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ROBINSON CRUSOE. 293

and, as they thought, not be seen by them; but it seems the
savages did see them, as we shall find hereafter.

The battle was very fierce ; and, if I might believe the Eng-
lishmen, one of them said he could perceive that some of them
were men of great bravery, of invincible spirits, and of great
policy in guiding the fight. The battle, they said, held two
hours before they could guess which party would be beaten ;
but then that party which was nearest our people’s habitation
began to appear weakest, and after some time more, some
of them began to fly; and this put our men again into a
great consternation, lest any one of those that fled should run
into the grove before their dwelling for shelter, and thereby
involuntarily discover the place ; and that, by consequence, the
pursuers would do the like in search of them. Upon this, they
resolved that they would stand armed within the wall, and
whoever came into the grove, they resolved to sally out over
the wall and kill them, so that, if possible, not one should
return to give an account of it; they ordered also that it should
be done with their swords, or by knocking them down with the
stocks of their muskets, but not by shooting them, for fear of
raising an alarm by the noise. A

As they expected it fell out ; three of the routed army fled
for life, and crossing the creek, ran directly into the place, not
in the least knowing whither they went, but running as into a
thick wood for shelter. The scout they kept to look abroad
fave notice of this within, with this addition, to our men’s
great satisfaction, viz.: that the conquerors had not pursued
them, or seen which way they were gone: upon this the Spaniard
governor, a man of humanity, would not suffer them to kill the
three fugitives, but sending three men out by the top of the
hill, ordered them to go round, come in behind them, and sur-
prise and take them prisoners ; which was done. The residue
of the conquered people fled to their canoes, and got off to sea ;
the victors retired, made no pursuit, or very little, but drawing
themselves into a body together, gave two great screaming
shouts, which they supposed was by way of triumph—and so
the fight ended ; and the same day, about three o’clock in the
afternoon, they also marched to their canoes. And thus the
Spaniards had the island again free to themselves, their fright
was over, and they saw no savages for several years after.

After they were all gone, the Spaniards came out of their
den, and viewing the field of battle, they found about two-and-
thirty men dead on the spot: some were killed with great long
arrows, some of which were found sticking in their boses: