Part-3
Chapter-1
Hardly had I been at home for ten days when Captain William Robinson, a Cornish man, came to my house. He invited me to be the surgeon of a ship. He was a very honest man, and I could not reject his proposal. My thirst for travelling across new worlds was so immense that even my past misfortunes could not stop me.
We set out on 5th August, 1706, and arrived at Fort St. George on 11th April, 1707. Hardly had we sailed for about three days when a great storm arose and we were driven to the north-north-east, and then to the east. Afterwards, the weather was normal. On the tenth day, we were chased by two pirates. There was a Dutchman between the two. He seemed to be a person of high authority, though he was not the commander of either ship. He came to know by our countenances that we were Englishmen. He spoke in his own language, and said that we should be tied back to back and thrown into the sea. I could speak Dutch quite well; hence I told him who we were. I begged and said, “Both of us, taking into consideration that we are Christians, please request your captains to take some pity on us.”
Thereupon, he grew furious and he repeated his threatening. The larger of the two pirate ships was commanded by a Japanese captain, who could speak Dutch, but not very perfectly. He came up to me, and asked me several questions, to which I answered very humbly. At the end, he said, “You will not die.”
The other sailors on our ship were equally divided between the pirate ships. As for myself, it was determined that I should be set free in a small canoe, with paddles and a sail, and food for four days.
I got down into the canoe, but the Dutchman, standing upon the check, continued to curse me in his language.
When I was at some distance away from the pirates, I saw several islands to the south-east with the help of my pocket-glass. I took the canoe to the coast and got out. I walked for a while among the rocks. The sky was perfectly clear, and the sun was shining very brightly. All of a sudden, it became vague, but it was totally different by the interposition of a cloud. I turned back, and observed that a vast opaque body was moving towards the island. It seemed to be about two miles high, and hid the sun for about six or seven minutes. As it came nearer over the place where I was, it appeared to be a firm substance. The bottom was flat, smooth, and shining very bright as I could see from the reflection of the sea below. I stood upon a height about two hundred yards from the shore, and could see that vast body descending almost parallel to me. I once again took out my pocket glasses and discovered a number of people moving up and down its side, which appeared to be sloping. I was not at all able to guess what it was and how it was moving. I rather decided to observe which way the island would move.
For some time, it seemed that the island came to a standstill. Soon after, it advanced nearer, and I could see the sides of it encompassed with several gradations of galleries and stairs at certain intervals. In the lowest gallery, I beheld some people fishing with long angling rods, and others looking on. I waved my cap and my handkerchief towards the island. As it approached a little closer, I called and shouted with all the strength of my voice.
Within half an hour, the island was moved and raised in such manner that the lowest gallery was at a distance of less than a hundred yards from the height where I stood. Finally, one of them called out in a clear and polite voice. I understood that he spoke in Italian and, therefore, I returned an answer in that language. They made signs for me to come down from the rock, and move towards the shore. Accordingly, I did what they said. I did not understand how the flying island was made to rise to a convenient height. The edge of the island was directly over me. Then they lowered a chain from the lowest gallery, with a seat fastened to the bottom. I fixed myself on the seat with the help of the chains, and gradually they pulled me with the help of pulleys.
