, by and by, that their new
captain had received the reward of his villainy, for that they might
see him hanging at the yard-arm; that as to them, I wanted to know
what they had to say why I should not execute them as pirates, taken
in the fact, as by my commission they could not doubt I had authority
to do.

One of them answered in the name of the rest that they had nothing to
say but this, that when they were taken the captain promised them
their lives, and they humbly implored my mercy. But I told them I knew
not what mercy to show them; for as for myself, I had resolved to quit
the island with all my men, and had taken passage with the captain to
go for England. And as for the captain, he could not carry them to
England other than as prisoners in irons, to be tried for mutiny, and
running away with the ship; the consequence of which, they must needs
know, would be the gallows; so that I could not tell which was best
for them, unless they had a mind to take their fate in the island. If
they desired that, I did not care, as I had liberty to leave it. I had
some inclination to give them their lives, if they thought they could
shift on shore.

They seemed very thankful for it, said they would much rather venture
to stay there than to be carried to England to be hanged; so I left it
on that issue.

However, the captain seemed to make some difficulty of it, as if he
durst not leave them there. Upon this I seemed a little angry with the
captain, and told him that they were my prisoners, not his; and that
seeing I had offered them so much favor, I would be as good as my
word; and that if he did not think fit to consent to it, I would set
them at liberty, as I found them; and if he did not like it, he might
take them again if he could catch them.

Upon this they appeared very thankful, and I accordingly set them at
liberty, and bade them retire into the woods to the place whence they
came, and I would leave them some firearms, some ammunition, and some
directions how they should live very well, if they thought fit.

Upon this I prepared to go on board the ship, but told the captain
that I would stay that night to prepare my things, and desired him to
go on board in the meantime, and keep all right in the ship, and send
the boat on shore the next day for me; ordering him, in the meantime,
to cause the new captain, who was killed, to be hanged at the
yard-arm, that these men might see him.

When the captain was gone, I