learning needful to the making of me a complete sailor; but I was not so
just to myself afterwards as to do it when I had an opportunity.

But to return to our business; the gunner, when he saw the service I had
done in the fight, and heard my proposal for keeping a number of prisoners
for our march, and for carrying our baggage, turns to me before them all.
"Captain Bob," says he, "I think you must be our leader, for all the
success of this enterprise is owing to you." "No, no," said I, "do not
compliment me; you shall be our Seignior Capitanio, you shall be general; I
am too young for it." So, in short, we all agreed he should be our leader;
but he would not accept of it alone, but would have me joined with him; and
all the rest agreeing, I was obliged to comply.

The first piece of service they put me upon in this new command was as
difficult as any they could think of, and that was to manage the prisoners;
which, however, I cheerfully undertook, as you shall hear presently. But
the immediate consultation was yet of more consequence; and that was,
first, which way we should go; and secondly, how to furnish ourselves for
the voyage with provisions.

There was among the prisoners one tall, well-shaped, handsome fellow, to
whom the rest seemed to pay great respect, and who, as we understood
afterwards, was the son of one of their kings; his father was, it seems,
killed at our first volley, and he wounded with a shot in his arm, and with
another just on one of his hips or haunches. The shot in his haunch being
in a fleshy part, bled much, and he was half dead with the loss of blood.
As to the shot in his arm, it had broke his wrist, and he was by both these
wounds quite disabled, so that we were once going to turn him away, and let
him die; and, if we had, he would have died indeed in a few days more: but,
as I found the man had some respect showed him, it presently occurred to my