ing me
of all hostile intentions. Had I dreamt of witnessing this painful
spectacle, I should not have left the trail. But the mischief was now
done. "I have worse than killed her," thought I; "it will be better to
despatch her at once."

Actuated by these principles of a common, but to her fatal, humanity, I
rested the butt of my rifle and reloaded. With a faltering hand I again
levelled the piece and fired.

My nerves were steady enough to do the work. When the smoke floated
aside, I could see the little creature bleeding upon the grass, her head
resting against the body of her murdered mate.

I shouldered my rifle, and was about to move forward, when to my
astonishment, I found that I was caught by the feet. I was held firmly,
as if my legs had been screwed in a vice!

I made an effort to extricate myself; another, more violent, and equally
unsuccessful; and, with a third, I lost my balance, and fell back upon
the water.

Half-suffocated, I regained my upright position, but only to find that I
was held as fast as ever.

Again I struggled to free my limbs. I could neither move them backward
nor forward, to the right nor to the left; and I became sensible that I
was gradually going down. Then the fearful truth flashed upon me: I was
sinking in a quicksand.

A feeling of horror came over me. I renewed my efforts with the energy
of desperation. I leant to one side, then to the other, almost
wrenching my knees from their sockets. My feet remained fast as ever.
I could not move them an inch.

The soft, clinging sand already overtopped my horseskin boots, wedging
them around my ankles, so that I was unable to draw them off; and I
could feel that I was still sinking, slowly but surely, as though some
subterranean monster were leisurely dragging me down! This very thought
caused me a fresh thrill of horror, and I called aloud for help. To
whom? There was no one within miles of me--no living thing. Yes! the
neigh of my horse answered me from the hill, mocking my despair.

I bent forward as well as my constrained position would permit, and,
with frenzied fingers, commenced tearing up the sand. I could barely
reach the surface; and the little hollow I was able to make filled up
almost as soon as it had been formed.

A thought occurred to me. My rifle might support me, placed
horizontally. I looked around for it. It was not to be seen. It had
sunk beneath the sand.

Could I throw my body flat, a