--that they were in a great rage at
one another, and were so near that he believed they would fight again as
soon as daylight began to appear; but he did not perceive that they had
any notion of anybody being on the island but themselves. He had hardly
made an end of telling his story, when they could perceive, by the
unusual noise they made, that the two little armies were engaged in a
bloody fight. Friday's father used all the arguments he could to
persuade our people to lie close, and not be seen; he told them their
safety consisted in it, and that they had nothing to do but lie still,
and the savages would kill one another to their hands, and then the rest
would go away; and it was so to a tittle. But it was impossible to
prevail, especially upon the Englishmen; their curiosity was so
importunate that they must run out and see the battle. However, they
used some caution too: they did not go openly, just by their own
dwelling, but went farther into the woods, and placed themselves to
advantage, where they might securely see them manage the fight, and, as
they thought, not be seen by them; but the savages did see them, as we
shall find hereafter.

The battle was very fierce, and, if I might believe the Englishmen, one
of them said he could perceive that some of them were men of great
bravery, of invincible spirit, and of great policy in guiding the fight.
The battle, they said, held two hours before they could guess which party
would be beaten; but then that party which was nearest our people's
habitation began to appear weakest, and after some time more some of them
began to fly; and this put our men again into a great consternation, lest
any one of those that fled should run into the grove before their
dwelling for shelter, and thereby involuntarily discover the place; and
that, by consequence, the pursuers would also do the like in search of
them. Upon this, they resolved that they would stand armed within the
wall, and whoever came into the grove, they resolved to sally out over
the wall and kill them, so that, if possible, not one should return to
give an account of it; they ordered also that it should be done with
their swords, or by knocking them down with the stocks of their muskets,
but not by shooting them, for fear of raising an alarm by the noise.

As they expected it fell out; three of the routed army fled for life, and
crossing the creek, ran directly into the place, not in the least knowing
whithe