" BILLY BOW-LEGS." 125 



been afraid of hitting both the man and the animal, as 

 our guns were loaded with deer-shot. 



At this critical moment, the Indian making a violent 

 movement, plunged the blade of his knife into the eye of 

 his enemy, who, equally unable to recede or advance 

 held fast as he was by the weapon planted in the orbit of 

 his eye gave vent to his impotent rage by long and re- 

 peated yells. His rage finally prevailed over the instinct 

 of prudence peculiar to his race ; he preparecl to spring ; 

 but a second blow of the stake overthrew his balance, 

 and he fell on the river-bank within gunshot range. A 

 loud report, produced by the simultaneous discharge of 

 our four barrels, nailed the animal to the ground, where 

 he struggled for a few moments, and grew rigid in one 

 final convulsion. 



The Indian whom accident had thus thrown in our 

 route, and who afterwards followed us to St. Augustine, 

 was no obscure hunter, but the celebrated " Billy Bow- 

 legs," who became chief of the Caribs of the Florida pen- 

 insula, and w r hose tribe frequently disturbed the repose, 

 and threatened the life, of the planters of Tallahassee. 



