land Hebrews, Persians, and Indians, besides the natives, every one
read upon the Book, and Letter, as if they had been written in his own
language. And thus was this land saved from infidelity (as the
remainder of the old world was from water) by an ark, through the
apostolical and miraculous evangelism of Saint Bartholomew." And here
he paused, and a messenger came, and called him from us. So this was
all that passed in that conference.

The next day, the same governor came again to us, immediately after
dinner, and excused himself, saying; "That the day before he was
called from us, somewhat abruptly, but now he would make us amends,
and spend time with us if we held his company and conference agreeable."
We answered, "That we held it so agreeable and pleasing to us, as
we forgot both dangers past and fears to come, for the time we hear
him speak; and that we thought an hour spent with him, was worth years
of our former life." He bowed himself a little to us, and after we
were set again, he said; "Well, the questions are on your part."

One of our number said, after a little pause; that there was a matter,
we were no less desirous to know, than fearful to ask, lest we might
presume too far. But encouraged by his rare humanity towards us,
(that could scarce think ourselves strangers, being his vowed and
professed servants,) we would take the hardiness to propound it:
humbly beseeching him, if he thought it not fit to be answered, that
he would pardon it, though he rejected it. We said; "We well observed
those his words, which he formerly spake, that this happy island,
where we now stood, was known to few, and yet knew most of the nations
of the world; which we found to be true, considering they had the
languages of Europe, and knew much of our state and business; and yet
we in Europe, (notwithstanding all the remote discoveries and