ve their own lives to prevent us.
Scarcely a minute was lost.

"Mount! mount! and ride on!" cried Ithulpo.

Throwing our knives to the Indians, we leaped on our horses, and again
followed the direction we supposed the soldiers had taken. We had not
proceeded many yards when the wall of sand seemed to wheel round like an
extended line of infantry, and then to advance at double speed. To
escape it by galloping from it was now hopeless; so we turned our
horses' heads to face it. As we did so, a clear break appeared in one
part.

"Let us make for yonder lighter spot," shouted my father.

We did so. On came the dark wall; the sand swept by us, whirling round
and round our heads, blinding our eyes, and filling our ears and
nostrils. It was with difficulty even that we could breathe, as with
each respiration our mouths became choked with the sand. I endeavoured,
as well as I was able, to keep close to my father, though for a time it
was only by our voices, as we shouted to each other, that we were aware
of each other's position. We did our utmost to keep our horses' heads
in the direction the sand-storm came from, that we might the more
speedily pass through it. They breasted it bravely, though their
thick-drawn breath showed the pain they suffered; but they seemed to be
as well aware as ourselves of the necessity of exertion. It was with
difficulty, however, that we could even keep our seats, as, with our
hats pressed over our eyes, our ponchos drawn tight around us, and our
bodies bent down over their necks, we encouraged them to proceed with
bit and rein. We were making all the time, in reality, but little real
progress, as I soon discovered; their utmost exertion being required to
lift their legs out of the sand, which was rapidly collecting round us.

On a sudden, a dark mass swept towards us. I know not how it was,--I
believe I must have turned to my right,--I kept calling to my father as
before; but oh, what horror--what agony seized my soul when he did not
answer! and as I endeavoured to pierce the thick mass of sand which
surrounded me, I could nowhere see him. I could not tell which way to
turn. I felt lost and bewildered, and I believed that my last moment
had arrived--a dreadful death was to be my lot. I did not regard
myself; it was for my noble father I felt. "O that I could have died
with him!" I thought. My brave horse, however, still exerted himself
to save his own life and mine, when I h