arms around the neck of the smaller one, threw
them both to the ground. Extricating himself from the grasp of Poe,
the small savage raised his tomahawk; but as he aimed the blow, a
vigorous and well directed kick, staggered him back, and he let fall
the hatchet. Recovering quickly, he aimed several blows in defiance
and exultation,--the vigilance of Poe distinguished the real from the
feigned stroke, and suddenly throwing up his arm, averted it from his
head, but received a wound in his wrist. By a violent effort, he freed
himself from the grip of the chief, and snatching up a gun, shot his
companion through the breast, as he advanced the third time with the
tomahawk.

In this time the large chief had regained his feet; and seizing Poe by
the shoulder and leg threw him to the ground.--Poe however, soon got
up, and engaged with the savage in a close struggle, which terminated
in the fall of both into the water. Now it became the object of each
to drown his antagonist, and the efforts to accomplish this were
continued for some time with alternate success;--first one and then
the other, being under water. At length, catching hold of the long
tuft of hair which had been suffered to grow on the head of the chief,
Poe held him under water, until he supposed him dead; but relaxing
his hold too soon, the gigantic savage was again on his feet and ready
for another grapple. In this both were carried beyond their depth, and
had to swim for safety. Both sought the shore, and each, with all his
might, strained every nerve to reach it first that he might end the
conflict with one of the guns lying on the beach. The Indian was the
more expert swimmer, and Poe, outstripped by him, turned and swam
farther into the river, in the hope of avoiding being [269] shot by
diving. Fortunately his antagonist laid hold on the gun which had been
discharged at the little Indian, and he was enabled to get some
distance into the river.

At this juncture, two others of the whites came up; and one of them
mistaking Poe for a wounded savage attempting to escape, shot and
wounded him in the shoulder. He then turned to make for shore, and
seeing his brother Andrew on the bank, called to him to "shoot the big
Indian." Having done this, Andrew plunged into the river to assist
Adam in getting out; and the wounded savage, to preserve his scalp,
rolled himself into the water, and struggling onward, sunk and could
not be found.

During the continuance of th