Visit of Mutineers

           Thishowever,Iknewnot,andthereforewasundercontinualapprehensionsforagoodwhile,andkeptalwaysuponmyguard,meandallmyarmy; foraswewerenowfourofus,Iwouldhaveventureduponahundredofthem,fairlyintheopenfield,atanytime. 

           Inalittletime,however,nomorecanoesappearing,thefearoftheircomingworeoff,andIbegantotakemyformerthoughtsofavoyagetothemainintoconsideration; beinglikewiseassuredbyFriday’sfatherthatImightdependupongoodusagefromtheirnation,onhisaccount,ifIwouldgo. 

           ButmythoughtswerealittlesuspendedwhenIhadaseriousdiscoursewiththeSpaniard, andwhenIunderstoodthatthereweresixteenmoreofhiscountrymenandPortuguese,who,havingbeencastaway,andmadetheirescapetothatside,livedthereatpeace,indeed,withthesavages,butwereverysoreputtoitfornecessaries,andindeedforlife. Iaskedhimalltheparticularsoftheirvoyage,andfoundtheywereaSpanishshipboundfromtheRiodelaPlatatotheHavana,beingdirectedtoleavetheirloadingthere,whichwaschieflyhidesandsilver,andtobringbackwhatEuropeangoodstheycouldmeetwiththere; thattheyhadfivePortugueseseamenonboard,whomtheytookoutofanotherwreck; thatfiveoftheirownmenweredrownedwhenthefirstshipwaslost,andthattheseescaped,throughinfinitedangersandhazards,andarrived,almoststarved,onthecannibalcoast,wheretheyexpectedtohavebeendevouredeverymoment. 

           Hetoldmetheyhadsomearmswiththem,buttheywereperfectlyuseless,forthattheyhadneitherpowdernorball,thewashingoftheseahavingspoiledalltheirpowderbutalittle,whichtheyused,attheirfirstlanding,toprovidethemselvessomefood.