Page:The Strange Voyage and Adventures of Domingo Gonsales, to the World in the Moon.djvu/28

22 them, (though I felt no Hunger at all, which may seem strange) to help me to some Victuals, least I should starve in my Journey, so they readily brought me very good Flesh and Fish of several Sorts, and well dressed, but that it was extreme fresh without any Relish of Salt. Wines likewise I tasted of divers Kinds as good as any in Spain, and Beer no better in all Antwerp. They advised me, that while I had Opportunity I should make my Provisions, telling me, that till the next Thursday they could help me to no more, at which Time they would find Means to carry me back, and set me safe in Spain, in any Place I would desire, provided I would become one of their Fraternity, and enter into such Covenants as they had made to their Captain and Master, whom they would not name: I answered civily, “I saw little Reason to rejoice in such an Offer, desiring them to be mindful of me as Occasion served;” so for that Time I was rid of them; having first, furnished my Pockets with as much Victuals as I could thrust in, among which I would be sure to find a Place for a small Bottle of good Canary.

I shall now declare the Quality of the Place wherein I was: The Clouds I perceived to be all under between me and the Earth. The Stars, because it was always Day, I saw at all Times alike, not shining bright, as we see in the Night upon Earth, but of a whitish Colour, like the Moon with us in the Day-Time, those that were seen, which were not many, shewed far greater than with us, yea, as I guessed no less than ten Times bigger: As for the Moon, being then within two Days of the Change, she appeared of an huge and dreadful Greatness. It is not to be forgot, that no Stars appeared but on that Part of the Hemisphere next the Moon, and the nearer to her, the larger they Rh