The pleasures and amusements which I enjoyed after my third voyage had not charms sufficient to divert me from another.  My passion for trade, and my love of novelty, again prevailed.  I therefore settled my affairs, and having provided a stock of goods fit for the traffic I designed to engage in, I set out on my journey.  I took the route of Persia, travelled over several provinces, and then arrived at a port, where I embarked.  We hoisted our sails, and touched at several ports of the continent, and some of the eastern islands, and put out to sea:  we were overtaken by such a sudden gust of wind, as obliged the captain to lower his yards, and take all other necessary precautions to prevent the danger that threatened us.  But all was in vain our endeavours had no effect; the sails were split in a thousand pieces, and the ship was stranded; several of the merchants and seamen were drowned and the cargo was lost.

I had the good fortune, with several of the merchants and mariners, to get upon some planks, and we were carried by the current to an island which lay before us.  There we found fruit and spring water, which preserved our lives.  We staid all night near the place where we had been cast ashore, without consulting what we should do; our misfortune had so much dispirited us that we could not deliberate.

Next morning, as soon as the sun was up, we walked from the shore, and advancing into the island, saw some houses, which we approached.  As soon as we drew near, we were encompassed by a great number of negroes, who seized us, shared us among them, and carried us to their respective habitations.

I, and five of my comrades, were carried to one place; here they made us sit down, and gave us a certain herb, which they made signs to us to eat.  My comrades not taking notice that the blacks ate none of it themselves, thought only of satisfying their hunger, and ate with greediness.  But I, suspecting some trick, would not so much as taste it, which happened well for me; for in little time after, I perceived my companions had lost their senses, and that when they spoke to me, they knew not what they said.

The negroes fed us afterwards with rice, prepared with oil of cocoa-nuts; and my comrades, who had lost their reason, ate of it greedily.  I also partook of it, but very sparingly.  They gave us that herb at first on purpose to deprive us of our senses, that we might not be aware of the sad destiny prepared for us; and they supplied us with rice to fatten us; for, being cannibals, their design was to eat us as soon as we grew fat.  This accordingly happened, for they devoured my comrades, who were not sensible 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 distemper, which proved my safety; for the negroes, having killed and eaten my companions, seeing me to be withered, lean, and sick, deferred my death.