442 AFTER THE BATTLE.

Our men being thus hard laid at, Atkins wounded, and two
other men killed, retreated to a rising ground in the wood; and
the Spaniards, after firing three volleys upon them, retreated also:
for their number was so great, and they were so desperate, that
though above fifty of them were killed, and more than so many
wounded, yet they came on in the teeth of our men, fearless of
danger, and shot their arrows like a cloud; and it was observed
that their wounded men, who were not quite disabled, were made
outrageous by their wounds, and fought like madmen.

When our men retreated, they left the Spaniard and the English-
man that were killed behind them; and the savages, when they
came up to them, killed them over again in a wretched manner,
breaking their arms, legs, and heads with their clubs and wooden
swords like true savages. But finding our men were gone, they
did not seem to pursue them, but drew themselves up in a kind of
ring, which is, it seems, their custom, and shouted twice in token
of their victory. After which they had the mortification to see
several of their wounded men fall, dying with the mere loss of
blood.

The Spaniard governor having drawn his little body up together
upon a rising ground, Atkins, though he was wounded, would
have had him marched, and charged them again altogether at once.
But the Spaniard replied, “ Seignior Atkins, you see how their
wounded men fight, let them alone till morning ; all these wounded
men will be stiff and sore with their wounds, and faint with the
loss of blood; and so we shall have the fewer to engage.’

The advice was good: but William Atkins replied merrily,
““That’s true, seignior, and so shall I too; and that’s the reason I
would go on while I am warm.” “ Well, Seignior Atkins,” says
the Spaniard, “ you have behaved gallantly, and done your part;
we will fight for you if you cannot come on; but I think it best
to stay till morning.” So they waited.

But as it was a clear moonlight night, and they found the
savages in great disorder about their dead and wounded men, and
a great hurry and noise among them where they lay, they after-
wards resolved to fall upon them in the night, especially if they
could come to give them but one volley before they were discovered,