called Sphinx, and was one of the most
tremendous though magnificent figures I ever beheld. She was harnessed
with superb trappings to a large flat-bottomed boat, in which was placed
an edifice of wood, exactly resembling Westminster Hall. Two balloons
were placed over it, tackled by a number of ropes to the boat, to keep
up a proper equilibrium, and prevent it from overturning, or filling,
from the prodigious weight of the fabric.

The interior of the edifice was decorated with seats, in the form of
an amphitheatre, and crammed as full as it could hold with ladies and
lords, as a council and retinue for your humble servant. Nearly in the
centre was a seat elegantly decorated for myself, and on either side of
me were placed the famous Gog and Magog in all their pomp.

The Lord Viscount Gosamer being our postillion, we floated gallantly
down the river, the noble Sphinx gambolling like the huge leviathan, and
towing after her the boat and balloons.

Thus we advanced, sailing gently, into the open sea; being calm weather,
we could scarcely feel the motion of the vehicle, and passed our time
in grand debate upon the glorious intention of our voyage, and the
discoveries that would result.

"I am of opinion," said my noble friend, Hilaro Frosticos, "that Africa
was originally inhabited for the greater part, or, I may say, subjugated
by lions which, next to man, seem to be the most dreaded of all mortal
tyrants. The country in general--at least, what we have been hitherto
able to discover, seems rather inimical to human life; the intolerable
dryness of the place, the burning sands that overwhelm whole armies
and cities in general ruin, and the hideous life many roving hordes are
compelled to lead, incline me to think, that if ever we form any great
settlements therein, it will become the grave of our countrymen. Yet it
is nearer to us than the East Indies, and I cannot but imagine, that in
many places every production of China, and of the East and West Indies,
would flourish, if properly attended to. And as the country is so
prodigiously extensive and unknown, what a source of discovery must not
it contain! In fact, we know less about the interior of Africa than we
do of the moon; for in this latter we measure the very prominences,
and observe the varieties and inequalities of the surface through our
glasses--

"Forests and mountains on her spotted orb.

"But we see nothing in the interior of Africa, but what some compi