ted ourselves, and gained another hundred yards, during
which two more arrows were discharged, and one of them went through
the left arm of my comrade; but as it was through the fleshy part, and
did not touch the bone, it did not disable him. A third arrow was
sent after us, but did not reach us, and we knew that we were out of
distance.

"Cut the shaft of the arrow, and draw it through the arm," said the
Portuguese.

"Not now," said I; "they will perceive me doing so, and will think
that you are disabled. That may induce them to rush upon us, thinking
they have only one man to deal with."

"Well, it's no great matter," replied he; "we must now drag our canoe
down to the water and launch her, if they will let us. We have
outwitted them so far."

We now turned the head of the canoe towards the sea, and slowly
dragged her down; our eyes, as may be supposed, constantly kept upon
the rock, to see if the Indians would move, but they did not. They
perhaps felt that they had no chance with us, having all the fire-arms
and an open beach in our favour. We launched our canoe without further
interruption on their part, and in a few minutes, taking care to be
out of arrow distance, we passed the rock with our head to the
northward. When about two miles off, we perceived the Indians to
descend from the rock and walk away into the woods.

"Let us praise God for this miraculous escape," said I to the
Portuguese.

"I do; and the holy patron saint who has preserved me," replied the
Portuguese captain; "but I am still heavy at hart. I feel that we have
escaped only to come into more strange and fresh calamity. I shall
never get back to Lisbon, that I feel convinced of."

I tried all I could to encourage him, but it was of no avail. He told
me that the presentiment was too strong, and could not be overcome by
any argument. Indeed he appeared to have allowed the idea so to have
taken possession of his mind, that his reason became enervated; and
having heard how the Indians burnt their prisoners, he talked about
martyrdom at the stake, and rising up to Heaven in great glory, there
to be received by the whole body of saints and legions of angels.

"What is the use of our thus labouring at the paddle?" said he; "why
not at once let us go ashore and receive the crown of martyrdom? I am
ready; for I long for the hour, and shall rejoice."

I said all I could to keep him quiet, but it was useless, and such was
his insanity, that he gr