[Illustration:  “SOMEBODY CALLING ...  IN THE ENGLISH TONGUE.”  P. 99.]

The sailors were all in amazement, and asked me a thousand questions, which I had no inclination to answer.  I was equally confounded at the sight of so many pygmies, for such I took them to be, after having so long accustomed mine eyes to the monstrous objects I had left.  But the captain, Mr. Thomas Wilcocks, an honest, worthy Shropshire man, observing I was ready to faint, took me into his cabin, gave me a cordial to comfort me, and made me turn in upon his own bed, advising me to take a little rest, of which I had great need.  Before I went to sleep, I gave him to understand that I had some valuable furniture in my box, too good to be lost; a fine hammock, a handsome two chairs, a table, and a cabinet.  That my closet was hung on all sides, or rather quilted, with silk and cotton:  that if he would let one of the crew bring my closet into his cabin, I would open it there before him, and show him my goods.  The captain, hearing me utter these absurdities, concluded I was raving:  however (I suppose to pacify me), he promised to give orders as I desired, and going upon deck, sent some of his men down into my closet, from whence (as I afterwards found) they drew up all my goods, and stripped off the quilting; but the chairs, cabinet, and bedstead, being screwed to the floor, were much damaged by the ignorance of the seamen, who tore them up by force.  Then they knocked off some of the boards for the use of the ship, and when they had got all they had a mind for, let the hull drop into the sea, which, by reason of so many breaches made in the bottom and sides, sunk to rights.[88] And indeed I was glad not to have been a spectator of the havoc they made; because I am confident it would have sensibly touched me, by bringing former passages into my mind, which I had rather forgotten.

I slept some hours, but was perpetually disturbed with dreams of the place I had left, and the dangers I had escaped.  However, upon waking, I found myself much recovered.  It was now about eight o’clock at night, and the captain ordered supper immediately, thinking I had already fasted too long.  He entertained me with great kindness, observing me not to look wildly, or talk inconsistently; and when we were left alone, desired I would give him a relation of my travels, and by what accident I came to be set adrift in that monstrous wooden chest.

He said that about twelve o’clock at noon, as he was looking through his glass, he spied it at a distance, and thought it was a sail, which he had a mind to make[89], being not much out of his course, in hopes of buying some biscuit, his own beginning to fall short.  That upon coming nearer and finding his error, he sent out his long-boat to discover what it was; that his men came back in a fright, swearing they had seen a swimming-house.  That he laughed at their folly, and went himself in the boat, ordering his men to take a strong cable along with them.