n me at my first arrival, as I have formerly mentioned. I then
took off my spectacles, and, waiting about an hour, till the tide was a
little fallen, I waded through the middle with my cargo, and arrived
safe at the royal port of Lilliput.

The emperor and his whole court stood on the shore, expecting the issue
of this great adventure. They saw the ships move forward in a large
half-moon, but could not discern me, who was up to my breast in water.
When I advanced to the middle of the channel they were yet more in pain,
because I was under water to my neck. The emperor concluded me to be
drowned, and that the enemy's fleet was approaching in a hostile manner:
but he was soon eased of his fears; for, the channel growing shallower
every step I made, I came in a short time within hearing, and, holding
up the end of the cable by which the fleet was fastened, I cried in a
loud voice, "Long live the most puissant Emperor of Lilliput!" This
great prince received me at my landing with all possible encomiums, and
created me a _nardac_ upon the spot, which is the highest title of
honor among them.

[Illustration: GULLIVER TAKES THE ENEMY'S FLEET]

His majesty desired I would take some other opportunity of bringing all
the rest of the enemy's ships into his ports. And so unmeasurable is the
ambition of princes, that he seemed to think of nothing else than
reducing the whole empire of Blefuscu into a province, and governing it
by a viceroy; of destroying the Big-endian exiles, and compelling that
people to break the smaller end of their eggs, by which he would remain
the sole monarch of the whole world. But I endeavored to divert him from
this design, by many arguments drawn from the topics of policy as well
as justice; and I plainly protested that I would never be an instrument
of bringing a free and brave people into slavery. And, when the matter
was debated in council, the wisest part of the ministry were of my
opinion.

This open, bold declaration of mine was so opposite to the schemes and
politics of his imperial majesty that he could never forgive it. He
mentioned it in a very artful manner at council, where I was told that
some of the wisest appeared at least, by their silence, to be of my
opinion; but others, who were my secret enemies, could not forbear some
expressions which, by a side-wind, reflected on me. And from this time
began an intrigue between his majesty and a junto of ministers,
maliciously bent against me,