When the Spaniards came, the two Englishmen were so encouraged, that they
could not satisfy themselves to stay any longer there; but taking five of
the Spaniards, and themselves, with four muskets and a pistol among them,
and two stout quarter-staves, away they went in quest of the savages. And
first they came to the tree where the men lay that had been killed; but
it was easy to see that some more of the savages had been there, for they
had attempted to carry their dead men away, and had dragged two of them a
good way, but had given it over. From thence they advanced to the first
rising ground, where they had stood and seen their camp destroyed, and
where they had the mortification still to see some of the smoke; but
neither could they here see any of the savages. They then resolved,
though with all possible caution, to go forward towards their ruined
plantation; but, a little before they came thither, coming in sight of
the sea-shore, they saw plainly the savages all embarked again in their
canoes, in order to be gone. They seemed sorry at first that there was
no way to come at them, to give them a parting blow; but, upon the whole,
they were very well satisfied to be rid of them.
The poor Englishmen being now twice ruined, and all their improvements
destroyed, the rest all agreed to come and help them to rebuild, and
assist them with needful supplies. Their three countrymen, who were not
yet noted for having the least inclination to do any good, yet as soon as
they heard of it (for they, living remote eastward, knew nothing of the
matter till all was over), came and offered their help and assistance,
and did, very friendly, work for several days to restore their habitation
and make necessaries for them. And thus in a little time they were set
upon their legs again.
About two days after this they had the farther satisfaction of seeing
three of the savages' canoes come driving on shore, and, at some distance
from them, two drowned men, by which they had reason to believe that they
had met with a storm at sea, which had overset some of them; for it had
blown very hard the night after they went off. However, as some might
miscarry, so, on the other hand, enough of them escaped to inform the
rest, as well of what they had done as of what had happened to them; and
to whet them on to another enterprise of the same nature, which they, it
seems, resolved to attempt, with sufficient force to carry all before
them; for except what the first man had told them of inhabitants, they
could say little of it of their own knowledge, for they never saw one
man; and the fellow being killed that had affirmed it, they had no other
witness to confirm it to, them.
CHAPTER V--A GREAT VICTORY
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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