the page that I had a mind to take a nap in my hammock,
which I hoped would do me good. I got in, and
the boy shut the window close down to keep out the
cold. I soon fell asleep, and all I can conjecture
is, that while I slept, the page, thinking no danger
could happen, went among the rocks to look for birds’
eggs, having before observed him from my window searching
about, and picking up one or two in the clefts.
Be that as it will, I found myself suddenly awakened
with a violent pull upon the ring which was fastened
at the top of my box for the conveniency of carriage.
I felt my box raised very high in the air, and then
borne forward with prodigious speed. The first
jolt had like to have shaken me out of my hammock,
but afterwards the motion was easy enough. I called
out several times as loud as I could raise my voice,
but all to no purpose. I looked towards my windows,
and could see nothing but the clouds and sky.
I heard a noise over my head, like the clapping of
wings, and then began to perceive the woeful condition
I was in: that some eagle had got the ring of
my box in his beak, with an intent to let it fall
on a rock, like a tortoise in a shell, and then pick
out my body, and devour it; for the sagacity and smell
of this bird enable him to discover his quarry at
a great distance, though better concealed than I could
be within a two-inch board. In a little time,
I observed the noise and flutter of wings to increase
very fast, and my box was tossed up and down like
a signpost in a windy day. I heard several bangs
or buffets, as I thought, given to the eagle (for such
I am certain it must have been that held the ring
of my box in his beak), and then all on a sudden felt
myself falling perpendicularly down, for above a minute,
but with such incredible swiftness that I almost lost
my breath. My fall was stopped by a terrible squash,
that sounded louder to my ears than the cataract of
Niagara; after which I was quite in the dark for another
minute; and then my box began to rise so high that
I could see light from the tops of the windows.
I now perceived that I was fallen into the sea.
My box, by the weight of my body, the goods that were
in, and the broad plates of iron fixed for strength
at the four corners of the top and bottom, floated
above five feet deep in water. I did then and
do now suppose, that the eagle which flew away with
my box was pursued by two or three others, and forced
to let me drop, while he was defending himself against
the rest, who hoped to share in the prey. The
plates of iron fastened at the bottom of the box (for
those were the strongest) preserved the balance while
it fell, and hindered it from being broken on the
surface of the water. Every joint of it was well
grooved; and the door did not move on hinges, but
up and down like a sash, which kept my closet so tight
that very little water came in. I got with much
difficulty out of my hammock, having first ventured
to draw back the slipboard on the roof already mentioned,
contrived on purpose to let in air, for want of which
I found myself almost stifled.