 are
lamed by any Accident. And therefore when the dying Houyhnhnms return those
Visits, they take a solemn Leave of their Friends, as if they were going to some
remote Part of the Country, where they designed to pass the rest of their Lives.
    I know not whether it may be worth observing, that the Houyhnhnms have no
Word in their Language to express any thing that is evil, except what they
borrow from the Deformities or ill Qualities of the Yahoos. Thus they denote the
Folly of a Servant, an Omission of a Child, a Stone that cuts their Feet, a
Continuance of foul or unseasonable Weather, and the like, by adding to each the
Epithet of Yahoo. For Instance, Hhnm Yahoo, Whnaholm Yahoo, Ynlhmnawihlma Yahoo,
and an ill contrived House, Ynholmhnmrohlnw Yahoo.
    I could with great Pleasure enlarge farther upon the Manners and Virtues of
this excellent People; but intending in a short time to publish a Volume by
itself expressly upon that Subject, I refer the Reader thither. And in the mean
time, proceed to relate my own sad Catastrophe.
 

                                    Chap. X.

The Author's Oeconomy and happy Life among the Houyhnhnms. His great Improvement
in Virtue, by conversing with them. Their Conversations. The Author hath Notice
given him by his Master that he must depart from the Country. He falls into a
Swoon for Grief, but submits. He contrives and finishes a Canoo, by the Help of
a fellow-Servant, and puts to Sea at a Venture.
 
I had settled my little Oeconomy to my own Heart's Content. My Master had
ordered a Room to be made for me after their Manner, about six Yards from the
House; the Sides and Floors of which I plaistered with Clay, and covered with
Rush-mats of my own contriving: I had beaten Hemp, which there grows wild, and
made of it a Sort of Ticking: This I filled with the Feathers of several Birds I
had taken with Springes made of Yahoos Hairs; and were excellent Food. I had
worked two Chairs with my Knife, the Sorrel Nag helping me in the grosser and
more laborious Part. When my Cloaths were worn to Rags, I made my self others
with the Skins of Rabbets, and of a certain beautiful Animal about the same
Size, called Nnuhnoh, the Skin of which is covered with a fine Down. Of these I
likewise made very tolerable Stockings. I soaled my Shoes with Wood which I cut
from a Tree, and fitted to the upper Leather, and when this was worn out, I
supplied it with the Skins of
