They did accordingly
eat my comrades, who were not aware of their condition; but my
senses being entire, you may easily guess that instead of growing
fat, as the rest did, I grew leaner every day. The fear of death
under which I laboured turned all my food into poison. I fell into
a languishing illness which proved my safety, for the black men
having killed and eaten up my companions, seeing me to be withered,
lean, and sick, deferred my death till another time.
Meanwhile, I had a great deal of liberty, so that there was
scarcely any notice taken of what I did, and this gave me an
opportunity one day to get at a distance from the houses, and to
make my escape. An old man who saw me, and suspected my design,
called to me as loud as he could to return, but instead of obeying
him, I redoubled my pace, and quickly got out of sight. At that
time there was none but the old man about the houses, the rest
being away, and not to come home till night, which was pretty usual
with them; therefore, being sure that they could not come in time
to pursue me, I went on till night, when I stopped to rest a
little, and to eat some of the provisions I had taken care to
bring; but I speedily set forward again, and travelled seven days,
avoiding those places which seemed to be inhabited, and living for
the most part upon cocoanuts, which served me for both meat and
drink.
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