PURSUED BY THE NATIVES. 109 



determined if, as I expected, overtaken, to sell my 

 life dearly. Each step, less steady than the former 

 one, reminded me that I was fast losing blood : but 

 I hurried on, still retaining the chronometer, and 

 grasping my only weapon of defence. The savage 

 cry behind soon told me that my pursuers had found 

 their way to the beach : while at every respiration, 

 the air escaping through the orifice of the wound, 

 warned me that the strength by which I was still 

 enabled to struggle through the deep pools and 

 various other impediments in my path, must fail me 

 soon. I had fallen twice : each disaster beino- 

 announced by a shout of vindictive triumph, from 

 the blood-hounds behind. To add to ray distress, I 

 now saw, with utter dismay, that Mr. Tarrant, and 

 the man with the instruments, unconscious of the fact 

 that I had been speared, and therefore believing that 

 I could make good my escape, were moving off 

 towards the boat. I gave up all hope, and with that 

 rapid glance at the past, which in such an hour 

 crowds the whole history of life upon the mind, 

 and one brief mental act of supplication or rather 

 submission to Him in whose hands are the issues 

 of life and death, I prepared for the last dread 

 struo^ffle. At that moment the attention of the re- 

 treating party was aroused by a boat approaching 

 hastily from the ship ; the first long, loud, wild shriek 

 of the natives having most providentially apprised 

 those on board of our danger. They turned and per- 

 ceived that I was completely exhausted. I spent 

 the last struggling energy I possessed to join them. 



