 de Cachet. There I remained for some months,
deprived of all intercourse with rational creatures; a circumstance for which I
was not sorry, as I had the more time to project schemes of revenge against the
tyrant who confined me, and the wretch who had betrayed my private conversation:
but tired, at length, with these fruitless suggestions, I was fain to unbend the
severity of my thoughts by a correspondence with some industrious spiders, who
had hung my dungeon with their ingenious labours.
    I considered their work with such attention, that I soon became an adept in
the mystery of weaving, and furnished myself with as many useful observations
and reflections on that art, as will compose a very curious treatise, which I
intend to bequeath to the Royal Society, for the benefit of our woolen
manufacture; and this with a view to perpetuate my own name, rather than
befriend my country: for, thank heaven! I am weaned from all attachments of that
kind, and look upon myself as one very little obliged to any society whatsoever.
Although I presided with absolute power over this long-legg'd community, and
distributed rewards and punishments to each, according to his deserts, I grew
impatient of my situation; and my natural disposition, one day, prevailing, like
a fire which had long been smothered, I wreaked the fury of my indignation upon
my innocent subjects, and in a twinkling destroyed the whole race. While I was
employed in this general massacre, the turnkey, who brought me food, opening the
door, and perceiving my transport, shrugged up his shoulders, and leaving my
allowance, went out, pronouncing, Le pauvre diable! la tête lui tourne. My
passion no sooner subsided than I resolved to profit by this opinion of the
jailor, and from that day counterfeited lunacy with such success, that in less
than three months I was delivered from the bastile, and sent to the gallies, in
which they thought my bodily vigour might be of service, although the faculties
of my mind were decayed. Before I was chained to the oar, I received three
hundred stripes by way of welcome, that I might thereby be rendered more
tractable, notwithstanding I used all the arguments in my power to persuade
them, I was only mad north, north west, and when the wind was southerly, knew a
hawk from a hand-saw.
    In our second cruize we had the good fortune to be overtaken by a tempest,
during which the slaves were unbound, that they might contribute the more to the
preservation of the galley, and have a chance for their lives
