dered him unable long to continue out of their reach; and aware
that they were gaining considerably on him, he wheeled to shoot.
Both instantly sprang behind trees, and Morgan seeking shelter in
the same manner, got behind a sugar, which was so small as to leave
part of his body exposed. Looking round, he saw a large oak about
twenty yards farther, and he made to it. Just as he reached it, the
foremost Indian sought security behind the sugar sapling, which he
had found insufficient for his protection. The Indian, sensible that
it would not shelter him, threw himself down by the side of a log
which lay at the root of the sapling. But this did not afford him
sufficient cover, and Morgan, seeing him exposed to a shot, fired
at him. The ball took effect, and the savage, rolling over on his
back, stabbed himself twice in the breast.

Having thus succeeded in killing one of his pursuers, Morgan again
took to flight, and the remaining Indian after him. It was now that
trees could afford him no security--His gun was unloaded, and his
pursuer could approach him safely.--The unequal race was continued
about sixty yards, when looking over his shoulder, he saw the savage
within a few paces of him, and with his gun raised. Morgan sprang to
one side, and the ball whizzed harmlessly by him. The odds was now not
great, and both advanced to closer combat, sensible of the prize for
which they had to contend, and each determined, to deal death to his
adversary. Morgan aimed a blow with his gun; but the Indian hurled a
tomahawk at him, which cutting the little finger of his left hand
entirely off, and injuring the one next it very much, knocked the gun
out of his grasp, and they closed. Being a good wrestler, Morgan
succeeded in throwing the Indian; but soon found himself overturned,
and the savage upon him, feeling for his knife and sending forth a
most horrifick yell, as is their custom when they consider victory as
secure. A woman's apron, which he had taken from the house and
fastened round him above his knife, so hindered him in getting at it
quickly, that Morgan, getting one of his fingers in his mouth,
deprived him of the use of that hand, and disconcerted him very much
by continuing to grind it between his teeth. At length the [201]
Indian got hold of his knife, but so far towards the blade, that
Morgan too got a small hold on the extremity of the handle; and as the
Indian drew it from the scabbard, Morgan, biting his finger with a