writhing on the earth, or had
retired, wounded, from the contest; while our little band remained
unwounded, unbroken. For more than a quarter of an hour, we maintained
the unequal fight. But victory, on our side, was impossible, and escape
all but hopeless. Your uncle was the first of our number that fell. The
sword of an enemy had pierced his bosom, and I heard him shout to me, in
a voice rendered dismal with agony, never to yield!--to fight to the
last! as he lay bleeding on the ground.

"I was then contending, hand to hand, with Cunningham. In our rage, we
had closed by the side of each other, and each grasped the other by the
throat. He shortened his sword, and, with a triumphant laugh, was
lunging it at my side, when, with a sudden and violent effort, I hurled
him from the saddle. As he rose, he thrust his sword into the breast of
the horse on which I rode, which reared, sprang forward, and fell, and I
was thrown upon the ground, in the midst of enemies.

"Two of the four who accompanied us were also wounded, and disabled
from continuing the fight; and the other two, upon seeing your uncle and
myself upon the ground, surrendered. In my fall, my hand quitted not my
sword. I sprang to my feet, and smote around me to the right and to the
left, with the fury of a wild beast. My object was to cut my way through
my adversaries to the woods. I at length succeeded; but not until I had
been thrice wounded. I rushed forward among the trees, until the sound
of my pursuers died away; but the moon had gone down, and I knew not in
what direction I ran, but pressed onward and onward, until exhausted,
through loss of blood, I fell upon the ground. A sleep that was nae
sleep came owre me, and a dream that was nae dream stealed owre my
senses; while the blood continued oozing from my wounds, and my soul was
creeping away. Something was growing owre my faculties, just like the
opening of a starry night, as the gloaming dies away, and star after
star peeps out. I at first felt happy; just steeped, as it were, in a
sensation of pleasantness; and there were sounds like sweet music in my
ears. But the feeling of happiness was changed, I kenned not how, for
one of pain--the feeling of pleasantness for one of horror--and the
sweet sounds into dismal howls. I started up--I grasped my sword firmer
in my hand; but the howls departed not wi' the disturbed sleep from
which I had been startled; but they broke upon my ear, louder and
nearer--th