And now it was, having fixed my resolution in so strong a manner, that nothing could divest my breast of its uncommon fury. I immediately divided the loaded arms betwixt us. To my man Friday I gave a pistol to stick in his girdle, with three guns upon his shoulder, a weight too great, I confess, to bear but what must a poor king do, who has but one soldier in the world? But to show I made him bear no more than what I would lay on myself, I stuck the other pistol in my girdle, and the other three guns upon my shoulders; nay, something more, but that was like Aesop's burden, a small bottle of rum, which was soon lightened to our exceeding refreshment. Thus we marched out, under a ponderous load of armour, like two invincible champions, with a quantity of powder and bullets to stand our battle, and load again, when the pieces were discharged. And now my orders being to be obeyed, I charged Friday to keep close behind me, and not to stir, or shoot, or attempt anything till I commanded him; and in the interim, not to speak so much as one word. It was in this order I fetched a compass to the right hand, of near a mile, as well to get over the creek, as to attain the wood; and by this, I thought to come within shot of them before I could be discerned, as I found by my glass, would not be difficult to accomplish.
But how fickle and wavering is the mind of man, even in our greatest fury and strongest inclinations. For while I was taking this march, my resolution began to abate, not through fear of their numbers, who were a parcel of naked unarmed wretches, but those reflections occurred to my thoughts: what power was I commissioned with, or what occasion or necessity had I to go and imbrue my hands in human blood, and murder people that had neither done nor intended to do me any wrong? They were innocent in particular as to me: and their barbarous custom was not only their misfortune but a sign that God had left them in the most immense stupidity; but yet did not warrant me to be a judge of their actions, much less an executioner of his righteous judgments? That, on the contrary, whenever he thought fit, he would take vengeance on them himself, and punish them in a national way, according to their national crimes; but this was nothing at all to me, who had no concern with them. Indeed my man Friday might justify himself, because they were his declared enemies, of that very same nation that went to sacrifice him before; and indeed it was lawful for him to attack them, which I could not say was so with respect to me,--So warmly did these things press upon my thoughts all the way I went, that I only resolved to place myself so as to behold their bloody entertainment, without falling upon them, except something more than ordinary, by God's special direction, should oblige me thereto.
Thus fixed in my resolution, I entered into the thick wood, (my man Friday following me close behind) when with all possible wariness and silence, I marched till I came close to the skirt of it, on that side which was the nearest to them; for only one end of the wood interposed between me and them. Upon which I called very softly to Friday, and shewing him a great tree, that was just at the corner of the wood, I ordered him to repair thither, and bring me word, if he could plainly perceive their actions; accordingly he did as I commanded him, and came back with this melancholy story, that they were all about their fire, eating the flesh of one of their prisoners; and that another lay bound upon the sands at a little distance from them, which they designed for the next sacrifice, and this, he told me was not one of their nation, but one of those very bearded men, who were driven by a storm into their country, and of whom he had so often talked to me about--You may be sure, that upon hearing this, my soul was ready to sink within me: when ascending into a tree, I saw plainly, by my glass, a white man, who lay upon the beach of the sea, with his hands and feet tied with flags, or things resembling rushes, being covered with clothes, and seemed to be an European. From the tree where I took this prospect I perceived another tree and a thicket beyond it, about fifty yards nearer to them than where I was, which, by taking a small circle round, I might come at undiscovered, & then I should be within half a shot of these devourers. And this consideration alone, to be more perfectly revenged upon them, made me withhold my passion, though I was enraged to the highest degree imaginable; when going back about twenty paces I got behind some bushes, which held all the way till I came to the other tree; and then I ascended to a little rising ground, not above eighteen yards distance, and there I had a full view of these creatures, and I could perceive all their actions.
Such a fight did then appear, as obliged me not to lose a moment's time. No less than nineteen of these dreadful wretches sat upon the ground, close huddled together, expressing all the delight imaginable at so barbarous an entertainment; and they had just sent the other two to murder this poor unhappy Christian, and bring him limb by limb to their fire; for they were then just going to untie the bands from his feet, in order for death, as fetters are knocked off the feet of malefactors before they go to the place of execution. Hereupon, immediately turning to my man, 'now, Friday' said I 'mind what I say, fail in nothing, but do exactly as you see me do'. All which he promising--he would perform, I let down one of my muskets, and fowling-piece upon the ground, and Friday did the same by his; and with the other musket I took my aim at the savages, bidding him do the like: 'Are you ready' said I: Yes, Master, said he; 'why then fire at them,' said I; and that very moment I gave fire likewise.
I only killed one and wounded two; but my man Friday, taking his aim much better than I, killed two and wounded three. You may be sure they were in a dreadful consternation, at, such an unexpected disaster, and those who had yet escaped our penetrating shot, immediately jumped upon their feet, but were in such a confusion, that they knew not which way to run or look; not knowing from whence their destruction came. We threw down our pieces, and took up others, giving a second dreadful volley; but as they were loaded only with swan shot, or small pistol bullets, we perceived only two of them fall; tho many were wounded, who run yelling and screaming about like mad creatures. 'Now, Friday,' said I, 'lay down your piece, and take up the musket, and follow me.' He did so, with great courage, when showing ourselves to the savages we give a great shout, and made directly to the poor victim, who would have been sacrificed, had not our first fire obliged the butchers, with three others, to jump into a canoe. By my order, Friday fired at them, at which shot I thought he had killed them all, by reason of their falling to the bottom of the boat; however, he killed two, and mortally wounded a third. In the mean time, I cut the flags that tied the hands and feet of the poor creature, and lifting him up asked him in the Portuguese tongue, What he was? He answered me in Latin, Christiantis; but so very weak and faint, that he could scarce stand or speak. Immediately I gave him a dram; and a piece of bread to cherish him, and asked him, What countryman he was? He said, Hispaniola; and then uttered all the thankfulness imaginable for his deliverance. 'Signior,' said I, with as much Spanish as I was master of, 'let us talk afterwards, but fight now; here, take this sword and pistol, and do what you can.' And, indeed, he did so with much courage and intrepidity, that he cut two of them to pieces in an instant, the savages not having the power to fly for their lives. I ordered Friday to run for those pieces we had left at the tree, which he brought me with great swiftness, and then I gave him my musket, while I loaded the rest. But now their happened a fierce encounter between the Spaniard & one of the savages who had made at him with one of their wooden swords; and though the former was as brave as could be expected, having twice wounded his enemy in the head, yet being weak & faint, the Indian had thrown him upon the ground, & was wrestling my sword out of his hand, which the Spaniard very wisely quiting, drew out his pistol, and shot him through the body before I could come near him, though I was running to his assistance.' As to Friday, he pursued the flying wretches with his hatchet, dispatching three, but the rest were too nimble for him. The Spaniard taking one of the fowling pieces, wounded two, who running into the wood Friday pursued and killed; but the other, notwithstanding his wounds, plunged himself into the sea & swam to those who were left in the canoe; which, with one wounded, were all that escaped out of one and twenty. The account is as follows.
Killed at first shot from the tree 3 At the second shot 2 By Friday in the boat 2 Ditto of those first wounded 2 Ditto in the wood 1 By the Spaniard 3 Killed or died of their wounds 4 Escaped in the boat, whereof one wounded if not slain 4 ------ Total 21
| Killed at first shot from the tree | 3 |
| At the second shot | 2 |
| By Friday in the boat | 2 |
| Ditto of those first wounded | 2 |
| Ditto in the wood | 1 |
| By the Spaniard | 3 |
| Killed or died of their wounds | 4 |
| Escaped in the boat, whereof one wounded if not slain | 4 |
| ------ | |
| Total | 21 |
The savages in the canoe worked very hard to get out of our reach, and Friday was as eager in pursuing them; and indeed I was no less anxious about their escape, lest after the news had been carried to their people, they should return in multitudes and destroy us. So being resolved to pursue them, I jumped into one of the canoes and bid Friday follow me; but no sooner was I in, than to my surprise, I found another poor creature bound hand and foot for the slaughter, just as the Spaniard had been, with very little life in him. Immediately I unbound him, and would have helped him up; but he could neither stand nor speak, but groaned so piteously, as thinking he was only unbound in order to be slain. Hereupon I bid Friday speak to him, and tell him of his deliverance; when pulling out my bottle I made the poor wretch drink a dram; which, with the joyful news he had received, so revived his heart that he sat up in the boat. As soon as Friday began to hear him speak, and look more fully in his face, it would have moved any one to tears to perceive his uncommon transports of joy; for he kissed, embraced him, hugged him, cried, laughed, hollooed, jumped about, danced, sung, then cried again, wrung his hands, beat his face and head, then sung and jumped about again, like a distracted creature; so that it was a great while before I could make him speak to me, or tell me what was the matter with him; but when he came to the liberty of his speech at last, he told me it was his father.
Here indeed I was infinitely moved to see that dutiful and tender affection this poor savage had to his aged parent. He would sit down by him in the boat, open his breast and hold his father's head close to his bosom half an hour together to cherish him: then he took his arms & ankles, which were stiff and numbed with binding, and chaffed and rubbed them with his hands; by which means perceiving what the case was, I gave him some rum, which proved of great benefit to him.