 by Arguments of mine, a miserable Yahoo; and therefore after
presenting him with my humble Thanks for the Offer of his Servants Assistance in
making a Vessel, and desiring a reasonable Time for so difficult a Work, I told
him, I would endeavour to preserve a wretched Being; and, if ever I returned to
England, was not without Hopes of being useful to my own Species, by celebrating
the Praises of the renowned Houyhnhnms, and proposing their Virtues to the
Imitation of Mankind.
    My Master in a few Words made me a very gracious Reply, allowed me the Space
of two Months to finish my Boat; and ordered the Sorrel Nag, my Fellow-Servant,
(for so at this Distance I may presume to call him) to follow my Instructions,
because I told my Master, that his Help would be sufficient, and I knew he had a
Tenderness for me.
    In his Company my first Business was to go to that Part of the Coast, where
my rebellious Crew had ordered me to be set on Shore. I got upon a Height, and
looking on every Side into the Sea, fancied I saw a small Island, towards the
North-East: I took out my Pocket-glass, and could then clearly distinguish it
about five Leagues off, as I computed; but it appeared to the Sorrel Nag to be
only a blue Cloud: For, as he had no Conception of any Country beside his own,
so he could not be as expert in distinguishing remote Objects at Sea, as we who
so much converse in that Element.
    After I had discovered this Island, I considered no farther; but resolved,
it should, if possible, be the first Place of my Banishment, leaving the
Consequence to Fortune.
    I returned home, and consulting with the Sorrel Nag, we went into a Copse at
some Distance, where I with my Knife, and he with a sharp Flint fastened very
artificially, after their Manner, to a wooden Handle, cut down several Oak
Wattles about the Thickness of a Walking-staff, and some larger Pieces. But I
shall not trouble the Reader with a particular Description of my own Mechanicks:
Let it suffice to say, that in six Weeks time, with the Help of the Sorrel Nag,
who performed the Parts that required most Labour, I finished a Sort of Indian
Canoo, but much larger, covering it with the Skins of Yahoos, well stitched
together, with hempen Threads of my own making. My Sail was likewise composed of
the Skins of the same Animal; but I made use of the youngest I
