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their boat, which they found aground in the creek, the tide out, and the men gone; they ran about wringing their hands, crying it was an enchanted island, and that they should be all murdered by spirits or devils. My men would willingly have fallen upon them, but I would not agree to hazard any of our party. But to be more certain, Friday and the Cap tain crawled upon their hands and feet, as near as possible; and, when the boatswain approached in sight, so eager was the Captain, that he fired, and killed him on the spot: Friday knocked down the next man, and a third ran away. Hereupon I advanced with my whole army; and it being dark, I ordered the man we had surprised in the boat, to call them by their names, and to parley with them. Accord ingly he called aloud, Tom. Smith, Tom Smith! He answered, Who's that; Robinson' answered the other. For Gods sake, Tom, sur, render immediately, or you're all dead men, Who must we surrender to? says Smith. To our Captain and a large force here, who have taken me prisoner, wounded Will Fyre, and killed the boatswain. Shall we have quarters then? said he. Hereupon the Captain calls out, You Smith, you know my voice, surrender immediately, and you shall have your lives granted, except Will Atkins. Hereupon Atkins cries out, What have I done, Captain, more than the rest, who have been as bad as me; but that was a lie, for he was the person that

laid hold of him, and bound him.

However," he was ordered to submit to the governor's mercy, for such was I called. And so laying down their arms, we bound them all, and seized on their boat.

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After this, the Captain expostulated with' them, telling them that the governor was an Englishman, who might execute them there : but he thought they would be sent to England. Hereupon they implored the Captain to intercede for their lives, and begged they might not be sent to England. This answered our project for seizing the ship. For, after sending them, fast bound, to the cave, I sent the Captain to treat with them in the governor's name, offering them pardon if they would assist in recovering the ship. Upon which, they all promised to stand by him till the last drop of their blood; and whoever acted treacherously should be hanged in chains upon the beach. They were all released on these assurances; and then the Captain repaired to the other boat, making his passenger Captain of her, and gave him four men well armed; while himself, his mate, and five more, went in the other boat. By midnight, they came within call of the ship, when the Captain ordered Robinson to hail her, and tell them that with great difficulty they had found the men at last. But, while they were discoursing, the Captain, his mate, and the rest entered, and knocked down the second mate, and carpenter, secured

those that were upon the deck, by putting them under hatches, while the other boat's crew entered and secured the forecastle; they then broke into the round-house, where the mate, after some resistance, shot the pirate Captain through the head, upon which, all the rest yielded themselves prisoners. And thus the ship being recovered, the joyful signal was fired, which I heard with the greatest joy imaginable: nor was it long before he brought the ship to an anchor at the creek's mouth, where coming to me unawares, There, says he, my dearest friend and deliverer, there is your ship, and we are your servants: a comfort so unspeakable, as made me swoon in his arms, while, with gratitude to heaven, we were tenderly embracing each other,

Nothing now remained, but to consult what we should do with the prisoners, whom he thought it was not safe to take on board, Hereupon, concerting with the Captain, I dressed myself in one of his suits, and sending for them, told them, that as I was going to leave the island with all my people, if they would tarry there, their lives should be spared; if not, they should be hanged at the first port they came to. They agreed to stay. Hereupon I told them my whole story, charging them to be kind to the Spaniards that were expected, gave them all my arms, and informing them of every thing necessary for their subsistente, I and my man Friday went on board.

But the next morning two of the men came swimming to the ship's side, desiring the Captain to take them on board, though he hanged them afterwards, complaining mightily how barbarously the others used them. Upon which I prevailed with the Captain to take them in; and being severely punished, they proved more honest for the future. And so I bid farewell to this island, carrying along with me my money, my parrot, umbrella, and goatskin cap; setting sail December 12, 1687, after twenty-eight years, two months and nine teen days residence, and landing in England, June 11, 1688, after five and thirty years absence from my own country, which rendered me altogether a stranger there.

FINIS.

VERSES

SUPPOSED TO BE WRITTEN BY ALEX. SELKIRK, DURING HIS SOLITARY ABODE IN THE ISLAND OF JUAN FERNANDEZ; IN WHICH HE HAD LIVED QUITE ALONE, DURING UPWARDS OF FOUR YEARS.

I.

'I AM monarch of all I survey,
My right there is none to dispute;
From the centre all round to the sea,
1 am lord of the fowl and the brute.
Oh, Solitude! where are the charms
That sages have seen in thy face?
Better dwell in the midst of alarms,
Than reign in this horrible place.

II.

I am out of humanity's reach,
I must finish my journey alone,
Never hear the sweet music of speech;
I start at the sound of my own.
The beasts, that roam over the plain,
My form with indifference see;
They are so unacquainted with man,
Their tameness is shocking to me.

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