n the surface, that I was
at a loss with regard to my where-a-bout.

I concluded that I must have died, and that my spirit was now about to
be carried to the blessed dwellings. I immediately conceived the folly
of this conclusion, however, when I found myself armed with a boat-hook,
and dragging behind me a long strip of rope; well knowing that neither
of these were needful to land me in Paradise, and that the celestial
citizens would scarcely approve of these accessories, with which I
appeared, in the manner of the giants of old, likely to attack heaven
and eject the gods therefrom.

Finally, a new light glimmered in my brain. I must have got into the
subterranean firmament. This conclusion decided the opinion of those,
who insist that the earth is hollow, and that within its shell there is
another, lesser world, with corresponding suns, planets, stars, &c., to
be well-grounded. The result proved that I guessed right.

The rapidity of my descent, continually augmented for a long time, now
began to decrease gradually. I was approaching a planet which I had from
the first seen directly before me. By degrees it grew larger and larger,
when, penetrating the thick atmosphere which surrounded it, I plainly
saw seas, mountains and dales on its surface.

As the bold bird, between the billow's top
And mountain's summit, sweeps around
The muscle-clothed rock, and with light wing
Sports on the foam, my body hovered.

I found now that I did not hang in the atmosphere, buoyed up by the
strong current of which I have spoken, but that the perpendicular line
of my descent was changed to a circle. I will not deny that my hair rose
up on my head in fear. I knew not but that I might be metamorphosed to
a planet or to a satellite; to be turned around in an eternal whirl. Yet
my courage returned, as I became somewhat accustomed to the motion. The
wind was gentle and refreshing. I was but little hungry or thirsty; but
recollecting there was a small cake in my pocket, I took it out and
tasted it. The first mouthful, however, was disagreeable, and I threw it
from me. The cake not only remained in the air, but to my great
astonishment, began to circle about me. I obtained at this time a
knowledge of the true law of motion, which is, that all bodies, when
well balanced, must move in a circle.

I remained in the orbit in which I was at first thrown three days. As I
continually moved about the planet nearest to me, I could