The author returns to Maldonada. Sails to the kingdom of Luggnagg. The author co fined. He is fent for to court. The manner of his admittance. The King's great lenity to his subjects.

THE

HE day of our departure being come, I took leave of his Highnefs, the governor of Glubdubdribb, and returned with my two companions to Maldonada, where after a fortnight's waiting, a fhip was ready to fail for Luggnagg. The two gentlemen, and fome others, were fo generous and kind as to furnish me with provifions, and fee me on board. I was a month in this voyage We had one violent ftorm, and were under a neceffity of fteering weftward to get into the trade wind, which holds for above fixty leagues. On the 21st of April, 1709, we failed into the river of Clumegnig, which is a fea-port town at the fouth-eaft point of Luggnagg. We caft anchor within a league of the town, and made a signal for a pilot. Two of them came on board in lefs than half an hour, by whom we were guided between certain fhoals and rocks, which are very dangerous in the paffage, to a large bafin, where a feet may ride in fafety within a cable's length of the town wall.

Some of our failors, whether out of treachery or inadvertence, had informed the pilots that I was a ftranger and a great traveller; whereof these gave notice to a cuftom houfe officer, by whom I was examined very strictly upon my landing. This officer spoke to me in the language of Balnibarbi, which by the force of much commerce is generally understood in that town, efpecially by feamen, and

thofe

thofe employed in the cuftoms. I gave him a fhort account of fome particulars, and made my story as plaufible and confiftent as I could; but I thought it neceffary to difguife my country, and call myfelf an Hollander, because my intentions were for Japan, and I knew the Dutch were the only Europe-ans permitted to enter into that kingdom. I therefore told the officer, that having been fhipwrecked on the coast of Balnibarbi, and caft on a rock, I was received up into Laputa, or the flying ifland, (of which he had often heard,) and was now endeavouring to get to Japan, from whence I might find a convenience of returning to my own country. The officer faid, I must be confined till he could receive orders from court, for which he would write immediately, and hoped to receive an answer in a fortnight. I was carried to a convenient lodg-ing with a centry placed at the door; however, I had the liberty of a large garden, and was treated with humanity enough, being maintained all the time at the King's charge.. I was invited by feveral i perfons, chiefly out of curiofity, becaufe it was re--ported that I came from countries very remote, of which they had never heard...

I hired a young man, who came in the fame fhip, to be an interpreter: he was a native of Luggnagg but had lived fome years at Maldonada, and was a perfect master of both languages. By his affiftance I was able to hold a converfation with those who came to vifit me; but this consisted only of their queftions and my anfwers.

The dispatch came from court about the time we expected. It contained a warrant for conducting. me and my retinue to Traldragdubh, or Trildrogdrib, for it is pronounced both ways, as near as I can remember, by a party of ten horfe. All my retinue was that poor lad for an interpreter, whom I perfuaded into my fervice, and at my humble requeft we had each of us a mule to ride on. A meffeng

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metenger was dispatched half a day's journey before us to give the King notice of my approach, and to defire that his Majefty would pleafe to appoint a day and hour, when it would be his gracious pleasure, that I might have the honour to lick the duft before his foot/tool. This is the court ftyle, and I found it to be more than matter of form. For, upon my admittance two days after my arrival, I was commanded to crawl upon my belly, and lick the floor as I advanced; but, on account of my being a stranger, care was taken to have it made fo clean, that the duft was not offenfive. However, this was a peculiar grace, not allowed to any but perfons of the highest rank, when they defire an admittance. Nay, fometimes the floor is ftrewed with dust on purpose, when the perfon to be admitted happens to have powerful enemies at court And I have feen a great lord with his mouth fo crammed, that, when he had crept to the proper distance from the throne, he was not able to fpeak a word. Neither is there any remedy; because it is capital for those who receive an audience, to spit or wipe their mouths in his Majefty's prefence. There is indeed another cuftom which I cannot altogether approve of; when the king hath a mind to put any of his nobles to death in a gentle, indulgent manner, he commands the floor to be ftrewed with a certain brown powder of a deadly compofition, which being licked up infallibly kills him in twentyfour hours. But, in juftice to this prince's great clemency, and the care he hath of his fubjects lives, (wherein it were much to be wished, that the monarchs of Europe would imitate him) it must be mentioned for his honour, that ftrict orders are given to have the infected parts of the floor well wathed after every fuch execution; which if his domeftics neglect, they are in danger of incurring his royal displeasure. I myself heard him give directions, that one of his pages fhould be whipt,

whofe

whofe turn it was to give notice about washing the floor after an execution, but maliciously had omitted it, by which neglect a young lord of great hopes coming to an audience was unfortunately poisoned, although the King at that time had no defign against his life. But this good prince was fo gracious as to forgive the poor page his whipping, upon promife that he would do fo no more without fpecial orders.

To return from this digreffion; when I had crept within four yards of the throne, I raised myfelf gently upon my knees, and then, ftriking my forehead feven times against the ground, I pronounced the following words, as they had been taught me the night before, Ikpling gloffthrobb fquut ferumm bihiop mlafonalt zwin tabalkuffh fliophad gurdlubh afbt. This is the compliment established by the laws of the land for all perfons admitted to the King's prefence. It may be rendered into Englifh thus: May your eceleftial Majefty outlive the fun, eleven moons and a half. To this the King returned fome answer, which although I could not underftand, yet I replied as I had been directed: Flute drin yalerick dwuldom praftrad mirpush, which properly fignifies, my tongue is in the mouth of my friend; and by this expreflion was meant, that I defired leave to bring my interpreter; whereupon the young, man already mentioned was accordingly introduced, by whofe intervention I answered as many queftions as his Majefty could put in above an hour. I fpoke in the Balnibarbian tongue, and my interpreter delivered my meaning in that of Laggnagg

The King was much delighted with my company, and ordered his Bliffmarklub, or high chamberlain, to appoint a lodging in the court for me and my interpreter, with a daily allowance for my table, and a large purfe of gold for my common expences.

I ftayed three months in this country out of perfect obedience to his Majefty, who was pleafed

highly to favour me, and made me very honourable offers. But I thought it more confiftent with prudence and justice to pafs the remainder of my days with my wife and family.

The Luggnuggians commended. A particular description of the Struldbrugs, with many converfations between the author aud fome eminent persons upon that fubject.

TH

HE. Luggnuggians are a polite and generous people; and although they are not without fome fhare of that pride, which is peculiar to all eaftern countries, yet they fhew themfelves courteous to ftrangers, especially fuch who are countenanced by the court. I had many acquaintance. among perfons of the best fashion, and being always attended by my interpreter; the converfation we had was not difagreeable.

One day, in much good company, I was afked by a perfon of quality, whether I had feen any of their Struldbrugs or immortals. I faid, I had not; and defired he would explain to me, what he meant by fuch an appellation applied to a mortal creature. *He told me, that fometimes, though very rarely, a child happened to be born in a family with a red circular

The defcription of the Struldbrugs is an inftructive piece of molity. For if we confider it in a serious light, it tends to reconcile us to our final diffolution. Death, when fet in contrast to the immortality of the Struldbrugs, is no longer the king of terrors: he lofes his fting; he appears to us as a friend, and we chearfully obey his fummons, because it brings certain relief to the greatest miferies. It is in this defcription, that Swift fhines in a particular mancer. He probably felt in himself the effects of approaching age, and tacitly

dreaded