bloody all over, and the smell of the burning flesh was horrible; but by
this time it appeared as if he was much exhausted, and, indeed, appeared
to be almost insensible to pain. He walked round the stake as before
upon the burning coals, but appeared not to know when further torture
was applied to him or not. He now sang hymns in Portuguese in a low
voice, for he was much exhausted. Soon afterwards he staggered and fell
down with his face upon the burning embers; but even the flesh of his
face grilling, as it were, appeared to have no effect upon him. An
Indian then went up to him, and with his knife cut a circle round his
head, and tore off the whole scalp, flesh and hair together, and when he
had done this the old woman whom I had saluted with a kick before I ran
the gauntlet, and who had his ears hanging on her neck to a string,
lifted up a handful of burning coals, and put them upon his bleeding
head.

This seemed to rouse him. He lifted up his head, but his features were
no longer to be distinguished, as his face was burnt to a black coal,
and he said, "Take me, ye holy saints,--Angels, receive me," and, to my
great astonishment, he again rose on his legs, and tottered round and
round for a few minutes. At last he sank down, with his back against
the stake, and one of the Indians cleaved his brain with his tomahawk;
and thus ended the life and the misery of my unfortunate companion--and
it was now my turn.

"Well," thought I, "it is but two hours of suffering, and then I shall
be beyond their malice. May God have mercy upon my soul."

The same preparations were now made for me. I was fastened with the
stout rope, and my arms tied behind me, the wood was fired, and one of
the chiefs was haranguing the Indians. He finished, the low yell was
given, when the old woman whom I had before mentioned, ran up to me,
and, saying something which I could not understand, put her hand upon
me.

When she did this the other Indians, who were about to rush on me, drew
back with signs of disappointment on many of their wild countenances.
The chiefs then went into the council-house, leaving me tied where I
was, and the wood burning around me, the mass of Indians standing about
as if waiting the decision of the chiefs. After a time three Indians,
one of whom was the interpreter, came up to me, and, kicking aside the
burning poles, cast me loose.

I asked the interpreter what he was about to do. He replied, "You kill