villains that were
below gave the watch-word, which was, _Who fires next?_ At which they
all got out of their hammocks with as little noise as they could, and
going in the dark to the hammocks of the chief mate, super-cargo and
surgeon, they cut all their throats. The surgeon's throat was cut so
effectually that he could struggle very little with them, but leaping
out of his hammock, ran up to get upon the deck, holding his hand upon
his throat. But be stumbled at the tiller, and falling down had no
breath, and consequently no strength to raise himself, but died where he
lay.

The mate, whose throat was cut but not his windpipe, struggled so
vigorously with the villain who attacked him that he got away from him
and into the hold; and the super-cargo, in the same condition, got
forwards between decks under some deals and both of them begged with the
most moving cries and entreaties for their lives. And when nothing could
prevail, they begged with the same earnestness for but a few moments to
pray to God, and recommend their souls to mercy. But alike in vain, for
the wretched murderers, heated with blood, were past pity, and not being
able to come at them with their knives, with which they had begun the
execution, they shot them with their pistols, firing several times upon
each of them until they found they were quite dead.

As all this, even before the firing, could not be done without some
noise, the captain, who was walking alone upon the quarter-deck, called
out and asked what was the matter. The boatswain, who sat on the after
bits, and was not of the party, answered he could not tell, but he was
afraid there was somebody overboard; upon which the captain stepped
towards the ship's side to look over. Then Winter, Rowlinson and Melvin,
coming that moment behind him, laid hands on him, and lifting him up,
attempted to throw him overboard into the sea; but he being a nimble
strong man, got hold of the shrouds and struggled so hard with them that
they could not break his hold. Turning his head to look behind him to
see who he had to deal with, one of them cut his throat with a broad
Dutch knife; but neither was that wound mortal, for the captain still
struggled with them, and seeing he should undoubtedly be murdered, he
constantly cried up to God for mercy, for he found there was none to be
expected from them. During this struggle, another of the murderers
stabbed him with a knife in the back, and that with such a for