resolution had been wrought up by the previous
contest, took a knife and deliberately cut the line. Our intention was
to throw ourselves astern, and then, by tacking directly about, and
steering in the wind's eye, to escape from them, or at least to give
them, for a time, some better employment than that of robbing their poor
and suffering victims. This we succeeded in accomplishing; not however
without the expense of much toil, and some blows, which they dealt out
at parting, with so much severity, that we shall not soon lose the
recollection of their barbarous conduct towards us. Mr. Nute, by his
intrepidity, seemed to have rendered himself an object of their
particular dislike; they beat him unmercifully, for his resolution in
retaining the bundle of clothes, and sundering the only cord that bound
us to our tormentors.

Having but three oars, our progress was by no means as rapid as we could
have desired; but perceiving that in going against the wind we had the
advantage of our pursuers, and knowing that our only safety was in
flight, we exerted our utmost strength, and soon had the satisfaction of
leaving them at a safe distance from us. They seemed determined not to
part with us, and continued to pursue us till about four o'clock, P. M.
It was with the greatest difficulty that we kept clear of them; at times
it seemed impossible; and in this situation we could fully realize the
force of the scriptural sentiment, "all that a man hath he will give for
his life." Finding them too near us, and evidently intent upon taking
vengeance for the crime we had committed in attempting to escape, though
our wardrobe had been reduced to a few necessary articles of clothing,
we resorted to the expedient of parting even with these, by casting one
thing at a time upon the water, rightly judging that they might be
detained in picking them up, and hoping by this management to keep our
distance from them.

After they left us, we continued our course, which was directly into the
open sea, until about sunset, when we discovered land ahead, apparently
at the distance of forty miles. We continued to row on till about three
o'clock in the morning, when we found that we were in shoal water, and
near breakers. We contrived to throw the bight of a rope over a point
of rock which was about eight feet under water, and we there remained
until daylight. We then let go our hold, and pulled for land. At about
four o'clock in the afternoon we succee