all I can conjecture is, that, while I flept, the Page, thinking no Danger could happen, went among the Rocks to look for Birds Eggs, having before obferved him from my Window fearching about, and picking up one or two in the Clefts, Be that as it will, I found myself fuddenly awaked with a violent Pull upon the Ring which was fastened at the Top of my Box, for the Conveniency of Carriage. I felt my Box raised very high in the Air, and then borne forward with prodigious Speed. The firft Jolt had like to have fhaken me out of my Hammock, but afterwards the Motion was, eafy enough. I called out feveral Times, as loud as I could raise my Voice, but all to no Purpose. I looked towards my Windows, and could fee no. thing but the Clouds and Sky. I heard a Noise over my Head like the Clapping of Wings, and then began to perceive the wotul Condition I was in, that fome Eagle had got the Ring of my Box in his Beak, with an Intent to let it fall on a Rock like a Tortoife in a Shell, and then pick out my Body, and devour it. For the Sagacity and Smell of this Bird enabled him to discover his Quarry at a great Distance, though better concealed than I could be within a two-inch Board.

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In a little Time I obferved the Noife and Fluté ter of Wings to increase very fast, and my Box was toffed up and down like a Sign poft in a windy Day. I heard feveral Bangs or Buffets, as I thought, given to the Eagle (for fuch I am cer tain it must have been, that held the Ring of my Box in his Beak) and then all on a fudden felt my felf falling perpendicularly down for above a Minute, but with fuch incredible Swiftnefs that I al moft loft my Breath. My Fall was stopped by a terrible Squath, that founded louder to my Ears than the Cataract of Niagara; after which I was quite in the Dark for another Minute, and then my Box began to rife fo high that I could fee Light from the Tops of the Windows. I now perceived that I was fallen into the Sea. My Box, by the Weight of my Body, the Goods that were in, and the broad Plates of Iron fixed for Strength at the four Corners of the Top and Bottom, floated above five Feet deep in Water. I did then, and do now fuppofe that the Eagle which flew away with my Box was purfued by two or three others, and forced to let me drop while he was defending himfelf against the reft, who hoped to fhare in the Prey. The Plates of Iron faftened at the Bottom of the Box (for thofe were the ftrongeft) preferved the Balance while it fell, and hindered it from being broken on the Surface of the Water. Every Joint of it was well grooved; and the Door did not move on Hinges, but up and down like a Safh, which kept my Clofet fo tight that very little Water came in. I got with much Difficulty out of my Hammock. having firft ventured to draw back the Slip-board on the Roof already mentioned, contrived on Purpose to let in

Air,

Air, for Want of which I found myfelf almoft ftifled.

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How often did I then wifh myfelf with my. dear Glamdale liich, from whom one fingle Hour had fo far divided me! And I may fay, with Truth, that, in the Midft of my own Misfortunes I could not forbear lamenting my poor Nurfe, the Grief fhe would fuffer for my Lofs, the Displeasure of the Queen, and the Ruin of her Fortune. Perhaps many Travellers have not been under greater Difi culties and Diftrèfs than I was at this Juncture, expecting every Moment to fee my Box dafhed in Pieces, or at leaft overfet by the first violent Blaft, or a rifing Wave. A Breach in one fingle Pane of Glafs would have been immediate Death: Nor could any Thing have preferved the Windows but the ftrong Lattice-wires placed on the Outfide against Accidents in Travelling. I faw the Water ooze in at feveral Crannies, although the Leaks were not confiderable, and I endeavoured to ftop them as well as I could. I was not able to lift up the Roof of my Clofet, which other wife I certainly fhould have done, and fat on the Top of it, where I might, at leaft, preferve myfelf fome Hours longer than by being fhut up, as may call it, in the Hold. Or, if I efcaped these Dangers for a Day or two, what could I expect but a miferable Death of Cold and Hunger! I was four Hours under thefe Circumftances, expecting, and indeed, wifhing every Moment to be my laft.

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I have already told the Reader, that there were two strong Staples fixed upon that Side of my Box which had no Window, and into which the Servant who used to carry me on Horfeback would put a leathern Belt, and buckle it about his Wafte.

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