324 CRUSOE AS GOVERNOR.

he brought me an account of the temper he found them in, and
that he verily believed they would be faithful.

However, that we might be very secure, I told him he should
go back again, and choose out five of them, and tell them they
might see that he did not want men, that he would take out five
of them to be his assistants, and that the governor would keep the
other two, and the three that were sent prisoners to the castle (my
cave) as hostages, for the fidelity of those five; and that if they
proved unfaithful in the execution, the five hostages should be
hanged in chains alive upon the shore.

This looked severe, and convineed them that the governor was
in earnest. However, they had no way left them but to accept it ;
and it was now the business of the prisoners, as much as of the
captain, to persuade the other five to do their duty.

Our strength was now thus ordered for the expedition: 1. The
eaptain, his mate, and passenger; 2. Then the two prisoners of
the first gang, to whom, having their characters from the captain,
I had given their liberty, and trusted them with arms; 3. The
other two whom I had kept till now in my apartment pinioned, but
upon the captain’s motion had now released; 4. These five released
at last: so that they were twelve in all, besides five we kept
prisoners in the cave for hostages.

I asked the captain if he was willing to venture with these hands
on board the ship; for as for me and my man Friday, I did not
think it was proper for us to stir, having seven men left behind,
and it was employment enough for us to keep them asunder and
supply them with victuals.

As to the five in the cave, I resolved to keep them fast, but
Friday went in twice a day to them to supply them with neces-
saries; and I made the other two carry provisions to a certain
distance, where Friday was to take it.

When I showed myself to the two hostages, it was with the
captain, who told them I was the person the governor had ordered
to look after them, and that it was the governor’s pleasure they
should not stir anywhere but by my direction; that if they did,
they should be fetched into the castle and be laid in irons. So
that as we never suffered them to see me as governor, so I now