on, making signs, "and
thankful should we be for any food you can bring us."

On this several of the younger women hurried to their wigwams and soon
returned with a supply of fish and plantains and several fruits, which
they placed on the grass in a shady spot under a tree before the
strangers, who set to with a good will, nodding right and left in
acknowledgment to their entertainers. They had just finished when they
saw an old Indian, whom they knew by his dress to be a chief,
accompanied by several councillors, approaching them. They rose and
advanced to meet him, Gilbert, who spoke the Indian language better than
his companion, shouting out that they were glad to see so renowned a
chief, whose friendship they desired to make. The chief, who it
appeared had heard rumours of the fresh arrival of the English in the
country, supposing that they were to be followed by a large army,
treated them accordingly with much courtesy and respect, and assured
them that everything in his village was at their disposal, and that it
would be his pride to entertain them as long as they remained.

Thus far they believed that they were safe. They, however, had fears
that the Indians from whom they had escaped might follow on their trail,
and come to demand them. They therefore proposed, after resting, to set
out again, hoping in course of time to reach the sea. The old chief,
however, though he made them welcome, had no intention of letting them
depart. When the next day they expressed a wish to continue their
journey, he made the excuse that enemies were abroad who might take
their lives, and as they were his guests that the blame would rest with
him. They had expected before this the arrival of the Indians from whom
they had escaped; but as another day passed by and they did not appear,
they guessed truly that the tribes were at enmity, and that their
captors had not dared to pursue them. It was, however, probable that
they might be lurking in the neighbourhood, in the hopes of overtaking
them should they venture from the village; they therefore, with less
unwillingness than they would otherwise have felt, consented to remain,
hoping every day that the chief would send an escort with them to the
coast, which they supposed was at no great distance. When, however,
they made the request to him, he observed that it was many days' journey
off, and that the inhabitants were enemies, who would attack his people
should he send them.