Why did Gulliver give into the demands of Lilliputians?

Gulliver gives in because although he is easily able to smash the Lilliputians due to their diminutive size, he also doesn't want to be pricked by their arrows. For the time being, he needs to stay on Lilliput until he has a way to leave.... remember, the ship he was traveling on is smashed to bits. Without a ship, he has no way to get home.