Had the prisoner been an Indian sachem, he would have been required to sing his own death-song. This, if really a lion-hearted chief, he would have done with alacrity-boasting at the same time of his own prowess, and not forgetting to inform hist tormentors how many of their own warriors he had slain. He would likewise have mocked at every species of refined cruelty practised, as being nothing in comparison with the tortures which he had inflicted upon some of their own tribe.

The combustibles, consisting chiefly of pitchpine knots and dried brush-wood, had previously been provided. The prisoner having been securely bound, the work of torture commenced by piercing his flesh with bodkins, and driving sharp plugs of resinous wood into the wounds. These, when the fire should take hold of them, would render his sufferings more exquisite. A small troop of boys were likewise suffered to shoot showers of arrows at his body, from a given distance. But neither the strength of their bows, nor the vigour of their arms, enabled the young archers to speed an arrow to a vital part. Indeed, it was only intended as an amusement for the lads, which would at once serve to try their skill, and multiply the torments of the prisoner. During these inflictions, and numerous others which it would be tedious to enumerate, hundreds of grim visages were fixed intently upon him, ready to raise the shout of exultation, and upbraid him with being " a woman," in the event of his uttering a groan, or showing any indications of

pain or fear. But they were disappointed. Although his flesh often quivered with agony as their diabolical work proceeded, yet not a sigh nor a groan escaped his lips. He had been bred to the Indian wars from his youth, and well knowing their customs, and his own fate, he had steeled himself for the trial, and bore every cruelty with such unflinching fortitude, such unshrinking and unchanging composure, as to excite the admiration of his tormentors, upon whom he looked round without any other apparent emotion than a contemptuous and scornful curl of his haughty lip.

These painful inflictions over, the wood for the sacrifice was piled round his body; and Thorndyke, having taken a last look upon the blue heavens above, and as much of this fair world as he could see beyond the dark circle of Indians, of all ages and sexes, by whom he was surrounded, was calmly expecting the moment when his body would be enveloped in the fatal sheet of fire. The torch was applied, and the flames were beginning to crackle, and the smoke to curl around him, when,

with a wild scream, a female rushed through the crowd which was exultingly singing, and yelling, and dancing about the stake, and with her own hands scattered the combustibles from the prisoner in the twinkling of an eye. Heaving and panting with the exertion she had made, she took from her bosom the silk handkerchief mentioned in an early part of this narrative, and holding it aloft for an instant, drew a knife from her wampum belt, and

severed the bands which bound the victim-she herself falling to the earth speechless at the same instant. The Indians, who had stood appalled at the boldness of the adventure, divined the cause at the sight of the handkerchief, knowing well its history; their vengeance was at once disarmed, and they immediately manifested their approbation of the woman's gratitude for the preservation of her child, and the noble and resolute manner in which she had accomplished her purpose. Miskwa-bun-o-kwa, it appeared, had by some means heard, that the prisoner to be executed was the generous saviour of her son, at the Coos rapids, and she had run thirty miles through the woods, o'er brake and bog and fen, to save him. One moment longer, and it would have been too late. But having accomplished her purpose, wearied with the rapidity of her journey, and overcome with emotion, she sank exhausted to the earth the moment it was done.

The whole scene of the festival was now changed. Thorndyke was instantly taken into favour and his wounds dressed-a transition in his fortunes rendered far easier by his noble bearing at the stakeand the ceremonies of the sacrifice were exchanged for those of a joyous festival. The Red-light-ofthe-morning was a woman of unusual consideration among the tribe, from her extraordinary force of character; and the death-dance now gave way to the pipe-dance, which is given in honour of strangers of distinction; and the proceedings of the

day were concluded by a grand feast, for which purpose a stag and a moose-deer were roasted. The last course was the flesh of a dog, with which all the great feasts of the Indians are concluded.

But although thus received into favour, Thorndyke was not permitted to depart, and a new difficulty arose. The mother of one of the young war riors whom he had slain when last on the war-path, now that her brave's death was to go unavenged, claimed the right of adopting the prisoner as a son in his place. Such, indeed, was her right by the Indian law, from which there was no appeal. To this decree, therefore, the ranger was compelled, by the force of circumstances, to submit for a season. Ultimately, however, a way was made for his escape by the ever-grateful Mis-kwa-bun-o-kwa, and, as may well be supposed, the opportunity was not suffered to pass unimproved.

THE WITHERED MAN.

A LEGEND OF THE HIGHLANDS.

"We are gaun a bit into the Hielands. These Hielands of ours, as we ca' them, are but a kind of warld by themselves-full of heights and brows, woods, caverns, lochs, rivers, and mountains, that wad tire the very deevil's wings to flee to the tap o' them; and inhabited, they are, by the maist lawless, unchristian limmers that ever disturbed a douce, quiet, God-fearing neighbourhood, like this of ours in Glasgow."-BAILLIE NICOL JARVIE.

"It is impossible to sail while the wind tears at this rate it's a fearful night, sir," said an elderly, weather-beaten man, addressing himself to one who appeared to be in the prime of life, and who by his impatience showed that he had been unaccustomed to having his wishes thwarted.

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Try it, Hazard," he replied, casting an anxious look at the troubled sky, and pacing backward and forward on the beach, alternately gazing on the broad Hudson, tossed by the hurricane which now roared along its surface, and then on his faithful attendant, who by his looks evinced that he thought it a desperate undertaking. "Try it, man," he repeated, "we may as well drown as-"

"Try a fool's errand and be drowned for your

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