Accidents > Life and most surprising adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, mariner, who lived eight and twenty years in an uninhabited island on the coast of America, near the mouth of the great river Oroonoque

ROBINSON .CRUSOE. 163
(fori had perceived he was in concern), in the mean
while fecuring our priloners, part in my caftle, over
whom Friday ftcod centinel ; but two others we took
into our lervice, and then thought ourfelves ftrong
enough to adventure a battle. When the failors land¬
ed, and beheld their boat in that condition, they not
only halloo’d, but fired for their companions to hear,
yet they received no anfwer. This ftruck them with
horror and amazement, thinking their companions
were murdered; then they made asif they wouldreturn
to the fhip. I could perceive the captain’s counte¬
nance change at this, till of a fudden three men were
ordered to look after the boat, while the other feven
leaped on fliore, in order to fearch for their compa¬
nions: And indeed they came to the brow of the hill,
near my ancient caftle, from whence they could fee a
great way into the woods, and there fhouting and
hallooing till tired and weary, at length feated them-
felves under a fpreading tree. My opinion was, that
nothing could be done till night, when I might ufe
fome artifice to get them out of the boat: But of a
fudden they all llarted up, and made to the fea-fide:
Hereupon I ordered Friday and the captain’s mate to
go over the creek, and halloo as loud as they could,
and fo, dacoying them into the woods, come round
to me again. And this indeed had its efFeft; for they
followed thenoife, till coming weltward to the creek,
they called for their boat to carry them over, taking
one of the men out of her, and leaving two to look
after her, having faftened her to the flump of a little
tree on fliore. Hereupon immediately the captain
and our party palling the creek out of their light,
we furprized them both, by the captain’s knocking
down one, and ordering the other to furrender on pain
of death, and who, being the honeflefl: of them all,
fincerely joined with us. By this time it was pretty
late, when the reft returning to their boat, which they
found a-ground in the creek, the tide out, and the men
gone; they ran about, wringing their hands, crying
it