ur own eyes judges what sincerity I speak with." To
this she agreed, it growing dusky; but assured me, if I did not give her
good satisfaction, I should see her no more.

We arrived at the lake; and going to my wet-dock, "Now, madam," says
I, "pray satisfy yourself whether I spake true or no." She looked at my
boat, but could not yet frame a proper notion of it. Says I, "Madam,
in this very boat I sailed from the main ocean through that cavern into
this lake; and shall at last think myself the happiest of all men if you
continue with me, love me, and credit me; and I promise you I'll never
deceive you, but think my life happily spent in your service." I found
she was hardly content yet to believe what I told her of my boat to be
true; till I stepped into it, and pushing from the shore, took my oars
in my hand, and sailed along the lake by her, as she walked on the
shore. At last she seemed so well reconciled to me and my boat, that she
desired I would take her in. I immediately did so, and we sailed a good
way; and as we returned to my dock I described to her how I procured the
water we drank, and brought it to shore in that vessel.

"Well," says she, "I have sailed, as you call it, many a mile in my
lifetime, but never in such a thing as this. I own it will serve very
well where one has a great many things to carry from place to place; but
to be labouring thus at an oar when one intends pleasure in sailing, is
in my mind a most ridiculous piece of slavery."--"Why, pray, madam, how
would you have me sail? for getting into the boat only will not carry
us this way or that without using some force."--"But," says she, "pray,
where did you get this boat, as you call it?"--"O madam!" says I, "that
is too long and fatal a story to begin upon now; this boat was made many
thousand miles from hence, among a people coal-black, a quite different
sort from us; and, when I first had it, I little thought of seeing this
country; but I will make a faithful relation of all to you when we come
home." Indeed, I began to wish heartily we were there, for it grew into
the night; and having strolled so far without my gun, I was afraid of
what I had before seen and heard, and hinted our return; but I found my
motion was disagreeable to her, and so I dropped it.

I now perceived and wondered at it, that the later it grew the
more agreeable it seemed to her; and as I had now brought her into
good-humour again by seeing and sailing in my boat, I