in the creek, the tide ebbed out, and their two men gone.
We could hear them call to one another in a most lamentable manner,
telling one another they were got into an enchanted island; that either
there were inhabitants in it, and they should all be murdered, or else
there were devils and spirits in it, and they should be all carried away
and devoured. They hallooed again, and called their two comrades by
their names a great many times; but no answer. After some time, we could
see them, by the little light there was, run about, wringing their
hands like men in despair; and that sometimes they would go and sit down
in the boat, to rest themselves: then come ashore again, and walk about
again, and so the same thing over again. My men would fain have had me
give them leave to fall upon them at once in the dark; but I was willing
to take them at some advantage, so to spare them, and kill as few of
them as I could; and especially I was unwilling to hazard the killing
any of our men, knowing the others were very well armed. I resolved to
wait, to see if they did not separate; and, therefore, to make sure of
them, I drew my ambuscade nearer, and ordered Friday and the captain to
creep upon their hands and feet, as close to the ground as they could,
that they might not be discovered, and get as near them as they could
possibly, before they offered to fire.

They had not been long in that posture, when the boatswain, who was the
principal ringleader of the mutiny, and had now shown himself the most
dejected and dispirited of all the rest, came walking towards them, with
two more of the crew: the captain was so eager at having this principal
rogue so much in his power, that he could hardly have patience to let
him come so near as to be sure of him, for they only heard his tongue
before: but when they came nearer, the captain and Friday, starting up
on their feet, let fly at them. The boatswain was killed upon the spot;
the next man was shot in the body, and fell just by him, though he did
not die till an hour or two after; and the third run for it. At the
noise of the fire, I immediately advanced with my whole army,
which was now eight men, viz. myself, generalissimo; Friday, my
lieutenant-general; the captain and his two men, and the three prisoners
of war, whom we had trusted with arms. We came upon them, indeed, in the
dark, so that they could not see our number; and I made the man they had
left in the boat, who was now one of