impossible to prevail, especially upon the Englishmen; their
curiosity was so importunate that they must run out and see the
battle. However, they used some caution too: they did not go
openly, just by their own dwelling, but went farther into the
woods, and placed themselves to advantage, where they might
securely see them manage the fight, and, as they thought, not be
seen by them; but the savages did see them, as we shall find
hereafter.
The battle was very fierce, and, if I might believe the Englishmen,
one of them said he could perceive that some of them were men of
great bravery, of invincible spirit, 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 also 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.
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 gave notice
of this within, with this comforting addition, that the conquerors
had not pursued them, or seen which way they were gone; upon this
the Spanish 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
surprise 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,
most likely by way of triumph, and so the fight ended; 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 long arrows, which were
found sticking in their bodies; but most of them were killed with
great wooden swords, sixteen or seventeen of which they found in
the field of battle, and as many bows, with a great many arrows.
These swords were strange, unwieldy things, and they must be very
strong men that used them; most of those that were killed with them
had their heads smashed to pieces, as we may say, or, as we call it
in English, their brains knocked out, and several their arms and
legs broken; so that it is evident they fight with inexpressible
rage and fury. We found not one man that was not stone dead; for
either they stay by their enemy till they have killed him, or they
carry all the wounded men that are not quite dead away with them.
This deliverance tamed our ill-disposed Englishmen for a great
while; the sight had filled them with horror, and the consequences
appeared terrible to the last degree, especially upon supposing
that some time or other they should fall into the hands of those