cing across the foaming waters, the only sound I
heard being that of their roar as they rushed over their rocky bed
towards the valley below. I knelt down and prayed, as I had been
accustomed to do from my childhood; and then, before resuming my
journey, I took some of the scanty remains of the food I had brought
with me, which I washed down with a draught from the stream.

Finding a practicable path to the left over the mountains, I followed
it, still resolved not to trust myself in the neighbourhood of our foes.
They could not have travelled over the mountains by night, but they
might take it into their heads to follow me by day, and it would be
unwise to linger. I did not slacken my speed, either, for if they did
come they would move as fast as I could, and I might be overtaken. I
stopped only occasionally, to eat a little food and to take a draught of
water, of which I now found abundance by the way.

I cannot fully describe the events of that day. On and on I went, like a
deer chased by the hunters. Sometimes I would fancy that I heard the
war-whoops of the Indians behind me; at others the sounds which I
conjured up appeared to be uttered by Bartle or Gideon. I would stop to
listen, but only the roar of some distant waterfall or the murmur of a
nearer rapid struck my ear. Or now and again I heard the cry of some
bird of prey, as it swooped down from its lofty eyrie towards the
carcass which it had espied far off on the plain below.

Again I was becoming faint with my exertions, and my food was exhausted.
Whenever I stopped to rest, too, my mind dwelt upon the fearful scenes I
had witnessed, and the fate of my friends. I was not altogether free
from anxiety about Clarice, either. Brave and trustworthy as was my
friend Manley, his party might have been pursued and overpowered by the
savages, and my fair young sister might have been carried away into
captivity, to suffer worse than death. To succumb, however, would have
been unmanly. Although fatigued in body and anxious in mind, I had still
sufficient physical strength to pursue my way.

The day was advancing, and I determined to strike down into the plains,
where, at all events, I could make more rapid progress than over the
rough ground I had been traversing. I accordingly directed my course, as
I believed, to the eastward; but still hill beyond hill appeared, and it
seemed as if I should never reach the more level ground. Still on and on
I went, until at length