I was never absent from his side day or night, hoping and waiting for the first sane remark.

Soon, however, the bitter truth was borne in upon us that, instead of having found salvation and comfort in the society of a white man, we were merely saddled with a ghastly encumbrance, and were far worse off than before.
We now set off in the direction of our old tracks, but were not able to travel very fast on account of the still feeble condition of the white stranger.

Poor creature! I pitied him from the bottom of my heart.

It seemed so terrible for a man to lapse into a state of imbecility after having survived the dreadful hardships and adventures that had befallen him.

I tried over and over again to elicit sensible replies to my questions as to where he came from; but he simply gibbered and babbled like a happy baby.