I opened it in
his own presence, and showed him the small collection of rarities I made
in the country from whence I had been so strangely delivered. There was
the comb I had contrived out of the stumps of the king's beard. There
was a collection of needles and pins, from a foot to half a yard long;
four wasps' stings, like joiners' tacks; some combings of the queen's
hair; a gold ring, which one day she made me a present of in a most
obliging manner, taking it from her little finger and throwing it over
my head like a collar. I desired the captain would please to accept this
ring in return of his civilities, which he absolutely refused. Lastly I
desired him to see the breeches I had then on, which were made of a
mouse's skin.
I could force nothing upon him but a footman's tooth, which I observed
him to examine with great curiosity, and found he had a fancy for it. He
received it with abundance of thanks, more than such a trifle could
deserve. It was drawn by an unskilful surgeon, in a mistake, from one of
Glumdalclitch's men, who was affected with the toothache, but it was as
sound as any in his head. I got it cleaned, and put it in my cabinet. It
was about a foot long, and four inches in diameter.
The captain was very well satisfied with this plain relation I had given
him, and said he hoped when we returned to England I would oblige the
world by putting it on paper, and making it public.
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