第72章

I observ'd，that the two who swam，were yet more than twice as long swimming over the Creek，as the Fellow was，that fled from them：It came now very warmly upon my Thoughts，and indeed irresistibly，that now was my Time to get me a Servant，and perhaps a Companion，or Assistant；and that I was call'd plainly by Providence to save this poor Creature's Life；I immediately run down the Ladders with all possible Expedition，fetches my two Guns，for they were both but at the Foot of the Ladders，as I observ'd above；and getting up again，with the same haste，to the Top of the Hill，I cross'd toward the Sea；and having a very short Cut，and all down Hill，clapp'd my self in the way，between the Pursuers，and the Pursu'd；hallowing aloud to him that fled，who looking back，was at first perhaps as much frighted at me，as at them；but I beckon'd with my Hand to him，to come back；and in the mean time，I slowly advanc'd towards the two that follow'd；then rushing at once upon the foremost，I knock'd him down with the Stock of my Piece I was loath to fire，because 1 would not have the rest hear；though at that distance，it would not have been easily heard，and being out of Sight of the Smoke too，they wou'd not have easily known what to make of it：Having knock'd this Fellow down，the other who pursu'd with him stopp'd，as if he had been frighted；and I advanc'd a-pace towards him；but as I came nearer，I perceiv'd presently，he had a Bow and Arrow，and was fitting it to shoot at me；so I was then necessitated to shoot at him first，which I did，and kill'd him at the first Shoot；the poor Savage who fled，but had stopp'd；though he saw both his Enemies fallen，and kill'd，as he thought；yet was so frighted with the Fire，and Noise of my Piece，that he stood Stock still，and neither came forward or went backward，tho' he seem'd rather enclin'd to fly still，than to come on；I hollow'd again to him，and made Signs to come forward，which he easily understood，and came a little way，then stopp'd again，and then a little further，and stopp'd again，and I cou'd then perceive that he stood trembling，as if he had been taken Prisoner，and had just been to be kill'd，as his two Enemies were；I beckon'd him again to come to me，and gave him all the Signs of Encouragement that I could think of，and he came nearer and nearer，kneeling down every Ten or Twelve steps in token of acknowledgement for my saving his Life：I smil'd at him，and look'd pleasantly，and beckon'd to him to come still nearer；at length he came close to me，and then he kneel'd down again，kiss'd the Ground，and laid his Head upon the Ground，and taking me by the Foot，set my Foot upon his Head；this it seems was in token of swearing to be my Slave for ever；I took him up，and made much of him，and encourag'd him all I could. But there was more work to do yet，for I perceived the Savage who I knock'd down，was not kill'd，but stunn'd with the blow，and began to come to himself；so I pointed to him，and showing him the Savage，that he was not dead；upon this he spoke some Words to me，and though I could not understand them，yet I thought they were pleasant to hear，for they were the first sound of a Man's Voice，that I had heard，my own excepted，for above Twenty Five Years. But there was no time for such Reflections now，the Savage who was knock'd down recover'd himself so far，as to sit up upon the Ground，and I perceived that my Savage began to be afraid；but when I saw that，I presented my other Piece at the Man，as if I would shoot him，upon this my Savage，for so I call him now，made a Motion to me to lend him my Sword，which hung naked in a Belt by my side；so I did：he no sooner had it，but he runs to his Enemy，and at one blow cut off his Head as cleaverly，no Executioner in Germany，could have done it sooner or better；which I thought very strange，for one who 1 had Reason to believe never saw a Sword in his Life before，except their own Wooden Swords；however it seems，as I learn'd afterwards，they make their Wooden Swords so sharp，so heavy，and the Wood is so hard，that they will cut off Heads even with them，ay and Arms，and that at one blow too；when he had done this，he comes laughing to me in Sign of Triumph，and brought me the Sword again，and with abundance of Gestures which I did not understand，laid it down with the Head of the Savage，that he had kill'd just before me.

But that which astonish'd him most，was to know how I had kill'd the other Indian so far off，so pointing to him，he made Signs to me to let him go to him，so I bad him go，as well as I could，when he came to him，he stood like one amaz'd，looking at him，turn'd him first on one side，then on t'other，look'd at the Wound the Bullet had made，which it seems was just in his Breast，where it had made a Hole，and no great Quantity of Blood had follow'd，but he had bled inwardly，for he was quite dead；He took up his Bow，and Arrows，and came back，so I turn'd to go away，and beckon'd to him to follow me，making Signs to him，that more might come after them.

Upon this he sign'd to me，that he should bury them with Sand，that they might not be seen by the rest if they follow'd；and so I made Signs again to him to do so；he fell to Work，and in an instant he had scrap'd a Hole in the Sand，with his Hands，big enough to bury the first in，and then dragg'd him into it，and cover'd him，and did so also by the other；I believe he had bury'd them both in a Quarter of an Hour；then calling him away，I carry'd him not to my Castle，but quite away to my Cave，on the farther Part of the Island；so I did not let my Dream come to pass in that Part，viz. That he came into my Grove for shelter.

Here I gave him Bread，and a Bunch of Raisins to eat，and a Draught of Water，which I found he was indeed in great Distress for，by his Running；and having refresh'd him，I made Signs for him to go lie down and sleep；pointing to a Place where I had laid a great Parcel of Rice Straw，and a Blanket upon it，which 1 used to sleep upon my self some times；so the poor Creature laid down，and went to sleep.