5380 CRUSOE’S INTERFERENCE

had fallen down in the fire, and was very much burned before she
could get out again; and two or three of the men had cuts in their
backs and thighs from our men pursuing; and another was shot
through the body, and died while I was there.

I would fain have learned what the occasion of all this was; but
IT could not understand one word they said, though by signs I per-
ceived that some of them knew not what was the occasion them-
selves. I was so terrified in my thoughts at this outrageous
attempt, that I could not stay there, but went back to my own
men, and resolved to go into the middle of the town through the
fire, or whatever might be in the way, and put an end to it, cost what
it would. Accordingly, as soon as I came back to my men I told
them my resolution, and commanded them to follow me; when
in the very moment came four of our men, with the boatswain at
their head, roving over the heaps of bodies they had killed, all
covered with blood and dust, as if they wanted more people to
massacre, when our men hallooed to them as loud as they could
halloo ; and with much ado one of them made them hear, so that
they knew who we were, and came up to us.

As soon as the boatswain saw us he set up a halloo like a shout
of triumph, for, as he thought, more help having come ; and with-
out bearing to hear me, “ Captain,” says he, “noble captain, I am
glad you are come. We have not half done yet, villanous hell-
hound dogs! Tl kill as many of them as poor Tom has hairs
upon his head. We have sworn to spare none of them; we'll root
out the very nation of them from the earth.” And thus he ran on,
out of breath too with action, and would not give us leave to speak
a word.

At last, raising my voice that I might silence him a little,
“ Barbarous dog,” said I, “what are you doing? I won’t have
one creature touched more, upon pain of death. I charge you,
upon your life, to stop your hands, and stand still here, or you are
a dead man this minute.”

““ Why, sir,” says he, “do you know what you do, or what they
have done? If you want a reason for what we have done, come
hither.” And with that he showed me the poor fellow hanging
with his throat cut.