ed body, and endeavoured, with some
success, to make of it a bandage to staunch the flowing of the blood. I
then exerted myself to crawl up the side of the ditch. I had scarcely
effected the latter, when, with equal surprise and joy, I perceived a
man advancing at no great distance. I called for help as well as I
could. The man came towards me with evident signs of compassion, and the
appearance I exhibited was indeed sufficiently calculated to excite it.
I had no hat. My hair was dishevelled, and the ends of the locks clotted
with blood. My shirt was wrapped about my neck and shoulders, and was
plentifully stained with red. My body, which was naked to my middle, was
variegated with streams of blood; nor had my lower garments, which were
white, by any means escaped.

"For God's sake, my good fellow!" said he, with a tone of the greatest
imaginable kindness, "how came you thus?" and, saying this, he lifted me
up, and set me on my feet. "Can you stand?" added he, doubtfully. "Oh,
yes, very well," I replied. Having received this answer, he quitted me,
and began to take off his own coat, that he might cover me from the
cold. I had however over-rated my strength, and was no sooner left to
myself than I reeled, and fell almost at my length upon the ground. But
I broke my fall by stretching out my sound arm, and again raised myself
upon my knees. My benefactor now covered me, raised me, and, bidding me
lean upon him, told me he would presently conduct me to a place where I
should be taken care of. Courage is a capricious property; and, though
while I had no one to depend upon but myself, I possessed a mine of
seemingly inexhaustible fortitude, yet no sooner did I find this
unexpected sympathy on the part of another, than my resolution appeared
to give way, and I felt ready to faint. My charitable conductor
perceived this, and every now and then encouraged me, in a manner so
cheerful, so good humoured and benevolent, equally free from the torture
of droning expostulation, and the weakness of indulgence, that I thought
myself under the conduct of an angel rather than a man. I could perceive
that his behaviour had in it nothing of boorishness, and that he was
thoroughly imbued with the principles of affectionate civility.

We walked about three quarters of a mile, and that not towards the open,
but the most uncouth and unfrequented part of the forest. We crossed a
place which had once been a moat, but which was now in some parts