[Illustration]
In a little time I observed the noise and flutter of wings to increase
very fast, and my box was tossed up and down like a sign in a windy day.
I heard several bangs or buffets, as I thought, given to the eagle (for
such I am certain it must have been, that held the ring of my box in his
beak), and then all on a sudden felt myself falling perpendicularly down
for above a minute, but with such incredible swiftness, that I almost
lost my breath. My fall was stopped by a terrible squash,[87] that
sounded louder to my ears than the cataract of Niagara; after which I
was quite in the dark for another minute, and then my box began to rise
so high that I could see light from the tops of the windows. I now
perceived I was fallen into the sea. My box, by the weight of my body,
the goods that were in, and the broad plates of iron fixed for strength
at the four corners of the top and bottom, floated about five feet deep
in the water. I did then, and do now suppose, that the eagle which flew
away with my box was pursued by two or three others, and forced to let
me drop while he defended himself against the rest, who hoped to share
in the prey. The plates of iron fastened at the bottom of the box (for
those were the strongest) preserved the balance while it fell, and
hindered it from being broken on the surface of the water.
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