CATCHING A TARTAR. 819

them ; that as soon as ever they heard the seamen answer them
they should return it again; and then, keeping out of sight, take a
round, always answering when the other hallooed, to draw them
as far into the island, and among the woods, as possible; and then
wheel about again to me by such ways as I directed them.

They were just going into the boat when Friday and the mate
hallooed ; and they presently heard them, and answering, ran along
the shore westward, towards the voice they heard, when they were
presently stopped by the creek, where the water being up, they
could not get over, and called for the boat to come up and set them
over, as indeed I expected.

When they had set themselves over, I observed that the boat,
being gone up a good way into the creek, and, as it were, in a
harbour within the land, they took one of the three men out of
her to go along with them, and left only two in the boat, having
fastened her to the stump of a little tree on the shore.

This was what I wished for, and immediately leaving Friday
and the captain’s mate to their business, I took the rest with me,
and crossing the creek out of their sight, we surprised the two men
before they were aware; one of them lying on shore, and the
other being in the boat. The fellow on shore was between sleep-
ing and waking, and going to start up, the captain, who was fore-
most, ran in upon him, and knocked him down, and then called out
to him in the boat to yield, or he was a dead man.

There needed very few arguments to persuade a single man to
yield when he saw five men upon him, and his comrade knocked
down; besides, this was, it seems, one of the three who were not
so hearty in the mutiny as the rest of the crew, and therefore was
easily persuaded not only to yield, but afterwards to join very
sincerely with us.

In the meantime Friday and the captain’s mate so well managed
their business with the rest, that they drew them, by hallooing
and answering, from one hill to another, and from one wood to
another, till they not only heartily tired them, but left them where
they were very sure they could not reach back to the boat before
it was dark; and indeed they were heartily tired themselves also

by the time they came back to us.
23a) 21