advance-guard of a Lilliputian army, which was seen advancing towards us
in battle array. Their forms were singularly grotesque: some were
striding across the path, others standing with their arms a-kimbo; some
hanging down their heads, others quite erect; some standing on one leg,
others on two; and one, strange to say, on three; another had his arms
crossed, and one was remarkably crooked; some were very slender, and
others as broad as they were long. But, notwithstanding this diversity
of figure, when they were all marshalled in line of battle, they had a
very orderly and regular appearance. Feeling disconcerted by their
numbers, we were presently for sounding a retreat; but, being urged
forward by our guide, we soon mastered the three who led the van, and
this gave us spirit to encounter the main army, who were conquered to a
man before we left the field. We had scarcely taken breath after this
victory, when, to our no small dismay, we descried a strong
reinforcement of the enemy, stationed on the opposite side. These were
exactly equal in number to the former army, but vastly superior in size
and stature; they were, in fact, a race of giants, though of the same
species with the others, and were capitally accoutred for the onset.
Their appearance discouraged us greatly at first, but we found their
strength was not proportioned to their size; and, having acquired much
skill and courage by the late engagement, we soon succeeded in subduing
them, and passed off the field in triumph. After this we were
perpetually engaged with small bands of the enemy, no longer extended in
line of battle, but in small detachments of two, three, and four in
company. We had some tough work here, and now and then they were too
many for us. Having annoyed us thus for a time, they began to form
themselves into close columns, six or eight abreast; but we had now
attained so much address, that we no longer found them formidable.

After continuing this route for a considerable way, the face of the
country suddenly changed, and we began to enter upon a vast succession
of snowy plains, where we were each furnished with a certain light
weapon, peculiar to the country, which we flourished continually, and
with which we made many light strokes, and some desperate ones. The
waters hereabouts were dark and brackish, and the snowy surface of the
plain was often defaced by them. Probably, we were now on the borders of
the Black Sea. These plains we tra