ull upon the ring which
was fastened at the top of my box for the conveniency of carriage. I
felt my box raised very high in the air, and then borne forward with
prodigious speed. The first jolt had like to have shaken me out of my
hammock, but afterwards the motion was easy enough. I called out
several times as loud as I could raise my voice, but all to no
purpose. I looked towards my windows, and could see nothing but the
clouds and sky. I heard a noise over my head, like the clapping of
wings, and then began to perceive the woeful condition I was in: that
some eagle had got the ring of my box in his beak, with an intent to
let it fall on a rock, like a tortoise in a shell, and then pick out
my body, and devour it; for the sagacity and smell of this bird enable
him to discover his quarry at a great distance, though better
concealed than I could be within a two-inch board. In a little time, I
observed the noise and flutter of wings to increase very fast, and my
box was tossed up and down like a signpost in a windy day. I heard
several bangs or buffets, as I thought, given to the eagle (for such I
am certain it must have been that held the ring of my box in his
beak), and then all on a sudden felt myself falling perpendicularly
down, for above a minute, but with such incredible swiftness that I
almost lost my breath. My fall was stopped by a terrible squash, that
sounded louder to my ears than the cataract of Niagara; after which I
was quite in the dark for another minute; and then my box began to
rise so high that I could see light from the tops of the windows. I
now perceived that I was fallen into the sea. My box, by the weight of
my body, the goods that were in, and the broad plates of iron fixed
for strength at the four corners of the top and bottom, floated above
five feet deep in water. I did then and do now suppose, that the eagle
which flew away with my box was pursued by two or three others, and
forced to let me drop, while he was defending himself against the
rest, who hoped to share in the prey. The plates of iron fastened at
the bottom of the box (for those were the strongest) preserved the
balance while it fell, and hindered it from being broken on the
surface of the water. Every joint of it was well grooved; and the door
did not move on hinges, but up and down like a sash, which kept my
closet so tight that very little water came in. I got with much
difficulty out of my hammock, having first ventured to dr