He said, "Me die when you bid die, master."
I went and fetched a good dram of rum. When he drank it, I made him take the two fowling-pieces, which we always carried. Then I took four muskets. My two pistols I loaded with a brace of bullets each. I hung my great sword naked by my side and gave Friday his hatchet and his wooden sword. When I had thus prepared myself, I took my perspective-glass and went up to the side of the hill to see what I could discover.
I found, by my glass, there were three canoes just reaching the south-west corner of the island, that place which I had named the dark church. There were no less than two dozen savages on board, tho' it was possible some of the figures were prisoners. They past from my sight as they reach'd the shore, yet I knew if they had made land at the dark church there could be only two purposes to this visit, viz. an awful feast of flesh, else more of their accursed rituals, and very possibly both.
This abhorrence of the inhuman errand these wretches came about fill’d me with such indignation, I came down again to Friday and told him I was resolv’d to go over to them and kill them all. I asked him again if he would stand by me. He told me, as before, he would die when I bid die.
In this fit of fury, I took and divided the arms which I had charged between us. I gave Friday one pistol to stick in his girdle and three guns upon his shoulder. I took one pistol and the other three guns myself. I took a small bottle of rum in my pocket and gave Friday a large bag with more powder and bullets. I charged him to keep close behind me, and not to stir or shoot or do any thing till I bid him. In the mean time, not to speak a word, and in this posture we set out at a run into the woods. My years on the island now served me well, for I knew each rock and tree and stump of the forest, and could run at a full pace with little noise. In a word, the beast itself would be impress'd if such a feeling were possible for it, tho' I did feel it within my skin, glorying in my own wild run the way it oft enjoy'd its own.
Friday, with his large feet and odd hunch, could not move with as little noise, but he did attempt it to his best and made a mighty effort to keep up.
While we were making this march, my former thoughts were returning, and I began to abate my resolution. I do not mean I entertained any fear of their number. As they were naked, unarmed wretches, it is certain I was superior to them. But it occurred to my thoughts, what occasion, much less what necessity, I was in to go and dip my hands in blood? It was true Friday might justify it, because he was a declared enemy, and in a state of war with those very particular people, and it was lawful for him to attack them, but I could not say the same with respect to myself. These things were so pressed upon my thoughts all the way as I went, I resolv’d I would only go and place myself near them that I might observe their barbarous feast and I would act then as God should direct.
It was at the moment of this resolution that Friday hissed and point'd up, and twixt the trees we saw a curl of black smoke rising up, for the savages had lit their fires by the great totem. We ran for yet another hour, till we came to the skirt of the wood on the side which was next to them, so only one corner of the wood lay between us and the area which I call'd the dark church.
There were one and twenty grey skinned savages, three prisoners, and three canoes. Their whole business seemed to be the triumphant banquet upon these three human bodies. A barbarous feast indeed, but nothing more than was usual with them. For now they twisted and bellowed around the fire and the totem, as was their way, and I could see that some among them were very monstrous and far more creatures than men, e'en for savages.