810 A SPEEDY VICTORY,

save them, and so put it wholly upon God's providence to direct
the shot.

He said very modestly, that he was loath to kill them if he could
help it, but that those two were incorrigible villains, and had been
the authors of all the mutiny in the ship, and if they escaped we
should be undone still; for they would go on board and bring the
whole ship’s company, and destroy us all. ‘ Well then,” says T,
“necessity legitimates my advice, for it is the only way to save our
lives.” However, seeing him still cautious of shedding blood, [
told him they should go themselves, and manage as they found
convenient.

Tn the middle of this discourse we heard some of them awake,
and soon after we saw two of them on their feet. [asked him if
either of them were of the men who he had said were the heads of the
mutiny? Tle said, “No.” “Well then,” said 1, “ you may let them
escape; and Providence seems to have awakened them on purpose
to save themselves. Now,” says 1, “if the rest escape you, it is
your fault.”

Animated with this, he took the musket Thad given him in his
hand, and a pistol in his belt, and his two comrades with him,
with each man a piece in his hand. ‘The two men who were with
him, going first, made some noise, at which one of the seamen who
was awake turned about, and seeing them coming, cried out to
the rest. But it was too late then; for the moment he eried out,
they fired-—-T mean the two men, the captain wisely reserving his
own piece. They had so well aimed their shot at the men they knew,
that one of them was killed on the spot, and the other very much
wounded ; but not being dead, he started up upon his feet, and called
eagerly for help to the other; but the captain, stepping to him,
told him it was too late to ery for help, he should call upon God
to forgive his villany, and with that word knocked him down
with the stock of his musket,so that he never spoke more. There
were three more in the company, and one of them was also slightly
wounded. By this time 1 was come, and when they saw their
danger, and that it was in vain to resist, they begged for merey.
The captain told them he would spare their lives, if they would
give him any assurance of their abhorrenee of the treachery they