Robinson Crusoe

by Daniel Defoe

presently after we saw about a hundred coming on directly towards us, all in a body, and most of them in a line, as regularly as an army drawn up by experienc’d officers. I scarce knew in what manner to receive them; but found to draw our selves in a close line was the only way: so we form’d in a moment: But that we might not have too much interval, I order’d, that only every other man should fire, and that the others who had not fir’d should stand ready to give them a second volley immediately, if they continued to advance upon us, and that then those who had fir’d at first, should not pretend to load their fusees again, but stand ready with every one a pistol; for we were all arm’d with a fusee, and a pair of pistols each man; so we were by this method able to fire six volleys, half of us at a time; however, at present we had no necessity; for upon firing the first volley, the enemy made a full stop, being terrify’d as well with the noise, as with the fire; four of them being shot into the head, dropp’d, several others were wounded, and went bleeding off, as we could see by the snow: I found they stopp’d, but did not immediately retreat; whereupon remembring that I had been told, that the fiercest creatures were terrify’d at the voice of a man, I caus’d all our company to hollow as loud as we could; and I found the notion not altogether mistaken; for upon our shout, they began to retire, and turn about; then I order’d a second volley to be fir’d, in their rear, which put...