ok leave of his highness, the
Governor of Glubbdubdrib, and returned with my two companions to
Maldonada, where, after a fortnight's waiting, a ship was ready to sail
for Luggnagg. The two gentlemen, and some others, were so generous and
kind as to furnish me with provisions, and see me on board. I was a
month in this voyage. We had one violent storm, and were under a
necessity of steering westward to get into the trade wind, which holds
for above sixty leagues. On the 21st of April, 1708, we sailed into the
river of Clumegnig, which is a seaport town, at the south-east point of
Luggnagg. We cast anchor within a league of the town, and made a signal
for a pilot. Two of them came on board in less than half an hour, by
whom we were guided between certain shoals and rocks, which are very
dangerous in the passage, to a large basin, where a fleet may ride in
safety within a cable's length of the town-wall.

Some of our sailors, whether out of treachery or inadvertence, had
informed the pilots "that I was a stranger, and great traveller;" whereof
these gave notice to a custom-house 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, especially by seamen and those employed in the customs. I
gave him a short account of some particulars, and made my story as
plausible and consistent as I could; but I thought it necessary to
disguise my country, and call myself a Hollander; because my intentions
were for Japan, and I knew the Dutch were the only Europeans permitted to
enter into that kingdom. I therefore told the officer, "that having been
shipwrecked on the coast of Balnibarbi, and cast on a rock, I was
received up into Laputa, or the flying island (of which he had often
heard), and was now endeavouring to get to Japan, whence I might find a
convenience of returning to my own country." The officer said, "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 lodging with a sentry 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 several persons, chiefly out of curiosity, because it was
reported that I came from countries very remote, of w