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. 309
fome others, in all about fourfcore horfe, among
whom we fancied were fome women, they came up¬
on us with great fury. We fired without ball, cal¬
ling to them in the Ruffian tongue to know their
bufinefs ; but they, either not knowing, or feeming
not to underhand us, came direftly to the wood-fide,
not confidering that we were fo fortified as that they
could not break in. Our old pilot the Portuguefe
proved both our captain and engineer, and defired
us not to fire till they came within piftol-fhot; and
when he gave the word of command, then to take
the fureft aim : But he did not bid us give fire, till
they were within two pikes length of us, and then
we killed fourteen of them, wounded feveral, as alfo
their horfes, having every one of us loaded our
pieces with two or three bullets at leaft. So much
were rhey furprifed at our undauntednefs, that they
retired about a hundred -rocds of us. In the mean
while, we loaded our pieces again, and fallying out,
fecured four or five of their horfes, whole riders we
found were killed, and perceived them to be Tar¬
tars. About an hour after, they made another at¬
tempt, to fee where they might break in ; but find¬
ing us ready to receive them, they retired.
All that night we wrought hard, in fixengthen-
ing our fituation, and barricading the entrances in¬
to the woods ; but when day-light came, we had a
very unwelcome difcovery ; for the enemy being en¬
couraged by their affifiance, had fet up eleven or
twelve tents in form of a camp, about three quarters
of a mile from us. I muft confefs, I was never more
concerned in my life, giving myfelf and all that I had
over for loft. And my partner declared, that as the
lofs of his goods would be his ruin, before they fhould
be taken from him, he would fight to the laft drop
of his blood. As we could not pretend to force our
way, we had recourle to a ftratagem -, we kindled a
large fire which burnt all night; and no fooner was