growing rich.

"We laid our money upon camels, concealed in bales of cheap goods, and
travelled to the shore of the Red sea. When I cast my eye on the expanse
of waters, my heart bounded like that of a prisoner escaped. I felt an
unextinguishable curiosity kindle in my mind, and resolved to snatch
this opportunity of seeing the manners of other nations, and of learning
sciences unknown in Abissinia.

"I remembered that my father had obliged me to the improvement of my
stock, not by a promise, which I ought not to violate, but by a penalty,
which I was at liberty to incur; and, therefore, determined to gratify
my predominant desire, and, by drinking at the fountains of knowledge,
to quench the thirst of curiosity.

"As I was supposed to trade without connexion with my father, it was
easy for me to become acquainted with the master of a ship, and procure
a passage to some other country. I had no motives of choice to regulate
my voyage; it was sufficient for me, that, wherever I wandered, I should
see a country, which I had not seen before. I, therefore, entered a ship
bound for Surat, having left a letter for my father, declaring my
intention.

CHAP. IX.

THE HISTORY OF IMLAC CONTINUED.

"When I first entered upon the world of waters, and lost sight of land,
I looked round about me with pleasing terrour, and, thinking my soul
enlarged by the boundless prospect, imagined that I could gaze round for
ever without satiety; but, in a short time, I grew weary of looking on
barren uniformity, where I could only see again what I had already seen.
I then descended into the ship, and doubted, for awhile, whether all my
future pleasures would not end like this, in disgust and disappointment.
Yet, surely, said I, the ocean and the land are very different; the only
variety of water is rest and motion, but the earth has mountains and
valleys, deserts and cities; it is inhabited by men of different customs
and contrary opinions; and I may hope to find variety in life, though I
should miss it in nature.

"With this thought I quieted my mind, and amused myself during the
voyage, sometimes by learning from the sailors the art of navigation,
which I have never practised, and sometimes by forming schemes for my
conduct in different situations, in not one of which I have been ever
placed.

"I was almost weary of my naval amusements, when we landed safely at
Surat. I secured my money, and, purchasing some commodities for show,
joine