little butter, and drank the whey. I was at first at a great lofs for falt; but custom foon reconciled me to the want of it; and I am -confident, that the frequent ufe of falt among us is an effect of luxury, and was first introduced only as a provocative to drink, except where it is neceffary for preferving of flesh in long voyages, or in places remote from great markets. For we obferve no animal to be fond of it but man and as to myself, when I left this country, it was a great while before I could endure the taste of it in any thing that I eat.

1

This is enough to fay upon the subject of my diet, wherewith other travellers fill their books, as if the readers were perfonally concerned, whether we fare well or ill. However it was neceffary to mention this matter, left the world fhould think it impoffible, that I could find fuftenance for three years in fuch a country and among fuch inhabi

tants.

When it grew towards evening, the mafter horfe ordered a place for me to lodge in; it was but fix yards from the house, and feparated from the ftable of the yaboos. Here I got fome straw, and covering myself with my own cloaths flept very found. But I was in a fhort time better accommodated, as the reader fhall know hereafter, when I come to treat more particularly about my way of living,

CHAP.

CHA P. III.

The author ftudious to learn the language; the Houyhnhnm, bis mafter, affifts in teaching bim. The language defcribed. Several Houyhnhnms of quality came out of curiofity to fee the author. He gives his master a short account of bis voyage.

Y principal endeavour was to learn the language, which my master (for so I fhall henceforth call him) and his children, and every fervant of his house were defirous to teach me, For they looked For they looked upon it as a prodigy, that a brute animal fhould discover fuch marks of a rational creature. I pointed to every thing, and enquired the name of it, which I wrote down in my journal-book when I was alone, and corrected my bad accent by defiring those of the family to pronounce it often. In this employment a forrel nag, one of the under fervants, was very ready to affift me.

In fpeaking they pronounce through the nofe and throat, and their language approaches nearest to the bigb-dutch, or german, of any I know in Europe; but is much more graceful and fignificant. The emperor Charles V. made almoft the fame obfervation, when he faid, That he were to speak to his horse, it fhould be in bigb-dutch.

The curiofity and impatience of my mafter were fo great, that he spent many hours of his

leifure

feifure to inftruct me. He was convinced (as he afterwards told me) that I must be a yahoo; but my teachablenefs, civility, and cleanliness, aftonished him; which were qualities altogether oppofite to thofe animals. He was moft perplexed about my cloaths, reasoning sometimes with himself, whether they were a part of my body; for I never pulled them off till the family were afleep, and got them on before they waked in the morning. My mafter was eager to learn from whence I came; how I acquired thofe appearances of reason, which I discovered in all my actions; and to know my story from my own mouth, which he hoped he fhould foon do by the great proficiency I made in learning and pronouncing their words and fentences. To help my memory I formed all I learned into the english alphabet, and writ the words down with the tranflations. This laft after fome time I ventured to do in my mafter's prefence. It coft me much trouble to explain to him what I was doing; for the inhabitants have not the leaft idea of books or literature.

In about ten weeks time I was able to understand most of his questions; and in three months could give him fome tolerable anfwers. He was extremely curious to know from what part of the country I came, and how I was taught to imitate a rational creature; because the yaboos (whom he faw I exactly resembled in my head, hands, and face, that were only vifible) with fome appearance of cunning, and

the

the strongest difpofition to mifchief, were obferved to be the most unteachable of all brutes. I answered, that I came over the fea from a far place with many others of my own kind in a great hollow veffel made of the bodies of trees; that my companions forced me to land on this coaft, and then left me to fhift for myfelf. It was with fome difficulty, and by the help of many figns, that I brought him to understand me. He replied, that I muft needs be mistaken, or that I said the thing which was not (for they have no word in their language to exprefs lying or falfhood.) He knew it was impoffible, that there could be a country beyond the fea, or that a parcel of brutes could move a wooden veffel whither they pleased upon water. He was fure no Houyhnhnm alive could make fuch a veffel, nor would truft yaboos to manage it.

The word Houyhnhnm in their tongue fignifies a borse, and in its etymology, the perfection of nature. I told my mafter that I was at a lofs for expreffion, but would improve as fast as I could; and hoped in a short time I should be able to tell him wonders: he was pleased to direct his own mare, his colt and fole, and the fervants of the family, to take all oppor

tunities of inftructing me; and every day for two or three hours he was at the fame pains himself several horfes and mares of quality in the neighbourhood came often to our house, upon the report fpread of a wonderful boo that could fpeak like a Houyhnhnm, and

ya

feemed

feemed in his words and actions to discover fome glimmerings of reafon. Thefe delighted to converse with me; they put many questions, and received fuch anfwers as I was able to return. By all these advantages I made fo great a progrefs, that in five months from my arrival I understood whatever was spoken, and could express myself tolerably well.

The Houyhnhnms who came to vifit my mafter out of a design of seeing and talking with me, could hardly believe me to be a right ya boo, because my body had a different covering from others of my kind. They were aftonifhed to obferve me without the usual hair oc fkin, except on my head, face, and hands; but I discovered that fecret to my mafter upon an accident, which happened about a fortnight before.

I have already told the reader, that every night, when the family were gone to bed, it was my custom to ftrip, and cover myself with my cloaths: it happened one morning early, that my master fent for me by the forrel nag, who was his valet; when he came, I was faft afleep, my cloaths fallen off on one fide, and my shirt above my waist. I awaked at the noise he made, and obferved him to deliver his message in fome disorder; after which he went to my master, and in a great fright gave him a very confused account of what he had feen; this I presently discovered; for going as foon as I was dreffed to pay my attendance upon his honour, he asked me the meaning of what

his