down to the back part of its head; but alighting on a large tree, and
raising its head, I recovered my seat as before, but saw no possibility
of disengaging myself without the danger of being killed by the fall;
so I determined to sit fast, thinking it would carry me to the Alps,
or some other high mountain, where I could dismount without any danger.
After resting a few minutes it took wing, flew several times round the
wood, and screamed loud enough to be heard across the English Channel.
In a few minutes one of the same species arose out of the wood, and flew
directly towards us; it surveyed me with evident marks of displeasure,
and came very near me. After flying several times round, they both
directed their course to the south-west. I soon observed that the one I
rode upon could not keep pace with the other, but inclined towards the
earth, on account of my weight; its companion perceiving this, turned
round and placed itself in such a position that the other could rest its
head on its rump; in this manner they proceeded till noon, when I
saw the rock of Gibraltar very distinctly. The day being clear,
notwithstanding my degree of elevation, the earth's surface appeared
just like a map, where land, sea, lakes, rivers, mountains, and the like
were perfectly distinguishable; and having some knowledge of geography,
I was at no loss to determine what part of the globe I was in.

Whilst I was contemplating this wonderful prospect a dreadful howling
suddenly began all around me, and in a moment I was invested by
thousands of small, black, deformed, frightful looking creatures, who
pressed me on all sides in such a manner that I could neither move hand
or foot: but I had not been in their possession more than ten minutes
when I heard the most delightful music that can possibly be imagined,
which was suddenly changed into a noise the most awful and tremendous,
to which the report of cannon, or the loudest claps of thunder could
bear no more proportion than the gentle zephyrs of the evening to the