Having made myself acquainted, from the Accounts and Informations of the _Kispucian_ Mariners, with the Nature of the Seas, and the Situation of the Kingdoms on the Coasts, and understanding that it was very practicable with a fair Wind to make the _Mezendoric_ Shore in eight Days Sail, from whence it would be but a short Trip to _Martinia_, and that over a well-known Ocean; I say, being acquainted with all this, I made Preparation for the Voyage. Indeed, _Martinia_ was the principal Object of my Designs. I was spurr’d on by the immense Wealth of that Nation, and the Informations I should gain from a People of their Knowledge in maritime Affairs, since the Lights I might receive from them would be very useful to me in the Course of all my great Undertakings. There was also another Incentive, namely, a Thirst of Revenge, which prompted me to subdue this Nation. I took the Elder of the two Royal Princes along with me as an Associate in this Expedition, pretending that a fine Occasion offer’d itself to his Highness of exercising his Bravery and martial Virtues. But the true Meaning of this was, that I might keep him as a Hostage or Pledge of the Fidelity of the _Quamites_. The younger Prince indeed remain’d at Home, but the Regency of the Empire I committed to the Empress, who was then big with Child. The whole Fleet consisted of twenty Ships, great and small; and were all built after the _Martinian_ Model, by the Direction and Superintendency of _Monsonius_ the _Kispucian_ General, to whom the sole Management of the Navy was intrusted, and who had made Draughts and Designs of them with his own Hand. For the _Martinians_ were among the Subterraneans what the _Tyrians_ and _Sidonians_ were in antient Days, or what the _English_ and _Dutch_ are in our Times, that is, Sovereigns of the Seas. Yet, when we arriv’d at _Martinia_, I perceiv’d that in the Built of our Ships we had widely err’d from their Model.