I then took off my spectacles, and waiting about an hour, till the tide was a little fallen, I waded through the middle with my cargo, and arrived safe at the royal port of Lilliput.
The emperor and his whole court stood on the shore, expecting the issue of this great adventure.

They saw the ships move forward in a large half-moon, but could not discern me, who was up to my breast in water.
When I advanced to the middle of the channel, they were yet more in pain, because I was under water to my neck.

The emperor concluded me to be drowned, and that the enemy's fleet was approaching in an hostile manner: but he was soon eased of his fears; for the channel growing shallower every step I made, I came in a short time within hearing; and holding up the end of the cable, by which the fleet was fastened, I cried in a loud voice, Long live the most puissant[27] emperor of Lilliput! This great prince received me at my landing, with all possible encomiums, and created me a _nardac_ upon the spot, which is the highest title of honor among them.
His majesty desired I would take some other opportunity of bringing all the rest of his enemy's ships into his ports.

And so immeasurable is the ambition of princes, that he seemed to think of nothing less than reducing the whole empire of Blefuscu into a province, and governing it by viceroy; of destroying the Big-endian exiles, and compelling that people to break the smaller end of their eggs, by which he would remain the sole monarch of the whole world.

But I endeavored to divert him from this design, by many arguments, drawn from the topics of policy, as well as justice.