Jonathan Swift

GULLIVER'S TRAVELS
Into Several Remote Nations Of The World
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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 (...)

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