leagues under the bed of the
sea, where similar quarrels produced similar eruptions. I should have
continued here as an humble attendant upon Madam Venus, but some busy
tattlers, who delight in mischief, whispered a tale in Vulcan's ear,
which roused in him a fit of jealousy not to be appeased. Without the
least previous notice he took me one morning under his arm, as I was
waiting upon Venus, agreeable to custom, and carried me to an apartment
I had never before seen, in which there was, to all appearance, _a well_
with a wide mouth: over this he held me at arm's length, and saying,
"_Ungrateful mortal, return to the world from whence you came_," without
giving me the least opportunity of reply, dropped me in the centre. I
found myself descending with an increasing rapidity, till the horror of
my mind deprived me of all reflection. I suppose I fell into a trance,
from which I was suddenly aroused by plunging into a large body of water
illuminated by the rays of the sun!!

I could, from my infancy, swim well, and play tricks in the water. I
now found myself in paradise, considering the horrors of mind I had just
been released from. After looking about me some time, I could discover
nothing but an expanse of sea, extending beyond the eye in every
direction; I also found it very cold, a different climate from Master
Vulcan's shop. At last I observed at some distance a body of amazing
magnitude, like a huge rock, approaching me; I soon discovered it to be
a piece of floating ice; I swam round it till I found a place where I
could ascend to the top, which I did, but not without some difficulty.
Still I was out of sight of land, and despair returned with double
force; however, before night came on I saw a sail, which we approached
very fast; when it was within a very small distance I hailed them in
German; they answered in Dutch. I then flung myself into the sea, and
they threw out a rope, by which I was taken on board. I now inquired
where we were, and was informed, in the great Southern Ocean; this
opened a discovery which removed all my doubts and difficulties. It was
now evident that I had passed from Mount Etna through the centre of the
earth to the South Seas: this, gentlemen, was a much shorter cut than
going round the world, and which no man has accomplished, or ever
attempted, but myself; however, the next time I perform it I will be
much more particular in my observations.

I took some refreshment, and went to res