Page:Surprising adventures, miraculous escapes, and wonderful travels, of the renowned Baron Munchausen.pdf/7

 one of the windows of the drawing-room; walked round several times, pace, trot, and gallop; and, at last, made him mount the tea-table, there to repeat his lessons in a style which was exceedingly pleasing to the ladies; for he performed them amazingly well and did not break a single cup or saucer! The noble Lord, with his usual politeness, begged I would accept of this young horse, and ride him to conquest and honor, in the campaign against the Turks, which was soon to be opened, under the command of Count Munich.

years before my beard announced approaching manhood, I expressed a strong desire of seeing the world, from which I was discouraged by my parents. — A cousin, by my mother’s side, took a liking to me, and was much inclined to gratify my curiosity. — His eloquence had more effect than mine, for my father consented to my accompanying him in a voyage to the Island of Ceylon, and we sailed from Amsterdam. — The only circumstance which happened on our voyage worth notice, was the wonderful effects of a storm, which had torn up by the roots a great number of trees of enormous bulk, that had been carried by the wind so high, that they appeared like the feathers of small birds floating in the air; for they were at least five miles above the earth! However, as soon as the storm subsided, they all fell perpendicular into their respective places, and took root again, except the largest, which happened when it was blown into the air, to have a man and his wife on its branches, gathering cucumbers, which here grow on trees! The weight of this couple, as the tree descended,