CRUSOE DECIDES UPON WAR. 285

and loaded them with two slugs and five smal] bullets each; and
my two pistols I loaded with a brace of bullets each; I hung my
great sword as usual naked by my side, and gave Friday his
hatchet.

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.
And I found quickly, by my glass, that there were one-and-twenty
savages, three prisoners, and three canoes; and that their whole
business seemed to be the triumphant banquet upon these three
human bodies (a barbarous feast indeed), but nothing else more
than as I had observed was usual with them.

I observed, also, that they were landed, not where they had done
when Friday made his escape, but nearer to my creek, where the
shore was low, and where a thick wood came close almost down to
the sea. This, with the abhorrence of the inhuman errand these
wretches came about, filled me with such indignation, that I came
down again to Friday and told him I was resolved to go down to
them and kill them all; and asked him if he would stand by me?
He was now gotten over his fright, and his spirits being a little
raised with the dram I had given him, he was very cheerful, and
told me, as before, “he would die, when I bid die.”

In this fit of fury, I took first and divided the arms which I had
charged, as before, between us. I gave Friday one pistol to stick
in his girdle, and three guns upon his shoulder; and I took one
pistol and the other three myself; and in this posture we marched
out. I took a small bottle of rum in my pocket, and gave Friday
a large bag with more powder and bullet. And as to orders, I
charged him to keep close behind me, and not to stir, or shoot, or
do anything till I bid him; and in the meantime, not to speak a
word. In this posture I fetched a compass to my right hand of
near a mile, as well to get over the creek as to get into the wood;
so that I might come within shoot of them before I should be dis-
covered, which I had seen by my glass it was easy to do.

While I was making this march, my former thoughts returning,
I began to abate my resolution. I do not mean that I entertained
any fear of their number; for as they were naked, unarmed
wretches, it is certain I was superior to them—-nay, though I had