azement. At that
moment there was a clatter of hoofs in the gorge, and a roar or bellow
was heard above the din of the fight. All eyes were turned towards the
pass, and next moment a solitary horseman leaped over the broken rocks
and bounded over the turf towards the combatants.

The aspect of this newcomer was something terrible to behold. Both he
and his horse were gigantic in size. The man was dressed in the costume
of an Indian, but his hair and beard were those of a white man. The
mane and tail of his huge horse were of enormous length, and as he swept
over the little plain, which seemed to tremble beneath his heavy tread,
the wind blew out these and the tags and scalp-locks of his coat and
leggings as well as his own beard and hair in such a confused and
commingled way as to make the man and horse appear like one monstrous
creature.

The Indians turned to flee, but, seeing only one enemy, they hesitated.
In another moment the wild horseman was upon them. He carried a round
shield on his left arm and a long double-edged sword in his right hand.
Two Indians lowered their spears to receive him. The point of one he
turned aside with his shield, and the shock of his heavy warhorse hurled
horse and man upon the plain. The other he cut the iron head off with a
sweep of his sword, and, with a continuation of the same cut, he cleft
his opponent to the chin. Turning rapidly, he bounded into the very
midst of the savages, uttering another of his tremendous roars of
indignation. The suddenness of this act prevented the Indians from
using their bows and arrows effectively. Before they could fit an arrow
to the string two more of their number lay in the agonies of death on
the ground. Several arrows were discharged, but the perturbation of
those who discharged them, and their close proximity to their mark,
caused them to shoot wide. Most of the shafts missed him. Two quivered
in his shield, and one pierced the sleeve of his coat. Turning again to
renew his rapid attacks he observed one of the Indians--probably a
chief--leap to one side, and, turning round, fit an arrow with calm
deliberation to his bow. The furious horseman, although delivering his
sweeping blows right and left with indiscriminate recklessness, seemed
during the _melee_ to have an intuitive perception of where the greatest
danger lay. The savages at that moment were whirling round him and
darting at him in all directions, but he singled out th