our pumps could not keep us from sinking; it was, however, my good
fortune to discover it first. I found it a large hole about a foot
diameter; you will naturally suppose this circumstance gives me infinite
pleasure, when I inform you that this noble vessel was preserved, with
all its crew, by a most fortunate thought! in short, I sat down over
it, and could have dispensed with it had it been larger; nor will you
be surprised when I inform you I am descended from Dutch parents. [The
Baron’s ancestors have but lately settled there; in another part of his
adventures he boasts of royal blood.]
My situation, while I sat there, was rather cool, but the carpenter’s
art soon relieved me.
CHAPTER VIII
_Bathes in the Mediterranean – Meets an unexpected companion – Arrives
unintentionally in the regions of heat and darkness, from which he is
extricated by dancing a hornpipe – Frightens his deliverers, and returns
on shore._
I was once in great danger of being lost in a most singular manner in
the Mediterranean: I was bathing in that pleasant sea near Marseilles
one summer’s afternoon, when I discovered a very large fish, with his
jaws quite extended, approaching me with the greatest velocity; there
was no time to be lost, nor could I possibly avoid him. I immediately
reduced myself to as small a size as possible, by closing my feet and
placing my hands also near my sides, in which position I passed directly
between his jaws, and into his stomach, where I remained some time in
total darkness, and comfortably warm, as you may imagine; at last it
occurred to me, that by giving him pain he would be glad to get rid of
me: as I had plenty of room, I played my pranks, such as tumbling, hop,
step, and jump, &c., but nothing seemed to disturb him so much as the
quick motion of my feet in attempting to dance a hornpipe; soon after I
began he put me out by sudden fits and starts: I persevered; at last he
roared horridly, and stood up almost perpendicularly in the water, with
his head and shoulders exposed, by which he was discovered by the people
on board an Italian trader, then sailing by, who harpooned him in a few
minutes. As soon as he was brought on board I heard the crew consulting
how they should cut him up, so as to preserve the greatest quantity of
oil. As I understood Italian, I was in most dreadful apprehensions
lest their weapons employed in this business should destroy me also;
therefore I stood as near the centre as possible, for there was room
enough for a dozen men in this creature’s stomach, and I naturally
imagined they would begin with the extremities; however, my fears were
soon dispersed, for they began by opening the bottom of the belly. As
soon as I perceived a glimmering of light I called out lustily to be
released from a situation in which I was now almost suffocated. It is
impossible for me to do justice to the degree and kind of astonishment
which sat upon every countenance at hearing a human voice issue from a
fish, but more so at seeing a naked man walk upright out of his body;
in short, gentlemen, I told them the whole story, as I have done you,
whilst amazement struck them dumb.
After taking some refreshment, and jumping into the sea to cleanse
myself, I swam to my clothes, which lay where I had left them on the
shore. As near as I can calculate, I was near four hours and a half
confined in the stomach of this animal.
CHAPTER IX
_Adventures in Turkey, and upon the river Nile – Sees a balloon
over Constantinople; shoots at, and brings it down; finds a French
experimental philosopher suspended from it – Goes on an embassy to Grand
Cairo, and returns upon the Nile, where he is thrown into an unexpected
situation, and detained six weeks._
When I was in the service of the Turks I frequently amused myself in a
pleasure-barge on the Marmora, which commands a view of the whole city
of Constantinople, including the Grand Seignior’s Seraglio. One morning,
as I was admiring the beauty and serenity of the sky, I observed a
globular substance in the air, which appeared to be about the size of a
twelve-inch globe, with somewhat suspended from it. I immediately took
up my largest and longest barrel fowling-piece, which I never travel or
make even an excursion without, if I can help it; I charged with a ball,
and fired at the globe, but to no purpose, the object being at too great
a distance. I then put in a double quantity of powder, and five or six
balls: this second attempt succeeded; all the balls took effect, and
tore one side open, and brought it down. Judge my surprise when a most
elegant gilt car, with a man in it, and part of a sheep which seemed to
have been roasted, fell within two yards of me. When my astonishment
had
