from whence one of them, who seemed to be a person of
quality, made me a long speech, whereof I understood not 25
one syllable. But I should have mentioned that before
the principal person began his oration he cried out three
times, "_Langro dehlsan_" (these words and the former were
afterwards repeated and explained to me), whereupon immediately
about fifty of the inhabitants came and cut the 30
strings that fastened the left side of my head, which gave
me the liberty of turning it to the right and of observing
the person and gesture of him that was to speak. He
appeared to be of a middle age, and taller than any of
the other three who attended him, whereof one was a
page that held up his train, and seemed to be somewhat
longer than my middle finger; the other two stood one 5
on each side to support him. He acted every part of an
orator, and I could observe many periods of threatenings,
and others of promises, pity, and kindness. I answered
in a few words, but in the most submissive manner, lifting
up my left hand and both mine eyes to the sun, as 10
calling him for a witness: and being almost famished
with hunger, having not eaten a morsel for some hours before
I left the ship, I found the demands of nature so
strong upon me that I could not forbear showing my
impatience (perhaps against the strict rules of decency) 15
by putting my finger frequently on my mouth, to signify
that I wanted food. The _hurgo_ (for so they call a
great lord, as I afterwards learned) understood me very
well.

He descended from the stage, and commanded that 20
several ladders should be applied to my side on which above
a hundred of the inhabitants mounted, and walked toward
my mouth, laden with baskets full of meat, which had been
provided and sent thither by the king's orders upon the
first intelligence he received of me. I observed there was 25
the flesh of several animals, but could not distinguish
them by the taste. There were shoulders, legs, and loins,
shaped like those of mutton, and very well dressed, but
smaller than the wings of a lark. I ate them by two or
three at a mouthful, and took three loaves at a time about 30
the bigness of musket bullets. They supplied me as fast
as they could, showing a thousand marks of wonder and
astonish