him over the side, because of his lameness. We made signs to him that his
men must carry our goods for us, and showed him what we had; he answered,
"Si, Seignior," or, "Yes, sir" (for we had taught him that word and the
meaning of it), and taking up a bundle, he made signs to us, that when his
arm was well he would carry some for us.

I made signs again to tell him, that if he would make his men carry them,
we would not let him carry anything. We had secured all the prisoners in a
narrow place, where we had bound them with mat cords, and set up stakes
like a palisado round them; so, when we carried the prince on shore, we
went with him to them, and made signs to him to ask them if they were
willing to go with us to the country of lions. Accordingly he made a long
speech to them, and we could understand by it that he told them, if they
were willing, they must say, "Si, Seignior," telling them what it
signified. They immediately answered, "Si, Seignior," and clapped their
hands, looking up to the sun, which, the prince signified to us, was
swearing to be faithful. But as soon as they had said so, one of them made
a long speech to the prince; and in it we perceived, by his gestures, which
were very antic, that they desired something from us, and that they were in
great concern about it. So I asked him, as well as I could, what it was
they desired of us; he told us by signs that they desired we should clap
our hands to the sun (that was, to swear) that we would not kill them, that
we would give them chiaruck, that is to say, bread, would not starve them,
and would not let the lions eat them. I told him we would promise all that;
then he pointed to the sun, and clapped his hands, signing to me that I
should do so too, which I did; at which all the prisoners fell flat on the
ground, and rising up again, made the oddest, wildest cries that ever I
heard.

I think it was the first time in my life that ever any religious thought