One of the merchants who had become my friend invited me to go ashore with him. He gave me a large sack, and having recommended me to some people of the town desired them to take me with them. “Go,” said he, “follow them, and act as you see them do; but do not separate from them, otherwise you may endanger your life.” Having thus spoken, he gave me provisions for the journey, and I went with them.
We came to a thick forest of cocoa trees, very lofty, with trunks so smooth that it was not possible to climb to the branches that bore the fruit. But as soon as we entered the forest we saw a great number of apes of several sizes, who fled when they perceived us, and climbed to the tops of the trees with amazing swiftness.
The merchants with whom I was gathered stones, and threw them at the apes on the trees. I did the same; and the apes, out of revenge, threw cocoa-nuts at us with great fury. We gathered up the cocoa-nuts, and from time to time threw more stones to provoke the apes; so that by this stratagem we filled our bags with cocoa-nuts. I thus gradually collected enough cocoa-nuts to bring me a considerable sum.
Having laden our vessel with nuts, we set sail, and passed by the islands where pepper grows in great plenty. From thence we went to the Isle of Comari, where the best species of wood of aloes grows. I exchanged my nuts in those two islands for pepper and wood of aloes, and went with other
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