ny prodigious birds in the air, about the time he first
discovered me." To which he answered, "that discoursing this matter with
the sailors while I was asleep, one of them said, he had observed three
eagles flying towards the north, but remarked nothing of their being
larger than the usual size:" which I suppose must be imputed to the great
height they were at; and he could not guess the reason of my question. I
then asked the captain, "how far he reckoned we might be from land?" He
said, "by the best computation he could make, we were at least a hundred
leagues." I assured him, "that he must be mistaken by almost half, for I
had not left the country whence I came above two hours before I dropped
into the sea." Whereupon he began again to think that my brain was
disturbed, of which he gave me a hint, and advised me to go to bed in a
cabin he had provided. I assured him, "I was well refreshed with his
good entertainment and company, and as much in my senses as ever I was in
my life." He then grew serious, and desired to ask me freely, "whether I
were not troubled in my mind by the consciousness of some enormous crime,
for which I was punished, at the command of some prince, by exposing me
in that chest; as great criminals, in other countries, have been forced
to sea in a leaky vessel, without provisions: for although he should be
sorry to have taken so ill a man into his ship, yet he would engage his
word to set me safe ashore, in the first port where we arrived." He
added, "that his suspicions were much increased by some very absurd
speeches I had delivered at first to his sailors, and afterwards to
himself, in relation to my closet or chest, as well as by my odd looks
and behaviour while I was at supper."

I begged his patience to hear me tell my story, which I faithfully did,
from the last time I left England, to the moment he first discovered me.
And, as truth always forces its way into rational minds, so this honest
worthy gentleman, who had some tincture of learning, and very good sense,
was immediately convinced of my candour and veracity. But further to
confirm all I had said, I entreated him to give order that my cabinet
should be brought, of which I had the key in my pocket; for he had
already informed me how the seamen disposed of my closet. I opened it in
his own presence, and showed him the small collection of rarities I made
in the country from which I had been so strangely delivered. There was
t