“Look you, Sir,” said I, “if I venture upon your deliverance, are you willing to make two conditions with me?” He anticipated my proposals, by telling me, that both he and the ship, if recovered, should be wholly directed and commanded by me in every thing; and, if the ship was not recovered, he would live and die with me in what part of the world soever I would send him; and the two other men said the same.  “Well,” says I, “my conditions are but two:  first, That while you stay in this island with me, you will not pretend to any authority here; and if I put arms in your hands, you will, upon all occasions, give them up to me, and do no prejudice to me or mine upon this island; and, in the mean time, be governed by my orders:  secondly, That if the ship is, or may be recovered, you will carry me and my man to England, passage free.”

He gave me all the assurances that the invention or faith of man could devise, that he would comply with these most reasonable demands; and, besides, would owe his life to me, and acknowledge it upon all occasions, as long as he lived.  “Well then,” said I, “here are three muskets for you, with powder and ball:  tell me next what you think is proper to be done.”  He showed all the testimonies of his gratitude that he was able, but offered to be wholly guided by me.  I told him I thought it was hard venturing any thing; but the best method I could think of was to fire upon them at once, as they lay, and if any were not killed at the first volley, and offered to submit, we might save them, and so put it wholly upon God’s providence to direct the shot.  He said very modestly, that he was loath to kill them, if he could help it:  but that those two were incorrigible villains, and had been the authors of all the mutiny in the ship, and if they escaped, we should be undone still; for they would go on board and bring the whole ship’s company, and destroy us all.  “Well then,” says I, “necessity legitimates my advice, for it is the only way to save our lives.”  However, seeing him still cautious of shedding blood, I told him they should go themselves, and manage as they found convenient.

In the middle of this discourse we heard some of them awake, and soon after we saw two of them on their feet.  I asked him if either of them were the heads of the mutiny?  He said, No.  “Well then,” said I, “you may let them escape; and Providence seems to have awakened them on purpose to save themselves.—­Now,” says I, “if the rest escape you, it is your fault.”  Animated with this, he took the musket I had given him in his hand, and a pistol in his belt, and his two comrades with him, with each a piece in his hand; the two men who were with him going first, made some noise, at which one of the seamen who was awake turned about, and seeing them coming, cried out to the rest; but it was too late then, for the moment he cried out they fired; I mean the two men, the captain wisely reserving his own piece.  They had so well aimed