I leapt and smote him. My iron-bound fist took him full betwixt
the eyes, and looking down upon his crushed and spattered face as
he lay I knew that Pedro the whip-master would whip men no more
these many days.

Then (not minded to die by the whip or upon a pike-head) turned I
and sprang for the ship's side, but the chain about my leg
hampered me sorely, and ere I could mount the high bulwark I was
beset from behind. So would I have faced them and died fighting
but fierce strokes battered me to my knees, fierce hands wrenched
and tore at me, and grown faint with blows I was overborne, my
hands lashed behind me, and thus helpless I was dragged along the
gangway and so up the ladder to the poop where, plain to all
men's sight, a whipping-post had been set up. Yet even so I
struggled still, panting out curses on them, French and Spanish
and English, drawing upon all the vile abuse of the rowing-bench
and lazarette since fain would I have them slay me out of hand
the rather than endure the miseries and anguish of my lot. Yet
this might not be (since slaves were hard to come by and I was
mighty and strong) wherefore I struggled no more, but suffered
them to strike off my broken fetters and bind me to the whipping-
post as they listed. Yet scarce had they made an end when there
comes a loud hail from the masthead, whereupon was sudden mighty
to-do of men running hither and yon, laughing and shouting one to
another, some buckling on armour as they ran, some casting loose
the great ordnance, while eyes turned and hands pointed in the
one direction; but turn and twist me how I might I could see
nought of any strange sail by reason of the high bulkhead beside
me.