420 BENT ON NEW ADVENTURES,

to it, such as, particularly, the piece of monstrous cruelty of
wounding a poor slave, because he did not, or perhaps could not,
understand to do what he was directed; and to wound him in such
a manner as, no question, made him a cripple all his life; and in
a place where no surgeon or medicine could be had for his cure:
and what was. still worse, the murderous intent, or, to do justice
to the crime, the intentional murder, for such to be sure it was, as
was afterwards the formed design they all laid to murder the
Spaniards in cold blood, and in their sleep,

But I leave observing, and return to the story, The three
fellows came down to the Spaniards one morning, and in very
humble terms desired to be admitted to speak with them. The
Spaniards very readily heard what they had to say, which was
this: That they were tired of living in the manner they did ;
that they were not handy enough to make the necessaries they
wanted ; and that, having no help, they found they should be
starved. But if the Spaniards would give them leave to take one
of the canoes which they came over in, and give them arms and
ammunition, proportioned for their defence, they would go over to
the main, and seek their fortune, and so deliver them from the
trouble of supplying them with any other provisions.

The Spaniards were glad enough to be rid of them, but yet
very honestly represented to them the certain destruction they
were running into; told them they had suffered such hardships
upon that very spot; that they could, without any spirit of pro-
pheey, tell them that they would be starved, or be murdered, and
bade them consider of it.

The men replied audaciously, they should be starved if they
stayed here, for they could not work, and would not work ; and
they could but be starved abroad; and if they were murdered,
there was an end of them, they had no wives or children to cry after
them; and in short, insisted importunately upon their demand,
declaring that they would go, whether they would give them any
arms or no.

The Spaniards told them, with great kindness, that if they were
resolved to go, they should not go like naked men, and be in no
condition to defend themselves; and that though they could ill