as I could, that I was weary, and not able to walk faster; upon which, he would stand a while to let me ref. СНА Р. II. The Author conducted by a Houyhnhnm to his Houfe. The Houfe defcribed. The Author's Reception. The Food of the Houyhnhnms. The Author in Diftrefs for Want of Meat, is at laft relieved. His Manner of Feeding in this Country. H Aving travelled about three Miles, we came to a long Kind of Building, made of 'Timber, ftuck in the Ground, and wattled a-cross ; the Roof was low, and covered with Straw. I now began to be a little comforted; and took out fome Toys, which Travellers usually carry for Prefents to the favage Indians of America, and other Parts, in Hopes the People of the House would be thereby encouraged to receive me kindly. The Horfe made me a Sign to go in first; it was a large Room with a smooth clay Floor, and a Rack and Manger, extending the whole Length on one Side. There were three Nags, and two Mares, not eating, but fome of them fitting down upon their Hams, which I very much wondered at; but wondered more to fee the reft employed in domeftic Bufinefs: These feemed but ordi nary Cattle; however, this confirmed my firft Opinion, that a People, who could fo far civilize brute Animals, muft needs excel in Wisdom all the Nations of the World. The Grey came in juft juft after, and thereby prevented any ill Treatment, which the others might have given me. He neighed to them feveral Times in a Style of Authority, and received Answers. Beyond this Room there were three others, reaching the Length of the House, to which you paffed through three Doors, oppofite to each other, in the Manner of a Vista; we went through the fecond Room towards the third; here the Grey walked in first, beckoning me to attend: I waited in the fecond Room, and got ready my Prefents for the Mafter and Miftrefs of the Houfe: They were two Knives, three Bracelets of falfe Pearl, a fmall Looking-glafs, and a Bead Necklace. I The Horse neighed three or four Times, and I waited to hear fome Anfwers in a human Voice, but I obferved no other Returns, than in the fame Dialect, only one or two a little fhriller than his. I began to think that this House must belong to fome Perfon of great Note among them, because there appeared fo much Ceremony, before I could gain Admittance. But, that a Man of Quality fhould be served all by Horfes, was beyond my Comprehenfion. I feared my Brain was disturbed by my Sufferings and Misfortunes : roufed myself, and looked about me in the Room where I was left alone; this was furnished like the first, only after a more elegant Manner. I rubbed my Eyes often, but the fame Objects ftill occurred. I pinched my Arms and Sides, to awake myself, hoping I might be in a Dream. I then abfolutely concluded, that all thefe Appearances could be nothing elfe but Necromancy and Magic. But I had no Time to pursue thefe Reflections; for the Grey Horfe came to the Door, and made me a Sign to follow him into the third Room; S 3 Room; where I faw a very comely Mare, toge ther with a Colt and Fole, fitting on their Haunches, upon Matts of Straw, not unartfully made, and perfectly neat and clean. The Mare, foon after my Entrance, rofe from her Matt, and coming up clofe, after having nicely observed my Hands and Face, gave me a moft contemptuous Look; then, turning to the Horfe, I heard the Word Yahoo often repeated betwixt them; the Meaning of which Word I could not then comprehend, although it were the first I had learned to pronounce; but I was foon better informed, to my everlafting Mortification: For the Horse beckoning to me with his Head, and repeating the Word Hhuun, Hhuun, as he did upon the Road, which I understood was to attend him, led me out into a Kind of Court, where was another Building at fome Distance from the House. Here we entered, and I saw three of those deteftable Creatures, whom I first met after my Landing, feeding upon Roots, and the Flesh of fome Animals, which I afterwards found to be that of Affes and Dogs, and now and then a Cow dead by Accident or Disease. They were all tied by the Neck with ftrong Wyths, faftened to a Beam; they held their Food between the Claws of their Fore-feet, and tore it with their Teeth. The Mafter Horfe ordered a Sorrel Nag, one of his Servants, to untie the largest of thefe Animals, and take him into the Yard. The Beast and I were brought close together; and our Countenances diligently compared, both by Master and Servant, who thereupon repeated feveral Times the Word Yahoo. My Horror and Astonishment are not to be described, when I observed, in this abominable Animal, a perfect human Figure; the the Face of it, indeed, was flat and broad, the Nofe depreffed, the Lips large, and the Mouth wide: But thefe Differences are common to all favage Nations, where the Lineaments of the Countenance are distorted, by the Natives fuffering their Infants to lie grovelling on the Earth, or by carrying them on their Backs, nuzzling with their Face against the Mother's Shoulders. The Fore-feet of the Yahoo differed from my Hands in nothing elfe, but the Length of the Nails, the Coarfenefs and Brownnefs of the Palms, and the Hairiness on the Backs. There was the fame Refemblance between our Feet, with the fame Differences, which I knew very well, though the Horfes did not, because of my Shoes and Stockings; the fame in every Part of our Bodies, except as to Hairinefs and Colour, which I have already described. The great Difficulty, that feemed to stick with the two Horfes, was, to fee the rest of my Body fo very different from that of a Yahoo, for which I was obliged to my Cloaths, whereof they had no Conception: The Sorrel Nag offered me a Root, which he held (after their Manner, as we shall defcribe in its proper Place) between his Hoof and Paftern; I took it in my Hand, and, having smelt it, returned it to him again as civilly as I could. He brought out of the Yahoo's Kennel a Piece of Afs's Flesh, but it fmelt fo offenfively, that I turned from it with Loathing; he then threw it to the Yahoo, by whom it was greedily devoured. He afterwards fhewed me a Whisp of Hay, and a Fetlock full of Oats; but I fhook my Head, to fignify, that neither of these were Food for me. And, indeed, I now apprehended that I muft abfolutely ftarve, if I did not get to fome of my own S 4 Spe Species: For as to thofe filthy Yahoos, although there were few greater Lovers of Mankind, at that Time, than myself; yet, I confefs, I never faw any fenfitive Being fo deteftable on all Accounts; and the more I came near them, the more hateful they grew, while I ftayed in that Country. This the Mafter Horfe obferved by my Behaviour, and therefore fent the Yahoo back to his Kennel. He then put his Fore-hoof to his Mouth, at which I was much furprised, although he did it with Ease, and with a Motion that appeared perfectly natural; and made other Signs to know what I would eat; but I could not return him fuch an Answer as he was able to apprehend; and, if he had understood me, I did not fee how it was poffible to contrive any Way for finding myself Nourishment. While we were thus engaged, I obferved a Cow paffing by, whereupon I pointed to her, and expreffed a Defire to let me go and milk her. This had its Effect ; for he led me back into the House, and ordered a Mare-fervant to open a Room, where a good Store of Milk lay in earthen and wooden Vessels, after a very orderly and cleanly Manner. She gave me a large Bowl full, of which I drank very heartily, and found myself well refreshed. About Noon, I faw coming towards the House a Kind of Vehicle, drawn like a Sledge, by four Yahoos. There was in it an old Steed, who feemed to be of Quality; he alighted with his Hindfeet forward, having, by Accident, got a Hurt in his Fore-foot. He came to dine with our Horse, who received him with great Civility. They dined in the best Room, and had Oats boiled in Milk for the fecond Course, which the old Horse eat warm, but the reft cold. Their Mangers were |