252 TiMEHRI. 



and then that he sorely repented he had ever been per- 

 suaded to undertake the journey — he begged hard that 

 I would go back and not think of molesting them ; for if 

 I did it would be all over with both of us. I pushed him 

 on with a stern look, chiding him for his cowardice. 



"We had not advanced more than half a mile before 

 he pointed out something very thick near the tops of the 

 trees, resembling rooks' nests, but vastly more bulky. 

 'There,' said he, in a mournful whisper—' there is one 

 of their settlements, and I can see smoke coming out of 

 some of them !' ' If there be smoke,' said I, it must be 

 about their dinner-time, and I wish I was up at them, for 

 I am confoundedly hungry.' I could see this piece of false 

 wit of mine vexed him ; he said I had better be thinking 

 of something else — and then staring wildly in my face, 

 he lifted up his hands in despair and fled precipitately. 



"Just as he left me I heard a rustling in one of the 

 high tufted trees near me. I instantly took aim with the 

 air-gun, and down dropped the animal, lifeless, at my 

 feet. Here for the first time I saw the real wild man of 

 the woods. I may say with the poet, — 



' Obstupui, steteruntque comme et vox faucibus hSBsit.' 



"I looked at him again and again, and was sorry I 

 had ever gone in quest of him. There was no time to 

 be lost. I did not know what sort of an enemy I had 

 to deal with. The animal was too large to carry — so, 

 taking out my knife, I cut off his head and shoulders, 

 threw them on my back, and set off in the dire6lion the 

 Indian had gone — looking up every now and then in the 

 trees behind me to see if I were not pursued by some of 

 their police ; for I strongly suspe6ted I had unfortunately 

 killed a man— nor have I yet made up my mind upon the 



