186 GULLIVER’S TRAVELS.

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
convenience 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 just over my head like the clap-
ping 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 ona
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 puarry at a great dis- |
tance, 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 sign 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