chains that held my left leg were about two yards long, and gave me not
only the liberty of walking backward and forward in a semicircle, but,
being fixed within four inches of the gate, allowed me to creep in and
lie at my full length in the temple.



_II. Imprisonment_


When I found myself on my feet I looked about me, and must confess I
never beheld a more entertaining prospect. The country round appeared
like a continued garden, and the enclosed fields, which were generally
forty foot square, resembled so many beds of flowers. These fields were
intermingled with woods of half a stang,[4] and the tallest trees, as I
could judge, appeared to be seven foot high. I viewed the town on my
left hand, which looked like the painted scene of a city in a theater.

The emperor was already descended from the tower, and advancing on
horseback toward me, which had like to have cost him dear, for the
beast, though very well trained, yet wholly unused to such a sight,
which appeared as if a mountain moved before him, reared up on his
hinder feet; but that prince, who is an excellent horseman, kept his
seat till his attendants ran in and held the bridle while his majesty
had time to dismount.

[Footnote 4: _Stang_ is an old name for a pole, or perch, sixteen
and one-half feet.]

When he alighted he surveyed me round with great admiration, but kept