on the kindness of the
Portuguese, of which we had thus sufficient experience, and to make
trial of the hospitality of the negroes; for which purpose we sailed
back about 30 leagues along the coast, and coming to anchor, some
natives came off to the boat, to all of whom we gave presents. By this
we won their hearts, and the news of such generous strangers being on
the coast soon brought the kings son to our boat. On his arrival, I
explained our sad case to him as well as I could by signs, endeavouring
to make him understand that we were quite forlorn, having been abandoned
by our ships, and being almost famished for want of food, offering him
all the goods in our boat if he would take us under his protection and
relieve our great distress. The negro chief was moved even to tears, and
bid us be comforted. He went then on shore to know his fathers pleasure
regarding us, and returning presently invited us to land. This was
joyful news to us all, and we considered him as a bountiful benefactor
raised up to us by the goodness of Providence. We accordingly fell to
our oars in all haste to pull on shore, where at least 500 negroes were
waiting our arrival; but on coming near shore the surf ran so high that
the boat overset, on which the negroes plunged immediately into the
water and brought us all safe on shore. They even preserved the boat and
all that was in her, some swimming after the oars, and others diving for
the goods that had sunk. After this they hauled the boat on shore and
brought every thing that belonged to us, not daring to detain the most
trifling article, so much were they in awe of the kings son, who was a
stout and valiant man, and having many excellent endowments.

They now brought us such provisions as they used themselves, and being
very hungry we fed heartily, the negroes all the while staring at us
with much astonishment, as the common people are used to do in England
at strange outlandish creatures. Notwithstanding all this apparent
humanity and kindness, we were still under great apprehensions of the
negroes, all of whom were armed with darts. That night we lay upon the
ground among the negroes, but never once closed our eyes, tearing they
might kill us while asleep. Yet we received no hurt from them, and for
two days fared well; but finding the ships did not come for us, as they
expected would soon have been the case, when likewise they looked to
have had a large quantity of goods distributed among th