one of the
party, for I saw him not more than five minutes ago. Bring him out of
the bushes and let us see if his hair has grown any whiter since the
time he shot at me for killing a lamb. I have an account to settle with
him."

"He has made his escape, for no one is to be seen," cried the men, after
searching for a few minutes.

"It can't be, for only a moment ago I saw him mumbling prayers and
hoping that his life would be spared. Fire the pile of brush, call in
the scouts, and let me hear their report."

As the chief spoke, a huge pile of brush was fired, which illuminated
the open space and cast a bright glare upon the faces of those present.
Involuntarily, I looked at the person of the man who appeared to hold
such despotic sway over his followers, and I shuddered while I gazed,
for a more horrible face I never saw, except in my dreams.

His cheeks were seared until the flesh appeared livid and raw, and I
expected to see blood trickle from the half-healed wounds. His eyes were
large and glaring, being entirely unprotected by eyelashes, and as for
eyebrows, they seemed to be eaten away and destroyed. The fellow's nose,
however, was the most disgusting part of his face; for the nasal organ
was entirely gone, and nothing was to be seen excepting two small holes
which led to the chambers of the head.

I understood the reason that he was nicknamed Nosey, without asking a
question, but it was not until some days after that I learned how he
came to be so badly disfigured.

Charles Bowen, alias Nosey, was sentenced to transportation for
twenty-five years for appropriating about ten thousand pounds to his own
use by means of a forged will. He was a man of a good education, and
withal shrewd and unscrupulous; but sharp as he was, it did not prevent
his getting convicted and sentenced--and from the time that he stepped
foot on board of the transport he began his career of defying officers
and all wholesome discipline.

One day he attacked an assistant surgeon, who was attached to the
vessel, and the doctor repelled him by hurling a bottle of oil of
vitriol at his head. Bowen closed his eyes when he saw that the liquid
was about to strike his face, and by resolutely keeping them closed
until the powerful acid was cleaned from his flesh, managed to save
them, and then the surgeons of the ship commenced and arrested the
progress of the vitriol, and preserved his life; but not until the
fellow's nose was entirely gone, a