When the settled Season began to come in，as the thought of my Design return'd with the fair Weather，I was pre paring daily for the Voyage；and the first Thing I did，was to lay by a certain Quantity of Provisions，being the Stores for our Voyage；and intended in a Week or a Fortnight's Time，to open the Dock，and launch out our Boat. I was busy one Morning upon some Thing of this kind，when I call'd to Friday，and bid him go to the Sea Shore，and see if he could find a Turtle，or Tortoise，a Thing which we generally got once a Week，for the Sake of the Eggs，as well as the Flesh：Friday had not been long gone，when he came running back，and flew over my outer Wall，or Fence，like one that felt not the Ground，or the Steps he set his Feet on；and before I had time to speak to him，he cries out to me，O Master！ O Master！ O Sorrow！ O bad！ What's the Matter，Friday？ says I；O yonder，there，says he，one，two，three Canoe！ one，two，three！ By his way of speaking，I concluded there were six；but on enquiry，I found it was but three：Well，Friday，says I，do not be frighted；so I heartned him up as well as I could：However，I saw the poor Fellow was most terribly scar'd；for nothing ran in his Head but that they were come to look for him，and would cut him in Pieces，and eat him；and the poor Fellow trembled so，that I scarce knew what to do with him：I comforted him as well as I could，and told him I was in as much Danger as he，and that they would eat me as well as him；but，says I，Friday，we must resolve to fight them；Can you fight，Friday？ Me shoot，says he，but there come many great Number. No matter for that，said I again，our Guns will fright them that we do not kill；so I ask'd him，Whether if I resolv'd to defend him，he would defend me，and stand by me，and do just as I bid him？ He said，Me die，when you bid die，Master；so I went and fetch'd a good Dram of Rum，and gave him；for I had been so good a Husband of my Rum，that had a great deal left：When he had drank it，I made him take the two Fowling-Pieces，which we always carry'd，and load them with large Swan-Shot，as big as small Pistol Bullets；then I took four Muskets，and loaded them with two Slugs，and five small Bullets each；and my two Pistols I loaded with a Brace of Bullets each；I hung my great Sword as usual，naked by my Side，and gave Friday his Hatchet.
When I had thus prepar'd my self，I took my Perspective-Glass，and went up to the Side of the Hill，to see what I could discover；and I found quickly，by my Glass，that there were one and twenty Savages，three Prisoners，and three Canoes；and that their whole Business seem'd to be the triumphant Banquet upon these three humane Bodies，（a barbarous Feast indeed） but nothing more than as I had observ'd was usual with them.
I observ'd also，that they were landed not where they had done，when Friday made his Escape；but nearer to my Creek，where the Shore was low，and where a thick Wood came close almost down to the Sea：This，with the Abhorrence of the inhumane Errand these Wretches came about，fill'd me with such Indignation，that I came down again to Friday，and told him，I was resolv'd to go down to them，and kill them all；and ask'd him，If he would stand by me？ He was now gotten over his Fright，and his Spirits being a little rais'd，with the Dram I had given him，he was Cry chearful，and told me，as before，he would die，when I bid die.
In this Fit of Fury，I took first and divided the Arms which I had charg'd，as before，between us；I gave Friday one Pistol to stick in his Girdle，and three Guns upon his Shoulder；and I took one Pistol，and the other three my self；and in this Posture we march'd out：I took a small Bottle of Rum in my Pocket，and gave Friday a large Bag，with more Powder and Bullet；and as to Orders，I charg'd him to keep close behind me，and not to stir，or shoot，or do any Thing，till I bid him；and in the mean Time，not to speak a Word：In this Posture I fetch'd a Compass to my Right-Hand，of near a Mile，as well to get over the Creek，as to get into the Wood；so that I might come within shoot of them，before I should be discover'd，which I had seen by my Glass，it was easy to do.
While I was making this March，my former Thoughts returning，I began to abate my Resolution；I do not mean，that I entertain'd any Fear of their Number；for as they were naked，unarm'd Wretches，'tis certain I was superior to them；nay，though I had been alone；but it occurr'd to my Thoughts，What Call？ What Occasion？ much less，What Necessity I was in to go and dip my Hands in Blood，to attack People，who had neither done，or intended me any Wrong？ Who as to me were innocent，and whose barbarous Customs were their own Disaster，being in them a Token indeed of God's having left them，with the other Nations of that Part of the World，to such Stupidity，and to such inhumane Courses；but did not call me to take upon me to be a Judge of their Actions，much less an Executioner of his Justice；that whenever he thought fit，he would take the Cause into his own Hands，and by national Vengeance punish them as a People，for national Crimes；but that in the mean time，it was none of my Business；that it was true，Friday might justify it，because he was a declar'd Enemy，and in a State of War with those very particular People；and it was lawful for him to attack them；but I could not say she same with respect to me：These Things were so warmly press'd upon my Thoughts，all the way as I went，that I resolv'd I would only go and place my self near them，that I might observe their barbarous Feast，and that I would act then as God should direct；but that unless something offer'd that was more a Call to me than yet I knew of，I would not meddle with them.