Have they any fire-arms, said I, he answered they had only two pieces, and one which they left in the boat.  Well then, said I, leave the rest to me; I see they are all asleep, it is an easy thing to kill them all; but shall we rather take them prisoners?  He told me there were two desperate villains among them, that it was scarce safe to shew any mercy to; but if they were secured, he believed all the rest would return to their duty.  I asked him, which they were?  He told me he could not at that distance describe them; but he would obey my orders in any thing I would direct.  Well, says I, let us retreat out of their view or hearing, least they awake, and we will resolve further; so they willingly went back with me, till the woods covered us from them.

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 dye 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. 1.  That while you stay on this island with me, you will not pretend to any authority here; and if I put arms into 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.

“2.  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 assurance that the invention and faith of a 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 shewed all the testimony 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,” said 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 men who he had said were the heads of the mutiny?  He said, No.  “Well then,” said I, “you may let them escape, and Providence seems to have wakened them on purpose to save themselves.”—­“Now,” said I, “if the rest escape you, it is your fault.”