do it with a musket in
his hand."

"No," replied I, "that is certain; and if we attempt to bring the canoe
out of the cleft, they may drop down upon us."

"I think," said he, "that if we were to go in and take the tow-rope in
our hands, which is several yards long, we might haul out the canoe by
it, and when once it is clear of the cleft they cannot move without our
seeing them."

"We will try, at all events," replied I. "Do you stay on the watch
while I get hold of the tow-rope and bring it out."

The Indians did not expect this manoeuvre, it was clear. Still keeping
the muskets in our possession, the butts on the sand, and the muzzles
resting on our shoulders, we laid hold of the tow-rope, and by great
exertion hauled the canoe several yards away from between the two rocks.
We then paused for breath after a minute or two, with our eyes fixed
upon the top of the rock to see if they moved, and then we hauled it at
least a hundred yards further on, when for the first time I perceived
that the bow and arrows were not in the canoe, and that they must have
been taken by the Indians.

"Then we must haul again," said the Portuguese, when I stated this to
him, "till we are out of bow-shot. Let us put the muskets into the
canoe, and drag it as fast as we can."

We did so, and gained another hundred yards before we stopped, when an
arrow was discharged from the summit of the rock, and buried itself in
the sand close to my feet.

"Haul again," said the Portuguese, "we are not out of shot yet."

Again we exerted ourselves, and gained another hundred yards, during
which two more arrows were discharged, and one of them went through the
left arm of my comrade; but as it was through the fleshy part, and did
not touch the bone, it did not disable him. A third arrow was sent
after us, but did not reach us, and we knew that we were out of
distance.

"Cut the shaft of the arrow, and draw it through the arm," said the
Portuguese.

"Not now," said I; "they will perceive me doing so, and will think that
you are disabled. That may induce them to rush upon us, thinking they
have only one man to deal with."

"Well, it's no great matter," replied he; "we must now drag our canoe
down to the water and launch her, if they will let us. We have
outwitted them so far."

We now turned the head of the canoe towards the sea, and slowly dragged
her down; our eyes, as may be supposed, constantly kept upon the rock,
to see if the Indi