At length the morning broke and found me in a sorry plight, for my face was swollen to the size of a pumpkin by the venom of the mosquitoes, and the rest of my body was in little better case.  Moreover I could not keep myself still because of the itching, but must run and jump like a madman.  And where was I to run to through this huge swamp, in which I could see no shelter or sign of man?  I could not guess, so since I must keep moving I followed the bank of the river, as I walked disturbing many crocodiles and loathsome snakes.  Now I knew that I could not live long in such suffering, and determined to struggle forward till I fell down insensible and death put an end to my torments.

For an hour or more I went on thus till I came to a place that was clear of bush and reeds.  Across this I skipped and danced, striking with my swollen hands at the gnats which buzzed about my head.  Now the end was not far off, for I was exhausted and near to falling, when suddenly I came upon a party of men, brown in colour and clothed with white garments, who had been fishing in the river.  By them on the water were several canoes in which were loads of merchandise, and they were now engaged in eating.  So soon as these men caught sight of me they uttered exclamations in an unknown tongue and seizing weapons that lay by them, bows and arrows and wooden clubs set on either side with spikes of flinty glass, they made towards me as though to kill me.  Now I lifted up my hands praying for mercy, and seeing that I was unarmed and helpless the men laid down their arms and addressed me.  I shook my head to show that I could not understand, and pointed first to the sea and then to my swollen features.  They nodded, and going to one of the canoes a man brought from it a paste of a brown colour and aromatic smell.  Then by signs he directed me to remove such garments as remained on me, the fashion of which seemed to puzzle them greatly.  This being done, they proceeded to anoint my body with the paste, the touch of which gave me a most blessed relief from my intolerable itching and burning, and moreover rendered my flesh distasteful to the insects, for after that they plagued me little.

When I was anointed they offered me food, fried fish and cakes of meal, together with a most delicious hot drink covered with a brown and foaming froth that I learned to know afterwards as chocolate.  When I had finished eating, having talked a while together in low tones, they motioned me to enter one of the canoes, giving me mats to lie on.  I obeyed, and three other men came with me, for the canoe was large.  One of these, a very grave man with a gentle face and manner whom I took to be the chief of the party, sat down opposite to me, the other two placing themselves in the bow and stern of the boat which they drove along by means of paddles.  Then we started, followed by three other canoes, and before we had gone a mile utter weariness overpowered me and I fell asleep.