They had not been long put off with the boat but we perceived them all coming on shore again. With this was a new measure in their conduct, which it seemed they consulted together upon, viz. to leave three men in the boat, and the rest to go up into the country to look for their fellows. This was a great disappointment to us, for now we were at a loss what to do. Our seizing those seven men on shore would be no advantage to us if we let the boat escape, because they would then row away to the ship and then the rest of them would be sure to weigh and set sail, so our recovering the ship would be lost. However, we had no remedy but to wait and see what the issue of things might present. The seven men came on shore and the three who remained in the boat put her off to a good distance from the shore, and came to an anchor to wait for them. Friday was quite sure he could reach the boat swimming, and of this I had no doubts, but were he to do so it was my belief those on the ship would observe his attack and, again, weigh and set sail. So it was impossible for us to come at them in the boat.
Those that came on shore kept close together, marching towards the top of the little hill under which my habitation lay. We could see them plainly, tho’ they could not perceive us. Slaader, who was the principal ringleader of the mutiny, was a large and fit man with hair like tar, much like all the Moors, and his tann'd skin had been ink'd with many pictures, as was common among the more superstitious sailors, which was many of them. Altho' I did not think of it at the time, I did realize upon reflection I had seen many of the symbols ink'd on Slaader's skin upon the trees and stones of this island in the past years.
When they were come to the brow of the hill, where they could see a great way into the valleys and woods, which lay towards the north-east part and where the island lay lowest, they shouted and hallooed till they were weary. Not caring to venture far from the shore, nor far from one another, they sat down together under a tree to consider of it. Had they thought fit to have gone to sleep there, as the other part of them had done, they had done the job for us. But they were too full of apprehensions of danger to venture to go to sleep, tho’ they could not tell what the danger was they had to fear neither.
At length I told Friday, Burke, Sir Wade, and the others that there would be nothing done, in my opinion, till night. If they did not return to the boat, perhaps we might find a way to get between them and the shore, and so might use some stratagem with them in the boat to get them on shore. We waited a great while, tho’ very impatient for their removing, and were very uneasy when, after long consultations, we saw them all start up and march down towards the sea. It seemed they had such dreadful apprehensions upon them of the danger of the place, they resolv’d to go on board the ship again, give their companions over for lost, and so go on with their intended voyage with the ship.
Captain Burke, as soon as I told him my thoughts, was ready to sink at the apprehensions of it, but I presently thought of a stratagem to fetch them back again. I ordered Friday and Turner to go over the little creek westward, towards the place where the savages came on shore when Friday was rescued, and as soon as they came to a little rising ground, at about half a mile distance, I bade them halloo out as loud as they could, and wait till they found the seamen heard them. As soon as ever they heard the seamen answer them they should return it again. Then keeping out of sight, always answering when the others hallooed, draw them as far into the island among the woods as possible, then wheel about again to me.
The pirates were just going into the boat when Friday and the mate hallooed. They heard them, and answering, ran along the shore westward towards the voice they heard, when they were presently stopped by the creek, where the water being up they could not get over. Slaader called for the boat to come up, as I expected. When they had set themselves over, I observ’d the boat being gone a good way into the creek and in a harbour within the land. The Moorish pirate took one of the three men out of her to go along with them and left only two in the boat, having fasten’d her to the stump of a little tree on the shore. This was what I wished for.
Leaving Friday and the captain's mate to their business, I took the rest with me and, crossing the creek out of their sight, we surprised the two men before they were aware. One of them lying on the shore and the other being in the boat. The fellow on shore was between sleeping and waking and going to start up. The captain, who was foremost, ran in upon him and knocked him down, then called out to him in the boat to yield or he was a dead man. There needed very few arguments to persuade a single man to yield when he saw five men upon him and his comrade knocked down. Besides, this was one of the three who were not so hearty in the mutiny as the rest of the crew, and therefore was persuaded not only to yield but afterwards to join with us.
In the mean time, Friday and Turner so well managed their business with the rest they drew them from one hill to another and from one wood to another, till they not only tired them, but left them stranded on the edge of the shadow'd valley. Of the eight which Friday led away to that awful place, only half ever returned, and the fate of the others was never learnt by any of us there.
More battles, the unseen ruler,
the body