escribed two we encountered, I need
not enter into the particulars of the one which now broke over us.
Under other circumstances we should have been glad to land to escape its
fury, but as it was, we were compelled to paddle on as fast as we could
go. On looking back, we saw that the Indians were actually pursuing us.
"Never fear," cried Arthur. "We shall be able to keep ahead of them!"
The lightning flashed vividly, the rain came down in torrents, but
through the thick wall of water we could still see our enemies coming
rapidly after us. Although the current, had we stood out into the
middle of the stream, might have carried us faster, the shortest route
was by keeping near the bank. The Indians followed the same course.
True rushed to the stern, and stood up barking defiance at them, as he
saw them drawing nearer. I dreaded lest they should begin to shoot with
their poisoned arrows. Should they get near enough for those fearful
weapons to reach us, our fate would be sealed. Only for an instant
could we afford time to glance over our shoulders at our foes. Nearer
and nearer they drew. Duppo courageously kept his post, steering the
canoe, and paddling with all his might. Every moment I expected to see
them start up and let fly a shower of arrows at us. I might, of course,
have fired at them; but this would have delayed us, and probably not
have stopped them. Our only hope of escape therefore depended upon our
being able to distance them. Yet they were evidently coming up with us.
We strained every nerve; but, try as we might, we could not drive our
little canoe faster than we were going.

My heart sank within me when, looking back once more, I saw how near
they were. In a few minutes more we might expect to have a shower of
arrows whizzing by us, and then we knew too well that, though we might
receive comparatively slight wounds, the deadly poison in them would
soon have effect. This did not make us slacken our exertions, though
scarcely any hope of escape remained. Still we knew that something
unforeseen might intervene for our preservation. I do hold, and always
have held, that it is the duty of a man to struggle to the last. "Never
say die!" is a capital motto in a good cause.

The rain poured down in torrents, the lightning flashed, the thunder
roared, and gusts of wind swept down the river. We were, however,
greatly protected by the bank above us. The storm blew more furiously.
We could see ove