men under a tree a little distance from me. I resolved
to discover myself to them, and marched with Friday towards them, and
called aloud in Spanish, "What are ye, gentlemen?" They started up at
the noise, and I perceived them about to fly from me, when I spoke to
them in English.

"Gentlemen," says I, "do not be surprised at me; perhaps you may have a
friend near, when you did not expect it. Can you not put a stranger in
the way to help you?"

One of them, looking like one astonished, returned, "Sir, I was captain
of that ship; my men have mutinied against me, and have set me on shore
in this desolate place with these two men--my mate and a passenger."

He then told me that if two among the mutineers, who were desperate
villains, were secured, he believed the rest on shore would return to
their duty. He anticipated my proposals in venturing their deliverance
by telling me that both he and the ship, if recovered, should be wholly
directed by me in everything. Then I gave them muskets, and the
mutineers returning, the two villains were killed, and the rest begged
for mercy, and joined us. More of them coming ashore, we fell upon them
at night, so that at the captain's call they laid down their arms,
trusting to the mercy of the governor of the island, for such they
supposed me to be.

It now occurred to me that the time of my deliverance was come, and that
it would be easy to bring these fellows in to be hearty in getting
possession of the ship. And so it proved, for, the ship being boarded
next morning, and the new rebel captain shot, the rest yielded without
any more lives lost.

When I saw my deliverance then put visibly into my hands, I was ready to
sink down with the surprise, and it was a good while before I could
speak a word to the captain, who was in as great an ecstasy as I. After
some time, I came dressed in a new habit of the captain's, being still
called governor. Being all met, and the captain with me, I caused the
prisoners to be brought before me, told them I had got a full account of
their villainous behaviour to the captain, and asked of them what they
had to say why I should not execute them as pirates. I told them I had
resolved to quit the island, but that they, if they went, could only go
as prisoners in irons; so that I could not tell what was the best for
them, unless they had a mind to take their fate in the island. They
seemed thankful for this, and said they would much rather venture to