y clear, and the sun so hot, that I was
forced to turn my face from it: when all on a sudden it became obscure,
as I thought, in a manner very different from what happens by the
interposition of a cloud. I turned back, and perceived a vast opaque
body between me and the sun moving forwards towards the island: it seemed
to be about two miles high, and hid the sun six or seven minutes; but I
did not observe the air to be much colder, or the sky more darkened, than
if I had stood under the shade of a mountain. As it approached nearer
over the place where I was, it appeared to be a firm substance, the
bottom flat, smooth, and shining very bright, from the reflection of the
sea below. I stood upon a height about two hundred yards from the shore,
and saw this vast body descending almost to a parallel with me, at less
than an English mile distance. I took out my pocket perspective, and
could plainly discover numbers of people moving up and down the sides of
it, which appeared to be sloping; but what those people where doing I was
not able to distinguish.

The natural love of life gave me some inward motion of joy, and I was
ready to entertain a hope that this adventure might, some way or other,
help to deliver me from the desolate place and condition I was in. But
at the same time the reader can hardly conceive my astonishment, to
behold an island in the air, inhabited by men, who were able (as it
should seem) to raise or sink, or put it into progressive motion, as they
pleased. But not being at that time in a disposition to philosophise
upon this phenomenon, I rather chose to observe what course the island
would take, because it seemed for awhile to stand still. Yet soon after,
it advanced nearer, and I could see the sides of it encompassed with
several gradations of galleries, and stairs, at certain intervals, to
descend from one to the other. In the lowest gallery, I beheld some
people fishing with long angling rods, and others looking on. I waved my
cap (for my hat was long since worn out) and my handkerchief toward the
island; and upon its nearer approach, I called and shouted with the
utmost strength of my voice; and then looking circumspectly, I beheld a
crowd gather to that side which was most in my view. I found by their
pointing towards me and to each other, that they plainly discovered me,
although they made no return to my shouting. But I could see four or
five men running in great haste, up the stairs, t