ack with me, till the
woods covered us from them.

"Look you, sir," said I, "if I venture upon your deliverance, are you
willing to make two conditions with me?" He anticipated my proposals by
telling me that both he and the ship, if recovered, should be wholly
directed and commanded by me in everything; and if the ship was not
recovered, he would live and die with me in what part of the world soever
I would send him; and the two other men said the same. "Well," says I,
"my conditions are but two; first, that while you stay in this island
with me, you will not pretend to any authority here; and if I put arms in
your hands, you will, upon all occasions, give them up to me, and do no
prejudice to me or mine upon this island, and in the meantime be governed
by my orders; secondly, that if the ship is or may be recovered, you will
carry me and my man to England passage free."

He gave me all the assurances that the invention or faith of man could
devise that he would comply with these most reasonable demands, and
besides would owe his life to me, and acknowledge it upon all occasions
as long as he lived. "Well, then," said I, "here are three muskets for
you, with powder and ball; tell me next what you think is proper to be
done." He showed all the testimonies of his gratitude that he was able,
but offered to be wholly guided by me. I told him I thought it was very
hard venturing anything; but the best method I could think of was to fire
on them at once as they lay, and if any were not killed at the first
volley, and offered to submit, we might save them, and so put it wholly
upon God's providence to direct the shot. He said, very modestly, that
he was loath to kill them if he could help it; but that those two were
incorrigible villains, and had been the authors of all the mutiny in the
ship, and if they escaped, we should be undone still, for they would go
on board and bring the whole ship's company, and destroy us all. "Well,
then," says I, "necessity legitimates my advice, for it is the only way
to save our lives." However, seeing him still cautious of shedding
blood, I told him they should go themselves, and manage as they found
convenient.

In the middle of this discourse we heard some of them awake, and soon
after we saw two of them on their feet. I asked him if either of them
were the heads of the mutiny? He said, "No." "Well, then," said I, "you
may let them escape; and Providence seems to have awakened