412 AN INTERVAL OF TRANQUILLITY.

After they were all gone, the Spaniards came out of their den;
and viewing the field of battle, they found about two-and-thirty
dead men upon the spot. Some were killed with great long
arrows, some of which were found sticking in their bodies; but
most of them were killed with their great wooden swords, sixteen
or seventeen of which they found in the field of battle, and as
many bows, with a great many arrows. These swords were strange
great unwieldy things, and they must be very strong men that
used them. Most of those men that were killed with them had
their heads mashed to pieces, as we may say, or as we call it in
English, their brains knocked out; and several their arms and
legs broken: so that it is evident they fight with inexpressible
rage and fury. We found not one wounded man that was not
stone dead; for either they stay by their enemy till they have
quite killed him, or they carry all the wounded men that are not
quite dead away with them.

This deliverance tamed our Englishmen for a great while.
The sight had filled them with horror; and the consequences
appeared terrible to the last degree, even to them, if ever they
should fall into the hands of those creatures, who-would not only
kill them as enemies, but kill them for food, as we kill our cattle.
And they professed to me, that the thoughts of being eaten up like
beef or mutton, though it was supposed it was not to be till they
were dead, had something in it so horrible, that it nauseated their
very stomachs, made them sick when they thought of it, and filled
their minds with such unusual terror, that they were not them-
selves for some weeks after.

This, as I said, tamed even the three English brutes I have been
speaking of; and for a great while after they were very tractable,
and went about the common business of their whole society well
enough; planted, sowed, reaped, and began to be all naturalized
to the country. But some time after this they fell all into such
measures as brought them into a great deal of trouble.

They had taken three prisoners, as I had observed; and these
three being lusty stout young fellows, they made them servants,
and taught them to work for them; and as slaves they did well
enough. But they did not take their measures with them as I did