If I walked forward towards the prow to obtain a better view of the landscape, the best place was immediately vacated on my behalf; and, in short, they all behaved in such a courteous and obliging way, that these uncultivated people might have put to shame many a civilised European.

They certainly, however, requested a few favours of me, which, I am ashamed to say, it cost me a great effort to grant.

For instance, the oldest among them begged permission to sleep in my apartment, as they only possessed a small cabin, while I had the larger one all to myself.

Then they performed their devotions, even to the preliminary washing of face and feet, in my cabin: this I permitted, as I was more on deck than below.

At first these women called me Mary, imagining, probably, that every Christian lady must bear the name of the Virgin.