About the break of day we reached the great continent of America,
that part called Terra Firma, and descended on the top of a very high
mountain. At this time the moon, far distant in the west, and obscured
by dark clouds, but just afforded light sufficient for me to discover
a kind of shrubbery all around, bearing fruit something like cabbages,
which the eagles began to feed on very eagerly. I endeavoured to
discover my situation, but fogs and passing clouds involved me in the
thickest darkness, and what rendered the scene still more shocking was
the tremendous howling of wild beasts, some of which appeared to be very
near: however, I determined to keep my seat, imagining that the eagle
would carry me away if any of them should make a hostile attempt. When
daylight began to appear, I thought of examining the fruit which I had
seen the eagles eat, and as some was hanging which I could easily come
at, I took out my knife and cut a slice; but how great was my surprise
to see that it had all the appearance of roast beef regularly mixed,
both fat and lean! I tasted it, and found it well flavoured and
delicious, then cut several large slices and put in my pocket, where I
found a crust of bread which I had brought from Margate; took it out,
and found three musket-balls that had been lodged in it on Dover cliff.
I extracted them, and cutting a few slices more, made a hearty meal of
bread and cold beef fruit. I then cut down two of the largest that grew
near me, and tying them together with one of my garters, hung them over
the eagle's neck for another occasion, filling my pockets at the same
time. While I was settling these affairs I observed a large fruit like
an inflated bladder, which I wished to try an experiment upon: and
striking my knife into one of them, a fine pure liquor like Hollands
gin rushed out, which the eagles observing, eagerly drank up from the
ground. I cut down the bladder as fast as I could, and saved about half
a pint in the bottom of it, which I tasted, and could not distinguish
it from the best mountain wine. I drank it all, and found myself greatly