about midnight
`` By which , nevertheless , we only increased our misery . For two fell from that cliff , as men asleep for very weariness , and miserably broke their bones ; and others , whether by the great toil , or sunstrokes , or eating of strange berries , fell sick of fluxes and fevers ; where was no drop of water , but rock of pumice stone as bare as the back of my hand , and full , moreover , of great cracks , black and without bottom , over which we had not strength to lift the sick , but were fain to leave them there aloft , in the sunshine , like Dives in his torments , crying aloud for a drop of water to cool their tongues ; and every man a great stinking vulture or two sitting by him , like an ugly black fiend out of the pit , waiting till the poor soul should depart out of the corpse : but nothing could avail , and for the dear life we must down again and into the woods , or be burned up alive upon those rocks . `` So getting down the slope on the farther side , we came into the woods once more , and there wandered for many days , I know not how many ; our shoes being gone , and our clothes all rent off us with brakes and briars . And yet how the lady endured all was a marvel to see ; for she went barefoot many days , and for clothes was fain to wrap herself in Mr. Oxenham 's cloak ; while the little maid went all but naked : but ever she looked still on Mr. Oxenham , and seemed to take no care as long as he was by , comforting and cheering us all with pleasant words ; yea , and once sitting down under a great fig-tree , sang us all to sleep with very sweet music ; yet , waking about midnight , I saw her sitting still upright , weeping very bitterly ; on whom , sirs , God have mercy ; for she was a fair and a brave jewel . `` And so , to make few words of a sad matter , at last there were none left but Mr. Oxenham and the lady and the little maid , together with me and William Penberthy of Marazion , my good comrade . And Mr. Oxenham always led the lady , and Penberthy and I carried the little maid . And for food we had fruits , such as we could find , and water we got from the leaves of certain lilies which grew on the bark of trees , which I found by seeing the monkeys drink at them ; and the little maid called them monkey-cups , and asked for them continually , making me climb for them .