My comrades, not taking notice that the blacks ate
none of it themselves, consulted only the satisfying their own
hunger, and fell to eating with greediness. But I, suspecting
some trick, would not so much as taste it, which happened well
for me; for in a little time after I perceived my companions had
lost their senses, and that when they spoke to me, they knew not
what they said. The blacks filled us afterwards with rice,
prepared with oil of cocoas; and my comrades, who had lost their
reason, ate of it greedily. I ate of it also, but very sparingly.
The blacks gave us that herb at first on purpose to deprive us of
our senses, that we might not be aware of the sad destiny
prepared for us; and they gave us rice on purpose to fatten us;
for, being cannibals, their design was to eat us as soon as we
grew fat. They accordingly ate my comrades, who were not sensible
of their condition; but my senses being entire, you may easily
guess, gentlemen, that instead of growing fat, like the rest, I
grew leaner every day. The fear of death, under which I laboured,
turned all my food into poison. I fell into a languishing
distemper, which proved my safety; for the blacks having killed
and eaten my companions, seeing me to be withered, lean, and
sick, deferred my death till another time.
Meanwhile I had a great deal of liberty, so that there was
scarcely any notice taken of what I did; and this gave me an
opportunity one day to get at a distance from the houses, and to
make my escape.
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