ABSTRACT
IN the meantime a Portuguese ship arrived from Brikioka and anchored not far from the place where I was, and shot off a gun so that the savages might come and parley with them. As soon as the savages heard this they said: “Here are your friends, the Portuguese. Doubtless they wish to hear whether you are still alive and to buy you.” And I replied: “This will certainly be my brother,” for I was sure that the Portuguese ship which was there would enquire for me, and lest the savages should take me for a Portuguese, I told them that I had a brother, a Frenchman, among them. As soon as the ship drew near I told them that my brother had come, but the savages continued to maintain that I was a Portuguese, and they approached within speaking distance of the ship. When the Portuguese enquired after me the savages replied only that they might cease their enquiries. Whereupon the ship sailed away, the Portuguese thinking doubtless that I was dead. God alone knows what my thoughts were when I saw the ship depart, but the savages said amongst themselves: “We have the right man. They are already sending ships after him.”
