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landed, three of them unarmed; who by their gestures, seemed to be prisoners: and one of them I could perceive using the most passionate gestures of entreaty, affliction, and despair, while the two others, though their grief seemed less extravagant, appeared pleading for mercy.
At this instant I saw a villain lift up his arm to kill one of the prisoners, but he did not strike him. The men having left the prisoners, and gone up into the woods, I went up to them with my man Friday, and said to them, “What are you, gentlemen?” they startled at the noise; but prepared to fly. I then said in English, “Gentleman, perhaps you may have a friend near you, whom you little expect. Tell me your case.’
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“I was commander of that ship, (replied one of the prisoners) my men have mutinied against me; and if they do not murder me, they intend to leave me and these two gentlemen ashoro in this dcsolato place; they are but in that thicket, and I tremble
