7. As retreat was now impossible, Colter turned the head of the canoe; and, at the moment of its touching, an Indian seized the rifle belonging to Potts; but Colter, who is a remarkably strong man, immediately retook it, and handed it to Potts, who remained in the canoe, and, on receiving it, pushed off into the river.

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8. He had scarcely quitted the shore, when an arrow was shot at him, and he cried out, Colter, I am wounded!" Colter remonstrated with him on the folly of attempting to escape, and urged him to come ashore. Instead of complying, he instantly levelled his rifle at the Indian, and shot him dead on the spot.

9. This conduct, situated as he was, may appear to have been an act of madness, but it was doubtless the effect of sudden but sound reasoning; for, if taken alive, he must have expected to be tortured to death, according to their custom. He was instantly pierced with arrows so numerous, that, to use Colter's words," He was made a riddle of."

10. They now seized Colter, stripped. him entirely naked, and began to consult on the manner in which he should be put to death. They were at first inclined to set him up as a mark to shoot at, but the chief interfered, and, seizing him by the shoulder, asked him if he could run fast.

11. Colter, who had been some time amongst the Keekatso or Crow Indians, had in a considerable degree acquired the Blackfoot language, and was also well acquainted with Indian customs; he knew that he had now to run for his life, with the dreadful odds of five or six hundred against him, and those, armed Indians; he therefore cunningly replied, that he was a very bad runner, although he was considered by the hunters as remarkably swift.

12. The chief now commanded the party to remain stationary, and led Colter out on the prairie,* three or four hundred yards, and released him, bidding him to save himself if he could. At this instant the horrid war-whoopt sounded in the ears of poor Colter, who, urged with the hope of preserving his life, ran with a speed at which himself was surprised.

13. He proceeded towards the Jefferson Fork, having to traverse a plain, six miles in breadth, abounding with the prickly pear, on which he was every instant treading with his naked feet.

Pronounced!, Prá re,—an extensive tract of land, mostly level, destitute of trees, and covered with tall coarse grass. They are numerous in the Western States and territories, and frequently extend farther than the eye

can see.

† War-hoop, the savage yell of war,

14. He ran nearly half way across the plain before he ventured to look over his shoulder, when he perceived that the Indians were very much scattered; and that he had gained ground to a considerable distance from the main body; but one Indian, who carried a spear, was much before all the rest, and not more than one hundred yards from him.

15. A faint gleam of hope now cheered the heart of Colter : he derived confidence from the belief that escape was within the bounds of possibility; but that confidence was nearly fatal to him; for he exerted himself to such a degree, that the blood gushed from his nostrils, and soon almost covered the fore part of his body.

16. He had now arrived within a mile of the River, when he distinctly heard the appalling sound of footsteps behind him, and every instant expected to feel the spear of his pursuer. Again he turned his head, and saw the savage not twenty yards

from him.

17. Determined, if possible, to avoid the expected blow, he suddenly stopped-turned round-and spread out his arms. The Indian, surprised by the suddenness of the action, and perhaps by the bloody appearance of Colter, also attempted to stop-but, exhausted with running, he fell, whilst endeavoring to throw his spear, which stuck in the ground and broke.

18. Colter instantly snatched up the pointed part, with which he pinned him to the earth, and then continued his flight. The foremost of the Indians, arriving at the place, stopped till others came up to join them, when they set up a hideous yell.

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19. Every moment of this time was improved by Colter who, although fainting and exhausted, succeeded in gaining the skirting of the Cotton-tree wood, on the borders of the Fork, through which he ran, and plunged into the river.

20. Fortunately for him, a little below this place was an island, against the upper part of which a raft of drift timber had lodged. He dived under the raft, and after several efforts, got his head above water amongst the trunks of trees, covered over with smaller wood to the depth of several feet.

21. Scarcely had he secured himself, when the Indians arrived on the river, screeching and yelling like so many fiends.*They were frequently on the raft, during the day, and were seen through the chinks by Colter, who was congratulating himself on his escape, until the idea arose that they might set

the raft on fire.

Pronounced Feends,-evil spirits.

22. In horrible suspense he remained until night, when, hearing no more of the Indians, he dived under the raft, and swam silently down the river, to a considerable distance, where he landed, and travelled all night. After seven days' tedious journeying, he arrived at Lisa's Fort, on the Yellow Stone.

LESSON XIII.

Charles II.* and William Penn.†-FRIEND OF PEACE.

WHEN William Penn was about to sail from England for Pennsylvania, he went to take his leave of the King, and the following conversation occurred :

"Well, friend William," said Charles, "I have sold you a noble province in North America; but still I suppose you have no thoughts of going thither yourself."

"Yes I have," replied William, "and I am just come to bid thee farewell."

"What! venture yourself among the savages of North America! Why, man, what security have you that you will not be in their war-kettle in two hours after setting foot on their shores ?"

"The best security in the world," replied Penn.

"I doubt that, friend William; I have no idea of any security against those cannibals, but in a regiment of good soldiers, with their muskets and bayonets. And mind I tell you before hand, that, with all my good will for you and your family, to whom I am under obligations, I will not send a single soldier with you."

"I want none of thy soldiers," answered William, "I depend on something better than thy soldiers."

The King wished to know what that was.

"Why I depend upon themselves-on their own moral sense even on that grace of God which bringeth salvation, and which hath appeared unto all men.'

"I fear, friend William, that grace has never appeared to the Indians of North America."

Why not to them as well as all others ?"

* Charles II. King of England, A. D. 1660, and reigned 25 years. + William Penn, a celebrated English quaker, or friend, was born in London, in 1644. He established the colony of PENNsylvania, and from him, the state derives its name. He died at Rushcomb, in England, 1718. The character of Penn is truly amiable, benevolent and humane, and his labors were ever exerted for the good of mankind.

"If it had appeared to them," said the King, "they would hardly have treated my subjects so barbarously as they have done."

"That is no proof to the contrary, friend Charles. Thy subjects were the aggressors. When thy subjects first went to North America, they found these poor people the fondest and kindest creatures in the world. Every day they would watch for them to come ashore, and hasten to meet them, and feast them on their best fish and venison and corn, which was all that they had. In return for this hospitality of the savages, as we call them, thy subjects, termed Christians, seized on their country and rich hunting grounds, for farms for themselves! Now is it to be wondered at, that these much injured people should have been driven to desperation by such injustice; and that, burning with revenge, they should have committed some excesses ?"

"Well, then, I hope, friend William, you will not complain when they come to treat you in the same manner.' "I am not afraid of it," said Penn.

"Aye! how will you avoid it? You mean to get their hunting grounds too, I suppose ?"

"Yes, but not by driving these poor people away from them." “No, indeed! How then will you get the lands ?"

"I mean to buy their lands of them."

"Buy their lands of them! why, man, you have already bought them of me."

<< Yes, I know I have, and at a dear rate too; but I did it only to get thy good will, not that I thought thou hadst any right to their lands."

"Zounds, man! no right to the lands !"

"No, friend Charles, no right at all :-What right hast thou to their lands ?"

"Why, the right of discovery; the right which the Pope and all Christiar Kings have agreed to give one another."

"The right of discovery! a strange kind of right indeed. Now suppose, friend Charles, some canoe loads of these Indians, crossing the sea, and discovering thy Island of Great Britain, were to claim it as their own, and set it up for sale over thy head, what wouldst thou think of it "

"Why-why-why," (replied Charles,) "I must confess I should think it a piece of great impudence in them."

"Well, then, how canst thou, a CHRISTIAN, and a CHRISTIAN PRINCE too, do that which thou so utterly condemnest in these people whom thou callest savages? Yes, friend Charles, and