se and throat, and their
language approaches nearest to the High-Dutch, or German, of any I know
in Europe; but is much more graceful and significant. The emperor
Charles V. made almost the same observation, when he said "that if he
were to speak to his horse, it should be in High-Dutch."

The curiosity and impatience of my master were so great, that he spent
many hours of his leisure to instruct me. He was convinced (as he
afterwards told me) that I must be a _Yahoo_; but my teachableness,
civility, and cleanliness, astonished him; which were qualities
altogether opposite to those animals. He was most perplexed about my
clothes, reasoning sometimes with himself, whether they were a part of my
body: for I never pulled them off till the family were asleep, and got
them on before they waked in the morning. My master was eager to learn
"whence I came; how I acquired those appearances of reason, which I
discovered in all my actions; and to know my story from my own mouth,
which he hoped he should soon do by the great proficiency I made in
learning and pronouncing their words and sentences." To help my memory,
I formed all I learned into the English alphabet, and writ the words
down, with the translations. This last, after some time, I ventured to
do in my master's presence. It cost me much trouble to explain to him
what I was doing; for the inhabitants have not the least idea of books or
literature.

In about ten weeks time, I was able to understand most of his questions;
and in three months, could give him some tolerable answers. He was
extremely curious to know "from what part of the country I came, and how
I was taught to imitate a rational creature; because the _Yahoos_ (whom
he saw I exactly resembled in my head, hands, and face, that were only
visible), with some appearance of cunning, and the strongest disposition
to mischief, were observed to be the most unteachable of all brutes." I
answered, "that I came over the sea, from a far place, with many others
of my own kind, in a great hollow vessel made of the bodies of trees:
that my companions forced me to land on this coast, and then left me to
shift for myself." It was with some difficulty, and by the help of many
signs, that I brought him to understand me. He replied, "that I must
needs be mistaken, or that I said the thing which was not;" for they have
no word in their language to express lying or falsehood. "He knew it was
impossible that there could