ROBINSON CRUSOE 443

without ball, and called to them in the Russian tongue to know
what they wanted, and bade them keep off; but they came
on with a double fury up to the wood-side, not imagining we
were so barricaded that they could not easily break in. Our
old pilot was our captain as well as our engineer, and desired
us not to fire upon them till they came within pistol-shot,
that we might be sure to kill, and that when we did fire we
should be sure to take good aim; we bade him give the word
of command, which he delayed so long that they were some
of them within two pikes’ length of us when we let fly. We
aimed so true that we killed fourteen of them, and wounded
several others, as also several of their horses; for we had
all of us loaded our pieces with two or three bullets apiece
at least.

They were terribly surprised with our fire, and retreated
immediately about one hundred rods from us; in which time
we loaded our pieces again, and seeing them keep that distance,
we sallied out, and caught four or five of their horses, whose
riders we supposed were killed; and coming up to the dead,
we judged they were Tartars, but knew not how they came
to make an excursion such an unusual length.

About an hour after they again made a motion to attack us,
and rode round our little wood to see where they might break
in; but finding us always ready to face them, they went off
again ; and we resolved not to stir for that night.

We slept little, but spent the most part of the night in
strengthening our situation, and barricading the entrances into
the wood, and keeping a strict watch. We waited for daylight,
and when it came, it gave us a very unwelcome discovery indeed ;
for the enemy, who we thought were discouraged with the
reception they met with, were now greatly increased, and had
set up eleven or twelve huts or tents, as if they were resolved
to besiege us; and this little camp they had pitched upon the
open plain, about three-quarters of a mile from us. I confess
I now gave myself over for lost, and all that I had; the loss of
my effects did not lie so near me, though very considerable, as
the thoughts of falling into the hands of such barbarians at the
latter end of my journey, after so many difficulties and hazards
as I had gone through, and even in sight of our port, where we
expected safety and deliverance. As to my partner, he was
raging, and declared that to lose his goods would be his ruin,
and that he would rather die than be starved, and he was for
fighting to the last drop.

The young lord, a most gallant youth, was for fighting to the