the lithe and naked Indians.  They rapidly gained on him, and he was about to turn at bay and fight for his life, when he observed water gleaming through the foliage on his left.  Dashing down a glade he came to the edge of a broad river with a rapid current.  Into this he sprang recklessly, intending to swim with the stream; but ere he lost his footing he heard the low deep thunder of a cataract a short distance below!  Drawing back in terror, he regained the bank, and waded up a considerable distance in the shallow water, so as to leave no trace of his footsteps.  Then he leaped upon a rock, and, catching hold of the lower branches of a large tree, drew himself up among the dense foliage, just as the yelling savages rushed with wild tumult to the water’s edge.  Here they paused, as if baffled.  They spoke in rapid, vehement tones for a few seconds, and then one party hastened down the banks of the stream towards the fall, while another band searched the banks above.

Barney’s heart fell as he sat panting in the tree, for he knew that they would soon discover him.  But he soon resolved on a bold expedient.  Slipping down from the tree, he ran deliberately back towards the village; and, as he drew near, he followed the regular beaten track that led towards it.  On the way he encountered one or two savages hastening after the pursuing party; but he leaped lightly into the bushes, and lay still till they were past.  Then he ran on, skirted round the village, and pushed into the woods in an entirely opposite direction from the one in which he had first set out.  Keeping by one of the numerous tracks that radiated from the village into the forest, he held on at top speed, until his progress was suddenly arrested by a stream about twenty yards broad.  It was very deep, and he was about to plunge in, in order to swim across, when he observed a small montaria, or canoe, lying on the bank.  This he launched quickly, and observing that the river took a bend a little further down, and appeared to proceed in the direction he wished to pursue,—­namely, away from the Indian village,—­he paddled down the rapid stream as fast as he could.  The current was very strong, so that his little bark flew down it like an arrow, and on more than one occasion narrowly missed being dashed to pieces on the rocks which here and there rose above the stream.

In about two hours Barney came to a place where the stream took another bend to the left, and soon after the canoe swept out upon the broad river into which he had at first so nearly plunged.  He was a long way below the fall now, for its sound was inaudible; but it was no time to abate his exertions.  The Indians might be still in pursuit; so he continued to paddle all that night, and did not take rest until daybreak.  Then he slept for two hours, ate a few wild fruits, and continued his journey.