Ⅱ Gulliver was carried prisoner to the capital of Lilliput. At first he was kept prisoner, but he gained favor by his mild disposition, and finally had liberty granted him upon certain conditions. War breaking out between Lilliput and an adjoining empire, Gulliver had opportunity of being useful to his friends.
The empire of Blefuscu is an island situated to the north- northeast side of Lilliput, from which it is parted only by a channel of eight hundred yards wide.
I had not yet seen it, and, upon notice of an intendedinvasion, I avoided appearing on that side of the coast, for fear of being discovered by some of the enemy"s ships, who had received no intelligence of me, all intercourse between the two empires having been strictly forbidden during the war upon pain of death and an embargo1 laid by our emperor upon all vessels whatsoever.
I communicated to his majesty a project I had formed of seizing the enemy"s whole fleet; which, as our scouts assured us, lay at anchor in the harbor, ready to sail with the first fair wind. I consulted the most experienced seamen upon the depth of the channel, which they had often plumbed2, who told me that in the middle at high water it was seventy glum gluffs deep, which is about six feet of European measure; and the rest of it fifty glum gluffs at most.
I walked toward the northeast coast over against Blefuscu, and, lying down behind a hillock, I took out my small pocket perspective-glass and viewed the enemy"s fleet at anchor, consisting of about fifty men-of-war and a great number of transports. I then came back to my house and gave order-for which I had a warrant - for a great quantity of the strongest cable and bars of iron. The cable was about as thick as pack- thread, and the bars of the length and size of a knitting needle.
I trebled the cable to make it stronger, and for the same reason I twisted three of the iron bars together, bending the1Embargo: an order of government forbidding the departure of ships of commerce from certain ports.
2Plumbed: found out the depth; sounded.
extremities into a hook. Having thus fixed fifty hooks to as many cables, I went back to the northeast coast, and putting off my coat, shoes, and stockings, walked into the sea in my leathern jerkin, about half an hour before high water. I waded with what haste I could, and swam in the middle about thirty yards, till I felt ground.
I arrived to the fleet in less than half an hour. The enemy were so frightened when they saw me that they leaped out of their ships and swam to shore, where there could not be fewer than thirty thousand souls. I then took my tackling, and fastening a hook to the hole at the prow of each, I tied all the cords together at the end.
While I was thus employed the enemy discharged several thousand arrows, many of which stuck in my hands and face; and, besides the excessive smart, gave me much disturbance in my work. My greatest apprehension was for mine eyes, which I should have infallibly lost if I had not suddenly thought of an expedient1.
I kept, among other little necessaries, a pair of spectacles ina private pocket, which had escaped the emperor"s searchers. These I took out and fastened as strongly as I could upon my nose, and, thus armed, went on boldly with my work, in spite of the enemy"s arrows, many of which struck against the glasses of my spectacles, but without any other effect farther than a little to discompose them.
I had now fastened all the hooks, and taking the knot in my1 Expedient: means of overcoming a difficulty.
hand, began to pull; but not a ship would stir, for they were all too fast held by their anchors, so that the boldest part of my enterprise remained. I therefore let go the cord, and leaving the hooks fixed to the ships, I resolutely cut with my knife the cables that fastened the anchors, receiving above two hundred arrows in my face and hands. Then I took up the knotted end of the cables to which my hooks were tied, and with great ease drew fifty of the enemy"s largest men-of-war after me.
The Blefuscudians, who had not the least imagination of what I intended, were at first confounded with astonishment. They had seen me cut the cables and thought my design was only to let the ships run adrift, or fall foul on each other. But when they perceived the whole fleet moving in order, and saw me pulling at the end, they set up such a scream of grief and despair as it is almost impossible to describe or conceive.
"I came in a short time within hearing"
When I had got out of danger, I stopped awhile to pick out the arrows that stuck in my hands and face, and rubbed on some of the ointment that was given me at my first arrival, as I have formerly mentioned. I then took off my spectacles, and waiting about an hour, till the tide was a little fallen, I waded through the middle with my cargo, and arrived safe at the royal port of Lilliput.
The emperor and his whole court stood on the shore, expecting the issue of this great adventure. They saw the ships move forward in a large half moon, but could not discern me who was up to my breast in water. When I advanced to the middle of the channel, they were yet more in pain, because I was under water to my neck. The emperor concluded me to be drowned and that the enemy"s fleet was approaching in a hostile1 manner.
But he was soon eased of his fears; for the channel growingshallower every step I made, I came in a short time within hearing, and holding up the end of the cable by which the fleet was fastened, I cried in a loud voice, "Long live the most puissant2 Emperor of Lilliput!" This great prince received me at my landing with all possible encomiums3 and created me a nardac upon the spot, which is the highest title of honor among them.
1 Hostile: warlike; unfriendly. 2 Puissant: powerful.
3 Encomiums: high praise; strong commendation.
