turned to open fire upon my pursuers once more, in the hope of checking
them long enough to let the craft afloat. As I did so, the whole earth
appeared to rock and heave about me; my eyes became dizzy and my sight
failed, so that I could see nothing but a vast dark crowd of savage
faces scowling upon me, and surging to and fro before my reeling vision.

Into this heaving crowd I discharged the contents of my rifle rapidly,
but without any attempt at aim, and then turning and flinging the now
useless weapon into the canoe, I concentrated all my fast fleeting
energies into one supreme effort to launch her.

I faintly heard Bob's shout of encouragement, and earnestly prayed that
he might succeed in saving my darling. I felt that _I_ was lost, and,
as the cheering cry rang across the water, I threw myself with all my
weight against the light craft, which was already half afloat, braced
myself against the stem, and felt her move. A spear at this instant
pierced me in the back; but its effect for the moment was but to
stimulate me further, and with another violent effort I succeeded in
getting her fairly afloat.

I saw, or fancied I saw, the boat within a few yards' distance, and Bob
in her, with a rope in his hand ready to heave; and, plunging heavily
into the clear cool sparkling water, I gave the canoe one final
desperate outward impulse, and at the same moment felt a crashing,
stunning blow at the back of my head--a million stars seemed to dance
before my darkening eyes--a momentary feeling of the intensest agony
surged through my brain--and I sank insensible into the ankle-deep
wavelets which came rippling merrily up to the shore, Ella's despairing
shriek ringing in my ears as the last faint glimmering spark of
consciousness faded away.

When consciousness at length returned, it was accompanied by a sensation
of almost unendurable agony from my numerous smarting, inflamed, and
stiffening wounds; and to this was added the torture of a burning
thirst.

I was lying, completely naked, upon the scorching sand, a few yards
distant from the water's edge, whither I had been dragged, apparently
for the purpose of being stripped of the poor spoil of my clothing.

The sun, now nearing the horizon, poured his fiery beams full upon me,
still further increasing the tortures from which I was suffering; but I
believe that to this circumstance alone am I indebted for my
preservation from death, for the glowing rays dried and h