Page:The Captivity of Hans Stade of Hesse.pdf/187

understood him not. The savages stood round about us and listened. Now when I could not answer him, he said to the savages in their language, "Kill and eat him, the villain, he is a true Portuguese, my enemy and yours." And this I understood well. I begged him therefore for God's sake, that he would tell them not to cat me. Then he said: "They want to eat you," upon which I remembered the words of Jeremiah (cap. xvii.) who says: "Cursed is he who putteth his trust in man." And herewith I again went away from them very sorrowful at heart; and I had at the time a piece of linen tied around my shoulders (where could they have obtained it?) This I tore off and threw it before the Frenchman's feet, and the sun had scorched me severely, and I said to myself, "If I am to die, why should I preserve my flesh for another?" Then they conducted me back to the huts where they confined me. I then went to lie down in my hammock. God knows the misery I endured, and thus I tearfully began to sing the hymn,

Then they said: "He is a true Portuguose, now he howls,^[2] he dreads death."