fruit and spring water, which preserved our lives. We stayed all night near the place where we had been cast ashore.
Next morning, as soon as the sun was up, we explored the island, and saw some houses, which we approached. As soon as we drew near, we were encompassed by a great number of negroes, who seized us, shared us among them, and carried us to their respective habitations.
I and five of my comrades were carried to one place; here our captors made us sit down, and gave us a certain herb, which they made signs to us to eat. My comrades not noticing that the blacks ate none of it themselves, thought only of satisfying their hunger, and ate with greediness. But I, suspecting some trick, would not so much as taste it, which happened well for me; for in a little time I perceived my companions had lost their senses, and that when they spoke to me they knew not what they said.
The negroes fed us afterward with rice, prepared with oil of cocoa-nuts; and my comrades, who had lost their reason, ate of it freely. I also partook of it, but very sparingly. They gave us that herb at first to deprive us of our senses, that we might not be aware of the destiny prepared for us; and they gave us rice to fatten us; for, being cannibals, their design was to eat us as soon as we grew fat. This accordingly happened, and they gradually devoured my comrades, who were not sensible of their condition; but my senses being entire, you may easily guess that instead of growing fat, as the rest
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