presents, after I had excused the smallness of them, as being,
though unworthy his acceptance, the largest that our profession of
poverty, and distance from our country, allowed us to make, he
examined them one by one with a dissatisfied look, and told me that
however he might be pleased with our good attentions, he thought our
present such as could not be offered to a king without affronting
him; and made me a sign with his hand to withdraw, and take back
what I had brought. I obeyed, telling him that perhaps he might
send for it again without having so much. The Chec Furt, who had
been the occasion of all this, coming to us afterwards, blamed us
exceedingly for having offered so little, and being told by us that
the present was picked out by himself, that we had nothing better to
give, and that what we had left would scarce defray the expenses of
our journey, he pressed us at least to add something, but could
prevail no farther than to persuade us to repeat our former offer,
which the King was now pleased to accept, though with no kinder
countenance than before.

Here we spent our time and our provisions, without being able to
procure any more. The country indeed affords goats and honey, but
nobody would sell us any, the King, as I was secretly informed,
having strictly prohibited it, with a view of forcing all we had
from us. The patriarch sent me to expostulate the matter with the
King, which I did in very warm terms, telling him that we were
assured by the Emperor of a reception in this country far different
from what we met with, which assurances he had confirmed by his
promise and the civilities we were entertained with at our first
arrival; but that instead of friends who would compassionate our
miseries, and supply our necessities, we found ourselves in the
midst of mortal enemies that wanted to destroy us.