4992. the traveller. No. Iv. 323 
the favourable moment, he snatched up his bow and 
arrows, and leaped on fhore. By the effort of his 
spring, the boat. was pufhed off; and he instantly 
scrambled up among the rocks, and concealed himself 
among the trees, so as not to be within the reach of 
any mifsile weapon, had they attempted it. The 
boat, with great difficulty, reached Brunen, where 
the governor landed. From thence he was to go to 
Kufsnacht, along the valley of Schweitz. Tell knew, 
that in the route he would take, he must of necefsity 
pafs a narrow defile. To this defile he hastened by 
another route, so as to be there before him; andcon- 
cealing himself among the trees, he waited with pa- 
tience till Gesler with his suite arrived. There, ta- 
king a true aim, he fhot him through the heart ; and 
“ Jeaving his attendants to make the best of their dy- 
ing master they could, he made his escape without 
-being perceived. He went immediately to Stauffa- 
cher, one of the three jurors, told what he had done, 
and endeavoured to prevail upon him to adopt that 
moment for the insurrection ; but this man, cool as 
well as determined, did not think it proper to preci- 
pitate matters prematurely. They continued quiet 
till the day appointed ; and though the secret must 
have been known to most of the heads of the fa- 
milies of the three districts, it was not even suspec- 
ted by any of the ruling powers till the very day 
concerted ; when the whole three provinces rose, to 
a man, and proceeded ina body to their governors. 
Gesler being alréady dead, and the others lefs ob- 
noxious, the people contented themselves with telling 
them, that they must leave the ceuntry immediately, 
