Page:The Captivity of Hans Stade of Hesse.pdf/198

Thereupon he told me that he was too ill to come, and that he knew well and had observed how if I but desired it, he would become well. And I told him, he was to wait until he was strong enough to come home to his huts, then he should be completely restored. He went back again with the answer to Mambukabe, which is four miles (leagues) from Uwattibi where I was.

After several days, they all of them came home together sick. Then he (Jeppipo) ordered me to be led to his huts, and told mo how they had been stricken with illness, and that I had well known it, for he still remembered that I had said the moon looked angrily towards the huts. When I heard. these words from him, I thought to myself: "Surely it must have been through God's providence, that I last night, as aforesaid, spoke about the moon." I was in great joy at this and thought: "To-day God is with me."

Then I told him that it was true, because he wanted to eat me, though I was not his enemy, and therefore had misfortune come upon him. Upon which he said that nothing should happen to me if it turned out that he recovered. I knew not how best to pray to God, and thought, " if they regain health they will yet kill me, but if they die, the others will say, let us kill him, before more misfortune happens on his account," as they had already begun to say. I submitted the matter to God. He (Jeppipo) begged me hard that they might again recover. I walked round them and laid my hands upon their heads as they desired me to do. God would not have it so, they began to die, first died one of their children, then his mother died, an old woman who intended baking the pots, wherein were to be made the beverages with which I was to be eaten.