ll countries where they
preside, and, consequently, their disposition of suspecting truth in
others of their own species. I asked him, "whether it were the custom in
his country to say the thing which was not?" I assured him, "I had
almost forgot what he meant by falsehood, and if I had lived a thousand
years in _Houyhnhnmland_, I should never have heard a lie from the
meanest servant; that I was altogether indifferent whether he believed me
or not; but, however, in return for his favours, I would give so much
allowance to the corruption of his nature, as to answer any objection he
would please to make, and then he might easily discover the truth."

The captain, a wise man, after many endeavours to catch me tripping in
some part of my story, at last began to have a better opinion of my
veracity. But he added, "that since I professed so inviolable an
attachment to truth, I must give him my word and honour to bear him
company in this voyage, without attempting any thing against my life; or
else he would continue me a prisoner till we arrived at Lisbon." I gave
him the promise he required; but at the same time protested, "that I
would suffer the greatest hardships, rather than return to live among
_Yahoos_."

Our voyage passed without any considerable accident. In gratitude to the
captain, I sometimes sat with him, at his earnest request, and strove to
conceal my antipathy against human kind, although it often broke out;
which he suffered to pass without observation. But the greatest part of
the day I confined myself to my cabin, to avoid seeing any of the crew.
The captain had often entreated me to strip myself of my savage dress,
and offered to lend me the best suit of clothes he had. This I would not
be prevailed on to accept, abhorring to cover myself with any thing that
had been on the back of a _Yahoo_. I only desired he would lend me two
clean shirts, which, having been washed since he wore them, I believed
would not so much defile me. These I changed every second day, and
washed them myself.

We arrived at Lisbon, Nov. 5, 1715. At our landing, the captain forced
me to cover myself with his cloak, to prevent the rabble from crowding
about me. I was conveyed to his own house; and at my earnest request he
led me up to the highest room backwards. I conjured him "to conceal from
all persons what I had told him of the _Houyhnhnms_; because the least
hint of such a story would not only draw numbers of people