island a second time. When my faithful Spaniard, accompanied by one
more, approached the boat, he little knew who I was, till I discovered
myself to him. _Seignor_, said I, in Portuguese, _don't you know me_? He
spoke never a word, but giving his musket to his attendant, extended his
arms, and saying something in Spanish that I did not then understand, he
came forward & embraced me, saying, _he was inexcusable not to know his
deliverer: who, like an angel sent from heaven, had saved his life_; He
then beckoned to the man to call out his companions, asking me if I
would walk to my own habitation and take possession, where I should find
some mean improvements; but indeed they were extraordinary ones: for
they had planted so many trees so close together, that the place was
like a labyrinth, which none could find out except themselves, who knew
its intricate windings. I asked him the meaning of all these
fortifications? he told me _he would give a large account of what had
passed since my departure till this time, and how he had subdued some
English, who thought to be their murderers, hoping I would not be
displeased, since necessity compelled them to it_. As I knew they were
wicked villains, so I told him, that I was not only far from finding
fault with it, but was rather heartily glad that they had subdued them.
While we were thus talking, the man whom he sent returned, accompanied
by eleven more, but in such habits, that it was impossible to tell what
nations they were of. He first turned to me, and pointing to them,
_These Sir,_ said he, _are some of the gentlemen who owe their lives to
your goodness_, then turning to them, and pointing to me, he made them
sensible who I was; and, then indeed they saluted me one by one, not as
ordinary men, but as tho' they had been ambassadors or noblemen, and I a
triumphant conqueror; for their behaviour not only agreed with a
manlike, majestic gravity, but at the same time was so obliging and
courteous, as made them agreeable to the last degree.
Before I relate the history of the transactions of my kingdom, as I had
it from the Spaniard's own mouth, I must here insert what I omitted in
my former relation. The matter is this: Just before we weighed anchor
and set sail, there happened a quarrel on board the ship, which had like
to have occasioned a second mutiny, till such time the courageous
Capitan, taking two of the most refractory prisoners, laid them in irons
threatening, as they were concerned in the former disorders, so have
them hanged in England for running away with the ship. This frightened
some of the rest, as thinking the Captain would serve them in the same
manner, though he seemed to give them good word for the present. But the
mate having intelligence of this, mad me acquainted with their fears; so
that to make them more easy, and ourselves more safe from their
conspiracies I was obliged to go down, and pass my honour's word for it,
that upon their good behaviour, all that was past should be forgiven; in
testimony of which, I ordered the two men's irons to be taken off; &
themselves forgiven. But as this had brought us to an anchor that night,
in which there was a calm; the two men that had been in irons stole each
of them a musket, and some other weapons, and taking the ship's pinnace,
not yet hauled up, ran away to their brother rogues. The next morning we
sent the long-boat with men to pursue them, but all in vain; the mate,
in revenge, would have demolished my little castle, burnt his furniture
and destroyed their plantations, but having no orders for it, he did not
put it in execution. And thus there were five Englishmen in the island,
which caused great differences, as my faithful Spaniard gave me a
perfect account of, in the following manner:
You cannot, Sir, but remember the embassy you sent me about, and what a
disappointment we met with, by your absence, at our return. There is but
little variety in the relation of all our voyage, being blessed with
calm weather and a smooth sea. Great indeed was the joy of my countrymen
to see me alive, having acted as the principal man on board, the captain
of the shipwrecked vessel dying before; nor was their surprise less, as
knowing I was taken prisoner by the savages of another nation, they had
thought me long since entombed in their monstrous bowels. But when I
showed them the arms, ammunition, and provisions I had brought for them,
they looked upon me as a second Joseph advanced in Pharoah's court, and
immediately prepared to come along with me. Indeed they were obliged to
trespass upon their friendly savages, by borrowing two of their canoes,
under a pretext for fishing; and they came away the next morning, but
without any provisions of their own, except a few roots which served
them instead of bread. After three weeks absence we arrived at our
habitation. Here we met with three English sailors, who, I confess, gave
us provisions, and that letter of direction you had left for us, which
informed us how to bring up tame goats, plant corn, cure grapes, make
pots, and, in short, every thing that was necessary for our life. As, in
particular, I knew your method best, so taking Friday's father to assist
me, we managed all the affairs; nor were the rest of the Spaniards
wanting in their kind offices, dressing food for the Englishmen, who did
nothing but ramble and divert themselves in the woods, either shooting
parrots, or catching tortoises. But we had not been long ashore, before
we were informed of two more Englishmen, unnaturally turned out of their
common place of residence, by the three others above mentioned; this
made my Spaniards and me (whom they now looked upon as their governor in
your absence) endeavour to persuade them to take them in, that we might
be as one family; but all our intreaties were in vain, so that the poor
fellows finding nothing to be done without industry, pitched their tents
on the north side of the island, a little inclining to the west, for
fear of savages. Here they built two huts, one to lodge, and the other
to lay their stores in; for my good natured Spaniards giving them some
seeds, they dug and planted as I had done, and began to live prettily.
But while they were thus comfortably going on, the three unnatural
brutes, their countrymen, in a mere bullying humour, insulted them by
saying, 'the governor (meaning you) had given them a possession of the
island, and d-mn 'em they should build no houses upon their ground,
without paying rent.' The two honest men (for so let me now distinguish
them) thought their three countrymen only jested, and one of them
invited them in, to see their fine habitations; while the other
facetiously told them 'that since they built tenements with great
improvements, they should, according to the custom of lords, give them
a longer lease;' at the same time desiring them to fetch a scriviner to
draw the writings. One of these wretches swearing _he should pay for the
jest_, snatches up a fire brand, and clapping it to the outside of their
hut, very fairly set it on fire, which would soon have consumed it, had
not the honest man thrust him away, and trod it with his feet. Hereupon
the fellow returns with his pole, with which he would have ended his
days, had not the poor man avoided the blow when fetching his musket, he
knocked down the villain that began the quarrel. The other two coming to
assist their fellow, obliged the honest man to take his musket also, and
both of them presenting their pieces bid the villains stand off; and if
they did not lay down their arms, death should decide the dispute one
way or other. This brought them to a parley, in which they agreed to
take their wounded man and begone; but they were in the wrong that they
did not disarm them when they had the power, and then make their
complaint to me and my Spaniards for justice, which might have prevented
their farther designs against them. And indeed so many trespass did they
afterwards commit, by treading down their corn, shooting their young
kids and goats, and plaguing them night and day, that they resolved to
come to my castle, challenge all the three, and decide their right by
one plain battle, while the Spaniards stood by to see fair play. One day
it happened, that two of my Spaniards (one of whom understood English)
being in the woods, were met by one of the honest men, who complained
how barbarous their countrymen had been in destroying their corn,
killing their milk-goat and three kids, which deprived them of their
subsistence; and that if we did not grant them relief, they must be
inevitably starved, and so they parted; but when my Spaniards came home
at night, and supper being on the table, one of them began to reprehend
the Englishmen, but in a very mannerly way; which they resenting,
replied, _What business had their countrymen in that place without
leave, when it was none of their ground? Why_, said my Spaniard, calmly,
_Inglise, they must not starve:_ but they replied, _Let them starve and
be damn'd, they should neither plant nor build, and damn them, they
should be their servants, and work for them, for the island was their's,
and they would burn all the huts they should find in the island. By this
rule_, said my Spaniard, smiling, _We shall be your servants too. Aye,
by God, and so you shall_ replied the impudent rascal. Upon which,
starting up, Will Atkins cries, _Come Jack, let's have t'other brush
with them; who dare to build in our dominions?_--Thus leaving us
something heated with just passion, away they trooped, every man having
a gun, pistol, and sword, muttering some threatening words, that we
could then but imperfectly understand. That night they designed to
murder their two companions, and slept till midnight in the bower,
thinking to fall upon them in their sleep: not were the honest men less
thoughtful concerning them; for at this juncture they were coming to
find them out, but in a much fairer way. As soon as the villains came to
the huts, and found nobody there, they concluded that I and my Spaniard
had given them notice, and therefore swore to be revenged on us. Then
they demolished the poor men's habitations; not by fire, as they
attempted before, but pulled down their houses, limb from limb, not
leaving stick nor stone on the ground where they stood, broke their
household stuff in pieces, tore up their trees, spoiled their
inclosures, and, in short, quite ruined them of every thing they had.
Had these people met together, no doubt but there would have been a
bloody battle; but Providence ordered it for the better; for just as the
three were got together the two were at our castle; and when they left
us, the three came back again, but in great rage, scoffingly telling us
what they had done; when one taking hold of a Spaniard's hat, twirls it
round, saying, _And you Seignor Jack Spaniard, shall have the same
sauce, if you don't mind your manners_. My Spaniard, a grave but
courageous man, knocked him down with one blow of his fist; at which
another villain fired his pistol, and narrowly missed his body, but
wounded him a little in the ear. Hereat enraged, the Spaniard takes up
the fellow's musket who he had knocked down, and would have shot him, if
I and the rest had not come out, and taken their arms from every one
of them.
"These Englishmen perceiving they had made all of us their enemies,
began to cool; but not withstanding their better words the Spaniards
would not return them their arms again, telling them, 'they would do
them no manner of harm, if they would live peaceably; but if they
offered any injury to the plantation or castle, they would shoot them as
they would do ravenous beasts. This made them so mad, that they went
away raging like furies of hell. They were no sooner gone, but in came
the two honest men, fired with the justest rage, if such can be, having
been ruined as aforesaid. And indeed it was very hard, that nineteen of
us should be bullied by three villains, continually offending
with impunity.
"It was a great while, Sir, before we could persuade the two Englishmen
from pursuing, and undoubtedly killing them with their fire-arms; but we
promised them 'justice should be done them, and, in the mean time, they
should reside with us in our habitation.' In about five days after,
these three vagrants, almost starved with hunger, drew near our grove,
and perceiving me, the governor, & two others walking by the side of the
creek, they very submissively desired to be received into the family
again. We told them of 'their great incivility to us, and of their
unnatural barbarity to their countrymen; but yet we would see what the
rest agreed to, and in half an hour's time would bring them word.'
After some debate, we called them in, where their two countrymen laid a
heavy charge against them, for not only ruining, but designing to murder
them, which they could not deny. But here I was forced to interpose as a
mediator, by obliging the two Englishmen not to hurt them, being naked &
unarmed, and that the other three should make them restitution, by
building their two huts, and fencing their ground in the same manner as
it was before. Well, being in a miserable condition, they submitted to
this at present, and lived some time regularly enough, except as to the
working part, which they did not care for, but the Spaniards would have
dispensed with that, had they continued easy and quiet. Their arms being
given them again, they scarce had them a week when they became as
troublesome as ever; but an accident happening soon after, obliged us to
lay aside private resentments, and look to our common preservation.
"One night, Sir, I went to bed, perfectly well in health, and yet by no
means could I compose myself to sleep; upon which, being very uneasy, I
got up and looked out, but it being dark, I could perceive nothing but
the trees around the castle. I went to bed again, but it was all one, I
could not sleep; when one of my Spaniards, hearing me walk about, asked
who it was up? I answered, _It is I_. When I told him the occasion,
_Sir_, said he, _such things are not to be slighted; for certainly there
is some mischief plotting against us. Where are the Englishmen?_ said I.
He answered _In their huts_; for they lay separate from us, Sir, since
the last mutiny. _Well,_ said I, _some kind spirit gives this
information for advantage. Come let us go abroad, and see if any thing
offers to justify our fears._ Upon which I and some of my Spaniards went
up the mountain, not by the ladder, but through the grove, and then we
were struck with a panic fear on seeing a light, as though it were a
fire, at a very little distance, and hearing the voices of several men.
Hereupon we retreated immediately, and raised the rest of our forces,
and made them sensible of the impending danger; but with all my
authority, I could not make them stay where they were, so earnest were
they to see how things went. Indeed the darkness of the night gave them
opportunity enough to view them by the light of the fire undiscovered.
As they were in different parties, and straggling over the shore, we
were much afraid that they should find out our habitations, and destroy
our flocks of goats: to prevent which, we sent immediately an Englishman
and two Spaniards to drive the goats into the valley where the cave lay;
or, if there was occasion, into the cave itself: As to ourselves,
resuming our native courage and prudent conduct, had we not been
divided, we durst venture to attack an hundred of them; but before it
was very light, we resolved to send out Friday's father as a spy, who,
immediately stripping himself naked, gets among them undiscovered, and
in two hours time brings word, that 'they were two parties of two
different nations, who lately having a bloody battle with one another,
happened to land by mere chance on the same island, to devour their
miserable prisoners; that they were entirely ignorant of any person's
inhabiting here; but rather filled with rage and fury against one
another, he believed, that as soon as day light appeared, there would be
a terrible engagement.' Old Friday had scarce ended his relation, when
we heard an uncommon noise, and perceived that there was a horrid
engagement between the two armies.
"Such was the curiosity of our party, especially the Englishmen, that
they would not lie close, tho' Old Friday told them, 'their safety
depended upon it; and that if we had patience, we should behold the
savages kill one another.' However they used some caution, by going
farther into the woods, and placing themselves in a convenient place to
behold the battle.
"Never could there be a more bloody engagement, or men of more
invincible spirits and prudent conduct, according to their manner and
way of fighting. It lasted near two hours, till the party which was
nearest our castle began to decline, and at last to fly from their
conquerors. We were undoubtedly put into a great consternation on this
account, lest they should run into our grove, and consequently bring us
into the like danger. Hereupon we resolved to kill the first that came,
to prevent discovery, and that too with our swords, and the butt end of
our muskets, for fear the report of our guns should be heard.
"And so indeed, as we thought, it happened; for three of the vanquished
army crossing the creek, ran directly to the place, as to a thick wood
for shelter; nor was it long before our scout gave us notice of it: as
also, that the victors did not think fit to pursue them. Upon this I
would not suffer them to be slain, but had them surprised and taken by
our party; afterwards they proved very good servants to us, being stout
young creatures, and able to do a great deal of work. The remainder of
the conquered savages fled to their canoes, and put out into the ocean,
while the conquerors, joining together, shouted by way of triumph, and
about three in the afternoon they also embarked for their own nation.
Thus we were freed at once from these savages and our fears, not
perceiving any of these creatures for some considerable time after. We
found two and thirty men dead in the field of battle; some were slain
with long arrows, which we found sticking in their bodies; & the rest
were killed with great unwieldy wooden swords, which denoted their vast
strength, and of which we found seventeen, besides bows and arrows: but
we could not find one wounded creature among them alive; for they either
kill their enemies quite, or carry those wounded away with them.
"This terrible fight tamed the Englishmen for some time, considering
how unfortunate they might have been had they fallen into their hands,
who would not only kill them as enemies, but also for food, as we do
cattle; and indeed so much did this nauseate their stomachs, that it not
only made them very sick, but more tractable to the common necessary
business of the whole society, planting, sowing, and reaping, with the
greatest signs of amity and friendship; so, that being now all good
friends, we began to consider of circumstances in general; and the first
thing we thought of was, whether, as we perceived the savages haunted
that side of the island, and there being more retired parts of it, and
yet as well suited to our manner of living, and equally to our
advantage, we ought not rather to move our place of residence, & plant
it in a much safer place, both for the security of our corn and cattle.
"After a long debate on this head; it was resolved, or rather voted,
_nemine comradicente_, not to remove our ancient castle, and that for
this very good reason, that some time or other we expected to hear from
our supreme governor, (meaning you, Sir) whose messengers not finding us
there, might think the place demolished, and all his subjects destroyed
by the savages.
"As to the next concern relating to our corn and cattle, we consented to
have them removed to the valley where the cave was, that being most
proper and sufficient for both. But yet when we considered farther, we
altered one part of our resolution, which was to remove part of our
cattle thither and plant only part of our corn there; so that in case
one part was destroyed, the other might be preserved. Another resolution
we took, which really had a great deal of prudence in it; and that was,
in not trusting the three savages whom we had taken prisoners, with any
knowledge of the plantations we had made in the valley, of what number
of cattle we had there, much less of the cave, wherein we kept several
arms, and two barrels of powder you left for us at your departure from
this island. But though we could not change our habitation, we resolved
to make it more fortified and more secret. To this end, Sir, as you
planted trees at some distance before the entrance of your palace; so
we, imitating your example, planted and filled up the whole space of
ground, even to the banks of the creek, nay, into the very ooze where
the tide flowed, not leaving a place for landing; and among those I had
planted, they had intermingled so many short ones, all of which growing
wonderfully fast and thick, a little dog could scarcely find a passage
through them. Nor was this sufficient, as we thought, for we did the
same to all the ground, on the right and left hand of us, even to the
top of the hill, without so much as leaving a passage for ourselves,
except by the ladder; which being taken down, nothing but what had
wings or witchcraft could pretend to come near us. And indeed this was
exceedingly well-contrived, especially to serve that occasion for which
we afterwards found it necessary.
"Thus we lived two years in a happy retirement, having, all this time,
not one visit from the savages. Indeed one morning we had an alarm,
which put us in some amazement; for a few of my Spaniards being out very
early, perceived no less than twenty canoes, as it were coming on shore:
upon which returning home, with great precipitation, they gave us the
alarm, which obliged us to keep at home all that day and the next, going
out only in the night-time to make our observations; but, as good luck
would have it, they were upon another design, and did not land that time
upon the island.
"But now there happened another quarrel between the three wicked
Englishmen, and some of my Spaniards.--- The occasion was this: One of
them being enraged at one of the savages, whom he had taken prisoner,
for not being able to comprehend something which he was showing him,
snatched up a hatchet in a great fury not to correct, but to kill him;
yet missing his head gave him such a barbarous--cut in the shoulder,
that he had like to have struck off his arm; at which one of my
good-natured Spaniards interposing between the Englishman and the savage
beseeched the former, not to murder the poor creature, but this kindness
had like to have cost the Spaniard his life, for the Englishman, struck
at him in the same manner; which he nimbly and wisely avoiding, returned
suddenly upon him with his shovel, (being all at work about their corn
land), and very fairly knocked the brutish creature down. Hereupon
another Englishman coming to his fellow's assistance, laid the good
Spaniard on the earth; when immediately two others coming to his relief
were attacked by the third Englishman, armed with an old cutlass, who
wounded them both. This uproar soon reached our ears, when we rushing
out upon them, took the three Englishmen prisoners, and then our next
question was, what would be done to such mutinous, and impudent fellows,
so furious, desperate, and idle, that they were mischievious to the
highest degree and consequently not safe for the society to let them
live among them.
"Now, Sir, as I was governor in your absence, so I also took the
authority of a judge, and, having them brought before me; I told them,
that if they had been of my country, I would have hanged every mother's
son of them, but since it was an Englishman (meaning you, kind Sir,) to
whom we were indebted for our preservation and deliverance, I would, in
gratitude, use them with all possible mildness, but at the same time
leave them to the judgment of the other two Englishmen who, I hoped,
forgetting their resentments, would deal impartially by them.'
"Hereupon one of his countrymen stood up: _Sir_, said he, _leave it not
for us, for you may be sensible we have reason to sentence them to the
gallows: besides, Sir, this fellow, Will Atkins, and the two others,
proposed to us, that we might murder you all in your sleep, which we
could not consent to: but knowing their inability, and your vigilance,
we did not think fit to discover it before now._