Gulliver devises a plan to prevent the anticipated invasion-by-sea by the Blefuscu navy. After consulting a Lilliputian seaman to determine how deep the water is in the sea that separates the two nations, he discovers that it is six feet deep at its deepest. He decides to swim to Blefuscu where, using a cable, he rounds up their military ships and hauls them back to Lilliput. Intimidated by this act, representatives from Blefuscu arrive in Lilliput to negotiate a peace settlement. For his act in rounding up the Blefuscu ships, Gulliver is given the noble title of “Nardac.” He also asks to visit Blefuscu, which is grudgingly granted.

Not long after Gulliver’s military success, he hears commotion and shouting and soon discerns that there is a fire in the empress’s quarters. Seeing that the Lilliputians are making no progress against the fire, which threatens to engulf the building, Gulliver spontaneously decides to urinate on the building, an act which immediately extinguishes the fire. Expecting appreciation, Gulliver is surprised to learn that the empress is not pleased at how Gulliver doused the fire, and she refuses to allow the damaged portion of the building to be rebuilt.