up to my knees
in thick black mud, I continued to get on pretty fast; but at last the
canes grew so thick that I could hardly force my way through them, and
it was a work of exceeding labor. Still I persevered, expecting each
second I should arrive at the banks of the river, and be rewarded for my
fatigue; but the more I labored the worse it appeared for me, and at
last I became worn out and quite bewildered. I then tried to find my way
back, and was equally unsuccessful, when I sat down with any thing but
pleasant thoughts in my mind. I calculated that I had been two hours in
making this attempt, and was now quite puzzled how to proceed. I
bitterly lamented my rashness, now that it was too late. Having reposed
a little, I resumed my toil, and again, after an hour's exertion, was
compelled, from fatigue, to sit down in the deep black mud. Another
respite from toil and another hour more of exertion, and I gave myself
up for lost. The day was evidently fast closing in, the light over head
was not near so bright as it had been, and I knew that a night passed in
the miasma of the cane swamp was death. At last it became darker and
darker. There could not be an hour of daylight remaining. I determined
upon one struggle more, and reeking as I was with perspiration, and
faint with fatigue, I rose again, and was forcing my way through the
thickest of the canes, when I heard a deep growl, and perceived a large
panther not twenty yards from me. He was on the move as well as myself,
attempting to force his way through the thickest of the canes, so as to
come up to me. I retreated from him as fast as I could, but he gained
slowly upon me, and my strength was fast declining. I thought I heard
sounds at a distance, and they became more and more distinct; but what
they were, my fear and my struggles probably prevented from making out.

"My eyes were fixed upon the fierce animal who was in pursuit of me; and
I now thank God that the canes were so thick and impassable. Still the
animal evidently gained ground, until it was not more than twenty yards
from me, dashing and springing at the canes, and tearing them aside with
his teeth. The sounds were now nearer, and I made them out to be the
hallooing of some other animals. A moment's pause, and I thought it was
the barking of dogs, and I thought I must have arrived close to where
the schooner lay, and that I heard the barking of bloodhounds. At last I
could do no more, and dropped exhauste