"The red
skins are close upon our trail, but they will find only
an Indian woman, when they expect a pale face. Oucanasta
will save her friend."
Captain de Haldimar did as he was desired. Clinging to
the bushes that lined the face of the precipitous descent,
he managed once more to gain the bed of the ravine. For
a moment he paused to listen to the sounds of his pursuers,
whose footsteps were now audible on the eminence he had
just quitted; and then, gathering himself up for the leap
that was to enable him to clear the rivulet, he threw
himself heavily forward. His feet alighted upon an elevated
and yielding substance, that gave way with a crashing
sound that echoed far and near throughout the forest,
and he felt himself secured as if in a trap. Although
despairing of escape, he groped with his hands to discover
what it was that thus detained him, and found he had
fallen through a bark canoe, the bottom of which had been
turned upwards. The heart of the fugitive now sank within
him: there could be no doubt that his retreat was
intercepted. The canoe had been placed there since he
last passed through the ravine: and it was evident, from
the close and triumphant yell that followed the rending
of the frail bark, such a result had been anticipated.
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