hidden under the water, which are, for that reason, dangerous. The channels are known only to the natives themselves. And therefore it seldom happens that a stranger comes into the haven unless he has a Utopian for pilot. The Utopians themselves could scarcely enter without danger, were it not that their path is directed and ruled by certain landmarks standing on the shore. If they should turn, exchange, or remove these landmarks to other places, they could easily destroy the navies of their enemies, however numerous they might be. The outer circuit of the land is also full of havens, but the landing is so surely fortified by the provisions of nature and by the workmanship of men's hands that a few defenders can drive back large armies.

However, as they say, and as the fashion of the place itself partly shows, the land was not always compassed about by the sea. But King Utopus, whose name, as conqueror, the island bears (for before his time it was called Abraxa), brought the rude and wild people to that excellent perfection in all good fashions, humanity and civilization, wherein they now surpass all other peoples of the world. He subdued the natives very quickly, and almost as soon as he had entered the land he caused fifteen miles of high ground, where the sea had no passage, to be dug up. So he brought the sea round about the land. In order that the natives might not think that he treated them with contempt, he set to this work not only the inhabitants of the island, but all his own soldiers as well. And so large was the number of workmen that the work was despatched with marvellous speed. The inhabitants of the adjoining countries, who at first had mocked and jested at this vain enterprise, when they saw its success at last, changed their derision to wonder and finally to awe.

There are in the island fifty-four large, fine cities, precisely alike in language, manners, institutions, and laws. They are all similarly situated, and so far as their locations allow, are built after the same manner. Of these cities those that are nearest together are twenty-four miles distant from one another, but no city is more than one day's foot journey distant from the next.

Out of every city there come yearly to Amaurot three old men, rich in wisdom and experience, to consult and debate about the common affairs of the land. For this city is taken for the chief and head city, because it stands just in the middle of the island and is therefore most convenient for the ambassadors from all parts of the realm.

They have built in all parts of the country farm-houses which are well constructed, well appointed, and furnished with all sorts of agricultural instruments and tools. These houses are occupied by people from the cities, who come by turn to live in them. No household or farm in the country has fewer than forty persons, besides two bondmen. All the household is under the rule and order of the goodman and goodwife of the house, both of whom are old, wise, and discreet. Over every thirty farms or families is set one head ruler, who is called a philarch, or head bailiff.

There come into the city every year from each one of these families twenty persons who have lived for two years in the country. Twenty others are sent out from the city to fill their places, and these receive instruction in husbandry from those who have been in the country a year already and are therefore skilled in the work. These last comers shall teach others next year. This order is used for fear that scarceness of food, or some such inconvenience, might come about through ignorance, in case all the members of the households were new and unskilled in hus

bandry. Although this fashion of renewing every year the husbandmen is carefully observed, so that no man shall be constrained to remain long against his will in this hard course of life, yet many of them take such delight in this kind of work that they get permission to continue in it for a longer period.

These husbandmen plough and till the ground, breed cattle, and provide and make ready wood, which they carry to the city either by land or by water, as is most convenient. They raise a great number of hens by a very curious process. For the hens do not sit upon the eggs; but they are hatched by being kept in a steady and equal heat. The chickens, as soon as they come out of the shell, follow men and women instead of the hens.

They raise very few horses, but all those that they have are spirited ones. These are kept for no other purpose than to exercise their youth in the art of riding and feats of arms. For oxen are put to all the labor of ploughing and drawing because the people believe that, while the oxen are not so good for sudden effort, yet they can endure much more labor, pain, and hardship than horses. The oxen, too, they think, are not subject to so many diseases, and they may be kept with much less cost.

They sow corn to make their bread; and though they know perfectly how much food is needed for each city with the whole country round about it, yet they sow much more corn than is needed and breed more cattle than will serve just for their own use, so that they may divide the surplus among their neighbors. Whatsoever necessary things are lacking in the country they bring out from the city, and they obtain these from the magistrates of the cities without offering any exchange. Every month on the holy day many of them go into the city.

When their harvest day is near at hand, then the head officers or bailiffs of husbandry send word to the magistrates of the city that they shall need a certain number of men from the city to help them with the harvest. The due number is sent them on the day appointed, and the harvest work is usually all despatched in one fair day.

As for their cities, he who knows one of them knows them all, since they are as nearly alike as the nature of the place permits. Amaurot is the worthiest city and the one of most dignity among them all. All the rest regard it as the chief city, for the council house is there. The city of Amaurot stands upon the side of a low hill. The river of Anyder rises twenty-four miles above Amaurot out of a little spring. But it is increased by other small rivers and brooks that run into it, so that before the city it runs into the ocean. They have also another river, which indeed is not very large, but runs gently and pleasantly.

The city is compassed about with a high and thick stone wall full of turrets and bulwarks. A dry ditch, deep and broad, and overgrown with bushes, briers, and thorns, runs about three sides of the city. On the fourth side the river itself serves for a ditch. The streets are arranged very handsomely and conveniently, both for travel and for shelter against the winds. The houses, which are splendidly built, stand joined together in a long row through the whole street without any partition or separation. The streets are twenty feet broad. At the back of the houses through the whole length of the street lie large gardens enclosed by the back part of the streets. Every house has two doors, one into the street, and a postern door opening into the garden. These doors are made with two leaves, never locked or bolted, but

follow the least push of Whoever will may go in, houses that is private or And every tenth year they change their

so easily opened that they will
a finger and shut again alone.
for there is nothing within the
any man's own.
houses by lot.

They set great store by their gardens. In them they have vineyards, all kinds of fruit, herbs, and flowers, so attractive, so well arranged, and so finely kept that I never saw anything more fruitful or better trimmed. Their diligence in caring for these gardens comes not only from their pleasure in them, but also from a certain strife and contention that there is between street and street concerning the trimming, husbanding, and furnishing of their gardens. And verily there cannot easily be found in all the city anything that brings the citizens more profit and pleasure.

Their chronicles, which they keep written with all diligence, containing the history of 1760 years, even from the first conquest of the island, record that in the beginning the houses were very low, and like homely cottages or poor shepherds' houses, built of any rude timber that came to hand, with mud walls and ridged roofs, thatched over with straw. But now the houses are cunningly built, and in a splendid way, with three stories one over another. The outside of the walls is made either of hard flint or of plaster or else of brick, and the inner sides are well strengthened with timber work. The roofs are plain and flat, covered with a certain kind of plaster that costs but little, and yet is so tempered that no fire can injure or destroy it, and it withstands the violence of the weather better than lead. To keep the wind out of their windows, they use either glass, which is very common, or fine linen dipped in oil or amber, which serves two purposes; for