“From the left fob he took out a net, almost large enough for a fisherman, but contrived to open and shut like a purse, and served him for the same use:  we found therein several massy pieces of yellow metal, which, if they be real gold, must be of immense value.

“Having thus, in obedience to your majesty’s commands, diligently searched all his pockets, we observed a girdle about his waist, made of the hide of some prodigious animal, from which, on the left side, hung a sword of the length of five men; and on the right, a bag or pouch divided into two cells, each cell capable of holding three of your majesty’s subjects.  In one of these cells were several globes or balls, of a most ponderous metal, about the bigness of our heads, and required a strong hand to lift them; the other cell contained a heap of certain black grains, but of no great bulk or weight, for we could hold above fifty of them in the palms of our hands.

“This is an exact inventory of what we found about the body of the man-mountain, who used us with great civility, and due respect to your majesty’s commission.  Signed and sealed on the fourth day of the eighty-ninth moon of your majesty’s auspicious reign.

[Illustration:  GULLIVER AND THE PISTOL]

“CLEFREN FRELOCK, MARSI FRELOCK.”

When this inventory was read over to the emperor he directed me, although in very gentle terms, to deliver up the several particulars.  He first called for my scimitar, which I took out, scabbard and all.  In the meantime he ordered three thousand of his choicest troops (who then attended him) to surround me at a distance, with their bows and arrows just ready to discharge; but I did not observe it, for mine eyes were wholly fixed upon his majesty.  He then desired me to draw my scimitar, which, although it had got some rust by the sea-water, was in most parts exceeding bright.  I did so, and immediately all the troops gave a shout between terror and surprise:  for the sun shone clear, and the reflection dazzled their eyes, as I waved the scimitar to and fro in my hand.  His majesty, who is a most magnanimous prince, was less daunted than I could expect:  he ordered me to return it into the scabbard, and cast it on, the ground as gently as I could, about six foot from the end of my chain.

The next thing he demanded was one of the hollow iron pillars:  by which he meant my pocket pistols.  I drew it out, and at his desire, as well as I could, expressed to him the use of it; and charging it only with powder, which, by the closeness of my pouch, happened to escape wetting in the sea (an inconvenience against which all prudent mariners take special care to provide), I first cautioned the emperor not to be afraid, and then I let it off in the air.  The astonishment here was much greater than at the sight of my scimitar.  Hundreds fell down as if they had been struck dead; and even the emperor, although he stood his ground, could not recover himself in time.  I delivered up both my pistols in the same manner as I had done my scimitar, and then my pouch of powder and bullets; begging him that the former might be kept from the fire, for it would kindle with the smallest spark, and blow up his imperial palace into the air.