t, if I had not suddenly thought of an expedient. I kept, among other
little necessaries, a pair of spectacles in a private pocket, which, as I
observed before, 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,
further than a little to discompose them. I had now fastened all the
hooks, and, taking the knot in my 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 looks fixed to the ships, I resolutely cut with my knife the
cables that fastened the anchors, receiving about two hundred shots 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.
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 same 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 hostile manner:
but he was soon eased of his fears; for the channel growing shallower
every step I made, I came in a short time within hearing, and holding up
the end of the cable, by which the