The author, by a lucky accident, finds means to leave Blefuscu; and, after some difficulties, returns safe to his native country.
Three days after my arrival, while walking along the north-east coast of the island, I observed something unusual about half a league out at sea. It looked like an overturned boat. Eager to investigate, I took off my shoes and stockings and waded out several hundred yards. As the tide pushed the object closer, I realized it was indeed a real boat, likely driven away from a large ship during a recent storm. I immediately rushed back to the city and requested the assistance of the Emperor of Blefuscu. He lent me twenty of his largest remaining vessels and three thousand seamen.
While the fleet sailed around the coast, I took the shortest path back to the shore. By the time the ships arrived, the tide had brought the boat even nearer. After a grueling struggle involving swimming, wading, and using heavy cables I had twisted myself, we managed to tow the vessel toward the shore. With the help of two thousand men and various mechanical engines, we finally turned the boat upright. To my great relief, I discovered it was only slightly damaged.
Over the next ten days, I worked tirelessly to craft oars and prepare the boat for a long voyage. When the vessel was finally brought to the royal port, a massive crowd gathered, gazing in wonder at such a prodigious sight. I informed the Emperor that fortune had provided me with a way to return to my native country. I begged for his permission to depart and for the materials needed to refit the boat. After some kind hesitation, he granted my request.
During this time, I was surprised that no message had arrived from the Emperor of Lilliput. However, I later learned that he had initially assumed I was merely on a formal visit. When he finally grew suspicious of my long absence, he dispatched an envoy to the court of Blefuscu with a copy of the articles of impeachment. The envoy represented the "mercy" of his master, who desired only to put out my eyes, and demanded that I be sent back to Lilliput bound hand and foot to face punishment as a traitor.
The Emperor of Blefuscu took three days to consider his response. He eventually replied with many polite excuses, stating that it was impossible to send me back as a prisoner. He pointed out that although I had taken his fleet, I had also been instrumental in negotiating the peace. Furthermore, he noted that the problem would soon be solved for everyone, as I had found a great vessel to carry me away. He hoped that in a few weeks, both empires would be freed from such an "insupportable burden" as myself.
After the envoy left, the Emperor of Blefuscu privately offered me his protection if I chose to stay in his service. However, having experienced the treachery of royal courts, I resolved never to trust princes or ministers again. I thanked him sincerely but explained that I would rather risk my life on the ocean than cause further conflict between two such powerful monarchs. In truth, I could tell that the Emperor and his ministers were immensely relieved by my decision to leave.
The court helped me hasten my departure. Five hundred workmen labored to make sails by quilting together thirteen layers of their strongest linen. I spent a month preparing ropes, anchors, and oars. For provisions, I stored the carcasses of a hundred oxen and three hundred sheep, along with enough bread and drink to last a long voyage. I even took six live cows and two bulls, as well as several sheep, intending to bring the breed back to England. The Emperor strictly forbade me from taking any of his subjects, even searching my pockets to ensure I was not carrying any Lilliputians away.
On the twenty-fourth of September, 1701, I set sail. After a few days of navigating by my pocket compass, I spied a sail in the distance. My heart leaped with joy when I realized it was an English merchantman. I hailed the ship, and as it drew closer, I saw the English flag. I tucked my tiny cattle into my coat pockets and boarded the vessel with my small cargo of provisions.
The captain, Mr. John Biddel, was a civil man and an excellent sailor. When I told him where I had come from, he thought I was raving, believing the hardships of the sea had disturbed my mind. To prove my veracity, I pulled the tiny cattle and sheep from my pockets. He was struck with astonishment and was finally convinced of my story. I also showed him the gold coins given to me by the Emperor of Blefuscu.
Our voyage home was largely prosperous, and we arrived in England on the 13th of April, 1702. I made a considerable profit by showing my tiny cattle to people of high social standing, eventually selling them for six hundred pounds. I found that the breed increased quickly in the English climate, particularly the sheep, whose fine wool I hoped would benefit our local manufacturers.
Despite the joy of being reunited with my wife and children, my insatiable desire to see foreign countries would not let me rest. I stayed only two months before setting out again. I left my family in a comfortable house with enough money to support them, ensuring my son was enrolled in a good school and my daughter was well provided for. With a mixture of tears and excitement, I boarded the Adventure, a ship bound for Surat, ready for my next journey into the unknown.