Indeed every one of us were surprised at this relation; and my nephew
the captain could not tell what to think of it, but thought we should
all be devoured. Nor was I free from concern, when I considered how much
we were becalmed, and what a strong current set towards the shore;
however, I encouraged him not to be afraid, but bring the ship to an
anchor as soon as we were certain that we must engage them. Accordingly
we did so, and furled all our sails, as to the savages we feared
nothing, but only that they might se the ship on fire; to prevent which,
I ordered them to get their boats out, and fasten them, one close by the
head, and the other by the stern, well manned, with skeets and buckets
to extinguish the flames, should it so happen. The savages soon came up
with us, but there were not so many as the mate had said, for instead of
a thousand canoes there were only one hundred and twenty; too many
indeed for us, several of their canoes containing about sixteen or
seventeen men.

As they approached us, they seemed to be in the greatest amazement, not
knowing what to make of us. They rowed round the ship, which occasioned
us to call to the men in the boats, not to suffer them to come near
them. Hereupon they beckoned to the savages to keep back, which they
accordingly did; but at their retreat they let fly about fifty arrows
among us, and very much wounded one of our men in the long-boat. I
called to them not to fire upon any account, but handing them down some
deal boards, the carpenters made them a kind of fence to shield them
from the arrows. In half an hour after they came so near astern of us,
that we had a perfect sight of them; then they rowed a little farther
out, till they came directly along-side of us, and then approached so
near, that they could hear us speak; this made me order all our men to
keep close, and get their guns ready. In the mean time I ordered Friday
to go out upon deck, and ask them in his language what they meant. No
sooner did he do so, but six of the savages, who were in the foremost
canoes, stooping down, showed us their naked backsides, as much as to
say in English, _Kiss our_----: but Friday quickly knew what this meant,
by immediately crying out they were going to shoot; unfortunately for
him, poor creature, who fell under the cloud of three hundred arrows, no
less than seven piercing through his body, killing one of the best
servants, and faithfullest of companions in all my solitud