Part 2 (2/2)
They had taken three prisoners, as I observed; and these three being stout young fellows, they ht theh; but they did not take their in with the saved their lives, and then instruct them in the rational principles of life; ion, or attee and affectionate arguave theery enough; but they failed in this by it, that they never had theht for them as I had my man Friday, as as true to me as the very flesh uponall now good friends--for coer, as I said above, had effectually reconciled theeneral circu that caes particularly haunted that side of the island, and that there were more remote and retired parts of it equally adapted to their way of living, and e, they should not rather move their habitation, and plant in some more proper place for their safety, and especially for the security of their cattle and corn
Upon this, after long debate, it was concluded that they would not remove their habitation; because that, soovernor again,me; and if I should send any one to seek them, I should be sure to direct them to that side, where, if they should find the place dees had killed us all, and ere gone, and so our supply would go too But as to their corn and cattle, they agreed to remove them into the valley where my cave here the land was as proper for both, and where indeed there was land enough However, upon second thoughts they altered one part of their resolution too, and resolved only to remove part of their cattle thither, and part of their corn there; so that if one part was destroyed the other ht be saved And one part of prudence they luckily used: they never trusted those three savages which they had taken prisoners with knowing anything of the plantation they had made in that valley, or of any cattle they had there, much less of the cave at that place, which they kept, in case of necessity, as a safe retreat; and thither they carried also the two barrels of pohich I had sent thee their habitation; yet, as I had carefully covered it first with a wall or fortification, and then with a grove of trees, and as they were now fully convinced their safety consisted entirely in their being concealed, they set to work to cover and conceal the place yet more effectually than before For this purpose, as I planted trees, or rather thrust in stakes, which in tiood distance before the entrance into my apartments, they went on in the saround from the trees I had set quite down to the side of the creek, where I landed my floats, and even into the very ooze where the tide flowed, not so n that there had been any landing thereabouts: these stakes also being of a wood very forward to grow, they took care to have theer and taller than those which I had planted As they grew apace, they planted theether, that when they had been three or four years grown there was no piercing with the eye any considerable way into the plantation As for that part which I had planted, the trees were grown as thick as athem they had placed so many other short ones, and so thick, that it stood like a palisado a quarter of a mile thick, and it was next to iet between the trees, they stood so close
But this was not all; for they did the saht hand and to the left, and round even to the side of the hill, leaving no way, not so much as for themselves, to come out but by the ladder placed up to the side of the hill, and then lifted up, and placed again froe up to the top: so that when the ladder was taken down, nothing but what had wings or witchcraft to assist it could come at them This was excellently well contrived: nor was it less than what they afterwards found occasion for, which served to convince me, that as human prudence has the authority of Providence to justify it, so it has doubtless the direction of Providence to set it to work; and if we listened carefully to the voice of it, I aht prevent ligence, subjected to
They lived two years after this in perfect retirees They had, indeed, an alarreat consternation; for so on the west side or end of the island (which was that end where I never went, for fear of being discovered), they were surprised with seeing about twenty canoes of Indians just co on shore Theythe alarm to their co out only at night to ood luck to be undiscovered, for wherever the savages went, they did not land that tin
CHAPTER IV--RENEWED INVASION OF SAVAGES
And now they had another broil with the three Englishe at one of the three captive slaves, because the fellow had not done soht which he bade hi hi-belt which he wore by his side, and fell upon the poor savage, not to correct hi hiive the fellow a barbarous cut with the hatchet, which he aiht he had cut the poor creature's ar him not to e, to prevent the ed the more at this, struck at the Spaniard with his hatchet, and swore he would serve hie; which the Spaniard perceiving, avoided the blow, and with a shovel, which he had in his hand (for they were all working in the field about their corn land), knocked the brute down Another of the English up at the same time to help his comrade, knocked the Spaniard down; and then two Spaniards lishman fell in upon them
They had none of them any firearms or any other weapons but hatchets and other tools, except this third Englishman; he had one of my rusty cutlasses, hich he made at the two last Spaniards, and wounded them both This fray set the whole fa in they took the three Englishmen prisoners The next question hat should be done with them? They had been so often mutinous, and were so very furious, so desperate, and so idle withal, they knew not what course to take with theree, and cared not what hurt they did to any man; so that, in short, it was not safe to live with theovernor told them, in so many words, that if they had been of his own country he would have hanged theovernors were to preserve society, and those ere dangerous to the society ought to be expelled out of it; but as they were Englishlishman that they all owed their preservation and deliverance, he would use thelishlishht not be left to theht to sentence theives an account how Will Atkins, one of the three, had proposed to have all the five Englishether and murder all the Spaniards when they were in their sleep
When the Spanish governor heard this, he calls to Will Atkins, ”How, Seignior Atkins, would you murder us all? What have you to say to that?”
The hardened villain was so far fro it, that he said it was true, and swore they would do it still before they had done with thenior Atkins,” says the Spaniard, ”what have we done to you that you will kill us? What would you get by killing us? And whatus? Must we kill you, or you kill us? Why will you put us to the necessity of this, Seignior Atkins?” says the Spaniard very cale at the Spaniard'sa jest of it, that, had he not been held by three ht he would have attempted to kill the Spaniard in the ed thelishe were of the opinion that they should hang one of the three for an example to the rest, and that particularly it should be he that had twice attempted to commit murder with his hatchet; indeed, there was soe was in such a miserable condition with the wound he had received that it was thought he could not live But the governor Spaniard still said No; it was an Englishman that had saved all their lives, and he would never consent to put an Englishh he had murdered half of thelishman, and had time left to speak, it should be that they should pardon hiovernor Spaniard, that there was no gainsaying it; and as merciful counsels are most apt to prevail where they are so earnestly pressed, so they all came into it But then it was to be considered what should be done to keep theovernor and all, that er After a long debate, it was agreed that they should be disarun, powder, shot, sword, or any weapon; that they should be turned out of the society, and left to live where they would and how they would, by thelish, should hold any kind of converse with the to do with them; that they should be forbid to come within a certain distance of the place where the rest dwelt; and if they offered to commit any disorder, so as to spoil, burn, kill, or destroy any of the corn, plantings, buildings, fences, or cattle belonging to the society, they should die without mercy, and they would shoot theovernor,upon the sentence, considered a little upon it; and turning to the two honest English ere they can raise corn and cattle of their own, and they must not starve; we must therefore allow them provisions”
So he caused to be added, that they should have a proportion of corn given theht ht be supposed to raise sooats, four he-goats, and six kids given them, as well for present subsistence as for a store; and that they should have tools given them for their work in the fields, but they should have none of these tools or provisions unless they would swear solemnly that they would not hurt or injure any of the Spaniards with thelishmen
Thus they dismissed them the society, and turned them out to shi+ft for themselves They went away sullen and refractory, as neither content to go away nor to stay: but, as there was no reo and choose a place where they would settle theiven theain for soovernor an account where they had pitched their tents, and marked themselves out a habitation and plantation; and it was a very convenient place indeed, on the remotest part of the island, NE, much about the place where I providentially landed in e, when I was driven out to sea in my foolish attempt to sail round the island
Here they built themselves two handsome huts, and contrived the close under the side of a hill, having so on three sides of it, so that by planting others it would be very easily covered froht, unless narrowly searched for They desired soiven the their words that they would not disturb the rest, or injure any of their plantations, they gave them hatchets, and what other tools they could spare; so; and, in a word, anything they wanted, except arms and ammunition
They lived in this separate condition about six h the quantity was but s but little Indeed, having all their plantation to forreat deal of work upon their hands; and when they cas, they were quite out of their ele of it; therefore when the rainy season came on, for want of a cave in the earth, they could not keep their grain dry, and it was in great danger of spoiling This hued the Spaniards to help thereat hole in the side of the hill for thes from the rain: but it was a poor place at best compared to reatly enlarged it, and made several new apartments in it
About three quarters of a year after this separation, a new frolic took these rogues, which, together with the forh upon them, and had very near been the ruin of the whole colony The three new associates began, it seems, to be weary of the laborious life they led, and that without hope of bettering their circue to the continent, froes came, and would try if they could seize upon so them home, so as to make them do the laborious part of the work for theone no further But they did nothing, and proposed nothing, but had either n, or ive my opinion, they seemed to be under a blast from Heaven: for if ill not allow a visible curse to pursue visible cris with the divine justice? It was certainly an apparent vengeance on their criht them to the state they were in; and they showed not the least remorse for the crime, but added new villanies to it, such as the piece ofa poor slave because he did not, or perhaps could not, understand to do what he was directed, and to wound him in such a manner as eon or medicine could be had for his cure; and, as still worse, the intentional murder, for such to be sure it was, as was afterwards the forn they all laid to murder the Spaniards in cold blood, and in their sleep
The three fellows ca, and in very humble terms desired to be admitted to speak with them The Spaniards very readily heard what they had to say, which was this: that they were tired of living in the h tono help, they found they should be starved; but if the Spaniards would give them leave to take one of the canoes which they caive them aro over to the main, and seek their fortunes, and so deliver the thelad enough to get rid of them, but very honestly represented to the into; told them they had suffered such hardshi+ps upon that very spot, that they could, without any spirit of prophecy, tell them they would be starved or murdered, and bade them consider of it The men replied audaciously, they should be starved if they stayed here, for they could not work, and would not work, and they could but be starved abroad; and if they were murdered, there was an end of them; they had no wives or children to cry after them; and, in short, insisted io, whether they gave thereat kindness, that if they were resolved to go they should not go like naked men, and be in no condition to defend theh they could ill spare firearh for themselves, yet they would let them have two muskets, a pistol, and a cutlass, and each ht was sufficient for the baked bread enough to serve theoats'
flesh as they could eat while it eet, with a great basket of dried grapes, a pot of fresh water, and a young kid alive, they boldly set out in the canoe for a voyage over the sea, where it was at least forty e one, and would very well have carried fifteen or twenty e; but as they had a fair breeze and flood-tide with the pole, and a sail of four large goat-skins dried, which they had sewed or laced together; and away they went ether The Spaniards called after the the to one another, and to the two honest Englishmen who remained behind, how quietly and coone As for their cohts that could be iined; when, behold, after two-and-twenty days' absence, one of the Englishe uns upon their shoulders
Away runs the Englishovernor Spaniard, and tells hiers upon the island, but he could not tell who they were The Spaniard, pausing a while, says to hies, to be sure” ”No, no,” says the Englishman, ”they are men in clothes, with arms” ”Nay, then,” says the Spaniard, ”why are you so concerned! If they are not savages they must be friends; for there is no Christian nation upon earth but will do us good rather than harlish without the wood, which was new planted, hallooed to them
They presently knew their voices, and so all the wonder ceased But now the admiration was turned upon another question--What could be the ain?
It was not long before they brought thewhere they had been, and what they had been doing, they gave thee in a feords: that they reached the land in less than two days, but finding the people alarht theo on, shore, but sailed on to the northward six or seven hours, till they ca, by which they perceived that the land they saw from our island was not theof the sea they saw another island on the right hand north, and severalresolved to land somewhere, they put over to one of the islands which lay west, and went boldly on shore; that they found the people very courteous and friendly to theave them several roots and some dried fish, and appeared very sociable; and that the women, as well as thethey could get for thereat way, on their heads They continued here for four days, and inquired as well as they could of thens, what nations were this way, and that way, and were told of several fierce and terrible people that lived alns to them, used to eat men; but, as for themselves, they said they never ate men or women, except only such as they took in the wars; and then they owned they reat feast, and ate their prisoners