t is the same instinct,
which leads certain species of birds on our earth to migrate at regular
periods.

Others believe, that these birds are trained like hawks and other birds
of prey, to fetch booty from other lands. This conjecture is grounded
upon the great care with which they lay down their burdens, when their
flight is finished. This supposition is somewhat strengthened by the
fact, that they become tame and gentle just before they begin their
flight, suffering themselves to be thrown into nets, under which they
lie immovable. Meanwhile they are fed with insects till the regular
period arrives. Then a long box, just large enough to hold a tree or
man, is fastened to a rope, which is again tied to the legs of the bird.
On the banishment day, food is withheld from them, the nets are raised,
and the kupakkis wing their way to the firmament.

Two citizens of Potu had been doomed to banishment with myself. One was
a metaphysician, who had offended the law by making some sage remarks
upon the nature of spirits; the other was a fanatic, who, by starting
doubts concerning the holiness of religion and the uniting force of the
civil law, was suspected to have designed the overthrow of both. This
latter would not regulate himself by the public ordinances, because, he
said, all civil obedience was inconsistent with his conscience. Thus
three of us, namely, a project-maker, a metaphysician, and a fanatic,
were, on the first day of the Birch month, shut up in boxes.

I never knew what became of my fellow-sufferers. As for myself, I was
enclosed, with food sufficient for a few days. Shortly after, my
kupakki, finding nothing to eat, started off with amazing speed.

It is generally believed, under ground, that the distance between the
planet Nazar and the firmament is about four hundred miles. I had no
means of determining how long my passage was, but conjectured it to be
about twenty-four hours.

I heard nothing, during this time, but the heavy and monotonous flapping
of the kupakki's wings. At last, there sounded in my ears a confounding
noise, which announced that we could not be far from land.

I now observed that the bird had really been trained, for he set the
box, with so much care on the ground, that I did not feel the slightest
jar. The box was immediately opened, and I rose up in the midst of a
great multitude of monkeys, who, to my astonishment, conversed together
in an intelligent language rather than chattere