GULLIVER’S
TRAVELS
PART 27
CHAPTER XI.
The author’s dangerous
voyage. He arrives at New Holland, hoping to settle there. Is
wounded with an arrow by one of the natives. Is seized and carried by
force into a Portuguese ship. The great civilities of the captain.
The author arrives at England.
I began
this desperate voyage on February 15, 1714–15, at nine o’clock in the
morning. The wind was very favourable; however, I made use at first only
of my paddles; but considering I should soon be weary, and that the wind might
chop about, I ventured to set up my little sail; and thus, with the help of the
tide, I went at the rate of a league and a half an hour, as near as I could
guess. My master and his friends continued on the shore till I was almost
out of sight; and I often heard the sorrel nag (who always loved me) crying
out, “Hnuy illa nyha, majah Yahoo;” “Take care of thyself, gentle
Yahoo.”
My design
was, if possible, to discover some small island uninhabited, yet sufficient, by
my labour, to furnish me with the necessaries of life, which I would have
thought a greater happiness, than to be first minister in the politest court of
Europe; so horrible was the idea I conceived of returning to live in the
society, and under the government of Yahoos. For in such a
solitude as I desired, I could at least enjoy my own thoughts, and reflect with
delight on the virtues of those inimitable Houyhnhnms, without an
opportunity of degenerating into the vices and corruptions of my own species.
The reader
may remember what I related, when my crew conspired against me, and confined me
to my cabin; how I continued there several weeks without knowing what course we
took; and when I was put ashore in the long-boat, how the sailors told me, with
oaths, whether true or false, “that they knew not in what part of the world we
were.” However, I did then believe us to be about 10 degrees southward of
the Cape of Good Hope, or about 45 degrees southern latitude, as I gathered
from some general words I overheard among them, being I supposed to the south-east
in their intended voyage to Madagascar. And although this were little
better than conjecture, yet I resolved to steer my course eastward, hoping to
reach the south-west coast of New Holland, and perhaps some such island as I
desired lying westward of it. The wind was full west, and by six in the
evening I computed I had gone eastward at least eighteen leagues; when I spied
a very small island about half a league off, which I soon reached. It was
nothing but a rock, with one creek naturally arched by the force of
tempests. Here I put in my canoe, and climbing a part of the rock, I
could plainly discover land to the east, extending from south to north. I
lay all night in my canoe; and repeating my voyage early in the morning, I
arrived in seven hours to the south-east point of New Holland. This
confirmed me in the opinion I have long entertained, that the maps and charts
place this country at least three degrees more to the east than it really is;
which thought I communicated many years ago to my worthy friend, Mr. Herman
Moll, and gave him my reasons for it, although he has rather chosen to follow
other authors.
I saw no
inhabitants in the place where I landed, and being unarmed, I was afraid of
venturing far into the country. I found some shellfish on the shore, and
ate them raw, not daring to kindle a fire, for fear of being discovered by the
natives. I continued three days feeding on oysters and limpets, to save
my own provisions; and I fortunately found a brook of excellent water, which
gave me great relief.
On the
fourth day, venturing out early a little too far, I saw twenty or thirty
natives upon a height not above five hundred yards from me. They were
stark naked, men, women, and children, round a fire, as I could discover by the
smoke. One of them spied me, and gave notice to the rest; five of them
advanced toward me, leaving the women and children at the fire. I made
what haste I could to the shore, and, getting into my canoe, shoved off: the
savages, observing me retreat, ran after me: and before I could get far enough
into the sea, discharged an arrow which wounded me deeply on the inside of my
left knee: I shall carry the mark to my grave. I apprehended the arrow
might be poisoned, and paddling out of the reach of their darts (being a calm
day), I made a shift to suck the wound, and dress it as well as I could.
I was at a
loss what to do, for I durst not return to the same landing-place, but stood to
the north, and was forced to paddle, for the wind, though very gentle, was
against me, blowing north-west. As I was looking about for a secure
landing-place, I saw a sail to the north-north-east, which appearing every
minute more visible, I was in some doubt whether I should wait for them or not;
but at last my detestation of the Yahoo race prevailed: and turning my
canoe, I sailed and paddled together to the south, and got into the same creek
whence I set out in the morning, choosing rather to trust myself among these
barbarians, than live with European Yahoos. I drew up my canoe as close
as I could to the shore, and hid myself behind a stone by the little brook,
which, as I have already said, was excellent water.
The ship
came within half a league of this creek, and sent her long boat with vessels to
take in fresh water (for the place, it seems, was very well known); but I did
not observe it, till the boat was almost on shore; and it was too late to seek
another hiding-place. The seamen at their landing observed my canoe, and
rummaging it all over, easily conjectured that the owner could not be far
off. Four of them, well armed, searched every cranny and lurking-hole,
till at last they found me flat on my face behind the stone. They gazed
awhile in admiration at my strange uncouth dress; my coat made of skins, my
wooden-soled shoes, and my furred stockings; whence, however, they concluded, I
was not a native of the place, who all go naked. One of the seamen, in
Portuguese, bid me rise, and asked who I was. I understood that language
very well, and getting upon my feet, said, “I was a poor Yahoo banished
from the Houyhnhnms, and desired they would please to let me
depart.” They admired to hear me answer them in their own tongue, and saw
by my complexion I must be a European; but were at a loss to know what I meant
by Yahoos and Houyhnhnms; and at the same time fell a-laughing at
my strange tone in speaking, which resembled the neighing of a horse. I
trembled all the while betwixt fear and hatred. I again desired leave to
depart, and was gently moving to my canoe; but they laid hold of me, desiring
to know, “what country I was of? whence I came?” with many other
questions. I told them “I was born in England, whence I came about five
years ago, and then their country and ours were at peace. I therefore
hoped they would not treat me as an enemy, since I meant them no harm, but was
a poor Yahoo seeking some desolate place where to pass the remainder of
his unfortunate life.”
When they
began to talk, I thought I never heard or saw any thing more unnatural; for it
appeared to me as monstrous as if a dog or a cow should speak in England, or a Yahoo
in Houyhnhnmland. The honest Portuguese were equally amazed at my
strange dress, and the odd manner of delivering my words, which, however, they
understood very well. They spoke to me with great humanity, and said,
“they were sure the captain would carry me gratis to Lisbon, whence I
might return to my own country; that two of the seamen would go back to the
ship, inform the captain of what they had seen, and receive his orders; in the
mean time, unless I would give my solemn oath not to fly, they would secure me
by force. I thought it best to comply with their proposal. They
were very curious to know my story, but I gave them very little satisfaction,
and they all conjectured that my misfortunes had impaired my reason. In
two hours the boat, which went laden with vessels of water, returned, with the
captain’s command to fetch me on board. I fell on my knees to preserve my
liberty; but all was in vain; and the men, having tied me with cords, heaved me
into the boat, whence I was taken into the ship, and thence into the captain’s
cabin.
His name
was Pedro de Mendez; he was a very courteous and generous person. He
entreated me to give some account of myself, and desired to know what I would eat
or drink; said, “I should be used as well as himself;” and spoke so many
obliging things, that I wondered to find such civilities from a Yahoo.
However, I remained silent and sullen; I was ready to faint at the very smell
of him and his men. At last I desired something to eat out of my own
canoe; but he ordered me a chicken, and some excellent wine, and then directed
that I should be put to bed in a very clean cabin. I would not undress
myself, but lay on the bed-clothes, and in half an hour stole out, when I
thought the crew was at dinner, and getting to the side of the ship, was going
to leap into the sea, and swim for my life, rather than continue among Yahoos.
But one of the seamen prevented me, and having informed the captain, I was
chained to my cabin.
After
dinner, Don Pedro came to me, and desired to know my reason for so desperate an
attempt; assured me, “he only meant to do me all the service he was able;” and
spoke so very movingly, that at last I descended to treat him like an animal
which had some little portion of reason. I gave him a very short relation
of my voyage; of the conspiracy against me by my own men; of the country where
they set me on shore, and of my five years residence there. All which he
looked upon as if it were a dream or a vision; whereat I took great offence;
for I had quite forgot the faculty of lying, so peculiar to Yahoos, in
all countries where they preside, and, consequently, their disposition of
suspecting truth in others of their own species. I asked him, “whether it
were the custom in his country to say the thing which was not?” I assured
him, “I had almost forgot what he meant by falsehood, and if I had lived a
thousand years in Houyhnhnmland, I should never have heard a lie from
the meanest servant; that I was altogether indifferent whether he believed me
or not; but, however, in return for his favours, I would give so much allowance
to the corruption of his nature, as to answer any objection he would please to
make, and then he might easily discover the truth.”
The
captain, a wise man, after many endeavours to catch me tripping in some part of
my story, at last began to have a better opinion of my veracity. But he
added, “that since I professed so inviolable an attachment to truth, I must
give him my word and honour to bear him company in this voyage, without
attempting any thing against my life; or else he would continue me a prisoner
till we arrived at Lisbon.” I gave him the promise he required; but at
the same time protested, “that I would suffer the greatest hardships, rather
than return to live among Yahoos.”
Our voyage
passed without any considerable accident. In gratitude to the captain, I
sometimes sat with him, at his earnest request, and strove to conceal my
antipathy against human kind, although it often broke out; which he suffered to
pass without observation. But the greatest part of the day I confined
myself to my cabin, to avoid seeing any of the crew. The captain had
often entreated me to strip myself of my savage dress, and offered to lend me
the best suit of clothes he had. This I would not be prevailed on to
accept, abhorring to cover myself with any thing that had been on the back of a
Yahoo. I only desired he would lend me two clean shirts, which,
having been washed since he wore them, I believed would not so much defile
me. These I changed every second day, and washed them myself.
We arrived
at Lisbon, Nov. 5, 1715. At our landing, the captain forced me to cover
myself with his cloak, to prevent the rabble from crowding about me. I
was conveyed to his own house; and at my earnest request he led me up to the
highest room backwards. I conjured him “to conceal from all persons what
I had told him of the Houyhnhnms; because the least hint of such a story
would not only draw numbers of people to see me, but probably put me in danger
of being imprisoned, or burnt by the Inquisition.” The captain persuaded
me to accept a suit of clothes newly made; but I would not suffer the tailor to
take my measure; however, Don Pedro being almost of my size, they fitted me
well enough. He accoutred me with other necessaries, all new, which I
aired for twenty-four hours before I would use them.
The
captain had no wife, nor above three servants, none of which were suffered to
attend at meals; and his whole deportment was so obliging, added to very good
human understanding, that I really began to tolerate his company. He
gained so far upon me, that I ventured to look out of the back window. By
degrees I was brought into another room, whence I peeped into the street, but
drew my head back in a fright. In a week’s time he seduced me down to the
door. I found my terror gradually lessened, but my hatred and contempt seemed
to increase. I was at last bold enough to walk the street in his company,
but kept my nose well stopped with rue, or sometimes with tobacco.
In ten
days, Don Pedro, to whom I had given some account of my domestic affairs, put
it upon me, as a matter of honour and conscience, “that I ought to return to my
native country, and live at home with my wife and children.” He told me,
“there was an English ship in the port just ready to sail, and he would furnish
me with all things necessary.” It would be tedious to repeat his
arguments, and my contradictions. He said, “it was altogether impossible
to find such a solitary island as I desired to live in; but I might command in
my own house, and pass my time in a manner as recluse as I pleased.”
I complied
at last, finding I could not do better. I left Lisbon the 24th day of
November, in an English merchantman, but who was the master I never
inquired. Don Pedro accompanied me to the ship, and lent me twenty
pounds. He took kind leave of me, and embraced me at parting, which I
bore as well as I could. During this last voyage I had no commerce with
the master or any of his men; but, pretending I was sick, kept close in my
cabin. On the fifth of December, 1715, we cast anchor in the Downs, about
nine in the morning, and at three in the afternoon I got safe to my house at
Rotherhith.
My wife
and family received me with great surprise and joy, because they concluded me
certainly dead; but I must freely confess the sight of them filled me only with
hatred, disgust, and contempt; and the more, by reflecting on the near alliance
I had to them. For although, since my unfortunate exile from the Houyhnhnm
country, I had compelled myself to tolerate the sight of Yahoos, and to
converse with Don Pedro de Mendez, yet my memory and imagination were
perpetually filled with the virtues and ideas of those exalted Houyhnhnms.
And when I began to consider that, by copulating with one of the Yahoo
species I had become a parent of more, it struck me with the utmost shame,
confusion, and horror.
As soon as
I entered the house, my wife took me in her arms, and kissed me; at which,
having not been used to the touch of that odious animal for so many years, I
fell into a swoon for almost an hour. At the time I am writing, it is
five years since my last return to England. During the first year, I
could not endure my wife or children in my presence; the very smell of them was
intolerable; much less could I suffer them to eat in the same room. To
this hour they dare not presume to touch my bread, or drink out of the same
cup, neither was I ever able to let one of them take me by the hand. The
first money I laid out was to buy two young stone-horses, which I keep in a
good stable; and next to them, the groom is my greatest favourite, for I feel
my spirits revived by the smell he contracts in the stable. My horses
understand me tolerably well; I converse with them at least four hours every
day. They are strangers to bridle or saddle; they live in great amity
with me and friendship to each other.
CHAPTER XII.
The author’s veracity.
His design in publishing this work. His censure of those travellers who
swerve from the truth. The author clears himself from any sinister ends
in writing. An objection answered. The method of planting
colonies. His native country commended. The right of the crown to
those countries described by the author is justified. The difficulty of
conquering them. The author takes his last leave of the reader; proposes
his manner of living for the future; gives good advice, and concludes.
Thus,
gentle reader, I have given thee a faithful history of my travels for sixteen
years and above seven months: wherein I have not been so studious of ornament
as of truth. I could, perhaps, like others, have astonished thee with
strange improbable tales; but I rather chose to relate plain matter of fact, in
the simplest manner and style; because my principal design was to inform, and
not to amuse thee.
It is easy
for us who travel into remote countries, which are seldom visited by Englishmen
or other Europeans, to form descriptions of wonderful animals both at sea and
land. Whereas a traveller’s chief aim should be to make men wiser and
better, and to improve their minds by the bad, as well as good, example of what
they deliver concerning foreign places.
I could
heartily wish a law was enacted, that every traveller, before he were permitted
to publish his voyages, should be obliged to make oath before the Lord High
Chancellor, that all he intended to print was absolutely true to the best of
his knowledge; for then the world would no longer be deceived, as it usually
is, while some writers, to make their works pass the better upon the public,
impose the grossest falsities on the unwary reader. I have perused
several books of travels with great delight in my younger days; but having
since gone over most parts of the globe, and been able to contradict many
fabulous accounts from my own observation, it has given me a great disgust
against this part of reading, and some indignation to see the credulity of
mankind so impudently abused. Therefore, since my acquaintance were
pleased to think my poor endeavours might not be unacceptable to my country, I
imposed on myself, as a maxim never to be swerved from, that I would strictly
adhere to truth; neither indeed can I be ever under the least temptation to
vary from it, while I retain in my mind the lectures and example of my noble
master and the other illustrious Houyhnhnms of whom I had so long the
honour to be an humble hearer.
—Nec si
miserum Fortuna Sinonem
Finxit, vanum etiam, mendacemque improba finget.
Finxit, vanum etiam, mendacemque improba finget.
I know
very well, how little reputation is to be got by writings which require neither
genius nor learning, nor indeed any other talent, except a good memory, or an
exact journal. I know likewise, that writers of travels, like
dictionary-makers, are sunk into oblivion by the weight and bulk of those who
come last, and therefore lie uppermost. And it is highly probable, that
such travellers, who shall hereafter visit the countries described in this work
of mine, may, by detecting my errors (if there be any), and adding many new
discoveries of their own, justle me out of vogue, and stand in my place, making
the world forget that ever I was an author. This indeed would be too
great a mortification, if I wrote for fame: but as my sole intention was the
public good, I cannot be altogether disappointed. For who can read of the
virtues I have mentioned in the glorious Houyhnhnms, without being
ashamed of his own vices, when he considers himself as the reasoning, governing
animal of his country? I shall say nothing of those remote nations where Yahoos
preside; among which the least corrupted are the Brobdingnagians; whose
wise maxims in morality and government it would be our happiness to
observe. But I forbear descanting further, and rather leave the judicious
reader to his own remarks and application.
I am not a
little pleased that this work of mine can possibly meet with no censurers: for
what objections can be made against a writer, who relates only plain facts,
that happened in such distant countries, where we have not the least interest,
with respect either to trade or negotiations? I have carefully avoided
every fault with which common writers of travels are often too justly
charged. Besides, I meddle not the least with any party, but write
without passion, prejudice, or ill-will against any man, or number of men,
whatsoever. I write for the noblest end, to inform and instruct mankind;
over whom I may, without breach of modesty, pretend to some superiority, from
the advantages I received by conversing so long among the most accomplished Houyhnhnms.
I write without any view to profit or praise. I never suffer a word to
pass that may look like reflection, or possibly give the least offence, even to
those who are most ready to take it. So that I hope I may with justice
pronounce myself an author perfectly blameless; against whom the tribes of
Answerers, Considerers, Observers, Reflectors, Detectors, Remarkers, will never
be able to find matter for exercising their talents.
I confess,
it was whispered to me, “that I was bound in duty, as a subject of England, to
have given in a memorial to a secretary of state at my first coming over;
because, whatever lands are discovered by a subject belong to the crown.”
But I doubt whether our conquests in the countries I treat of would be as easy
as those of Ferdinando Cortez over the naked Americans. The Lilliputians,
I think, are hardly worth the charge of a fleet and army to reduce them; and I
question whether it might be prudent or safe to attempt the Brobdingnagians;
or whether an English army would be much at their ease with the Flying Island
over their heads. The Houyhnhnms indeed appear not to be so well
prepared for war, a science to which they are perfect strangers, and especially
against missive weapons. However, supposing myself to be a minister of
state, I could never give my advice for invading them. Their prudence,
unanimity, unacquaintedness with fear, and their love of their country, would
amply supply all defects in the military art. Imagine twenty thousand of
them breaking into the midst of an European army, confounding the ranks,
overturning the carriages, battering the warriors’ faces into mummy by terrible
yerks from their hinder hoofs; for they would well deserve the character given
to Augustus, Recalcitrat undique tutus. But, instead of proposals
for conquering that magnanimous nation, I rather wish they were in a capacity,
or disposition, to send a sufficient number of their inhabitants for civilizing
Europe, by teaching us the first principles of honour, justice, truth,
temperance, public spirit, fortitude, chastity, friendship, benevolence, and
fidelity. The names of all which virtues are still retained among us in
most languages, and are to be met with in modern, as well as ancient authors;
which I am able to assert from my own small reading.
But I had
another reason, which made me less forward to enlarge his majesty’s dominions
by my discoveries. To say the truth, I had conceived a few scruples with
relation to the distributive justice of princes upon those occasions. For
instance, a crew of pirates are driven by a storm they know not whither; at
length a boy discovers land from the topmast; they go on shore to rob and
plunder, they see a harmless people, are entertained with kindness; they give
the country a new name; they take formal possession of it for their king; they
set up a rotten plank, or a stone, for a memorial; they murder two or three
dozen of the natives, bring away a couple more, by force, for a sample; return
home, and get their pardon. Here commences a new dominion acquired with a
title by divine right. Ships are sent with the first opportunity; the
natives driven out or destroyed; their princes tortured to discover their gold;
a free license given to all acts of inhumanity and lust, the earth reeking with
the blood of its inhabitants: and this execrable crew of butchers, employed in
so pious an expedition, is a modern colony, sent to convert and civilize an
idolatrous and barbarous people!
But this
description, I confess, does by no means affect the British nation, who may be
an example to the whole world for their wisdom, care, and justice in planting
colonies; their liberal endowments for the advancement of religion and
learning; their choice of devout and able pastors to propagate Christianity;
their caution in stocking their provinces with people of sober lives and
conversations from this the mother kingdom; their strict regard to the
distribution of justice, in supplying the civil administration through all
their colonies with officers of the greatest abilities, utter strangers to
corruption; and, to crown all, by sending the most vigilant and virtuous
governors, who have no other views than the happiness of the people over whom
they preside, and the honour of the king their master.
But as
those countries which I have described do not appear to have any desire of
being conquered and enslaved, murdered or driven out by colonies, nor abound
either in gold, silver, sugar, or tobacco, I did humbly conceive, they were by
no means proper objects of our zeal, our valour, or our interest.
However, if those whom it more concerns think fit to be of another opinion, I
am ready to depose, when I shall be lawfully called, that no European did ever
visit those countries before me. I mean, if the inhabitants ought to be
believed, unless a dispute may arise concerning the two Yahoos, said to
have been seen many years ago upon a mountain in Houyhnhnmland.
But, as to
the formality of taking possession in my sovereign’s name, it never came once
into my thoughts; and if it had, yet, as my affairs then stood, I should
perhaps, in point of prudence and self-preservation, have put it off to a
better opportunity.
Having
thus answered the only objection that can ever be raised against me as a
traveller, I here take a final leave of all my courteous readers, and return to
enjoy my own speculations in my little garden at Redriff; to apply those
excellent lessons of virtue which I learned among the Houyhnhnms; to
instruct the Yahoos of my own family, is far as I shall find them
docible animals; to behold my figure often in a glass, and thus, if possible,
habituate myself by time to tolerate the sight of a human creature; to lament
the brutality to Houyhnhnms in my own country, but always treat their
persons with respect, for the sake of my noble master, his family, his friends,
and the whole Houyhnhnm race, whom these of ours have the honour to
resemble in all their lineaments, however their intellectuals came to
degenerate.
I began
last week to permit my wife to sit at dinner with me, at the farthest end of a
long table; and to answer (but with the utmost brevity) the few questions I
asked her. Yet, the smell of a Yahoo continuing very offensive, I
always keep my nose well stopped with rue, lavender, or tobacco leaves.
And, although it be hard for a man late in life to remove old habits, I am not
altogether out of hopes, in some time, to suffer a neighbour Yahoo in my
company, without the apprehensions I am yet under of his teeth or his claws.
My
reconcilement to the Yahoo kind in general might not be so difficult, if
they would be content with those vices and follies only which nature has
entitled them to. I am not in the least provoked at the sight of a
lawyer, a pickpocket, a colonel, a fool, a lord, a gamester, a politician, a
whoremonger, a physician, an evidence, a suborner, an attorney, a traitor, or
the like; this is all according to the due course of things: but when I behold
a lump of deformity and diseases, both in body and mind, smitten with pride, it
immediately breaks all the measures of my patience; neither shall I be ever
able to comprehend how such an animal, and such a vice, could tally
together. The wise and virtuous Houyhnhnms, who abound in all
excellences that can adorn a rational creature, have no name for this vice in
their language, which has no terms to express any thing that is evil, except
those whereby they describe the detestable qualities of their Yahoos,
among which they were not able to distinguish this of pride, for want of
thoroughly understanding human nature, as it shows itself in other countries
where that animal presides. But I, who had more experience, could plainly
observe some rudiments of it among the wild Yahoos.
But the Houyhnhnms,
who live under the government of reason, are no more proud of the good
qualities they possess, than I should be for not wanting a leg or an arm; which
no man in his wits would boast of, although he must be miserable without
them. I dwell the longer upon this subject from the desire I have to make
the society of an English Yahoo by any means not insupportable; and
therefore I here entreat those who have any tincture of this absurd vice, that
they will not presume to come in my sight.
The End
