perhaps the more, for the Knowledge they had of them.

When they came there, they found the Savages had been in the Wood, and very near that Place, but had not found it; for it was indeed inacceffible, by the Trees ftanding fo thick, as before, had not the Perfons feeking it been directed by those that knew it, which thefe did not; they found therefore every Thing very fafe, only the Women in a terrible Fright: While they were here, they had the Comfort to have feven of the Spaniards come to their Affiftance; the other ten, with their Servants, and old Friday, I mean Friday's Father, were gone in a Body to defend their Bower, and the Corn, and Cattle that was kept there, in Cafe the Savages fhould have rov'd over. to that Side of the Country; but they did not fpread fo far. With the feven Spaniards came one of the three Savages, who, as I faid, were their Prifoners formerly; and with them alfo came the Savage, who the English Men had left bound Hand and Foot at the Tree; for it feems they came that Way, faw the Slaughter of the feven Men, and unbound the eighth, and brought him along with them; where, however, they were oblig'd to bind him again, as they had the two others, who were left when the third run away.

The Prifoners began now to be a Burthen to them; and they were fo afraid of their escaping, that they were once refolving to kill them all, believing they were under an abfolute Neceffity to do fo, for their own Prefervation: However, the Spaniard Governour would not confent to it, but order'd, for the prefent, that they fhould be fent out of the Way to my old Cave in the Valley, and

be

be kept there with two Spaniards to guard them, and give them Food for their Subfiftence, which was done; and they were bound there Hand and Foot for that Night.

When the Spaniards came, the two English Men were fo encourag'd, that they could not fatisfy themselves to stay any longer there: But taking five of the Spaniards and themselves, with four Muskets and a Pistol among them, and two ftout Quarter-ft aves; away they went in queft of the Savages. And firft they came to the Tree where the Men lay that had been kill'd; but it was easy to fee, that fome more of the Savages had been there; for they had attempted to carry their dead Men away, and had dragg'd two of them a good Way, but had given it over. From thence they advanc'd to the firit rifing Ground, where they stood, and faw their Camp destroy'd, and where they had the Mortification ftill to fee fome of the Smoak; but neither could they here fee any of the Savages: They then refolv'd, tho' with all poffible Caution, to go forward towards their ruin'd Plantation: But a little before they came thither, coming in Sight of the Sea Shore, they faw plainly the Savages all embarking again in their Canoes, in order to be gone.

They feem'd forry at firft; and there was no Way to come at them, to give them a parting Blow: But upon the whole were very well fatiffy'd to be rid of them.

The poor English Men being now twice ruin'd, and all their Improvement deftroy'd, the reft all agreed to come and help them rebuild, and to affift them with needful Supplies. Their three

Country

Country-men, who were not yet noted for having the leaft Inclination to do any Good; yet as foon as they heard of it (for they living remote Eaftward, knew nothing of the Matter 'till all was over) came and offer'd their Help and Affiftance, and did very friendly work for feveral Days, to reftore their Habitation, and make Neceffaries for them And thus in a little Time they were fet upon their Legs again.

About two Days after this, they had the farther Satisfaction of feeing three of the Savages Canoes come driving on Shore, and at fome Distance from them, two drown'd Men; by which they had Reafon to believe, that they had met with a Storm at Sea, and had overfet fome of them; for it had blown very hard the very Night after they

went off.

However, as fome might might mifcarry, fo on the other hand, enough of them efcap'd to inform the reft, as well of what they had done, as of what had happen'd to them, and to whet them on to another Enterprize of the fame Nature, which they, it seems, refolv'd to attempt, with fufficient Force to carry all before them; for except what the firft Man had told them of Inhabitants, they could fay little to it of their own Knowledge; for they never faw one Man, and the Fellow being kill'd that had affirm'd it, they had no other Witness to confirm it to them.

It was five or fix Months after this, before they heard any more of the Savages; in which Time, our Men were in Hopes, they had either forgot their former bad Luck, or given over the Hopes of better; when on a fudden they were invaded

with a moft formidable Fleet, of no less than eight and twenty Canoes full of Savages, arm'd with Bows and Arrows, great Clubs, wooden Swords, and fuch like Engines of War; and they brought fuch Numbers with them, that in fhort, it put all our People into the utmost Confternation.

As they came on Shore in the Evening, and at the Eafter-moft Side of the Ifland, our Men had that Night to confult and confider what to do; and in the first Place, knowing that their being entirely conceal'd, was their only Safety before, and would much more be fo now, while the Number of their Enemies was fo great, they therefore refolv'd firft of all to take down the Huts which were built for the two English Men, and drive away their Goats to the old Cave, because they suppos'd the Savages would go directly thither, as foon as it was Day, to play the old Game over again, tho they did not now land within two Leagues of it.

In the next place they drove away all the Flock of Goats they had at the old Bower, as I call'd it, which belong'd to the Spaniards; and in fhort, left ás little Appearance of Inhabitants any where as was poffible; and the next Morning early they pofted themselves with all their Force, at the Plantation of the two Men, and wait for their coming: As they guefs'd, fo it happen'd; thefe new Invaders leaving their Canoes at the Eaft End of the Ifland, came ranging along the Shore directly towards the Place, to the Number of two hundred and fifty, as near as our Men could judge. Our Army was but fmall indeed; but that which was worse, they had not Arms for all their Number neither: The

whole

whole Account, it seems, stood thus; Firft, as to Men.

17 Spaniards.

5 English Men.

1 old Friday, or Friday's Father.

3, the three Slaves taken with the Women, who prov'd very faithful.

3 other Slaves who liv'd with the Spaniards. To arm thefe, they had,

II Muskets.

5 Piftols.

3 Fowling-Peices.

5 Muskets or Fowling-Peices, which were taken by me from the mutinous Seamen, who I reduc'd.

2 Swords, three old Halberds.

To their Slaves, they did not give either Musket, or Fuzee, but they had every one a Halberd, or a long Staff, like a Quarter-Staff, with a great Spike of Iron faften'd into each End of it, and, by his Side a Hatchet, alfo every one of our Men had Hatchets: Two of the Women could not be prevail'd upon, but they would come into the Fight, and they had Bows and Arrows, which the Spaniards had taken from the Savages, when the firft Action happen'd, which I have fpoken of, where the Indians fought with one another, and the Women Hatchets too.

The Spaniard Governour, who I have defcrib'd fo often, commanded the whole, and Wm. Atkins, who tho' a dreadful Fellow for. Wickedness, was a moft daring bold Fellow,

Com