Then poor Captain Williams was much beloved
forward, and his death remained to be avenged. I would have said a
word in favour of my captors, but the first glance I got at the
flushed face of the mate, told me it would be useless. I turned,
therefore, to the sick savage who had been left as a sentinel over the
fore-scuttle, to prevent his interference. This man was armed with
the pistols that had been taken from me, and he showed a disposition
to use them. I was too quick in my motions, however, falling upon him
so soon as to prevent one who was not expert with the weapons from
using them. We clenched, and fell on the deck together, the Indian
letting the pistols fall to meet my grasp.
As this occurred, I heard the cheers of the seamen; and Marble,
shouting out to "revenge Captain Williams," gave the order to
charge. I soon had my own fellow perfectly at my mercy, and got him so
near the end of the jib downhaul, as to secure him with a turn or two
of that rope. The man made little resistance, after the first onset;
and, catching up the pistols, I left him, to join in what was doing
aft. As I lay on the deck, I heard several plunges into the water, and
then half-a-dozen of most cruelly crushing blows succeeded. Not a
shot was fired by either party, though some of our people, who had
carried all their arms below the night the ship was seized, used their
pikes with savage freedom.
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