and a sword, and muttered some insolent things among themselves, of what
they would do to the Spaniards too, when opportunity offered; but the
Spaniards, it seems, did not so perfectly understand them as to know all
the particulars; only that, in general, they threatened them hard for
taking the two Englishmen’s part.
Whither they went, or how they bestowed their time that evening, the
Spaniards said they did not know; but it seems they wandered about the
country part of the night; and then lying down in the place which I
used to call my bower, they were weary, and overslept themselves. The
case was this: they had resolved to stay till midnight, and so to take
the poor men when they were asleep; and they acknowledged it afterwards,
intending to set fire to their huts while they were in them, and either
burn them in them, or murder them as they came out: and, as malice
seldom sleeps very sound, it was very strange they should not have been
kept waking.
However, as the two men had also a design upon them, as I have said,
though a much fairer one than that of burning and murdering, it
happened, and very luckily for them all, that they were up, and gone
abroad, before the bloody-minded rogues came to their huts.
When they came thither, and found the men gone, Atkins, who it seems was
the forwardest man, called out to his comrades, “Ha! Jack, here’s the
nest; but d—n them, the birds are flown.” They mused awhile to think
what should be the occasion of their being gone abroad so soon, and
suggested presently, that the Spaniards had given them notice of it; and
with that they shook hands, and swore to one another, that they would be
revenged of the Spaniards. As soon as they had made this bloody bargain,
they fell to work with the poor men’s habitation; they did not set fire
indeed to any thing, but they pulled down both their houses, and pulled
them so limb from limb, that they left not the least stick standing, or
scarce any sign on the ground where they stood; they tore all their
little collected household-stuff in pieces, and threw every thing about
in such a manner, that the poor men found, afterwards, some of their
things a mile off from their habitation.
When they had done this, they pulled up all the young trees which the
poor men had planted; pulled up the enclosure they had made to secure
their cattle and their corn; and, in a word, sacked and plundered every
thing, as completely as a herd of Tartars would have done.
The two men were at this juncture gone to find them out, and had
resolved to fight them wherever they had been, though they were but two
to three; so that, had they met, there certainly would have been
bloodshed among them; for they were all very stout, resolute fellows, to
give them their due.
But Providence took more care to keep them asunder, than they themselves
could do to meet; for, as they had dogged one another, when the three
were gone thither, the two were here; and afterwards, when the two went
back to find them, the three were come to the old habitation again: we
shall see their differing conduct presently. When the three came back,
like furious creatures, flushed with the rage which the work they had
been about put them into, they came up to the Spaniards, and told them
what they had done, by way of scoff and bravado; and one of them
stepping up to one of the Spaniards, as if they had been a couple of
boys at play, takes hold of his hat, as it was upon his head, and giving
it a twirl about, jeering in his face, says he to him, “And you,
Seignior Jack Spaniard, shall have the same sauce, if you do not mend
your manners.” The Spaniard, who, though quite a civil man, was as brave
as a man could desire to be, and withal a strong well-made man, looked
steadily at him for a good while; and then, having no weapon in his
hand, stepped gravely up to him, and with one blow of his fist knocked
him down, as an ox is felled with a pole-axe; at which one of the
rogues, insolent as the first, fixed his pistol at the Spaniard
immediately; he missed his body indeed, for the bullets went through his
hair, but one of them touched the tip of his ear, and he bled pretty
much. The blood made the Spaniard believe he was more hurt than he
really was, and that put him into some heat, for before he acted all in
a perfect calm; but now resolving to go through with his work, he
stooped and took the fellow’s musket whom he had knocked down, and was
just going to shoot the man who had fired at him; when the rest of the
Spaniards, being in the cave, came out, and calling to him not to
shoot, they stepped in, secured the other two, and took their arms
from them.
When they were thus disarmed, and found they had made all the Spaniards
their enemies, as well as their own countrymen, they began to cool; and
giving the Spaniards better words, would have had their arms again; but
the Spaniards, considering the feud that was between them and the other
two Englishmen, and that it would be the best method they could take to
keep them from one another, told them they would do them no harm; and if
they would live peaceably they would be very willing to assist and
associate with them, as they did before; but that they could not think
of giving them their arms again, while they appeared so resolved to do
mischief with them to their own countrymen, and had even threatened them
all to make them their servants.
The rogues were now more capable to hear reason than to act reason; but
being refused their arms, they went raving away, and raging like madmen,
threatening what they would do, though they had no fire-arms: but the
Spaniards, despising their threatening, told them they should take care
how they offered any injury to their plantation or cattle; for if they
did, they would shoot them, as they would do ravenous beasts, wherever
they found them; and if they fell into their hands alive, they would
certainly be hanged. However, this was far from cooling them; but away
they went, swearing and raging like furies of hell. As soon as they were
gone, came back the two men in passion and rage enough also, though of
another kind; for, having been at their plantation, and finding it all
demolished and destroyed, as above, it will easily be supposed they had
provocation enough; they could scarce have room to tell their tale, the
Spaniards were so eager to tell them theirs; and it was strange enough
to find, that three men should thus bully nineteen, and receive no
punishment at all.
The Spaniards indeed despised them, and especially having thus disarmed
them, made light of their threatenings; but the two Englishmen resolved
to have their remedy against them, what pains soever it cost to
find them out.
But the Spaniards interposed here too, and told them, that they were
already disarmed: they could not consent that they (the two) should
pursue them with fire-arms, and perhaps kill them: “But,” said the grave
Spaniard, who was their governor, “we will endeavour to make them do you
justice, if you will leave it to us; for, as there is no doubt but they
will come to us again when their passion is over, being not able to
subsist without our assistance, we promise you to make no peace with
them, without having full satisfaction for you; and upon this condition
we hope you will promise to use no violence with them, other than in
your defence.”
The two Englishmen; yielded to this very awkwardly and with great
reluctance; but the Spaniards protested, they did it only to keep them
from bloodshed, and to make all easy at last; “For,” said they, “we are
not so many of us; here is room enough for us all, and it is great pity
we should not be all good friends.” At length they did consent, and
waited for the issue of the thing, living for some days with the
Spaniards; for their own habitation was destroyed.
In about five days time the three vagrants, tired with wandering, and
almost starved with hunger, having chiefly lived on turtles’ eggs all
that while, came back to the grove: and finding my Spaniard, who, as I
have said, was the governor, and two more with him, walking by the side
of the creek; they came up in a very submissive humble manner, and
begged to be received again into the family. The Spaniards used them
civilly, but told them, they had acted so unnaturally by their
countrymen, and so very grossly by them, (the Spaniards) that they could
not come to any conclusion without consulting the two Englishmen, and
the rest; but however they would go to them and discourse about it, and
they should know in half-an-hour. It may be guessed that they were very
hard put to it; for, as they were to wait this half-hour for an answer,
they begged they would send them out some bread in the meantime, which
they did, sending at the same time a large piece of goat’s flesh and a
boiled parrot, which they ate very eagerly.
After half-an-hour’s consultation they were called in, and a long debate
ensued, their two countrymen charging them with the ruin of all their
labour, and a design to murder them; all which they owned before, and
therefore could not deny now. Upon the whole, the Spaniards acted the
moderators between them; and as they had obliged the two Englishmen not
to hurt the three while they were naked and unarmed, so they now obliged
the three to go and rebuild their fellows’ two huts, one to be of the
same and the other of larger dimensions than they were before; to fence
their ground again, plant trees in the room of those pulled up, dig up
the land again for planting corn, and, in a word, to restore everything
to the same state as they found it, that is, as near as they could.
Well, they submitted to all this; and as they had plenty of provisions
given them all the while, they grew very orderly, and the whole society
began to live pleasantly and agreeably together again; only that these
three fellows could never be persuaded to work—I mean for
themselves—except now and then a little, just as they pleased. However,
the Spaniards told them plainly that if they would but live sociably and
friendly together, and study the good of the whole plantation, they
would be content to work for them, and let them walk about and be as
idle as they pleased; and thus, having lived pretty well together for a
month or two, the Spaniards let them have arms again, and gave them
liberty to go abroad with them as before.
It was not above a week after they had these arms, and went abroad,
before the ungrateful creatures began to be as insolent and troublesome
as ever. However, an accident happened presently upon this, which
endangered the safety of them all, and they were obliged to lay by all
private resentments, and look to the preservation of their lives.
It happened one night that the governor, the Spaniard whose life I had
saved, who was now the governor of the rest, found himself very uneasy
in the night, and could by no means get any sleep: he was perfectly well
in body, only found his thoughts tumultuous; his mind ran upon men
fighting and killing one another; but he was broad awake, and could not
by any means get any sleep; in short, he lay a great while, but growing
more and more uneasy, he resolved to rise. As they lay, being so many of
them, on goat-skins laid thick upon such couches and pads as they made
for themselves, so they had little to do, when they were willing to
rise, but to get upon their feet, and perhaps put on a coat, such as it
was, and their pumps, and they were ready for going any way that their
thoughts guided them. Being thus got up, he looked out; but being dark,
he could see little or nothing, and besides, the trees which I had
planted, and which were now grown tall, intercepted his sight, so that
he could only look up, and see that it was a starlight night, and
hearing no noise, he returned and lay down again; but to no purpose; he
could not compose himself to anything like rest; but his thoughts were
to the last degree uneasy, and he knew not for what.
Having made some noise with rising and walking about, going out and
coming in, another of them waked, and, calling, asked who it was that
was up? The governor told him how it had been with him. “Say you so?”
says the other Spaniard; “such things are not to be slighted, I assure
you; there is certainly some mischief working,” says he, “near us;” and
presently he asked him, “Where are the Englishmen?” “They are all in
their huts,” says he, “safe enough.” It seems, the Spaniards had kept
possession of the main apartment, and had made a place, where the three
Englishmen, since their last mutiny, always quartered by themselves, and
could not come at the rest. “Well,” says the Spaniard, “there is
something in it, I am persuaded from my own experience; I am satisfied
our spirits embodied have converse with, and receive intelligence from,
the spirits unembodied, and inhabiting the invisible world; and this
friendly notice is given for our advantage, if we know how to make use
of it. Come,” says he, “let us go out and look abroad; and if we find
nothing at all in it to justify our trouble, I’ll tell you a story of
the purpose, that shall convince you of the justice of my proposing it.”
In a word, they went out to go to the top of the hill, where I used to
go; but they, being strong, and in good company, nor alone, as I was,
used none of my cautions to go up by the ladder, and then pulling it up
after them, to go up a second stage to the top but were going round
through the grove unconcerned and unwary, when they were surprised with
seeing a light as of fire, a very little way off from them, and hearing
the voices of men, not of one or two, but of a great number.
In all the discoveries I had made of the savage landing on the island,
it was my constant care to prevent them making the least discovery of
there being any inhabitant upon the place; and when by any necessity
they came to know it, they felt it so effectively, that they that got
away, were scarce able to give any account of it, for we disappeared as
soon as possible, nor did ever any that had seen me, escape to tell any
one else, except it were the three savages in our last encounter, who
jumped into the boat, of whom I mentioned that I was afraid they should
go home, and bring more help.
Whether it was the consequence of the escape of those men, that so great
a number came now together; or whether they came ignorantly, and by
accident, on their usual bloody errand, the Spaniards could not, it
seems, understand: but whatever it was, it had been their business,
either to have: concealed themselves, and not have seen them at all;
much less to have let the savages have seen, that there were any
inhabitants in the place; but to have fallen upon them so effectually,
as that not a man of them should have escaped, which could only have
been by getting in between them and their boats: but this presence of
mind was wanting to them; which was the ruin of their tranquillity for a
great while.
We need not doubt but that the governor, and the man with him, surprised
with this sight, ran back immediately, and raised their fellows, giving
them an account of the imminent danger they were all in; and they again
as readily took the alarm, but it was impossible to persuade them to
stay close within where they were, but that they must all run out to see
how things stood.
While it was dark indeed, they were well enough, and they had
opportunity enough, for some hours, to view them by the light of three
fires they had made at some distance from one another; what they were
doing they knew not, and what to do themselves they knew not; for,
first, the enemy were too many; and, secondly, they did not keep
together, but were divided into several parties, and were on shore in
several places.
The Spaniards were in no small consternation at this sight; and as they
found that the fellows ran straggling all over the shore, they made no
doubt, but, first or last, some of them would chop in upon their
habitation, or upon some other place, where they would see the tokens of
inhabitants; and they were in great perplexity also for fear of their
flock of goats, which would have been little less than starving them, if
they should have been destroyed; so the first thing they resolved upon,
was to dispatch three men away before it was light, viz. two Spaniards
and one Englishman, to drive all the goats away to the great valley
where the cave was, and, if need were, to drive them into the very
cave itself.
Could they have seen the savages all together in one body, and at a
distance from their canoes, they resolved, if there had been an hundred
of them, to have attacked them; but that could not be obtained, for
there were some of them two miles off from the other, and, as it
appeared afterwards, were of two different nations.
After having mused a great while on the course they should take, and
beaten their brains in considering their present circumstances, they
resolved, at last while it was dark, to send the old savage (Friday’s
father) out as a spy, to learn if possible something concerning them, as
what they came for, and what they intended to do, and the like. The old
man readily undertook it, and stripping himself quite naked, as most of
the savages were, away he went. After he had been gone an hour or two,
he brings word that he had been among them undiscovered, that he found
they were two parties, and of two several nations who had war with one
another, and had had a great battle in their own country, and that both
sides having had several prisoners taken in the fight, they were by mere
chance landed in the same island for the devouring their prisoners, and
making merry; but this coming so by chance to the same place had spoiled
all their mirth; that they were in a great rage at one another, and were
so near, that he believed they would fight again as soon as daylight
began to appear; he did not perceive that they had any notion of
anybody’s being on the island but themselves. He had hardly made an end
of telling the story, when they could perceive, by the unusual noise
they made, that the two little armies were engaged in a bloody fight.
Friday’s father used all the arguments he could to persuade our people
to lie close, and not be seen; he told them their safety consisted in
it, and that they had nothing to do but to lie still, and the savages
would kill one another to their hands, and the rest would go away; and
it was so to a tittle. But it was impossible to prevail, especially upon
the Englishmen, their curiosity was so importunate upon their
prudentials, that they must run out and see the battle; however, they
used some caution, viz. they did not go openly just by their own
dwelling, but went farther into the woods, and placed themselves to
advantage, where they might securely see them manage the fight, and, as
they thought, not to be seen by them; but it seems the savages did see
them, as we shall find hereafter.
The battle was very fierce, and if I might believe the Englishmen, one
of them said he could perceive that some of them were men of great
bravery, of invincible spirits, and of great policy in guiding the
fight. The battle, they said, held two hours before they could guess
which party would be beaten; but then that party which was nearest our
people’s habitation began to appear weakest, and, after some time more,
some of them began to fly; and this put our men again into a great
consternation, lest any of those that fled should run into the grove
before their dwelling for shelter, and thereby involuntarily discover
the place, and that by consequence the pursuers should do the like in
search for them. Upon this they resolved, that they would stand armed
within the wall, and whoever came into the grove they should sally out
over the wall, and kill them, so that if possible not one should return
to give an account of it; they ordered also, that it should be done with
their swords, or by knocking them down with the stock of the musket,
not by shooting them, for fear of raising an alarm by the noise.
As they expected it fell out: three of the routed army fled for life,
and crossing the creek ran directly into the place, not in the least
knowing whither they went, but running as into a thick wood for shelter.
The scout they kept to look abroad gave notice of this within, with this
addition to our men’s great satisfaction, viz. that the conquerors had
not pursued them, or seen which way they were gone. Upon this the
Spaniard governor, a man of humanity, would not suffer them to kill the
three fugitives; but sending three men out by the top of the hill,
ordered them to go round and come in behind them, surprise and take them
prisoners; which was done: the residue of the conquered people fled to
their canoes, and got off to sea; the victors retired, and made no
pursuit, or very little, but drawing themselves into a body together,
gave two great screaming shouts, which they suppose were by way of
triumph, and so the fight ended; and the same day, about three o’clock
in the afternoon, they also marched to their canoes. And thus the
Spaniards had their island again free to themselves, their fright was
over, and they saw no savages in several years after.
After they were all gone, the Spaniards came out of their den, and
viewing the field of battle, they found about two-and-thirty dead men
upon the spot; some were killed with great long arrows, several of which
were found sticking in their bodies, but most of them were killed with
their great wooden swords, sixteen or seventeen of which they found in
the field of battle, and as many bows, with a great many arrows. These
swords were great unwieldy things, and they must be very strong men that
used them; most of those men that were killed with them had their heads
mashed to pieces, as we may say, or, as we call it in English, their
brains knocked out, and several of their arms and legs broken; so that
it is evident they fight with inexpressible rage and fury. They found
not one wounded man that was not stone dead; for either they stay by
their enemy till they have quite killed them, or they carry all the
wounded men, that are not quite dead, away with them.
This deliverance tamed our Englishmen for a great while; the sight had
filled them with horror, and the consequence appeared terrible to the
last degree; especially upon supposing that some time or other they
should fall into the hands of those creatures, who would not only kill
them as enemies, but kill them for food as we kill our cattle. And they
professed to me, that the thoughts of being eaten up like beef or
mutton, though it was supposed it was not to be till they were dead, had
something in it so horrible that it nauseated their very stomachs, made
them sick when they thought of it, and filled their minds with unusual
terror, that they were not themselves for some weeks after.
This, as I said, tamed even the three English brutes I have been
speaking of, and for a great while after they were very tractable, and
went about the common business of the whole society well enough;
planted, sowed, reaped, and began to be all naturalized to the country;
but some time after this they fell all into such simple measures again
as brought them into a great deal of trouble.
They had taken three prisoners, as I had observed; and these three being
lusty stout young fellows, they made them servants, and taught them to
work for them; and as slaves they did well enough; but they did not take
their measures with them as I did by my man Friday, viz. to begin with
them upon the principle of having saved their lives, and then instructed
them in the rational principles of life, much less of religion,
civilizing and reducing them by kind usage and affectionate arguings;
but as they gave them their food every day, so they gave them their work
too, and kept them fully employed in drudgery enough; but they failed in
this by it, that they never had them to assist them and fight for them
as I had my man Friday, who was as true to me as the very flesh upon
my bones.
But to come to the family part: Being all now good friends (for common
danger, as I said above, had effectually reconciled them,) they began to
consider their general circumstances; and the first thing that came
under their consideration was, whether, seeing the savages 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
manifestly to their advantage, they should not rather remove their
habitation, and plant in some more proper place for their safety, and
especially for the security of their cattle and corn.