The Elson Readers.. by William Harris Elson

Author:William Harris Elson
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: Scott, Foresman and Co.
Published: 1920-03-25T05:00:00+00:00

GULLIVER'S TRAVELS"

Jonathan Swift gullivbb sails fob the south sea and is shipwbeckbd

My name is Lemuel Gulliver, and my home is in Nottinghamshire. I went to college at Cambridge, where I studied hard, for I knew my father was not rich enough to keep me when I ^ould become a man, and that I must

B be able to earn my own living.

I decided to be a doctor, but as I had always longed to travel, I learned to' be a good sailor as well. When I had succeeded in becoming both doctor and sailor, I married, and with my wife's consent I became surgeon upon a

10 ship and made many voyages. One of these voyages was with Captain Prichard, master of a vessel called the Antelope, bound for the South Sea. We set sail from Bristol and started upon our journey very fairly, until there came a violent storm that drove our ship near an island called

15 Van Diemen's Land. The Antelope was driven against a rock, which wrecked and split the vessel in half.

* See 8uggeBtlons tor Sileat Readlog. page 1S3.

Six of the sailors and myself let down one of the small boats, and, getting into it, rowed away from the ruined vessel and the dangerous rock. We rowed until we were so tired we could no longer hold the oars; then we were fi obliged to allow our boat to go as the waves carried it. Suddenly there came another violent gust of wind from the north, and our small boat was at once overturned. I do not know what became of my unfortunate companions, but I fear all must have been drowned. I was a good

10 swimmer, and I swam for my life. I went the best way I could, pushed forward by wind and tide. Sometimes I let my legs drop to see if my feet touched the bottom, and when I was almost overcome and fainting, I found to my great joy that I was out of the deep water and able to

15 walk.

By this time the storm was over. I walked about a mile, until I reached the shore, and when I stood upon land I could not see a sign of any houses or people. I felt very weak and tired; so I lay down upon the grass,

20 which was very short and soft, and soon fell into a sound sleep.

I must have slept all that night, for when I awoke, it was bright daylight. I tried to rise, but found I was not able even to move. I had been lying upon my back, and I

25 found my arms and legs were strongly fastened on each side to the ground; and that my hair, which was long and thick, was also tied to the ground. I felt several slender threads over my body. Fastened in this way, I could only look upwards, and, as the sun came out and shone in my

30 eyes, this was very uncomfortable. I heard a queer noise about me, but could see nothing except the sky.

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