so that I received but one scar on my forehead, and
at the same instant, by a blow of my sword, cut off his arm, and his
hand and sabre fell to the earth; he tottered for some paces, and
dropped at the foot of his elephant. That sagacious animal, seeing the
danger of his master, endeavoured to protect him by flourishing his
proboscis round the head of the Sultan.

Fearless I advanced against the elephant, desirous to take alive the
haughty Tippoo Sahib; but he drew a pistol from his belt, and discharged
it full in my face as I rushed upon him, which did me no further harm
than wound my cheek-bone, which disfigures me somewhat under my left
eye. I could not withstand the rage and impulse of that moment, and with
one blow of my sword separated his head from his body.

I returned overland from India to Europe with admirable velocity, so
that the account of Tippoo's defeat by me has not as yet arrived by the
ordinary passage, nor can you expect to hear of it for a considerable
time. I simply relate the encounter as it happened between the Sultan
and me; and if there be any one who doubts the truth of what I say, he
is an infidel, and I will fight him at any time and place, and with any
weapon he pleases.

Hearing so many persons talk about raising the "Royal George," I began
to take pity on that fine old ruin of British plank, and determined to
have her up. I was sensible of the failure of the various means hitherto
employed for the purpose, and therefore inclined to try a method
different from any before attempted. I got an immense balloon, made of
the toughest sail-cloth, and having descended in my diving-bell, and
properly secured the hull with enormous cables, I ascended to the
surface, and fastened my cables to the balloon. Prodigious multitudes
were assembled to behold the elevation of the "Royal George," and as
soon as I began to fill my balloon with inflammable air the vessel
evidently began to move: but when my balloon was completely filled, she
carried up the "Royal George" with the greatest rapidity. The vessel
appearing on the surface occasioned a universal shout of triumph from
the millions assembled on the occasion. Still the balloon continued
ascending, trailing the hull after like a lantern at the tail of a kite,
and in a few minutes appeared floating among the clouds.

It was then the opinion of many philosophers that it would be more
difficult to get her down then it had been to draw her up. But I
conv