THE TURTLER’S STORY. 18é 
and disabled, I might render assistance to some 
sufferer, or even be the means of saving a use- 
ful life. Buoyed up by this thought, I urged 
my canoe on shore, and seizing it by the: bow 
pulled it at one spring high among the grass. 
The groans of the unfortunate persons fell heavy 
on my ear, as I cocked and reprimed my gun, 
determined to shoot the first who should rise 
from the grass. As I cautiously proceeded a 
hand was raised over the reeds, and waved in a 
most supplicatory manner. I levelled my gun 
about a foot below it, when the next moment 
the head and breast of a man were convulsively 
raised, and a faint hoarse voicé asked of me 
mercy and help! A deathlike silence followed 
his fall to the ground. I surveyed every object 
around, with eyes intent and ears impressible by 
the slightest sound, for my situation at that mo- 
ment, I thought as critical as any I had ever 
been in. The croaking of the frogs and the last 
blackbirds alighting on their roosts, were the 
only sounds or sights. I now proceeded towards 
the object of my mingled alarm and consterna- 
tion, Alas! the poor being who lay prostrate 
at my feet was so weakened by loss of blood 
that I had nothing to fear from him. 
My first impulse was to run back to the water, 
and having done so, I returned with my cap 
filled to the brim. I felt at his heart, washed 
