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THE Reader will eafily believe, that from what I had heard and feen, my keen Appetite for Perpetuity of Life was much abated. I grew heartily afhamed of the pleafing Visions I had formed; and thought no Tyrant could invent a Death, into which I would not run with Pleasure from fuch a Life. The King heard of all that had paffed between me and my Friends upon this Occafion, and rallied me very pleasantly; wifhing I would fend a Couple of Struldbruggs to my own Country, to arm our People against the Fear of Death; but this it seems is forbidden by the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom; or else, I fhould have been well content with the Trouble and Expence of transporting them.

I COULD not but agree, that the Laws of this Kingdom relating to the Struldbruggs, were founded upon the strongest Reasons, and fuch as any other Country would be under the Neceffity of enacting in the like Circumftances. Otherwife, as Avarice is the neceffary Confequent of old Age, thofe Immortals would in Time, become Proprietors of the whole Nation, and engross the Civil Power; which, for want of Abilities to manage, muft end in the Ruin of the Publick.

CHA P.

CHA P. XI.

The Author leaves LUGGNAGG, and fails to Japan. From thence he returns in a Dutch Ship to Amfterdam, and from Amfterdam to ENGLAND.

THOUGHT this Account of the Struldbruggs might be fome Entertainment to the Reader, because it seems to be a little out of the common Way; at leaft, I do not remember to have met the like in any Book of Travels that hath come to my Hands: And, if I am deceived, my Excuse must be, that it is neceffary for Travellers who defcribe the fame Country, very often to agree in dwelling on the fame Particulars, without deferving the Cenfure of having borrowed or transcribed from those who wrote before them.

THERE is indeed a perpetual Commerce between this Kingdom and the great Empire of Japan; and it is very probable, that the Japanese Authors may have given fome Account of the Struldbruggs; but my Stay in Japan was fo fhort, and I was fo entirely a Stranger to the Language, that I was not qualified to make any Enquiries. But, I hope the

Dutch,

Dutch, upon this Notice, will be curious and able enough to fupply my Defects.

His Majefty having often preffed me to accept some Employment in his Court, and finding me abfolutely determined to return to my Native Country; was pleafed to give me his Licence to depart; and honoured me with a Letter of Recommendation under his own Hand, to the Emperor of Japan. He likewife prefented me with four hundred forty-four large Pieces of Gold (this Nation delighting in even Numbers) and a Red Diamond, which I fold in England, for eleven hundred Pounds.

On the 6th Day of May, 1709, I took a folemn Leave of his Majefty, and all my Friends. This Prince was fo gracious, as to order a Guard to conduct me to Glanguenftald, which is a Royal Port to the South-West Part of the Ifland. In fix Days I found a Veffei ready to carry me to Japan; and spent fifteen Days in the Voyage. We landed at a fmall Port-Town called Xamofchi, fituated on the South-East Part of Japan. The Town lies on the Western Part, where there is a narrow Streight, leading Northward into a long Arm of the Sea, upon the North-West Part of which, redo the Metropolis ftands. At landing I fhewed the CustomHouse Officers my Letter from the King of Luggnagg to his Imperial Majefty: They knew the Seal perfectly well; it was as broad as the Palm of my Hand. The Impreffion was, A King lifting up a lame Beggar from the Earth. The Magiftrates of the Town hearing of my Letter, received me as a publick Minister; they provided me with Carriages and Servants, and bore my Charges to Yedo, where I was admitted to an Audience, and delivered my Letter; which was opened with great Ceremony, and explained to the Emperor by an Interpreter,

who

who gave me Notice of his Majefty's Order, that I fhould fignify my Requeft; and whatever it were, it fhould be granted for the Sake of his Royal Brother of Luggnagg. This Interpreter was a Person employed to tranfact Affairs with the Hollanders: He foon conjectured by my Countenance, that I was an European, and therefore repeated his Majefty's Commands in Low-Dutch, which he spoke perfectly well. I anfwered (as I had before determined) that I was a Dutch Merchant, fhipwrecked in a very remote Country, from whence I travelled by Sea and Land to Luggnagg, and then took Shipping for Japan, where I knew my Countrymen often traded; and, with fome of these, I hoped to get an Opportunity of returning into Europe: I therefore moft humbly intreated his Royal Favour, to give Order, that I fhould be conducted in Safety to Nangafac. To this I added another Petition, that for the Sake of my Patron the King of Luggnagg, his Majefty would condefcend to excufe my performing the Ceremony impofed on my Countrymen, of trampling upon the Crucifix; because I had been thrown into his Kingdom by my Misfortunes, without any Intention of trading. When this latter Petition was interpreted to the Emperor, he seemed a little furprized; and faid, he believed I was the firft of my Countrymen who ever made any Scruple in this Point; and that he began to doubt, whether I were a real Hollander or no; but rather fufpected I must be a CHRISTIAN. However, for the Reasons I had offered, but chiefly to gratify the King of Luggnagg, by an uncommon Mark of his Favour, he would comply with the fingularity of my Humour; but, the Affair muft be managed with Dexterity, and his Officers should be commanded to let me pafs, as it

were,

were, by Forgetfulness. For he affured me, that if the Secret fhould be discovered by my Countrymen, the Dutch, they would cat my Throat in the Voyage. I returned my Thanks, by the Interpreter, for fo unufual a Favour; and fome Troops being at that Time on their March to Nangasac, the Commanding Officer had Orders to convey me fafe thither, with particular Inftructions about the Business of the Crucifix.

On the 9th Day of June, 1709, I arrived at Nangafac, after a very long and troublesome Journey. I foon fell into Company of fome Dutch Sailors belonging to the Amboyna of Amfterdam, a ftout Ship of 450 Tons. I had lived long in Holland, purfuing my Studies at Leyden, and I spoke Dutch well: The Seamen foon knew from whence I came laft; they were curious to enquire into my Voyages and Course of Life. I made up a Story as fhort and probable as I could, but concealed the greatest Part. I knew many Perfons in Holland; I was able to invent Names for my Parents, whom I pretended to be obfcure People in the Province of Guelderland, I would have given the Captain (one Theodorus Vangrult) what he pleased to ask for my Voyage to Holland; but, understanding I was a Surgeon, he was contented to take half the usual Rate, on Condition that I would ferve him in the Way of my Calling. Before we took Shipping, I was often asked by fome of the Crew, whether I had performed the Ceremony abovementioned? I evaded the Question by general Anfwers, that I had fatisfied the Emperor and Court in all Particulars. However, a malicious Rogue of a Skipper went to an Officer, and pointing to me, told him, I had not yet trampled upon the Crucifix: But the other, who had received Inftructions to let me pass,

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