162 DISCOVERIES OF THE ENGLISH. 
but of the former he had conceived the most dis- 
mal idea. He thus reports his musings : 
If cannibals they be 
In kind, we do not know ; 
But if they be, then welcome we, 
To pot straightway we goe. 
They naked goe likewise, 
For shame we cannot so ; 
We cannot live after their guise? 
Thus naked for to go. 
By roots and leaves they live, 
As beasts do in the wood : 
Among these heathen who can thrive, 
On this so wilde a food. 
On duly revolving these dismal ideas, they de- 
termined to have recourse to the Portuguese, 
" sith they were christened men,'* though there 
appeared no encouragement on any other ground. 
They drew near, therefore, to a Portuguese fort 
near Cape Three Points, and were at first invited 
by signs to enter ; but no sooner did they arrive 
within gun shot, than a battery began to play upon 
them, and they thought themselves fortunate in 
regaining the open sea. It became necessary, 
therefore, to have recourse to the unchristened 
negroes ; and they soon found how groundless 
their apprehensions had been. These people 
shewed themselves sensible to their sufferings, 
assisted them in getting on shore, and supplied 
all their wants. After a little time, however, 
they found they were expected to provide for 
