e incredible
but true things, that I have seen with my own eyes. Raw and ignorant
ninnies who have never started a foot from their homes, regard every
thing as fable, whose equal they have never heard of or seen; or, with
which they have not been familiar from childhood. Learned people, on
the contrary, especially those who have a deep knowledge of natural
history, and whose experience has proved to them how fruitful nature is
in changes, will pass a more reasonable sentence upon the uncommon
things narrated.

In former days a people were found in Scythia, called Arimasps, who had
but one eye, which was placed in the middle of the forehead: another
people, under the same climate, had their foot-soles turned out
backwards, and in Albany were people born with gray hairs. The ancient
Sanromates ate only on every third day and fasted the other two; in
Africa were certain families who could bewitch others by their talk; and
it is a well known fact, that there were certain persons in Illyria,
with two eye-balls to each eye, who killed people by merely looking at
them: this, however, they could do, only when they were angry; then
their fierce and scintillating stare was fatal to whomever was rash or
unfortunate enough to meet it: on the mountains of Hindostan were to be
found whole nations with dog's heads, who barked; and others who had
eyes in their backs. Who would believe this and even more, if Pliny,
one of the most earnest writers, had not solemnly assured us, that he
had neither heard nor read the least hereof, but had seen it all with
his own eyes? Yes, who would have imagined that this earth was hollow;
that within its circumference were both a sun and moon, if my own
experience had not discovered the secret? Who would have thought it
possible, that there was a globe, inhabited by walking, sensible trees,
if the same experience had not placed it beyond all doubt? Nevertheless,
I will not pick a quarrel with any one, on account of his incredulity in
this matter, because I must confess, that I myself, before I made this
voyage, mistrusted whether these tales might not have arisen from the
exaggerated representations of seamen, or that they were the result of
that well-known qualification of this class of men, familiarly styled
the "spinning a yarn."

In the beginning of the month Radir, we went on board our ship, weighed
anchor, and

The wind in swelling sails embraced the bending masts,
And, like an arrow i