I had the good fortune, continued Sindbad, with several of the
merchants and mariners, to get a plank, and we were carried by the
current to an island which lay before us; there we found fruit and
spring-water, which preserved our lives. We staid all night near the
place where the sea cast us ashore, without consulting what we
should do, our misfortune had dispirited us so much.
Next morning, as soon as the sun was up, we walked from the shore,
and advancing into the island, saw some houses, to which we went;
and as soon as we came thither we were encompassed by a great number
of blacks, who seized us, shared us among them, and carried us to
their respective habitations. [26]
I, and five of my comrades, were carried to one place: they made us
sit down immediately, and gave us a certain herb, which they made
signs to us to eat. My comrades not taking notice that the blacks
eat none themselves, consulted only the satisfying of 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 fed us afterwards with rice, prepared with oil of
cocoa-nuts; and my comrades, who had lost their reason, eat of it
greedily. I eat of it also, but very sparingly. The blacks gave us
that herb at first on purpose to deprive us of our senses, [27] 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 did accordingly
eat my comrades, who were not sensible of their condition; but my
senses being entire, you may easily guess, gentlemen, that instead
of growing fat, as the rest did, 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 eat up my companions, seeing me to be
withered, lean, and sick, deferred my death till another time.
Mean while I had a great deal of liberty, so that there was scarce
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. An
old man who saw me, and suspected my design, called to me as loud as
he could to return; but instead of obeying him, I redoubled my pace,
and quickly got out of sight. At that time there was none but the
old man about the houses, the rest being abroad, and not to come
home till night, which was pretty usual with them: therefore, being
sure that they could not come time enough to pursue me, I went on
till night, when I stopped to rest a little, and to eat some of the
provisions I had taken care of; but I speedily set forward again,
and travelled seven days, avoiding those places which seemed to be
inhabited, and lived for the most part upon cocoa-nuts, which served
me both for meat and drink. On the eighth day I came near the sea,
and saw all of a sudden white people like myself gathering pepper,
[28] of which there was great plenty in that place. This I took to
be a good omen, and went to them without any scruple. --Scheherazade
broke off here, and went on with the story next night, as follows: