uninhabited,
or abounded with wild beasts and serpents, and some few men, that were
neither less wild nor less cruel than the beasts themselves. But, as
they went farther, a new scene opened, all things grew milder, the air
less burning, the soil more verdant, and even the beasts were less wild:
and, at last, there were nations, towns, and cities, that had not only
mutual commerce among themselves and with their neighbours, but traded,
both by sea and land, to very remote countries. There they found the
conveniencies of seeing many countries on all hands, for no ship went any
voyage into which he and his companions were not very welcome. The first
vessels that they saw were flat-bottomed, their sails were made of reeds
and wicker, woven close together, only some were of leather; but,
afterwards, they found ships made with round keels and canvas sails, and
in all respects like our ships, and the seamen understood both astronomy
and navigation. He got wonderfully into their favour by showing them the
use of the needle, of which till then they were utterly ignorant. They
sailed before with great caution, and only in summer time; but now they
count all seasons alike, trusting wholly to the loadstone, in which they
are, perhaps, more secure than safe; so that there is reason to fear that
this discovery, which was thought would prove so much to their advantage,
may, by their imprudence, become an occasion of much mischief to them.
But it were too long to dwell on all that he told us he had observed in
every place, it would be too great a digression from our present purpose:
whatever is necessary to be told concerning those wise and prudent
institutions which he observed among civilised nations, may perhaps be
related by us on a more proper occasion. We asked him many questions
concerning all these things, to which he answered very willingly; we made
no inquiries after monsters, than which nothing is more common; for
everywhere one may hear of ravenous dogs and wolves, and cruel
men-eaters, but it is not so easy to find states that are well and wisely
governed.

As he told us of many things that were amiss in those new-discovered
countries, so he reckoned up not a few things, from which patterns might
be taken for correcting the errors of these nations among whom we live;
of which an account may be given, as I have already promised, at some
other time; for, at present, I intend only to relate those particulars
that he t