Gulliver grows more and more used to the Houyhnhnm way of life. He has a small room of his own with two chairs. He makes clothing of animal skins and shoes of Yahoo skins. He often dines on bread and honey. The conversation he listens to with the Houyhnhnms’ permission is decent, moderate, polite, and virtuous. All Yahoos—native and European—seem detestable alongside the Houyhnhnms, and as best he can, Gulliver begins imitating the Houyhnhnm walk, speech, and manners.
Gulliver’s attempt to become a Houyhnhnm frightens a number of the horses. They reason that Gulliver is a Yahoo—despite his clothes, his bit of reason, and the rest of his niceties—and they fear that he may organize the other Yahoos and revolt. They advise Gulliver’s master to either treat his strange pet Yahoo like a Yahoo or command him to swim back to his native land. Gulliver is thunderstruck; he would prefer death. But finally he resolves to sail to an island visible from the Houyhnhnm coast. This decided, he builds a boat with the help of the sorrel servant. He covers the boat with Yahoo hides and caulks it with Yahoo fat. Then it is time for him to depart. His last request is to be allowed to kneel and kiss the hoof of his master.
