CHAPTER IX

Summary

I was for about four or five months in fairly good health, and, except for the want of the free exercise of my religion and liberty, was comfortable, well housed, fed, and treated by the lord who had brought me, my lodging being in a little apartment within the enclosure of his house. One of his servants waited upon me at all hours, and brought me my food with separate utensils, for they never eat with one who is not of their religion. He loved me as one of his own sons, of whom he had three, of nearly the same age as myself, and they loved me as their brother. This lord was in favour with the king, who placed all confidence in him; they had been attached to each other from the time they were four or five years old, and each was now fifty. Such being my condition, I fell ill of a severe burning fever, very common there and very dangerous, especially to strangers, so much so that few get over it; still less the Christians, for whom there is no sort of cure, for they are not disposed to obey the sorcerers, and get cured by charms and enchantments, as the islanders use. I was ill and in great danger for more than two months, and it was ten months before I was quite well.