giving us any room for a defence. We reflected that there
really was so much apparent evidence before them, that they would scarce
inquire after any more; as, first, that the ship was certainly the same,
and that some of the seamen among them knew her, and had been on board
her; and, secondly, that when we had intelligence at the river of
Cambodia that they were coming down to examine us, we fought their boats
and fled. Therefore we made no doubt but they were as fully satisfied of
our being pirates as we were satisfied of the contrary; and, as I often
said, I know not but I should have been apt to have taken those
circumstances for evidence, if the tables were turned, and my case was
theirs; and have made no scruple of cutting all the crew to pieces,
without believing, or perhaps considering, what they might have to offer
in their defence.

But let that be how it will, these were our apprehensions; and both my
partner and I scarce slept a night without dreaming of halters and yard-
arms; of fighting, and being taken; of killing, and being killed: and one
night I was in such a fury in my dream, fancying the Dutchmen had boarded
us, and I was knocking one of their seamen down, that I struck my doubled
fist against the side of the cabin I lay in with such a force as wounded
my hand grievously, broke my knuckles, and cut and bruised the flesh, so
that it awaked me out of my sleep. Another apprehension I had was, the
cruel usage we might meet with from them if we fell into their hands;
then the story of Amboyna came into my head, and how the Dutch might
perhaps torture us, as they did our countrymen there, and make some of
our men, by extremity of torture, confess to crimes they never were
guilty of, or own themselves and all of us to be pirates, and so they
would put us to death with a formal appearance of justice; and that they
might be tempted to do this for the gain of our ship and cargo, worth
altogether four or five thousand pounds. We did not consider that the
captains of ships have no authority to act thus; and if we had
surrendered prisoners to them, they could not answer the destroying us,
or torturing us, but would be accountable for it when they came to their
country. However, if they were to act thus with us, what advantage would
it be to us that they should be called to an account for it?--or if we
were first to be murdered, what satisfaction would it be to us to have
them punished when they came home?