shutting his mouth. As soon as everything in his stomach was afloat,
we manned a few boats, who rowed themselves and us into the world. The
daylight, after, as near as we could judge, three months' confinement in
total darkness, cheered our spirits surprisingly. When we had all
taken our leave of this capacious animal, we mustered just a fleet
of ninety-five ships, of all nations, who had been in this confined
situation.

We left the two masts in his mouth, to prevent others being confined
in the same horrid gulf of darkness and filth. Our first object was to
learn what part of the world we were in; this we were for some time at
a loss to ascertain: at last I found, from former observations, that we
were in the Caspian Sea! which washes part of the country of the Calmuck
Tartars. How we came here is was impossible to conceive, as this sea has
no communication with any other. One of the inhabitants of the Cheese
Island, whom I had brought with me, accounted for it thus:--that the
monster in whose stomach we had been so long confined had carried us
here through some subterraneous passage; however, we pushed to shore,
and I was the first who landed. Just as I put my foot upon the ground a
large bear leaped upon me with its fore-paws; I caught one in each
hand, and squeezed him till he cried out most lustily; however, in
this position I held him till I starved him to death. You may laugh,
gentlemen, but this was soon accomplished, as I prevented him licking
his paws. From hence I travelled up to St. Petersburg a second time:
here an old friend gave me a most excellent pointer, descended from the
famous bitch before-mentioned, that littered while she was hunting a
hare. I had the misfortune to have him shot soon after by a blundering
sportsman, who fired at him instead of a covey of partridges which he
had just set. Of this creature's skin I have had this waistcoat made
(showing his waistcoat), which always leads me involuntarily to game if