第94章

This was what I wish'd for，and immediately leaving Friday and the Captain's Mate to their Business，I took the rest with me，and crossing the Creek out of their Sight，we surpriz'd the two Men before they were aware；one of them lying on Shore，and the other being in the Boat；the Fellow on Shore，was between sleeping and waking，and going to start up，the Captain who was foremost，ran in upon him，and knock'd him down，and then call'd out to him in the Boat，to yield，or he was a dead Man.

There needed very few Arguments to perswade a single Man to yield，when he Saw five Men upon him，and his Comrade knock'd down；besides，this was it seems one of the three who were not so hearty in the Mutiny as the rest of the Crew，and therefore was easily perswaded，not only to yield，but afterwards to joyn very sincere with us.

In the mean time，Friday and the Captain's Mate so well manag'd their Business with the rest，that they drew them by hollowing and answering，from one Hill to another，and from one Wood to another，till they not only heartily tyr'd them but left them，where they were very Sure they could not reach back to the Boat，before it was dark；and indeed they were heartily tyr'd themselves also by the Time they came back to us.

We had nothing now to do，but to watch for them，in the Dark，and to fall upon them，so as to make sure work with them.

It was several Hours after Friday came back to me，before they came back to their Boat；and we could hear the foremost of them long before they came quite up，calling to those behind to come along，and could also hear them answer and complain，how lame and tyr'd they were，and not able to -come any faster，which was very welcome News to us.

At length they came up to the Boat；but 'tis impossible to express their Confusion，when they found the Boat fast a-Ground in the Creek，the Tide ebb'd out，and their two Men gone We could hear them call to one another in a most lamentable Manner，telling one another，they were gotten into an inchanted Island；that either there were Inhabitants in it，and they should all be murther'd，or else there were Devils and Spirits in it，and they should be all carry'd away，and devour'd.

They hallow'd again，and call'd their two Comerades by their Names，a great many times，but no Answer. After some time，we could see them，by the little Light there was，run about wringing their Hands like Men in Despair；and that sometimes they would go and sit down in the Boat to rest themselves，then come ashore again，and walk about again，and so over the same thing again.

My Men would fain have me given them Leave to fall upon them at once in the Dark；but I was willing to take them at some Advantage，so to spare them，and kill as few of them as I could；and especially I was unwilling to hazard the killing any of our own Men，knowing the other were very well armed. I resolved to wait to see if they did not separate；and therefore to make sure of them，I drew my Ambuscade nearer，and order'd Friday and the Captain，to creep upon their Hands and Feet as close to the Ground as they could，that they might not be discover'd，and get as near them as they could possibly，before they offered to fire.

They had not been long in that Posture，but that the Boatswain，who was the principal Ringleader of the Mutiny，and had now shewn himself the most dejected and dispirited of all the rest，came walking towards them with two more of their Crew；the Captain was so eager，as having this principal Rogue so much in his Power，that he could hardly have Patience to let him come so near，as to be sure of him；for they only heard his Tongue before：But when they came nearer，the Captain and Friday starting up on their Feet，let fly at them.

The Boatswain was kill'd upon the Spot，the next Man was Shot into the Body，and fell just by him，tho' he did not die 'till an Hour or two after；and the third run for it.

At the Noise of the Fire，I immediately advanc'd with my whole Army，which was now 8 Men，viz. my self Generalissimo，Friday my Lieutenant-General，the Captain and his two Men，and the three Prisoners of War，who we had trusted with Arms.

We came upon them indeed in the Dark，so that they could not see our Number；and I made the Man we had left in the Boat，who was now one of us，call to them by Name，to try if I could bring them to a Parley，and so might perhaps reduce them to Terms，which fell out just as we desir'd：for deed it was easy to think，as their Condition then was，they would be very willing to capitulate；so he calls out as loud as he could，to one of them，Tom Smith，Tom Smith；Tom Smith answered immediately，Who's that，Robinson？ for it seems he knew his Voice：T'other answered，Ay，ay；for God's Sake，Tom Smith，throw down your Arms，and yield，or，you are all dead Men this Moment.

Who must me yield to？ where are they？ （says Smith again；） Here they are：says he，here's our Captain，and fifty Men with him，have been hunting you this two Hours；the Boatswain is kill'd，Will Frye is wounded，and I am a Prisoner；and if you do not yield，you are all lost.

Will they give us. Quarter then，（says Tom Smith） and we will yield？ I'll go and ask，if you promise to yield，says Robinson；So he ass：'d the Captain，and the Captain then calls himself out，You Smith，you know my Voice，if you lay down your Arms immediately，and submit，you shall have your Lives all but Will. Atkins.

Upon this，Will Atkins cry'd out，For God's Sake，Captain，give me Quarter，what have I done？ They have been all as bad as I，which by the Way was not true neither；for it seems this Will. Atkins was the first Man that laid hold of the Captain，when they first mutiny'd，and used him barbarously，in tying his Hands，and giving him injurious Language. However，the Captain told him he must lay down his Arms at Discretion，and trust to the Governour's Mercy，by which he meant me；for they all call'd me Governour.