But while I was thus amus’d with the Thoughts of being in the Neighbourhood of the Gods, and was congratulating myself as a new Constellation, together with my Satellite that surrounded me, and hop’d in a short Time to be inserted in the Catalogue of Stars by the Astronomers of the neighbouring Planet, behold! an enormous winged Monster hover’d near me, sometimes on this Side, now on that Side, and by and by over my Head. At first View I took it for one of the twelve heavenly Signs in this new World, and accordingly hop’d, that, if the Conjecture was right, it would be that of _Virgo_, since out of the whole Number of the twelve Signs, that alone could yield me, in my unhappy Solitude, some Delight and Comfort. But when the Figure approach’d nearer to me, it appear’d to be a grim, huge Griffin. So great was my Terror, that unmindful of my starry Dignity, to which I was newly advanc’d, in that Disorder of my Soul, I drew out my University-Testimonium, which I happen’d to have in my Pocket, to signify to this terrible Adversary that I had pass’d my academical Examination, that I was a graduate Student, and could plead the Privilege of my University against any one that should attack me. But my Disorder beginning to cool, when I came to myself, I could not but condemn my Folly. For it was yet a Matter of Doubt to what Purpose this Griffin should approach me, whether as an Enemy, or a Friend; or, what is more likely, whether led by the sole Novelty of the Thing, he had only a Mind to feast his Curiosity. For the Sight of a human Creature whirling about in Air, bearing in his right Hand an Harpoon, and drawing after him a great Length of Rope like a Tail, was really a Phænomenon which might excite even a brute Creature to behold the Spectacle. For the unusual Figure I then exhibited, gave to the Inhabitants of the Globe, round which I revolv’d, an Occasion of divers Conjectures and Conversations concerning me, as I afterwards learn’d; for the Philosophers and Mathematicians would have me to be a Comet, being positive that my Rope was the Tail; and some there were, who from the Appearance of so rare a Meteor, prognosticated some impending Misfortune, a Plague, a Famine, or some other such extraordinary Catastrophe: Some also went further, and delineated my Figure, such as it appear’d to them at that Distance, in very accurate Drawings; so that I was describ’d, defin’d, painted and engrav’d before ever I touch’d their Globe. All this I afterward heard with no small Pleasure, and even Laughter, when I was convey’d to that Planet, and had learn’d their Language. It must be noted, that sometimes there appear new Stars, which the Subterraneans call _Sciscisi_, or blazing Stars, which they describe as something looking horrid with fiery Hair, and, after the Manner of our Comets, bushy on the Top, so as that it projects in Form of a long Beard; and these, as in our World, so in that, they are reckon’d ominous.